Creating Your Altar

A centered space for reflection, grounding, and transformation

Whether you’re preparing for your first psychedelic journey or deepening an ongoing practice, creating an altar can help you feel held, focused, and spiritually aligned. Altars are not about perfection or religion—they’re about presence, meaning, and setting the tone for your inner work.

Why an Altar?

Altars have existed in nearly every culture throughout history. They create a physical space for the sacred—however you define that.

In psychedelic preparation, an altar:

• Anchors your intention for the journey

• Provides emotional grounding during altered states

• Establishes a visual and energetic “safe zone”

• Invites reverence and deepens your sense of connection

• Offers a touchpoint to return to during difficult moments

Simply put, an altar reminds you why you’re here, especially when things feel uncertain or overwhelming.

How Are Altars Used in Psychedelic Therapy?

In clinical and ceremonial psychedelic settings, altars help:

• Mark the beginning and end of a session

• Support focus and reduce anxiety

• Create continuity between body, mind, and spirit

• Invite symbolic meaning through visual or sensory cues

• Serve as a “home base” when navigating intense experiences

Therapists, guides, and facilitators may keep small altars nearby to represent protection, healing, or presence—subtle but powerful tools to support the nervous system.

What Is the Benefit of an Altar?

Altars are more than decorative. They offer:

• Structure: A focal point that brings ritual and rhythm to your experience

• Comfort: Familiar items can feel calming and reassuring in altered states

• Symbolism: Each object can carry meaning and help translate nonverbal insights

• Integration: Returning to your altar after your journey can reconnect you to what you experienced

The altar is a mirror: it reflects your values, hopes, and the sacredness of this work.

What Do I Need to Make My Altar?

Start with what you already have. Choose items that hold personal or spiritual meaning.

Core Elements:

• Light Source: Candle, salt lamp, or soft light (symbolizes clarity and awareness)

• Objects of Meaning: Crystals, small statues, heirlooms, sentimental items

• Nature Elements: Flower, stone, feather, small plant, or bowl of water

• Journal & Pen: For pre- and post-journey reflections

• Sound Tool or Music: Singing bowl, chimes, speaker, or a calming playlist

• Scent or Smoke (optional): Incense, sage, palo santo, or essential oil

• Personal Symbol: A token that represents you—a ring, image, poem, etc.

Place your altar somewhere private, comfortable, and accessible—on a bedside table, floor mat, shelf, or even in a closet-turned-sanctuary.

The Three Levels of Altar Making

There’s no right or wrong way to build an altar. Choose the level that best reflects your needs, time, and depth of preparation.

1. The Essentials (Simple & Beginner-Friendly)

A basic altar is perfect for spontaneous journeys or those new to the practice. Focus on clarity and comfort.

Include:

• Candle or soft light

• One or two meaningful objects

• A feather, leaf, or small nature item

• Journal and pen nearby

• Optional incense or calming scent

2. Intermediate Altars (Building a Practice)

Add more intention and ritual to deepen your practice.

Enhancements:

• A cloth or scarf as a base (symbol of grounding or earth)

• Oracle or affirmation cards

• A written-out intention

• A cup of cacao, tea, or sacred beverage

• Music or mantra playlist that matches your intention

• Seasonal elements (flowers in spring, harvest in fall)

Use your altar not just during journeys, but before meditation, journaling, or reflection.

3. Advanced Altars & Ceremonial Layouts

For those walking deeper paths, altars may take on ceremonial or ancestral forms.

May include:

• Directional alignment (North/South/East/West)

• Offerings like fruit, herbs, or sacred water

• Religious, ancestral, or lineage-specific symbols

• Plant medicines or images (if culturally appropriate)

• Guided layout from a tradition (e.g. Shipibo, Mazatec, Tibetan)

These are not aesthetic displays—they are relational spaces meant to cultivate respect, humility, and protection.

Cultural Respect & Appropriation

If you draw from indigenous or spiritual traditions, educate yourself on the context. Ask:

• Am I using these tools with reverence or for aesthetics?

• Am I supporting the communities where these practices originate?

Respect means:

• Learning before using

• Seeking consent when possible

• Supporting BIPOC teachers, artists, and medicine holders

Build What’s Right for You

Your altar can reflect:

• Spirituality or secular values

• Cultural heritage or ancestral memory

• The mood or intention of your journey

• Simply what makes you feel safe and supported

Trust your intuition. If it brings you peace, it belongs there.

More Resources

Books:

• Creating Altars for Healing – Sandra Kynes

• The Book of Ceremony – Sandra Ingerman

• Sacred Mirrors – Alex Grey

Articles & Magazines:

• Ritual & Psychedelics – DoubleBlind Magazine

Video Guides:

• YouTube: “Simple Altar Setup for Psychedelic Journeys”

• Instagram: #PsychedelicAltar | #AltarMagic