Shrines: A Moderately In-Depth Look

Shrines: A Moderately In-Depth Look

So, many people have asked me how to go about starting to set up shrines and how to take care of them and use them. So here’s a big long post!

What is a Shrine?

A shrine is a devotional altar set up for a specific deity or spirit. It is a place, area, or table where you make offerings, pray, and commune with that entity. Shrines are helpful because not only do they help show your devotion to the gods or spirits you venerate, but also having a physical space to routinely make offerings can help keep you in the habit of regular offerings to build your relationship. 

Setting Up a Shrine

Location:

A good way to start setting up a shrine is to pick a place or an area to set it up. It’s important to keep in mind what locations are appropriate for what beings. For example, if you’re setting up a shrine to your ancestors, it’s probably best to do so in a space of modesty (i.e. not a place where a lot of nudity or sex takes place). Furthermore, think about spaces that might be holy to the god or spirit you are setting it up for. For instance, a shrine to your ancestors in a common family room, a shrine for Hekate by a doorway or threshold, a shrine for the spirits of the land in an outdoor setting. All of these things can factor in choosing a location. While none of these are necessarily ‘requirements’, all of these considerations may help you feel more connected or even grant you better access to communicating with your deity or spirits when worshipping at your shrine. 

Picking a Table:

Now that you’ve chosen a location, it’s time to start actually setting the shrine itself. Really anything can be used, an end table, the top of a dresser, a dedicated table, even an entire room if you have the means. However, even the type of structure might lend itself to different deities or spirits. If you’re making a shrine to an underworld or nature deity, perhaps a table that’s closer to the ground, or a shrine to Athena on top of a bookcase. Once you’ve picked your shrine table, it’s important to cleanse it. If you’re going to be setting up a shrine for a deity or spirit, it should be fit for them to present. Then, consecrate the shrine. This can be done by saying a blessing over the table, smoking it with incense, and/or anointing it with sacred oils.

Decorating the Shrine:

Once you’ve picked your table, cleansed, and consecrated your shrine, it’s time to start decorating. A good starting place is deciding whether or not you want an altar cloth. After you have or haven’t placed an altar cloth on the table, start with basics. A good starting place is placing any statues you may have of the deity or spirit on the shrine. Then I like to place any candles I have made for the deity or spirit on the shrine. Next steps could include any sacred items such as bones of animals sacred to the deity or spirit, other candles, flowers, crystals, jewelry, etc. It’s then important to leave space for offerings. One of the main purposes of a shrine is to have a space to leave offerings dedicated to the entities you venerate, so leaving a bowl or a plate and some cups on the shrine to leave offerings in is a great idea. Extra decorations could include things like art of the spirit or deity. Purchasing art from other practitioners or devotees is a great idea. But if you’re on a budget it’s understandable that purchasing prints or comissions might be difficult. I am personally against printing out art that people are selling, and I think that’s theft. But if the artist is dead and it’s a classical painting I say go for it.

For me, the aesthetic of a shrine is important. Colors and themes evoke feelings, and you ultimately want the shrine to bring you closer to the god or spirit you’re worshipping, so making the aesthetic of the shrine match the way the spirit or deity makes you feel is helpful. Furthermore, crafting an aesthetic for your shrine that matches the energy of the deity or spirit is a great plan to help that closeness and show your devotion. For instance, my Hekate shrine is dark but warm. Mixing dark imagery and black with warm, red accents. On the other hand, my Pan shrine features lots of animal parts and goes for a more rustic look to mirror Pan’s divine qualities. You can take any direction you want with your shrine, as long as it evokes the feelings you need it to in order to feel close with your spirit or deity. 

Decorations for a shrine also don’t have to be fancy or expensive. I get a lot of my decorations from thrift stores and the dollar store. Also, taking the time to make your own decorations can be a further devotional act. It’s all about doing what works for you and putting effort and care into making a space for your deity or spirit to commune with you. There’s no one way to organize a shrine, so whatever is done with genuine devotion and care is what is right to do. 

Dedicating Your Shrine

The next step is to perform a ritual of dedication to devote the shrine to the deity or spirit. Light the candles, make some offerings (incense, food, wine) and invite the spirit or deity to accept them and inhabit the shrine. This is an important final step in the initial setting up of the shrine.

Shrine Up-Keep

The shrine isn’t meant to be static, but instead a routinely used and maintained space of worship. That being said, it’s wise to do consistent work on it. 

What to do With Offerings:

Making the offering is pretty straightforward. You leave it on the shrine in whatever receptacle and then pray to your spirit or deity. But what do you do with it afterwards? I usually let perishable offerings sit for no more than a week and usually no less than three days. These offerings can then be disposed of ritually and replaced with new ones. Non-perishable offerings can be left on the shrine and can add to the decorations (art, talismans, sacred objects) or be left in a bowl or plate (i.e. a bowl of money, jewelry, and/or crystals, etc.) on the shrine. 

Adding to the Shrine:

The shrine is meant to reflect your relationship and devotion to a spirit or deity, and therefore should shift with that relationship. Starting out, your shrine will probably be pretty straightforward and simple, but as you grow and build your relationship with your deity or spirit, you should add to your shrine. If you find something at a store that you feel fits your deity or spirit, add it to the shrine! If you begin relating to the deity or spirit in a new way, the decorations can change and you may even feel the need to remove some of them. This is natural and is an important part of any relationship with the divine. When removing decorations, make sure that you ask first and do so respectfully, especially if it is something that has been used as an offering. Overall, the important part of shrine upkeep is that it doesn’t become a place of stagnation, but of growth and transformation.

Cleaning the Shrine:

As shrines are meant to be a space of active worship, they’re going to get dirty sometimes. Incense ashes may fall onto the altar cloth, wax might drip onto the shrine, your statues or decorations might get dusty. If you’re consistent in your veneration of the spirit or deity, the shrine is going to get dirty. So, cleaning your shrine and making sure it is fit for worship and for your god or spirit to be present at is important. It doesn’t have to be an every day thing, or even weekly, but it should be done as a sign of respect and care. I tend to clean my shrines in preparations for holy days or rituals, I try to make sure I do it just generally at least once every month or so.

In Conclusion

Shrines can be an important part of your relationship with a deity or spirit, but it can be hard to know where to start. This post is not meant to be definitive or authoritative in any way, but to help those who might need guidance find some starting points for their practice. Shrines can be anything from a transportable set up, to a whole room, but they are all equal. What’s important to remember is that size, intricacy, or expensiveness is not equivalent to devotion. Any shrine made in genuine care and devotion is equal to another. So when constructing a shrine make sure to do it from the heart and you should be headed in the right direction. It can be really discouraging to see fancy shrines as a beginner, and they can be pretty overwhelming, too. So, always remember that a shrine is to show your devotion to a spirit or god, not to compete with others. As long as you put the effort and care in, you’re golden. I’ve included some pictures of my shrines as examples of how they can differ in their design, and hope that can show that they can be anything you want them to be. I hope this post is helpful and can give some people a way to start their devotional practice. 

♐️ ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕊𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕦𝕤 ♐️ November’s new moon reaches the peak of its power on November 23 at 5:57 pm (EST) and 10:57 pm (GMT).

The new moon in Sagittarius brings the promise of new beginnings fresh starts and how to make the very most from the new opportunities it brings.

Are you ready? I know I certainly am, bring it on!

Lindsay 💜 ————————————————————————— #newmoon #newmooninsagittarius #saggitarius #jupiter #zodiac #nature #moon #divination #astrology #greenwitchcraft #energy #tarot #intuition #wicca #pagan #witch #witchcraft #witches #esoteric #witchesofinstagram #witchy #witchyvibes #occult #witchythings #witchystuff #bruja #witchywoman https://www.instagram.com/p/ClMGn_MtkI2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

—  Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis

this is so beautiful

Milky way over the highlands.

Nara natural grassland, Japan.

This food for thought over hea!!!! Has been the seed to my whole existence. I learned that we all may experience the same thing. But take different slices from it.

This experience has became more & more prevalent to me. Especially when I would do readings on the street in Union square just for fun. You know, you have to keep your skills sharp. And I have to say. That, I would get some people who would debate the meaning of things with me. As if I did not know what I was talking about. For instance, in this sharpening of skills, I sat across the street from Starbucks, in, union square park. Directly in front of a statue where there's a mother holding her hungering child. "At least that's what I can remember, I'm in Africa right now" so my mind is pre occupied with Army stuff.

a few years back. I would sit there in Union square and be soo outlandish and boisterous. Loudly chanting "Reading, Reading.... do you care to be read. Do you care to know what the future holds!?" This I could tell you, that the spirits were on my mutha Fuckin back! Okay!!!! The energy was strong! I was feeling spicy and saucy. Talking my shit, doing, my shit! I loved every minute of it.

In all of that energy, moving and grooving I attracted a middle aged Asian woman who was looking for clarity. Clarity that she most definitely found with me. I do not remember all of the details of her reading. And since I don’t know her name and have not posted her picture. I will talk about her case. lol I have my own moral code when I do my readings. For me, one of them is that I will not share people information unless strictly given clear authority to do so, with other people who can figure out who it is. I respect people boundaries. It's a two may street here. Not only is the person being read is vulnerable. But! Also the reader! We take on so much of the bad JuJu and the emotional dump that comes with people opening up to us.

In all, this women comes to me and sits down at the table the park has already provided. And rightfully so, questions me about what it is that I do. Which is fair. I mean I am a whole stranger in a park in New York city that she does not know. I mean, It's a hustle city! Where you have to hustle or be hustled. But! I digress. After she completes her interrogation. She stops moving and locks eyes with me. I could tell, she was ready to ask her question and get an answers.

The process in which I divinate, so that the person feels more at ease. Is, I ask them to ask the question loudly in there heads and only think of that one question. And that question specifically. If not! I'll get the two questions. Even if you asked the question in a variety of ways. It will be confusing and you wont get a clear response to whats been asked. And yes the cards will reflect that for me. Every reader has his, hers or theirs own way of doing things. lol (I'm trying my best to be inclusive)

As I shuffle my cards; Locked into her energy. psychically pulling her thoughts and wonders into my cards. I throw a hand. "Now! the deets get blurry because this story happened so long ago!" But! Long story short I was on the money. I knew what she wanted to know and I have clarified it for her. The first part of her reading I do remember confirming something I could have never known about her. And that she was impressed. She did not live a normal life or have a normal type of career. At least, whats not normal for NYC. Towards the end of her reading. She and I butted heads because of semantics. She did't like how I was using certain words to define how she understood and experienced her life.

Ultimately, the reading closed out and she paid me. But I was perturbed that she challenged me on what I felt and saw for her. After all I was the reader. But this was a clear lesson and a win for my future readings. & that win is, I should choose my words very carefully. Not everyone will understand things in the way that I will.

Back then I really thought I was hot shit. I mean, I was and still am. I'm very skilled in my craft. However, I though to myself all those years ago, I'm an Empath and getting the information in 3 ways. & I learned, not right away mind you. that with all of the way I can magically, spiritually gather information. Does not me I can dictate how someone is experiencing something. That it does not mean that I can change the narrative of how they feel it, think it and even live it.

She wanted to get my information at the end. But! I said "No" At this point in my life I was not as humble as I am now. I did not live for the sake of knowledge. I lived to be right! I lived for power. Being a psychic vampire and casting spells because I could. I was just a menace. Not all psychic vampires are bad! I mean we exchange energy all the time. And most of the time, when doing readings.

I didn’t like how I would not want to finish or even start one. Because of the energy exchange. I'm more emotionally mature now. So I know to clean myself every other day. Or every day. Little do people know they are doing magic or spiritual practices everyday and don’t even know it. I have to go now. I have to ask a Ugandan about some hash browns.

Just a reminder that the people you look to for information and advice on religious practices, witchcraft, and other aspects of the spiritual are primarily sharing from a place of personal experience as well as their own values and ethics. This means that not everything one person shares or emphasizes will be relevant to you or vibe with you. That doesn’t automatically make them or you wrong. It just means that aspects of their teachings isn’t for you and you’re welcome to ignore it. Take what works for you and leave behind what doesn’t. Also learn from and engage with multiple people so you are exposed to different perspectives and possibilities.