Money+Prosperity+Abundance-Make some space in your place!

OK-so often one of the first things that I ask people when we get on the subject of making money, keeping cash, and letting the good times roll--is--what is on your prosperity altar? And often the reply is some version of "huh?" I work and teach is several different magic and ritual traditions-and creating space in your place for prosperity and abundance is advised in all of them! Because if you can't be bothered to dedicate a tiny bit of space to keeping the abundant good things in life flowing then you have already shut so many doors to your potential growth. So…for those of you who want a step by step, play by play of how to do this, sit back, get a cup of tea, and enjoy the ride!

Choose your space-it can be a room, a corner of a room, a window ledge. When we do prosperity and abundance ritual work we are usually hoping and praying to increase our abundance, our earning potential, the size of our wallets so I like to place these types of altars in the East. In some traditions East is associated with the season Spring-when all plants are beginning to sprout and grow and become, you guessed it, abundant! In other traditions East is associated with the strengthening of the sun (which of course rises in the East)-as the sun rises and gains in strength so may our fortunes. If you don't have a place in the east where you can dedicate space then choose the North-that direction is associated with the element of Earth and also auspicious for money making.

Dedicate your space--I am not talking about performing some fancy ritual-I am talking about dedicating your space in order to set it apart. Since you are working on the ideas of abundance/cash/money/security/and wealth you want to set this space apart with items that resonate to those themes. Material or items that are green are an obvious choice. I like to use living plants in my personal abundance altar. Gold coins, cash money, toads and frogs (which are associated with financial flow in China, parts of South American, and in certain Native American tribes) might appeal to you. If you are not overwhelmed with a million ideas its ok-put down a piece of green or gold material, place a candle in the center, and consider your options. Altar building is an art.

Gather your materials--Are you going to pray, burn candles, recite a specific mantra, or work with a lodestone or prosperity box? What is your ritual? If you are not sure what types of rituals are appropriate or speak to you start with something simple-maybe an incense stick burning as you consider a new way to bring wealth+abundance into your life. You can also get some ideas about your attitudes regarding wealth and abundance during an intuitive counseling session-so if you are really stuck on this, consider that. Traditionally these are some of the items you might find on a prosperity altar:
--green or gold candles
--incense
--cash and coins
--oils to draw money and abundance
--herbs and roots to draw money and abundance
--matches
--figures of Deities/icons/ancestors that support you in your desire for an abundant life
--journals/books/magazines that assist you with planning and creating abundance

Summon your allies--In pretty much every religious tradition there are Saints, Gods, Goddesses, or Holy Figures that are associated with drawing wealth on every possible level (material, intellectual, spiritual, etc). Consider your tradition and the tradition(s) that resonate with you. Is there a figure that you believe might assist you in your endeavors to create more prosperity in your life? What about icons from history or popular culture? Anyone that just screams WEALTH! to you? And finally, consider your background and ancestors. With a little digging you are sure to uncover some truly remarkable individual who had financial savvy.

Bless your projects--What are you working on? What project or idea or craft are you dedicated to that just thrills you? What amount of money would you like to be making? What forms of abundance do you most need in your life right now? An altar is not just a conversation piece or a pretty decoration. An altar is where you bring your hopes, dreams, fears, successes, and failures. It is where we go to seek blessings and to acknowledge and bless ourselves. Show up to your altar-work at it and use it on a daily basis-consistent and meaningful ritual practice will begin to create magnificent and positive prosperity for you almost immediately-try it!

Why I use the word "ritual"

There are spells and then there are rituals.  What's the difference?  Using the word spell is highly descriptive and straightforward, ritual has a more mysterious quality to it, but it also implies more in the way of the sacred.  Some people perform magical workings without any religious or spiritual framework--I have spoken to atheists interested in learning the basics of candle magic on many occasions. But for me and the type of work that I do--every component is heavily based upon my understanding of the Sacred.  Ritual does not have to be fancy or formal--the act of simply lighting a stick of incense or arranging flowers can be imbued with a sense of ritual, but there is a discernment, precision, and impeccability captured by the word ritual that spell just does not articulate.  I have described the ritual work that I do on many occasions as being a form of moving prayer or prayer with props.  My understand of the nature of the work that I am honored to perform on behalf of others is that of the petitioner.  I petition a higher power for aid, assistance, and succor in a specific individual's life usually for a specific situation.  The connection with the Source is the most crucial aspect of what I do, the herbs, oils, roots, incense, baths, washes, and curios that I work with during this moving prayer are also essential but they are absolutely secondary to that connection.  Furthermore, all of my working have a beginning (invocation), middle, and end.  They are performed in sacred space and time with a heart full of devotion and a mind fixed on what is eternal, unchanging, absolute, and divine in each of us.  To me, this describes a ritual mind set and goes beyond the scope imagined by the word spell.

How-to: Set Up an Altar

This is a question that gets asked on a pretty regular basis--how you you set up an altar or what is the "right" way to set up an altar.  For starters, it really depends on what tradition(s) you might be working in.  Someone who is a practicing Catholic is going to have a very different looking altar than someone who is Baptist or Hindu.  Furthermore, in many folk magic traditions altars are not necessary or are even relatively late inventions.  However, there are some general rules to consider when creating an altar or sacred space for yourself.

• What do you do?  Do you light a lot of candles?  You probably need a place for matches as well as candle lighting tools, if you use oils you need a dark cool place to store those as well.  If you work with needle and thread a lot then you might want to consider dedicating a part of your craft or sewing room to your ritual work.  If you write recipes and petitions then you writing desk might be where you do most of your work.  An altar is a place of honoring the Divine and a place where you can do your sacred work--it does not have to be in any one specific room or locale.
• East is for gain and West is for decrease.  This idea comes out of the very old tradition of following the sun--the sun rises in the East so on a spiritual and metaphorical level our desires, fortunes, and dreams can rise and gain strength with that fiery star.  It sets in the West allowing our fears, bad habits, and negative issues to go down with it.  If you want to set up a prosperity altar you might think that given the above rule you would place it in the East, but I encourage you to think about what the biggest challenge to your prosperity is.  If you really need to draw more money then make that altar in the East, but if you really need to decrease debt you might want to consider a Western banishing altar.
• Altars need to have tools that you actually use.  If you are going to use your altar for prayer then have your rosary or mala or prayer beads and sacred text ready to go.  If you do a lot of hands on ritual work at your altar have the tools that you need for that--do not try to have a high magic ceremonial altar unless you actually are a ceremonial magician
• Altars need to be private--usually this is true--an altar needs to be in a more private place so that when you are working at it you attention and intention are clearly focused and uninterrupted.
• Altars should be beautiful--consider your tradition and influences, build something that is pleasing to you and to your Higher Power(s), don't skimp and remember: simple can be beautiful.  You are also not limited to only working with table top space--decorate the walls and floor around your altar as well.
• You might need more than one.  If you are an active amateur or a professional then I recommend you have at least 3 altars--2 are for clients: one for increase and one for decrease and the third is your own personal altar where you go to reground and pray or meditate.  If you find yourself doing a lot of one type of work you might want to consider creating an altar specifically for that as well.
• Altars are not magically shielded from dust and debris--at least mine aren't--like everything else they require consistent upkeep and cleaning.

Creating altars should be invigorating and fun!  If you start to really stress about it then stop--don't force the issue--altars have a way of letting you know where they need to be and when they need to be created.  Trust yourself to know when the right time is.

Fabulous new altar material

Picked up some chalk cloth for the altars today, it is cloth that you can write on:

Drawing signs and symbols on the altar space before commencing with work has a very, very long tradition in various spiritual practices.  And if you have ever purchased a spell kit from lucky mojo you know that its one of the things we do in Hoodoo.  This cloth makes it really easy (and fun!)