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When designing your home altar, you can draw inspiration from many sources. You do not have to choose a country or a style and stick to it. But you can draw on elements from home altars and shrines from around the World and across spiritual traditions and build something that has meaning to you.

The common elements are ancestors; intention (peace, love, health etc); spiritual leaders, books & quotes; elements (water, fire, air & earth); gods & goddesses; sound (bells, singing bowl); personal mementos; nature; offerings; incense; and tools (Wicca).

The pages in this section introduce you to altars and shrines from across the globe and explain how different nations incorporate devotion and spirituality into their homes. Altars are used to elevate us above the mundane, to remind us that we are not separate and that we are all part of the same universe. They teach us the importance of ritual, quiet reflection and submission to something greater than ourselves.