Are you looking for a way to honor the moon’s energy and draw on its powerful connection to your spiritual practice? Creating a dedicated moon altar can be an excellent way to energetically commune with the lunar cycles, connect more deeply with your highest self, and cultivate magick in your home.

How To Create An Altar To Harness The Moon’s Energy

Creating a moon altar can be a powerful way to connect with the moon’s cycles and enhance your spiritual practice. A moon altar is a space dedicated to the moon where you can meditate, set intentions, and work with lunar energy in your everyday practice. It’s a place to honor the moon, its phases, and its associated deities and deepen your connection to nature and the universe.

The purpose of creating a moon altar can vary from person to person. Still, it often includes aligning oneself with the natural flow of the universe, manifesting intentions, and finding clarity and insight in the process. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to spirituality, setting up a moon altar can be a rewarding experience that enhances your spiritual well-being.

Types of Moon Altars

Home or Stationary Altar

If your practice takes place mainly at home, you can set up a stationary altar somewhere that is convenient for you. This may be your main altar, or you may choose to set up an additional place for your lunar practices should they differ or require another location.

Digital Altar

If you have a hard time visualizing, consider a digital altar instead! Using a free graphics editor like Canva, design a space that fits your needs or create an inspirational collage. Many witches use Pinterest as a digital altar, collecting images and information together in boards grouped by category or deity. You can also use your digital altar like a grimoire, storing and displaying important information and notes regarding your practice.

Traveling Altar

Packed away in an Altoid tin or locked in a wooden box, traveling altars provide a convenient way to take your spiritual practice with you or tuck it away for safekeeping. With a few candles, a representation of the moon, and a small container to put it all in, you can have your own travel altar set up in no time.

Mental Altar

A mental altar is a visualization, a place in your mind’s eye that appears however you wish and contains any tools and supplies that you can imagine. Creating a mental altar makes it easier for those who have trouble focusing and meditating, as it can create a physical place within your mind that acts as a point of reference to help you interact with the astral plane.

Selecting A Location For Your Altar

When it comes to selecting a location for your moon altar, there are a few things to consider. First, choose a space that feels spiritually significant to you. This can be a corner in your bedroom, a spot in your garden, or even a dedicated room in your home.

Your altar can be in a place that is easily accessed or tucked away somewhere unseen. It can be a quiet location to meditate under the moon, a pantry full of items and ingredients, or a desk by a window with a clear view of the moon. What’s important is identifying your practice’s needs for storage and putting your altar in a location that is safe and inspiring to you!

If you wish to create a Moonlight Altar for charging crystals, tools, and water, set it up in a location that will soak up the light of the moon. For some, this is near a large, South-facing window that provides a perfect view of Luna’s trek through the sky on a clear night. Curtain off this area in the daytime to keep your items charged with lunar energy which can become muddled in the sunlight.

What Should I Put On My Moon Altar?

The moon has a powerful energy that can aid in manifestation, intuition, and spiritual growth. When creating a moon altar, it’s important to consider items that enhance these qualities. Moon-related symbols such as crescent moons, stars, or tarot cards can also be used. Remember that your moon altar is personal and unique to you, so take your time choosing items that hold meaning and intention in your practice.

Associations Of The Moon

A great way to make your altar feel more connected with the moon’s energies is to include symbols, images, or associations of the moon on your altar. Below we’ve listed several ideas for crystals and other items that work well for representing the moon on your altar. If you already work with the moon as part of your practice, you may already have some.

Crystals

Crystals are a great resource to have on your altar to aid in amplifying and directing energy. The crystals below are commonly associated with the moon, but you can use any crystal that invokes the moon’s energy within you.

• Clear Quartz
• Labradorite
• Moonstone
• Onyx
• Opal
• Pearl
• Selenite
• Crystals in spherical or crescent shapes

Plants

If you’d like to include plants on your altar (either as a decoration or offering), consider using white flowers, flowers that bloom at night, or prayer plants, whose leaves fold up into a sort of praying position at night. Here are some other botanicals associated with the moon:

• Calatheas (Prayer Plants)
• Dandelions (often associated with lunar deities like Hecate)
• Jasmine
• Lavender
• Lotus
• Moonflower (blooms at night)
• Poppy

Plants and flowers are a great way to decorate your altar, but you can also place them as offerings or incorporate them into spells, tinctures, and more. You can even plant a Moon Garden full of plants and flowers that bloom only at night – the possibilities are endless!

Colors

To represent the moon using color associations, you can include white, silver, or black: colors that depict the ever-changing moon as it passes through each phase. That said, you can use black to invoke the energy of the New Moon and white for the Full Moon. This applies to candles, crystals, and other items you wish to dedicate to your altar.

What Else Can I Put On My Altar?

Your altar should be a space that reflects your personal practice, but if you’re looking for more ideas, we’ve got you covered! Here are a few items that you may find useful on your moonlight altar:

• Art that inspires you
• Chalices, cups, and other vessels
• Containers for your practice
• Grimoires and other reference materials
• Incense sticks or cleansing materials
• Journal or notebook
• Magickal tools (such as a wand or athame)
• Mirrors
• A moon phase calendar
• An offering dish (and regular offerings)
• Statues or representations of deities
• Tarot cards, such as The Moon or The Star
• Water (in a chalice)
• Any personal items of special significance that you wish to include

Setting Up Your Moon Altar

Setting up your moon altar is a beautiful and mystical experience. Before you start, it’s important to cleanse your space and your energy. Once you feel ready, think about the deities or energies you want to invite into your practice. You may want to include a statue or image of a lunar god or goddess.

Gather any items that resonate with the moon, such as crystals, candles, or tarot cards, and arrange them in a way that feels pleasing to you. As you work with your altar over time, you may find that certain items hold more meaning for you than others. Trust your intuition and enjoy the journey of discovering what the moon altar means to you.

Remember, your altar should be a reflection of your own spiritual journey and connection to the moon’s energy. Whether you are a seasoned witch or just starting your practice, your altar should be a space that brings you peace and inspiration. Take the time to create a space that reflects your own magickal journey. May it be a place of inspiration, magick, and connection.