DEDICO - the second stage of rituals and development process

Building altars has been a significant practice in numerous cultures and traditions worldwide. Altars serve as spaces for conducting rituals, making sacrifices, offering prayers, and performing other crucial and sacred ceremonies. The motivations and contexts for constructing altars can vary significantly based on different religious and cultural viewpoints. Here are some common motivations and contexts for building altars:

• Establishing a personal connection and closeness to higher forces
• Remembering and honoring significant concepts or individuals
• Conducting religious rituals and ceremonies
• Harnessing power and energy and seeking higher states of consciousness
• Symbolism and education
• Fostering community spirit and promoting community unity
• Fostering a connection with nature and the environment
• Promoting personal growth and facilitating self-reflection and inner work

Altar work is one of the most powerful ways to enact change alongside the unconscious mind. Semiphoras' products are designed for either creating an altar or enhancing an existing one.

There are numerous approaches to altar construction. The paramount consideration is that the final composition feels fitting and harmonious. Here are some examples to stimulate thoughts:

• When constructing an altar, each object or item destined for placement upon it must be consecrated for its symbolic significance. Over the millennia, various methods have been employed. For instance, you can hold an object in both palms, seeking a connection with your inner self and the universal power in a manner that resonates with you. Wait until you feel the connection, then speak the words that imbue the object with its meaning in this endeavor. Thus, the mind 'merges' with the object, transforming it into a living symbol.
• To enhance the significance of the altar or its contents, you can create sacred names or potent words to be used when placing each object on the altar. These sacred names or words are intended to invoke subconscious powers.
• Before setting an object on the altar, you may also raise it, directing it toward the four corners of the world, upward and downward, or following the patterns of sacred geometry. This can be done according to the body's chakras or other relevant symbols, depending on the symbolic meaning you wish to reinforce.
• Place each object on the altar with reverence
• Establish a regular routine for altar work to manifest your desires.

Remember to regularly clean the altar and the objects on it. It's beneficial to do so, especially before rituals or when you feel that the energy of the objects needs refreshing. Symbolic cleansing of the objects on the altar can be accomplished in various ways, allowing you to choose the method that suits you best. Here are some examples of symbolic cleansing methods (select a method that won't harm your altar items):

• Incenses: Burn incense or herbs, allowing the smoke to envelop the objects. Visualize the smoke cleansing and freeing the objects from negative energy.
• Water: Spray holy water on the objects or wipe them with a water-moistened cloth. Visualize the water's purifying and refreshing effect on the objects.
• Crystals: Place cleansing crystals, such as rock crystal or carnelian, on the altar. Imagine these crystals absorbing and neutralizing any negative energy that may have attached itself to the objects.
• Sound: Use items like rattles, bells, or singing bowls to create sound vibrations that cleanse the objects. You can also use your own voice, such as through songs, mantras, or prayers. Visualize the sound washing away all impurities and infusing the symbolic objects with pure energy.
• Light: Position objects in direct sunlight, moonlight, or candlelight, and imagine the light illuminating and purifying them.
• Meditation: Sit in silent contemplation at your altar and concentrate on purifying the objects through the power of your thoughts. Visualize white light surrounding and purifying the objects.
• Mental Intention: Focus intensely on cleansing the objects with a strong mental intention. Imagine the objects being cleansed and filled with clean, high-vibration energy.

When performing a symbolic cleansing, envision in your mind how all negativity is washed away, allowing the objects to be infused with renewed energy. You may also choose to recite affirmations, prayers, or mantras during the cleansing process. The key is to select a cleansing method that feels natural to you and resonates with your spiritual path. Cleaning symbolizes the dedicated effort you put into your own spiritual journey.