The All-Powerful Love Altar

   With moving, there is the process of unpacking, arranging, rearranging, sorting and purging. It can be an incredibly challenging, almost life altering experience. As I go along, I have been asking myself what it is that I really want in my home. Your home is sort of like a giant Vision Board, a message to the Universe that these are the things that are important to you, these are the things I wish to keep, and to attract more of  into your life.  As I look at my home in this way, one of the most significant things I know that I wish to have in my life is one of the most important things in the Universe: Love.  And, in looking at ways in which I can convey to the Universe that I would like to keep love in my life, keep the love I have strong as well as attract more love into my life, I came to one conclusion: Every home should have a Love altar. What do I mean by this?
   A Love altar is a space in your home, large or small, that celebrates the love you have in your life and tells the Universe that you are open to receiving more. This last part is especially significant to those who are looking for love. How does the Universe really know you are ready to have Love in your life? How do you treat Love? Do you honor it? A Love altar is the solution to your issues.
   For the single person looking for Love, your altar should include things that symbolize what your ideal Love looks like. NOT who the ideal person may be or their physical characteristics. What does true Love look like to you? It could be books of poetry and beautiful paintings of happy couples, sharing an intimate moment or doing something that you would like to do with your beloved (not sex), like having a picnic or hiking. Statues depicting two lovers embracing and sharing an intimate moment (still not sex) can symbolize that deep connection you are seeking. Red (passionate love) and pink (that sweet, romantic love) candles and candle holders can attract Love energies. Rose Quartz (love) and Blue Lace Agate (honest communication) are good stones to place on this altar as well, attracting those energies into your life. Think about what represents true Love for you, the things that come to mind when you think about that perfect Love. Those are the symbols you want on your Love altar because those are the things that will say to the Universe, "I am open to receive Love, and these are what represent Love for me."
   For those already in a relationship, your Love altar is a celebration of your love. On this altar, should be things that represent moments of bliss in your relationship (not sex), like pictures from your wedding or a significant event where you were captured together and happy. If you had a handfasting, this is where your cord should be, displayed as a symbols of your lives bound together until the end of time. Little tokens that you have given each other over the course of your relationship should be on here as well. Not every scrap of paper and dried flower (big no no as they drain energy), but the things that really created a feeling of blissful Love within you when they gave it to you. Statues and pieces of art depicting couples in Love are also great for this space. Gemstones, incense and candles that represent romantic, enduring Love and open communication should also be placed on your Love altar, to keep that energy coming in.
   Your Love altar, according to Feng Shui, should be in the southeast corner of a room. If you are wanting to keep your privacy, you can place it in your bedroom. Otherwise, you can place in any room of your home, except your bathroom, that you spend time in. You should interact with it. Light a red and pink candle at least every new moon as a way of renewing passion and romantic love. Make sure there aren't any cobwebs or unnecessary items cluttering around your altar. Also, recharge the stones on your altar once a month by setting them in the Sun for an hour or so, just to keep the energy fresh.
  Update the altar every so often with a new picture or item, or rotate the items you keep on there from a keepsake box (in which you store only positive things associated with your Love) to the altar and back as a couple, talking about the fond memory as you place the returning item back on your altar. This keeps the energy in motion and shows the Universe that your Love is just as strong and happy as that moment the item captures.
   The size of your Love altar is really dependent on how much space you have. Not too many people have a large enough space to create a giant shrine to their Love in their home. A shelf on a bookcase or small shelf hung on the wall is more than sufficient. Keep in mind that the smaller the altar, the more significant you will have to make sure each item is to your Love. If you can only have one, for whatever reason, I feel one in the bedroom is more significant than one in your living room as your bedroom is the one space in your home where the two of you are not Mom and Dad or whatever, but lovers. A good Love altar can remind you of that, even when times are tough.
   Your Love altar not only serves to show the Universe that you are grateful for Love and open to receive more, but serves as a reminder in the tough time that you Love each other, you have shared wonderful moments of pure, perfect Love that nothing (for the most part) can take away, and that you are a couple, a team in this Universe. In the chaos of every day life, we can sometimes forget these things. A Love altar celebrates your Love, reminds you of the brilliance of your Love, and can serve as a beacon of Light, even in the darkest of moments.
   Every home should have a Love altar. For the couple, it says to the Universe "We honor the gift you have given us and are open to receiving more." To the single person, the Love altar is a beacon, a sign to the Universe that says, "I honor Love and I am open to receive the Love you send my way." In both cases, it is about honoring one of the most important things in the Universe, the one thing that most people strive for over wealth, and that thing that people say makes the world go around: Love.