Creating and tending an altar can be a deeply grounding spiritual practice.
In times of transition and upheaval, an altar can serve as an anchor - a place to return and connect to the sacred within yourself and the world around you.
Whether you’re a curious beginner or are looking to deepen your practice, this workshop will offer guidance and inspiration on creating intuitive, creative altars.
An altar is a sacred space for connecting with and honouring what is divine to you, within you, and around you.
In this workshop, I’ll share what altars are, how to use them/work with them, examples of what they can look like, and guide you through a creative, intuitive process of making your own.
If you’ve wondered:
What is an altar?
Where does this practice come from?
How & why do you create one?
What goes on an altar? (Do you need to buy a bunch of stuff? What do you do with all the precious and meaningful items when you’re done?)
…I created this workshop for you!
Workshop flow (2 hour online workshop)
Welcome & Introductions (7:00 PM ET)
Altars 101 (7:15 PM): An overview on what altars are, how to use them/work with them, examples of what they can look like
Altar Making (8:00 - 8:40PM): Be guided through the process of creating an altar using found objects in your home (e.g. candles, personal items, photographs, artwork…) & natural materials (e.g. plants, flowers, stones, driftwood…)
Reflection & Sharing (8:40-9:00PM): Reflection and discussion on the process of creating your altar; Q&A on anything that came up while making it; next steps for working with your altar
YOU’LL come AWAY WITH:
an embodied experience of creating an altar
a recording & copy of the presentation so you can come back to this process any time
inspiration and resources for future altar making!
ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR:
I’m an Art Therapist and ordained Jewish Priestess who helps people connect to their intuition, creativity, and inner magic through 1:1 sessions & workshops. I’m queer, of mixed Ashkenazi and Moroccan heritage, and currently living between Toronto & NYC.
Altar making is one of my favourite and deepest forms of creative, spiritual practice. My altars are grounding anchors in my home and one of the first things I set up when I move or travel.
My approach to altar building is informed by:
My studies at the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute (Aug 2020 – Aug 2023), a spiritual training program co-founded by Rabbi Jill Hammer & Taya Ma Shere that reclaims and innovates embodied, earth-based feminist Judaism.
10+ years of experience as an Art Therapist, helping people express meaning, intention, and emotion through colour, symbolism, and composition.
Being a Taurus who loves beautiful, sensual things! I’ve been making altars without knowing they were altars since I was a kid – arranging stones and leaves at the park or beach, helping my mom set the table for Shabbat and holidays with beautiful centrepieces.
Other spiritual teachers & artists who have inspired and informed my altar practicer: Sarah Faith Gottesdiener, Chani Nicholas, Lindsay Mack, Dori Midnight, Day Schildkret (Morning Altars), and many others!
While my roots are Jewish, I welcome people from all backgrounds to this workshop. You’ll be invited to bring in your own personal, cultural, and spiritual symbols in whatever way feels right to you.
WORKSHOP PRICING:
Tickets are offering on a sliding scale at $18 / $25 / $36 / $45 CAD
The regular cost of the workshop without a sliding scale would be $36.
I value community care and accessibility and want those who feel called to join my workshops to be able to do so, while also sustaining myself financially and supporting causes that matter to me. By offering my workshops on a sliding scale, my hope is that those who can realistically pay on the higher end will do so to allow those with less access to resources to join.
Prices are in Canadian dollars
Tickets are non-refundable, but can be transferred to a friend
I am offering 2 free reparations / access spots to folks who are Indigenous, Black, trans or gender non-conforming, disabled, or belong to another group that has been traditionally marginalized. E-mail me here to request a spot.
10% of proceeds from the workshop will be donated to Alliance for Middle East Peace.