Sacred Summertime: Mobile Altars

Outdoor altars are usually of a temporary nature and are all the more lovely for it—the beach is a wonderful place to set up a one-day altar on driftwood with seaweed and shells.

There, unless the beach is too crowded, you can commune with the water deities and seek your deepest reaches of spirit. Forest, farm, and meadow offer earth and sky and the sanctity of nature in which to build your altar.

In Athens during the classical period, the lane leading to the temple dedicated to the god Dionysus was called the Avenue of Tripods because it was lined with small tripod altars; this was a holy road indeed. Tripod originates in the Greek word meaning “three footed,” and these altars functioned as the sites of offerings. At Delphi, the revered oracular center, the Pythoness and her sisters prophesied from the sacred seat of power, a tripod.

 A three-footed altar is more practical for outdoor use than a regular four-legged table because it is stable on uneven ground. For your outdoor rituals, therefore, it’s best to acquire a tripod that will provide a steady surface for your ritual work performed out in the holy realm of Nature. During this season of sun and heat, the fullness of life and growth can be celebrated with colors of yellow, green, and red. As you travel on vacation, bring back shells and stones and create an altar devoted to this season of joy.