The postcard had spent months in a drawer with some dead batteries and a key nobody recognised. One afternoon, we propped it up on a shelf, added a stone that reminded us of a walk and put a little lamp beside it. Someone asked whether we'd made an altar. Someone else pointed out that it was currently the only surface in the house without a bill on it.
We liked having that little corner there. It brought back a person, an afternoon, a few things we'd meant to make time for. Nothing dramatic happened. That was rather the appeal.
You can call a space like this a personal altar, a memory shelf or simply the corner with your favourite things. You don't need a cosmic lighting kit. A bit of room and a few things you like having around will do.
Can you have a personal altar without being religious?
Yes. You can set aside a corner for memories, people you love or something you enjoy doing, without attaching a religious belief to it. Personal altars can also be religious. Here, we're talking about an everyday version that you can arrange as you please, without claims that the objects have special powers.
If “altar” feels too grand, call it something else. A shelf won't take offence. If yours does belong to a religious practice, its symbols have meaning within that tradition. There is no need to flatten very different customs into one decorating trend.
Start with what you'd like to remember
We started with the postcard. No shopping list, no photograph of a spotless house where apparently nobody ever dries a sock. We just asked what we'd like to see when we walked past.
It might be someone you miss. A project you've kept putting off. The wish to do a bit of drawing after work. Or a place to sit without reaching straight for your phone. You don't have to work out your life's purpose first. “I like sitting here” is a perfectly decent start.
Your corner can hold more than one thing. If you want to add a letter beside a holiday photograph, go ahead. There isn't an altar inspector coming round on Tuesday.
Find a spot that fits the home you actually live in
A shelf, a small table or a tray on a chest of drawers can work. Choose a steady surface that you can reach comfortably. Keep walkways clear and think about whoever shares your home. That lovely bowl deserves better than being kicked across the landing.
If you'd prefer some privacy, a box you can open and put away works too. You don't have to display everything. In a shared home, agreeing on a little space usually goes down better than announcing that half the sitting room is now your sanctuary.
Use what you've already got. An old plastic tray handed down by someone you love may mean far more to you than an expensive wooden one. Pick something that suits the objects and that you enjoy looking at. Memories don't improve with the price tag.
Choose a few things that mean something to you
Try two or three to begin with. That's a convenient way to see how things look, not a sacred number. We had to move an enormous pine cone because it was taking over the entire shelf. It looked rather put out.
- A reminder of someone or somewhere: a photograph, postcard, note or small keepsake.
- Something you'd like to look after: a plant suited to that spot or an object you want to keep in good condition.
- A nudge towards something you want to do: a pencil, a notebook or a card with one manageable next step.
Not every object needs a family history stretching back three generations. Sometimes you just like the colour. That's enough. And you needn't bring anything home from the woods to complete the arrangement. A photograph can remind you of a tree without your taking a branch off it.
Our Spark of Creativity might give you an idea for a drawing corner. The Sparks belong to the Magikitos' stories. The bit that gets the drawing done is still picking up the pencil.
Keep the lighting simple
Try daylight or a lamp you already own. Candles, scents and music are optional. If a smell bothers you or a sound gets on your nerves, get rid of it. Your decorations shouldn't be spoiling your afternoon.
Using candles? Follow fire safety advice: steady holders, well clear of anything flammable, and extinguish them before leaving or sleeping. Flameless lights suit bedrooms.
Think about little hands and pets when you arrange everything, too. Our imaginary inspection team has nothing on a cat that believes every horizontal surface is its personal property. The cat hasn't read this guide. It has no plans to.
A few ways to make the corner your own
Somewhere to pause
A comfortable chair, a bit of clear space and something pleasant to look at may be plenty. If you enjoy meditating at home, you could use this spot. If you'd rather sit and look out of the window, there's no need to turn that into a formal practice.
Somewhere for memories
A photograph or letter can keep a memory close. Some days you may want to look at it. On others, you may not. You can put something away, move it or leave the corner exactly as it is. There isn't a correct way to feel in front of a shelf.
Somewhere to get started
If you've been meaning to draw, leave a notebook open with a pencil beside it. If you want to ring someone, write their name down. An object can remind you of an intention, but the next step needs to be something you can actually do: make the call, write a line, sit down for ten minutes. A photograph of a mountain won't pack your rucksack.
A small companion, if you fancy one
We rather like imagining a brownie guarding the postcard against incoming electricity bills. You could use a figure you already have, or one you've made yourself, wonky nose and all. It doesn't need to show off. Neither do you.
The Magikito figures represent the characters in our stories and are modelled in cold porcelain. We show them on the website, but they aren't for sale. The Spark of Calm is part of those stories, not an energy that a figure sends out into a room.
You don't need a supernatural explanation for being fond of an object. If it brings back a happy memory or makes you smile, that counts.
Do you need to do a ritual every day?
No. You can spend a moment there when you fancy it, make a habit of stopping by or simply enjoy seeing it as you pass. There is no compulsory schedule or number of seconds that guarantees peace of mind. Try a small routine if it suits you. Change it if it starts to feel like homework.
We tend to look at the postcard when we water the plant. Sometimes we linger. Sometimes we realise we're late and leg it. No brownie turns up to confiscate our membership card.
The pleasure of small everyday rituals is that they can fit into ordinary life. Once a habit becomes another box you feel guilty about not ticking, it's worth asking whether you still want it.
Let things change when you want them to
Dust when it needs dusting and move anything that's started piling up. Putting a keepsake away doesn't mean you care any less about the person who gave it to you. Keeping the same photograph there for years is fine, too. Your shelf doesn't need a seasonal relaunch.
If you're sad today, the corner hasn't failed. It doesn't have to fix your day, resolve a loss or replace support you may need. It can simply be somewhere you don't have to pretend everything is lovely.
Our postcard is still on the shelf. The stone has moved three times and the pine cone has found somewhere else to live. Yesterday someone left a drawing beside the lamp. We looked at it for a bit, then went to make dinner. The corner had settled into our life.
