Flower Offerings For Your Household Altar

Your home altar should ideally be located in a small room on the uppermost floor of your

home...but if this is not possible then a quiet corner of a room is also acceptable. From a feng shui perspective the best corner is the northwest corner, which signifies heaven. If this doesn't work for you then another area much favoured by feng shui masters is the area of the home directly facing the front door.

No matter where you altar is located, it should be well maintained, kept clean and uncluttered. If you do not have an altar table, then shelves will also do just as well. Be sure to leave enough space in front of holy objects to display your sacred offerings. The placement of fresh offering to the deities is a vital part of the ritual. There are five basic offerings - light, water, incense, flowers and food. Today we will take a closer look at flower offerings:

Flower Offerings

Always use fresh flowers!

Flowers are a wonderful and beautiful offering. Always use fresh flowers (dried and fake flowers are unsuitable), and the best colours for altars are yellow and white although blue and pink are acceptable. Avoid bright red flowers as they are generally regarded as inauspicious, as are flowers that have thorns such as roses. 

As you place the flowers on your altar, always say OM AH HUM. Remember to remove any flower offering as soon as they show signs of fading...and never allow any decaying flowers to remain on your altar, as this is also most inauspicious. 

On special occasions and holy days you can double or triple the amount of flower offerings...and there are certain days when the merit gained by making such offerings is multiplied millions of times. 

Having fresh flowers in different areas of your home always adds wonderful yang energy, but they are particularly beautiful as an offering to the deities on your altar. 

With love,
Lillian