Chapter 6 – Altars and their Preparation, offerings



To worship the Holy Death you must prepare an altar. This altar represents the door that communicates with her, that attracts the energy of her kingdom to our world. It is a consecrated space where we place the objects and images that underpin our devotion, and fill us at a spiritual level.

However, I must state that setting up an altar in a country such as Mexico is not the same as preparing it in other countries in Europe or in the rest of the world.

To begin, I will describe how altars are prepared in Mexico from where they originate.

First of all, I recommend you to look for a special place that is spacious and comfortable. If you want to set up a private altar try not to show this place to curious people. It is better to keep it hidden, since its effects will be stronger with people who have faith and worship the Holy Death. Conversely, if it is a family altar, it should be set up in a quiet, well-ventilated room in which people can go to pray.

If possible, the walls of the altar should be black to protect the home, office or business, the ceiling purple, and the area of the altar should be covered with a purple veil in the form of a curtain. Set up the altar facing the wall where the sun sets: that is, oriented towards the west. Place a small table at the bottom of the altar and cover it completely with a black cloth or tablecloth (the cloth should reach the floor and cover all four sides of the table).

As far as possible, use utensils that are of natural origin so that the attraction of energy and light is more powerful.

The tablecloth may be changed depending on the colour needed for the requests; thus boosting the attraction of the right energy for each request.

Once you have the place to put your altar, make a box. This box should be a bit smaller than the altar and made of wood, iron, clay, metal or any other product of plant origin. The Holy Death will be placed on top of this box, at our own height or even at a higher position as a clear manifestation of respect. Line the box with a piece of fabric or velvet, – red on the inside and black on the outside-, and add a padlock or a small lock to it. This box will be called the depository. The objects of power that will serve as a guide to the celestial spirits towards the altar will be kept inside this box and the person in charge of the altar will guard its key.

It is recommended to keep in this box the bones of nocturnal animals or –in your case- memories of a deceased person, soil from the cemetery, ashes, or soil from archaeological places with great energy from our pre-Hispanic ancestors.

Quartz, magnets and other crystals should also be stored in this box.

When ready, wrap all these things up in a purple cloth –preferably-, and tie them with a thin black or purple ribbon. Then, put this package inside the depository and cover it with a black cloth.

Finally, place the Most Holy Death on top of the box and put candles on each side, together with the flowers and the incense. It is suggested to also put a clay plate, an ashtray and a crystal glass, which are the exclusive utensils of the Most Holy Death.

Tuesday is the most auspicious day to put up and consecrate this altar. It is perfect to do this in the mornings since the Holy Death has just woken up, she is very strong and has an entrepreneurial energy, and she loves challenges; in the evenings, she is in the fullness of her power, and at nights, the energy of the hidden forces manifest. To set up the altar, the person must be calmed and relaxed, without haste or worries because he or she must dedicate himself or herself in body and soul to the Holy Death.

As for the image of the Most Holy, you may choose any figure you like. They are usually made of clay, resin, fibreglass or papier-mâché with the different symbols that I mentioned before.

You must decide whether you want a full-body image, an image sitting down, or on a throne, etc. and also which colour you want depending on your spiritual needs. You can also put several saints, dedicated to special works and can place them with their own offerings. It is preferable that you choose an image that gives you confidence, faith and devotion.

You can also choose a printed image or a picture of the Holy Death, if you have no space. You should also choose the one that inspires you the most, and gives you confidence, faith and devotion. The way the Holy Death is represented does not matter, since she is in all her different forms.

The advantage of choosing a picture or an image is that you can carry it around, and take it and put it anywhere.

To continue the altar must be consecrated.



This must be done by someone who knows and manages energies in the mortuary theme, and everybody should choose the person they trust the most. However, if it is your own altar and you do it yourself, you can ask for it with a lot of faith, since you will be the one who will attend it and worship it. For this, you will have to clean yourself first and then clean the altar. Before doing any ritual, it is very important that you do this: you must wash yourself and purify your body, soul and spirit. You must take a hot bath to open the pores to help you to receive the energies you are about to generate.

Then, you have to dress in white and while you are getting dressed you must pray:

Oh! Lord, forgive me I beseech you,

I have had mistakes, but I regret,

I ask for your forgiveness, for all the evils

that I have consciously and unconsciously caused,

I offer you good behaviour,

since the forces that I invoke are in good faith

and I do not intend to do any harm,

but I do it because I think

in the happiness of this person and mine,

if You decide otherwise, I accept it.

Pray 3 Lord’s Prayers and 3 Hail Marys.

Cleansing Ritual

This must be done before doing any other ritual, since the environment must be clean from energies to invoke the Holy Death.

Ingredients:

– 1 mortar to mix everything

– 1 white candle

– cleaning mix (as a granular mixture): one part of incense, one part of myrrh, one part of rue, one part of lavender, a pinch of chilli powder

– 1 censer to put the mixture

– 1 glass with salt and water

To begin with, you must wash yourself as I said before, because it is essential that the environment is clean and cleanliness is done on the physical plane.

Use the mortar to mix the cleaning mixture, enough to perfume and purify the environment you want to clean. When you are ready to start, light the candle and relax, visualise the negative energy leaving your body and see how you are washing yourself. Let the candle burn to the end and throw what is left (even if it has not been completely burnt out).

It is important that when you have finished cleaning yourself in the inside, you visualise that all this negative energy burns and disappears.



Bless the water, salt and incense (you may also use holy water), and add a pinch of salt to the water. Then, go around the corners of all the rooms in the house with the censer. Stop at every corner and let some smoke out. Visualise a light that expands and starts to wrap the whole house.

Stop at each door and each window, doing the same thing and saying the following: I bless this… (door, window, room, house).

When you finish, take the glass with salt and water and walk around the house making a cross with the glass on all the walls of the house. Finally, go back to the place where you want to put the altar and mentally check if there was any place or dark space in which there could be negativity or you noticed it somewhere.

Cleansing the Altar

To carry out the spiritual cleansing you must do a rite and a petition to the Most Holy Death. These are the ingredients you need:

Ingredients:

– incense (any you like)

– liquors: spirits, mescal, tequila etc.

– 3 white candles

– flowers and vases

– 1 cigarette or cigar

– wooden matches

Use any flowers you can buy: if possible, it is better that someone gives them to you or that you cut them from your own flowerpots.

First, take a sip of the drink you have chosen. Then, take another sip and spray the drink that is in your mouth all over your site of worship. It is important that you only spread the contents of one sip, and make sure that the altar is in a well-ventilated place and without any flame lit to avoid accidents. Then, pray 3 Lord’s Prayers and 3 Hail Marys.

Fill the glass of the Holy Death with the drink. Then, light the cigarette or cigar with a wooden match and blow the smoke of the cigar on the altar and the image. You must do this nine times and then say the following prayer:

In the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

immaculate being of divine light,

I beg you to grant me the favours I ask,

until the last day, hour and moment

in which your Divine Majesty

commands to take me

before your presence.

Death dear to my heart,

do not forsake me of your protection.

So be it.

While praying, light the candles and the incense, and put the flowers in the vases. It takes 9 weeks to enshrine the altar; every Friday from the first Friday, you will say nine times this prayer or novena, with the candles lit and the incense burning, and changing the flowers when they begin to wilt because they must always look good.

The prayer for the enshrinement must not be interrupted, but if for any reason this happens, you must start again from the beginning; this might be a sign that you are not ready yet, or convinced to start the worship and handle such powerful energies.

In order to begin, the altar must be set up in this order: first the altar, and then the prayer to the Most Holy and some Lord’s Prayers. Once the tablecloth is placed, light a white candle dedicated to the Holy Death and pray again. Light the candle with your right hand. Once the candle is lit, place the image you have chosen on the altar. The image must have been washed one day before and left to dry in the open on the previous afternoon. To enhance her power, you may impregnate the image with the perfume you use. It is important not to do all this in front of people who are not from the house, so they do not disturb the Holy Death’s energies.

It is advised to cleanse the altar every 9, 18 or 27 days. If you miss the date, you can cleanse it on a Tuesday, preferably at noon; never in the early morning, afternoon or evening, or when there is bad weather.

Wash the tablecloth, the plates, glasses, incense-burners and other elements. Except the tablecloth, the objects are cleaned with a damp cloth or are shaken, but they are never washed because the essence of the offerings must be preserved. These objects are cleaned and then put back in their place. All the good and bad energy of the altar goes to the tablecloth; and that is why you must wash it to keep it always pure.

If you do a job for another person, all the objects must be thrown once the worship has been finished. The objects cannot be left on the altar unless the work is for you or for a close relative.



Offerings must be thrown away; you must not drink, eat or smoke them. In theory, their essence has been lost because the Holy Death has taken it.

You must throw away the withered flowers and water, because they absorb the bad energy of the environment. The candles, when burnt out, must be thrown away, especially those that are special offerings.

The Holy Death is asked for special favours in times of need: she protects you and your family. To get good results, personal rituals must be done with a lot of faith, devotion and confidence in what you are doing. It must be something necessary or considered fair. Everything has a price and satisfying a whim can be very expensive.

Do not be in a hurry, it is important to devote as much time as necessary to do the rituals, look for hours. You must also be in the best possible physical conditions and take care that your health is optimal at the time of doing the rituals, including not being sleepy, drunk or drugged.

If another person asks you for a petition, remember that you will need twice as much faith, devotion and confidence in doing the ritual. To help others you need to have the vocation and the gift to do so, there are people who were born for it. You should not do it for money, or for any personal interest.

You cannot do two rituals at the same time. If you work with a single energy you will get better results.

You must fulfil all the promises you make to the Holy Death. Wash your hands before and after doing a ritual. If you do not know the prayers, you can read them.

Another Ritual of Consecration

This is another way to consecrate your image so that the entity enters it as many times as you need. It is more effective if you do it on a Saturday.

Ingredients:

– liquid of rose

– liquid of rue

– petals of red roses or red carnations

– incense and myrrh (in grain)

– 1 censer

– natural water

– 1 bucket to wash the Holy Death

– bee honey

– 1 spoon

Procedure:

Put the natural water and the liquids of rose and rue in the bucket. Add the petals and a little honey. Mix everything with a wooden spoon and wash the image. Light the candles on the altar to welcome the image. Light the incense with the mixture of myrrh. Immerse the image in the bucket and ask her to come and enter the image while saying:

Holy Death,

I am calling you

to come to this place

and take this image that I bless

in the name of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit.

So be it.

When you finish, place the image on the altar that should be already prepared.

6.1. Offerings



Wines and Liquors

Wines and liquors are essential because the Holy Death loves alcoholic beverages and the stronger the more she likes them, and it is an ancient and traditional offering. The offering of wines and liquors will depend on how much each person can spend to buy them. The most important thing is to offer them with a lot of love and faith. Wines and liquors should be served in glasses or glass goblets and changed when they are cloudy, mouldy or have dust.

The wines and liquors that she prefers are those with a high alcoholic content, such as: spirits, tequila, rum, mescal and beer. They should be served in a glass or glass goblet.

Cigars and Cigarettes

Our Holy Death likes them very much. It is recommended that you keep the cigar unlit during the first day and you light it during the second day. Cigars are used in many special rituals or when you profess an African-origin religion such as Santeria or Palo Mayombe. It is better to used them as leaf tobacco since it contains less harmful substances.

Once the cigar is lit, you should place it next to the Holy Death. This will help to ward off envy around your work, business or family. If it is a cigar, smoke it and exhale the smoke to purify the altar and remove all negative energy. This can be done as often as you think is convenient.

Flowers

Flowers are frequent offerings and any flowers can be used as long as they are offered with faith. The Holy Death likes roses, carnations, tuberoses, gardenias, tulips… The important thing is that they are fresh, and the most recommended are the flowers from the fields because they are pure. Roses are the most commonly used. White flowers are used to attract health and to prevent spiritual and physical illnesses. Red flowers are related to love, emotions, spiritual stability, passion and desire. It is important to remove the flowers when they start to wither, because they capture all the surrounding negative energy and we do not want this energy to remain. If you need to get money and work, good economy, the flowers should be yellow.

In general, white flowers were usually offered to the Holy Death.

Incenses

One or two incenses can be burned per week. The symbolism of incenses is related to the purification of the air and people. Their use in religious and spiritual rituals is very old, since they have been used in all cultures.

You can use the incense you want depending on what you need:

– Copal: transforms the negative energy that exists in your home or business, it acts as a Road-Opener for businesses. Once the incense is lit, it is recommended to open the doors and windows to allow ventilation and the entry of new energies.

– Sandalwood: related to economic prosperity and abundance, liquidity and success in what you have asked.

– Myrrh: it cuts jealousy, troubles, gossip and hatred. If you burn two incense sticks or cones next to our Holy Death, the requests are obtained more quickly.

– Roses: it is, par excellence, the smell of love. It is used in any ritual of love since it attracts it. It is aphrodisiac; it awakens the passion and sexual drive towards the couple. If you place three cones or sticks it promotes the arrival of a love.

– Musk: related to good health, both physical and mental. It prevents diseases at your house.

– Jasmine: to attract sales in business.

– Carnation, vanilla and lilac: for emotional and loving affairs, to attract harmony in relationships.

The first incense that was used in worships was copal incense during pre-Hispanic times and it was used by the different cultures populating our country. The use of incense on our altar is a synonym of respect to ancient traditions. It is recommended to use an incense-burner of natural origin such as: clay, stone, wood, etc.

4 Elements

The 4 elements are essential offerings on an altar to the Most Holy Death, since they are important to channel our requests. Fire is represented by candles. Water is essential: a glass of fresh water for our Holy Death is sufficient. Earth is found in our offerings in flowers, fruits, etc. Air is also represented with candles and with our prayers.

Water

Water is essential and must never be missing on your altar, because it is necessary in the physical and in the spiritual worlds since it helps to channel the energy. Always use clear, clean water (either form the tap or purified), and put it in glasses or glass goblets. Do not fill the glass or goblet to the brim and keep it on the altar for at least 15 days or a little less if the water gets dirty, or becomes dark.

If bubbles come out of the glass, it means that there will be economic tranquillity or that your projects will be carried out without problems. If the water stays the same as the first day, it means that there is good energy and your requested favours will be granted.

It is very important that the first time you set up the altar, you look at the water. If the water has small bubbles or it is crystal-clear in the morning, it means that the Holy Death is happy with the altar you have prepared: spiritual and economic tranquillity. However, if it is murky, mouldy or with cream, it means that she is very upset with your request and have a lot of difficulties to achieve what you have asked.

Bread

Bread is the sacred food that must never be missing on the altar, since it symbolises that you will never go hungry or lack food. Put a piece of bread or bun next to your Holy Death. It can be wholemeal bread, if you prefer. Change it frequently, at least twice a week. Never throw it away in the rubbish, put it under a tree, the leafier the better.

Instead of bread, some people put a cake: it depends on your own choice.

Fruits

The fruits offered should always be fresh. Red apples are the most used, usually 3 or 4. Yellow apples are used in some rituals related to money. Fruit offerings are good to avoid envy and bad energies. They should not be eaten before they get spoiled and should not be thrown away in the rubbish.

There are believers who offer seasonal fruits. Some fruits are also used in love-related works.

Sweets

Chocolate is considered to be an emotional stimulant and that is why a bar of chocolate is placed on the altar of the Holy Death. Chocolate will help to eliminate negative energies and envy. It is also used for love-related works.

Honey is also used for sentimental works and should be included on the altar. You can put any type of sweets, regardless of the amount. It is preferable that they are homemade, but the important thing is that they are offered from the bottom of your heart.

Money

If the altar is in your business, offer the Holy Death the first sale of the day. You can leave money on the altar until you close or during the first 21 days of the opening of your business. Money is used in several rituals to improve the personal or family economy, and when you need to look for a new or a better job.

Fragances

Scents are also important. Their use is recommended because they serve to customise the altars. It is recommended to use some of your own fragrance on the image of the Holy Death.

Plants and Herbs

– Camphor: for absent persons, write their full name on a piece of paper and put it under the image. The person will soon return to you.

– Basil: used for economic well-being. There should always be some basil on the altars that ask for success and abundance.

– Rude: it removes bad vibrations, lies, deceits, gossip, and provides marital union.

– Rosemary: for good luck, it takes away negativity and evil thoughts.

– Peppermint: it helps to solve love-related troubles.

– Union Grass: to attract the opposite sex and make easy love conquests.

– Come to Me: to increase the love of the couple.

– Costmary: to obtain power and luck in love.

Stones

– White quartz: to ward off bad thoughts, it provides positive energy.

– Pink quartz: to give great power and strength in love.

– 7 metals: to attract abundance, money and prosperity.

– Magnet stone: it has a great power for business and trade, used to make charms.

– Alum stone: to solve legal problems and justice.

– Jet stone: to attract fortune and make the money work.

Candles

Fire is one of the four main elements in any request or ritual. It represents a bridge between this world and the afterlife; but it is also a source of power and destruction.

When you light a candle, a call is made to the forces of nature: fire, air, water and earth. The earth is the wax, which is transformed into air.

When you light a candle, ask with devotion and faith, always visualising what you want to achieve, transmitting devotion and respect. Try to use strong colours and not pastel ones. It is better to light the candles with wooden matches and with the right hand if you are right-handed, or with your left hand if you are left-handed; since it is the hand we use the most and it will help us to have more strength.

You must let the candle burn completely, but if for any reason you must blow it out before it burns, its better do to it with wet fingers or with something metallic; never blowing it out, because it is another air element and that would dissipate the energy.

Look for candles of good quality, preferably made of paraffin wax and choose the colour in accordance with your needs. The colours mostly used are:

– White: To achieve peace and tranquillity, protection in your home, business or personal protection. This colours is also used in rituals of consecration (such as in the Holy Eucharist in Catholicism), purification, meditation, fortune telling, spells that imply healing, spiritual strength, clairvoyance, mediumship, to attract ancestors, etc.

– Yellow: To ask for money, liquidity, prosperity, work and any economic request in our lives, for wisdom and good luck.

– Orange: To ask for strength, and to attack and defend ourselves from the enemy.

Pink: For sentimental requests of love, to draw hard hearts near, for friendship, or for any other ritual that implies femininity.

– Red: It represents strength and passion, for any request related with love, emotions, sex, passion or desire, to ask for the couple or marriage, and to achieve emotional stability.

– Golden: To open the roads in business and to get money, liquidity and economic stability, to be successful and to increase sales and economic benefits, for businessmen and merchants.

– Purple: For everything related to health, to be healthy and to reject illnesses.

– Blue: To ask for concentration in studies and mental strength, for any student, to boost intelligence, to solve professional problems at home, to soften the hearts of our superiors.

– Green: For legal problems, used amongst lawyers and people related to justice to achieve success.

– Coffee: To communicate with the afterlife, enhance clairvoyance, mediumship, concentration and telepathy, to overcome any obstacle in our daily life.

– Indigo: To be able to sleep, heal and increase our spirituality.

– Black: To return any negative energy sent to us, to have strength and power, for total protection, for annoying neighbours. It also helps to achieve the person’s goals and objectives without anyone bothering or finding out, it hides our true intentions in the eyes of potential enemies.

Interpretation of the Flames of the Candles

If the candle goes out on its own and for no apparent reason: This indicates that one part of the request will be granted, but for the other you will have to do your part with will and sacrifice to achieve what you have asked for.

If the candle keeps going out: it may be that the wick is too short or is misplaced: if this is the case, blow out the candle, let it cool down and replace it. If it continues to go out, this means that people envy you for all the things you do or have and your friends or people around you look at you with suspicion. Allow the candle to cool for a few minutes, pass it all over your body -starting with head and ending with the feet-, and light the candle again while saying a prayer.

If you have asked for something related with love or sentimental matters, it means that your request will not be concluded. You should pass the candle all over your body again, as I have described before.

If you have asked for money, you will have to be careful not to trust or lend money, because you will lose it and the person you lent it to will also lose it.

If the tip of the flame is bright, it is a very good sign that you will achieve your request and you will be lucky.

If the flame is small, it indicates that you will have to have a lot of patience for getting results because they will be slow and difficult. If it is a request for love, it means that there will be a disappointment with the couple or family. If it is related with money, the people around will make that your request is not achieved.

If the flame is normal, it does not move and its size is normal, it indicates that your request will be granted without problems. For this, you have to look at the candle for 3 minutes to make sure that the flame does not change.

To be considered normal, the flame should be blue and yellow. If you asked for something related with love, it means that you will soon come to terms with your partner, or someone close to you will get married. If it is related with the economy, it augurs prosperity or a job promotion; you will achieve any money request. When you achieve the requests you should thank the Holy Death.

If the flame is oscillating, it indicates changes in your request and that the result is not as expected. If it is for love, it means that the couple is unsure and that is not good. Also, that either you or your partner is influenced by other people and by negative comments that could lead you to break. If it is for a family issue, it means that you should not take your family problems to work or the other way around. If it is for money, you will have problems in your workplace or your job position may change.

If it is oscillating a lot, you must have more faith in what you ask, have no doubt on your own spiritual and personal capacity and be more consistent in what you propose.

If the flame looks like a spiral, it indicates that you will get good news and your request has been heard.

If the flame oscillates to the right, it indicates affirmation to your question, the answer is yes, the events are positive and it is a good omen for economic issues, love, work, etc.

If the flame oscillates to the left, it indicates denial to your question, the answer is no, it is not good for executing ideas, but yes for having or forming them.

If the flame does not move, it indicates little action, stability and stagnation, in love it is related with peace.

If the flame sizzles or sparks, it indicates some type of obstacle before achieving your request.

If the flame goes up and down, it indicates confusion of ideas, that several requests are mixed, scattered mind.

If several tears of wax combine forming a larger one, it indicates that you will have to solve a difficult situation because it is imposed, you will have a lot of doubts and you will not find the solution, it is good that you rectify your ideas and behaviour.

If the tear falls to the right, it indicates that the solution to the problem is fast. Expect positive changes and everything will be solved.

If the tear falls to the left, it indicates slowness in the solution of the problem or request, it will take some time to resolve, or there will be fights or disputes, mistrust and insecurity, there are no changes, everything will remain the same.

If the tear changes direction, it indicates that there are doubts in achieving what you have asked for yourself or for others, you will go through a problematic stage or emotional crisis, it is better to be cautious.

If the candle tears a lot, it is a bad omen. It will take at least 12 months for your request to be fulfilled. At present, there a lot of obstacles to achieve your request.

If the candle ends clean, it indicates that you will get what you ask for. It is a good omen for everything and also for spiritual issues.

If the candle is broken, it indicates a bad spell, a betrayal, an illness. This is also the case if the glass where the candle is breaks or crashes.

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