blog

Create an Ancestral Altar in Your Art Journal to Vision Success in 2024
October 31, 2023
Scorpio season is a season of transformation and reflection, making it an ideal time to look inward and plan for the year ahead. In this post, I share steps and suggestions to create an ancestral altar in your art journal to vision success in 2024.
Scorpio season, falling in the heart of autumn in the northern hemisphere, is a deeply introspective time. As the days grow shorter and nature begins its process of letting go and retreating inward, so do we. It’s a season of transformation and reflection, making it an ideal time to look inward and plan for the year ahead. Just as trees shed their leaves, Scorpio season encourages us to shed what no longer serves us and focus on our deepest desires and aspirations.
Let’s use this beautiful time to create an ancestral altar in your art journal to vision success in 2024. With our brushes in hand and hope in our hearts, we can reflect on the past, envision the future, and feel the presence and guidance of those who’ve walked before us, be they of blood or spirit. May they offer wisdom, insight, and clarity as we navigate our path into the coming year.Connection to ancestors isn’t limited to bloodlines.
What You Will Need
To create your ancestral altar in your art journal to vision success in 2024, you’ll need to capture two things onto the pages of your art journal:- An honoring of and invitation to your ancestors
- Your vision of success in 2024
Gather the Ancestral Elements

-
Photos or Drawings: Images of your ancestors, or representations of them. If you don’t have photos, you can draw symbols or silhouettes that represent them.
-
Names: Write down the names of your ancestors. If you don’t know them, writing down “unknown” or “forgotten” can still be a powerful acknowledgment.
-
Maps: Include pieces of maps from places your ancestors hailed from.
-
Symbols: Any symbols that represent your heritage or familial lineage. This could be crests, animals, or other icons tied to your ancestry or even symbols that represent values your soul family carries.
-
Personal Artifacts: Sketch or collage images of heirlooms, jewelry, or other artifacts that have been passed down in your family.
-
Quotes: Words or phrases that are significant to your family history or that have been passed down through generations.
-
Plants and Herbs: Draw or collage images of plants, flowers, or herbs that are significant to your lineage or that your ancestors may have used for medicinal or spiritual purposes.
-
Candles: Sketch or stick images of candles to symbolize the light and guidance your ancestors provide.
-
Offerings: Representations of food, drink, or other offerings traditionally given in your culture to honor the ancestors or representations of food and drink you imagine your ancestors enjoyed when they were living.
-
Feathers or Stones: Images or drawings of feathers, stones, or crystals that you feel connect you to your ancestral energy.
-
Ancestral Stories: Short summaries, sketches, or symbols representing stories from your family’s past or stories that capture your soul families’ values and essence.
-
Cultural Motifs: Elements that are significant to your cultural background, like patterns from textiles or traditional art motifs.
-
Letters: Write a letter or note to your ancestors, expressing your feelings, asking for guidance, or simply acknowledging them.
-
Dreams: If you’ve had dreams involving ancestors or ancestral messages, jot down symbols or summaries of these.
Gather the Elements that Represent Your Vision for 2024

Click here to reserve your spot!
Once you know what your intentions are for the coming year, you can start collecting items that represent those intentions.-
Images: Cut out images, words, and quotes from magazines or the internet that resonate with your goals and aspirations for the year ahead.
-
Color Themes: Use colors in your drawings and collages that resonate with the feelings you want to evoke or achieve in the coming year.
-
Personal Affirmations: Write down positive affirmations that align with your goals for 2024.
-
Symbols of Success: Draw or collage symbols that represent success for you, whether it’s a specific trophy, a mountain peak, or a shining star.
-
Goal List: Clearly jot down your major goals for the year. By having them visually present, you reinforce their importance.
-
Timeline or Milestone Chart: Create a visual timeline of your year ahead, marking significant dates or periods when you aim to achieve specific milestones.
-
Mood Imagery: Collect and include images or drawings that capture the mood or vibe you want to cultivate in the upcoming year.
-
Inspirational Quotes: Find and incorporate quotes that motivate and inspire you.
-
Personal Symbols: Maybe you have a personal symbol that has always represented success or motivation for you. Draw or paste that in.
-
Guiding Words: Single words that encapsulate what you’re aiming for, such as “Growth”, “Achievement”, or “Courage”. You can also include your word of the year if you have one (I include a journey to find your magic word for the coming year in my course Art Journal with the Moon to Plan and Vision the Year Ahead)
-
Financial Tracker: If part of your vision involves financial goals, sketch a simple tracker to monitor and celebrate your progress.
-
Support System: Incorporate symbols or names of individuals who support your journey, reminding you that you’re not alone in your aspirations.
-
Tools of Success: If there are specific tools or skills you’ll need to achieve your goals, represent them visually, be it books, a computer, an instrument, etc.
A Starting Point
Once you’ve gathered your items, it’s time to create the altar in your art journal. This ancestral altar is a dedicated space within your journal that serves as a focal point for your intentions, hopes, and dreams for the coming year. It combines the visual and symbolic elements of a physical altar with the flexibility and personal touch of a journal. This is a suggested approach for crafting an ancestral altar within your art journal to envision success in the upcoming year. However, remember that this is merely a suggestion. Your personal connection to your ancestors and your unique creative journey should be your primary guide. Always trust your intuition and creative sparks. What I’ve provided is a starting point, but the magic truly happens when you let your own inspirations lead the way. Feel free to adapt, modify, or entirely reinvent this idea to better resonate with your individual experience and goals.Let your inspiration guide you.
Create the Altar in Your Art Journal
Choose a Spread: Dedicate a two-page spread in your art journal. This will be the canvas for your altar. Background Color or Imagery: Start by selecting a color or pattern that resonates with your feelings about the upcoming year. Maybe a calming blue for peace or a fiery red for passion and energy. Paint or collage your background with this color or imagery. Central Image: Choose an image that represents your core intention or the essence of what you want to achieve. This could be a photo, a drawing, or even a magazine cut-out. Place it in the center of your spread. Symbols of Success: Think about symbols that represent success for you. It could be a mountain peak, a ladder, or a rising sun. Draw, paint, or collage these symbols around your central image. Words and Affirmations: Write down powerful words or phrases that resonate with your vision for the year. “Growth”, “Courage”, “Abundance”, or “Balance” might be some examples. These words serve as reminders and affirmations. Add Personal Touches: Include personal items you collected in the gathering stage such as the items that represent your ancestors and the symbols and elements that represent your vision for 2024. Interactive Elements: Consider creating pockets in your journal pages where you can tuck in small notes or intentions for the coming year written on paper. Or maybe a flap that reveals a hidden message to yourself. Dates and Milestones: If there are specific dates or milestones you’re targeting in the coming year, list them. This adds a practical aspect to your altar, merging the spiritual with the tangible. Visit Regularly: Just like a physical altar, your art journal altar should be visited regularly. Spend time reflecting on it, adding to it, and using it as a grounding point to refocus on your goals. Your ancestral altar to vision success in the coming year is a powerful visualization tool. It brings together the spiritual and the practical, serving as a daily reminder of where you’re heading and what you’re aspiring to achieve. Every element should resonate with you personally, creating a unique and meaningful space where your intentions for the coming year can be honored and celebrated.What’s Next
I’ve just shared with you one way you can prepare for success in the year ahead. But guess what? That’s just the tip of the iceberg! I’ve got a treasure trove of magical tidbits and I’m eager to share them with you in my free live virtual class titled “7 Steps to Magically Prepare for Success in 2024“. This isn’t your typical planning session. It’s about weaving your intentions with a sprinkle of wonder and charm and tuning into those invisible forces around you that give your plans that extra magical boost.Fancy joining me? It’s a free class but you’ll need to register. Can’t wait to see you there! Sign up and let’s embark on this magical journey together.I’ll walk you through blending your sensitive, intuitive side with magical planning to truly shine in 2024.
Register here
with love,


hi i'm dana...

This is a space where art and spirit come together. On the blog, I share art rituals for working with the magic of the moon. I also work with the subconscious mind to lighten your emotional load and follow your creative dreams.

Work with Me
Subscribe to receive hand-drawn journal pages to enjoy every full and new moon:
"*" indicates required fields