* Step 1 - Wander and Wonder
'' Step 1 to begin to see the world with curiosity and childlike wonder. Treasures exist all around you, but you may fail to notice beauty in the familiar surroundings and objects you see every day. Remember to value the journey and to not be transfixed on the destination as you wander through your neighborhood or space and collect the elements that will form the substance of your altars.''
* Step 2 - Place
'' Step two is all about letting yourself arrive and being consciously present in the space where you will create your altar. Ask yourself, “Where am I?” Use all your senses. Sit, listen, and feel. Become more grounded and in touch with the space. To help you slow down and reconnect with your surroundings, Day takes you through a place mediation so you may truly arrive where you are.''
* Step 3 - Clear
'' In this third step, Day guides you through creating a canvas, the blank space where you will build your altar. Before you clear an area, sit with the debris and what came before you. Day encourages you to be with what was before you create something new. As you clear your space, take your time and be mindful of the process, allowing the dust to settle and reveal the empty canvas before you begin to create your Morning Altar.''
* Step 4 - Create
'' The fourth step in the Morning Alters practice is where you begin to create. Day offers guidance for getting started and reminds us that this is fun! There are no right or wrong decisions, just the next one. Start from the center and allow your design to ripple out. Experiment with patterns and be aware of numbers while creating your altar. Allow your imagination to play with your collected objects as you work.''
* Step 5 - Gift
'' In step five, Day explains the process of gifting your altar, transforming your work from an art practice into a devotional practice. Ask yourself, “Who or what am I dedicating this altar to?” Dedicate it to someone or something important in your life and let the beauty nourish and feed what has fed you.''
* Step 6 - Share
'' Now that your altar has been completed, in step six, Day encourages you to share your work and allow that gift to ripple out and inspire others. The act of sharing begins with the documenting of your altar and Day invites you into two additional practices for capturing the beauty and narrative behind your creativity. While documenting impermanent art may seem counterintuitive, this is how the gift flows through you and out into the world. Share the beauty at its peak before it slips away.''
* Step 7 - Let Go
'' In step seven, Day gives a gentle reminder that the beauty you made wasn’t meant to last. He encourages returning to your altar over time to witness its decay. In perhaps the most important step of all, letting go of something you meticulously created allows you to practice observing and relating to change, what Day calls to be in relationship with impermanence.''
Click here for a guide to the 7-Step practice for indoor environments.