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The specific tools and resources that you will use for your spiritual practice will depend on the type of spiritual path and practice you have chosen. When you do make that choice, be sure to find out what exact tools, offerings and prayers are being used or have been used to ensure the success of your own practice. In general, most spiritual practices will need a quiet, dedicated space that has been set aside specifically for spiritual activities such as meditations, prayers and rituals. This could be in the corner of a room, a whole room, or even outside in nature. Many spiritual practitioners find ways to demarcate this space, sometimes with a special rug, furniture, stone, a circle of rocks or a small structure like a shrine. However you choose to demarcate your space, be sure to use that space only for your spiritual activities and not as a hangout for other things and people. Try to keep the area as quiet, clean and organized as possible to facilitate the flow of good energy and reduce chaotic energy. It will also help you for focus on your spiritual work. Another general feature of spiritual practice is having a focal point, usually an altar. This is where you can place other tools that you use for your spiritual work. It is also where you will conduct your prayers, invocations and rituals. The altar can be of any size and made of any material. If you are just starting out, do not be concerned with making an elaborate or ornate altar. Simple is best, and you can add to it as time goes one. Your altar can be a large slab of stone, wood, crystal or any other natural material. It can also be a small or large table. be sure that whatever kind of altar you choose can comfortably fit in your dedicated space, and that you can freely move around it. Some spiritual practitioners place representations of four or five elements on their altar or in their space. The four main elements are air, fire, water and earth. Some practitioners say that the fifth one can be spirit, space, metal, ether, or wood. Some spiritual paths even have seven or twelve elements! Air can be represented by incense, fire by a candle, water in a cup or bowl, and earth by a stone, rock, some soil, white chalk or talcum powder. The sizes don't have to be large, just enough to comfortably fit on your altar or in your space. Other tools used in spiritual practice can include a wand for directing spiritual energy, stringed beads for meditation, oils and lotions for anointing yourself or other tools, cleansing soap for bathing yourself, as well as specific seeds, herbs and roots used for rituals, spells and concoctions. Some include crystals, mirrors, decorative flowers, as well as a pen and paper for taking notes. For some practices, sounds are useful or required. the practitioner may need to sing, chant, make or play music at the start, during and/or after the practice period. Musical instruments such as bells, clappers or a music-playing device might be needed. If the spiritual practice is complicated or detailed, a book might be one of the tools needed for success. This may be a journal or notebook of handwritten notes, or a formal book that contains what the spiritual practitioner needs to successfully conduct practice activities. Some practitioners also place photographs of their spiritual leaders, ancestors or people who need spiritual work on their altars or in their space, while many also include one or more statues, sculpture, paintings, pictures or carvings representative of the spiritual entities or beings they work with. It is also important to note that some, but not all spiritual practices, may have certain garments or clothing that you are required to wear during the practice. Consider the cost and convenience of having these made for you. Be sure that you are aware of what is required and why. Be sure to have your outfit prepared beforehand and in the prescribed colors and styles. Remember, you get to decide what you want in your spiritual space and altar that will help you with your spiritual practice.