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 Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 5:58 pm
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:15 pm
Altar
By Patti Wigington
The altar is often the focus of religious ceremony, and is usually found at the center of a Wiccan (or pagan) rite. It’s essentially a table used for holding all of the ritual tools, and can also be used as a workspace in spell casting.
An altar is easy to make. If you have a small table that’s not being used for other things, great! Will you be doing a lot of rituals outdoors? Use an old stump or a flat stone. If you’re short on space, such as cramped apartment or dormitory quarters, consider an altar space that can be used for other purposes as well – the top of a dresser, a cedar chest, even a footlocker.
Do you live in an environment in which you’d like to keep your altar private? You may wish to just create a “portable altar” that can be put away when not in use. Find a nice box or bag to keep your tools in, and then get them out when you need them. If you have an altar cloth, it can double as a storage bag – just put all your tools in the middle, bundle them up, and tie it shut like a pouch.
You can have permanent altars that stay up year round, or seasonal ones that you change as the Wheel of the Year turns. It’s not uncommon to meet someone who has more than one altar in their home. A popular theme is the ancestor altar, which includes photos, ashes or heirlooms from deceased family members. Some people enjoy having a nature altar, on which they place interesting items they find while out and about – a rock, a pretty seashell, a chunk of wood that looks appealing. If you have children, it’s not a bad idea to let them have their own altars in their rooms, which they can decorate and re-arrange to suit their own needs. Your altar is as personal as your spiritual path, so use it to hold the things you value.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:18 pm
 So you've decided to perform your first ritual, and you're setting up an altar. Great! Now what? It's actually pretty simple to set up a basic altar. You'll probably want to include a few things, like your magical tools, but ultimately the altar should be about functionality. It needs to be set up to help you achieve your goal. Here are the things that most traditions of Wicca and Paganism include on altars. Symbols of the four classical elements. Typically, these are aligned with the four cardinal directions. Use a bowl of dirt or sand in the north aspect of your altar to represent earth, a stick of incense in the east can symbolize air, a candle or charcoal in the south for fire, and water in the west. Candles. You can add a goddess candle and a god candle if your tradition calls for them, or you can use candles representing the four directions. Be sure to have a lighter or matches handy. The athame. Most Wiccans and Pagans use an athame in ritual, so you can place one on your altar. The wand. The wand is used to direct energy, so if you use one, keep it on your altar. Your Book of Shadows, or BOS. If you're going to be doing rituals, it's helpful to keep this on hand. Add other items as needed, and as space allows. You can include whatever spell components you need, cakes and ale, and more. If you're celebrating a sabbat, you can decorate your altar for the season as well. Regardless, make sure your altar contains all you need for effective ritual work, BEFORE you begin your ceremony. By Patti Wigington
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:47 pm
Most Witches have a working space at home — an altar. The altar is a representation of the astral plane, and represents a link between the physical and the ethereal. The altar can be set anywhere, or on anything, but common places include the mantelpiece, a bookshelf, or a coffee table. An altar that can be neatly packed away can be a useful alternative for small spaces.
Altars have been a traditional part of most religions around the world. Most eastern faiths involve home shrines, and shrines were in clear evidence in Roman Europe, Ancient Egypt and beyond.
In the southern hemisphere, a standard altar would usually be set in the North (representing Fire, and Spirit), or in the East, for Air, the Dawn, and new beginnings. A typical Pagan altar in the Southern hemisphere normally contain
s the following tools and implements.
Altar Implements
Representation of Air on the Eastern side of the Altar. Representations of Air can include a bell or small drum (or anything that makes sound), incense or a Wand. Feathers are also a representation of Air.
Representation of Fire on the Northern side of the Altar. Representations of Fire can include a Candle, a light, or Blade. If your altar is large enough, your ritual knife belongs here; if not, at the nearest edge. If your altar is on a shelf or mantel, brackets can be fixed to the wall above to hold your athame, which can be a convenient alternative.
Representation of Water on the Western side of the Altar. Representations of Water can include a Chalice or Cup filled with fresh spring or rain water; or a mirror. Anything glass or crystal can be used to represent Water. Shells are also ideal representations of Water. If a candle is placed on this side of the Altar it should be held by a glass or crystal candlestick.
Representation of Earth on the Southern side of the Altar. Representation of earth can be a small bowl or cauldron filled with earth or salt. Living plants to represent earth can also be used, but this is only advisable if your altar is placed in the East; if your altar is in the North, the plant will be on the side of your altar closest to you and make working awkward.
Representation of the God, or Male aspect. A statue or something representing the God should be placed at the top of your altar i.e. the edge of the altar farthest from you. Most women feel comfortable placing the God to the left of Center, whereas men usually place the God to the right of Center. Suitable statues might include a stag or an image of the Green Man or a gold candle.
Representation of the Goddess, or Female aspect. A statue or something representing the Goddess should be placed at the top of your altar next to the God. If you have placed your God to the left, your Goddess belongs to the right, and vice versa. Suitable representations of the Goddess include a female statue of any sort, or an animal identified with a Goddess or femininity or a silver candle.
SpiritLady Yve
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:02 pm
 Travelling AltarsSpiritLady YveA smaller version of an altar (for travelling, for example), might include an incense burner (representing Air and Fire) in the North-East corner of the altar; and a bowl of salted water (representing Water and Earth) in the South-West. God and Goddess might be represented by gold and silver pendants of the Sun and Moon respectively, or even appropriate Tarot cards or photographs. The tiniest portable altars might contain a wide-mouthed shell (representing Water), filled with a bed of salt (Earth), upon which incense is lit (Fire and Air). One consideration to take into account when travelling is that Blades cannot be carried in many public places in most Western countries, and most airlines forbid sharp objects to be carried on board. In instances such as these, a Wand is a much more practical alternative. Finally, every altar is a reflection of the person who uses it. Don’t be afraid to decorate it with fresh flowers, or keep bowls of scented rosewater nearby. Your altar is a place where you should feel comfortable working.
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:41 pm
Does anyone know a good way to get candle wax out of your altar cloth?
I have kind of been going with out an altar cloth because they keep getting incense ash on them which isn't a big deal but also candle wax which doesn't seem to want to come out.
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