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New To The Path: Is Witchcraft for Me? - Seeker Questionnaire - Study Grove - Energy Working - Center & Ground - The Chakras - Personal Shields - Charging Objects - Spellcasting 101 - Casting Circles - Tarot Reading - Pendulum Dowsing - Making Altars
Making Altars
When asked "so how do I make an altar?" my automatic reaction is "when you're ready to make one, you'll know." Yes, a bit Yoda-esk. How about we try for something a little more helpful then, eh? Let's start with figuring out what an altar is. The commonly accepted definition of an altar is a consecrated structure or surface which serves as a center of worship or ritual. Altars can be public or private, deeply personal or a forthright statement. The more public kind tend to be called "temples", "shrines", or "monuments". What we'll be dealing with here is the kind of altar used for personal spiritual and magical practices.
Set Apart for Sacred Use
The purpose of an altar is to create a dedicated sacred space. A space set aside from normal life and devoted to an ideal or aspect of the universe. To make the space "sacred" you need to imbue it with "specialness". Pick a space that is slightly apart from or deliniated in some way from the normal living space. You don't want it to be someplace where you or your roomy would be tempted to set your car keys or discarded gum wrappers! For the altar to be truly sacred you must treat it and all objects on it with respect and reverance.
Where do you put your altar? Try clearing off a shelf on a bookcase or installing a special shelf in a corner. Window sills and fireplace mantles are good choices. A more extravagant option would be to set aside an entire nook, corner or room in your home.
The actual construction of an altar can vary widely, constrained only by your own needs and resources. It's a good idea to set aside a space at least 1 foot deep by 2 feet wide, so you'll have room enough for the stuff you're going to put on it. It should be on a sturdy, flat surface so that anything delicate on the altar won't be jossled or accidentally broken. The bare minimum ingredients for an altar are; (1) a place to put it, (2) a special material to define the base of the altar, like a silk scarf or marble slab, and (3) stuff to put on it (which we'll get to later).
Devoted to a Sacred Purpose
To make an altar you first need to decide what it will be dedicated to. The altar should be about something, it should focus around an idea that you want to propagate in your life. There are an infinite number of things you could dedicate an altar to. Pick one. Oh, all right, here are some ideas... An altar can be dedicated to a concept like; "Hearth & Home". It can be dedicated to an objective like; "Wealth & Prosperity". A common type of altar is the kind dedicated to an elemental, animal or deital power like; "The Element of Water" or "Father Eagle" or "The Goddess Athena".
Choose your altar concept carefully. Creating an altar is a magical act, with all the repercussions of the same. In creating and dedicating an altar you will be directing energies towards the idea you have chosen. Be sure that your concept is something you really do want to cultivate in your life.
Toys, Toys, Toys
Now for the really fun part. Once you know what your altar is going to be about you will start getting ideas about what to put on it. Use your own personal associations and the traditional properties of objects, herbs, and stones to collect items appropriate for display on your altar. Is your altar dedicted to a specific god or goddess? Then find a statue of that divinity and find out what objects are sacred to her/his worship. If your altar is to the Craft you may wish to place on it your magical tools; your athame, wand, cup, etc.. Is your altar seasonal? Place spring flowers, summer fruit, autumn produce, or winter pine on your altar according to the turning of the Wheel of the Year. Look in different books on witchcraft, folk traditions, and seasonal crafts to get more ideas.
Consecration
Consecration is a procedure which formally invests an altar or item with a "divine or sacred quality". If you feel the need to, you can perform a specific consecration ritual for your altar. Performing a formal consecration can help you think of the altar as special and sacred, especially if this is your first one. Cast a circle, sprinkle holy water or herbs on the altar to purify it, invoke the powers associated with the purpose of the altar, announce the altar's intended purpose and describe how the objects you will place on it will contribute to its meaning.
Other Items of Interest
- Read More about Altars
- Create a Personal Altar
- Altars : Bringing Sacred Shrines into Your Everyday Life by Denise Linn
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