Altar Setup

Setting Up Your Altar

There are many ways for one to set up their altar. I, personally, change my altar according to the season. The Altar in the top left picture is my current Fall altar. The altar in the top right was around Imbolc, and the altar on the bottom was during the spring/summer time. Some people like to change their altar up like I do while others keep theirs exactly the same year round. 

When you are preparing to set up a permanent altar, clean the space thoroughly – the carpet, wood, furniture, etc. You may also want to think about the direction in which your altar is laying. Generally in ritual, the altar is facing North. If you can’t face the altar in that direction for certain reasons, choose a space that feels the most comfortable to you. 

Altar Cloth – You can choose to have one or not. This is a cloth that sits under your ritual tools. You can coordinate the color and/or symbols on your cloth with your ritual or spell work to enhance your magick.

Pentacle – This is one of the main altar tools. It can be made of wood, glass, ceramic, metal, etc, and usually has a pentacle upon its surface painted or carved. Your pentacle can have any symbol that you wish upon it such as the tree of life, the triquetra, or the triskele. This tool typically represents Earth and has grounding properties. It is feminine.

Athame – Not everyone has an athame but I like to keep mine on my altar. The athame is a ritual knife used for ceremonial purposes only. It is generally used to focus and direct energy. It is also considered one of the four main ritual items to have. This item can represent Fire or Air depending on your tradition. It is masculine

Wand – Another of the main ritual tools, the wand is used similarly like an athame. I tend to use my wand when working with elemental energies and spiritual work. This tool can represent Fire or Air, and in some circumstances, Earth, depending on the tradition. It is masculine.

Chalice – This is the last of the ritual tools and usually represents Water and the feminine aspect. The Chalice is used in Cakes and Ale.

Representations of the Elements – I like to place representatives of the 4 elements around my pentacle and cauldron. I use a bowl of salt for Earth, a red candle for fire, a bowl of water for water, and an incense holder with incense for air.

Cauldron – This is probably my most beloved tool. It represents all the mysteries of the feminine divine and Witchcraft. I have my cauldron placed upon the center of my pentacle as a representation of the spirit and its fathomless depth. I burn herbs and my intentions within the cauldron during ritual and spell work.

Crystals – I like to place crystals that are representative of the season upon my altar to enhance my spiritual work. They can also represent the Earth.

Herbs – I tend to infuse my water with herbs to enhance my spell work. I also like to burn them upon coal within my cauldron.

Sage Bundle – I like to keep a bundle of Sage nearby for quick cleansing.

God/Goddess Candles – If you worship deities, you may want to have them represented on your sacred altar. I keep a God and Goddess candle – with respective colors – upon my altar. My Goddess candles lays to the left which represents mystery and the feminine aspect and my God candle lays to the right which represents power and the masculine aspect.

Charge Box – I place my Charge Box upon my altar every so often when I feel that I need secrecy and something to enhance my spell work. This box holds certain items that need to be charged with power.

Statuary – Some people prefer to have statues upon their altar that represent their deities.

Decorating Your Altar:

Here is a list of some extra decorations you can place upon your altar with intention:

• Tarot cards
• Rune stones
• Candles
• Herbs
• Crystals
• Pictures
• Scrying Mirror
• Jewelry
• Talismans
• Charms
• Seasonal Decorations

Simple Banishment Ritual

I have done many Banishment Rituals on my journey and I’m not one to do the same kind of ritual twice. I’m always tweaking my rituals to fit the need of that time. I thought I’d share a ritual that I will be leading tonight with my own Grove for New Moon. This ritual doesn’t have to be limited to being done on the New Moon but I chose this particular time because I believe that New Moon’s are the best time to tie up those loose ends, release those negative emotions, and fill the void with positive energy.

Important Note: Whenever you banish energy or remove something from yourself (internal magick) you MUST FILL THE VOID. Otherwise, all types of energy will be attracted to you and fill the void for you such as that negative energy you just banished. You must fill the void with your intention so that you are whole once again.

For this ritual you will need:

• Salt water
• Incense (cone or stick with your preferred scent)
• Altar
• Cauldron
• Coal and Herbal Mix (for deity or elemental offering)
• God and Goddess Candle
• Paper and Pen
• Snappers Fireworks- found at firework shops and sometimes Party City

You can do this ritual without the fireworks but I think they add a little punch to the ritual. If using the fireworks you may want to host the ritual outdoors.

The Ritual:

• Purify your sacred space through physical cleaning and through sage cleansing. Sage cleanse yourself as well.
• Purify your Circle by casting the salt water thrice around the Circle widdershins (counterclockwise) to cast out negative energy.
• Take the incense and walk about the Circle thrice deosil to charge the circle.
• Cast the Circle by calling in the Quarters
• Call upon your deities
• Charge the fireworks with the four elements and then with your own spirit
• As you throw the fireworks upon the ground, shout what you are banishing from your life. Feel the intention seep into every firework and explode with a popping sound signaling their release.
• Once the fireworks are gone, write on the piece of paper the qualities you wish to fill the void with. These can be positive energy or attributes such as love, strength, and courage.
• Burn the paper within your cauldron
• Burn your offerings within the cauldron
• Open Circle by stating your gratitude to your deities and Guardians and say farewell
• Offer your ashes to the Earth

You may also want to participate in the rite of Cakes and Ale before opening your Circle

Remember to always ground yourself after your ritual is complete!

If you can’t find the fireworks, you can always use other materials such as soft stones that easily break apart upon impact such as typical sandstone. You can also burn slips of paper with your negative emotion or attribute.