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

My Altar

So I wanted to post some pictures of my altar for Samhain. I usually change my altar with the seasons so I put Autumn decorations on it from August to October, Yule decorations from after Samhain to the end of January. Spring decorations from Imbolc to Beltane. And of course, Summer decorations from May back to August.

Some people change their altars much more often to celebrate all esbats while some never change their altar at all because they may believe it messes up the energy they've built up. It all depends on preference. For me, I really admire the changing of the seasons and the Wheel of the Year so I fashion my altar to match it and to me I'm also honoring those changes and embracing them and their gifts.

So this is my little altar. I really love it and I'm about to change it up once again for Yule! I also have a very nice book of shadows but I'll save that for another post.

Blessed be everyone!

Mabon Altar Blessing

"Blessed be the Harvest

which keeps us full and fit,

Blessed be the Goddess,

her vitality and wit,

Blessed be Her God

who provides us with light,

Blessed be the Quarters,

who protect us with their might,

Blessed be sweet Mabon,

with the elements and love,

Blessed be the Below,

and blessed be the Above."

*So mote it be!*

Basic Ritual Altar Setup

There are quite a few ways you can setup your altar table. You may place items and tools wherever you wish. For me, I put meaning into where I place my ritual tools and items. Above, is one basic setup you can do for your altar. The tools that are present in this altar setup are standard in Wicca. The tools shown above are used as follows:

1.) God Candle--this is representative of the God and is lighted in his honor as an offering.
2.) God Idol (Statue)--a physical representation of the God
3.) Cakes--this is a plate of cakes used during the Rite of Cakes and Wine typically performed at the end of a ritual.
4.) Chalice--the chalice may hold any drink that is being used for the Rite of Cakes and wine and represents feminine energy.
5.) Goddess Idol (Statue)--a physical representation of the Goddess
6.) Goddess Candle--this is representative of the Goddess and is lighted in her honor as an offering.
7.) Incense Burner--used for lighted incense and is representative of the Air Element.
8.) Athame--used to call the Quarters and direct energy when casting the Circle, represents masculine energy and associated with fire (or air depending on tradition).
9.)Wand--used to perform spells and also direct energy, represents masculine energy and associated with air (or fire depending on tradition).
10.) Pentacle--a disc normally inscribed with symbols used to ground energy, associated with earth and feminine energy.
11.) Bowl with Water--water is used for cleansing.
12.) Bowl with Salt--salt is used for cleansing.
13.) Bell--the bell is used to signal the beginning and end of rituals, chants, etc.

Some of the items missing from this setup include the cauldron, herbs, crystals, and any extra candles or items that you would deem necessary for a ritual you are performing such as representing the elements. Here are some pictures of other altar setups.

Picture from: http://witchcraftbasics.webs.com/sacredcirclesetc.htm

Picture from: http://www.thewitchescollective.com/Altars_Divination_Chants/altar.html

Picture from: http://heckate.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/the-altar/

As you can see there many different ways to setup your altar. You can either go "by the book", along with your tradition, or you may move things around as you see fit.