Building an altar can be intimidating when there are such beautiful pictures online! Some individuals know what each stone and flower means. They add scents and candles and create a cohesive experience that immerses perfectly for that person.
It's okay if that person is you. It's also okay if it isn't!
Like personality types, our approach to an altar and building one is unique. It's special to that person and the experience they are looking for. Others have a strong gut feeling as they pick things for their altar and go entirely off of their intuition. For individuals in a specific spiritual practice or culture, many deities are known for liking certain things. It can be helpful to have these items if you are interested in honoring someone or requesting to work with them.
The condition of your heart is most important for this process. You don't have to spend a ton of money or have multiple altar setups—though you certainly can! My hope for others is that they are building with intention and meaningful choices. Don't worry about what someone else's altar looks like or how complex or simple it is. When you go into your practice, they won't be there. Your altar should be pleasing to you and the ones you are working with.
Like other practices, there are examples of closed and open elements to this. I am not suggesting that people engage in a closed practice. They should trust their intuition to guide them. Doing some research is a wonderful way to honor other cultures and find out more for yourself. I am always happy to answer questions! Please don't feel bad or insecure about not knowing something.
An example could be as simple as having trinkets that you've collected. Perhaps you have a necklace from your grandmother, and it's meaningful because of your connection to her, so you have it on your altar. Maybe you love Victorian style, and you decide to add lace to your decorations because you feel your soul connected to that time for a reason. You could have an extensive crystal collection and pull crystals by intention, creating a new altar daily/weekly, etc.
Small budget? No problem! There is so much in nature that you can enrich your altar with!
Things to keep in mind: Many festivals also have certain recipes and tools that are associated with them traditionally, which can give you great ideas for your own personal space!
It does not have to be a specific size. Some people have entire rooms dedicated to their practice, while others have something small and simple. You will get used to knowing when you've found something that belongs with your altar.
This special area symbolizes your practice and shows your intention. You should absolutely spend time putting your own energy into the space. I like to imagine bright light washing over the area from the palms of my hands above it.
Many people have ritualistic duties they are committed to before every ceremony (again, this is unique to individuals, and you do not need to feel pressured to do what others do). These could include picking out colored candles to match your intention, sweeping the area around your altar, burning sage or other dried bundles to remove negative energy, and other things of this nature. Personally, I love a good breeze from an open window or rainwater! I do many of these.
Altar Tools
Another topic that comes up frequently with newer individuals is how/when to incorporate tools. Like building an altar, their presence has far more to do with your intentions and intuition than it does with creating a consistent rule for when to have them present. It is true that they bring a purpose to the practice, so if you want to incorporate a specific ritual, you would have that tool present. It's also true that you might have a family heirloom that brings you joy and love to have it present at all times, even if it isn't being used at every single ceremony.
This topic is also easy to go on about, so for now, we are wrapping this post up! Some people have to visualize parts of their ceremony because they can't facilitate certain things at home, and that's okay, too!
Here is a small essential list of tools and their functions:
Atheme - Daggar for drawing circles and ritualistic cutting.
Chalice - Stemmed cup for drinking water, cider, etc during rituals. Many have symbols drawn into them however any stemmed glass that you set aside special will do.
Smoke Cleansing Stick - a dried bundle of varied plants used to cleanse the area.
Oils - This can be dropped into candles, rubbed on the skin, drawn onto your ritual space, you will have an intuition for this more and more as you practice!
Cauldron - Used for burning plants or holding liquids during rituals.
Pentacle - A disk for consecration rituals. Many individuals have this present at the altar at all times or even on their body in the form of jewelry.
Wand - Used to channel energy during a ceremony.
Grimoires - Spellbooks to help with all things occult.
Journal (sometimes referred to as Book of Shadows) - Recording your personal practices as the memory of each ceremony.
Candles - Used to set an intention, though color is sometimes in reference to the holiday being celebrated as well.
Commercial candles can be dangerous to inhale. For extended use, I recommend all-natural candles, such as soy or beeswax.
Did I miss any? What are some of your favorite tools to incorporate? Comment below, or feel free to connect with me on my social platforms!
Text written by Tiffany Anne Crowder from the perspective of Fox & Mama Crystals. For more information about her work, visit www.wordalchemyllc.com