The Altar
Everyone needs an altar, but the size and shape is up to you.
It can be very small and simple or large and ornate the choice
is yours. Anything will do, a table, a desk a box or even a crate.
Altar Cloth-Most Wiccans like to put a nice cloth on their altars.
This also can be of your own choosing. The cloth can be just some
pretty material you have had lying around and never knew what to
do with it, to ornate and embroidered. Make it something that will
appeal to you.
Left Side of The Altar-On the left side of your altar you should put
the Goddess candle or symbol. A bowl of water, your wand (if you
have one) a Chalice ( a cup is fine) and a bell.
Middle of the Altar-In the middle should be your censor, your spell
material, your pentacle and cauldron.
Right side of the Altar-On the right side you should put the God
candle or symbol. A bowl of salt (table salt is fine) and your athame.
Your altar can also hold many different things
such as seashells, stones or anything you consider important
to yourself and your beliefs. You will also need to have candle
holders, a broom is always good to have on hand, a crystal ball
(if you have one, no need to run out to get one if it isn't of interest
to you) matches or a lighter, (depending on your spell, some will
call for matches and others for a lighter) Feathers (be careful with
this, some feathers are illegal to have in your possession!) Beads,
a compass any amulets you might have, glass jars with corks, felt
or flannel of different colors, (black and red and green are good) a
good idea to have a tape recording or cd of music or sounds that you
feel good about (mine is the waves in the ocean) you can also keep
your pendulum on your altar. Also it is a good idea to have a variety
of different cloths. You should have flannels, basic red, black, green,
you should have some 100% cotton cloth if you can get it, try for a
variety of colors with this, red, blue, green, purple, yellow several if
you can get them. Also cheesecloth is very good to have around and
a necessity when working with herbal potions.
Left: This image shows a picture of my altar set up for a full moon ritual.
Right: This image shows me kneeling at my altar cleansing the space.
Back to Book of Shadows
