Altars act as liminal space where the mundane meets the magickal; where we can readily connect with our power and wield our magick. By setting up an altar in your home, you are establishing a sacred space – a safe, comfortable place to focus on your spiritual growth and magickal journey. No matter your religion or spiritual path, an altar provides a central location within your home for, spell-working, meditation, ritual, divination, and more. I'm sure many of you know what an altar is, how to create one and what to include on it. However, if you don't, or if you want a fresh perspective, save from any religious traditions then keep reading.
For those of you who are unaware, I am a secular eclectic folk practitioner. This means I do not work with any deities, follow any religious practices or one specific tradition within the realm of witchcraft. I have always been a secular witch but, I found it difficult to find resources for me to learn from that weren't based on a specific religion or tradition. My introduction and reintroduction were rooted in Wicca because of the popularity it has in the mainstream media. Many of the modern resources for beginners are Wiccan and it can be difficult to find something else if you're new and not sure what to look for, or where to look. Wicca has provided a gateway for us to enter into the world of witchcraft and I believe that is a beautiful thing. I also believe that Wicca can turn some away, as they do not resonate with some of its key tenants, practices, and traditions. You may find yourself questioning what to use or how to set up your altar if you don't resonate with a certain tradition or are secular. I felt this way at the beginning of my practice. I found myself reading Wiccan resources and not really connecting to some of them but still attempting to extract information void of any religious ideologies. During this time I began setting up my altar in a way I didn't resonate with and my magick was affected as a result-- and I've noticed that I'm not alone in this experience. Below you'll find that I've gone over, what I believe to be, the general questions a newer witch would have for creating an altar and sacred space outside the confines of a specific tradition or religion.
"An altar is usually thought of as a sacred space used for specific functions that may be associated with religious and spiritual purposes, such as worship, prayer, rituals or offerings." https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/shrine-altar-grief-healing/
What is an Altar and Why do we use them?
The belief is that Altars probably originated when certain localities such as, a tree, a spring, a rock, etc, came to be regarded as holy or as inhabited by spirits or gods, whose intervention could be solicited by the worshiper. I know some beginners may ask what is the difference between an Altar and a shrine because I certainly had this question. Simply put, altars and shrines serve different purposes. A shrine is a holy or sacred place dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, martyr, saint, or similar figure of awe and respect, and is used in the veneration or worship of this figure. In modern times these words are treated interchangeably by most, however, there is a distinction between them. Your altar is the space that you dedicate to use for your magical workings. It is a space the practitioner sets up for a Sabat, a magical working, or permanently for all sorts of practices such as divination, meditation, spells, and rituals. Basically, your altar is a place for transformation; it can be a space of worship, but that's not always the case. For example, if your practice is secular you will not use your altar or tools to worship or represent any deities.
Is an Altar necessary for your Craft? This will depend on who you ask. Personally, I say no. If you're using your altar as a place to do your magical workings, then the simple act of sitting down and arranging your tools for your spell work and preparing the space is essentially creating a temporary Altar. Your practice is your own and you do what you are able to with what you have. If you're in the broom closet and you can't have an altar on display, you can create a travel altar or a temporary altar to set up when you are ready to do your work. Don't feel that it's necessary to have a permanent altar, your craft is yours and will evolve and change with you over the years as will your altar. If you can't have one set up permanently right now, don't sweat it. Where should you have your Altar?
The location of your altar will depend on your circumstances and what feels right for your practice. For some people, this may be a space in their home but that may not always work. Others may have space outside, like their Garden or an area in the forest if that is accessible to them. For me, my primary altar is in my kitchen. Your altar can be as large or as small as you'd like; for example, some practitioners have a whole room and others only use a small coffee table or travel altar. It doesn't have to be complicated, your altar can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. It all depends on your personal preferences, the people you share your home with, and how much space you have in your home. In my podcast episode on Altars, my co-host Lancel brought up an interesting point regarding the positioning of your altar. Which direction your altar should face is a popular question asked in regard to setting up one's altar. I can tell you that my altar is facing east in my kitchen because that's where it gets the best sunlight and fits perfectly. Where you decide to place your altar will depend on your path. As noted in the blog post by spirit nest, it is suggested in some Wiccan traditions, that your altar face north because that is the direction of the element of earth. Likewise, in some eastern religions, altars are suggested to face east towards the rising sun. https://spiritnest.com/blogs/news/how-to-set-up-an-altar-the-spirit-nest-guide
The choice is ultimately up to you and your beliefs, as there is no right or wrong way. Personally, I believe it doesn't matter what direction your altar faces as long as you have a space to do your workings and it works for your practice. In the old world, altars were raised platforms usually made of dirt, stones, carved rocks, or even elaborate pieces of furniture. At the end of the day, it is up to the practitioner where they choose to have their altar and what it is made of. Altars are unique to the practitioner and as such, you should never compare yours to someone else's.
What if I am secular?
Being a secular witch means that you do not follow a religion and your practice is separate from your spirituality. The word separate is key here because you can still be spiritual and worship deities but they will not touch upon your witchcraft. For me, it's important to note the separation because many traditions will require you to work with a diety as part of your witchcraft but, it is not necessary for you to be a witch. I'm sure there will be individuals who disagree with me here also, and that's okay- everyone is entitled to their beliefs. For clarification, being secular does not mean you do not believe in the presence of the divine but rather that you do not call on them in your workings.
In relation to your altar the same principles apply. You would exclude symbols that represent a diety for your magical workings but rather, include anything that is symbolic to you and the elements. My work is rooted in elemental magick, as is with many practitioners. I include planetary symbols, dried herbs, plants, moon water, a mirror, crystals, and literally anything I would use in my workings. You can still have an altar or shrine for the worship of a deity or ancestor veneration but this would be separated from your witchcraft.
How do I choose what to put on my altar?
Many witches will agree on starting with items that represent the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. As mentioned above you don't have to work with spirit in the deity sense. The best advice I can give you is to be creative, use what you already have and what's around you. Over time you'll accumulate items that will find their home on your altar whether by chance or by design. Your altar will become imbued with your energy from continual intention setting and work put into your space. This will be an area for daily practice as well as larger rituals and spells. Care should be taken, not only when selecting items for your altar but, also in maintaining its space and energy.
Should you do anything before you set up and begin using your altar? I am of the belief that you should cleanse, banish and protect your space often and before you do any magickal workings; it is no different in this scenario. Ideally, you have researched these basics prior to deciding to begin doing more spell work. Cleansing, grounding, and shielding are foundational components in your magickal journey. That's not to say that you can't set up an altar before you know how to do these but that you should know how to do these prior to doing anything else. Your altar can begin as a place for you to meditate and learn the basics and that's what you should be using it for at the beginning of your journey. It's important to cleanse your space and tools prior to doing any work in the area. There may be lingering energy that can impact your workings and it's necessary for you to clear that away, even if your workings are meditating at your altar with a candle and incense. This process doesn't have to be complicated. You can start by wiping down any surfaces and sweeping away dust and debris. You can cleanse the space with a magical wash, smoke, sounds, and even consider opening a window to circulate airflow. I would then suggest lighting a candle, white or black, and meditating for a time-focusing your thoughts on what you want to create, and setting clear boundaries for the energies allowed in the space and what needs to leave. After you're finished meditating you can begin to set up your space how you desire. Let your intuition guide you in this process as, again, this is your sacred space and it should feel good for you. The arrangement of your tools is up to you, if your using items to represent the elements some practitioners like to set those pieces in the corners corresponding to their element. This can vary but here in North America, it is as follows: Earth-North, Air-East, Fire-South, Water-West. Again, this is entirely dependent on you and what feels right, so if you don't resonate with this then don't do it. Once you have your space how you like it and it feels right to you then you can begin to work in it. Keep in mind that it will change as you grow and evolve in your practice and it's meant to. Once you have your altar set up you can begin working in your space. I'll reiterate the importance of maintaining your space, as stagnant energy can accumulate. I suggest doing a tidy of your altar weekly and a deep clean once a month. I like to clean my altar on the new moon as it helps with my intention setting for the following month. That's it for this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. If you have any questions or would like to add something please feel free to leave a comment. If you haven't already I encourage you to follow me on Instagram and YouTube as that is where I post most frequently. I also encourage you to check out my podcast, Rosemary by the Bucketful. My co-host and I discuss all kinds of witchy-related topics. You can find the podcast on Spotify, YouTube, and Google Podcast. Thank you all so much for your love and support. Until next time, Stay Magickal --The Witch from the North.
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