The Altar

What should you have on your altar? What does an altar look like?
An altar can be any private space you have, preferably on a little table, or shelf. The only problem with shelves is you can't burn high candle, and if you do burn candles it's always handy to stick aluminium foil above them.

The best is having a little table with a shelf underneath it. On the shelf you can keep some water (just incase a candle gets out of hand), books and spare things. On the altar itself everyone has their own layout. My altar table is quite big, at one end I have the North, South, East and West representatives facing the right way, in the middle I have little candles in shape of a pentagram with a big candle in the middle. Every person puts their own different things on their altar. If I want to bring luck to something I perform a ritual for it then leave it on the altar so it can fill up. Also salt is usually found on altars, and a sacrifice bowl. Unfortunately I can't show you a picture of my altar, but it's pretty big. Mirrors are always good to use, they reflect negative energy.

Things most commonly found on an altar
Incense burner
Holy water
Cup or chalice
and a Pentacle.
Candles are also commonly seen on altars.

Altars represent the balance too, so you should have two objects, both exactly the same except one coloured white, one coloured black, representing the balance. One repels and one draws. Most people use candles for this.

Tools and things on your altar change with the season or with celebrations etc... For general workings the altar cloth is usually plain, while with big celebrations nice designer sheets and so forth are used. When using nice cloths working cloths are handy to put over the top. You don't want to spill any candle wax on your designer sheet! Candle holders should therefore also be large enough to keep all the dripping wax from the candle, otherwise why have a candle holder?

Don't spend lots of money buying everything for your altar. When making your own it is a lot more personal. At least make one object on your altar yourself so it holds all your power.

When letting others use your magical tools they loose their energy and you have to cleanse and consecrate them again.

An altar should; help centralize your personal power, so each item on the altar should have a specific purpose. Don't fill it up with things that aren't necesary. Don't clutter it up. It sometimes has to serve as a working table too so it should be large enough for crafting tools like talismans etc... An altar enables you to show your appreciation and your belief without you actually physically being there. An altar has a power all on it's own if you charge it with it.

Altars can be permaneny or portable, it's all up to you, weather you use a computer desk or 2 planks ontop of some bricks. As long as it's relatively flat and large enough for working on. It can be decorated with anything you like, with symbols and designs of your own creativity. An altar deosn't necesarily have to face north. It can be where ever you have space for it. North, South, East and West are mere reference points.

The Broom
These are used as decoration, or in rituals and magick. It's used to sweep negative energy away from a place, like when casting your circle and sacred space for a ritual etc... People hang brooms outside their doors too, to keep negative energy away from the house.

The Chalice
It's a symbol for fertility and emotion. They are used in rituals and initiation ceremonies to honour the Gods and Goddesses in certain spells. Chalices can hold water or wince, cider and mead. You can make/decorate your own, it just takes practice.

The Pentacle
A falt disc in shape of a pentacle. It is used alot for ceremonial magick. It invites protection so lot's of people hang it outside their room door, or house.

The wand
Serves to send energy go a certain place or thing, or person. They can be made of anything really. I live in Australia so mine is made from jarrah, because that's one big representative of Australia.You don't necesarily have to think that way though. At the end of a wand people ususally put a gem or stone, or even more common; a crystal.

The Athame
It's used for commanding power, not for sacrifices like cutting yourself! It's usually a double edged knife with a sharp tip but blunt edges as it is not usually used for cutting. These are found in most Wiccan stores, all silver with beautiful patterns on them. I wish I was as lucky as some, but those are expensive! Buying a simpler one will still do the trick. Swords are also used instead of knifes, these are unfortunately hard to find these days.
BY LAW carrying knifes is a weapon, police do not see these as ritual items, therefore bringing them somewhere with you is a bad idea. Best to keep them in the house so you won't loose them.

The Bolline
It's used for cutting physical things. It's a knife with usually a curved handle and usually white. It's used for harvesting and cutting up herbs, and inscribing candles.

The Cauldron
This is a symbol of the Goddess. It is used in rituals or used for developing oils or brews and divinatino purposes. It is made of cast iron because that can take the heat.

Magickal Cabinet
Basically anything not on your altar but has to do with the craft, or things you might need in rituals etc.. belong in our magickal cabinet. The best place for that is in a cuboard with shelver, or drawers. Boxes aren't the greatest ideas since you have to rummage through the whole lot! Magical cabinets should be kept tidy and you shouldn't touch your tools to much if you aren't using them because they loose their energy slowly.

What can you find in a witches cabinet?

Amulets
Athame
Altar cloths
Baskets
Bolline
Book of Shadows
Bowls
Candles of various colours
Cauldron
Chalices
Compass (so you know where north is at all times etc..)
Crystals and Gems
Divination tools
Feathers
Herbs and dried plants and spices
Holy water
Incence and incence burners
Lighters
Magick mirror
Oils
Pendulum
Pentacles
Pentagrams
Pocket knife
Pouches
Runes
Scissors
Statues representing different things
Tarot cards
Wands
Wooden boxes
Remember, these aren't musts! You won't have bad luck if you don't have all these things. It is just an example. Over the years of practicing you'll collect more and more things untill your overloading!

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