Altars are a very personal thing, being everything from very formal to unrecognizable as an altar. Regardless of what they look like, they are the powerhouse of our magicks. This is where we hold our rituals, and everything we do at them holds a little residual energy from our workings. No matter what our altar looks like, it is a place we can go to reconnect to our magickal selves.
There are many, many altars that you can create, and many practitioners (including myself) have more than one altar in their home. A main altar is the powerhouse, the one at which you conduct most of your rituals and spells, although not exclusively if you have more than one altar. The main altar tends to be more formal and ritualized in its setup; again, it doesn’t have to be. It is your altar, after all, and if you have a patron God or matron Goddess, they may tell you how they want the altar to be set up. Again, this is not the only one you may have.
It is very popular to have an altar for each of the directions and Elements; a kitchen witch is never without their hearth altar; crafters may have an altar for creativity. This is just a small sampling of permanent ones. There is also the whole realm of temporary altars, especially for the festivals and other holiday celebrations that are left up for a short period, then taken down. Believe it or not, most of the world does this for the winter holidays, whether they realize it or not.
An altar that tends to be a Halloween or Samain altar, but can be left up all year long is an ancestor altar, which is a great place to keep in contact with all of your relatives ,even the ones you have never met. If you are an animal lover, you can incorporate or have a separate altar for your beloved pets that have crossed the rainbow bridge.
We have yet to mention shrines and niches for your patron Gods and matron Goddesses. These are up all the time, and they help protect the home and all who dwell within. These tend to be set up directed by the deity that they are for and are great places to go when you wish to talk to them. These are the places that embody them within your home.
As I mentioned above, some altars can be very formal; depending on what tradition you follow, there might be a specific way an altar must be set up. Always in all altars, there is respect for the different directions and an understanding that there is often a masculine and feminine side to your altar. Keeping those in mind, there is very little that you can do wrong.
When you create your altar or altars (and I hope you have many), just remember that it is yours, and you can set it up however you wish unless you have certain rules to follow due to tradition or a request from your deity. This is your sacred space; this is where you go to commune with your higher self and guides. Let it be the focal point you need it to be. Until next time.
Many Blessings!
High Elder Redhawk
