Here is a guide to setting up your altar based on common traditions for those new to Wicca or interested in beginning or even those practicing wiccans just looking to shake up your current set up!
The most important step in setting up your altar is choosing its location; finding a spot where you are comfortable and feel positive energy is SO important! Even small things such as choosing directionality of your altar is important - if you will be using a round table/stand, directionality may not be as important, but if you are using a square set up or intend to always face the same direction when using your altar, choose the directionality which you feel closest to (you can also change directionality with certain spells if you like):
It is optimal to purify and cleanse the area you intend to use for your altar as well as the table/stand you choose to use.
What you choose to set up your altar on is 110% a personal choice. If you don’t want to spend money looking for a specific altar table or building something special to use, simply using something you have laying around already is absolutely fine! For instance, I used an old coffee table that I had laying around not in use. As long as you purify the item with your intent, it can be anything you need. Another consideration is storage - some altars I’ve seen online have drawers and storage beneath which is a great option if space is limited! You will need someplace to store candles, herbs, stones, etc. Also important is deciding how mobile you need your altar to be - if you are a closet witch, mobility is important and a formal set up may not be plausible. Here are some beautiful altar table examples:
Items of the Altar Include;
⭐️ Athame: A ceremonial blade; primarily this is used as a tool to channel energy through - this is not traditionally used as a cutting tool. Can be used to cast your circle as well as to invoke the elements of the four directions.
⭐️ Bell: Used to open and close rituals - typically associated with banishing of negative influences and energies.
⭐️ Boline: Traditionally used as a cutting tool for herbs, ribbon, flowers, etc.
⭐️ Cauldron: Used for burning of herbs, mixing of herbs, burning of symbols / paper. This should typically be cast iron since it will contain fire often times.
⭐️ Chalice: Used to hold blessed wine or water during rituals or spells.
⭐️ God Candle: Can be yellow or gold in coloration; Used to invoke masculine energies
⭐️ Goddess Candle: Can be white or silver in coloration; Used to invoke feminine energies
⭐️ Pentacle: Used to invoke positive energies into a circle; often times items can be “charged” upon a pentacle
⭐️ Wand: Another tool of invokation used to invoke the gods and sacred energies. Like the athame, this too can be used to cast a circle.
One option for setting up the altar is a more “traditional” set up dividing the table into feminine and masculine energies. The left side is traditionally meant for femininity with items such as your goddess statue, goddess candle, chalice, bowl of water, cauldron, pentacle, crystals, and bell. The masculine right side includes your god statue, god candle, incense, wand, salt, athame, boline, and matches. The center of the altar is dedicated to ritual and magic set up.
Another common style is an elemental set up with items representative of water (chalice, bowl of water, cauldron) being set to the west, air (bell, wand, incense) to the east, earth (pentacle, salt, stones) to north, and fire (athame, boline, matches / oils) to the south.
Other items you could consider adding to your altar representative of each element:
💧 Water: Seashells, Ace of Cups (Tarot), Rainwater, Mirrors, Driftwood, Seaweed, Crystal Ball, Goblet
🔥 Fire: Cactus, Volcanic Stone, Ash, Ace of Wands (Tarot), Lantern, Dragon Statue, Cinnamon Sticks, Incense
🍃 Earth: Ceramics, Coin, Stones, Soil, Salt, Ace of Pentacles, Seeds, Herbs, Flowers, Bone
💨 Air: Diffuser, Ribbons, Wind Instruments, Fans, Butterfly Imagry, Feathers, Ace of Swords (Tarot)
I hope this was helpful as a basic guide! As always I encourage everyone to do things along their own personal style and employ things meaningful to you. ♥️
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