Pagans: Altar information...?

Question

Do you have an altar?
What type of altars are there?
How do you make one?
(any info on altars is welcome)

Answer 1

An altar is a very personal thing, generally you can put on your altar things that have a special meaning for you. Most pagans I know include at least a candle, incense, and a special object such as a wand or small knife that is used to create a "personal space" during prayer sessions.
For example, my personal altar includes candles, an incense burner, an animal totem, and photos of deceased family members whom I was close to. To the average person it just looks like a small cabinet with a few photos and nicknacks, they don't need to know what it really is about.

Answer 2

I have a kitchen altar, an outdoor altar and a portable altar for use at rituals. I keep meaning to set up an altar to Aphrodite in my bedroom and not getting around to it. It involves moving furniture and stuff. I'll do it soon, really.

My kitchen altar is the top of my credenza in my kitchen. Inside are all my herbs, tea and aromatherapy supplies, candles, and various ritual tools. Oh, and I keep my potatoes and onions in there too. In a separate cabinet of course. On top is a table cloth made from my wedding veil to honor Hera. Also is a peacock feather to honor Her as well. There is also a small cauldron that I keep herbs in for burning, an offering dish and a cute frog candle holder. Surrounding this is pictures of my dear departed relatives.
Tucked behind the pictures is my candle snuffer, insence burner and lighter. This is where most of my worship takes place, as I'm a kitchen witch. I don't keep my ritual blade here because I don't want any accidents.

Oudoors, I have an altar that is simply a large, attractive stone with several small stones around it and wooly thyme planted in front of it and some flowers that come up in the back. Over it is a cherry tree. I sit and meditate here when the weather is nice and I put my offerings on the stone at night.

My travelling altar is rather a mess. It's a coffee table with removeable legs. I put the legs in a big box with all my various ritual supplies. The top gets leaned against the house altar and the box shoved alongside it. The box is just full of stuff. Alot of it is mine and some of it was brought to some ritual or another by other folks. It started out as a table cloth, few candles, a cauldron, an offering dish and a blade and now it's got so much stuff in it I can hardly find anything! I should definately sit down and organize that soon.

Answer 3

Ours is in a small room off of our living room that we use for meditation and prayer. It is a table with a silk altar cloth. We always keep candles, incense holders, offering dishes, two daggers, statues, special stones, oil, a tarot deck that we use for meditation, and pictures of loved ones who have passed over. We have also crafted symbols of our deities from polymer clay. The things on our altar vary with the seasons, but basically, we keep on it things to honor our deities and ancestors and the items we use for prayer and meditation. The tools that people use to accomplish this varies so use what feels right for you or whatever your tradition suggests.

Also, our altar isn't a stagnant thing. It changes and grows just like we do and it reflects our practices at any given time.
Hope this helps.....

Answer 4

Yes I have an altar
There are altars that celebrate the sabbats, different moon phases, anything you can think of
You can make an altar anywhere, any flat surface, some even make them in storage trunks so they are out of the way :)

Mine is a shelf above my desk :) As for what to put on one, whatever you feel represents your faith!

Answer 5

'Sailor Chronos' answer was perfect. Especially if you would like an air of privacy around your altar. You can also add small figurines or statues representing the Father God & the Mother Goddess. In addition you should add a Pentacle. This is simply a Pentagram (with a circle around it) that is drawn in a piece of wood or square of stone. Also you could look up books by Anne Moura. She has an excellent 'Green Witchcraft' series. They are beautiful books that will bring you closer to nature and creatures around you.

Answer 6

i have an entire room dedicated as an altar or ritual room in my house.

my altar however is quite small it is about a 2 foot circle glass table top placed on top of an antique end table that my grandmother gae to me.

covered with a silk altar cloth that has celtic knotwork embroidered on it.

i keep my ritual things there as well as stones and crystals,
and a small offering plate that usually has some Tobacco and sweetgrass on it for the Fey (little people).

your altar is very personell and can be whatever you want it to be.

my wife uses a desk that belonged to her great grandmother.

one of my boys uses an old wooden shoe shine box.

one of my firends uses a 18th century tavern table.

your altar is whatever you need it to be. and whatever helps you to focus on your prayers or meditation and spellwork.

Answer 7

yes i do have an alter.and as for your other question how do you make an alter:you can make it out of anything that you would like.just so it be like of a small table.on mine,i use like an old trunk that i have painted black.because of the black i do nocturnal magick.you can also paint your alter in any color that you would like it to be.i keep all of my tools in my trunk and put a lock on it so no intruders can climb in there.so truthfully,it doesnt matter how you build your alter,just so you can communicate with the Gods or Goddesses.
Blessed be paganchild,
Lord Ashka aka Dark Witch
)O(

Answer 8

i hesitate to answer pagan questions cos of all the stuff people read. yes i have an altars of sorts. it is more a space or spaces that i congregate things that are important to me. i build spaces of strength that i can see through my daily journey thru my life. things that remind me of the people or places or things that have been of help,healing and learning to me. these little alters everywhere(a good book)spark me,sooth me,remind me of who and what i am.