What do you put on your alter?

Question

I am getting ready to make my first Wiccan alter any ideas? I dont want to spend a lot of money and want something that can be put away,

Answer 1

I'm not a Wiccan but I can answer your first question.

Our altar is used by both my husband and me. We have candle holders to hold tea lights, incense burners, two statues, bowls for offerings, 2 large crystals, 2 glasses, 2 daggers, various gemstones and feathers, pictures of our ancestors, and several images we made out of clay to represent our deities.

You don't need to spend a lot of money. A long, meditative walk through the woods may give you inspiration. Also, you may find something in an antique store--or anywhere.

Normally ones tradition or deities dictates what is needed on their altar. Only you know what has meaning to you. What things/deities do you want to represent? What will you be doing at your altar? The items need not be expensive. Only useful and meaningful.

Answer 2

It depends really if you are Wicca or Neo-wicca, whether it is personal alter or shared, if you are of a specific tradition or not, what you will use it for, etc.

Something I *love* is seeing other peoples alters, something that might help you is a little collection I put together of alter information with posts from the members of my community - http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=wiccan&keyword=Alters&filter=all

I personally was not Gardnerian but kept with the traditional set-up, later on when I went into Neo-wicca it became more personal - I kept with the basic tools every time, often seasonal flowers, crystals that I had collected on my geology feild trips, a few personal items like talismans etc.

If it is a personal alter than it can be purely personal, from formal tools and set-up through to a collection of things that are meaningful to you.

Answer 3

I'd imagine on a Wiccan altar you'd have something representing each of the elements. Like a wand to represent air, a chalice to represent water, an atheme to represent fire, and a pentacle to represent earth. You'd probably have a statue or two of your Gods and Goddesses. Other things you can put on there are candles, bells, intense burners, offering bowls, various stones and herbs.

Here's a great place to buy goodies from http://www.somaluna.com/

Now personally, I'm not a Wiccan, I'm an Ásatrúar, I have a hand carved wooden statue of Odin on my altar. I also have a drinking horn. (Usually made from a cow's horn, and often beautifully decorated, the horn is used to make offerings to our deities and raise a toast during sumble.) I believe in Wicca though, you'd use a silver goblet or chalice.

My suggestion is to find out what things your Goddess or God likes and things that are associated with them in myth and place them on the altar. You can make it as simple or fancy as you like depending on your tastes and budget. The Gods don't care, they know your intentions. :-)

Answer 4

You should have every thing that calls your attention and represents you. I am attracted to Asian artifacts so I add that to my altar, I also have a water fountain and plants. And most important you should have color candles,( silver, gold, pink, green, purple, red, blue ,those are the biggies but you can get other colors too.) books like spells and so on. Also have oils, dry spices, incense a jar of sand or dirt, ( I have both ) and if you have any metals that can work to. You don't need to have everything at once, just get things one by one.

Answer 5

Mine has a couple pretty and decorative candles. And it has abox of candles for spells and meditation, many different colors. I also have a small box of liighters and a jar that holds incense. If you have a grimoure, or book of shadows, this is a good place to keep it. And anything else that you may use for meditation should go here.

Pretty much, put whatever you want on it. It's your space. It should reflect you.

Answer 6

Start with the basics: silver candle to rep the Goddess, a gold one for the God, a pentagram, a censer, water and salt in bowls, an athame, and a wand. Azure Green has a lot of good stuff like this, for purchase, and you can buy books to help you with placement.

_()_

Answer 7

A candle for the Goddess, one for the God. a small cup of salt, a mini Bell, water and a tealite. :)

Answer 8

I asked that same question a few days ago, and this is the answer I got:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak2HnvGO7Zm5hc1ehOu25ZDsy6IX?qid=20070109141249AAymY21

Answer 9

first of all, its spelled ALTAR.
Secondly, altars are a complete waste of time and resources