Alters Some use them some do not. Alters are many things from humble counter tops, grand desks, elaborate rooms. Alters are used in many ways as shrines, a place to work our craft. Alters are like our craft ever changing ever evolving with no two alters being the same. Growing from for some simple pocket sized or hide-able boxes to elaborate rooms or hidden places throughout one’s home. For me I have 2 alters my main and my portable. When I started my journey from my native roots and shamanic path to full witchcraft my first alter started out in a small room in a garage. As my craft grew so did my alter. From old sewing tables to rolltop desks. Even small enough to fit in a military ammo bag while I was in the service. For me an alter is more than a workplace but the center of my craft.
When I settled down in 2016 in Washington, I was on a break from my practice of witchcraft at that time. I had started to gain in interest in Wicca and decided to learn more and to see if it fit into my practice. To me the wiccan alter setup is similar to how I had set up my alter for years with a few minor changes. After the fires I was unable to have an alter till I found my new home a year later. I stated small. A coffee table a few candles, home made alter cloth and such. As I was able to start rebuilding my work area more, I began to change thing back to more of how I like things. Each item means something special to me in one way or another.
My current alter is a beautiful 4 draw desk with granite top to expand the work area
My alter cloth changes with the season, times, moods ect I have a verity that I use and change often.
My pentagram is handmade sewn on red broadcloth on my machine. Placed in the center of the alter
My main candles are hand-blown glass four that look like candles and the center is a pyramid each filled with liquid wax coloured to match the element
South- Red- fire
North-Brown-earth
West-Blue- water
East-Yellow- air
Center-Sunkissed- spirit
I have 2 tapers on the sides for light
Next to the candle of air, I keep my bell
To the front left on another slab of granite
My wand is a 16" med flex purple heart and hand crafted
My athame is Damascus steel blade with an oak and buffalo horn handle with a leather sheath
Next to that my candle snuffer
The front left is where my raven wing normally sits but, in this photo, I have a small turkey smoke fan. With an oil lamp for additional light
To the right of the alter I have 3 pine staves that are one foot long against the wall
My goddess statue sits in the rear left with the horned god to the right
To the left rear, I also have my small caldron and the god’s chalice as well as where I keep my tarot and runes.
Rear right I keep my small bisom for clearing the alter of debris from spell casting and removing unwanted energies, next to that is my quill and inkwell
Right center I have my incense burner, wax seal kit and one of my 10 seals.
My abalone with white sage p Santo and juniper sits on its stand next to that.
Standing next to my altar in my main full-size Bisom
While this only just touches my work area for my craft you can see on the wall much more as well.
)
