Opinion on which to do first, bless altar or consecrate tools?

I am trying to figure out which to do first, seems like blessing the altar, but you’d use tools- non consecrated tools. In order to consecrate my tools, I need to use my altar. Confusion has set in. Am I over thinking it? Thank You and Blessed Be.
:first_quarter_moon_with_face::full_moon::last_quarter_moon_with_face:

9 Likes

When I first started, I was reading Wicca for Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain and she addressed this issue related to tools. Here is the excerpt from the book:

Of course, when you’re just starting out, you clearly run into a bit of a chicken-and-egg dilemma. How can you use your dish of water to clear and consecrate your athame when you haven’t yet cleared and consecrated your dish of water? Don’t worry, if this is the case—everyone has to start somewhere.

Choose the tool you feel is most important to work with first and go from there, improvising until you’ve gotten to all of them. For example, if you haven’t cleared and consecrated your wand, you can use your hands to conduct energy instead. Trust that your own personal energy will do the trick, and that the Goddess and God are working with you, welcoming you onto your Wiccan.

Hope this helps!

11 Likes

Whenever I update my altar (new cloths, change around, clean up etc.) I redo the altar blessing covering the altar itself and the tools I use regularly using the Altar Blessing on Spells8.

9 Likes

I like to use Nature as the altar for the initial consecration of tools, since Nature is inherently sacred and a manifestation of the God/dess. Therefore, when working outdoors in nature, such as a forest or river, I typically do not do any consecrating or blessing for the space at all. The four elements are physically present and creating the space itself, so why do we need to invoke their energies in their presence? There have been quotes from some Pagans to the effect of ‘Nature is my temple’ or ‘the forest is my church’, and I feel like using a forest or river as a temple to consecrate your tools in requires no altar or symbolism. Wicca is Earth-centered at its core, so doing rituals in raw Nature in my opinion is one of the most sacred ways to commune directly with the center of the Wiccan faith - the Earth.

Another way around this dilemma is to use your body as a temple, or altar. The body is seen as sacred and a manifestation of the pentacle - all five elements combining to create life - in some interpretations of Wiccan practice. This means that your body, by virtue of existence and being alive, is part and parcel of Earth (your flesh), water (your blood), fire (your warmth/temperature), and air (your lungs). Plus, you are alive, full of energy and have a soul, which is the fifth element, Spirit/Akasha. With this in mind, you could recite a blessing over yourself and use your body as the altar which consecrates the tools (there are elemental correspondences to each body part).

My two cents.

12 Likes

Oh My Goddess! I never thought of that! Pure perfection! I Thank You Oodles and Bunches! You’ve got a great brain, thanks for sharing. I shall pack up my things and head out! Wonderful advise, I could probably get some flowers, herbs and such while I’m out there too.
:first_quarter_moon_with_face::full_moon::last_quarter_moon_with_face:

8 Likes

Keeping this bookmarked because more people need to see this answer when similar questions are asked. :slight_smile:

(Come to think of it, this whole thread is has great responses and I am so thankful for everyone in :infinite_roots: Infinite Roots.)

This is the advice I took to heart :heart: when I realized I would have to pack my altar material up for a bit. I started tattooing my body with the symbols from my altar. I am nearly done but even now I can look at my shoulders or arms and see reminders of my beliefs which help me when I :person_in_lotus_position:t4: meditate and do spell work.

9 Likes

I’m quickly coming to the conclusion there are no hard and fast rules, it’s down to intention and doing what feels right for you.

I do love a bit of ceremony so I like the ritual of consecration and blessing my altar. But I don’t always, and if I do it’s sometimes as simple as lighting some palo santo and wafting some smoke around me and in the general direction of my altar.

But my connection to what I’m trying to connect to and achieve comes from within me :blush:

7 Likes

I love both of these ideas!! Thank you for sharing!

8 Likes

That was worth at least a quarter, my friend.

7 Likes

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean. Please help?

5 Likes

Hehehe I love you @Garnet :grin:

5 Likes

Sorry, that was for Katy_Mysticsens

5 Likes