HOW TO BUILD AN ALTAR
An altar is your sacred space, a special area where you can sit and meditate, manifest and mix up your potions and spells. You can really decorate as little or as much as you like in this area – it may be somewhere permanently dedicated to being your altar, or it may be a temporary set-up on your kitchen table, where you light a candle. It is entirely up to you. Whatever your set-up, you should arrange the items in your altar (when in use) following the diagram on the page opposite, with the tip of the star pointing out of your house, as this is where the energy flows in and out.
ITEMS THAT YOU COULD PUT ON YOUR ALTAR INCLUDE:
crystals,
candles,
any lucky charms you have collected along the way,
incense,
coins,
flowers or
some kind of offering (sweets, cake or nuts),
angel cards,
pictures of anyone special to you or
pictures of any gods, goddesses, angels or deities that you feel a special empowering connection with.
The one rule I would suggest you follow is to keep your altar away from any electrical items. When you are sitting at your altar, try to have your phone switched off. I know there is always the temptation to post to Instagram and record the event, so if connecting to social media and sharing your ritual with friends is something that is important to you, that’s fine. Just try to take a photo at the beginning of your session then switch your phone off so you won’t be disturbed and can be fully present in the moment.
ALTAR ON -THE - GOIt may be difficult to have somewhere set up permanently, and so a small box provides a neat solution. It’s also useful for going to perform a ritual and make magic at a friend’s house or outdoors, or if you have pets or children who may access it and knock precious items over, or if you are travelling. You may wish you keep all of your magical props, crystals and tarot cards in there, or perhaps just the essentials. Ideally, it should be surrounded by two candles either side, an incense burner, a needle and thread with various colour options, and a sprig of rosemary for protection. The essentials should represent all of the elements – earth, air, fire and water – so for example, a vial of water (best if it has been charged beneath a full moon), a vial of earth, a candle, a feather or a wand, an altar cloth, a bell, herbs, tarot cards and crystals. You can choose to use a draw string bag, a wooden box, an old shoe box or a biscuit tin, and you can decorate the box with gem stones or trimmings to make it special.
This is an extract from Everyday Magic, by Semra Haksever