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When I was in school, one of my art teachers used to say “this world needs more creators. There’s more than enough destroyers in the world today.”

Just a reminder, if you create anything–art, writing, food, machines, ideas, equations, knits, tools, gardens–the world needs you.

[at-the-raven-tree-blog]

When I was in school, one of my art teachers used to say “this world needs more creators. There’s more than enough destroyers in the world today.”

Just a reminder, if you create anything–art, writing, food, machines, ideas, equations, knits, tools, gardens–the world needs you.

[at-the-raven-tree-blog]

Everything is better when it's #holo Fashion meets function with these brand new #holographic #sage #smudgesticks https://www.instagram.com/p/BqYEFDqnAJL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yb9ggsvct45p

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6 Alternative Altar Inspirations for Witches that are Bored of Altar Tables

No matter what path you follow as in witchcraft are, chances are you have some sort of sacred space. If you are a witch whose practice is part of your religious beliefs, this might be a place to communicate with your deities. If you work with spirits, this could be a place where honor your ancestors. Non-religious witches like myself often use altars as a space where they can connect with their magical and spiritual sides. Even though we all share this desire to have a place all our own dedicated to our craft. 

That doesn’t mean we all need the same type of space. Whether you are a new witch who can’t show off your craft publicly (we’ve all been there) or just a witch who isn’t really into the more standard altar table setup, there are plenty of options for customizing and creating an altar space that meets your needs.

Window Altars

One easy way to create an altar is to take up a windowsill. Depending on the arrangement of the room you’re using, your personal preference, and the space available, the size of this type of altar varies. 

This generally small altar space can be good for witches in the broom closet and green witches who like to keep their altars populated with plant friends. Because it is literally a window to the outside, these altars are also great places for charging things like crystals, spells, and water under the light of the moon. 

Benefits:

Good for altars that are heavily planted (hello, sunlight!)

Generally discreet

Keeps your altar space contained (for all us witches that do not know when to quit)

Garden Altars

While pretty much any altar can include plants, there is something else to say for an altar that is almost completely plants. If you have some space indoors, why not design a witch’s garden that doubles as an altar space?

A small tray planted with succulents with offering bowls and candle dishes set into the soil and crystals scattered around can be a unique, and even moveable altar! You could also use potted plants so that you can change the arrangement or plants out whenever you need a refresh.

Benefits:

Deeply connected to nature and the earth

Pluck herbs for spells right off your altar

Generally pretty moveable

Bath Altars

If you love bath magic as much as I do, you’re a water witch, or your bathroom is one of your most sacred places (self-care anyone?), a bath altar could be the perfect thing to give your craft a physical home.

We’ve all seen those pictures of wooden tray tables for baths surrounded by eucalyptus and candles. Add a statue of your deity (or a symbol of something important to your craft), some crystals (check how your crystals are affected by water and humidity first!), and some jars of your favorite things to mix into bath spells, and your bath altar is set.

Benefits:

The perfect place to combine witchcraft and self-care

Perfect for witches that incoroporate the water element in their craft a lot

Magic really does belong in every room in the house

Travel Altars

If you tend to practice on a whim rather than waiting to be in a specific place or if you need to be able to stash your altar quickly, a travel altar is perfect. These altars can be fit into matchboxes, Altoids tins, jewelry boxes, and even hollowed out books! If you can carry it with you and find supplies small enough to fit, anything goes. (I’ve even seen locket altars!)

Some witches will create multiple travel altars for different purposes or focuses, but don’t feel like you need to collect them if that’s not your thing.

Benefits:

Small and discreet, it’s hard to make a mess with these

Very customizable (and easy to have multiples of!)

Perfect for witches in the broom closet

Virtual Altars

Tech witches, I haven’t forgotten you. If you’ve been following me for a bit, then you might know that I threw out the idea a while ago about a altar lockscreen/wallpaper for your phone/tablet/etc. Now that I’ve talked to some tech witches, I know this is actually a pretty sound idea! 

Whether you commision an artist or design one yourself, a lock screen wallpaper for an electronic device (you could even go as big as a laptop with a touch screen!) could make the perfect altar for a tech witch. Even if you decide not to use it as a wallpaper, designing an image that serves as an altar and opening it in GIMP or Photoshop where you can create additional layers for placing other virtual elements could be useful.

Benefits:

Travel friendly

Can be synced across devices, so your altar is always with you

Easy to change and “redecorate” throughout the year

Paper Altars

(This incredible paper altar was created by Stella Witchcraft! Please click here to check out their full post and their blog!)

Similar to a virtual altar, a paper altar is a portable, customizable altar. Many witches choose to include paper altar setups in their grimoires, but there’s nothing stopping you from making larger paper altars with poster paper that can be rolled up and stored away.

If paper altars are attractive to you, don’t be deterred if you aren’t an artist! Minimallism in paper altars is perfectly fine. You can always outline your altar with symbols or even words alone. If you’re happy with it, it is perfect. You don’t have to meet and requirements for aesthetic or any other witch’s expectations.

There you have it! Of course, there are so many more types of altars, and even table altars can be created to fit your own personal needs. If you’re attracted to more than one of these, why not try combining the elements that call to you to make something entirely your own? The possibilites are endless.

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Embrace your natural side & savor the outdoors all year round with this earthy skull glass cork bottle terrarium.

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What your birth chart will teach you:

SUN: Why do I act and express myself the way I do

MOON: Why do I react and feel the way I do

ASCENDENT: Why do I see and meet the world the way I do

MERCURY: Why do I think and communicate the way I do

VENUS: Why do I express affection the way I do

MARS: Why do I express anger and passion the way I do

JUPITER: Where do I feel most confident and where do I push my luck

SATURN: Where do I feel most anxious and where do I need to realize authority

URANUS: Where do I rebel and innovate

NEPTUNE: Where do I lose touch with reality and how do I escape it

PLUTO: Where do I feel most powerless and how do I need to let go of ego to transform

MIDHEAVEN: What do I want to achieve and who do I want to become

DESCENDENT: What do I project on other people

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My personal collection makes me so happy ✨💗

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textbook chaotic good

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Pentagram Wreaths / Smoke Wands

Bitterwitch Apothecary on Etsy

See our #Etsy or #Witchy tags

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Black Cats Are Beautiful

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Crystal Gridding

How I crystal grid, which is a combo of what I’ve learned from various books.

Pick your center stone/generator

Books vary about how many stones to use around the generator. Some suggest 4, some suggest 6. You can use variants of 4 (4, 8, 12) or 6 (3, 6, 9, 12) You’ll notice they both have 12 in common. Just like 12 birthstones, 12 zodiac, 12 months, etc. You can use any number of stones, but I’ve felt the best energy when I channel with 6.

The first stones around the generator should relate to your intentions the most.

The second row kind of sets the mood of your intentions, kind of like a screen. This green aventurine was meant to boost the heart chakra, and clear negativity.

When I am using high vibrational stones like angel aura quartz in the center, I like to ground the outside with nature corresponding stones and minerals like abalone, tree jasper, or black tourmaline.

But grids can be as simple as this! And the stones don’t have to be the same.

Pay attention to what direction the points are going. Inward brings in energy, outward distributes energy.

Once the grid is set, pause and really set your intentions for the grid. I like to keep my crystal grid up over night.

I have rose quartz, clear quartz, and angel aura quartz generators available at www.messageinthecrystal.storenvy.com

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Coming 10\13\18 healing bottles! These unique necklaces each feature a combination of handpicked healing crystals, inculding this antianxiety one, with amethyst for anxiety, insomnia, strength, and protection and black obsidian for clarity and stability. Be sure to like this post and follow me on Instagram for a chance to win a bottle of your choice for free a week before the official release for free. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoXYRBVAXin/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sqbyl7jlyjli

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Equinox

Happy Autumnal Equinox (or Mabon), everyone! Today the night and day, the sunlight and darkness, are of equal length, tomorrow growing ever shorter to draw us towards winter. Marking the special event of equal light and dark, Mabon is the second of three harvest days (the first being the early harvest of Lammas and the third the final harvest of Samhain). Today our focus should be on that very harvest - what have you grown throughout the year that you may now reap the benefits of? What parts of you are still growing? As we harvest and take stock of the positive aspects of our lives it is also important to weed the field and let those things die which no longer serve us. Cull unnecessary habits and celebrate those aspects of your life that bring you sustenance. Happy Mabon!