#altar setup

[deja-vu-esoterica]

A photo of a candle being lit on our recent Aphrodite Altar for Valentine's Day

[iridescent-witch-life]

📷quiet.coven

[fanggrimoire]

Aphrodite altar inspiration 🩷🦪

[sea-witchb1tch]

my pocket altar to Amphitrite

this is probably the only time I’ll post photos of a full altar and that’s because I felt called to share. Amphitrite isn’t as well known as other deities of the Greek pantheon so I think sharing is caring in this instance. The only thing that isn’t pictured is the divination tool I use to speak with the Lady Amphitrite.

I repurposed an altoids tin for this pocket altar. I energetically cleansed it and placed items that I felt called by Amphitrite to put inside. I have some shells I collected from the beach, sand mixed with sea salt, an aquamarine crystal, a devotional candle, small incense sticks and a doily as an altar cloth.

I also decorated the inside with some sea imagery and I made a small paper standee to act as a stand in for a statue/figure.

[greenwitchcrafts]

I haven't been posting much because I've been putting together my apothecary! I'm so in love 😍

[wholesome-syd]

my altar currently

[paganposting]

How I Made My Altar

Creating an altar is something that varies a lot by tradition, but this is a guide on how i personally made and maintain mine. Hopefully this is helpful to someone!

Step One- Planning and Sourcing

In my tradition, there isn't necessarily a huge difference in making personal vs deity altars. As I've heard several of my teachers say- an altar is the place in your home where magic is always welcome. if you wish to add to that by including deities that are always welcome or honored in that space, great! if a deity does request their own specific altar, no problem!

The more complicated aspect for me, is that i feel deeply i must be in right relationship with the items on my altar. Part of this is everything being ethically sourced. All things on this table were either found by me, purchased from a small local business I trust, or received as a gift. These items have been accumulated over the last 5 years of my practice. If you are just starting out and feel as i do about sourcing, you might have a lot of arts and crafts projects ahead.

What aspects of your practice you feel are necessary to represent on your altar? Should you have artwork? Plants? Symbols or sigils?

What work will be done at your altar and which tools should be there? Are you doing meditation that requires a nice smelling herb or oil? Will you be doing spells on it that require big empty space?

Step Two- Find or Make Materials

My recommendation if you don't have the budget to buy a specific dedicated table/ shelf for your altar is to clear a space where you feel the most presence of magic in your life. My earliest altars were cleared off spots on bookshelves and in the kitchen.

Now that you have a list of themes or specific items you want on your altar, go on a nature walk and find things that call to you. Whenever I go to new or interesting places, I keep my eyes peeled for things that might be useful in my practice. Don't take too much, and ask permission from the land before leaving with anything. If the item feels oddly heavy as you walk away with it- give it back.

Step Three- Assemble

The main thing i do at my altar is meditate and pray to deities. Because i view this space as my gods' front door, i care a lot about it looking aesthetically pleasing. I am not part of a tradition where it matters what things go on the left or right, the elements are not associated with cardinal directions, and deities aren't really unsatisfied sharing an altar with each other (even if they may not get along in some lore). Because of this, i just lay things out intuitively, aiming for some symmetry. I also prefer to do spells outdoors, so my altar doesn't need to have a workable space beyond a nice spot to charge things.

Do I feel the need for my altar to have directional correspondences?

Is it important to me to optimize aesthetics?

I work a lot with the seasons, and this is meant to have some nice summertime vibes. With the harvest season coming up, i'll definitely redecorate it.

If anyone has questions please let me know

go n-éirí leat! good luck!

[thesorceresstemple]

[earthsworm]

Overcrowded altars >>>

Manifesting that one day this will be me ⭒⭒⭒

[prideprejudce]

everyone look at my baby witch altar

[aesethewitch]

Practical Craft: Setting Up an Altar

So, you've decided to set up an altar or sacred space for your practice. That's great! An altar can be a wonderful space for witchcraft, spirit work, and more.

But where to start?

If you look up pictures of altars online, such as on Tumblr or Instagram, you're likely to see lots of #aesthetic photos full of beautiful arrangements of lit candles, elaborate crystal grids, and expensive-looking statues. Not to mention all the bottles and herbs and incense and stones and bells and lights and tarot cards and oracle cards and and and...

It's a lot, to say the least. I'm one of those people who has a hard time accepting when things aren't totally perfect or up to "standards" (which may or may not continuously shift as I get closer to them, mind). If you're like me, creating an altar space might seem intimidating. You might ask yourself:

"What if it doesn't turn out right?"

"What if the spirit(s) this space is for don't like it?"

"How can I get all the materials that I have to have?"

"Why doesn't my altar look like those pretty pictures online?"

And, if you manage to make your space look that beautiful, you may even ask:

"Why isn't this altar working for me?"

Let's start from the top.

Check out my new post on Ko-Fi, currently exclusive for supporters! For a one-time payment as low as $1, you can receive early and extended access to my work. This one includes a preview of my personal working altar; I'll dive into the specifics of it in another post eventually.

[espresso-049]

Hey guys guess what you can arrange your altar however you like. I’ve seen some people say that you need to have an altar set up in a specific way, but you don’t. You can arrange any altar of yours however you like (maybe not your deities unless they let you have free range.). It’s YOUR altar not anyone else’s. It doesn’t have to be set up in a specific way. It doesn’t have to have specific objects it can have whatever the fuck you want on it. Put shit that you like on it. You like rocks, crystals, sticks, bones. Put whatever the fuck you want on it. It also doesn’t have to be pretty. I can just be practical. Just keep it clean and cleansed or don’t it’s yours.

[deja-vu-esoterica]

Open 7 days a week from 11 am-8pm

1236 South St Mary's St, San Antonio Texas

www.dejavuesoterica.com

[ocean-not-found]

My Lady of the Holy Death... She comes in when i need Her most!

I asked Santa Muerte for some money. Nothing big. Just enough for food today.

I was wearing Her rosary, listening to Santa Muerte by Inkubus Sukkubus. And then i saw a fiver on the floor... i knew it was Her.

I may have gotten excited and drew little love hearts but.. Santa Muerte thank you SO MUCH ❤️❤️❤️

[greenwitchcrafts]

Last night's birthday altar💚

[bendiciones444]

my standing altar!! obsidian, amethyst, plants and of course la virgencita ♡