Altar construction and orientation

[Toby Stimpson]

I was thinking lately about how altars are set up around the world and how in each tradition there seems to be a correct prescribed way of doing it. I can't say that I always follow the Hindu Shivite model.

It seems that there is always a certain type of wood or substance used to construct an alter, a place that it must be (near something, in a certain room, facing a certain direction), with certain types of flowers or ornaments around it. There's also prescribed ways of treating alter items, for example when I perform Puja I must not allow my feet to stick out towards the Altar. There also seems to be stories or ideas related to these rules.

I'm curious as to what metaphysical rules you follow in the way you construct and orientate your altars? Why do you think these rules exist and if you do not follow these rules, what does that mean to you?

[Silverfire Darkmoon]

In the Odyssean Tradition, the altar is placed in centre of the Circle, facing the Northeast. This puts the altar at a liminal point, between death (North and Earth) and birth (East and Air). There are a variety of items that go on the standard altar setup, most of which I omit in my personal rituals because of space considerations.
The altar has seven candles on it, one of which is really unnecessary if you're doing ritual yourself. At the back side of the altar (Northeast edge) there are five: In the centre, a black one representing Source, the void from which things came to be. To the left of it are two white candles, representing the Goddess and Form. To the right of it are two black ones, representing the God and Force. The interplay between God and Goddess, Force and Form, is what causes all things to be.
At the south side of the altar there is a red candle, or a candle in a red holder, which is for the Fire element, and across from that (more or less) is a plain candle in an easily-moved and easily-carried holder, which is the Handmaiden's (or, at the time of this writing, Fetch) candle, which is carried by the person holding that office so priesthood can read the ritual. The Handmaiden candle can be omitted in personal rituals, unless you really need it for some reason.
In their respective directions we'll have a bowl of salt, water, and an incense-burner.
Right in front of the Source candle is the offering bowl, and in the centre of the altar is the chalice. In front of that we place the ritual book so it's easily read. The athames of the priest and priestess are placed on either side of the book, the priest's pointing at the Goddess candle and the Priestess' at the God candle. Underneath the altar goes the Toutatis rock, which is the 'community rock'. A different person in the community takes it home every week (when they remember to bring it back so someone else can take it LOL).
Next week at church I can probably take a picture, or something.

[cheddarsox]

I am a pantheist. Many don't have intentional altars (though I believe that altars are part of human nature and that basically everyone has them, planned or not...like dashboards, fridges, tops of bureaus..but I digress)

One of the things that I love about my practice of pantheism is that it is intrinsically authentic and tied to what is already going on in my life. So my altars are...where they are. For me, the important thing is that they are somewhere I will encounter them regularly throughout the day. I like to have one in the living room so the entire family will be reminded of the sacred, and so friends can take part as well.

Friends often stop to look at what is on the altar, or bring me items for it.

We recently moved, and so far the mantel is serving as an altar in the living room, and I have set one up in my bedroom as well, but we are pretty pragmatic about our altars. I expect that one day while thrifting an altar will find me! The perfect table, or whatever to serve.

I like the location of the mantle, but it is hard to "dress" and I do like to use altar cloths etc at times.

Our altars seem to either spring up organically or "come" to us. Which sort of fits our pantheist philosophy and way of living.

[Brightshores]

I am a pantheist. Many don't have intentional altars (though I believe that altars are part of human nature and that basically everyone has them, planned or not...like dashboards, fridges, tops of bureaus..but I digress)

Cheddarsox, what a great thought. I never thought about it in that light, but I think you're absolutely right. We have altars in the strangest and most common of places - the refrigerator which is a shrine to kids' creativity... the desk at work with pictures of family and inspirational quotes... I love the idea that spirituality is expressed in that form even if we're not aware that's what we're doing. :smile:

[Toby Stimpson]

Having spontaneous alters to aspects of life is a wonderful idea, I find that in that way there are so many things that can be worshiped or looked at. I find that a wall full of pictures of family and loved ones is as much an alter as my little statues of Gods and Goddesses.

But my question was for those individuals who follow a very specific tradition and follow specific rules surrounding what their alters look like.

What do those symbols represent? Why are they important to you, or the tradition?

[patch]

Altars in hellenic polytheism are rather simple.
The basic forumula is:an image, a candle or something similar to represent hestia, and a bowl for libations and offerings. Usually an incense burner of some kind is added, plus somewhere to store offerings that cannot be buried or burned.

They are so simple because they aren't necessarily needed for worship. You can pour a libation onto the ground. It's purely a practial tool.

Once something has been consecrated as an altar, it is SACRED. To me, that means that I can't put my feet on it or put my dinner on it.
In addition, if I have consecrated an altar to a particular god, I would never decide to change it and set it up for another instead.

[David19]

I haven't got a proper altar yet, for Ereshkigal yet, but I intend to remedy that very soon. Basically, in the Sumerian religion, you have an altar to your personal God (everyone has a personal God, for me, it's Ereshkigal, for the creater, founder, and a guy I really respect, of the Temple of Sumer (http://www.templeofsumer.org/), it's Enki, for others, it's Inanna, etc). All that is really needed for an Sumerian altar, is a statue or carving of the God, some representations (e.g. statues, carvings, drawings, I think, would be ok, etc) of servants, including one of yourself, as that will make sure you are continuously worshipping your God, while you are busy in the physical world or whatever, etc. As well as other statues of servants (a scribe, cleaner, cook, etc, other servants that you'd find in a Sumerian Ziggurat/Temple, etc), for me, and, I think some others, it would also include demons (I'm not talking about "evil" demons, well, not entirely), I might choose to have a Galla demon, who are manifestations of Kur itself, and act as bailiff's of the Underworld/Kur, like taking people back to the afterlife, stopping them the dead from escaping if they're not meant too, etc (they're the same demons who went after Inanna in the Descent of Inanna (http://www.templeofsumer.org/myth04b.html), and who took Dumuzi instead after Inanna caught him not mourning her "death" and flirting with other girls (I'm not sure if these girls were human, or Gods, or demons, etc), and so she decided to let the Galla demons take Dumuzi instead of her). I might also use some Mashkimu demon statues/carvings/drawings/etc, they're inspectors of Kur/the Underworld, and keep the Galla demons in check (the Galla demons have a habit of rebelling, since they are, technically, manifestations of Kur, who's both the Underworld and a very powerful being itself (not a God, demon, whatever, etc), but not all of them do it, etc). I also intend on using some other demons, not all of them Sumerian (in the Sumerian religion, we can't worship any other God, although we can respect others and learn about others, but we can work with other non-Sumerian demons). I might even try and find some demons from pop culture and see if I can use them (maybe creating a construct or something, etc).

An altar will also include a plant (I want to find one that Ereshkigal will like), a glass of water that should be refilled every day, etc. Also, an incense or scented oil burner (again, I want to get some that Ereshkigal will like, which I really should find out very soon, as I need to start worshipping and serving her properly).

For the orientation and position of the altar, it should be in the highest position possible, so, for me, that's the top shelf of my book shelves in my room. The statue/carving/drawing/etc of the God should also be positioned in a way, that, when you walk into the room, you have to turn to face it, I think, like you would have to do in a Ziggurat. So that's a Sumerian altar, and, also, it's quite interesting seeing other peoples descriptions of their altars and different traditions altars, and altars to different deities, etc. I'd also like to get an altar set up for my ancestors, which I want to do this year, and maybe some other Sumerian Gods, like Nergal (Ereshkigal's husband, and a warrior God of the Kur/the Underworld, disease, and, technically, vampires (he was sometimes depicted in the form of a dragon and drank the blood of the living, and, apparantly, from what I've been told, there's evidence secret blood rites were offered to him, etc)), also, maybe, Utu, maybe Enki, and some other Gods too, but Ereshkigal will be my main focus, being that I am her worshipper and servant.

To learn more about Sumerian altars, worship, beliefs, the Gods, demons, magic, Myths, rituals and holidays, etc, I recommend going to:

The Temple of Sumer (http://www.templeofsumer.org/), especially these pages:

Worship and Beliefs (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share2.html),

Underworld Gods (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share3c.html),

Additional Gods (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share3d.html),

Death, burial and the Underworld (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share5.html),

Building a Religion in the Modern World (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share6.html), especially Ritual (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share6b.html), Prayer (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share6c.html), and Sumerian Calendar of Nippur (http://www.templeofsumer.org/calendar0.html)

The Descent of Inanna Myth (http://www.templeofsumer.org/myth04b.html),

Nergal and Ereshkigal Myth (http://www.templeofsumer.org/myth01.html), and there's loads more too.

It can actually, probably, explain it better than me.

Edit: One thing that I forgot too add, which I remembered after reading patch's post, is that, in Sumerian and other Mesopotamian beliefs, the altar, and the items on the altar, take on a kind of spiritual reality, meaning, that the statue of me, the servants, demons, etc would be real in the spiritual realm, and would be worshipping Ereshkigal, the statue of Ereshkigal would be a kind of vessel for Ereshkigal (although, I know she could, probably, watch what happens on this realm/plane, even without a vessel, etc). That's why the altar is very important, they're more than just symbols, or nice statues/carvings/pictures/etc (well, they are), but they're real, in a sense, in the spiritual/supernatural realm(s).

From the Worship and Beliefs section (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share2.html)from the Temple of Sumer (http://www.templeofsumer.org/):


3) Idolatry: It is hard for people today to understand the purpose and symbolism behind idolatry. Even the term idolatry has taken on bad connotations due to the Judao-Christian commandment against the worship of false idols.

Who wants to be thought of as the guy that worships statues? This would be the same as asking why a Christian would worship crossed sticks. Idolaters are not actually worshiping the statues that they appear to be worshiping. They are actually worshiping the god represented by the statue.

In Sumerian religion, as in many religions where idolatry is practiced, the statues represent a connection between the physical world and the spiritual world. A votive statue of a man worshiping a votive statue of a god IS the same as a man worshiping the god in person. The statue of the worshiper is acting as a vessel for the spiritual essence of the worshiper just as the statue of the god is a vessel for the actual god.

People in the Christian religion go to church and commune with their god but they are not in the physical presence of their god per se. They are symbolically in the presence of their god. If a statue of the virgin Mary begins to bleed it is not the wood or the stone that is bleeding, but rather a spiritual manifestation through an appropriate vessel. The Sumerians are doing no less than this when it appears that one is worshiping statues.

Everything on a Sumerian's altar exists and is real in the spiritual realm. When the statue of a worshiper is placed on an altar in a position where it is worshiping the gods it begins to show devotion to the gods continually every moment of the day.

Not every statue represents a physical person. Some statues are votive worshipers or servants that exist entirely on the spiritual realm. These votive statues serve various functions depending on their form.

I've actually been told, that, since it's like the Jewish/Christian/Islamic God has his origins in the Sumerian pantheon, aside from the idolatry, a Jew, Christian, maybe a Muslim, etc could probably practice it without too much difficulty.

[TheWomanMonster]

I am a pantheist. Many don't have intentional altars (though I believe that altars are part of human nature and that basically everyone has them, planned or not...like dashboards, fridges, tops of bureaus..but I digress)

....

Our altars seem to either spring up organically or "come" to us. Which sort of fits our pantheist philosophy and way of living.


That's sort of how I work... things just sort of land where they belong.

The two Goddesses I associate most heavily with are The Morrigan and Bastet, somehow I found a painting of ravens for mere pennies at a thrift store (in Red and Black - her colours) and bought it without really thinking beyond 'wow that's pretty', and I've also developed a small collection of brass cat figures. Never realized how prevalent things that related to the divine and nature were in my home until I really paid attention.

I've also unintentionally collected representations of my totem animals.

Essentially my whole home is an altar. (Which rather relates to my practices of blessing and cleansing while cleaning and maintaining a spiritual energy in the home).

Loving this thread, glad to see all the different ideas!

[Solya]

Pfff, I'm not aware of following any rules concerning altars nowadays. I think I largely agree with Cheddarsox on this, because I have various altars depending on the way you look at it. The most important one at the moment is filled with books, crystals and a present for my pregnant soulsister... located in the west of my room... books for my mind, crystals for my soul and the present for my heart. My specific altars are always constructed in this fashion. There's something for every aspect of my non-physical self on them, so the whole of the altar makes me "complete".

[aranarose]

My altars are pretty much random and spontaneous. Hoodoo is a huge part of my practice, so I've got a Hoodoo altar. It's small right now, but before long I hope to have my husband help me build a large, three-tier altar in my dining room. Lots of candles, saint pictures, trinkets, mojos and tricks as I'm working them for myself and others, etc.

I'm also working on a kitchen altar, because I'm working on pulling more kitchen witchery into my path as well. I'm also looking for a table to set up a readings altar, a place dedicated to doing readings for myself and others. I don't want to co-opt my dining room table for that, as its purpose is for eating at and playing family games :)

I have a small bedroom altar that's dedicated to fanning the flames of passion :lol:

My son has his own altar in his room.

Our altars don't follow a set pattern or orientation. I arrange my home for the best flow of energy based on how it feels to me. I may or may not be following the correct feng shui or geomantic principles. I really don't care. If it feels right, then it is right. For me, at least.

[Moonlight's Daughter]

I live in an apartment so I work with what I have. I have two altars, one in the bedroom ( a love altar-self and opening love in my life) and one in the living room. I usually keep it fitting with the sabbats and a masculine/feminine balance. It works for me.

If I had a house I would have more room and more options. But I try to make each room have a sacred space.

[childofbast]

I'm an ADF Druid and our basic altars include a representation of a tree/mountain/omphalos, a cauldron, and a fire. Many of us personalize our altars with deity images and significant trinkets. I also have a (sort of) altar for the ancestors and nature spirits in my room. Outside, I've set up a shrine/altar.

I think the idea of spontaneous altars are really cool, and the ability to let go and do that is important, especially when you feel the need and you're away from home. But I also think that a set sacred space is important in terms of storing energy, I guess. Every time I worship at my altars, they become more and more significant, at least to me. I'm not saying set altars are any better than the spontaneous - but I prefer them, personally.

In regards to my tradition's altar specifications, we use the tree/mountain/omphalos, the fire, and the cauldron/well to represent the cosmos. By placing them on our altars, they remind us and help to foster the connection we have. It is part of how ADF runs, but if I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it, if that makes sense.

~Melanie

[cheddarsox]

I do have an intentional altar in my bedroom, some of the items change, but always present are a human skull (yes, it's genuine, we call her grandmother) she is a constant reminder of mortality. Live NOW, get off my butt and do what matters.

I also have my meteorites, they remind me that our planet is part of a larger system...and still growing, many tons of new material are added each day via space dust, etc.

I have a glass bowl into which I place various essential oils to scent my room/space.

There is no specific orientation for the altar or the items.

[Sionnach le Fey]

I don't follow any particular tradition. In fact, I don't really have much of an altar - more of a mini-altar. So far, it consists of 2 Buddha statues (one small, wooden one from Indonesia, another I bought from a market in Covent Garden, London), a selection of stones, shells and crystals (rose quartz, amethyst, tiger's eye, clear quartz...), a small owl figure (from Greece - to represent wisdom), and a few candles. I'm a Pantheist, so I don't have any deity statues.

Since I still live at home, and I have so much useless stuff, I lack the space for anything more. I'm planning on adding, perhaps, some natural imagery like pictures of mountains, forests, the sky and ocean, space - just to make it prettier :weirdsmil

[Toby Stimpson]

Great posts so far! I just wanted to make a quik note for those who have said that they don't

I think perhaps some individuals have misunderstood the question. The question was for those who practice very specific traditions what guidelines that they follow.


My altars are pretty much random and spontaneous. Hoodoo is a huge part of my practice, so I've got a Hoodoo altar. It's small right now, but before long I hope to have my husband help me build a large, three-tier altar in my dining room. Lots of candles, saint pictures, trinkets, mojos and tricks as I'm working them for myself and others, etc.

I'm also working on a kitchen altar, because I'm working on pulling more kitchen witchery into my path as well. I'm also looking for a table to set up a readings altar, a place dedicated to doing readings for myself and others. I don't want to co-opt my dining room table for that, as its purpose is for eating at and playing family games :)

I have a small bedroom altar that's dedicated to fanning the flames of passion :lol:

My son has his own altar in his room.

Our altars don't follow a set pattern or orientation. I arrange my home for the best flow of energy based on how it feels to me. I may or may not be following the correct feng shui or geomantic principles. I really don't care. If it feels right, then it is right. For me, at least.

Mhm I do understand the more personal element in keeping many different shrines. Im curious, are hoodoo altar rooms similar to the more elaborate shrines kep't in Voodoo and Santeria and other Orisha traditions? For example do you have specific symbols used to represent your Loas or Spirits? If so, what might they be like and what do they mean to you?


Pfff, I'm not aware of following any rules concerning altars nowadays. I think I largely agree with Cheddarsox on this, because I have various altars depending on the way you look at it. The most important one at the moment is filled with books, crystals and a present for my pregnant soulsister... located in the west of my room... books for my mind, crystals for my soul and the present for my heart. My specific altars are always constructed in this fashion. There's something for every aspect of my non-physical self on them, so the whole of the altar makes me "complete".

Although I appreciate your comments Solya, please do not snuff your nose at the question. Your post come across at the beginning as being rather rude to the question asked. Even if you did not intend your post to be that way, it came across to me that way atleast. You may not know of specific guidelines or rules, but I know of quite a few traditions that have standards or atleast a formal way of setting up and constructing an altar, and the less formal personal alters that people keep. I am curious though, when you say the Altar is located in the west of your room, that sounds like a rule or symbolic guideline... what does west mean to and stand for you? I like the idea of filling a shrine to represent aspects of your life. Is there a certain way that you organize or arrange the items on the shrine, and if so why do you do it in a particular way?


That's sort of how I work... things just sort of land where they belong.

The two Goddesses I associate most heavily with are The Morrigan and Bastet, somehow I found a painting of ravens for mere pennies at a thrift store (in Red and Black - her colours) and bought it without really thinking beyond 'wow that's pretty', and I've also developed a small collection of brass cat figures. Never realized how prevalent things that related to the divine and nature were in my home until I really paid attention.

I've also unintentionally collected representations of my totem animals.

Essentially my whole home is an altar. (Which rather relates to my practices of blessing and cleansing while cleaning and maintaining a spiritual energy in the home).

Loving this thread, glad to see all the different ideas!

I am too, this is turning into a great thread. I wonder, do you know based on the two goddesses you worship... if you were to construct a more formal altar to them individually, or perhaps a shared shrine between them both... based on what you know or feel... what would it look like?? How would you arrange the items... would there be items that you know you should have, or feel you should have?



Altars in hellenic polytheism are rather simple.
The basic forumula is:an image, a candle or something similar to represent hestia, and a bowl for libations and offerings. Usually an incense burner of some kind is added, plus somewhere to store offerings that cannot be buried or burned.

They are so simple because they aren't necessarily needed for worship. You can pour a libation onto the ground. It's purely a practial tool.

Once something has been consecrated as an altar, it is SACRED. To me, that means that I can't put my feet on it or put my dinner on it.
In addition, if I have consecrated an altar to a particular god, I would never decide to change it and set it up for another instead.

Thats really interesting, I never knew that! So that being said, do you consider ancient consecrated sites in Greece to be AS sacred as alters that are still fully formed and do have images... as opposed to places like the Parthenon in Athens.. which have no central statues? Why do you think that Hellenic altars are simple?


I live in an apartment so I work with what I have. I have two altars, one in the bedroom ( a love altar-self and opening love in my life) and one in the living room. I usually keep it fitting with the sabbats and a masculine/feminine balance. It works for me.

If I had a house I would have more room and more options. But I try to make each room have a sacred space.

I know what you mean, in the spaces that I have... I dont have the luxury of having a specific place or room to create a sacred space in so I do with what I have as well.

I'd be interested to know, what kinds of things do you do to keep the masculine/feminine balance. do you use specific symbols or arrange certain objects in a certain way or in a certain area to keep that balance?


I'm an ADF Druid and our basic altars include a representation of a tree/mountain/omphalos, a cauldron, and a fire. Many of us personalize our altars with deity images and significant trinkets. I also have a (sort of) altar for the ancestors and nature spirits in my room. Outside, I've set up a shrine/altar.

I think the idea of spontaneous altars are really cool, and the ability to let go and do that is important, especially when you feel the need and you're away from home. But I also think that a set sacred space is important in terms of storing energy, I guess. Every time I worship at my altars, they become more and more significant, at least to me. I'm not saying set altars are any better than the spontaneous - but I prefer them, personally.

In regards to my tradition's altar specifications, we use the tree/mountain/omphalos, the fire, and the cauldron/well to represent the cosmos. By placing them on our altars, they remind us and help to foster the connection we have. It is part of how ADF runs, but if I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it, if that makes sense.

~Melanie

Thats cool, thankyou for your post. I agree with you that a set sacred space as well as spontaneous ones are as eqaully important. Can you heklp me to udnerstand what the symbols of earth, fire and couldron represent? How do you use them and is there a set way of how they should look or where they should be placed in the space?


I do have an intentional altar in my bedroom, some of the items change, but always present are a human skull (yes, it's genuine, we call her grandmother) she is a constant reminder of mortality. Live NOW, get off my butt and do what matters.

I also have my meteorites, they remind me that our planet is part of a larger system...and still growing, many tons of new material are added each day via space dust, etc.

I have a glass bowl into which I place various essential oils to scent my room/space.

There is no specific orientation for the altar or the items.

That sounds incredible! A skull, meteorites, a glass bowl and the fragrances from the essential oils. Even though you said there is no specific orientation for the altar... Id be curious as to what goes through your mind when you do add things to it, or take items away. If there was one thing you would add... what would it be, and why?


I don't follow any particular tradition. In fact, I don't really have much of an altar - more of a mini-altar. So far, it consists of 2 Buddha statues (one small, wooden one from Indonesia, another I bought from a market in Covent Garden, London), a selection of stones, shells and crystals (rose quartz, amethyst, tiger's eye, clear quartz...), a small owl figure (from Greece - to represent wisdom), and a few candles. I'm a Pantheist, so I don't have any deity statues.

Since I still live at home, and I have so much useless stuff, I lack the space for anything more. I'm planning on adding, perhaps, some natural imagery like pictures of mountains, forests, the sky and ocean, space - just to make it prettier :weirdsmil

This seems like a very eclectic, personal shrine. A lot of imagery there, I like it. Thankyou for posting! When you saw these items... what was the connection you had with them, were they random buys that you developed a connection with... or was there something there from the beginning. Is there a specific flow that you feel and also how to you arrange them, is there a pattern that you follow and what does that pattern mean?

[aranarose]

Mhm I do understand the more personal element in keeping many different shrines. Im curious, are hoodoo altar rooms similar to the more elaborate shrines kep't in Voodoo and Santeria and other Orisha traditions? For example do you have specific symbols used to represent your Loas or Spirits? If so, what might they be like and what do they mean to you?


The only Lwa that I really work with is Erzulie, and mostly in her Freda aspect. She sort of adopted me last year. Hoodoo altars, especially the altar of a rootworker who does a lot of workings, tend to be very full, and to outsiders seem very cluttered.

I've attached a couple of example Hoodoo altars. Many Hoodoo altars are very similar. Trinkets, pictures, candles, and lots of offerings are placed on the altars.

I have lots and lots of Saint candles that represent the Lwa. I've got them burning for many reasons, healing, finances, love, health, etc. I use the tall, 7-day candles, and they just keep burning and burning and burning.

Erzulie Freda likes pink. Lots of pink, and white, and jewelry, wedding stuff, sweet stuff, cakes, etc. So the altar gets a lot of that, and the offerings tend to be sweets of varying kinds, from cakes to chocolates and other such things.

[TheWomanMonster]

I wonder, do you know based on the two goddesses you worship... if you were to construct a more formal altar to them individually, or perhaps a shared shrine between them both... based on what you know or feel... what would it look like?? How would you arrange the items... would there be items that you know you should have, or feel you should have?


I like my combined, relaxed altar.
But if I were to try a more formal approach I would honour them separately. The Morrigan is my predominant goddess, Bastet sort of comes and goes (always has from early childhood).

[childofbast]

Toby,

In response to your questions, there isn't one true way for the tree, fire, or well/cauldron to look. It's mostly that they are there and represent them adequately. I use an apple tree branch that I covered in silver bells for the tree, a little black cauldron for the well, and a candle for the fire. Most of us seem to use cauldrons and candles, but the variations for the tree are neat. I've seen people use wire shaped into trees with crystals looped through, bonsai trees, etc.

For me personally, as I follow an Irish hearth culture, the tree is the bile, the sacred tree that stands over the well of knowledge. It is also a connector to the upper and lower worlds. In many ways, it could also represent the Earth. The cauldron/well represents the sea, or water, and is, for me, a representative of the underworld. The candle stands for fire and also the upper world. However, it's always fun to talk about how the cauldron could represent the upper world and the flame the underworld. But I hope you get the idea. They correspond to sacred elements within Irish mythology and can easily correspond to various elements within other IE cultures as well.

~Melanie

[patch]

Thats really interesting, I never knew that! So that being said, do you consider ancient consecrated sites in Greece to be AS sacred as alters that are still fully formed and do have images... as opposed to places like the Parthenon in Athens.. which have no central statues? Why do you think that Hellenic altars are simple?


Yes I think so, because they were consecrated as such, and also for other more aesthetic reasons. To me, places like that simply feel more sacred because of the fact they are a representation of the ancient greek religion, OUR religion.

I think the altars are simple becasue the religion itself is simple. The rituals aren't overly ceremonial, and there isn't a need for any magical tools.

[Louisvillian]

I was thinking lately about how altars are set up around the world and how in each tradition there seems to be a correct prescribed way of doing it.
I'm curious as to what metaphysical rules you follow in the way you construct and orientate your altars?
I haven't an altar yet, but I intend to make one for year-round use.
I'd personally rather use a small wood table as the altar itself. I would likely set mine up in the formal, conventional Wiccan altar format, but simplified: facing north within a ritual circle, with two candles or statues representing the God and Goddess at the right and left front corners. An offerings plate in the bottom middle flanked by a dish of salt and a bowl of water, a selection of stones or crystals to symbolise the gods and elements flanking a centrally-placed censer or other incense container. I'd customize and modify depending on the time of year and specific purpose of a given ritual.

But, at the same time, I don't think that consecrated altars are any more sacred than a forest or a riverbank. It's something I'd like to have set up for formal sabbat rites or when I'm unable to go outside, but I wouldn't restrict ritual setting to specifically an altar. Practising simple rituals outside are just as suitable.

[RubyRose]

I have my altar set up in pretty much a traditional Wiccan way. Of course, I have my own little additions as well. But basically it's a fairly simplistic setup.

[RainInanna]

My ideal altar would be in an outside temple within a forested area near water. This has strong associations for me with the Divine present in the natural world. In particular I find water has a strong connection for me with rebirth, and also find seashells to be useful for that reason, so would include them as well. The altar would face east - the direction of the rising sun and new beginnings. Natural objects including crystals would adorn the altar, changing as desired, along with a statue of the Goddess (right now I like my candle holders, each with three women around the base reaching up). These things all have metaphysical connections for me with the Divine and help me to recognize it's presence, however there are no repercussions from not having them.

[PandoraHealer]

My ideal altar would be in an outside temple within a forested area near water. This has strong associations for me with the Divine present in the natural world. In particular I find water has a strong connection for me with rebirth, and also find seashells to be useful for that reason, so would include them as well. .

Well... YHA!!!!! I have the most amazing mental picture of this now.... *sigh*... I cannot wait to move to the country....

I have several altars.
Bedroom: This is a rememberance altar. I have my grandmother's china paintings hung on the wall, I have my dog's ashes on the altar, and a large plant. I have 3 purple candles- our room is done in purple/yellow/green- I LOVE it. I also have some photo's to be hung up- one of my grandparents, one of my uncle, and one of my dog. I don't have anything of my uncles- except his house key and its inside my grandmother's jewelry box- just for safe keeping.

Livingroom: on top of our TV armoir. Has a large Ivy plant, a picture of my kids, and a few oil lamps. -very simple, but when lexie goes in for surgery, I'll lite the lamps for her.

Kitchen- there's a ledge over my sink- raised up- that i put a small ivy plant on, a few candles, and some big mason jars- I'm going to get a small statue to put there as well--- but the remodel isn't done yet... so i have to wait...

Altar-altar-- lol- for lack of better name. I have a seperate room for ritual work and there is a LARGE altar there-- about 1 1/2 ft. deep and about 3 ft. long. I have 1-2 altar cloths on it. I keep my representations for each element there. my feather, candle, rain water, and salt. I also keep my athame there, as well as an incense burner, and pentacle/tree of life altar tile. I also have a brass morar/pestle that I dont use for crushing herbs- I keep it in teh corner- it has a lid. Anytime I spill herbs or things- I put them in there- instead of back in the jar. Once a month I take it outside and scatter them into the wind... I spill a lot... so i use it as part of my offering ritual once a month. We're making a stand for me to put my BOS on that will sit next to the altar- tilted so i can read it at a glance and not worry about candle wax getting on it....
It faces south- for no reason other than that's where it fits best- I'll take some pictures... There is a little nook in the room- and it just LOOKS like the perfect spot for an altar.... The things on it, each have meaning to me- they have been collected over the years, and mean a lot to me... AND- the boards used for the altar are attached to a bookshelf- so there's storage underneath the altar- for empty herb jars, pens, lighters, matches, measuring spoons, extra herbs that don't fit in the jar when I fill it... things like that...

I'll get some pictures tomarrow.... but i'm off for bed tonight-- I'm so glad to see an advanced Paganism forum-- super cool! thanks Tanya and GEBS!!

PH

[Shosha]

Since I don't follow a specific tradition, I do not have a specific altar set-up.

However, I'll tell you about my altar as it is:

The table is about 300 years old and been in the family themajority of that time. I use that specific table as a link to my ancestors.
I have items that represent the various elements/directions from my early learnings... I have a little cauldron that was a gift... and crystals that seem to "want" to be there and a couple that "need" to be there.

I have a Pentacle that's carves into a green tile that was made special for me as a gift by my husband...isn't he sweet?

there's also a lighter, candles, incense, a bottle that's in it's process of maturing into a pleasant potion, and a pretty light blue and white cloth placemat that I bought because it's pretty and I needed something to protect the table from getting scratches.

Every item has a reason and a purpose.
The only place I have for it though "faces" west. That's ok though... the items representing the directions are placed in the proper directions themselves... out of respect to the elements they contain.

sometimes, I light the candles and incense... and I just sit there... looking at it... thinking.


I think about what I've done... making the altar... and why... and why it's taken my nearly 26 years to do it. I think about what's on the altar and why... a pair of gum tree fruits... all prickly and dry.. and so pretty....

A black feather in the east... for air... that came from my own pet rooster, G.B. who I raised his parents from eggs and was there when he hatched... I even clucked to him to encourage him... he's a HUGE black thing... black sex-link and Aracana cross... sparkles in the light... green, blue, shiney black...

That's my altar. Everyting on it MUST have a reason. Some kind of link to something important to my path... even though my path is just...my path.