Alter Essentials?

[AthenaStrength]

Okay, i have limited space but many ideas for when i dont on how to set up my main alter. My question: What are the essentials to an alter? do i need pictures, insence, a specific type of candle? please help me out here, thanks so much

[Sylvan]

Only stuff you deem necessary *is* necessary.
Your altar could be as simple as a seashell and a pine cone, or as elaborate as all get-out.
It's up to you. What you like. What you feel you might need during ritual, or would like to look at every day....

[spirit wind]

I agree.
I had changed my Altar so many times as i wasn't happy with it. Now i have a small shelf with a Goddess statue, dragon incense holder and a large glass candle holder that holds my white candle and another matching large glass candle holder for burning long term candles and an offering bowl. I am very happy with it now :)

Just have a play around with what you feel should go on there. You will find the right combination for you.

[RubyRose]

I'd have to agree and disagree with the previous two replies here. While whatever you feel comfortable with and deem necessary is important, I prefer to at least have the following basic things represented:

The God & The Goddess
The Four Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) & the Fifth being Spirit (which is really up to interpretation - I have a Pegasus representing this as well as it being my animal totem - as I have a big appreciation and love of horses)
An offering bowl
Incence and Oil Burner

I also have some tools perminently displayed on my altar.

Basically, you're only limited by your imagination.

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[aerialla]

I think its whatever you are personally called to put up. I have elemental candles, quartz crysal and amethyst and dried roses on mine. I have small chilren so I can't light a God and Goddess candle all the time like some can, so I always carry a psychic flame for them both in my mind, heart and soul.

[spirit wind]

*as an extra bit to my last post (yes i am slack coz i coulda hit the edit button but didn't :) *

also depends on what path you follow.

If you are Wiccan ( like RR - at least i'm prety sure you are? & many others here ) Then you usually would put items on your altar that represent the quarters/God/Goddess/etc as well as the incense holder, candles and whathaveyou.

I am an eclectic witch and so i don't feel the need for alot of items. Not that that is wrong at all, it just depends on your path. I used to have all the bits and bobs on my altar and found i never used them, but that was at the beginning. Now i have the above mentioned items and have others close by. I mostly put items on my altar that have meaning to me/what i am working on.

[Yasmine Galenorn]

Okay, i have limited space but many ideas for when i dont on how to set up my main alter. My question: What are the essentials to an alter? do i need pictures, insence, a specific type of candle? please help me out here, thanks so much

You need whatever you feel you need--there is no standardized altar. Pick what feels important to you--what connects you to the divine. If it's crystals or fresh flowers or incense or candles, then use it. If you don't like incense, don't use it. If you are allergic to flowers you can use silk ones if you still want them on your altar.

Paganism is made up of any number of individualized spiritual paths...find what works for you. Don't be afraid to experiment--if you try one set up and don't like it, then try another.

Yasmine :colorful:

[MorningDove030202]

I'm a very visual person, so I have some images of my favorite gods in nice frames on my altar. I also feel that for special occations cut flowers in a vase looks very special. It's like a little treat for myself and my Gods. If I could I'd buy flowers every week, but that's out of my price range.

Dove

[Yasmine Galenorn]

If I could I'd buy flowers every week, but that's out of my price range.

Dove

Yeah, it is an expense--I do it because my Goddess requests it...if they get to drooping a bit, I hear this "Where are my flowers?????" until I run out and get new ones. :bigredgri

Yasmine

[Sonic Seamus]

I think it's also a function of seeing things that you think belong there. When I walk in the woods I keep my eye out for such things like odd pine cones or feathers. Once in a while I'll go to a yard sale or a thrift shop and just browse on the off chance I find a nice altar cloth or something. My altar is a work in progress and there's a lot of things I want to put there but I want each thing to have a meaning and feel like it's spoken to me.

[LisaT4P]

Ok, Pier 1 is great for altar stuff. Alot of it can be bought inexpensively there too, but some of their stuff is pricey. TJ Maxx's home section has some good stuff, pretty much any "home" store will have something you can adapt to use on or as an altar.

If you have limited space or an issue of not wanting others to see your altar, then you could do a travel altar or "altar in a box".

I bought a balsa wood box with a slide on/off top for my sister. In it I put a bottle with a stopper for water, a fake butterfly for air, a box of nag champa incense, a small candleholder that has a sort of dish-like base that could be used to hold salt. She could also use some crystals to represent earth. I included a small box of hannukah candles (they are a bit larger than birthday candles, but are great for spells and such) and a book on candle magick. I figured she can decorate the box however she likes and her boyfriend, who is not really very pagan friendly, would not bother it or even realize what it was. :)

Basically, anything you have on a large altar can be done in minature if you take the time to look for smaller versions of things.

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

If you have limited space or an issue of not wanting others to see your altar, then you could do a travel altar or "altar in a box".

My circle is housed on the Air Force's technical school, so my members often don't have space of their own for an altar. So we always talk about "altars in a box"--it goes over really well, and they're convienent to take wherever you go! It's so nice to see another person utilizing them as well!

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon