How do I make an altar less witchy?

[WitchWriter]

Merry Meet and Blessings to all,

My problem is this. I live with my mother who is Roman Catholic in faith, as I once was. She believes my Wiccan faith to be a phase and perhaps dosen't wish to believe what I am. That is something I'm sure every pagan has gone through...at least to some extent. My passion is writing and I am in the process of converting my table for my writings into my altar...stoning the outer perimeter with various stones. ok, so i have the start of an altar...thoughts on how to complete it? what else should go on my altar so that it dosen't look too "witchy" to her. That way she'll go about her normal, Catholic life and I'll go about my normal Wiccan one...everybody's happy and she's none the wiser. Suggestions please.


My thanks in advance,

Michael

[loopy]

Candles are so everyday most people wouldn't suspect they're altar purpose. :D And they're used in Roman Catholic faith, too, aren't they? So'd I'd suggest some candles, and maybe just veer away from the pentagrams and the statues of Aradia. :D

Ooh, maybe a plant or something. Plants have magickal and healing properties, and are common enough.

[clef0628]

My alter is not too witch either. First, I have a cloth with a nature design on it. Leaves, flowers, trees or a color you like is will be less noticable then say a pagan design. Now, for what goes on it look for normal thing that can mean other things. Rocks for Earth, a blow of water for water, ect. A figure of an animal that you like, or it may stand for a god or goddess that you like. I have a figure of a Mermaid, because I'm storng with the element of water, my main Goddess, can take that form. Candales can also be use to mean different things. Try using other colors besides black. People seem to think black means evil even though it does not.

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

instead of outlining your alter with stones, you could just put the stones in a nice decorative bowl or platter. Of course, my platter (wooden plate) has a pentacle painted on it....but the stones hide it nicely! lol

You could also put something to represent each element on there....like a pencil for a wand (air-east), matches/lighter or a hand drawn picture of a sword (fire-south), maybe a small fishbowl/normal bowl with water in it and not necessarily fish in it...but some (Water-west) plants ....or floating blue candle, and a plant would work great for (Earth-north). And then of course a couple white candles for the God and Goddess. :D

Those are just a couple thoughts that pop to mind. I hope you can use some of it!

Good Luck! :D

[willowfairy]

this thread will benifit me, also. i'm a witch in disguise. ;) my mom knows about me, she's pagan herself, but i share a room with my little sis and she's a nosey brat! i want to set up an alter but i haven't been sure how, either. i burn incense and candles already, so that wouldn't be a problem. but if i put a plant in my room it'd probably die. :(

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Even an artifical plant can be symbolic. ;) ....and it won't die!

[Twilight Garden]

There are animals such as a dog or bear that represent 'earth' that you could use. Maybe a teddy bear or a ceramic (stone!) animal.

Also if your Mom is catholic, the Virgin Mary makes for a great goddess symbol. You can cleanse out the catholic/christian feeling and make it your own diety.

[Emy]

...and perhaps you could place some fruit or grains, etc depending on the season. It is always nice to decorate your altar and a plate with apples or some oat picked in a field wouldn't look witchy at all. You might also try to have a rather small altar, what I mean is that you could have an altar on which you don't place all that many things, just very simple, some candles, and something to represent the elements (and apple decorations could also represent the earth). And all the witchy stuff is only placed there when you use your altar in a ritual or so... :)

Blessings

[WitchWriter]

I want to thank you all for replying. Some of your ideas are beneficial to me, but others remain beyond my reach. Keep in mind the table I'm converting isn't exactly all that big, perhaps the size of your normal nightstand top (which I've now stained a dark oaken shade and stoned (it's almost complete...i have 3 of the 4 sides done...yeah :) I'm planning to put two candles (upper left and right corners) I know I need to figure out a God and Goddess figurine or representation...and I know I need to represent the Elements...though the stones around the altar...don't they do that somewhat? Again, thank you and Blessings to you all...

Still somewhat confused, but thankful...

Michael

[Lavender]

You could use dried herbs & crystals to represent each element. As well, you could also use different plants to represent the Gods & Goddesses. Such as sunflowers for the God aspect and vervain for the Goddess aspect.

[Lilu]

For God and Goddess symbols you can look up a book or site on correspondences. Some things that I have used in the past are shells for the Goddess, and a crystal for the God.

Some other ideas from here (http://www.geocities.com/aerinleigh/deity/) are:

Symbols often used to depict or worship the God include the sword, horns, spear, candle. gold, brass, diamond, the sickle, arrow, magickal wand, trident, knife and others. Creatures sacred to Him include the bull, dog, snake, fish, stag, dragon, wolf, boar, eagle, falcom, shark, lizard and many others.

Many symbols are used in Wicca to honour Her, such as the cauldron, cup, labrys, five-petalled flowers, the mirror, necklace, seashell, pearl, silver, emerald. Her creatures are varied and numerous. A few include the rabbit, bear, owl, cat, dog, bat, goose, cow, dolphin, lion, horse, wren, scorpion, spider and bee.

BB
Lilu

[Lilu]

Oh! And the simplest one of all. A green or silver candle for the Goddess, and a red or gold candle for the God. These are pretty standard colours that I've heard :)

BB
Lilu

[Starlight]

You could put a statue of the virgin mary or a statue of your choice if you like. I've got sea shells on mine and a statue of a dolphin.

[Swanspirit]

although I wouldnt choose Barbie myself LOL..... would do for god/dess figures......
I just recently got the only doll I wanted from my mothers entire collection........my brother finally brought it.......down from Baltimore......
and it is an absolutely breathtaking representation of Rapunzel ........ with her long long hair twirled with pearl beads..... a magnificent Purple Velvet and beaded Cloak ..... I will take a pic soon and have it developed.... but She looks like a GOddess to me,.........
Love and light
Swannie

[Sora]

These are all very cool ideas, and I'll probably employ a few of them because of my pagan-condeming father...


Originally posted by Dagda Moon~Lily
Even an artifical plant can be symbolic. ;) ....and it won't die!

Oh, I'm not sure about that. I've been known to kill a few in my time....

[Lavender]

:lol:

[fay]

i know this thread is kinda old but i think that it's a topic that continually resurfaces.
my altar is titchy. i have on it: a white candle representing the goddess; an orange candle representing the god; very small figurines of a small viking gnome type for earth, a faerie for air and a dragon for fire (i am in the process of trying to aquire a small mermaid of similar size for water but with little success, if anyone could help that'd be cool); my chalice and an incense burner. which really is not alot for an altar. i suppose it just depends how much stuff you personally want on your altar.
blessed be

[Holly Ariadna]

Also if your Mom is catholic, the Virgin Mary makes for a great goddess symbol. You can cleanse out the catholic/christian feeling and make it your own diety.

I was going to say that. :uhhuhuh: Maybe that would help her to accept your new religion, too?

[Dorchadas Síofra]

Merry Meet and Blessings to all,

My problem is this. I live with my mother who is Roman Catholic in faith, as I once was. She believes my Wiccan faith to be a phase and perhaps dosen't wish to believe what I am. That is something I'm sure every pagan has gone through...at least to some extent. My passion is writing and I am in the process of converting my table for my writings into my altar...stoning the outer perimeter with various stones. ok, so i have the start of an altar...thoughts on how to complete it? what else should go on my altar so that it dosen't look too "witchy" to her. That way she'll go about her normal, Catholic life and I'll go about my normal Wiccan one...everybody's happy and she's none the wiser. Suggestions please.


My thanks in advance,

Michael

Hehe, I changed my entire room! LOL. I needed something different, so I painted it with a theme, found a moon/star windchime. Bought seashells and crystals, found rocks, developed an "ineterest" again in candles :muwaha: and put up some stuff i made in art that relates to my personality, interests, and beliefs. My Altar is kind of multileveled. On the top I have some rocks, small cactus plants (3) and a fishbowl with two fishies and seashells surrounding it. then below I have art on my wall and then i have some candles, my incense, a statue of an angel on a waning moon, a bear statue, a cat statue, i candle holder in the shape of a star that i painted the moon phases on and some other stuff. (my Altar is my book shelf). then around my room so it doesn't look as "stand out ish" I have more candles, a bowl I painted with moons and stars on it, more rocks and crystals. Most of my REAL stuff that I use in my circles is stored where my parents can't find it, and where no one else but me can touch it.

my point in that (which i realize now i rambled a LOT) is maybe have it a theme in your room and not just confined to one spot. after all, during rituals you can always move the stuff to your altar, while keeping a lower profile all the rest of the time :)

[Chantrea]

Nice question ... my parents are non-pagans and this is helping me as well!

Going along with what ducky7 said ... you could always use artwork on your altar, to represent the god and goddess. Either drawing it yourself or printing something off of the internet that would show how you invision them.

[Aine of the Fae]

I want to thank you all for replying. Some of your ideas are beneficial to me, but others remain beyond my reach. Keep in mind the table I'm converting isn't exactly all that big, perhaps the size of your normal nightstand top (which I've now stained a dark oaken shade and stoned (it's almost complete...i have 3 of the 4 sides done...yeah :) I'm planning to put two candles (upper left and right corners) I know I need to figure out a God and Goddess figurine or representation...and I know I need to represent the Elements...though the stones around the altar...don't they do that somewhat? Again, thank you and Blessings to you all...

Still somewhat confused, but thankful...

Michael

You said your mother is Catholic? For your representation of God and Goddess, try small statues of Jesus and Mary.

[Dusk]

my alter at work consisted of
air: a child's windmill
fire: candle
earth: some stone's i picked up from my property
water: I kept water in a mini water can that I used to water my bamboo plant (also on the alter)

I also had a plastic cauldron for candy handy.

[calria]

Idea:
Get a letter opener in the shape of a sword. That would be nice and small, and inobtrusive, as well... loads of people have those.
Also nice-- make some potpurri-style dried herbs, and keep them in a nice bowl/plate/other dish, maybe with a candle in the middle.
I't amazing how much you can incorporate that just looks like normal decorativeness!

[Aowyn]

You said your mother is Catholic? For your representation of God and Goddess, try small statues of Jesus and Mary.
I totally agree and there are many versions of Mary to choose from when I was still living with my parents I found this to be the easiest solution. There is a particular one that I still use to this day, Our Lady of the snows....she made it snow in Louisiana once for me when I was very depressed about the fact that I hadnt seen any in several years! My best advice would be to set yours up stealthily, if you have stones out and she says something tell her the truth....you collected them and thought they would fit with your decor. Some might say this is not exactly 100% honest however from a certain perspective it is. Good luck :flowers:

[Shugo]

I personally am using tarot cards as god/goddess representations. Other than that, unfortunately, I can't offer much advice as my practices are more geared towards prayer not ritual, which is demonstrated quite obviously on my altar.

[LittlePerson]

Not to pick Aine, that's a good idea if that is what she believes to be a good representation for G-d. Or lord and lady. I on the other hand don't believe that Jesus is G-d anymore than I believe that Mary is G-d. Just my 2cents. But if she still believes that it'd work. It's how I started out in my beliefs, sort of, but never actualized in in altar form. Just thought about it really. It didn't stick though.

Perhaps you could do the bookshelf altar. Or, how about just a non wiccan altar that is a just a pagan altar that is meaningful to your beliefs. It's what I am thinking about these days. How to make the altar meaningful, useful, and my own. You could make it seasonal. Or if you like masks you could use a mask for deity representation. Or try hanging a piece of art, a painting above your desk. We have a poster above mine at home, framed. It's a french novue picture of a woman reading a book and it's called daydream, written above her, and I tend to think that could be a beautiful goddess representation. If that's what I wanted.

[MoonIsis]

These are some very good ideas. :)

[Fideal]

Could you maybe hang a small canopy over it, so that it can't be seen by a casual observer?