Altars and How To Build Them
What is an Altar?
A really good place to start when looking into building an altar is know exactly what an altar is. Essentially this is your place of power, and where all of your magickal workings will take place. They can also be places to worship or show reverence to your deities or to a spirit. The uses of altars can be endless, and they’re all unique to the individual and the purpose they’re making it for.
When building your altar, get creative and have fun with it. It’s connected to you and your energy, so making it personal to yourself is the most important aspect of creating one. I’ve even seen online and drawn altars, so feel free to think outside the box when it comes to yours if you can’t afford to make one that’s big and fancy. Your connection to it is what’s important.
There are also different types of altars and different themes and subcategories. The Altar I’ll be walking you through making today is a combination altar that’s centered around the Sun and Moon. Along with this, don’t feel like you can only have your altar up during specific times. If it’s a personal altar than it’s supposed to stay up year around c:
Types of Altars
As I usually say, this is not an inclusive list by far. Like I stated about, there are endless types of altars and even subcategories for the types. The kind of altar you make is completely up to you, so don’t feel like these are your only options.
- House Altar - This is the energy center of the house and an altar for the entire family to use and draw power from. Usually this altar is located in the center of the house or the living room that way is accessible to everyone. These altars often change with the seasons, and have some sort of object or thing to represent every member of the family.
- Personal Altar - Usually only connected to one of two people, and most often kept in a bedroom or closet. This type of altar is very personal to the person who makes it, often representing everything that they love and have passion for. It’s full of things like personal items, patron deity statues, and anything that has value to them.
- Working Altar - This is an altar that is usually only put up when it’s needed. Used mostly for spell work and spell casting, it’s unique to the spell and intention. When building this kind of altar, think carefully about every aspect of it and how it can add to and enhance your spell.
- Shrine - A type of altar made to honor a specific (type of) deity or spirit. These usually have things like idols on them and a space to give offerings. When building this kind of altar, work closely with the being who it’s meant to honor. Figure out what they like or don’t like.
- Travel Altar - Often seen in mint canisters, these are a small collection of trinkets or items that you carry with you daily or only during extended stays and you want to keep a magickal connection. Use things that you care about, but are also easy to replace in case anything ever goes missing.
Supplies You’ll Need or Want
Here’s a list of some really basic supplies that you’re probably going to want when building your altar. That doesn’t mean these things are necessary, always make sure to use what works best for you!
- Flat Surface - This can by anything from a windowsill to a table. Just any surface that’s flat enough to display everything properly. Personally I like to use a dresser because altars like to grow and expand, and having the extra storage space is nice.
- Cloth - This is not only to protect your surface, but the cloth can be a sign of respect if you’re making a shrine.
- Incense Burner/Oil Diffuser
- Candles(and holders)/Wax Melts
- Bowl - Used mostly for salt and water, but also to make offerings
- Pentacle - A Sign of protection, feel free to draw this on your cloth of even a piece of paper.
- Cup/Chalice - Used to hold water for blessing, cleansing crystals, or to make offerings of any drinks.
- Cauldron - Used to burn or mix things together.
- Bottles
- Matches/Lighter
- Salt and Water
- Crystals/Stones
Some other, more traditional things you’ll see on an altar are things like:
- Athame - A knife used for directing energy (sometimes used as a boline as well)
- Boline - A knife used to cut herbs or branches, inscribe candles or carve runes/sigils into anything.
- Bell - Used to call on spirits or the divine. Basically opens up communications with the spirit realm.
- God and Goddess Idols - Idols representing someones deities
- Wand - A tool used to direct energy, usually gifted to you by nature but can be bought or crafted as well.
- Mortar and Pestle - Used to grind herbs, bones, or any other materials.
Building Your Altar: A Tutorial
Here’s the section everyone is probably waiting for, just exactly how do you build your altar? Well, there really is no direct way to build one but I can offer some basic guidelines. Never feel like this is the only way to build an altar because you can do whatever feels right to you. As long as it looks good to you, and works with your energy well, it’s perfect.
My methods of altar building have more traditional roots, but I’ve put my own spin on it to make it unique to me, so please do the same! ^u^
First off, you’re going to want to think about exactly where to place your altar. Think about the energy spaces in your home and room. What is your favorite spot or place? What makes you most comfortable? Also take into consideration if you have pets, or high traffic areas. If you’re going to have breakable things on your altar you don’t want your cat jumping up there, or someone bumping into it. Think carefully about everything!
Secondly, find your surface. My first altar was on a dinner tray table, so just about anything will work! It can be as big or small a space as you need. I chose a dresser that’s been in my family for a long time.
Next is to get your cloth. I personally like to get fabric from the craft store. Solid colors are cheap, and theres tons of them. I like to draw on mine to make them more personal. As for colors, use what works best for you. I like to use light colors during the warmer seasons and dark colors in the colder seasons.
Next thing you’re going to want to decide is your theme, or what kind of intentions you have for your altar. Find yourself a center piece. Something that you’ve made or connect with and that really means a lot to you. My Centerpieces are my crocheted God and Goddess dolls. This is more traditional, but if you’re curious, the feminine or spiritual side is the left side and the masculine or more physical side is the right side.
Next thing I focus on when building my altar, are where the candles and incense burner are gonna go. If you’re working with candles, HAVE FIRE SAFETY IN MIND ALWAYS. For me, I like to keep my candles in the middle away from everything else, and my incense burner fits nicely on the side.
After that comes your tools. Things like cups, bowls, athames, anything. Figure out where you want to put these tools that way they’re easy to access. My tools in the middle, I have laid out to correspond to the elements. Water(chalice), Lighter(fire), Salt Bowl(earth), and Bell(air)
The next part is to add some personal belongings and really set the mood for the altar. Me personally, one of my specialties is crystals, and that’s heavily reflected in my altar. I like to use the pentacle in the middle for crystal grids. It basically gives me a control panel for the altar, and allows me to change the mood for it whenever I feel like I need to. Some other things I added were a spell bottle my fiance gave me, an origami piece i was given by another covenmate, and a pinecone that just fell right in front of me on day.
And those are the basics to setting up an altar! If anyone has and questions or would like some advice, please feel free to send me a message or ask. Hopefully this helps some of you!
