What do you put on(AKA, the theme of?) your altar?

[Siqoni]

Anyways, I guess the reason that I am asking this is so that I can get idea's for my altar, not I probably won't take yours, but hearing about peoples altars will hopefully help me come up with mine.

So, what is the theme of your altar?

[Faelon_Moon_Hawk]

Anyways, I guess the reason that I am asking this is so that I can get idea's for my altar, not I probably won't take yours, but hearing about peoples altars will hopefully help me come up with mine.

So, what is the theme of your altar?

Mind doesn't ahve a theme...yet. Right now I just have my ritual items along w/ my supplies and books (my alter is a book case, atm). however, i'd like to decorate my alter to fit the seasons & upcomming sabbats. I got a few yule items, but thats all i have so far.

[Serenity's LostSoul]

Not a theme, so much, as a feeling; the sun and confidence.

Some rosemary, my stones, an Amy Brown card w/ that 'believe' fairy on it, a gold scarf someone dear to me gave me (but I didn't appreciate at the time...now it's perfect)...

Put on it what calls to you. And know that it may not always stay the same; mine had been one way for quite a long time, and I realized lately that it was all wrong for me.

Zhufu ni! (Blessings upon you!)

[Crystal Raven]

never really thought about it, but apparently my theme consists of black, white and crystal...
white under cloth, black lace shawl over top, crystal candlestick holders and 2 black candles, a crystal saucer and one white candle, crystal bowls for offerings and the elements etc

[Siqoni]

Wow, I just got some of the basics on my altar, >.> I need to buy my candles, and all the neat other things used in rituals.

[Dryad]

I tend to follow seasonal themes and add things to it from nature every season. But that's not to say I plan what I will add to it or change with it. Just remember that it's best when it reflects you , so it usually needs changes depending on whatever inspires you:)

[White West]

I love following the seasons. Right now it summer here so I've got all this dried wheat and corn, dried lavendar, ivy and wildflowers, rocks and all my crystals scattered about. None of it has any spefic magical meaning per se i.e the ivy means ra ra ra , but I just go with what feels right, what looks pretty for me to work in, and whats available. It actually quite low maintenace really- I put the flowers there, they dry, and sit there till I have time to change it again. I good idea to prepare for the Sabbats a week or so before is to decorated your alter with seasonal things for that celebration. Have fun!

[aislin_ryann]

Mine changes with the seasons, but it usually has an underlying water theme.

[Morgandria]

No theme to mine. Just my working tools, my elemental tools, God and Goddess representations, candles, and sometimes whatever else is additionally needed for what I'm doing.

My shrines all carry the "theme" of having things appropriate to the deities they're dedicated to.

[Cassie]

I have one general purpose altar and one Egyptian altar.

The general purpose one has a collage of the tripple moon symbol which I made myself as a backdrop, and on the altar there are a lot of stones and crystals, several candles, a little book of spells, a pentacle etched on stone and various seasonal bits and pieces (which change from month to month). I keep most of my books on witchcraft and wicca on a shelf under the altar.
On the Egyptian altar there are various pictures and photos of Egypt and the Egyptian Pantheon (especially Het Hert), more stones and candles, a collection of oils and tinctures, and an incense burner.

[morningstar2651]

I put tools on my altar.

And I don't mean screwdrivers, hammers, or awls.

[Kalika]

Mine doesn't have a theme... just items that I'm drawn towards.

Bronze statue of Kali, elemental colored candles (green, yellow, red, blue), crystals, crystal ball with hindu base, incense burner.

Stars and moons scarf underneath it all to make it pretty. :)

[Siqoni]

I have a really cool new altar table thingie now.
It goes like:
_
| |
| |

[acorn elf]

Well, I don't have a permanent altar but I kind of set one up when I do rituals or spells. I put down a cloth, moon-and-sun type candle holders, wooden wands, etc. Usually it just depends on what type of thing I'm doing for what I'll need.

[Kestrel Firesong]

It depends for me. If its not a Sabbat, then I'll use my altar as a holding altar and have my tools in their respective places. If it is a Sabbat, then I'll decorate it, according to what Sabbat it is.

[mtpathy]

well i dont technicley have a alter,its a shallow bowled rock
with a curled up snake painted inside of it.

[Zebi]

At present, I don't have a permanent altar or shrine because I don't have the room. However, whenever I set up my shrine for Senut (I'm Kemetic), I do the following:

* Lay out a white cloth on the table surface
* Place my statues of Djehuty (Thoth) and HetHert (Hathor) on the shrine (they are the primary deities I honour)
* I set out a candle, an oil burner (for essential oil), a water cruet, and two offering bowls (one for water, one for food)
* The ritual can now begin

[Prinsazz]

My Altar is 3 shelf bookshelf and I use the top as my main altar then i keep my ritual items on the 1st shelf, books on the second and another altar on the bottom for prayer and meditation. The theme is mostly Ganesh orientated because i was drawn to Him over two years ago. There are also a lot of crystals and I have pink altar cloths because I try and focus upon friendship and love and joy in the world- at least in my room around my altar in the hope that it may go further and help a few more people. I just have a few things that I have picked up over the years that I have been drawn to.

Hope you can find the best altar for you

[enchancea]

I dont have a theme. My altar usually follows the seasons

[RunningRiot]

No theme, it's pretty random stuff up there.. A few oils, a few insence sticks, a few candle holders, few witch's bottles, a little cup oritental cup where I put small things like a pinecone and gold coins, a solid bronze unicorn statue and a ceramic reindeer. All of that infront of a large mirror, and on the mirror there's affirmations written in theban.

-shrug-

[BlackMagicalCat]

Well,what do I know.

The theme of my alter is ,Prayer.

Its where I feel close to God,and close to the Goddess,and its where I study,and listen to music,and do all my card activity.

I have lots of candles of every size and color,candle holders,an oil lamp,olive oil,incense,incense burners,both stone and wooden ones.Triple candle holders
with a water bowl in the middle on one.My bible.Music CDs and my music box.
Salt,water,A fire extiguisher near by,A prayer blanket,a bag and a bucket to put things in that I wont need,(trash)A candle cage(looks like a bird cage,but its for candles)

And lastly,most important,Tabitha,she always sits with me when Im praying.
And napkins incase I cry.And pens to take notes with and a lighter.A staff with a dragon pattern on it.And a celtic Cross made for me by Shaleya S.
A pendulum,wooden boxes,card bags to place things in together if I need to.
They are actually wine bags,very beautifull.A tree branch.
A witches broom(okay,its a halloween broom,but it still looks cool.)

Anything I find that feels special,I save it.

Its a coffee table with a white cloth on it,Underneath is everything I have that I will need,so I wont have to leave while praying.

I enjoy praying there,and I make it as comfortable as I can since I spend so much of my time there.

[^^^H^^^]

Anyways, I guess the reason that I am asking this is so that I can get idea's for my altar, not I probably won't take yours, but hearing about peoples altars will hopefully help me come up with mine.

So, what is the theme of your altar?

differnt altars have different themes

guess a basic one 4 me would be a white candle on the right, black one on the left

with a thumbler of witches salt in between these 2 candles

tin foil or something under the candles coz i can be messy

holy water. usually florida water on hand

nails to write on the candles

a generic altar

i guess most add something to represent teh 4 elements-feather on the east, matches to the south, a bowl of spring water to the west, with sea salt on the north. Or candles, yellow, red, blue, then green i think.

whatever u want to do.

[IvyWitch]

I always change my altar with the seasons, so that would be the theme. I use colors, items (like flowers and other things) that make me think of that season.

[Morrigan_Wolfwind]

I have no altar, mostly because there's no room for it. I mostly have VERY few magickal articles.

First, there's my incense burner, incense, and a few green candles. I have a couple of rocks that I picked up from the school track for no reason other than they caught my attention (I cleansed them with sunlight later), lemon oil, and dragons' blood oil (whose authenticity I'm currently trying to confirm).

And I'm collecting some of my budgies' molted feathers for the element of air. It's surprisingly hard to actually KEEP the feathers, because I always lose track of them.

The only thing that makes my collection of magickal stuff the semblance of an altar is the fact that it's all in one spot--on/in my dresser.

If I had to pick a theme for my altar, it would either be a general Goddess/God theme or centered around the elements. Or perhaps a Celtic altar, but they have much the same things as Wiccan altars.

This reminds me, I REALLY want something with a nice engraved pentacle on it...

[Morgandria]

"Celtic" altars? It depends. A Celtic Reconstructionist's altar will look wildly different than a Neo-Druidic altar, and the same goes for any Celtic-flavoured Wiccan altar. And an Irish Recon's altar will not look the same as a Scottish Recon's, or a Welsh Recon's, or a Gaulish Recon's...

[LadyCelt]

I haven't set mine up yet, but I am thinking of something for the four elements and then somethign for spirit. I'll probalby have a pentacle, maybe something that's a statue or art of Artemis or Diana. I may also do that for Jesus too since he is my god representation I associate with. I am also do a tripple moon symbol and something for the horned god. I amy also do something with deer for Artemis and a little bow and arrow thing for her. I would also put up my offerings bowl and chalice as well.

[AlleyCat]

Mines very autumn looking a lot of dried out flowers and such with a bleepload of crystals and sea shells, but all in all the colour scheme looks very autumnish

[Rasenna]

OOh, excellent question! Currently I am looking for a round table at thrift stores. When I find one, I am going to carve it in the fashion of the Etruscan cosmology--sixteen equal parts, with appropriate deity names to go along with them.
~R
:boing:

[Toby Stimpson]

On my alter I have one of those little wooden two shelves you can buy at walmart of Zellers.

On it I have a cloth given to me by a freind many years ago, then a metal box ontop of the cloth, that I made in grade eight.

Then ontop of the box I have a statue of Shiva, and smaller statues of kali and Ganesh. I have a rock I found at the beach thats soemhow split perfectly in 2 to the right of the box...ontop of that sits a statue of Nataraja that I bought with my friend Rahim.

On the other side I have a small jewleray box that I keep all of my stones and amulets in. I have at the very far left a statue of the laughing Buddha given to me by my friend Biff. Next to the Buddha is a peacock feather I got from highschool halfway through. On the far right I have a small blue ashtray thats nicely shaped given to me by my mother, and sitting in that is a clay apple which opens and I keep some of my crystals in there.

To the very far right is a small bag with a picture of Shiva's face...and sitting infront of that is a small jar full of smelly salts given to me by my history teacher in Grade 12 (she was pagan as well hehe, we got along great).

Infront of the jar is various smaller rocks and crystals. Then there is a sack of walnuts that I took from a gift basket my parents recieved (they dont much like walnuts). they make a nice rattle when you shake them together hehe.

Sitting infront of the stone with nataraja on it is a representation of Virgin mary and a faerie that I bought froma cheap dollar store with a freind of mine during lunch.

Posted on the wall behind the main statue of Shiva is a picture of Ardhanarishvara, Shiva and Shakti joined togetehr as a perfect hermathrodite...above that is a picture of kali dead center showing her prominance as my Goddess. To the left near the Buddha is a picture of Krishna and Radha. Sitting to the right behind Nataraja is a picture of Durga killing Mahishasura.

Underneath on the second shelf is where i keep most of my more important books, mostly my various mythological, and magickal encyclopedias...various that I have bought with friends.

Generally my alter represents to me Life, and freidnship...as everyuthing on the alter has soem kind of story connected to it...and those stories inevitably lead back to people who have influenced my life :).

Namaste

Tobias

[cheddarsox]

My altar is seasonal or related to the current holy day we are observing. Right now it is all frogs and amphibians, because it is breeding season and the frogs are all singing outside. It is covered with frog cloth, frog and salamander statues and figures, and has a green glass candle holder on it.

A nice change from the crystal, red and hearts of valentines Day.

cheddar

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

My altar doesn't really have a theme.

I keep my ritual tools (athame, cauldron, BoS), some gemstones and other nature items (pinecone, a candleholder that looks like a carved out trunk of a tree), illuminator candles, representation of my ancestors and whatever else strikes my fancy.

I don't keep it arranged in an elemental fashion - it's however it looks right to me.

[healeri2]

Mine is an oak coffee table 2 feet by 3 feet and changes often. Right now I have a large plant {snake plant - Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii'} in the centre-back (north).

2 lights on each side of the plant. Large rocks on both sides of the plant slightly forward diagonally. A celtic dragon trinity candle holder centre-middle.

A small vase of purified water to the left (west). Incense burner to the right (east). glass tea-light holder in centre front (south).

I also have various stones - currently a geode cutting of amethyst and an amethyst unpolished stone as well as a mini buddha in various areas.

Behind my altar is my bed - with the foot of the bed immediately closest to my altar.

[Agaliha]

Mine has had many themes, some are: [some pics here (http://www.mysticwicks.com/photoalbum/thumbnails.php?album=1017)]

--autumn/harvest (my favorite!)
--ocean/sea/water
--earthy/plants
--elephant
--angels/Mary
--Hindu with Saraswati

and some others... I like having themes (they often represent what's going on in my life spiritually and what I'm interested in)

[Xirian]

I tend to follow seasonal themes and add things to it from nature every season. But that's not to say I plan what I will add to it or change with it. Just remember that it's best when it reflects you , so it usually needs changes depending on whatever inspires you:)
I couldn't agree more and is similar to what I do with my altar.

[RunningRiot]

My alter isn't really themed and it doesnn't change with the seasons like most, but it has a couple of animal statues, potion bottles, candle holders and a wand. Just really simple basic stuff.

[Penthesilea]

My altar is currently done up in black and silver with clear glass bowls for the salt and water. The only touch of color is the red "fire" candle.

[demonique]

I finally set up my permanent altar. I don't have a theme, per se, but I try to coordinate it just a bit with the seasons.

I have my white pillar candle (which is lit to symbolize diety and spirit unified) in the center, a small cauldron, often fresh flowers, a couple taper candles, the tarot card from my new-moon readings that indicated what I should be thinking most about for this period, four small clay pots which hold various offerings (may change to something besides clay pots once winter rolls around) such as rice, tea, salt, and sage, a sake bottle filled with water, and any magic works in progress - such as my finance-growing penny bowl.

Also, a couple random stones, runes around the pillar candle that have something to do with the nearest and dearest sabbat, etc.

Namely: whatever I feel like at the time. :)

[Nitefalle]

I don't have any altars right now, but ultimately I would like to have at least two altars. One would be dedicated to the gods and once I make my own Ogham set, it will go up there, as well. The other will be an ancestor altar, honoring those that helped make me the person I am today (literally!).

I think I might like to have a seasonal altar, but I usually decorate the whole downstairs in line with each season anyway, so I don't really think it may be necessary.

[MacMorrighan]

Anyways, I guess the reason that I am asking this is so that I can get idea's for my altar, not I probably won't take yours, but hearing about peoples altars will hopefully help me come up with mine.

So, what is the theme of your altar?

What a very thoughtful question, Siqoni! Indeed, an Altar needn't have a "theme", per se, other than the worship of the Gods, the celebrations of the seasonal tides, or a certain spell or ritual. Mine is, indeed, devoted to The Goddess. Below are some photos of my pwn Holy Regalia shortly after An Morrighan chose me to serve Her as Her Consecrated Priest-- way back when (it has since changed, somewhat...now that I have more space for other things it's not NEARLY as "cluttered"). Ya' know, what thing I don't see NEARLY enough of in modern Pagan literature (or, indeed, on-line!) is the treatment of an idol as a religious Tool in and of itself (it is the very reliquary for the Gods when they descend for Their worshippers!). I shall take a far more recent photo of my Altar tomorrow and post is-- it's usually in a state of flux.

Strangely enough, however, no one seems to consider making one's Kitchen a Temple to the Gods, with the "hearth" or stone/oven as the central Altar for Their worship!

Take care,
Wade MacMorrighan

Disclaimor: All photos in this document are protected under my Copyright and may not be distributed in any way without my prior express written permission.

[Arion]

I have a few different temporary altars to my main Gods that I set up when I need them. I set up an altar to Aphrodite with seashells, salt, a chalice of water, a blue candle, a statue of Her, and a small potted rosebush. On my altar to Hekate, I have a statue of Her, a little cauldron, purple gem stones, black and purple candles, and incense. For Dionysus' altar, I have pine cones, ivy, a green or red candle, incense, and a statue of Him.

On my main altar that I use for ritual, I have my statue of Aphrodite in the centre, a big shell, a few candles (usually white), a red candle to represent the Fire element, a dish of salt for Earth, a chalice of water for the Element of Water, and incense for the element of Air, and a potted plant. Sometimes I ad a few gems as well.

[Rudas Starblaze]

dont have any use for an alter, but if i did, i would theme it up with bones and severed heads and few pritzes of blood.

[Arion]

dont have any use for an alter, but if i did, i would theme it up with bones and severed heads and few pritzes of blood.
that sounds just... lovely:p

[WillowsMuse]

mine is full of pine cones, leaves, twigs, rocks and dead insects and a dead spider. the candle holders, etc. are crystal.

[SilverSeraphim]

I put some pics of my kitchen altar here (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=2698738&postcount=19), although I should probably update them since I've added a few things.

Also, if you need some inspiration, there's a LiveJournal community called pimp_my_altar (http://community.livejournal.com/pimp_my_altar/) (seriously) where people show off their altars. It's pretty neat.

[MankyCat]

For the longest time, my altar seemed to be centered around the cycle of Life and Death, predator and prey, and the connections there in. And trees, their symbolism in relation to that concept. They seem to represent this idea fairly well for me.

Don't really have a "permanent" altar anymore. Not with the kitten jumping all over the place and finding my stuff as nifty little toys to bat around. (The older cat knows better and doesn't bother with them.) The altar changes with my moods and the purpose I have at hand and not really with the seasons and such.

Then again... I guess altar is the wrong term for my purposes. More of a working space than anything else (if you go by the idea that an altar is a space to worship the gods and such. I don't worship).

[Sequoia]

Although I'm not really what you would call a "practising Pagan", I do have an alter-ish area dedicated to Bast. I have a bronze statuette of her on top of a jewelry box, surrounded by various teeny vials of sweet perfume, and a ton of miscellaneous cat figurines (everything from miniature porcelain sculptures to hopping cat toys from McDonalds). I also put there the single earring left from any pair that I lose one to... -_-; though in retrospect, maybe if I stopped giving her the remaining earring, I wouldn't lose so many! :p

I don't worship her, per se, but when I need assistance she seems willing enough to give it, so I can't help but dedicate a bit of my home to her. *shrugs* :lol:

[Philosophia]

Mine changes according to the seasons but I have certain items on my gods/goddesses altars (i.e. Minerva and Seshat have books, Djehuty and Sarasvati have writing utensils, Mercury has feathers, Nyx has a large black candle, and Hecate has a water bowl).

[Fire's Shadow]

My room is my altar and I'm going with the messy theme. I'll get around to cleaning it up sooner or later. :p

[Aidron]

My room is my altar and I'm going with the messy theme. I'll get around to cleaning it up sooner or later. :p

Don't lie, you know your altar theme is Polo. Complete with altar cloth (and old Polo shirt), Polo statues, Polo candles.

My altar... [shrugs] The theme is me, wouldn't know any other way to put it.

[Siqoni]

Mine right now is messy, but I do have some old flowers and leaves on it, I have a small pirate ship (A game, Pirates of the Spanish Main) a candle, and a feather to represent the elements.
Since my Alter is a movable cart, the middle shelf is full of candles, books, incense and other random stuff, same as the bottom shelf. ^_^

[NightSpirit]

My ritual altars are "themed" based on what I'm doing. If it's a seasonal celebration, the altar will be based on seasonal themes. If it's an esbat, it will be silver and white for the full moon, or silver and black for the dark moon. I also sometimes use elemental altars if my spellwork will focus on one particular element. So, as you can see it changes often. My ritual altar is used and then taken down immediately after the ritual is over.

I also have a "sort of" altar that is permanent, on my desk. It's not a working altar as much as it's a reflection of me. It has two oil lamps on either side, a statue that resembles Kuan Yin, a small plant, a black marble ball/paperweight that I occasionally use for scrying, one of those reed oil diffusers, and a rock from my childhood home. It's pretty inconspicuous.

[Fire's Shadow]

Don't lie, you know your altar theme is Polo. Complete with altar cloth (and old Polo shirt), Polo statues, Polo candles.

My altar... [shrugs] The theme is me, wouldn't know any other way to put it.

You would have nailed it had you remembered the picture of Ralph Lauren.

[Aidron]

You would have nailed it had you remembered the picture of Ralph Lauren.

You know, I almost said that, but I couldn't remember if he was the creator of Polo or not. [laughs]

[Sage Rainsong]

I have two altars right now. One of them is my ancsetor altar. It basically just has a plate with offerings, a white candle, a glass of water, a pic of my uncle and a clock that was my great grandmothers'. My other altar is just a random assortment of crap that I need to organize......eventually.

[Aidron]

I have two altars right now. One of them is my ancsetor altar. It basically just has a plate with offerings, a white candle, a glass of water, a pic of my uncle and a clock that was my great grandmothers'. My other altar is just a random assortment of crap that I need to organize......eventually.

I have two shelves that serve as ancestral altars for me. Besides candles, they hold pictures of family members who are deceased and especially important to me, along with any significant items belonging to them or associated with them near/by the pictures.

I'm wanting to find some sheer black cloth to cover the photos with, but I haven't had any luck... and I still need to find a 4 x 4 frame for one of the photos (I don't know why, but they apparently do not exist).

[Sage Rainsong]

I have two shelves that serve as ancestral altars for me. Besides candles, they hold pictures of family members who are deceased and especially important to me, along with any significant items belonging to them or associated with them near/by the pictures.

I'm wanting to find some sheer black cloth to cover the photos with, but I haven't had any luck... and I still need to find a 4 x 4 frame for one of the photos (I don't know why, but they apparently do not exist).

That sounds cool. Just out of curiosity, is the covering of the pictures a family custom of yours or is there some other reason?

[Aidron]

That sounds cool. Just out of curiosity, is the covering of the pictures a family custom of yours or is there some other reason?

Not a custom of mine yet, but one I thought would be appropriate.

[Astara Seague]

theme? my alter just has what it needs, maybe during celebrations I may add a few things but it pretty much stays the same most of the year

[Thunder]

I have posted pictures of my alter before. Most of the things on my alter have a dual purpose... sacred items and objects of art. I tend to find spiritual connection with birds. Specifically Turkeys, Owls and Swans but many others have entered the circle. I also have an affinity for aboriginal american spritituality. I have feathers everywhere.

69098

[Arion]

Pretty altar, Thunder :)
I know what you mean about the birds and feathers, except with me it's usually dolphins and seashells.

[Thunder]

Pretty altar, Thunder :)
I know what you mean about the birds and feathers, except with me it's usually dolphins and seashells.

I have enough swan and owl feathers in my house to get me put away for a thousand years. They are literally sticking out of everything. Where do you keep the dolphin??? In the tub?

[The High Queen of Faerie]

Whatever I feel like. :P

[Semjaza]

Late summer fields at night :) Red Clover, Golden rod, Queen Anne's Lace, Echinacea, Sweet Fern, Bittersweet Nightshade, Thyme...

Cheers,

Semjaza
FFFF

[AoibhellFaeryMoon]

My main altar (working altar) is generally dressed for the seasons, and esbats. I have a LOT of metal on the altar (brass, copper, silver), for some reason. I like the energy.

Then I have shrines. Currently, I have 4. Hekate, Pan, Mary, and the Faeries.