I would really like some help

[DaughterofClouds]

I am a new Wiccan, and I am a member of a coven, I am currently trying to set up my altar, I would love some advice, and if possible help. I know some things are hard to come by, and sometimes you really need some help. I am in a situation where my family is financialy unstable, as we are moving to a new house. I really need to get my altar astablished but I dont have the money to do so. I can get the altar clothe, thats easy, and the stand is another, but the crystals and the herbs, and the censur, and the things that represent each element might be a bit hard. Especially if im going to have to buy them.

I really want to start off on the right foot, my mother says shes ok wiht me being a Wiccan infact some of you may know my mother Cloudspanther. But the thing is, we are moving into a VERY old house, and we have to repair it. So moneys really tight, I was wondering if you ladies and gentlemen, might beable to give me some advice and help on a few things.

I want to know how its best to set up my altar, I also want to know the best way to cast a circle. Because once we move my attic bedroom will be the place where our coven most likely meets. Because it is almost half way inbetween all the members. I ask the circle casting, because Im sorry, no offense agaisnt my covnes priestess, she cant cast a circle worth shit. I have to back it up after she does it and she gets pissed when I do.

The only other things I need help with are with getting things to represent each of the four elements. My mom has a candle holder and Snuffer that I can use, but I need something like a large seashell, or a basin I can put water it. As well as I need advice on how to make my wand. I would love all of your help, its really important that I get this right, because I dont want to do anything wrong, I dont like that.XD

So if you ladies and gentlemen can help I would really appreciate it.


Lady Bless,
Daughter of Clouds

[Snapdragon]

It's not at all necessary to spend money. Starhawk (you may have heard of her) remarked in one of her books that the wand used in one of their rituals was a wooden spoon from the kitchen. This whole emphasis on magickal/powerful stuff you have to buy...is bunk. The important thing in your altar, dear lady, is the heart you bring to it. That is what pleases the gods most and will make magic instead of just ritual. Trust and believe that, if you will trust anything.

Elements:

Earth--some dirt from anywhere that is basically clean
Water--self-explanatory, in any kind of a cup or dish
Fire--common household matches--if not safe, then just have them there, and don't light them
Air--a feather or anything from a creature who flies, or from a pillow with feathers...or breathe on the altar, if you can't find anything like that

The greater part of the altar is never seen; it is the one that you have already laid out in your heart through your sincerity, your intimation of the sacred, and your wish to know, adore, and serve the gods.

Blessed Be.

[Kalika]

One thing to keep in mind is that the things on an altar are just tools and extensions of your own energy, and therefore not necessary.

However, things like incense and the like can be gotten at WalMart for a relatively cheap price, and is often a better bet than a new-age store where you'll pay twice as much for the same thing.

To represent the elements, you can find things around your house that will work, just make sure that you keep them set aside for that purpose, and that purpose only. (See Snapdragons post)

As for casting a circle - from what I've learned, following what is in your heart is right. You call upon each of the elements to come to your aid, and in doing so form a bond of sorts with them, and establishing that bond in your own way is important. This is another thing you don't necessarily need tools for - when I do it, the only thing I use is a candle at each of the four compass points. Casting a circle is largely about visualization and being in tune with yourself and the elements upon which you are calling - so being good at meditation is a good foundation from which to start.

If you want some actual techniques, you can try these links:

http://www.cerridwen.com/Wicca/circle_cast.html

http://www.starbreezes.com/circle.html

http://www.teenwitch.com/MAGIC/CASTCIRC.HTM

These are just some examples of what various people do. Personally, I write my own chants and callings, and that has always worked best for me.

:hugz:

Good luck!

[Lunacie]

Snapdragon, well said.

Daughter of Clouds, you can use anything that you feel represents the elements. I've used a very nice rock to represent Earth, water in a pretty bottle or dish for Water, stuff like that. Currently I just have six candles on my alter. Four colored ones to represent the Elements, and two white ones to represent the Lord and Lady (in matching stemmed glasses but one is slightly taller than the other). In fact, once you're comfortable with what you're doing you won't really need an altar or tools if you're celebrating or working by yourself. Tools are helpful when there's a group working together because then they all focus on the same thing at the same time.

What do you feel - or not feel - when your HPS casts a circle that makes you feel she's not doing it right? What are you doing differently? Wouldn't it be better to talk to her about what you're feeling instead of "doing it over" and making her feel bad in front of the group?


Walmart? Pah ! You can find some really great stuff at the dollar stores - shells and candles/holders and feathers and rocks and stuff.

[DaughterofClouds]

My High Priestess, neglects to call upon the directions, and call there elements properly. And I never berate her before the group, I allways set the circle in my mind and dont let her know i do it, but she allways feels the difference. When she casts her circle, I dont feel protected, at all, I feel that if we do magick that we are open to the other world and in danger. Thats why i recast the circle.


I Understand what you all said about those other things, but I prefer things that my little sister will not say'oh look its a feather lets play with it'. I prefer things that I can put away in a locked drawer and keep it safe.I have a four year old that I will have to share the attic bedroom with.

[shuvanilu]

My High Priestess, neglects to call upon the directions, and call there elements properly. And I never berate her before the group, I allways set the circle in my mind and dont let her know i do it, but she allways feels the difference. When she casts her circle, I dont feel protected, at all, I feel that if we do magick that we are open to the other world and in danger. Thats why i recast the circle.


I Understand what you all said about those other things, but I prefer things that my little sister will not say'oh look its a feather lets play with it'. I prefer things that I can put away in a locked drawer and keep it safe.I have a four year old that I will have to share the attic bedroom with.


Your Wiccan high Priestess isn't calling the directions and elements when she casts her Circle? Uhhh...she sounds a little suspect to me. As for your altar, you can use basic colors to mark directions/represent elements too. You don't want matches in your sister's reach, so how about colored stones? East is Air, so I'd use white or yellow, South is Fire, Red or Orange, West is Water, Blue, North is Earth, Brown or Green. I call Center too, and there I'd go with purple or white for Spirit. You could even paint stones you found in your back yard. If you're still afraid lil' sis will bother your arrangement, only pull out your things when you do ritual, or put them on a high dresser. What about putting a poster that reminds you of eack element on correspoonding walls? (A nice ocean scene on your west wall, a forest in the north?) Just remember....your power is inside youself, not in your tools. Blessed Be!---shuvanilu

[DaughterofClouds]

No I am sory, i said that wrong, when she calls the directions and elements, she neglects to call them properly, she has them all mixed up. Shes not technicaly a full priestess yet still in training but she started the coven i am in, and my mother trusts her.

[Lunacie]

Well, different traditions call them differently, so maybe she learned from someone trained in a different tradition?

We had a big laugh on Saturday night doing our Imbolg ritual. The high priestess was calling East because there were only four of us, and she messed up and called on Fire. I poked her in the arm and said, "Hey, at this time of year we certainly don't want to insult Air or make it feel neglected, we've already had one tornado exactly a week ago!" And we all laughed and made Air feel welcome. So sometimes it may just be a mistake.

If I were leading a group and something I did bothered one of the members enough that she thought she needed to do it correctly/her way, I would really want her to talk to me about the problem. I don't know why she hasn't talked to you about it if she can really tell what you're doing. Good communication can make a good group, and bad communication will break a group.

[DaughterofClouds]

Such wonderful advice from you all, I shall find a way to use them all, but I have one problem with plastic.. its not natural and is man made XD thats why I use either a metal bowl or a glass one.

[Amelserru_halqu]

well I'm not wiccan and I don't generally use an altar, though if I need one I use a plate but anyways... why don't you use whatever is lying around. you know like rocks, trees, floor boards, wiring, you could make a modern art alter with metal and funny shaped cups and stuff... oooo... add a little fire pit with little Indians dancing around it and ummm... well just do what you want and damn the torpedoes, besides your deity most likely doesn't care about what the altar looks like. In fact he/she may even what you to alter the altar from the blasé traditional altar and make one that is all you.

Have fun building it

[RakliDipity]

A small suggestion here on elements, you could use normal everyday things, for example- I have a book on my altar to represent Earth (Book-->Paper-->Trees-->Earth) if you do Biology in High School, then you can use that :lol:. Also, if there is a window in your attic (a skylight or something like that) then you can use that to represent air, you don't have to go out and buy much- just a little immagination can do the trick ;)
Also I have heard people finding their own crystals/herbs, perhaps you could do a bit of research around your area, of course be careful when picking herbs- make sure you know EXACTLY what you are picking, and even then chheck it out with an adult

[Lunacie]

I've never really understood the taboo about things that are "man made" instead of "natural". How many people actually use bees wax candles instead of the ones that are made from paraffin?


Paraffin is a common name for a group of high molecular weight alkane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkane) hydrocarbons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbon) with the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is greater than about 20, discovered by Carl Reichenbach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Reichenbach).

Everything comes from a natural source, some things just go through more processing, eh?

[Kudzu]

Do what you can with what you have. Frankly, it sounds like you need a different Coven. If your Coven has competent people with their heads on straight, you don't have to worry about circle casting and they would be able to help you with supplies.

[Romani Vixen]

Your coven should be able to help you with this.

I am a proponent of wild crafting... which other people have already mentioned.

Also, the lists that a lot of books and web sites have for "what to put on your altar" is quite often a very extensive and often repetitive list. You don't need everything.... even to stick with Wiccan form (I don't think that you need an altar to revere the gods or to practice magic).

Altars most often take a long time to develop. It took me years to even get an altar. Go at it one step at a time. Ask the Gods to bring to you what they feel that you need at this time... and you be aware of when it's right in your face (which it usually is).

I would also have serious doubts about the HP. Have you communicated with her about your concerns? Ask her why she calls them the way that she does... you've always understood it to be like so... but why does she do it different? Everyone does something different... and that's ok... BUT.. .it's also important to find a good match. Understand where something is just different from what you do, where that's ok, and where that is diverging too much.

In the coven that I was in, we all fed into the circle... so we wouldn't have expected you to do any different. But... apparently she is the only one that is supposed to do it... it could be that you're throwing her off her grove (for lack of a better term). She shouldnt be getting upset at you for it. She should address the problem in a tactful manner. HPS are here to guide and teach us. We should bbe able to look up to them and *trust* them. It seems that she isn't filling this role at all... you need to find out why and if that's a correctable problem.

[morningstar2651]

[...]
Elements:

Earth--some dirt from anywhere that is basically clean
Water--self-explanatory, in any kind of a cup or dish
Fire--common household matches--if not safe, then just have them there, and don't light them
Air--a feather or anything from a creature who flies, or from a pillow with feathers...or breathe on the altar, if you can't find anything like that

The greater part of the altar is never seen; it is the one that you have already laid out in your heart through your sincerity, your intimation of the sacred, and your wish to know, adore, and serve the gods.
Clean dirt...isn't that an oxymoron? 8O

You can create an altar for free. I created an impromptu altar in the basement of a common building at a private college. I actually used a yellow balloon for air.

I recommend a rock instead of dirt - much easier to clean up.

[Lunar Raven]

Hi Cloud,

I don't know much about coven's..but my first thought was 'why isn't your coven helping you?'. It just seemed odd to me.

As far as your altar goes, I am also low on money as well, and haven't set mine up yet. I plan to go scavenger hunting soon, and see what I can come up with in nature for my alter =). Find things special and unique. I'm very excited about creating my alter. I can afford candles and such, but right now...I can't be extremely spendy..and that's okay. It seems very common that people use what they have or what they find to create their altar. It seems more special that way, anyway (to me).

Good luck!
-Lunar Raven (Joe)

[Lunacie]

Clean dirt...isn't that an oxymoron? 8O

You can create an altar for free. I created an impromptu altar in the basement of a common building at a private college. I actually used a yellow balloon for air.

I recommend a rock instead of dirt - much easier to clean up.

I love the yellow balloon ! :ballonsmi