Basic Altar Kit

[RubyRose]

As I tend to have few more items than I need, I was thinking of putting together a basic altar kit aimed at New Pagans, to get them started with supplies.

Only I'm not sure what'd be classed as "basic".

At this stage I'm thinking that you'd need something for each elemet and an altar clothe.

What do you think? Opinions? Suggestions?

Earth
- Bowl to hold salt or a bag of rock/sea salt

Air
-Incense sticks

Fire
-Candles

Water
-Bowl to hold water

Spirit
-Pentacle

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[Toby Stimpson]

Its certainly a good idea. I think though, to expand, would be to have basic alter or ritual kits for dierent types of pagans.

I know with my tradition when you go to a Temple in India you can purchase basic ritual kit which includes an offering (usually dates or some kind of dried fruit), a necklace, some ash for your forehead as well as dried flowers.

I wonder what different groups o pagans would want in a basic, travel alter kit?

[RubyRose]

Yeah it's essentially a travelling altar.

I also had an idea for a gemstone altar kit. Where by one stone corresponds to one element. Which would be added to the basic supplies.

[Agaliha]

Also, for those that have allergies (in my case, quite severe when it comes to incense and 95% of scents out there) or asthma and can't use scented things like incense & candles (of any or certain fragrances) --or have living restrictions that don't allow open flames and lit things, like many dorms-- having another option for the element air would be a good idea. Especially because this might be used as a travel altar-- many people might not be in a place that allows it...ashes falling, embers...might get messy.

Perhaps a nice feather or something like that?

[cheddarsox]

A compass for directions would be a good add. You can often find cheap but useful ones at kids toy/science stores, and nicer ones at hiking places.

A nice idea for a traveling or "emergency" altar is an altar cloth...or top of the storage box that has pictures on it corresponding to the directions. These can be drawn or painted on, or even pictures cut from cards or a magazine and taped on .

A small bottle of water is a nice add too.

[patch]

Sounds like a good idea. But there are so many kinds of pagans out there that it'd be impossible to get a kit which would suit them (for example, I don't use elements in my practice).

What will you call it? I'd reccommend something like 'elemental altar starter kit', that way it isn't too general.

As for items? I think a nice feather would be great for air, because of what agahila said. If you choose to go with incense, make sure the kit somes with a pretty holder :)

And for earth, a bowl to hold stuff in sounds great, but you could also include bowl contents. Have you ever seen those pretty polished rocks they sell at DIY stores? Those could work!

[RubyRose]

I had thought about feathers, and also gemstones for Earth