Whatchya got on there? Where do you have it? How often do you change it? Since I incorporate my children's contributions to it, sometimes it can get overly "full" of items. Sometimes we collect things at the park or on nature walks.Sometimes we make things from clay to represent things. Its all very messy but lots of fun! So tell me about yours! Im nosey!
Since I'm currently home from university for the summer and my parents don't excatley approve of my path, my altar is just a space I clear on the desk in my bedroom and set up as needs be. At uni though I had something set up in the corner of my room. Me and my ex built an altar in her back garden, found a huge flat stone on a trip to the coast that we used as the altar itself, put candle holders into the ground and a few other things. Wonder if she left it built after we spilt up...
Ok mine is on my chest, and the whole surfance of the chest and stuff hanging down from the shelf above is the alter. I have a glass sculpture of cheif red cloud, some clay indian pots from tn, arrow heads, and various stones of importance, a large incense burner with ying yongs on it, and 2 small would ones making making a sort of triangle with the large one, and i have a circle of cone incense burners, a small red statue of a carving of buddha, a wooden carving of a chinese chow(the mythical kind) a rock that says Peaced carved on to it, various crystals, anda a peice of cedar. it sounds cluttered but its not, its in a circle with space cleared in front of it, and looks nice I think. I will take a picture of it when I have time. Then on the wall behind the glass carving and above the alter is a picture of cheif red cloud holding a peace pipe with a quote beside him. and under that picture i have a real peace pipe hanging on the wall. above that on the shelf is a circle with a hawk painted on it and hanging beside that is what i think to be of celtic or druid origin in design. I am half native american and feel a huge connection to my lot of native american shamanism.
Mine is literally a cardboard box, well one of those big storage box type ones full of magazines for solidity. On top is.... an altar cloth (blue and green with gold patterns) for the elements; a feather, piece of lava rock, shell, stone An image of the Goddess, set in front of a candle* for her. (ditto for the God) slate pentgram/pentacle in the centre (must confess I get those mixed up) Sometimes I leave my wand and incense burner up there, and maybe my candle holder that I use to burn a candle* as a dedication for various things. I ocassionally move all that lot to mind a better ritual location, and just use the cloth as the altar itself, then put it back. Though usually just leave it where it is, in my room. (facing north, dumb really in a south facing room) Under my bed is a huge storage box of supplies; incense, candles, ritual clothes and such. *A tea light in fact. Did use a bigger candles, but nearly burnt myself on one at imbolic, and have learnt my lesson. Tea lights are safer and easier to light, so much safer.
I have a couple altars. My main one is in my living room, the top shelf of a bookshelf. There's a statue of (guess who) Cerridwen in the center, surrounded by candles I made, appropriate for that time of year. A peice of driftwood as my wand, a crystal ball, my tarot cards, a bowl for water, and some fimo statuets and incense holders I made. (The second shelf is where all my new age/wicca books are, to keep them handy.) In my bedroom is more of a romantic altar, with a nude man and woman candle, roses, an offering dish (often with chocolates on them) and some scented oils. A deck of Kama Sutra cards are also there, and just for kicks sometimes my hubby and I decorate that altar with sex toys. I've a statuette of a goddess fairy in my garden, which makes a garden-level altar, surrounded by a water fountain, some candles hanging from trees, and of course, a zillion plants. My final altar is in the bathroom, with a statue of Poseidon, surrounded by seashells and a blue candle and a green candle. Bath oil balls and soaps decorate the altar as well.
