How Do I Make an Altar?
In reviewing the content I made over a decade ago I realized that a lot of the differences in both my practice would be beneficial to share to others struggling with foundational concepts. What I have seen in the Community thusfar has lacked this perspective, which is by no means unique, but I think would benefit repeating regardless.
So, lets get to it, how do I make my altar?
Firstly I think it is important to ask yourself additional questions before you even start gathering items or spending money on ill-suited objects.
Some questions worth considering would be:
Where will I be doing this work? Indoors? Outdoors? In secret? With others? Can the altar remain up or does it need to be frequently dismantled? What is my realistic budget? What is the most important item or element in order for this to be a workspace? How will I clean this? How will I dispose of items (both magical and mundane) after they've been exhausted or if they break? Will I update this altar seasonally? Will I update it for certain celebrations or feasts? Who will be aiding me in my work (if anyone, like gods, spirits and so on), How will I set a space for those elements of work? Is there a hierarchy? Do I need shelves or tiers or other methods of separating beings that may not agree to work below or above others?
Brainstorming before even doing this work is a crucial step I often see overlooked. People are in such a hurry to throw down candles on a tablecloth with some random bones that they don't even know what they're for.
If you do predominately love magic and work with sea spirits perhaps you don't cover the workspace in plants you associate with baneful magic and fire. Maybe you want to do the work near a specific place that resonates with you so you need something that fits in a backpack. Maybe your altar IS A BACKPACK.
Maybe you stitch sigils and symbols into the fabric. Maybe you have pockets to denote each area of the the altar. Maybe you have different bags for different work and each is stored in different places when not in use. Maybe you work with planets and have a bag for each day of the week. Maybe you don't.
So once you know what you want to do and figure out what materials you need to do it becomes a question of how you will obtain the items.
I HIGHLY encourage you to scour thrift stores, local artisans, trash pick (figure out the legal and ethical footwork there on your own), trade, create, and build. Altars of the past were both ornate and humble, you do not need any specific items for an altar to "count" aside from being able to do your work at it.
Which is all to reiterate that you do not need a $50 Etsy Witch Box of random bullshit. Buying one out of fear or lack of confidence will not make your workspace "valid" especially if you don't use half of it anyways. What is important is the items resonate with you and serve a purpose. The joy of an altar is that is builds up over time with your craft. If it starts small then it starts small. What matters is if it gets the job done or not.
Some items to consider:
Candle holders: I have several thrifted taper holder varying in ornate material, I use the lids to tea bottles for tea lights, I use bark from my yard, I use thrifted small dishes and plates.
Candles: Beeswax candles supporting local apiaries will always be your best candles (this is my opinion obviously denoting that here so I don't get comments). Soy candles not an option for a majority of work and offerings in my personal approach. That said you can even THRIFT CANDLES if you need to. Be careful using cheap candles because they can burn strange, and be made with unsafe inhalants. I use a majority of my budget for candles and food because that's what matters in my craft. Mileage will vary.
Food: Any offering is valid if it works and suits your needs. If you are genuinely unable to offer any food there are edible items that can be foraged. If you are unable to forage edible items images of food may suffice in some instances but truthfully a few scoops of what you're nourishing yourself with is a valid offering in many workings. In a lot of practices practitioners will also eat offerings after they have been offered. It depends on numerous variables.
Symbols: If you need a statue or a depiction of a God or Being or Spirit you can make it, even if you are not artistically inclined in the slightest. Collage, Sculpture, Paintings, Drawings, Printouts, Poems, Stories, Descriptions, Found Items, you are NOT limited by what you can use. You can use a rock with a Sharpie symbol on it if that resonates with you. What matters more is how you treat the item (with respect or lack there of depending on what work you're doing).
Additionals:
Books are great but you don't need them, and if you do you can find them for free I promise you. I agree authors deserve to eat and I think you should definitely support smaller or independent publishers. I also personally have no issues with you ripping a PDF for an occult text written hundreds of years ago. Again those who translate deserve compensation so if you can toss them a couple bucks but if you can't at this time do your best.
Notebooks can be acquired for cheap, check big box stores after Back to School sales and snag some. You can usually thrift some too, and then just decorate them over time if you don't like their aesthetic. Alternatively Notes in your Phone is free in the meanwhile.
Water makes for a great offering all around, whether or not you subscribe to the whole 'Moon Water/Solar Water' or not you can also incorporate other methods of using water in your work such as bathwater or water you used to clean yourself, water from your mouth, water poured from a ritual vessel or water collected form a specific place, on a specific day, while reciting specific words. You can take any item and add layers to it, simply by incorporating additional elements that work within your practice.
Tools: A knife is a knife, use one you've got if you need it. Don't have one? Designate a kitchen knife as tribute (I don't suggest mixing magic and food unless you are specifically set on doing that. Both for magical and mundane sicknesses). Need a specifically Named pen for spells? Use whatever you have, the Naming of the item is the important part. A Sharpie is reliable to write on 99% of items and remains pretty permanent (unless you want it removed). Scissors? Glasses? Needles? Bookmarks? Bowls, Cups, it goes on. The intent and the process by which the items are given a purpose and power is the focal point. You can use a Solo cup and a Index Card if you need to is my point.
In all this I hope I can impart on you simply the idea that thinking about what purpose and item will serve FIRST and then acquiring the item after will save you a lot of time, money, and headaches.
If you thrift frequently having a running list of items you're looking for before you go in will also help a lot.
Feel free to contribute in the reblogs and comments, I think that others who practice similarly have likely come up with other unique and similar solutions to problems we all sometimes encounter.
