Setting Up Your Altar

(Remember, this is my personal experience! Let me know in the comments about your own setup.)

Let’s get to it.

Broad strokes, your altar is a reflection of yourself.

Now, I know some of my witchy friends have patrons and deities and pantheons, but whether you’re dedicating a space for a person, place, or thing, the ultimate goal is to have a sacred space of your own.

What is a sacred space?

In the witching community your sacred space is where you routinely go to worship, meditate, or practice your craft.

A lot of religions have these kinds of things too! I love spotting these kinds of similarities.

A sacred space could be your favorite park bench or your bedroom desk. It could even be a state of mind!

There’s no limit to what an altar space could be. But let’s break this down a little better.

So, I’ve seen some insanely beautiful altars in my day, especially ones in Catholic churches.

Why was I so afraid to set up my altar when family members could accidentally see it?

Because it was dedicated to something other than a Christian image, and in that circle, it was a huge no-no.

For that very reason I didn’t have a safe space for my idolatrous beliefs until I moved to a different city.

Whew! I was nervous.

But I wanted something that I was also familiar with. I needed a space that was sacred to me.

What better than the ornate solid wood and golden altars I grew up with?

Every altar is different.

Just like every person.

You don’t have to go and get a ceremony knife and ancient texts. Make it your own!

It can be organized, it can be messy, it can have flowers, it can have anime, it can be spotless, it can be covered in melted wax, it can have crystals, it can have stuffed animals, it can be a tree out back, it can be a wall of posters, it can be a drawer of loose ends,

or it can be a simple table.

What if I’m still in the broom closet?

I feel ya. This one is so simple to answer, so I’ll make it brief!

There’s tons of ways to make your altar nonchalant.

For a while my altar was just a bookshelf full of my favorite books.

After that it was just a messy desk with my handmade goods set up in a display.

There’s also hidden altars so small they can fit into an Altoids mint box!

Just put that shit in your backpack, dude! So cool!

Remember, your altar is a reflection of yourself. Everyone needs a safe space. Make it you.

Should my altar ever change?

That’s up to you!

I’ve seen some really cool altars that change according to the Wheel of the Year, a witchy calendar that celebrates the seasons.

Some people put fresh fruit out every day. (I’ve always wanted to do this for a single picture of Jeff Goldblum.)

Some rotate objects to better reflect the seasons.

Some face their altars on different points of the house to represent the points of a compass.

Even others just make a cute little display for the coming holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

This activity freshens up the energy for your altar.

But as for me I like to keep things fairly consistent since my mental health needs the comfort of a sacred space that doesn’t change.

Just do what comes naturally for you!

I can’t burn candles where I live.

That’s okay! There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to YOUR sacred space.

If you can’t burn anything, there are some lovely wax melters that heat up when plugged in.

If you’re in a dorm that doesn’t allow this at all, you can perfume your space to create a nice atmosphere.

You know what I’m going to say: you do you!

Maybe your deities don’t work well together.

I’ve heard this one before. Maybe there’s different energies happening at once and they don’t mix well.

Set up different altar stations!

I have some witchy friends who have one side dedicated to the feminine and one side dedicated to the masculine.

So cool! She can pick which side she needs for any task, and use both when she needs that tasty duality!

Some deities like Odin might not want to share his space with others. You invited him there. Why does he need to eat off someone else’s plate?

Some ancestors might not have gotten along during their lifetimes. That could spell disaster!

Make room for what feels natural for your practice and worship.

Find what makes your meditation space comfortable.

I don’t want anyone else to see my altar.

Uhhh, do you see my altar anywhere here? Me neither!

Sometimes you just need to have that one thing that’s private and special to you. No one else!

A lot of people don’t take pictures of their altars or their spells. That’s a deeply meaningful and vulnerable place. I get it.

So in lieu of showing anyone my sacred space, I like to describe it.

From left to right as follows:

• I have a pentacle

• A goddess

• My athame

• Incense

• Ashes

• Crystals

• A fireproof dish

• A candle

• Moonwater

That’s it! Aside from some little odds and ends.

There’s also a small space for gifts that I’ve gotten from friends that have a special meaning or an inside joke. These also make me happy. 🙂

What should I offer for each deity?

If you have one or more you should always do your research on that person, place, or thing.

Do you go eclectic and worship Zeus and Freyja? Maaaaaaaaaaybe separate your altar space to include both of them independently.

Do you admire the sheer wonderment of the universe and Mother Nature? Get you some plants going!

Do you go pop culture and revere Daenerys Targaryen? Get you a safe pyre going in your back yard!

Always do your research, though. Plus it will get you involved and connected to other practitioners!

If you don’t have a deity or prefer not to worship, go introspective and put things on your altar that attract you.

Sacred space is how YOU, PERSONALLY approach your space. Get creative with it!

Summing it up

I’ll go over witchy tools and magickal items in another post, but to sum it up briefly, your altar should encompass all aspects that make you happy!

I’ve kinda beat this over your head today, but I just want to reiterate that your sacred space is for you.

Even if you dedicate your altar to someone or something.

Even if you allow other people to observe your space.

Even if you don’t spend a lot of time there.

Even if it’s just for looks.

Even if it’s disguised.

You do you!

It’s that simple… and complicated!

Was this helpful? Leave me a comment!

Do you have anything to add to this? Let me know and I’ll cite you for some additional feedback.

Want to share your altar setup? I’d love to see it!

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Blessed be,

Cat