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. . . my personal practices are chaotic and constantly shifting . . . i hadnt had an altar for a really long time (like, Yeeears) . . . i set one up a couple months ago and Wow! . . it is Really helping to focus and direct my energies right now . . . . . . . it’s pretty simple . . stuff to represent the elements . a little olive oil lamp that burns all day . some meaningful crystals and herbs . personal stuff that’s significant regarding specific and general matters . . . . i put it right in the middle of things so i pass it several times a day and can see it from my “Spot” where i spend much time . . . if it were tucked away into a corner i’d ignore it (those poor forgotten things in my corners) . . . . . when i put the altar together i made the choice to burn olive oil instead of prayer candles (even without an altar i always have a flame burning while im home and awake) . . . i got these little floating wicks that sit on top of olive oil in a little jar . . . just lovely . . . . sometimes i put essential oils in the olive oil for extra umph . . . frankincense, etc. . . . . . . . . . .
Not anymore, I used to have an altar and incense set up, and they can certainly act as a great confidence booster to a ritual, but personally I view them more as “training wheels” to help convince your subconscious of the efficacy of the ritual.
that’s an interesting way to look at it . . . and points to a whole other set of questions . . about the relationships between our tangible physical practices and our energetic/visionary/etheric practices . . . how they intersect and work together . . . how those relationships evolve as our practices evolve . . . . .
i think i actually saw somewhere once that the two words are related . . . and an altar does indeed alter . . . . i like mistakes that bring new things to think about . . . . .
i think i actually saw somewhere once that the two words are related . . . and an altar does indeed alter . . . . i like mistakes that bring new things to think about . . . . .
In most cases, the words "ALTER" and "ALTAR" are distinctly different.
"ALTAR" is a consecrated table. In some cases, the ALTAR TABLE • is an • ALTERED TABLE through the introduction or the implantation of holy or consecrated material.
Thus, at some point, during my post-grad work, I added a new meaning associated with a "holy alteration."
i think i actually saw somewhere once that the two words are related . . . and an altar does indeed alter . . . . i like mistakes that bring new things to think about . . . . .
Altar is from the word "high", because it's elevated off the ground (same as "altitude")
Alter is from the word meaning "other", like "alternative" or "alter ego" (you can sort of see how you might get from "thats the other option" to "change")
But totally agree with you that it's neat when mistakes/"mistakes" lead to new insights
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Re: the actual question, I have a few. They've just arisen organically. In my magic nook (i guess you'd call it "dedicated space" there's one facing east, under a window, and one facing north (direction of fire in the southern hemisphere).
(The space is tiny by the way. Like if I'm kneeling at the east altar and I swivel to the left, I'm kneeling at the north altar).
This happened mainly for aesthetics reasons, and I guess because they're both small.
I have two distinct sets of imagery - one with roses and a gilt mirror and a white marble chalice etc, and one that's fire and obsidian and carnelian and kind of harsh. It felt weird to have everything on the same altar; there was an aesthetic clash, so I separated them.
I've started thinking of them as "the altar of mercy and the altar of severity" although it wasn't planned that way (the two pillars framework exists because it's a natural pair of energies that people need to learn how to balance, so it's not really a coincidence that my altar needs coalesced that way)
(That's a qabala reference for anyone who isn't across qabala - the words sound a bit intense out of context)
I spend almost my whole day in my main living space (I work from home) and I wanted some presence in the room with me. But when I tried bringing an altar out here, it felt too personal to be in the space where guests are. And I didn't want it to lose its sense of sacredness via me seeing it all the time. A catch 22!
So I ended up turning a surface in my main space into a little spirit shrine for daily offerings. It gets an incense stick and a small cup of coffee every morning (I figured, if I was making a coffee and someone else was around, I would always offer to make them a cup as well)
Altar is from the word "high", because it's elevated off the ground (same as "altitude")
Alter is from the word meaning "other", like "alternative" or "alter ego" (you can sort of see how you might get from "thats the other option" to "change")
But totally agree with you that it's neat when mistakes/"mistakes" lead to new insights
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Re: the actual question, I have a few. They've just arisen organically. In my magic nook (i guess you'd call it "dedicated space" there's one facing east, under a window, and one facing north (direction of fire in the southern hemisphere).
(The space is tiny by the way. Like if I'm kneeling at the east altar and I swivel to the left, I'm kneeling at the north altar).
This happened mainly for aesthetics reasons, and I guess because they're both small.
I have two distinct sets of imagery - one with roses and a gilt mirror and a white marble chalice etc, and one that's fire and obsidian and carnelian and kind of harsh. It felt weird to have everything on the same altar; there was an aesthetic clash, so I separated them.
I've started thinking of them as "the altar of mercy and the altar of severity" although it wasn't planned that way (the two pillars framework exists because it's a natural pair of energies that people need to learn how to balance, so it's not really a coincidence that my altar needs coalesced that way)
(That's a qabala reference for anyone who isn't across qabala - the words sound a bit intense out of context)
I spend almost my whole day in my main living space (I work from home) and I wanted some presence in the room with me. But when I tried bringing an altar out here, it felt too personal to be in the space where guests are. And I didn't want it to lose its sense of sacredness via me seeing it all the time. A catch 22!
So I ended up turning a surface in my main space into a little spirit shrine for daily offerings. It gets an incense stick and a small cup of coffee every morning (I figured, if I was making a coffee and someone else was around, I would always offer to make them a cup as well)
im really digging the idea of two different altars facing different directions sharing a space . . . that never occured to me . . . sounds like a really great way to integrate and articulate our paradoxical natures . . . . .
love the “little spirit shrine” . . . and that makes me think i could probably share a little of my coffee as an offering too . . . youre right, it’s the polite thing to do . . . i always light the oil lamp on my altar as im making coffee . . . it would be an easy addition to that ritual . . . . . . . . .
it’s funny to think about the way the directions mean different things in the southern hemisphere . . . that never occured to me . . . . . . . .
i'll definitely check out that reddit! . . . i love learning about other people's processes . . . . . .
I think that's totally fair but that the real reason is that it doesn't appeal to you
(Because I would say I don't need one, I just like them)
For me a big part of my practice is physicalising and externalising stuff, because I live in my head (and on screens) too much as it is. Which can be through gesture, not items ofc
But someone who was unbalanced in the other direction, who has a tendency to attribute the causes of their feelings/actions to external causes rather than introspect, maybe they need to move things inward and an external focus would be counterproductive
(I'm not saying everyone without an altar externalises too much! I'm just trying to think when one night be "prescribed" or "contraindicated"
I don't use one because I'm homeless.
Even as a guest, I'm not rearranging a room to create one.
Ditto on candles and incense, not my place to do so.
However, I can use a plate of bread and salt and glass of water, my hand and arm as a wand, thats all I need. Physical gestures, voice or voice in my head with willed intent.
For me a big part of my practice is physicalising and externalising stuff, because I live in my head (and on screens) too much as it is. Which can be through gesture, not items ofc
good points . . . a lot of the work i do is with “containers” . . not necessarily jar spells or anything . . but designating a place or “container” to put ideas or issues that are on my mind . . for the purpose of removing them from my thoughts and giving them someplace else to Be! . . . it works really well . . . . the “container” can be as simple as a rock or an assemblage of significant items . . and i send stuff to the “container” when it’s occupying my mind . . . . i also have a whole metaphysical “composting” place in the woods on my land where i put things that represent difficult problems so they can naturally deteriorate in the weather over time . . transforming and grounding the energy of the problems . . . . this is sort of inspired by the Celtic Clootie Wells, or Holy Wells, where people would tie fabric to trees around the well . . and as the fabric deteriorated in the elements over time . . the desired results would come about . . . . . . .
I don't use one because I'm homeless.
Even as a guest, I'm not rearranging a room to create one.
Ditto on candles and incense, not my place to do so.
However, I can use a plate of bread and salt and glass of water, my hand and arm as a wand, thats all I need. Physical gestures, voice or voice in my head with willed intent.
I have one altar, it's on a book shelf full of occult books. The top of the altar is dedicated to Hekate and then going down on the book shelf are various small things I leave for other gods. I used to have a living room shrine, but I never used it because I'm never in my living room! I use the altar for offerings. It's right in my workspace and makes me feel more comfortable there.
I've also got an outdoor shrine for general use, mainly for rituals, but I leave offerings on it every new moon for Hekate and the restless dead.
I have one altar, it's on a book shelf full of occult books. The top of the altar is dedicated to Hekate and then going down on the book shelf are various small things I leave for other gods. I used to have a living room shrine, but I never used it because I'm never in my living room! I use the altar for offerings. It's right in my workspace and makes me feel more comfortable there.
I've also got an outdoor shrine for general use, mainly for rituals, but I leave offerings on it every new moon for Hekate and the restless dead.
i like mine right in my workspace too . . it's an active part of my day . . even if im not directly physically interacting with it . . . . . having places for indoor practices and outdoor practices is nice . . . . .
i like mine right in my workspace too . . it's an active part of my day . . even if im not directly physically interacting with it . . . . . having places for indoor practices and outdoor practices is nice . . . . .
I agree! It's nice to have a place to connect with the outdoors. I set up a lot of temporary altars out there depending on whatever ritual I'm doing. I like making use of the old stones around my property to create shrines. Stacking stones is always good fun hehe
I agree! It's nice to have a place to connect with the outdoors. I set up a lot of temporary altars out there depending on whatever ritual I'm doing. I like making use of the old stones around my property to create shrines. Stacking stones is always good fun hehe
I haven't used my altar for a long time... I made it pack into a briefcase in what basically amounts to a 'portable exorcism kit', with all the tools I'd need for any given working I might have to do. It's pretty cool in a James Bond sort of way, but my practice has long since moved away from physical tools as I developed my skills.
I haven't used my altar for a long time... I made it pack into a briefcase in what basically amounts to a 'portable exorcism kit', with all the tools I'd need for any given working I might have to do. It's pretty cool in a James Bond sort of way, but my practice has long since moved away from physical tools as I developed my skills.
Sounds like a nice stealth rig! . . . a couple people have mentioned a sort of "growing out of" physical tools at some point in their process . . . . that's interesting to me . . . internalizing the practices as time goes on . . . . . i go through phases with physical tools, it's sort of cyclical . . . it helps me ground everything in 3D . . . . . . .
