Do you have an Altar?

[TheMouse]

It's not hard when you're broke ... Seriously.

i hear you . . and i understand about that being related to not having your own space to work with objects . . . . but if youre talking about tools costing money . . about 90% of my tools are found objects or made out of leftover materials . . . that's actually an important element of my practices and my trust in my guides and chaotic attraction . . . . . .

 

[Lazarus]

Physically: not at the moment as I’ve been traveling the country in an RV for the past few years. But I have in the past and I’m sure I will in the future. I kind of still have one at my house but it’s more just a cabinet to store magic stuff right now.

Astrally: absolutely. In fact, I have an entire temple that I use.

 

[pixel_fortune]

a couple people have mentioned a sort of "growing out of" physical tools at some point in their process

I think "growing out of" is true for those people, but not universally true

That is, not using tools isn't inherently a more mature way to practice, even if comes alongside craft progression for some people

For other people, they might start out not using tools, and then "grow into" using them. Using tools could be a sign of development in those people

Things that DO reflect an immature practice: buying new tools without having a planned purpose for them, thinking fancy = being a good magician (also, thinking NO tools = automatically being a good magician), buying new tools as a way to procrastinate actually practising, buying new tools because you feel external pressure to have a practice that looks like the ones you see on Instagram, being unable to practice when you don't have access to your tools.

There is a big difference between ENJOYING using tools and being DEPENDENT on using tools.

If you LIKE using tools, and are in a financial, geographic and social position where you can use them, but you choose not to, then you're just robbing yourself of enjoyment for no purpose, which isn't a virtue

If you DON'T like using tools, and you don't use them, then you're just doing what you like. Which is great, but not really any more mature than the person who likes using tools and does what they like.

In short, use or non-use of tools doesn't say anything about how advanced a practitioner is. Only their relationship to their tools or non-use of tools tells you anything about them

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

I slightly disagree.

Í like tools, and in my own space I used them, the right one for the right job.

I got a dowel, painted one end black and one end white, that was my first real wand.
I had a dagger that I used and painted the hilt yellow. I did buy a pentacle. Since I had money at the time.
Not having money or tools does not make you a bad magician, just human.

I've found wands on nature walks and consecrated them even literally with blood sweat and tears. I've also snapped that wand in half once as a show of my not being dependant on it.

Good or bad isn't on results or being a storehouse of knowledge, it's what it's used for in my opinion, the right tool for the right job.

Even a milk crate or two can become an altar. A chessboard, your floor. Whatever gets it done.

 

[pixel_fortune]

Not having money or tools does not make you a bad magician

I think you've misread me - I would never ever say that. I grew up in poverty and only became not-poor fairly recently. (Not that you need personal experience to not be judgemental of poor people, but as it happens I do have it)

My post was a bit convoluted - if you tell me which bit came across as saying that not having tools makes you a bad magician, I'll rewrite it more clearly

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Not to be cliche, but its far more likely to say, its not you - its me.
Ive been stewing about things not related, and it came out wrong - and apparently unconnected, my apologies.

 

[pixel_fortune]

I've remembered that you're in the US, which has really bizarre levels

Not to be cliche, but its far more likely to say, its not you - its me.
Ive been stewing about things not related, and it came out wrong - and apparently unconnected, my apologies.

No worries! Because you said something, I had a chance to clarify. If you haven't said anything, you might still think I think that. So: better that you said something

I was mainly pushing back against people who say it makes you a better magician to not use tools.

I think we agree - it's not about the tools or non-tools, it's about what you do with them

 

[TheMouse]

Astrally: absolutely. In fact, I have an entire temple that I use.

Nice

Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2023

I think "growing out of" is true for those people, but not universally true

That is, not using tools isn't inherently a more mature way to practice, even if comes alongside craft progression for some people

For other people, they might start out not using tools, and then "grow into" using them. Using tools could be a sign of development in those people

Things that DO reflect an immature practice: buying new tools without having a planned purpose for them, thinking fancy = being a good magician (also, thinking NO tools = automatically being a good magician), buying new tools as a way to procrastinate actually practising, buying new tools because you feel external pressure to have a practice that looks like the ones you see on Instagram, being unable to practice when you don't have access to your tools.

There is a big difference between ENJOYING using tools and being DEPENDENT on using tools.

If you LIKE using tools, and are in a financial, geographic and social position where you can use them, but you choose not to, then you're just robbing yourself of enjoyment for no purpose, which isn't a virtue

If you DON'T like using tools, and you don't use them, then you're just doing what you like. Which is great, but not really any more mature than the person who likes using tools and does what they like.

In short, use or non-use of tools doesn't say anything about how advanced a practitioner is. Only their relationship to their tools or non-use of tools tells you anything about them

Well put!

Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2023

I've found wands on nature walks and consecrated them even literally with blood sweat and tears. I've also snapped that wand in half once as a show of my not being dependant on it.

powerful practice

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

This topic is old, but I thought it would be better to ask here rather than make a new one
So, the question: if you have a stationary altar that needs to be attended to daily or weekly, what do you do if you have to leave your house for a couple of weeks (like for vacation or business trip or something)?

 

[Morell]

This topic is old, but I thought it would be better to ask here rather than make a new one
So, the question: if you have a stationary altar that needs to be attended to daily or weekly, what do you do if you have to leave your house for a couple of weeks (like for vacation or business trip or something)?

Actually a good question. I do have an altar, though I don't attend to it daily as I mainly use it as a place for meditation and sometimes ritual work.
Though when I have to leave the home even for few days, I do what I call closing of the altar. I rearange stuff, I have a plant on the altar which someone might need to water so to make it more acessible. Some things I safely hide or cover and I put a ritual knife I have there across the altar in position poiting the tip on anyone who would come to the altar as if symbolicaly harming them if they came too close.

Even the rearanging stuff really alters the energy of the altar and rearanging them back restores the energy that was there.

Though practicaly speaking there is not any real necessity in doing that, altar, when you use it acumulates energy. The worst that will happen will be that some of that energy fades if you are not recharging it with your presence. I assume that closing altar as I do can slow the process, but that's probably all. I just feel the need so I do that and slowly improve the process as the time goes.

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

Though when I have to leave the home even for few days, I do what I call closing of the altar.

Sounds very reasonable, thank you for the answer

 

[Sabbatius]

There is an outside area that I utilize a stump as an "altar." There is also a firepit I utilize daily, every morning, about an hour, before sunrise.

I have an indoor bookshelf that I use as an altar, by definition. I keep my ancestral items and vigils kept, along with devotional supplies.

I also have the family altar, or iconostasis, where I keep the family Orthodox Christian icons, patrons, holy water, floating wick votives, table cross and reliquary oils stored. This is also a bookshelf. Go figure.

 

[Shalux]

There is an outside area that I utilize a stump as an "altar." There is also a firepit I utilize daily, every morning, about an hour, before sunrise.

I have an indoor bookshelf that I use as an altar, by definition. I keep my ancestral items and vigils kept, along with devotional supplies.

I also have the family altar, or iconostasis, where I keep the family Orthodox Christian icons, patrons, holy water, floating wick votives, table cross and reliquary oils stored. This is also a bookshelf. Go figure.

Funny: I also have a part of a low-height (indoor) bookshelf that I use as an altar. On it there are some books, a photograph, a plat and a just a couple of objects and candles.

 

[Dascent]

Not a physical one, no.

 

[Audiolog Edu]

I do have one, is a small table covered with a black cloth, I have made a cult to Ares and I have few items on the altar, things like a steel knife, my military school cap, Justice Tarot card, a Briatic Image of The Warrior, also I am starting to build and altar to Hermes/Mercury as well, I was in search of a feather since Greek Hermes has wings and Hod is associated to Air and voila, I went one day to the terrace where I practice Chi Gong and there it was, a big feather, also I have a white candle that to me is a symbol of the Godhead, the Divine Light from which all emanated, as others have stated is also a focal point in which I will channel energy to charge lets say an amulet, or perhaps I will charge a glass of water to later drink it.

 

[OberonFromTheHills]

Never managed to fully keep one.

Each time i tried i needed a change.

So i ended up with the mental/astral altar road.... Visualising the elements i need to connect to, feeling them, using them with intent....

 

[heavysm]

Somehow...I have created one for the indirect purpose of meditation, but this is merely my candle for ritual when I have this active. It is very simple, and some of my magick has no connection to candle, but this became my altar when I sadly realized...this would have to be seen as an altar considering that it looks exactly like one. I did not intend for that to happen, but yes...I definitely do have an altar for meditation, and personal sorcery use.

 

[uralmaenad]

I have a working altar… my balcony table lol! I also keep a permanent shrine dedicated to my ancestors and the gods of my ancestors. I have a small windowsill for Dionysus too. We‘re in a tiny apartment, so space is limited. But you best believe I‘ll be taking advantage of a larger property once we have one!

 

[Golden Saturn]

I know I am too late to this party, but yes, I have altar. Altar is not on shelf, right now, but when I need to communicate with spirit of a planet or deity, I will set it up. Or, when I need to get support from them, I will set it up too. Or, when I want to develop the relationship with spirit of a planet. As long as I have a plan.

 

[art-vark2323]

I have an altar I set up if the situation calls for it. Otherwise, I have some shrines with offering bowls to the gods I worship; they are on a shelf where I also keep my magical tools when not in use. It's kind of a pain to keep an altar all the time. Usually, when it's time to perform a ritual, I pull out a TV tray table and my tools, candles, and incense, and set everything up. Sometimes I do it a week or so in advance so I don't procrastinate as much on actually doing the ritual. That way, half the job is already done, and I can trick my monkey brain into doing something.