Back to the Altar

Moon: 2nd Quarter; Leo
What Made Me Smile: Breakfast with the family for my mom's birthday.
Song In My Head: Van Morrison - Lover's Prayer

Today I did homework, and then went out for lunch. But when I got back I was doing some reading.

I have never really had a "proper" altar, and I never had a problem with that. It was a nook here, a little area of my room that I could put down and take up when I needed to. Most recently, it was the edge of my bookshelf, which was in a perfect place for me to sit, meditate, do yoga near, and it was right by the window. But I wanted something a little more, I feel as if I've reached that point.

I pulled out my books, and read about what various authors had to say about altars, and some of it was a little too much for my little table (a breakfast-in-bed table that measures about 2 feet wide and 1 foot from back to front, and about 1 foot off the ground). My bookshelf altar consisted of about three candles, a few gemstones and some special decorations around Sabbats. My incense was on the shelf above. It was more for a daily spiritual practice, I always made a portable altar for ritual and spellwork.

For my new little altar, I chose a flower patterned place mat from the drawer in the kitchen, cleansed everything, and set up new, yet simple, items on my new altar. I have two candles centered, a taller one behind the smaller one, and my amethyst stone in front of that. To the left I have a shell, a piece of rose quarts and a crystal. To the far right I have a pine cone, a piece of bloodstone, and a small standing incense burner (currently with rose incense). For me, it is elaborate enough to attune properly with the God and Goddess and do some spellwork, but simple enough to not get overly cluttered, or worry about my cat going crazy while I'm at school. It's also something I'll have to get used to - I'll be in college this fall, and most likely traveling to England next January, so space will be limited.

It's important to remember that Wicca is not about the elaborate tools, set-ups, or even words. It's how we feel and how we know what is real and what we can do. It's that pulse in our hearts when we feel in complete sync with the Lord and Lady and all of the Universe and all of our brothers and sisters. That is the only thing that needs to be elaborate: our hearts, our minds, our feelings.


Blessings,
Ellen