Baby witch guide to witchcraft and other practices

Altars and their tools

A Wiccan altar is a "raised structure or place used for worship or prayer", upon which a practitioner places several symbolic and functional items for the purpose of worshiping the God and Goddess, casting spells, and/or saying chants and prayers.

types of altars:

There are many types of altars Wiccans may choose to use during ritual. Depending the rite they are performing, the material used for their altars may vary. Some say wood from an oak tree is best while others argue maple or teak are the only ones allowed. This is because in many circles, different types of wood are believed to carry certain magical qualities. For example, in one Wiccan tradition, oak symbolizes great strength and may be used to strengthen the rite they are performing. In another tradition, maple may be seen as the strongest. Whether that be a coffee table or a tree stump, it is up to the Wicca.

altar items:

the altar is often considered a personal place where practitioners put their ritual items. the left side of the altar should be considered the Goddess area; feminine or yonic symbols such as bowls and chalices, as well as Goddess representations and statues should be placed on the left. the right side is designated for the god; phallic symbols such as the athame and the wand are placed to the right side, as well as god statuary and his candle. the center area is almost always considered the "both" area, or the working area. in the center of the alter are kept the main symbols of the wiccan faith, such as the pentacle. some arrange their altars to represent all four elements and directions. the north represents earth, east represents air,  south represents fire, and west represents water

common items on a wiccan altar include:

1. athame

2. broom

3. candles

4. cauldron

5. chalice

6. incense

7. pentacle

8. wand

altar decor:

There are eight Wiccan holidays, known as Sabbats, that celebrate the cycles and seasons of nature. These include the four seasons (Winter, Spring, Autumn & Summer), the mating habits animals and the reaping and sowing of crops. Based on the Sabbat, the altar is decorated accordingly. For example, the Summer Solstice altar cloth should be white and the altar decorated with Summer flowers, fruits and anything else that symbolizes Summer. This goes for each Sabbat. Certain Wiccan traditions may have different colors but universally, the altar is usually decorated to represent the time of year.