Your Altar

linnie said:

It's lovely, kduphily! I love seeing what people select as very important items... there's so much interesting stuff in the world, and its lovely to see things that are familiar, as well as those I've never seen the like of before... which is why I really should post some pics!

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Thank you Linnie, I try to put things that have meaning to me on my alter, I even found my old dogs collar yesterday and put it on there, was looking for something else and honestly didn't think I had it anymore but it pooped up on it goes. The collar is from my dog sandy who passed away 6 years ago this month so she needed to be honored as well.

And yes we want pictures of yours as well lol

kduphily said:

Thank you Linnie, I try to put things that have meaning to me on my alter, I even found my old dogs collar yesterday and put it on there, was looking for something else and honestly didn't think I had it anymore but it pooped up on it goes. The collar is from my dog sandy who passed away 6 years ago this month so she needed to be honored as well.

And yes we want pictures of yours as well lol

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How lovely that your old dog's collar turned up right then... Powerful memory pieces like that deserve an extra special place

I've been excitedly going into my study room where all my artworks and most of my treasures including crystal friends are, and selecting very special pieces and then finding a space for them in the type-setters' tray... It's amazing how small a dent I am making in my collection,yet how full the tray is getting, with so many small but precious or symbolic pieces putting their hand up to be included I certainly will take pics as soon as I've filled it

funny I came across this thread this morning as just last night the hubby was showing me how he set up his little fly-tying table in the room that will be in the study. I showed him the space in the room where I plan to set up my 'spiritual table'. I didn't call it my altar. Anyway, I have to find just the right table to put there, and decide which items will go on it.

Currently I have two altars at the farm house. One is the bedside table and on top it has all my crystals and a few other important items to me. Another is on the 2nd floor, in the room that houses the majority of my tarot decks and other divination tools and books. But its going to be fun to decide what items to bring to the vacation home to set on my spiritual table there. I do tend to spread around the house too, like Linnie mentioned she does.

Great ideas too, Linnie--about the special cupboard and the jewelry boxes! Never thought of that! I have a HUGE jewelry box 'table' that the hubby bought me years ago. I just might have to convert that into my altar! I love that idea. It has about 6 drawers in it-so I can keep lots of things inside there...and I have a few jewelry boxes already-so can move the jewelry to other smaller jewel boxes.

MaineGirl, I love that you 'lend' your items out to friends. What a lovely way to keep your altar items filled with love and the generosity somehow seems to give it life. that is very special!

kduphily said:

After reading this thread a few weeks ago, I was inspired to set my inside alter back up, was doing all my rituals outside this summer and lately its been rainy and dreary here. So I moved the dresser I use to a different location in my house and set it up. I have it decorated with things for the season and a picture of my Mom for remembrance. I took some pics and didnt realize till the next day that I can see my outside circle from my inside alter

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Very nice kduphily! On our new property there is a lovely red leafed maple tree, (not very tall yet), just outside the vegetable/herb garden here. Yesterday I thought it would make the perfect spot to place a chair for meditating outside. It looks right onto the river, which flows by our property. I think I may collect some stones too and make a stone circle around the tree, such as you have--but where I can still put my chair inside the circle. I am thinking of pulling some of the rocks from the creek bed that runs through our other property. thanks for the idea!

I am claiming a shelf on one of our small bookshelves as well here in the living room. I have already put one of my crystal balls there, though I need to bring up some crystals as well and other things to put there too. I just have not decided what else will go here yet. When I finish, I will try to add a picture.

Thank you Linnie and CN, I love the idea of having a river running by your house, would love that . I got the idea of making my circle by a sister witch and ran with it. I didn't have the chance to make it exactly how I invisioned it but will have time this fall/ winter to get most of the things I need for the spring. My stones came from my Papa who got them before I was born when my parents where building their home, he came across a cobblestone street being torn up to be paved and when he found out they where going to be tossed out he asked if he could have some. My parents build an amazing fireplace out of them and mine are the leftovers

kduphily said:

Thank you Linnie and CN, I love the idea of having a river running by your house, would love that . I got the idea of making my circle by a sister witch and ran with it. I didn't have the chance to make it exactly how I invisioned it but will have time this fall/ winter to get most of the things I need for the spring. My stones came from my Papa who got them before I was born when my parents where building their home, he came across a cobblestone street being torn up to be paved and when he found out they where going to be tossed out he asked if he could have some. My parents build an amazing fireplace out of them and mine are the leftovers

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That is so cool! That makes those stones for your circle so very special then-as special as your altar, with the extra special items on that. I love that. I have always been interested in rocks and try to collect rocks everywhere I go and also when I am just taking a walk. If I see a rock that seems to cry out to me, I pick it up and bring it home. Unfortunately, I have gotten many of my rocks mixed up now and I can't recall which rock is from where. Some are from foreign countries we have visited. They are too small for making the circle with--but I have decided to make a fairy house with them all instead--and placing the fairy house somewhere. I'm thinking perhaps next to that red maple tree. It just seems the perfect place for it and a great place to keep my collection of rocks now.

And, yes, the river is wonderful! We love to just look out at it.

Thank you for the kind words CN, Its awesome that you have stones from places you have visited, What awesome memories to have and to make some into a fairy house is even better. I would love to see pics when you are done... I have a bunch of broken terra cotta peices from a planter i dropped over the summer, trying to figure out a way for them to go together for a fairy house.

My Samhain Altar- same as usual, just switch things out for the Sabbats.

I also have 2 small ancestral altars in the living room which I put up the beginning of October and leave there until it's time to decorate for Santa Day. One for family-one for friends and pets. I don't really feel right posting pics of those...

Wow, Disa! Your altar is great too! I love all the different things on your table--the 3 candles, the large feather in the back really grabs my attention. The book there in front of the feather. Is this your journal? The black bag I would guess has your tarot deck in it? And I really love the little black pot there to the far left of the picture.

May I ask about your family and friends altar? Do you just have their pictures on the altar--and what else do you keep on that altar? candles as well? Just interested, as I love the thought of keeping an altar for family and friends.

Thank you for sharing your altar picture.

celticnoodle said:

Wow, Disa! Your altar is great too! I love all the different things on your table--the 3 candles, the large feather in the back really grabs my attention. The book there in front of the feather. Is this your journal? The black bag I would guess has your tarot deck in it? And I really love the little black pot there to the far left of the picture.

May I ask about your family and friends altar? Do you just have their pictures on the altar--and what else do you keep on that altar? candles as well? Just interested, as I love the thought of keeping an altar for family and friends.

Thank you for sharing your altar picture.

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Thanks, CN! The black feather in the back is quill pen. The box in the back has ink, nibs and misc writing things in it. The black bag has my witches runes in it. The tarot deck is under the book stand. That's my book of shadows which I use for reference and to write things about the Sabbats. The black pot is a tiny cauldron with a charcoal disk to burn herbs, resins,etc.

My ancestral altars are to remember friends, family, and pets who have passed away. I have pictures of them, a candle for each of them, misc items that were important to them or remind me of them- for example...one of my dads loved to burn cone incense, so instead of a candle, I use his old glass owl incense burner and burn a cone incense in it to burn for him. One of my other dads was really into Yoga and sent me things with the OM symbol on it throughout my life, so I use tiny chime candle holders with the Om symbol on it for him and his brother. My mother in law sewed a lot and I have a tiny sachet she made placed there by her pic. I have a St. Frances medal one of my dogs used to wear and one of their name tags near their pics...

I also have a Dia de los Muertos skull on one of the altars as well as one of the coffin cards from the Full Moon Lenormand deck. Candles similar to these attached. Most of the candles are yellow, purple, and orange chime candles, a couple of votives...sometimes tea lights...It's really just a combination of things that felt right to me. I light the candles/incense periodically from Oct to Dec to acknowledge their spirits and reflect on what they each mean to me.

Not mine ... but

an altar with a view (Bexhill 'open air cathedral') ;

http://www.bonzle.com/h/4/d/w/6fb0a.jpg