Kiama
My altar serves as a method of following the seasons, as well as a mental focal point for my spiritual growth and interests. Unfortunately, I am always interested in so many things at once that to many people my altar can look cluttered! It changes constantly, and I tend to pick things up on my travels and walks around cardiff that end up on the altar - such as the raven feather I found lying at my feet on the day I got the results of my degree. I've never found a raven feather before, so this stuck out and begged to go on the altar! Needless to say, it meant a lot to me, on a personal, spiritual, and emotional level.
The altar itself is very large (I am lucky in that I live in a shared house with a few other Pagans, so do not need to hide anything.) It is made from a modified dark-wood dressing table, so has many 'levels' on which to put things (works wonders aesthetically!) It also has five large and sturdy drawers beneath it which are hidden by the altar cloth, and serve as storage space for items that aren;t currently residing on the altar, as well as a growing collection of deity imagery.
It's safe to say my altar isn't subtle. It is, however, highly eclectic. It is still 'dressed' for Lughnassadh (I don't celebrate the Autumn Equinox very much, so didn't update it for that), and bears upon it a Gaia statue, a statue of the Labrys Goddess of Crete, a small mother-goddess offering bowl I made myself; white roses in a vase; Tarot cards (Hanged Man and Empress); John Barleycorn imagery; pictures of Mary and Jesus; a chalice; a sickle; raven feather; a few stones and shells; three small black haemetite skulls; and two masks: one for Summer Solstice, and one for Lughnassadh (I made both myself.)
Interestingly, when I do deity-specific work I do not use this altar. I create an entirely new one in another part of the room, and fill it with images and objects specific to the deity I am working with. So far, I've done this with Baron Samedi, Maman Brigitte, Odin, Mithras, and Brighid.
Blessings,
Kiama
The altar itself is very large (I am lucky in that I live in a shared house with a few other Pagans, so do not need to hide anything.) It is made from a modified dark-wood dressing table, so has many 'levels' on which to put things (works wonders aesthetically!) It also has five large and sturdy drawers beneath it which are hidden by the altar cloth, and serve as storage space for items that aren;t currently residing on the altar, as well as a growing collection of deity imagery.
It's safe to say my altar isn't subtle. It is, however, highly eclectic. It is still 'dressed' for Lughnassadh (I don't celebrate the Autumn Equinox very much, so didn't update it for that), and bears upon it a Gaia statue, a statue of the Labrys Goddess of Crete, a small mother-goddess offering bowl I made myself; white roses in a vase; Tarot cards (Hanged Man and Empress); John Barleycorn imagery; pictures of Mary and Jesus; a chalice; a sickle; raven feather; a few stones and shells; three small black haemetite skulls; and two masks: one for Summer Solstice, and one for Lughnassadh (I made both myself.)
Interestingly, when I do deity-specific work I do not use this altar. I create an entirely new one in another part of the room, and fill it with images and objects specific to the deity I am working with. So far, I've done this with Baron Samedi, Maman Brigitte, Odin, Mithras, and Brighid.
Blessings,
Kiama