Ritual Magic

Wiccan Altar is one of the most personal places where rituals can be performed. Alters are as individual as the people who put them together and should reflect you as a person and your spirituality. The main thing that you will need is some kind of table or stand preferably made from metal, wood or stone (there shouldn't be any excuse for not finding some wood to nail together in worst cases although if this should happen then plastic is also acceptable - purists will be unhappy at this suggestion) on which to place the items you will need. The shape is up to you (square, round rectangular) but a lot of practitioners prefer a circular table for its magic associations. The altar should be cleansed and consecrated before use to ensure a good energy flow and proper psychic hygiene. Your altar should be facing North or East in order to be effective. Your altar also needs to be shrouded with a cloth but the material and colors really depend on the individual. I prefer purple with a hemp/silk cloth combination. Your altar should be split in two halves left and right to represent the duality of worship to the God (right side) and Goddess (left side) respectively. Your deities of choice can be placed on each side and the elements you require for worship should take sides according to the gender energy which they exude.

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Ceremonial Tools can include but are not limited to the following items : Goddess statue, God statue, illuminating candles, salt bowl, water bowl, chalice, cauldron, feather, athame, incense (with holder/stand) and magic circle symbols. These are only guidelines as each altar is unique but it's a good place to start and then develop your own quirks after time. A brush (besom) for cleansing, a bell (for starting/ending ceremonies), food and drink to celebrate or as offerings, stones, crystals, herbs (i.e. sage), pendulum, mirrors, a wand and just about any item which will help you to focus on conjuring or worshiping your deities. Of course you will also need your ritual book (book of shadows) unless you have a photographic memory which for some reason I have been denied. The list is endless and one mans meat is another mans poison. I am a more "woody" witch (gooonnneeee.....caribou....lol....no tinny things on my altar) who prefers everything wooden but this could be purely psychological ;o) Do What Thou Wilt as long as it works for you and remember that all tools are just that "tools", worship and ritual are firstly in the heart and mind and if necessary can be performed naked on a stone in a desert if need be.

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