Today I would like to talk about some ideas related to displaying the elements on your altar. It’s almost time for the heat of the summer, so let’s give your altar an energetic and visual lift shall we? 🦉
As practitioners of magick, we must recognize the importance of having the elements present, because magick is essentially working with the elements. It is essential that we have the element which we want to work with present, or preferably the main 4 earth elements in order to achieve what we want.
I came up with some things you can use to 🌲spruce🌲 up your sacred space and infuse it with the energy of all the elements. This helps your magick be more balanced because you will have the elements present. We work with these energies along with our own to produce desired results.
First off, let’s discuss the elements we may like to include and what items are associated with them…
The main elements worked with in witchcraft but aren’t limited to;
🌬 S P I R I T 💫
•Direction: Center
•Materials: Light Sources, bones and teeth
•Provides: Transformation, Oneness
•Beings: Snakes, Spiders, Spirits
•Crystals: Celestite, Amethyst
•Tool: Drum, Cauldron, Crystal Ball
🍃E A R T H🌾
•Direction: North
•Colour: Brown, Black, Green
•Materials: Dirt, Leaves, Wood, Rocks
•Provides: Wealth, Grounding
•Beings: Ox, Centaur, Faerie
•Crystals: Fossil Leaves, Emerald
•Tool: Pentacle, Rock, Hammer
💨 A I R ☁️
•Direction: East
•Materials: Feathers, Bells, Flutes
•Provides: New Starts, New Ideas
•Beings: Gryphon, Pegasus, Eagle
•Crystals: Fluorite, Pumice
•Tools: Wand, Broom, Athame
🔥 F I R E 🔥
•Direction: South
•Colour: Red, Gold, Orange
•Materials: Flames and Sparks
•Provides: Unity, Loyalty
•Beings: Dragon, Salamander, Lion
•Crystals: Carnelian, Ruby
•Tools: Sword, Candle, Staff
🌊W A T E R 💦
•Direction: West
•Colour: Turquoise, Sea Green, Azure
•Materials: Shells, Ocean/Lake Water
•Provides: Experience, Enjoyment
•Beings: Fish, Merfolk, Dolphin
•Crystals: Aquamarine, Pearl
•Tools: Chalice, Bowl, Sickle
Alchemists may include Elemental states;
🌨C O L D ❄️
•Direction: North East
•Colour: Snow White, Cyan, Silver
•Materials: Snow, Frost, Ice
•Provides: Rest, Bravery
•Beings: Polar Bear, Artic Fox, Hare
•Crystals: Snow Quartz, Rose Quartz
•Tools: Freezer, Ice pick, Arrow
☀️D R Y N E S S 🦂
•Direction: South East
•Colour: Yellow, Beige, Brown
•Materials: Sand, Limestone
•Provides: Desired Results, Safety
•Beings: Sphinx, Scorpion, Fox
•Crystals: Cobalt, Citrine
•Tools: Scourge, Looking glass, Ankh
🌧M O I S T U R E ☔️
•Direction: North West
•Colour: Grey, Olive Green, Navy
•Materials: Rainwater, Condensation
•Provides: Reflection, Stability
•Beings: Toad, Otter, Snail
•Crystals: Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite
•Tools: Sponge, Damp Cloth, Pipette
💥 H E A T 🔥
•Direction: South West
•Colour: Burgundy, Orange, Gold
•Materials: Electricity, Ashes, Coals
•Provides: Evolution, Change
•Beings: Phoenix, Tiger, Coyote
•Crystals: Garnet, Tigers Eye
•Tools: Lamp, Censer, Thurible
as well as the other 5 elements mentioned above.
✨Here are some different modes in which you can display the elements✨;
🔮✨Magick Tools✨🔮
You can try using your magick tools to represent elements as well. For example, I use a genie lamp to represent fire, a chalice for water, a bell and a feather for air and my lucky charms such as my acorn and oak spoon to represent earth. Try to figure out what elements the tool itself comes in contact with, this may help you determine where it goes and what it represents.
🎨✨Displaying Colors ✨🎨
Use colours to your advantage when setting up or working with your altar. Ribbons, dishes, candleholders, jars, scarves and cloths are perfect to use as representation of the elements through colour correspondence.
💎✨Crystals and Rocks✨💎
You can have crystals organized by their elements or use a crystal to represent it. You can do this by figuring out the elemental correspondences of your crystals. The internet is very helpful for this! It helps you easily find all your correspondences in a simple search.
🌿✨Herbs and Spices✨🌿
Sprinkle herbs and spices on your altar that pertain to each element. You can even use these to dress your candles with! For example hibiscus and cinnamon correspond with the element of fire.
🕯✨Coloured Candles✨🕯
Using coloured candles is of course another fantastic way of easily displaying the elements, as they can easily be assigned a colour. I.e. Red for Fire, Green for Earth, Blue for Water, Yellow for Air ect.
You may also dress the candles with specific oils that correspond to the desired element.
💐✨Various Objects & Nature Elements✨💐
You can use a variety of items found in nature such as leaves, pinecones or even plants to use as representations on your altar. Different plants actually correspond to different things, so get creative in this process by discovering the magickal correspondences of trees and plants.
⚗✨Tarot, Oracle & Alchemy Cards✨⚗
Use a card from one of your decks that symbolize an element. Can be from any type of card deck as long as it has the appropriate symbolism or meaning to represent your element.
🔭✨Zodiac and Astrological Signs✨🔭
You can display zodiac signs, symbols and even planets or planetary signs to represent an element! You can even create drawings or other visual representations of these to use. You don’t always have to go out and buy all of this stuff.
🐝✨Animal and Spirit Totems✨🐝
Each animal has its own elemental correspondence, so feel free to use this to your advantage! Use images, statues, sculptures, jewelry boxes of animals or spirits to be used on your altar. This includes but isn’t limited to fae, merfolk or any other entities.
🌬✨Dieties and Mythical Creatures✨🌬
Statues or representations of Dieties can also represent elements as well. some people may not like the idea, but it’s all up to you and what you make of your craft. I keep a Bastet statue on my altar, which I associate with Egypt and Dryness.
💍✨Amulets and Talismans✨💍
Do you have any amulets or talismans that have been enchanted with a certain element? You can certainly display or work with these as its element on your altar! I keep a talisman for each element on my altar.
No matter what path you follow as in witchcraft are, chances are you have some sort of sacred space. If you are a witch whose practice is part of your religious beliefs, this might be a place to communicate with your deities. If you work with spirits, this could be a place where honor your ancestors. Non-religious witches like myself often use altars as a space where they can connect with their magical and spiritual sides. Even though we all share this desire to have a place all our own dedicated to our craft.
That doesn’t mean we all need the same type of space. Whether you are a new witch who can’t show off your craft publicly (we’ve all been there) or just a witch who isn’t really into the more standard altar table setup, there are plenty of options for customizing and creating an altar space that meets your needs.
Window Altars
One easy way to create an altar is to take up a windowsill. Depending on the arrangement of the room you’re using, your personal preference, and the space available, the size of this type of altar varies.
This generally small altar space can be good for witches in the broom closet and green witches who like to keep their altars populated with plant friends. Because it is literally a window to the outside, these altars are also great places for charging things like crystals, spells, and water under the light of the moon.
Benefits:
Good for altars that are heavily planted (hello, sunlight!)
Generally discreet
Keeps your altar space contained (for all us witches that do not know when to quit)
Garden Altars
While pretty much any altar can include plants, there is something else to say for an altar that is almost completely plants. If you have some space indoors, why not design a witch’s garden that doubles as an altar space?
A small tray planted with succulents with offering bowls and candle dishes set into the soil and crystals scattered around can be a unique, and even moveable altar! You could also use potted plants so that you can change the arrangement or plants out whenever you need a refresh.
Benefits:
Deeply connected to nature and the earth
Pluck herbs for spells right off your altar
Generally pretty moveable
Bath Altars
If you love bath magic as much as I do, you’re a water witch, or your bathroom is one of your most sacred places (self-care anyone?), a bath altar could be the perfect thing to give your craft a physical home.
We’ve all seen those pictures of wooden tray tables for baths surrounded by eucalyptus and candles. Add a statue of your deity (or a symbol of something important to your craft), some crystals (check how your crystals are affected by water and humidity first!), and some jars of your favorite things to mix into bath spells, and your bath altar is set.
Benefits:
The perfect place to combine witchcraft and self-care
Perfect for witches that incoroporate the water element in their craft a lot
Magic really does belong in every room in the house
Travel Altars
If you tend to practice on a whim rather than waiting to be in a specific place or if you need to be able to stash your altar quickly, a travel altar is perfect. These altars can be fit into matchboxes, Altoids tins, jewelry boxes, and even hollowed out books! If you can carry it with you and find supplies small enough to fit, anything goes. (I’ve even seen locket altars!)
Some witches will create multiple travel altars for different purposes or focuses, but don’t feel like you need to collect them if that’s not your thing.
Benefits:
Small and discreet, it’s hard to make a mess with these
Very customizable (and easy to have multiples of!)
Perfect for witches in the broom closet
Virtual Altars
Tech witches, I haven’t forgotten you. If you’ve been following me for a bit, then you might know that I threw out the idea a while ago about a altar lockscreen/wallpaper for your phone/tablet/etc. Now that I’ve talked to some tech witches, I know this is actually a pretty sound idea!
Whether you commision an artist or design one yourself, a lock screen wallpaper for an electronic device (you could even go as big as a laptop with a touch screen!) could make the perfect altar for a tech witch. Even if you decide not to use it as a wallpaper, designing an image that serves as an altar and opening it in GIMP or Photoshop where you can create additional layers for placing other virtual elements could be useful.
Benefits:
Travel friendly
Can be synced across devices, so your altar is always with you
Easy to change and “redecorate” throughout the year
Similar to a virtual altar, a paper altar is a portable, customizable altar. Many witches choose to include paper altar setups in their grimoires, but there’s nothing stopping you from making larger paper altars with poster paper that can be rolled up and stored away.
If paper altars are attractive to you, don’t be deterred if you aren’t an artist! Minimallism in paper altars is perfectly fine. You can always outline your altar with symbols or even words alone. If you’re happy with it, it is perfect. You don’t have to meet and requirements for aesthetic or any other witch’s expectations.
There you have it! Of course, there are so many more types of altars, and even table altars can be created to fit your own personal needs. If you’re attracted to more than one of these, why not try combining the elements that call to you to make something entirely your own? The possibilites are endless.
Alright brujitas, I’m not quite sure how often studyblr would cross with witchblr. But what I do know is a lot of witches, me included, have limited space and need our precious tables or nightstands for our every day objects. Altars are traditionally a desk of some sort, with flat surface space for all necessary items and a storage space for items not currently in use (spare candles, matches, etc).
I want to say that a lot of the “best” and idolized altars are giant wood desks with statues and figures, crystal grids of all specimens, and candles upon candles with plenty of space for a thick grimoire. But this isn’t necessary, it’s difficult to maintain (especially college kid witches, apartment dwellers, and more), it also isn’t really better than any other altar. What works for your space and your abilities is what is best for you! For some of us, a cork board altar would be a great place to start.
How to use:
I say “altar” because it could be used as an extension to your grimoire, if you are someone who loves theorizing then it could easily be used to connect and visualize your thoughts or findings before you write them. If you have an altar with limited space, having a cork board near the altar for current spell workings would also be fantastic!
*Make sure your cork board is properly secured to the wall, and that your pins are sturdy
What to pin:
Any papers relevant to your studies is an obvious go to, but here are some tips to make it a bit more unique and witchy:
Pouches: Small pouches meant to be stuffed into gift bags or for herbs would be perfect to store here. They don’t weigh a thing and be easily secured with pins while maintaining easy access to the materials inside. You can store herbs, flowers, some offerings, crystals, or various candles in these pouches. If you find pouches small enough, you could also make a quick crystal grid.
Sigils: Cork boards are perfect for sigils, and you have wider options than just pinning up one drawn on paper. You can make your sigils from formations of the pins (and when the pins are actually used and the sigil is broken up, you can consider it activated then). Or, if you like being crafty, a really quick string art of your sigil can be done in seconds (all you need now is embroidery floss).
If you do happen to be studying for something, you can use your cork board to post all of the needed information and use it as a charging station to aid in your studies. Part of being a witch is to set yourself up for success after all, and having your information in a location you are going to visit every day is a pretty solid step to take.
And of course, images. You do not need a big fancy statue, when you can easily find a historical art concept of your deities. Or brilliant pictures of the animals, planets, etc that you use in your craft. This is a much cheaper alternative and easier to move on from if your craft is ever adjusted. Tip – make a collage on your cork board as an offering to one of your deities.
Don’t forget the decorations! You can also add strings and ribbons, dried flowers, pendants, among other things to the board.
* This is an original spell of my own design from my BOS.*
Self Altar: Honouring Yourself
Uses:
This is an altar you make to honour yourself. It can be made depending on what your needs are. Use it to enhance self-esteem, self-love, and raise positive self-awareness. You can also use it to promote strength, healing, and positivity.
Materials:
Things you can put on this altar can include (but not limited to);
– food & drink
– favorite teas/coffee
– recipes
– a special mug/cup
– flowers/plants (potted, fresh cut, dried, etc.)
– herbs (jarred, potted, fresh cut, dried, etc.)
– anything you like from nature (rocks, leaves, branches, petals, seeds, etc.)
– charged water, moon/rain water, gem elixirs
– books
– song lyrics (can be something you’ve written or by a musician you enjoy)
– poetry, quotes (again, something by you, by someone else whose work you enjoy)
– music (sheet music, CD’s, vinyl, tapes, concert tickets, anything to do with music you like)
– photos (from your life, of something you like, or a photo to represent something)
– candles, incense, perfume, lotion, etc.
– a favorite item of clothing
– jewelry
– any trinkets, odds & ends, objects
– crystals
– anything you use in your craft
– anything from your body (fingernails, eyelashes, blood, hair, etc.)
Basically anything that holds meaning to you or that you feel represents you or something you like.
Other Ideas:
– pictures of yourself that make you feel better about your appearance
– pictures of loved ones (or gifts from them, something that reminds you of them) to remind you that you aren’t alone and do have people that care about you
– a list of achievements or things you’re proud of
– a list of things you like about yourself
– a letter to yourself (must be positive and encouraging)
– mantras, positive and encouraging thoughts
– a written or typed & printed recount of an experience/memory that makes you feel good (should be a good, happy, or even funny memory, something that fills you up. Can be absolutely anything at all. Write it in as much detail you want and however you want; a guided meditation into the memory, a journal entry, just write down what you remember.)
How & When To Use It:
You can make this altar any time of year and change it as often as you wish. If it helps, construct it as you for anything/anyone else (deity, sabbat, a loved one). Consider what you would like to see if someone made an altar or left offerings for you. Whatever your reason is for making this altar, it will likely affect when it’s made and what is put on it.
Example: If you usually become depressed during the winter, you might make it right around the time it arrives. You might include crystals and herbs that help with depression, helpline numbers, photos of loved ones, positive thoughts or anything that comforts and cheers you up.
Another example could be: You make this altar with a focus on self-love and could include a list of things you like about yourself, rose quartz, a letter you write to you to read when you feel bad about yourself, positive affirmations, things you’ve done that you’re proud of, strengths you have, hobbies and talents, etc.
For more clarification or an example of my own, keep an eye out! (Once I have my list made up and make a post I will insert a link to it.)
fair--y backup 