Altar Setup

     When opening a circle, you will need what is called an altar.  An altar is a dedication to the different aspects of the divine, and the different elements.  You place your ritual tools and other items that you will be using throughout the ritual on the altar.  An altar is generally placed in the center of your circle, but it can be placed in any direction of the circle if you choose.  For example, if you are going to be working closely with the direction of East, then you may choose to place your altar in the eastern part of your circle.  As you use your items during a ritual, you will take the items from your altar, and then replace them back on the altar when you are done using them.  Usually you will not want anyone to touch any of your items on your altar.  An altar is a sacred place between you and the All-Life.  If someone does happen to handle any of your items, you should seriously consider cleansing the item with a sage stick or any other method of cleansing you know of.  The idea is that you do not want any adverse energy in your circle or in your sacred space.  You never know what someone might be carrying with them when they enter your house, so therefore use common sense when allowing others to touch your altar or your altar tools. 

     An altar is not only for ritual, there should also be a permanent placement of an altar somewhere within your home.  You may not even be aware that you have an altar, but many of you already do.  For example, if you have any tables or bookshelves lined with pictures of your family, then be assured you have an altar.  It is an altar to the element of Earth, which governs the family, the physical, and material realms.  This is only one example, if you investigate your home carefully, I'm sure you will find many altars to the different aspects.  In a way this is what awareness is all about.  We do things in routine and therefore don't realize what is really happening around us. When the time comes however, we "wake up" to what our true activities really are.  Below is a basic altar arrangement for use during ritual.  There are many different ways of setting up your altar, this is only to give you a small example.

     Please keep in mind that this is a basic setup.  If you use other items during your ritual such as crystals, waters, candles, etc., try to keep them placed with the appropriate element or direction.  Now that you have become familiar with the setup of an altar, lets take a look at what tools you will be using and what they represent, you can find more on ritual tools by clicking continue below.