Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

[SilverSerenity]

OK, So I'm not sure if this question is phrased well but I think I need to ask it. If anyone can help me out or give their thoughts and experiences it would be appreciated.

I'm relatively new and inexperienced with Paganism and the only things I have read about altars and altar worship have been the Wiccan calling of the elements and casting a circle before doing any spiritual work and the associated requirement to have a symbol of the 4 elements, the God and Goddess, a pentacle, wand/chalice etc on the altar.

I was wondering if there are any other ways of worshipping at an altar - do you need to have a representation of all of the above symbols or visualise them? Do you need to call the elements/cast a circle before doing any spiritual work? If not, then what else could you do instead or do you just get on with meditating, praying, spellwork etc.? If there are other ways, can anyone describe them or point me to a text that I can read myself?

Currently i'm doing it the Wiccan way that i've read about, but something doesn't seem quite right with that and it seems to take a lot of time to prepare and do - or is that the point? I'm tending to move away from Wicca with my other beliefs but I have yet to properly define my path.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

.. I was wondering if there are any other ways of worshipping at an altar - do you need to have a representation of all of the above symbols or visualise them? Do you need to call the elements/cast a circle before doing any spiritual work? If not, then what else could you do instead or do you just get on with meditating, praying, spellwork etc.? If there are other ways, can anyone describe them or point me to a text that I can read myself?

Currently i'm doing it the Wiccan way that i've read about, but something doesn't seem quite right with that and it seems to take a lot of time to prepare and do - or is that the point? I'm tending to move away from Wicca with my other beliefs but I have yet to properly define my path.

For me personally I think the notion of an altar is something personal and defined against that. I have a strong hellenic influence in my practice so I have a raised altar to the celestial or Olympian gods / goddess where I pour libations, burn offerings or make observances. I use a shallow depression or pit to make offerings, libations or observances to the chthonic gods / goddesses who dwell beneath the earths surface. Sometimes I will use statuary of the god(s) / goddess(es) I wish to honor and make offerings / libations / etc to. Might even make offerings of clothes, jewells, coins, etc to them that I place upon the altar but that is more so when I feel compelled to do so not as a general rule. Other times I have their statuary located around my desk or on shelves and will simply sit and talk to them.

I do not use a chalice, wand, pentacle, etc as they hold no meaning to my spirituality or beliefs so have no meaning at all to me. I am sworn and honor bound to Hecate for instance but I'd never disgrace my altar with the supposed Hecate's Wheel image that so many cling to but I might use a Jynx near my altar or sacred area.

Having a lot of shamanic type influences I see the whole of the world as an altar or sacred place so any place I am moved to pray at or simply sit and meditate is an altar. I add no extra things and in most instances only have present what ever is found along the path to the place that calls to me. Thus it might be a rock or stone offered by the stone people, a feather from the winged ones or bone from any of the peoples, perhaps some offering from the green people or standing ones that I pick up from the ground such as an acorn, pine cone, berry, etc.

If I call anything it is the four winds and the 9 sacred directions (N, S, E, W, Above, Below, Before, Behind, Centered) I do invite the spirits of my ancestors to attend, the spirits of the local land spirits whether they be greater or lessor spirits, Invite not summon or command my gods / goddesses to attend. Normally doing so where three paths meet though my paths are usually water, land and air with a fire making the fourth junction that is static in its location.

The rest is sort of hard to explain due to the fact it is things that I feel compelled to do one instance but not at another so it is not a key element.

[Satu]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

There are a lot of ways to set up an altar/shrine, and it depends on what tradition you're part of. If you feel uncomfortable with the way your current setup and method, feel free to move things around a bit. Try different things, discarding those that don't work.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

What you have as/on your altar and what you do it it is entirely up to your needs. Your path may have specific practices/requirements which go under the category of "needs" for me. But mostly what I would ask is: What do you WANT to do at your altar? Because if it's not serving a purpose there isn't much point to having one.

In my case, my altar is a workstation for spell casting. For religious communion, I go out to find green space and hallow the area for the duration of my rite.

[SilverSerenity]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

Thanks for the replies Keep them coming.

There are a lot of ways to set up an altar/shrine, and it depends on what tradition you're part of. If you feel uncomfortable with the way your current setup and method, feel free to move things around a bit. Try different things, discarding those that don't work.

I think the big thing here is that I have never experienced or read about any other paths other than Wiccan and don't really know where to start doing that. I must be looking in the wrong places but all I ever seem to find is stuff about Wicca and nothing about anything else. Nor do I feel generally informed enough about e.g. associations of things to feel I can just improvise.

I don't know what I *want* or need at my altar yet either or exactly what my needs are, other than that I need some kind of focus, like a candle or an image of the deity I worship. However I want more than that or it doesn't feel like i'm setting aside time and preparation or thought to my worship. I live in a small apartment in the centre of a big city and don't drive so I can't always just go out and find a green space to give me inspiration or where I can be undisturbed easily - even though i'd like to.

[Erika]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

Well, what are the first things that come to mind when you think of what's wrong with your current setup? What would you prefer? You've mostly stuck to doing things by rote, from what I gather, so have you tried free-forming? What about just setting up an altar based around a single idea? What about instead of having a working altar, just one to sit at and meditate/pray/etc?

Experiment and find what works best. It can be a little nerve wracking, trying to pinpoint what exactly you're fixing, but it's worth it. :-)

[thalassa]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

I don't know what I *want* or need at my altar yet either or exactly what my needs are, other than that I need some kind of focus, like a candle or an image of the deity I worship. However I want more than that or it doesn't feel like i'm setting aside time and preparation or thought to my worship. I live in a small apartment in the centre of a big city and don't drive so I can't always just go out and find a green space to give me inspiration or where I can be undisturbed easily - even though i'd like to.

Personally, I think that an altar has a three-fold purpose...practically, its a stuff holder. Depending on what I'm doing, my altar also acts as a focus for meditation, and/or as a sort of 'anchor' for spiritual workings (often as a...tie...between sacred space and myself).

I think the most effective way to figure out what you "need" is to start practicing. If you think "hey __________ might be helpful" (something you see, hear, read, etc), then try it out. If its something that is expensive or not easily obtained, try to find something that can act as a "stand in" until you decide if it works and is worth the acquisition. The only way you'll know what to have on your altar is to try stuff out!

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

Just remember to though that one doesn't have to have an altar to practice. Sometimes you may discover that trying to have all the bells and whistles makes practice harder than it has to be.

[Satu]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

I think the big thing here is that I have never experienced or read about any other paths other than Wiccan and don't really know where to start doing that. I must be looking in the wrong places but all I ever seem to find is stuff about Wicca and nothing about anything else. Nor do I feel generally informed enough about e.g. associations of things to feel I can just improvise.

Wicca is pretty much ubiquitous. It can be challenging to find other traditions. Have you searched for Recon traditions such as Kemetic Reconstructionism (ancient Egyptian religion), Hellenismos (ancient Greek religion), etc? Your religion tag says you're leaning toward some kind of Celtic paganism. You might look into Celtic Reconstructionism and its various flavors. Or you might research the culture(s) people normally think of as Celtic.

Your best bet is to spread your reading out over multiple topics and sources. Don't be in any great hurry to do it. Just a couple hours a week--more, if you're okay with it--until you start getting a better idea of where to go or what to do. Read blogs from various pagans, too. Read forums. Pretty much anything you can get your hands on. If you're lucky, as you're researching, your intuition will point you in the right direction, or a deity will knock you over the head and show you the way. Don't feel bad if that doesn't happen, though.

Also be aware that you may not find any one tradition that fits you perfectly. In that case, you'll have to pick the one that is closest to what you're looking for and then, as you go along, add to it. It can be a long process. I've met people who've been at it for 10+ years and still feel like they've barely scratched the surface of everything they need/want to do.

I still recommend you experiment a bit. Unless you go out of your way to be disrespectful or audaciously stupid, you'll be okay. Many gods tend to be pretty lenient on people who are just learning, too, and as long as you really make an effort not to tick them off, you'll probably do just fine. And it's not like the gods are shy about saying what they like or want. If you irritate someone, you'll know.

What might help is to start with the recommended layout your current sources give you. Ask yourself what rings true to you and what doesn't. There's generally no right way to lay out an altar (shrines might be a different story, depending on the tradition) other than the way that works best for you. What speaks to you? What feels more effective to you? Your intuition isn't always right, of course. It is, however, a reasonable guide in cases like this.

I don't know what I *want* or need at my altar yet either or exactly what my needs are, other than that I need some kind of focus, like a candle or an image of the deity I worship. However I want more than that or it doesn't feel like i'm setting aside time and preparation or thought to my worship. I live in a small apartment in the centre of a big city and don't drive so I can't always just go out and find a green space to give me inspiration or where I can be undisturbed easily - even though i'd like to.

At this point, then, I would recommend getting an image of your deity(ies). Printed from the internet is fine, or hand drawn if you have that particular skill. Get a candle, maybe some incense if your living situation allows, then a dish for offerings, and a bowl for libations. Make sure you put all of this on a big enough surface so that you can expand as needed. As you practice, what you need will become clearer. These kinds of things tend not to come all at once.

You need to ask yourself what the primary purpose of your shrine/altar is going to be. A place meant for worship will be set up and used differently compared to a place meant for magic workings or a mixture of both. This also brings to mind who the space primarily belongs to. A shrine belongs to the deity(ies) to which it is dedicated. An altar is more your personal space. A mixture is. . . well, a mixture.

Personally, my space is a shrine--ie: a place of worship. I go there to pray, talk to, or honor my gods. It's set up in a way particular to Kemeticism. You're not going to find the concept of God and Goddess there. You won't find representations of the elements or anything like that. I might do divination or heka (Kemetic magic) before the shrine, but not on the shrine proper.

You sound really nervous. Try not to be. Enjoy the ride. Have a little fun with it. It's better to make mistakes now, when you're a newbie, than later when you're expected to have some idea of what you're doing. And you don't necessarily have to get out into green space all the time. Try getting some house plants. You can put them on your altar/shrine and taking care of them can be a form of devotion. You'll bring a bit of green into your space without having to find a way out of the city.

[SilverSerenity]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

Thank you Satu for the detailed response. It was really helpful

I haven't read anything on the Kemetic or Hellenismos paths - this is the first time i've heard of them. The reason I say I'm leaning towards Celtic is because I enjoy the Celtic histories (such as we know of them), Celtic folk stories and I am heavily into in traditional scottish dance. For me it seems completely natural and I'd like to take this to a more spiritual or religious level. However, I'll try reading about some of the other paths you mentioned and things like druidism.

You sound really nervous. Try not to be.

What would you prefer? You've mostly stuck to doing things by rote, from what I gather, so have you tried free-forming?
Experiment and find what works best. It can be a little nerve wracking, trying to pinpoint what exactly you're fixing, but it's worth it. :-)

Story of my life - being nervous or doing a lot of things by rote or from books. I'll try and relax and discover how to just "be" or draw inspiration from my surroundings - maybe that's the first "need" I have, although it will be a steep learning curve.

[Heka]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

To me an altar or shrine is a focus, nothing more. Put things on it that focus your energies in the direction you wish to focus them. For example I have a kitchen shrine, with some crystals, candles, an image of the mother, and a jar for food offerings. The purpose is the focus my domestic self, especially cooking, and I have others. Decide what you want to focus on, and create a space for it!

[thalassa]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

Thank you Satu for the detailed response. It was really helpful

I haven't read anything on the Kemetic or Hellenismos paths - this is the first time i've heard of them. The reason I say I'm leaning towards Celtic is because I enjoy the Celtic histories (such as we know of them), Celtic folk stories and I am heavily into in traditional scottish dance. For me it seems completely natural and I'd like to take this to a more spiritual or religious level. However, I'll try reading about some of the other paths you mentioned and things like druidism.

If you think you might be interested in a Celtic flavored Paganism, I really recommend this site: Sisters of the Silver Branch I'm not sure if they are still around as a group (their site hasn't been updated in several years), but their reading list is quite good. (they also have one of the better articles I've seen on magical tools--you might want to read it, regarding your altar question )

I think the best advice I've ever received about Paganism was from the owner of my hometown's first and only Pagan store--"Start with what you know and what you like. As you move on your path, look around and see what else is out there. If you find a detour that looks interesting, take it--you can always turn around if its not your cup of tea." Start with Wicca, if its what you know...really sit down and think about what you agree with and what you don't...what you grok, and what you are sort of 'meh' about. Keep those things (the ones you grok). And then take a look at Celtic paganism. There are people that are Celtic-flavored Wiccans and Wiccan flavored Celtic (contemporary) Pagans--if that appeals to you, go with it. If you find that you 'need' less of the Wiccan flavoring, ditch it. Perhaps you will find, as you go on, that Druidry is your thing (a wee introduction to Druidry)...or maybe you are meant to be a Celtic reconstructionist. But everyone starts somewhere and most people don't just jump into a fully formed spirituality and stay there forever.

Story of my life - being nervous or doing a lot of things by rote or from books. I'll try and relax and discover how to just "be" or draw inspiration from my surroundings - maybe that's the first "need" I have, although it will be a steep learning curve.

Books are great....research is wonderful. I love, love, love to read books...but, perhaps the thing to remember is that they are still just words on a page...religion is not written in stone by the hands of the gods, its made up by people inspired by the forces they found around them in the language and symbolism of their culture as both grew up together (and while that might bother some people, personally I find the latter far more inspiring). I truly believe that information is only a starting point--a reference is something to refer to, not something to live by (even so, I still have my own recommended intro reading list, lol!!). I might add that I wasn't always at that place, when I started out I was probably about where you are.

I've found, for myself, as a somewhat A type personality that constantly has to be doing something(think borderline OCD+ADHD), the best answer was to find something with movement. You say you don't have a lot of access to the outdoors? Try ecstatic dance--look up a woman named Gabrielle Roths, she developed a sequence of types of free-form movement that is its own ritual...she has some books and cds and dvd's available, and there are a couple of youtube videos. Or, take up drumming (your neighbors might not like that, but if you are somewhere urban, there might be classes). Or...consider your city your own locus go out and walk (walking is a great way to clear your mind)--lots of people seem to think that nature is way far away somewhere else...that's bs! Nature is everywhere...inside you (our gut microflora is amazing), inside your home, outside your home (look at a crack in the sidewalk some time), in the hardpacked earth of an abandoned lot....heck, Chicago has urban coyotes!

One of the greatest skills (IMO) you can learn as a Pagan (or as a person) that way, way too few people can do (Pagan or otherwise) is to observe while reserving judgement. To listen, not just to hear...to watch, not just to see (but not in a creepy stalker way) the world around them. A coffee shop or book store is just as good of a place for this as a green meadow or towering mountain. TBH, we can't see the scared if we don't even see the mundane in front of our face...after all, its a matter of "two modes of thinking about the same things" (to quote the article I linked).

Anyhoo...I think that made sense (I've been interrupted by munchkins at least a dozen times while typing) and hopefully it was helpful!

[SilverSerenity]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

If you think you might be interested in a Celtic flavored Paganism, I really recommend this site: Sisters of the silver branch I'm not sure if they are still around as a group (their site hasn't been updated in several years), but their reading list is quite good. (they also have one of the better articles i've seen on magical tools - you might want to read it, regarding your altar question )

Thank you thalassa, another lovely detailed and certainly helpful response to my question (despite your "munchkins") I've skimmed this site and it looks very good - particularly their Celtic reading list, which I see some authors whose other works I have already read. One thing though is that some of their links to other sites no longer work. I will try to get my hands on some of these books and settle down for some reading, which if nothing else, I hope will be relaxing.

One of the greatest skills (IMO) you can learn as a Pagan (or as a person) that way, way too few people can do (Pagan or otherwise) is to observe while reserving judgement. To listen, not just to hear...to watch, not just to see (but not in a creepy stalker way) the world around them. A coffee shop or book store is just as good of a place for this as a green meadow or towering mountain. TBH, we can't see the scared if we don't even see the mundane in front of our face...after all, its a matter of "two modes of thinking about the same things" (to quote the article I linked).

This brings to mind one of my favourite quotations:

"Who are we if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare"

Looking up the author and name of this poem (Leisure, by Welsh poet William Henry Davis) I realise that's a slight misquote, but it's something that has always been with me since a child. However, it is a lovely poem and encapsulates your sentiment, i think.

[Auseklis]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

I love the way some folk have natural altars with simple items from nature with no stress on rules or tradition but just flow and connection. I am a bit of an altar addict (yes I can admit it) and I have very elaborate altars and some take up whole rooms, but I am always changing them. Some I set up in a traditional sense and others by color coding... I think it is the creation of the altar that is ceremonial for me rather than the altar itself. As Heka said, it is about focus and what it means to you. Be free and enjoy!

[Tarn]

Re: Question(s) on Worshipping at Altars

My altar is a folding, white oak, TV tray (like you use to eat while watching TV). I have an incense holder, three chime candle holders and a brass triskelion on it. The triskelion was supposed to be a cookie press (puts the design on the top of cookies), but turned out to be an "altar tile"; so it ended up on the altar and acts as the official coaster to the Goddess when I offer Her coffee. My point? You don't need to have everything that you've read about on your altar.

In fact, you don't NEED an altar. Your Deity can hear you from the backyard, park, under a tree, most any place at all. But an altar does have a couple of advantages (that have already been stated). It does help you focus on your worship/offering/et al, and it adds a certain formality that tends to make your time at the altar feel a little more "proper", or "respectful". And it does make a great "thing" holder; meaning candles, incense, a picture or statue of your Deity, offerings, etc.

As for altar descriptions in the Celtic tradition... good luck. I haven't found any that actually say what an altar should consist of. I would suggest that instead of trying to figure out what your alter should be made of and what it should look like; find out what your Deity would like on it (if anything). In other words instead of looking for what objects to place on your altar, find out what color candle your Deity prefers, and what They like as an offering (flowers, food, drink, etc). You may find that your best times with your Deity are not around your altar. So begin by looking up information on your Deity. And if you don't have a particular one yet, start by looking up "Celtic Gods" and "Celtic Goddesses"; that will keep you busy for a lifetime.

I started as Wiccian, then got drawn into the Celtic tradition. One thing that I noticed about Wicca is that it is steeped in ritual. This is not a bad thing mind you. But there are some of us that would rather put their efforts into giving honor to their Deity instead of trying to remember established sayings. I tend to "talk" to my Goddess, rather than recite a memorized verse. I have not found many verses that cover the topics I wish to discuss with Her. And trying to translate what I have to say into a verse or trying to make it rhyme tends to make it feel cold and impersonal to me. But that is my belief, your belief will, most likely, be different.

My point, and the point that everyone has made so far is: Figure out what is right for you. I recall hearing, somehwere, "Do as ye will, an harm none." So... do as ye will. Do what is right for you. And remember that what is right for you now, may change later on; that has something to do with growing, I believe.