Setting up your own Altar is very simple, it does not take much effort at all. The Altar of the Witches, is a Mystery in itself. Originally back in ancient times woman was worshipped as the Holy Altar, and she was adored as the creative principal in man. In this respect we are not honoring the woman but whom she represents. This is the great feminine in all of nature, which we call the Goddess. The womb is the aspect that we honor and worship, it is not the woman, or the vagina, but the essence of creation and life itself, the hidden Magik within very female of any and all creaturehood.

The Altar is usually, set in the north, the place of the Earth, this is because it is the planet of earth that is a Witch’s focal point and first place of being. As you grow with the seasons and time, you can place your Altar in different Quarters of your Circle or room. This is so you are in rhythm and tuning into nature to suit and flow with the changing seasons. Like East for Spring, South for summer, West for Autumn, and North for Winter. You could even place the Altar in different positions to suit the ritual you are doing.

Side note: I hear time and again Southern Hemisphere Pagans and Wiccans/Witches alike saying ‘We should have fire in the North and Earth in the South because of living in the Southern Hemisphere. Ok, if that is how you want to work, that is fine, I have no problem with that, each to his own. My only question would be, why do you allow your circle to be so limited and stuck in one place – the earth plane? In the magick circle we are working with the Elements and Elementals (among other things), which are not on the Physical Plane, but on the Astral. The Majik Circle is the Quartered Creation of Life, it is the world between the worlds, the world that you have created. The symbologies of the tools, the quarters, the Altar, the points of the magik circle are all designed with deeper meanings, and reasons. Taking something at face value, to me means you haven’t done your homework, you haven’t looked deeper. Its like being given a book, looking at the title and saying…’Oh that book 50 shades of grey, is about monochromatic painting’. Open it up have a look, inside, explore, then after if you still think the same way then ok. But there is more to witchcraft then what you see at face value.

The altar can be any table or chest, that is going to be used only as an Altar and not for any other reason. I should be about waist height, and arms length and width. Try not to wear large sleeves as they get in the way and can sometimes knock your tools over. You Altar should not be used for anything else, it should be kept clean with a fresh Altar cloth of your choice of colour. Usually the colour of the ritual that you are doing or even the colour of the season.