#personal altar

[tfwstherapist]

altar shelf update !!

[a-queer-seminarian]

woke early to spend some quiet time with my mother

ID (also in alt text): an open notebook is propped up in front of a small personal altar dedicated to Mary the Mother of Jesus. It has a teal cloth as its base, with a rosary, candle, labyrinth and Mary statue, some geodes and other stones, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and more. There's also a sticker by artofmarza with a simple image of Mary from the shoulders up, smiling softly; text under her reads "at least mom loves me."

The second image is a close up of the open notebook, dated July 18, 7am. A prayer is scrawled in purple ink:

Mother, Untier of knots, Mary,

My spirit is all knotted up like some garment i've left crumpled in a closet corner for too long.

i am not gentle with myself.

Will you help me? will you take my spirit, unfold and smooth it out, get to work on these tangles

with the same gentleness you had combing out your little boy's hair?

And will you who believed in your son before he believed in himself believe in me?

[ourthirteenthclock]

Recently moved and finally have my altars set up and it all feels that much more like home 🖤🖤

[punkylilwitch]

Altars: Personal Or Otherwise

Deity Altars and Bonding With Patrons

An altar meant for deities is a space set aside for their worship. You can place here all of your offering for them, as well as make their altar a place for communicating with them through runestones, candle magic, etc. On these altars dedicated to patrons, you should add items associated to the god as well as some form of representation of them, whether that be a statue or a picture/poster. Over time a deity will show you what they like as offerings, and these things can be added to the altar regularly. Items can be taken off an altar with the explicit permission of a deity, but typically this is only done when removing something perishable that has gone bad. Food can be added to the altar, and some people connect with their deities by giving them full meals, which is served at the altar or alternatively at the table with the witch as if to invite them to eat together. 

These are also sometimes called “Shrines”, however the concept is pretty much the same. 

Altars Typically Contain:

Trinkets/charms

Candle(s) (per deity)

Crystals

Found offerings (lost objects, rocks, etc.)

Incense

Nature (flowers, sticks, herbs, etc.)

Sigils, talismans, pentagrams, runes, etc.

A picture and/or statue of the deity worshiped at that place 

Deities often appreciate it when offerings are made by hand, and it can help you bond to them. You can also bond using an altar by keeping plants there that you regularly care for, doing divination for them, and doing other hobbies such as writing that stimulate your mind.

Here are some examples of Deity Altars:

Personal Altars

A Personal altar is a table/space used for holding ritual tools, and can also be used as a workspace in spell casting. An altar can be on a table on its own, in a bag or box, on furniture used for other purposes like holding clothes, or wherever is most convenient for the witch.

“Witch altars are sacred and special spaces that symbolize your innermost self and spirituality. It a representation of your hopes, your wishes, the things you’re working on improving and/or releasing, and a place to set intentions and celebrate and practice. Altars are also focal points for your practice—they’re a space to send your energy and intention to whatever deity or being or energy you’re currently working with and channeling. “ -  Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Setting Up Your Witch Altar For Spells, Meditation, And More By  Kendra Syrdal

Here are examples of Personal Altars:

https://thoughtcatalog.com/kendra-syrdal/2018/08/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-setting-up-your-altar-for-spells-meditation-and-more/

https://www.learnreligions.com/setting-up-your-magical-altar-2561940

[cottageofcrystals]

this is my first altar!! Its all very exciting

[that-love-is-all-there-is]

thought I’d share a pic of my messy prayer spot in my parent’s TV room; I know spirituality isn’t just looking at stuff but it really helps me gather myself to have this little spot set up. I pray when I’m not by it ofc but when I want to do contemplative Bible study or say my rosary here’s my go-to place. I have two other icons I swap out for each other as mood and season strike. in other news, Rec me a Catholic prayer book! or a Catholic-friendly queer devotional/prayer book! I have a small book of prayers and a Marian office book but am always in the market for more

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

I recently received two questions via tumblr asking me about personal altars -- how do you make one? What goes on it? How do you utilize it? 

Meanwhile, we're living in a time when many of us can't get to our usual worship spaces, so that worshiping from home is more vital than ever. 

So I decided to make a chill video where I take you on a tour of my altar! While mine is a Christian altar, I hope that folks of other traditions might also find things to take away from this video. 

 Featured: 

connecting to God, connecting to our ancestors (including queer Saints!) 

stim tools and prayer tools - for centering and connecting 

Bibles, devotionals, poems 

offerings to God / to a Saint -- made in gratitude, NOT transactional 

a very needy cat!

If you have an altar (of any religion/faith tradition), I’d love to see it or hear about it! :D

[rowanpepperglow]

Guess who has terrible time management~? 😏 But I got all of it done, and here is my newly organized altar. Got rid of some clutter, got an altar cloth to match my crystal box... Everything is fresh and cleansed for spring ✨ Probably not Pinterest worthy, but I'm proud of my altar 😊