The $20 Altar

                As pagans, something we pride ourselves on is our decorative nature. We thrive in bright, colorful environments that reflect our exuberant personalities. We wish to surround ourselves with beauty and life and as such we take every opportunity to reflect this in our dress, mannerisms and especially on our altar. 

                For many practitioners; pagan, wiccan and what have you, certain tools are considered ubiquitous for a standard altar. Everything must be properly represented, every sub-talent of the craft must have a catalyst through which to work. The elements must all have the right color candles and you just can’t go without an athame and chalice! 

                Understand, my intention here isn’t to mock or devalue an alter or the practices of most. But for many of us from the moment we picked up our first beginners wicca book we have been told that there is a very specific way to design and supply your altar. It conforms to the generalized beliefs of wiccans and often involves a lot of..well…stuff! Stuff that includes but is by no means limited to:

-altar cloth
-pentacle
-pentagram (that’s a pentacle without a circle)
   -wand/staff    
-mortar and pestle
-cauldron
-umpteen billion candles (including one for each quarter and an extra for spirit)
-crystals
-chalice
-athame/sword/sickle
-wood
-soil
-feathers
-tarot cards
-scrying mirror/bowl
-spices
-incense
-sage bundles
-statues
-libation/sacrifice
-oil
-grimioure
-medicine bag

By the end of all the purchases, (because very few of us have the time, talent, and knowledge to make everything ourselves), you have not only eaten up potentially hundreds of dollars, but where are you supposed to put all this stuff? I favor the argument of a magickal cabinet, a drawer or chest that exists solely for the purpose of your altar and your supplies. But think about this for a moment. All I’ve mentioned are the items I typically see ON an altar. That’s to say nothing of everything we keep a hold of and stock up on in case we run out or because an Esbat is coming up and we need to have it on hand. 

                To put it bluntly, who has room for this amount of crap? I don’t. I’m willing to bet a lot of people don’t although they may work hard to make room for it all. But what am I really trying to say here? Am I insulting the time and money people contribute to the creation of their altars? No! Am I criticizing wiccan and pagan practice? No!

                I’m making an argument for practicality. 

                To clarify, when I first took up paganism eight years ago, I had the same kind of altar as one would expect. I was obsessed even with finding the right items and making sure they were suitable for a place on my draw. My altar was huge and quite frankly a pain. The cats were always knocking everything down. If the cloth got caught on something it all got ripped off. Not to mention it was a bit tacky and unsightly. You can make the argument that is my fault and I accept it. Doesn’t mean the rest is not true. 

                I had a falling out a while back and for two years I quit any kind of pagan, wiccan or witch craft. I was upset and I was done. But now that I’ve found myself desiring it back in my life again, I had to come to a realization. I’ve grown up. I’m a different person now than an excitable teen just raring for that $50 tye dye altar cloth she just had to get. *eyeroll* Well…at least in some ways.

                I made the decision that I would go simple. I promised myself not to spend more than $20 on my altar. Now mind you that is excluding things like incense and oils. No matter what you do that stuff costs money. So do yourself a favor and simply find the best deal that you can. But on the visible level I was going to spend less and be satisfied with either making or finding what I needed for my magickal space.

                This is what the generic pagan altar looks like:

 

                This is mine:

Earth: Green Candle & Pine Needled ($.50)
Water: Blue Candle & Seashell ($.50)
Fire: Red Candle & Incense ($.50)
Air: Yellow Candle & Feather ($.50)
Wooden Bowl ($10)
Sand ($3)
Offering Bowl (Had it from a serving tray set)
Goddess Figure ($5 for Sculpty Clay)

TOTAL=$20

                This isn’t a boast or trying to say my way is better. What I am presenting is an alternative to the large, ostentatious, and expensive altars people often strive for. In its own way, I feel this sort of alter represents a deeper part of our spirituality. Rather than focusing on the visual, we are prompted to consider what these objects represent to us. Instead of thinking about if the alter cloth matches the goddess statue, we think about how the goddess represents us. Especially if you are ADHD as I am, allowing yourself fewer distractions gives you better focus and determination when you cast or meditate.  

 

                As a final consensus, let me say that if I had room in my house to dedicate to worship, my altar would probably look like the former. But the fact of the matter is I don’t. I have a small bedside table in a small bedroom in a decent sized house that is not mine alone. So I have a small, suitable altar that still conveys the same sense of dedication and intent as far as I am concerned.