Wiccan Way

The Altar

Wiccan altars have a variety of formats and the altar is usually considered a tool along with all the other items that are placed on it. Traditionally a Wiccan altar has a cloth, mostly to protect the table or other surface from candle wax, spilled water or other things that are damaging to the surface. There may be a variety of religious tools that one uses symbolically on the altar.

There are several common tools that many Wiccans use on their altars. These are: Goddess and God statues, an athame, a chalice, a pentacle , candles, incense, book of shadows and sometimes a cauldron. Sometimes a wand is used in place of, or in conjunction with the athame. Some people change the layout of their altar depending on the time of year and the rite or ritual being performed.

The traditional altar is usually made of wood and faces either north or east depending on the tradition being followed. Some people prefer round tables as they are easier to get around in the midst of a ritual circle. Others like a square table that fits easily into a corner when not in circle. I personally like having storage space under my table in the form of a cabinet or shelves so I can store some of my ritual items. Some people use a large wooden chest where they can store everything inside and then use the top of the chest as an altar when in use. Whatever you decide on it's a good practice to clean and consecrate it before using it. Smudging it with sage is a quick and effective way to do this. Also exposure to the moon will work equally well. 

Some suggested altar layouts are shown below along with pictures of various different altars.  

This altar setup below is a common one for northern hemisphere altars. It divides the Altar in half with the Left side being related to the Goddess and feminine tools associated with the elements of Earth and Water. The Right side is related to the God and the masculine tools associated with the elements of Air and Fire. 

Left Side of the Altar (Goddess)	Right Side of the Altar (God)
Goddess Candle (White or Silver) Goddess Statue Chalice of wine (or water) Bowl of Water Cauldron Pentacle Bell Crystals or Stones Libations Dish Wand	God Candle (White, Gold or Yellow) God Statue Censor or incense burner with Incense Bowl of Salt Athame (Magickal Knife) Boline (curved knife used to cut herbs) Lighter or Matches Censor Smudge Fan or feather

Oils, Herbs and other Candles can be placed anywhere convenient. You may also want to include your Book of Shadows and Ritual Pen for inscribing spells.

Another popular altar set up is based on the Elements and their associated tools and directions. This is the setup I prefer to use.

North (Earth) Pentacle, Bowl of Salt, Stones, Plants, Flowers, Green Candle, Offering Cakes

One more popular layout:

 

 

Lighting Candle Goddess Statue and Candle Bowl of Water	North (Earth) Bowl of Salt, Stones, Plants, Flowers, Green Candle, Offering Cakes	Lighting Candle God Statue and Candle
West (Water) Seashell, Chalice with Wine, Blue Candle	Center (Spirit) Pentacle, Altar tile Book of Shadows Cauldron	East (Air) Incense, Feather or Smudge Fan, Bell, Censor, Wand, Yellow Candle
	South (Fire) Red Candle, Athame, Boline, Anointing Oil, Candle Snuffer

Here are some pictures of altars: