Magic 101: How to Create an Altar
EVERY WELLNESS WITCH SHOULD HAVE AN ALTAR. IT SERVES AS A place to focus her thoughts, prepare for meditation or spellwork, and keep her home in the state of soft, resonant power that it should have. But each altar is personal to that witch, and it will change as she changes and as her practice changes.
Here are some things to consider, just to get started: You’ll want to keep your altar in a somewhat out-of-the-way place, to avoid unwanted questions—if that’s a risk—and also to keep others from messing with it. Your altar is yours alone, and it is private. Many witches keep them in a corner of the bedroom or on a dresser or bookshelf. This is a sacred space, but it doesn’t have to take up a lot of room. You may want to incorporate the elements, so consider the following symbols:
FIRE
Candle | Volcanic stones | Spices like cinnamon or pepper
AIR
Feather | Diffuser | Wind chimes
WATER
Seashell | Empty cup | Jar of rainwater
EARTH
Bowl of loam | Horn or bone | Sedimentary rock
You’ll also want a central symbol for your altar, perhaps an image or figure of a deity or loved one, a pentagram, a powerful crystal, an incense burner, a bowl, or a chalice—your central symbol will change as you and your needs do. Those are the basics—the flair is up to you. Enhance your altar with any stones or essential oils that speak to you and any found items like lost keys, shells, driftwood, or bits of string—many altars look like a magpie has been at them, and that’s a good thing. You’ll want to refresh your altar on the changing of the seasons by reflecting on what still feels true and right to you and what needs to be put away for another day.
Drawing on the transcendent power of intention, the Wellness Witch uses tinctures, tonics, mantras, and meditations to forge a magical connection between the body and the spirit. With chapters on the internal, the external, and the home, readers will learn to harness the power of healing herbs, charged crystals, and sacred spaces as they cultivate the art of mystical self-care. Accessible projects, from crafting aromatherapy blends to creating smudge sticks, are paired with calming rituals, yoga sequences, and simple spells to bring peace, power, and magic into our hectic lives.