A Witches Altar – Making & using your own Witch Altar

If you’re new to the world of witchcraft and have been feeling confused when you see things like ‘time to change up my altar’ or ‘left an offering on my altar’, don’t worry because we got you.

Ash from various incense is smudged on a worn wooden table next to a lit blue candle with a steady flame. This table clearly belongs to a practitioner of the magical arts... but they're also a nerd as in the background, beside a palmistry model is a recreation of the V. Day kiss between two Storm Troopers.

The oxymoron between the beautifully creative 'fresh out of fucks' cross stitch beside a cluster of amethyst and a raw rose quartz speaks a thousand words. — not your typical witch altar

What is an altar?

For many people, an altar is used as a place to centre their practice. Almost like a holy place. Where they can worship their deities, where they can craft their spells and conduct their rituals and, for some, pray. Sometimes, I feel like a terrible witch because I do not have an altar, and that’s OK! You don’t necessarily need one, especially if you’re not open about your craft.

They can be a little table, a bookcase, a travel tin for witches on the go or those ‘in the broom closet’ as we say.

Even though I don’t really have an altar, i imagine mine is my entire house, especially the kitchen as kitchen witchery is a part of my every day practice.

What do I need on an Witch altar?

This depends entirely on you and your practice but typically you will have:

Representations of the four elements
Either an Athame or a wand
A bell
Candles (can include dedicated candles for your deities)
Your book of shadows

Basically, your altar will need to be PRACTICAL and have the tools you will need to perform your magic and rituals. You don’t need to make them over complicated but, if this is within your practice, you can make them seasonal as the Wheel of the Year turns.

How do I represent the elements on my Witch altar?

This is a lot simpler than you think:

Air = Incence

Water = a jar / glass of water (i even have seashells around to represent water)

Earth = a plant pot of earth, a dish of sand

Fire = a candle

“BUT AJ”, I hear you cry, “how can i not be obvious about it”? Take a little a vase and put in some herbs and flowers:

Air = Sage or Lavender

Water = Thyme or Rose

Earth = Mugwort or honeysuckle

Fire = Rosemary or carnation

If you don’t have the finances to keep refreshing the herbs or flowers then a drawing of each is enough, even a drawing of the elemental symbols will do! Witchcraft doesn’t need to cost you any money when there is power and creativity in you too.

What do you have on your altar? Let us know in the comments.

If you want more from AJ, you can find her on TikTok