An altar is your sacred space. Treat it as such. The items used should be respected as tools for spiritual work, and cared for accordingly.
Bless the Space
A blessing does not have to be elaborate. Simple sprinkling of water infused with energy or anointing oil would be fine, or even a simple prayer and visualization.
Cleanse Items
Especially if you are placing an object that is used, an altar should be cleansed of all energy traces you don’t want in your sacred space. Even if the person you got it from is a nice person, this is a place for you. Although don’t cleanse so hard you scrub the energy from the object that attracted you.
Consider covering mirrors when not using them, especially if the altar is in a bedroom. There is also a belief in Feng Shui that a mirror should not face a bed where someone sleeps.
Cleansing can be done using water or oils, salt, laying the item in the sun or moon, or holding and visualizing the item being cleansed. Do make sure whatever method you use won’t cause harm to the object. Go with your intuition—if something looks pretty but feels off, don’t put it on your altar.
While small altar items I rotate frequently without much fanfare, larger items like a new statue I will anoint with oil and make a prayer. I do a simple “welcome to my altar” ritual, which mostly a few words offering an invitation to whatever I wish for the item to represent.
Obtain All Items Ethically
A nod to John Beckett’s post on cursed items, but in general you only want items on an altar that will help you. Taking something without permission (this includes natural items) won’t start things off on the right foot. There are also ethical issues with how crystals are mined. A caveat would be if something is being repurposed, the damage is done, and using an item instead of replacing it is most of the time better for the environment.
I do understand not everyone has the money or access to the most environmentally friendly items hand made by a pagan artist, but I personally feel that should be the goal. (I will say there is Etsy, a lot of artists will do payment plans, and many pagan stores have a website….) Hand made items have the energy of a person making them, and buying from a pagan artist is also helping in a mundane sense. There are now plenty of pagan artists making beautiful items for other pagans, but expect to pay for quality.
Personally, I am wary of shops selling witchy items that have generic names that keep showing up in social media feed who I have never heard of through pagan channels. There are also a lot of items sold under the “Celtic” label that aren’t actually Celtic or ancient. While mass made items at a general website may be slightly cheaper, purchasing them does not invest in the pagan community. Money can make change in the mundane world as well as put energy forward, spend yours in line with your values. Think for a moment about who will be getting the money and what they will do with it.
Keep it Clean
This might be absurdly simple, but it is true. Mundane cleaning helps greatly to clear up energy. Burning things will cause candle wax and ash residue if not careful. Have something to safely place matches on, I either use an incense burner of the lid of a candle. A periodic wiping down or dusting keeps energy from becoming stale. For food/ drink offerings, I usually leave mine on my altar for about a day before removing them. That gives enough time for spirit to enjoy the essence, and will let you remove the food before it causes issues. Liquid offerings should be poured on the ground, although be careful not to pour milk on tree roots. Food offerings can be left by a tree if is safe for local wildlife to consume. Small seasonal items like leaves or flowers should be removed when they die or create a mess (unless the altar is for someone/something that is appropriate for). While you don’t have to go all neat freak and organized, keeping your space clean also shows respect, both to your work and whatever it is devoted to.
Keep it Uncluttered
An altar isn’t a place to throw random odds and ends. Placing some objects there because you like them and are pretty is one thing, but for the most part what is on your altar should have a purpose. I admit this is largely determined by personal taste, but too much stuff can be a distraction. I personally find it is easier to focus with less items on an altar, and if there are many must have items consider doing some rotations. Or make another altar for a slightly different purpose. While you don’t need to Marie Kondo all the pagan stuff, it’s a good idea to ask if everything is still serving a purpose. Consider leaving some items in a box when they are not in use.
Prevent a Candle from Funneling
Yes, pagans and fire go together. When you burn a candle, if you only burn it for a short time it creates a funnel. To prevent this, either burn the candle until the wax is melted the entire layer or take a hot knife and flatten the softened wax.
If an Item Needs to Go….
If something is broken accidentally or is beyond repair, accept that its time has passed and dispose of it. A quick thank you for your service and cleansing will suffice before disposal. Accidents happen, and it might be a sign or it might not.
Something that is still in good condition could be cleansed and given away, preferably to another pagan. Maybe it just needs another home. For an item that is (safely) flammable, consider burning it. Other options can include burying or placing in a body of water, but in both cases make sure this won’t cause any environmental harm. For cloth, check if its polyester—that shouldn’t be left in the wild because it won’t decompose, although even natural fibers can contain harmful dyes.
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