question about alter

[hotdog40]

im really new and working on getting an allter set up..ive been trying small bits but gettng no sign of anything .ive been useing a brass bowl .after reading some more realized the whole ginni the lamp prison story....is my brass bowl causeing the neglect and possble decline in the stuff ive been trying?

[Red6joker]

Using a brass bowl should not be an issue whatsoever. When it comes to alters I'd all you can do is something simple then that is usually fine. Especially starting out.

[Conium]

Like Red said, it really depends on how open you are/how free you are able to practice. I've seen altars range in size from an altoids container to the size of a dining room table.

However, basically all altars should incorporate a way to call the elements as well as whatever tools you'd need (anthame/dagger, incense burner, iconography, etc.) There's a lot of resources available online about setting up sacred spaces, especially tumblr (but take everything with a tablespoon of salt and pretend like you're the only one on that website while you're searching.

You can look up dorm witch tips, closet witch tips, on the go altar and you'll find a lot of inspiration there, but don't get lost in the whole aesthetic of setting up a sacred space, can it be beautiful- sure! but an altar is also a place where you get to work, it's the place that you sow your magic and your rituals.

In a space for companions, it should be comfortable and relaxing, it should allow you to open up and connect with your companions.

As far as your concern about not feeling anything yet, that's normal when you initially set up an altar and it hasn't been "lived in" yet. Altars get their energy from being used, from having incense ash fall on it, from having candles lit and energies raised. It's like moving into a new house, it hasn't become a home yet.

I hope this helped some,

[hotdog40]

thanks abunch to all that answerd .ive been using it to burn stuff in small spells .i get abit over stimulated on readiing and vids .and then read or watch atuff that goes against other stuff .im like

[Conium]

The thing with altars is that it's really tailored to you and your practice but there's usually some underlying theme within them and that's what is represented on that altar specifically. I get how overwhelming it can be to read a lot of conflicting or mostly conflicting articles about the same thing when you're trying to learn something new.

Just take it one step at a time, and before you know it you'll have your altar set up with the right energies there. You're already on your way with having an offering bowl/cauldron on your altar. Just build it intuitively if that's what would be best for you, but I wouldn't be surprised if your altar ends up with the basics eventually even if you don't see it at first. Just keep exploring and see what you're called to include next. And of course, if you want- I could always write up some basic things to include in an altar or offer more specific advice.

Something else I forgot to mention was that brass isn't restrictive, metal is inherently conductive and would help to send energies if anything. The genie/djinn in a lamp goes back to forcible bindings (it's constrictive and enslaves the entity). Having that bowl there to make offerings doesn't really impact anything. Most censors for incense and offering bowls are made out of bronze or some similar metal, and that goes for some statuary as well.

[hotdog40]

a list would help out alot...again thanks to all replys

[Conium]

a list would help out alot...again thanks to all replys

Hi!!!! I'm so sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you, but as we all know, life can get crazy at times.

So to get right into it, here's a pretty basic list of things that you'd need to set up an altar and this is "standard" stuff but what is actually on your altar may differ.

The Elements:
Earth (a bowl of salt or a bowl of actual dirt, a plant if you can keep on on your altar, some rocks or crystals, typically set towards the northern part of your altar)
Air (incense, a feather, things that make you think of air, set in the eastern part of your altar)
Fire (a candle, an dagger, ritual knife, etc. set in the southern part of your altar)
Water (a wine glass with fresh water works well, so do seashells or salt water set on the western point of your altar)

Incense- used to create an atmosphere. For a companion altar, something that reminds you of them
Candles- used as offerings
Statuary/Imagers- a sigil, a statue, or some other deptiction of the deity/companion/energy force that you're making contact with.
Offering Dish- You have that with the brass bowl that you have, it's a place to leave offerings either burnt or whole on your altar

Then you go from there, this is just really basic stuff to get you going. It'll help you to get some foundations then as you're sitting there, you can add things over time.

OH! I forgot to mention, it's not required but recommended to consecrate all of your tools, and the actual table that your altar will be on. You can do that by annointing the area/tools with altar oil or by fumigation with altar incense. You can also use any number of things that have properties that raise vibrations such as frankincense (general raising vibrations), myrrh (helps to connect you with spirits), etc.

[Passchendaele]

If you are creating an altar to serve as a focal point in meditation, what you place on that altar that helps you with that goal is totally your choice. What works for you is always a matter of experimentation, a little of this, maybe a lot of that, trust your instinct. If you wish to reach out to a specific demon, I would suggest consulting the dictionary here on the board to learn more about this demon.

Whatever you choose to do, do it with respect and a honest heart. You can never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever go "wrong" with respect, humility,... NOT self-abasement,.... and sincerity of purpose. You are reaching out to beings who want to see you grow and evolve to your full spiritual potential. They will aid you, provided you are willing to aid yourself.

No one ever learned to walk by someone standing behind them telling them what it's like to walk. The most profound truths are whispered into the wind if you believe that all you have to do is take notes while the demon does the heavy lifting.

And, you can't go wrong with flowers. Seriously.

[Dragonoake]

I used to have a dedicated altar room with a 4'x4' altar decked out with ten pounds of stones and crystals (some of which were from Sedona, Sudbury Astrobleme, Circle Sanctuary, and Eagle Cave), hand made tools from Waterhawk, figurines made from the mud of the Ganges River, and candles lit from the Sacred Flame of Brighid in Kildare.

Now, I have an offering plate with a candle and an incense burner, and do anywhere from thirty to ninety minutes meditation with a simple glass ball as a focal point....
And I get the same results.

The point is that all you really need is a focal point to put you into the right state of mind.
Everything else, whether it be altar set-up, ritual, dance, chanting, etc, etc, is just tools to keep your senses entertained so you can reach that state of mind; and the tools needed to do that job will vary from person to person.

[Conium]

Exactly, altars are really flexible and can have almost anything on it as long as it serves the goal to focus and raise the proper energies for your ultimate goal.

Once you get into the swing of things, you can have an altar for just about anything. It comes down to you, your practice, a little bit of what feels right and what ultimately works. Don't like having an iron dagger and prefer to use your finger instead? Go ahead! Can't have incense but have an oil diffuser? That works too.

The list I provided was and is not an end all be all guide to altars, it's just the most common items recommended plus what I personally have on my working altar at the moment (minus some more personal objects).

My altar for my Patron, mentors, and Companions is a lot more stripped down and only has candles for them as well as their sigils and other items I've either dedicated to them or helps me to focus in on their energy.