Yes, that’s right, I have finally kicked the nasty creep and crud. That means we should be getting back to regularly scheduled blog posts and some interesting information.

Today I wanted to discuss altars. What an altar is, what is can be used for and why you might have one, no matter your beliefs. Merriam-Webster.com defines an altar as:

1: a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship —often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else sacrificed his family life on the altar of career advancement

2: a table on which the eucharistic elements are consecrated or which serves as a center of worship or ritual

So…with that as a working definition, do you have an altar without realizing it? Is there a table or countertop in your house where you have things you value or that represent your faith? If you answered yes, you have an altar, whether you realized it or not. Often times we have more than one without even realizing that is what we are creating.

I burn incense on the table next to my altar. The only thing I burn on my altar are the candles associated with the magick I am working or the meditation I am focusing on. I am also, not a big incense person. I have more of a tendency to burn a candle (which I make), with a scent that works for me. So, I do differ from the working definition in that way. Candles just make me happier, so that is what I use.

My main altar is in my bedroom. It is the one that I change with the Sabbats or the celebrations in my life. The one the crystals, and the table cloth change regularly, that I do my magickal workings at and that I do my meditations close to. However, I have several scattered throughout the house. The top of the china cabinet in the dining room is full of crystals that have been placed as I felt they were needed, along with totems to my spirit animals. The bookshelf in the family room has a shelf that is slowly getting taken over with the things I feel need to be in there for us to be more centered and family oriented. My husband started one without realizing it on his dresser, as we collected things he wanted and felt drawn to.

Altars are simply places we put those things we value, that show what it is we hold as a belief and a trust within ourselves and our faith. So, do you have one or two?

Today’s tarot:

Three of Pentacles: You’ve mastered one phase of your chosen career and you’re looking forward to the challenges of the next. The praise you receive makes you work harder than before – use it as inspiration Oaks you work your way toward your goal. Expect a nod from this higher up the food chain but not much more than a grunt from those below; you can’t impress everyone.

Key Words: Recognition, Hard Work, Skill