6 — Chapter One
strong can be built on weak foundations and this is certainly true when it comes to witchcraft. For more experienced witches, re-examining the basics with a seasoned eye and deeper practical understanding can shed new light on old ideas, which can lead to a more meaningful craft.
The Altar An altar is an important part of a practical witchcraft practice and as you work though this book, you will be asked to set up an altar or spend time at your altar frequently, whenever you do ritual and spell work. It acts as a focal point—somewhere you can go for focussed work, helping you to get into the right mindset for magic. An altar is also somewhere you can keep your ritual tools safe, and it may even be a permanent consecrated or sacred space. Altars can be either a permanent feature, or something more temporary. If you have enough space in your home and want a permanent altar, then great! Choose somewhere that has enough space for you to work in and enough space for you to keep your altar items and tools—a clear shelf or dressing tabletop is perfect. However, having a permanent altar is not always possible. Perhaps you live with others in a shared space, or maybe you are not in a position to be totally open with others about your witchcraft. Maybe you simply do not have the space for a permanent setup. Whatever your reasons for choosing a permanent or portable altar, each option is totally viable and doesn’t mean that one way is better than the other. Witchcraft is adaptable and witches are the queens of making things work for them!
