Practical Magic Tech: Spellcasting Altars (101)

Practical Magic Tech: Spellcasting Altars (101)

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

This is a 101 theory post. Go to the masterpost to find actionable steps for altar building and consecration.

Loosely defined (remember, we aren't trying to label everyone, we just want to clear the weeds in our corner of the magical universe), an altar is a sacred space used to facilitate two-way communication and movement with the unseen worlds.

Altars are often built to house and honor gods and spirits. There is a fairly significant difference between someone building an altar or shrine to honor their god(s), and a spellcasting altar for witchcraft.

Our goal with a spellcasting altar is not really to honor anything. We can build a separate altar or shrine to honor a god if we would like to do so.

Instead, for the purposes of this series, a spellcasting altar is:

A hardwired connection to the otherworld,

Which makes gathering metaphysical energy easier, and

Drawing power out of the ethereal and grounding it into physical objects is easier, which means

Successful manifestation is easier.

Delivering targeted spells is easier.

Also, it's beacon that naturally accumulates and collects spiritual power (this is why people can put things on their altars to automatically charge them).

And it's powerful method of classical conditioning.

Classical Conditioning: It's Hella Useful

If you use a spellcasting altar for most of your spellwork, after a little while just being in its presence is going to click you into a magical headspace.

Yes, spellcasting altars are imbued with actual magical power and have very useful metaphysical properties. But their utility extends beyond the metaphysical.

Also they're a great place to store all your spellcasting stuff.

(By the way: try using a specific stimulus, such as an earthy grounding scent or wearing a headband, every time you practice grounding, centering, and exiting a magical headspace. It's a really really helpful tool)

Does it need to be a physical altar?

No. A physical altar is only one piece of spellcasting "tech". If that tech is not viable for you, you have many other techs to draw upon.

Digital altars can also hold metaphysical energy. True magic can be done through web pages. Ask anyone who's been in an occult server on the rough side of the web.

All that being said, you don't necessarily need any altar. They're a handy tool but no one tool is everything.

Let your path serve you, not the other way around.

What about size? What about shoebox or mint tin altars?

Oh boy, get ready for my favorite hill to die on!:

Spellcasting altars are nothing more than container spells.

In a jar spell you take, idk, some rosemary for sleep protection, some iron nails against nightmares, and some lavender for sweet dreams. You put them all together in a jar and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

In a spellcasting altar, maybe you take a candle for connection to the otherworld, a crystal to accumulate energies, and little colorful stones to represent the Western buildingblock elements (fire, earth, air, water). You put them all together on a specially marked flat surface and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

When you cast a container spell, you are linking up a variety of powers to work together in the long term. And nobody is out there telling you to get a gallon-sized glass jar. In fact it's popular to use the teeniest little jars possible.

Get yourself a mint tin if that's what you prefer. Hell, a matchbook with a sigil drawn inside. Make your altar into a notebook or a tumblr blog. All that is necessary is that you find it to be useful; that it gives you more back than what it takes to use it.

But I do have one thing to say in support of the classic on a shelf/flat surface altar: They're kind of like hypersigils, and that's really handy

What if you made a container spell for general prosperity, and then put that container spell inside a bigger container spell for general empowerment of everything placed inside of it?

That's what a spellcasting altar is!

It's a big cauldron of power designed to help you manifest your desires and link power to objects in the way that you choose. Start adding other finished spells back into it, and it's like a magical combo move that multiplies power and makes it easier for you to manage everything there.

Too much volatility and movement in your financial life? Take some of the prosperity stuff off of your altar - and just like that, the magic in your life has shifted.

All your spells are lagging and there's not much motion? Light a spicy, fiery candle on your altar to give everything there a tangy boost.

Feeling irritated by someone? Print out a picture of them and place it on your altar, facing away from you. No spellcasting, chanting, or ritual required - an act of magic was done because an action was taken in a magical place designed to manifest every intent you put within it.

The real benefit of spellcasting altars is that they do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

You're probably not interested in practical magic because your life is great and you already have enough time, energy, interest, or ability to manage everything in a mundane way agreed upon by Society.

I actually think there's a pretty good chance that you're interested in practical magic because there's not enough of you to go around to deal with things in a mundane way.

Magic is real, and real things tend to take real work.

So how is it helpful to turn to a new methodology of managing your life, when it takes just as much time and energy as you were spending before?

Spellcasting altars, even small ones, even digital ones, help us out. They automatically collect power for us to use later on, so we don't have to drink our precious Get Stuff Done juice. They house doors to the otherworld you can just open and close, instead of having to create the door every time you need it. They help us automatically get into the spellcasting mindset through a hardwire connection to the otherworld and the magic of classical conditioning.

Spellcasting altars do specific things and fill specific needs. Therefore, they're not going to be necessary or even useful for everybody. Try them out and see if they're useful for you. If so; a tool has been added to your toolbox. If not; you have considered and discounted something unhelpful, and now you can move on to better things.

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

Psellia’s Winds of Protection Warding Spell (Neopets Inspired)

“It was through her efforts that the dark clouds were whisked away, and the sun shone down on the brave knights of Meridell as they attacked the citadel.” - Neopets Gallery of Heroes

A protective spell to create a safe, protected space for the use of magic and rituals or simply protecting one’s home. This spell goes hand in hand with warding spells. This spell is best performed outside.

You Will Need:

🌪️ Open Space 

🌪️ Hand-fan or Besom (up to preference)

🌪️ Rosemary or Lavender Incense

Set Up:

To set up for your spell make sure you have plenty of move, this spell does require some movement. Light your incense and let it burn nearby but out of the way of risk of being hit, stepped on or knocked over. Make sure not to burn incense in a room with small mammals, birds, or other pets that may become ill due to it. This spell works best outdoors so if you can be outside that is for the best, if this is just not an option make sure you have good ventilation and air flow with open windows. 

The Spell:

🌪️ Once you have found your area and have cleansed yourself, light your incense and set it where it will not be in the way.

🌪️ Take your chosen tool in hand and stand form with it holding it out before you. 

🌪️ “I call the winds and air, to aide my needs, protect my dwelling, prevent misdeeds!”

🌪️ While chanting use your tool of choice to create sweeping or big ‘pushing’ motions of air away from you, like you are sweeping away dirt or dust. Make sure your tool if using a besom, does not actually sweep the ground. If the winds are particularly favorably they may even start to blow for you, but not always the case especially if buildings or tall fences are around.

🌪️ Do this pushing motion while walking in a good amount of area like you are cleaning it. While doing this, imagine the winds and air, no matter how light, blowing away dust and darkness away from your home or room or area you are trying to protect. This flow continuing keeping all of the dust and dirt at bay no matter how hard said dust tries to get back in. Visualize this, feel the wind and air moving through the area and put a lot of effort into this.

🌪️ You will feel exhausted by the end of it but if done right, you will be able to feel the new warding spell around you and the area. Extinguish the incense if needed or let burn if desired.. Take a good rest.

🌪️ This spell will need to be redone and maintained once or twice a month to keep the area protected. Be sure to still regularly cleanse and check your wards.

**spell is from my personal grimoire. Like what I post? Want to support me or buy me a delicious coffee? Feel free to check out my Ko-Fi Page!

Grey Paint Brush Hex (Neopets Inspired)

A simple hex to give someone a bad day. This hex is short term, it does not have long lasting effects like many curses would. This is spell is for basic ‘bad’ days and inconveniences and luck, this will not do serious or cause large events to happen - if you are wishing for big results look for a bigger stronger curse.

You Will Need: 

⛈️ A Gray Candle (black or white can substitute)

⛈️ Burn Safe Plate or Container

⛈️ Gray Paint (that is safe to burn - non-toxic watercolor is best)

⛈️ Paintbrush

⛈️ Target’s Name on a Piece of Paper

Set Up:

Make sure you are in a well ventilated area or outside, this spell does require burning paper which can cause smoke which can set off fire alarms or cause issues for small animals. Make sure the area you are working in is fire-safe with no overhanging curtains or fabrics, no clutter or loose papers nearby and that there is not any flammable substances nearby. Make sure all long hair is pulled back securely and sleeves or loose clothing rolled up/removed. Cleanse your space if needed.

The Spell:

⛈️Light your candle as you begin the spell

 ⛈️ Take your paper with the name of the target on it and using your paint, coat it several times with the gray paint until satisfied

⛈️ Wait for it to dry

⛈️ Once dried reasonably enough to burn, set it alight focusing on the desire and will to send this person a terrible day

⛈️ Carefully drop the paper into the burn safe container and allow it to burn itself out and to ash

⛈️ Properly dispose of ashes or save them for any possible future hexes or curses you may wish to use them for.

**spell is from my personal grimoire. Like what I post? Want to support me or buy me a delicious coffee? Feel free to check out my Ko-Fi Page!

“My New Home Suits Me Perfectly”

Draw this sigil and kiss it softly, then burn this sigil to ash and drop a pinch of it in every corner of your new home

🎃 Samhain 🎃

On Samhain, also known as Halloween, the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. This allows for easier communication with spirits and improved divination. Samhain also celebrates the last harvest of the year and the beginning of the “darker half” of the calendar. Some people call it the witch’s new year.

Activities:

Eat an apple or drink apple cider.

Light incense or a candle.

Honor your ancestors and deceased love ones.

Take a bath.

Decorate your altar.

Carve a pumpkin.

Divination.

Spells for protection, honoring the dead, abundance, and clairvoyance.

Go trick-or-treating.

Make a besom.

Take a walk outside.

Collect fallen leaves and acorns.

Stones:

All black stones (obsidian, onyx, jet, etc.), clear quartz, amber, turquoise, smoky quartz, amethyst, beryl, fluorite, moonstone, lapis lazuli, bloodstone, peridot, and tiger’s eye.

Colors:

Orange, yellow, black, purple, silver, gold, and white. 

Symbols:

Fire, besoms, pumpkins, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, nuts (especially acorns), and apples.

Herbs: 

Mugwort, mandrake, cinnamon, sage, black pepper, hazel, rosemary, allspice, and catnip. 

Flowers: 

African violet, cactus, carnation, and dandelion.

Incense: 

Dragon’s blood, sandalwood, cinnamon, heliotrope, mint, nutmeg, myrrh, and patchouli. 

can’t remember if i ever posted this spread, sans the reading. too lazy to look. here it is again.

divination type: tarot # of cards: 3 difficulty: novice