The Altar is defined as a sacred table and represents a meeting place between the mundane and divine worlds. A table, fireplace mantle, bureau top, sideboard, or steamer trunk, can serve as your indoor Altar. A large flat stone, tree stump, garden bench, patio table, or other sturdy surfaces can be used as an outdoor Altar.

Place the candles, incense, stones, flowers, and your Faery Magick tools on the Altar just before doing spells, rituals, and other magickal works. Feel free to match certain decorative items of the Altar to the current season, if you like. An example would be to put daffodils and tulips on the Altar during the Spring, roses in the Summer, crimson and golden leaves and corn sheaves in Autumn, and pinecones, mistletoe, and evergreen garlands during the Winter.

You may find that when you approach and stand before your Altar with its burning incense, lit candles, and tools, you are enveloped in an atmosphere of mystery and magick. This helps move you into an “altered” state of consciousness, which is particularly conducive for magick.

Traditionally, the Altar is taken down once you are done with your magickal work, but some individuals leave their Altars up regardless of whether they are conducting magickal workings.

Be sure to position your Altar in the North, East, or center area of your sacred space, depending upon your preference. Do not hesitate to try a couple of positions, and then select the one that you feel works the best for you. Perhaps you would like to position your Faery Altar in the North? The North direction generally represents ancestral wisdom. Once you have selected the location for your Altar, cover its surface with an Altar Cloth to protect it while you are doing magick. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, silk, linen, and wool, tend to make the best Altar Cloths. The Cloth can be any color. You can also change the color of your Altar Cloth to match the season, if you’d like.

Likewise, you do not necessarily need to use a cloth when you are working outdoors, for example, when using a tree stump as your Altar.

Generally, the Altar top can be divided in half, the left side being made to honor the sacred feminine, and the right side being the sacred masculine. You can place statues or representative images of the Faeries, the Goddess, and/or God, on your Altar, as well as your Faery Magick tools. Keep the feminine and masculine polarities of the Altar in mind when placing items upon your Altar. For example, put your Athame and Sword on the right side of the Altar, and your Cup and Cauldron on the left.

To begin making Faery Magick, you will need the following items:

• Wand
• Athame
• Cup
• A Pentacle

Additionally, you can paint or cut Runes, your initials, the tool’s name, oghams, and other magickal symbols on your tools. Be sure to take the time to carefully think about the decoration you would like before permanently marking the tool. Make certain that the decoration matches the tool’s intended use. As you move forward in your practice, you can add more tools to your altar. For further information, refer to the following listing of Faery Magick Tools:

Athame

Associated with masculine Fire, the athame is a knife without iron or steel that is used to cut the magick Circle. I suggest that you dull your athame’s edges for magickal use to avoid accidents. (Remember to keep all knives in a safe place, away from children.)

Bell

Associated with Air, the silver bell is usually rung at the beginning and ending of Faery Magick and to call in the faery guardians. Use the silver bell to summon faeries, as a fertility charm, and for protection from harmful energies.

Broom/Besom

The besom (pronounced beh-sum) is used for protection and purification purposes. A simple Faery Magick broom can be made from straw or grass tied around a leafy branch of pine or oak. The broom can also be used for astral travel to faeryland.

Cauldron

Associated with Water, the womb, and the Cauldron of Regeneration, this is a three-legged pot with an opening smaller than its base, traditionally used for cooking potions and brews. Filled with water or oil, it can be used for scrying.

Cup

A feminine symbol of Water, the cup or chalice holds water, juice, or wine on the altar. It is usually made of stone, clay, copper, lead-free pewter, silver, and is often stemmed rather than with a handle.

Cord

Symbolic of the cord of life, and used to mark the Faery Ring, it is 9 feet long and usually white, green, or brown.

Drum

A bridge to faeryland, the drum (traditionally called a Bodhram) is associated with the elements of Air and Earth. Drumming puts you in an altered state of consciousness that is conducive to making magick.

Faery Magick Journal/Book of Shadows

This is a journal containing rituals, potions, spells, as well as Faery Magick encounters, and your magickal impressions and ideas.

Incense and Censor

Associated with Fire and Air, burn incense to attract helpful divine energies. Say your prayers and wishes directly into incense smoke. If you are sensitive to smoke, try scented oils and an aromatherapy diffuser, or put a few drops of scented oil in a small pan of boiling water to disperse the fragrance.

Pentacle

This is a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle that represents the Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The pentacle is a powerful protection and meditation tool. It is also used as a pentacle platter (usually wooden) to hold cakes and faery offerings.

Robe/Cloak

Your robe or cloak is your Faery Magick skin. It can be made of any fabric or color, and any design. Whenever you put on your robe, you know you are ready for magick making. Men can wear tunics and trousers instead of robes.

Sword

A small sword of bronze, not iron or steel, can be used to focus magick power, enhance your psychic abilities, to tap into ancestral wisdom, and to protect you from harmful forces.

Wand

Also called the Silver Branch, the faery wand is a rod of power and acts as an extension of your arm and hand. Made of wood (usually oak or apple) about the length of your forearm, the wand is the most ancient of tools. It is used to walk between worlds (the mortal and divine), for healing, meditation, astral travel to faeryland, and to direct magickal energies.

Source: Knight, S. (2009). Faery Magick.