Altar Decor Challenges in Dorm

[TexasStar]

I am in college & live in the housing at the school. There's very little room for me to have an altar & I am not allowed to have incense or candles. I have also never had an altar before (I am new to the craft). What is a good starting point for an altar, especially since I don't have very much space and can't have some of the items??? I really appreciate any input or suggestions y'all can provide me. green1

[Zili]

Something to represent your God and Goddess and something for the 4 elements.

Lots of my friends live in the dorms and so since candles are not allowed, like you, pictures will do just fine, or you can choose colors to represent the elements and have a stone for each element (river rocks work just as well as crystals and polished stones) such as a red stone for fire, blue for air, green or dark blue for water, and green for earth.

and that's about it for your basics just something to help you focus when working with energy or casting spells or just meditation.

[shadowx]

Ahh but that's assuming you believe in a god and goddess!! An altar is for you, and no-one else. Do you have a bedside table? If so cover it in a cloth, any colour or design you like, place pictures you like, perhaps grow a small pot plant, if you have any crystals or stones place them there too.

If you do indeed believe in a god or goddess or several then place things representing them. the classic Wiccan deities can be represented with something like an oak leaf or acorn (i believe i am correct in saying the god is represented by the Oak tree) Especially a silver or gold coloured metal oak leaf or acorn or even a disc of oak (only small) with a symbol carved or burned into it. For the goddess a crescent moon, silver in colour could be used.

If you wear pagan jewellery place that there too.

Anything that you feel links you to nature, to paganism, to your gods and goddesses.

[Zili]

thanks shadowx, sometimes i forget not everyone who practices believes in a god or goddess

[WitchyLady506]

You don't have to set up an altar, per se. You can just simply have a few things out in an area to that having a meaning to both you and what you believe. I always do something in a window sill. Since you can't have candles and the sort inside, I suggest getting a tin or some type of box, even something similar to a tackle box or makeup carrier, that you can magical supplies in, but take with you to places outside. Basically, an alter to go. Make sure it's big enough to fit a couple things in and you can place a candle or two on top of it^-^

[shadowx]

thanks shadowx, sometimes i forget not everyone who practices believes in a god or goddess

I just like being awkward

I like the mobile altar idea... Particularly relevant if you live near a wood with a fallen tree or some big tree stumps in it. Perfect natural altars!

[Kaimira]

ah don't feel bad i have to hide mine from foster parents. I have to hide in the closet, oh well it's nice and dark in there. heh

[JBRaven]

Mundane items turned into magical space is a witches best friend. Few of us are able to have a perment alter for what ever reason. I sometimes place candles without lighting them. Also if insence is forbidden using oils to achive the smell is perfectly fine.

[SMushroom]

I some times go out side and make one. keep all my incense, candles, and everything in a bookbag thing and go outside and do my stuff i like it out there so i do alot out in my year. if there was a place u could go then you could try that? just an idea for ya.

[TexasStar]

Thank you guys. This info has been helpful. I've actually started setting it up today...it's simple but its a good start I think lol

[Kaimira]

star,

I think you will do just fine

[lunar*dandelions]

Also, if you want to incorporate the candles into your magickal workings, there's another way. Of course you can always go outside to light them, but if it's the middle of winter you're probably not going to want to do that! :] You can always just visualize the flame, which will definitely help with visualization techniques.

[SpiritTalker]

OLD POST - FAQ

I am in college & live in the housing at the school. There's very little room for me to have an altar & I am not allowed to have incense or candles. I have also never had an altar before (I am new to the craft). What is a good starting point for an altar, especially since I don't have very much space and can't have some of the items??? I really appreciate any input or suggestions y'all can provide me. green1

Starter Kit - LED 🕯candles, aerosol mist, 🧂salt, assorted🫖 teas, 📝notepaper
. Substitute LED battery candles, aka “flameless”. The fire element symbolism is obvious.
. Substitute aerosol mist💨 for incense. DIY - the ingredients of Bigelow’s Constant Comment tea dispels negative energies. Chamomile tea aids meditation. Rosemary tea aids memory.
. Use your hands 🙌🏽👆🏽to direct energy or substitute a laser pointer (no knives in dorms!).
. Print pics of deity and get a frame from a thrift shop or dollar store, or use a 🕯 as symbol.
. Paint a ⭐️ Pentacle on a flat stone or print out a 🌟 photo & decoupage it on a plate.
. Keep gear in a lidded file storage box from office supplies that can double duty as an altar.

LED Candle Spell - instead of dressing the candle with oil, anoint and 👏🏽charge a sigil paper & slip it under the LED🕯. Set the timer & when it times out the spell’s done. Shred the sigil at a liminal hour (sunrise, noon, sunset) to release its power & dispose of properly 🚮. Re-use the LED again & again. Flameless candles come in all styles & colors. White is all purpose. https://www.amazon.com/CVHOMEDECO-Opera ... MQ2CX13MVZ
. To Make a Sigil - write your intent📝 in a few words, cross out vowels & any duplicate consonants. Make a hieroglyph from the remaining letters & draw a circle around it.✂️ Cut out the encircled glyph. This is your sigil. Anoint it with dabs of oil and charge👏🏽 it with intent.

Altars are meeting places between the mundane & the divine. The divine speaks in symbols so we use symbols to represent the four elements - earth, water, air & fire - to balance energy when working. Tools & gear symbolize deity & elements. The LED candle can rep deity & Fire element. A glass 🥃 of tea can rep Water & be an offering, and aerosol mist reps Air, 🧂 or a 🪨 for Earth, a pentagram reps Earth & all of the Elements. Use your imagination to arrange something pleasant.

Altar - sample arrangement
Earth, Water, Air, Fire; Work Ye now for my desire

🪆 . 💐 . 🦌
🌟
🪨🥃 . . .💨🕯
.