An Altar is a special, flat surface set aside exclusively for magickal workings or religious acknowledgment. An altar can be anything to your dresser or a small round table. The surface of your altar can be any kind of wood, glass, marble, cork, or a worktop designed for a kitchen. It also can be any where you want it to be and you can have as many as you please. Some people have 2 altars, one inside and one outside. Have your altar face one of the four directions, Each direction serves a different purpose. Your altar can be temporary. On your altar you should have an athame,cauldron,chalice,pentacle,your wand, candles, magical stones,your book of shadows, incense, and herbs. If you want you can add more things like plants and pictures of the gods and goddesses you can.You need to place dark color items on the left side of your altar and light color items on the right side. This is because energy enters at the left and is released on the right.

The Altar Tools

Athame The magical knife is commonly linked with the element of Fire. It is never used for cutting purposes, or for any purposes outside the circle. The athame is used in ritual to direct energy and is an instrument of power and manipulation. The blade is often dull and double-edged and the handle is usually black to absorb power

Cauldron The cauldron is a symbol of the Goddess and corresponds to the element of Water. It is used in ritual as a container in which magickal transformations can occur and is often a focal point of a ritual. During spring rites, it can be filled with water and fresh flower petals and in winter, fires can be lighted within the cauldron to symbolize the rebirth of the Sun. It can also be filled with water and used for scrying. Cauldrons are often three-legged and made of iron.

  Chalice The altar chalice symbolizes the Goddess and fertility and is related to the element of Water. It can be used to hold water or ritual wine. The chalice can be made out of any substance, silver, brass, wood or soapstone.

Wand The wand is an instrument of invocation, and corresponds to the element of Air. It is sometimes used to direct energy, to scratch magickal symbols in the ground, or to stir the contents of a cauldron. Woods such as willow, elder, oak, hazel and apple are traditionally used for the wand, but any fairly straight piece of wood can work. Many carve special symbols into the wood, or attach gems and stones to personalize the wand.

Censer The censer, or incense burner, represents the element of Air. It can be a big, swinging metal contraption like those used in Catholic churches or a small wooden stick incense holder. A bowl filled with sand or salt can also be used. The sand or salt absorbs the heat from the charcoal, or incense sticks or cones can be pushed into it.

  Pentacle The pentace represents the element Earth, and is often used as a symbol of protection - it can be hung over doors and windows or worn around the neck as a pendant. The five points on a pentacle represent each of the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. In ritual, the pentacle is used to evoke spirits and to consecrate other ritual tools. It can be made brass, silver wood, clay, or any other material that can be engraved.

  Book of Shadows The Book of Shadows is your personal collection of rituals, spells, ideas and thoughts about Wicca etc. Traditionally it is handwritten, but many wiccans today use 3-ring binders and typed pages, or keep their BOS on their computers.

  Broom, or Besom The broom often is used to purify space before a circle is cast. It is related to the element of Water and is used in many water spells that involve cleansing. It also historically has been used to protect the home by laying it across the door. To make a magick broom, it is suggested that you use an ash staff, birch twigs and a willow binding (ash is protective, birch cleansing, and willow is sacred to the Goddess.)

Info from Purple Pentacle