Hiding Your Altar

Wiccan altars are an abominable sight for many underground Wiccans in Catholic Philippines. Learn ingenious ways by which you can practice your craft without the risk of being persecuted. By Weatherlight.

We had a funny discussion with friends sometime ago about “illegal” practitioners. Illegal meaning they weren’t allowed to practice their crafts in their home. For these people, most of whom were under the age of 18, practicing their craft can be difficult, especially if they know their parents would certainly think of their stuff as taboo. You could probably imagine how conservative Christian parents would react seeing their child’s flashy athame on top of a somewhat makeshift altar adorned with black drapery and runes.

The Wiccan altar is the center of most rituals of craft practitioners and will most likely be the first to attract attention. I went net-scrying to look for ways other pagans and Wiccans in the US hide or set up their sacred altars to avoid scrutiny but before that, there are some points you may want to consider.

• 1. The altar is a sacred place in your home. Moving the altar frequently may cause the energies it has stored to dissipate.
• 2. It may be better for young practitioners to keep their craft hidden for a while than to be persecuted early on by their relatives. Persecution of the young poses a danger because at a young age, these ‘kids’ are not able to control their emotions, and the hatred and anger which may result from the persecution could be directed into malpractice of the craft.
• 3. For collapsible / portable altars, make it a point to set them up facing north.
• 4. Keep your tools together when hiding them. Make that hiding place a sacred place for your altar items.

That considered, let us go into some tactical methods on hiding your altar.

The Collapsible Altar
Folding tables, drapery, light tools, unbreakable chalices. These are the things you need to look for. Prepare a box for these items so they are kept together. Should you need to perform a ritual, consecrate or cast a circle for your space if it will help put you on a proper state of mind.

Hide in plain sight
You'd be surprised how easy it is to have a permanent altar area without attracting any attention. You don't need to be overtly Pagan with the items you choose. A huge chalice with a pentacle engraved on it isn't the only way to represent Water. You could use seashells or a pretty flower vase instead. A feather could represent Air, and an interesting stone for Earth. I do love candles for Fire, and they are such common items that I doubt anyone would question them. A few carefully thought out knick-knacks can represent the elements as well as the God and Goddess, and nobody need be the wiser.

Think Vertically
This is just another way to hide your altar in plain sight, one that works particularly well if you are short of space. Your altar doesn't need to be on a shelf or table top. Use the walls. Hang non-Pagan artwork that represents the things you would like to have on your altar. A bulletin board would also work, especially if you are living at school in a dorm room. You won't be able to use these 'items' like you would physical items on an altar, but images can be powerful reminders of your spiritual path.

Think Da Vinci
Your altar may also be an Indiana Jones-worthy puzzle that can only be decoded by you. Exciting, huh? You have to get those Mensa skills working for you though. For me, for a pentagram disc, it can be a painting cut into large square pieces over a black background but when the pieces are arranged another way, it forms a pentagram image.

The altar is an important part of your practice of the craft but it is not a requirement. It only helps you focus your energy better but if you are comfortable with whatever solution or tools available to you then be it. As you progress, the easier it will be to practice out in the open.


About the Author: WEATHERLIGHT is a designer working as a project manager for an IT development company. He has always been fascinated by magic and illusions (stage magic) and since high school, he has been a collector of magic effects, props and paraphernalia and has performed for events. Also, he has founded www.thestorycircle.net, whose members include the consultants for magic shows for the top local broadcast networks. Story Circle is an online magic community and portal to his researches in Wicca and natural Magic. Weatherlight teaches magic and illusions professionally and also guides interested Wiccan seekers.

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