Pagan altars

My altar right now is rather simple. I have it upon a metal shelf in my closet with a piece of cardboard on top to keep everything sturdy and stationary. I have a box full of my gemstone collection underneath what I refer to as my altar box which is just the centerpiece of my altar that had some deocrations, a small Kwan Yin statue and a place to put prayers. I also have a pretty large Buddha statue there, a quartz crystal point my girlfriend got me for Christmas and some battery operated candles for the look and sometimes use because I'm not supposed to have candles in my apartment, but that does not mean I won't eventually.

I had one, but I do no thave one at present. I'm back to living with my parents and they are Christian. An alter would bother them. I had a very pretty sari type cloth over an end table. Statues of my favorite dieties, candles, feathers, gemstones, rocks, incense, peices of quartz, and a prayer wheel are a few of the things that were on my alter.

I did have one several yrs ago but for the life of me I couldnt tell you what the hell was on it LOL These days my backyard/woods is the closest thing to an altar you'll find at my house ;-)

I've had several different altars in my life. :) The ones that I had when I was a child tended to reflect my age and spiritual progress. I had a special ritual specifically for moving things off my altar I had outgrown, and replacing them with new items. For example, my first representations of deities were actually dolls instead of statues or other ornaments, and I had to prove myself competent with any kind of tool before I was allowed to officially place it on my altar. I don't really have a current altar, partially because I don't really have space, and partially because the only place in my apartment big enough for me to want to do ritual in is where my baby regularly plays... not somewhere I'm going to what to leave things. I do have a bag with most of my smaller tools in it, and my larger ones are on shelves. I think my favorite altar setup had: various representations of elements that usually changed by season, as well as candles in various colors for seasons or purposes a raven's feather, to symbolize my primary Goddess a cauldron with various Celtic deities inscribed on it my ritual knives two miniature shields, one with Native American markings and another Celtic, for my dual heritage sticks carved with Ogham for various protections and blessings a smudging shell with appropriate herbs a set of Tarot cards hand-painted by my first love a carved box with my middle name on it for various small items, like matches, gems, vials of oil, etc and inscribed into the wood of the altar itself: images and symbols of deities I am close to, Celtic Crosses, and a spiral in the center

The top row of a small shelf serves as my altar. There are different symbolical items representing the different Gods whom I serve or are in good terms with. Some of the magical tools I have are there too, crystals, items of power, etc. The irony is that I dun call to the Gods from that altar. It is there simply as a constant reminder for me to dance on the lonely path of fools, a quick pick-me-up when life gets tough. It was once taught to me that the world is my temple, my body is the altar and I worship with my thoughts, emotions and actions. I totally suck at that, but hey, I'm getting there :)