Table of Contents Introduction 1 Two Witches, One Book (Tempest) 1 The Old Trusty Altar ( Jason) 3 One: What Is an Altar? (Tempest) 9 Altar-natives: Altar Reflections (Jenya T. Beachy) 23 Two: The Altar in History & Other Traditions ( Jason) 27 Altars in the Ancient World 31 Altar-natives: The Altar in Heathenry (Dave Iverson) 34 From Altars of Fire to the Witch''s Altar 36 Altar-natives: New Orleans Voodoo Altars: To Infinity and Beyond (Lilith Dorsey) 41 Altar-natives: The Traditional Witch''s Altar (Kelden) 44 Three : The Pentacle ( Jason) 47 What Is a Pentacle Used For? 51 Symbols on the Pentacle 53 Making Your Own Pentacle 59 Beeswax Pentacle 62 Altar-natives: Pantacle for the Impatient, Lazy, Inept, or Hopelessly Awkward Magician (Lon Milo DuQuette) 66 Pentacle Rituals 67 Consecrating and Activating the Pentacle 67 Blessing a Pentacle for Coven Use 77 Blessing the Elements 79 Four: Building an Altar (Tempest) 87 First Things First 87 What Do You Use an Altar For? 89 Location, Location, Location! 97 Align It with a Direction . Or Not? (with Jason) 110 The Center Can Hold in a Circle 114 Aids for Helping to Choose the Right Spot 116 What Goes on an Altar? 118 The Elements 123 Tools of Divination 127 Backdrops and Backgrounds 127 Other Useful Items 128 Decorative Items 130 Altar-natives: Building My Altar (Angus McMahan) 132 The Coven Altar Cloth ( Jason) 135 Five: Daily & Seasonal Altars (Tempest & Jason) 139 Marking Time (Tempest) 139 Seasonal Altars ( Jason) 145 Building a Yule Log for the Altar ( Jason) 155 Create a Daily Altar Ritual (Tempest) 156 An Altar Dedication and Blessing Ritual ( Jason) 162 A Coven Altar Blessing and Dedication ( Jason) 169 Altar-natives: Altar and Moon Cake Recipes (Diana Ewing and Sidney Eileen) 174 Six: Devotional Altars in Action ( Jason) 181 Altars for One Deity or Spirit 182 Altars for Many Gods 185 Finding Time for Love: Spell from our Aphrodite Altar 188 The Care and Feeding of the Gods: Offerings, Devotions, and Sacrifice 192 Altar-natives: Sacrifice in New Orleans Voodoo: A Larger View in a Shrinking World (Louis Martinié) 197 Seven: Outdoor Altars (Tempest) 201 Creating Permanent Altars 202 Creating Outdoor Altars for Renters and Those with Small Spaces 206 Tempest''s Backyard Shrine 209 The Great Outdoors and Sacred Sites 212 Visiting Sites and Personal Responsibility 212 Altar-natives: Place Altars (Lupa) 214 Altar-natives: Creating Altars with Our Children (Gwion Raven) 217 Sacred Sites, the Fey, and Other Kinfolk 220 Altar-natives: Creating a Backyard Faery Altar (Astrea Taylor) 223 The Roadside Shrine 225 Eight: Altars for the Dead (Tempest) 229 Cemeteries and Grave Markers 229 Grave Dirt, Grand Life: A Memory Spell 235 Altar-natives: Cemeteries: The Altars of Our Ancestors (Natalie Zaman) 236 Altars for the Deceased and the Ancestors ( Jason) 240 Summoning the Spirits with the Altar Pentacle ( Jason) 241 Altar-natives: Ancestor Altar: Enveloping All My Family Members (Lisa Wagoner) 246 Altar-natives: Chinese Altars for Ancestors (Jade) 249 Nine: Altars on the Go (Tempest) 253 Tiny Wonders 254 Altar-natives: Making a Traveling Protection Altar (Phoenix LeFae) 256 Paper Altars 257 Altars for Vehicles 258 Taking the Indoor Altar Outdoors and On the Road 261 Virtual and Digital Altars 263 Altar-natives: Altar Tools and the All-Powerful Smartphone (Andrieh Vitimus) 264 Ten: Troubleshooting an Altar (Tempest & Jason) 269 Dealing with Others 270 Cleaning and Maintenance 274 Objects and Design 277 Harmony 281 Resources 287 Bibliography 289.