Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!
We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. Look for our forthcoming book, “Walking The Tarot Path” coming soon!
We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical and paranormal community. We hope it’s as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!
Altars are the crossroads between the spirit realm and physical world, and
have been usedfor centuries in nearly every faith, from Catholicism to
Paganism. Their use in witchcraft is no different witches
use altars for prayer, performing rituals and as a focal point for practicing the craft.
There is
no specific way altars are used by witches; it all depends on the family traditions or the training and beliefs of the practitioner. Some
place statuary on a large altar and make
offereings to a group of spiritual
beings who share the space, while others
incorporate many small altars in their
working area. Mulitiple smaller altars
each can have a unique designation: to
honor the living and the dead, or to invite ancestors, spirit guides, the fae or
other entities to assist in the work the witch is doing, for herself or for
clients.That being said, it is not
necessary to have a different altar for everything you do. An altar (no matter
what its function) is a sacred space and very personal to every practitioner.
Here are some different types of altars and how
they can be used to enhance your practice:
Personal
Altar
A place for talismans,
mojo bags, spirit babies, crystals or any other items a witch may wish to place
there. There are no rules for a personal altar- have fun with it! Many witches like to change my personal altar
with the seasons and for certain holidays.
Candle Altar
This is
self-explanatory: it’s an altar used when performing candle magick for yourself
or clients.
Ancestry
Altar
This altar is specifically used for honoring deceased
family members and fur-babies. Photos, personal items and cremation ashes are
placed here, where you can burn candles or give offerings. Usually the cloth
and candles are white but some witches like to use the mantle of their fire
place, as the hearth is the heart of the home.
Working Altar This is where a witch does the majority of work
for clients. It can be a spot in a room used only for spell-crafting… or
even the kitchen table! It should be
large enough for witch craft – as in making mojo bags, filling spell bottles and jars, creating poppets or spirit babies- any object that a witch needs to construct.
Money Altar
This altar is used
specifically for prosperity and money drawing. Coins, money frogs, crystals,
lodestones and any other objects corresponding to attracting cash are used
here. This altar is always hungry and
must be fed often-much like a mojo bag- in order to keep working. Burning a
green seven-day candle is one way to do this, but once again it is the witch’s
traditions and training that will dictate how to maintain a working money
altar.
Boveda
(Spiritual or Religious Altar)
An altar used by
witches who petition spirits of the dead, saints, the Fae or any other entities
in their spell-casting. Statues, skulls, candles or animal bones are placed on
this altar and it is used to give offerings and prayers to these spirits.
Use your imagination and intuition to design an altar that reflects your individuality and beliefs; be creative and have fun with it. Your intimate connection to creating your altar(s) will personalize it, enhancing your magical practice.
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Crystal Ravenwolf & Pleasant Gehman photo: Maharet Hughes |
Visit us to book metaphysical and occult workshops, Tarot readings and healings, or to have us come out for a paranormal investigation: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts
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To find out more about Pleasant or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://pleasantgehman.com/tarot.html
For more on Crystal’s background, or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com