by Lin Barrett

Created on: August 10, 2009

Creating a goddess altar is an act of devotion which carries with it a commitment. If you have an altar, you want your goddess to be present in your life.

This act of commitment needs a little thought, however.

First, to Whom is this altar to be dedicated? Did you have a specific goddess in mind, or did you wish to create space welcoming to the overarching concept of The Goddess?

Your answers to this question will determine the design of your altar. Athena, for instance, feels welcomed by very different objects than does Bast.

Research is necessary. Go to the internet, or the nearest public library, and see what corresponds to your goddess' preferences. If no Goddess has yet spoken to you, She may come to you through this research, or you may find Her through Her presence in other parts of your life. Athena, for instance, has an affinity to the bear, while Bast is an Egyptian mother-cat goddess. You may find yourself interested in or even fascinated by a particular pantheon, area of the world, or Goddess-name. Pay attention.

On a practical level, can you sustain an altar which others may see if they enter your living space? Can you keep it safe from animals and toddlers?

Even if the answer to both of those is "no," a goddess altar is still within your reach.

The simplest situation is one in which no fire need be present on the altar, which can be out in plain sight. A bookshelf, the top of a little-used table, the flat surface of a dresser: any of these provide the site of an altar.

An altar whose presence is not detectable can be created with a few small but significant objects on a tray, or even in a dish. Bast, for instance, has resonance with cats, and in antiquity small statues of felines were offered to her. She is shown holding a sistrum and the Eye of Ra, and has a small bag over her left arm.

An altar to Bast might consist of a bag of cloth printed with cat images, in which is kept a cat statuette (or a tiny one of Bast herself), an Eye of Ra, a sprig of catnip, a pouch of kitty treats to leave one-by-one for the local felines after rituals to Her have been enacted, and, since she likes sweets, a single piece of candy. Even if these things are left out of the bag, their presence will arouse no comment (the catnip and the treats, however, will inevitably attract the attention of any resident cat).

Athena is fond of bears and young girls of roughly nine, and is the Goddess of pottery and weaving, among other crafts. Childhood's leftover teddy and Barbie, along with a well-made pot, sitting on a remnant of nice natural-fiber fabric, can form a shelf display to honor Her. Add any well-crafted object that takes your fancy, and Athena will be right at home.

If you wish something really succinct, place a pot on fabric and a spear in the pot. And if you are yourself a weaver, dedicate your loom to Athena. Done deal; nobody knows but you and Her.

In the garden, similar objects can be quietly placed at the base of a tree or on a flat rock. They probably should not be left there unless you are prepared to lose them, unless it is your own unshared garden.

If you wish an eternal fire on your altar, but the presence of small children or animals in your home makes this unsafe, rechargeable battery-powered tealights are available. They aren't very traditional, but they are a safe alternative. You might also consider hanging a metal lantern from the wall or ceiling, and keeping a lit candle within it.

So you see, creating an altar to a Goddess need not be time-consuming, expensive, or even noticeable by the neighbors. Do your research, and create one. You'll be glad to have the divine in your presence, and to be in Hers.

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