CHAPTER
Seven
(Tempest)
Is there anything more Pagan than an altar outdoors? Probably at the mere mention of the words altar and outdoors your brain is already conjuring up images of Stonehenge and other monoliths—or perhaps a secret grotto with a half-hidden statue of a goddess, with flowers and other offerings strewn about in front of her, and the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds. Just being in nature can be a religious experience!
Crafting an outdoor altar can be very satisfying, though there are a host of other things to consider that you don’t have to worry about with an indoor altar. The biggest thing to consider is the weather and other side effects of being out in the elements. Another is security, concerning other humans as well as wildlife interfering with your altar. Privacy can also be an issue, depending on the style and size of your rituals and the proximity of your neighbors to the altar. Outside altars can also require a lot more upkeep—which is not a bad thing either. It can actually be a challenge to yourself to maintain it, versus an indoor altar that you may forget about.
Creating Permanent Altars
If you have the time, money, muscle, interest, and land to create a permanent outdoor altar, then basically the sky (and everywhere it falls on your property) is the limit. Outdoor altars are definitely a never-ending labor of love, which makes them a wonderful way to be continually active at your altar and connect with the outdoors at the same time. You can ask any Witch who has an outdoor altar or shrine, and they will tell you it’s a work in progress, always. This is good to keep in mind if you’re just starting out and wondering when it will finally be finished. It won’t be! That’s the beautiful thing about an altar that is essentially living—growing and dying with the seasons, and by the work of your own hands.
How far you’d like to go in creating your outdoor altar is up to you. Some Witches make extravagant grottoes, circles within circles, labyrinths, full-size shrines, stone-offering slabs and structures, fire pits, ponds, and memorials in their yard spaces. Others focus on a small area of the yard that doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to the non-practitioner. So the best location depends on your needs, desires, the property itself, and the neighborhood. If you like the idea of an outdoor altar but are unsure of what you want, start researching and visiting parks, gardens, and sacred sites—and take notes and pictures! Scour the internet for inspiration, and save those images and ideas in a folder. Check out your local garden center to see if they offer any classes or free lectures on what grows best in your area.
There are two main factors to think about when making an outdoor altar. It’s very important to avoid getting carried away with a fantasy that won’t thrive or function properly for your needs. The first thing to consider is that you are creating a living environment. The second factor to remember is that you need to craft a workable space. These two things will directly affect how successful your efforts will be.
Creating a living environment means thinking sustainably and long term. Pay careful attention to what planting zone you live in, the native flora and fauna, and characteristics of the landscape. The plant hardiness zone will tell you what plants will work best for where you live, so you can invest wisely in what you grow. For example, palm trees don’t thrive in the Northeast, but I have seen many people try (and fail) to make it happen. Investigate what is native to your area. Again, your local community garden center can help point you in the right direction so you can avoid planting invasive or inappropriate species. They can also tell you which plants attract wildlife or repel pests. Understanding the features of your land is also vital: note sections that are sunny/shady, prone to flooding, or at risk of erosion. Essentially these are landscaping basics, but if you want a bower with vines to cover your altar or form a grove, you need to know what grows best.
Crafting a workable space also takes a fair amount of planning, but generally, once you’ve done the initial work, you just have to maintain it. Consider what you need for your practices. Do you need a large area of flat ground for ten people to do ritual on? If so, will that mean having dirt, gravel, pavement, or grass? Wood chips are cheap but are hard to dance on, and they collect on cloak bottoms—and dirt can turn to mud. If it’s just you, then you may not need a large, clear space. Do you want a fire pit? If so, what are the fire regulations for your area? How close to buildings can the pit be? Are you looking to make a contained space for a bonfire, or do you want a small raised stone caldera to make offerings in? What height does your altar need to be so it is comfortable for your workings? What is the best surface for your work, and what’s easiest to clean up?
Witches gathered at an outdoor altar
Weather is going to be a big factor. Do you have to worry about freezing temperatures or excessive rain or heat? Will you need shade or some kind of shelter, and is that something nature can help you provide, or will you have to build it? Consider what materials will last the longest where you live. Ceramic pots seem really durable and earthy, but if you live where the temperature can hit freezing, you may find them shattered. Glass containers holding liquid can explode as well. Concrete and wood containers are better options for those zones. Ceramics as decoration (tiles, statues, etc.) that aren’t going to be holding earth or water are generally safe. Resin can be worn down quickly by high temperatures and long-term exposure to the sun but can last longer in temperate places. Cast plaster will definitely erode quickly when exposed to wetness. Metals such as copper, bronze, iron, and steel can be really durable, but they also get very hot quickly just sitting in the sun. Stone tends to be the most durable material all around, though certain types can be slippery when wet!
It may be wise to consult a landscaper/builder so you can choose the best materials for your weather and your budget. Whether you’re investing in plants, containers, garden features, or statuary for your altar, be sure to ask if what you’re buying is suitable for where it will go.
Creating Outdoor Altars for Renters
and Those with Small Spaces
For many of us who rent, the idea of having a permanent outdoor space is just a beautiful dream. When you’re renting your home, you’re not going to want to invest a whole lot of time and money in a property that isn’t yours—even if you have permission to do so! It’s a constant pull between beautifying the space for your own tastes, upholding landlord expectations, and knowing that whatever investments you do make are essentially sunk cost. Or if you’re sharing outdoor space with other neighbors, they may not respect or appreciate your efforts.
But there are ways to craft your space—even if it’s temporary or limited or you don’t want to make it obvious that you’re a Witch.
Potted plants: Obviously these are portable and can symbolize earth. A small container of earth can make a great altar to bury intentions and other spellcraft in, or leave offerings on (even without a plant). You can also choose a plant that is sacred to a deity you work with, such as a rose plant for Aphrodite.
Rocks and crystals: These magnify energy and also represent earth, without you having to worry about growing anything. You can also use them to accent pots and mark quarters.
Water: If you are aligned with the element of water, then having a water feature of some sort may be your ideal altar. You can use a birdbath or a small fountain—ideal for small porches where you have access to electricity to run a pump.
Wind and wings: If you work with air, there are a multitude of wind chimes to choose from—metal, bamboo, glass, ceramic, etc.—and you can even fashion your own out of old silverware! If you must have quiet, then hang a flag that represents your deity. (You can make one or order one online.) You could also get a birdfeeder to create a haven (along with your birdbath). Hummingbird feeders are less messy because you don’t have to worry about seeds—and the other creatures that want to eat them.
Tiny fires: Fire makes a great altar, but it’s problematic for small spaces. You could use solar-powered LED lanterns or candles if actual fire is an issue and the purpose of your flame is mainly devotional. Otherwise there are an array of fire pots, such as chimeneas and metal and stone fire pits, that are safe and easy to move. Just mind your fire codes!
Altar furniture: Keep an eye out for small tables that are designed for weathering the outdoors. Treated wood trays, metal and tile plant stands, and decorative tables all make excellent altars—and look lovely as well! So even if you only have a few feet of space on a patio or porch, you can easily create an outdoor sanctuary for yourself.
Tempest’s Backyard Shrine
As much as I would like to consider myself a Green Witch, that truly does not seem to be my calling in life. I can’t have plants indoors because our cats see it as a personal challenge to kill them. It’s hard to have a proper outdoor garden altar because my partner and I travel a lot. But I sure do try! For things I want to focus on growing, I use large pots and containers to keep them hydrated and relatively free of weeds. For everything else, I pretty much let nature do her thing.
Much of what grows at our home is what my mother-in-law calls a “volunteer garden.” Interestingly enough, the self-planted varieties include a lot of poisonous plants, such as foxglove, woody nightshade (two different kinds), wormwood, bluebells, and hemlock—plus a host of mints, rosemary, lamb’s ear, lavender, and more. Plants aside, I’ve created an altar area out of marble slab scraps, making an alcove area on top of a low fence that’s about chest-high. Around the marble I’ve built a bower out of branches and trained morning glory and another kind of groundcover vine to go on top of it. Within its shelter is an outdoor-suitable resin statue of a nature goddess. Around her I’ve placed stones that I’ve pulled up out of the yard, as well as shells, stones, and crystals I’ve collected on our travels. Before the altar are two large flowerpots with blooming plants, and to the sides are more herbs. There is enough clearance from plants that I can place candles or light torches without setting anything on fire. I try to tend to the altar regularly and leave offerings as I come across interesting things.
The only cost involved in my outdoor shrine was the statue itself, which I found in a catalog on sale for under fifty dollars. Being an artist, I am sorely tempted to create something out of fired clay or some other durable material, but I don’t have the time right now—or the additional funds to rent a ceramics studio to do the work. Everything else for the altar I found or was given to me. A bounty of free building materials (wood, bricks, stone, fixtures, pottery, and much more) can be found on the free section of Craigslist, just for making the effort of contacting someone and picking up the stuff. Heck, I’ve had free slabs of concrete delivered by builders who just wanted it gone! Keeping an eye out at yard sales, flea markets, and salvage yards can also score you great materials for a fraction of the cost.
Tempest’s backyard shrine
It frustrates me when people say, “Oh, I could never afford to do that.” Isn’t a huge part of Witchcraft focusing your will and your intent? By saying you can’t do a thing, you’re not going to get much further because you’re defeating yourself. When I started out, I thought to myself, “I want to build an outdoor shrine,” and slowly but surely it began to manifest. I kept an eye out and an ear open, but I also suddenly had friends who didn’t even know my plan offering me things that worked perfectly. If it’s a matter of physical labor, see what you can trade or barter for help to make it happen. If you’re part of a group and the altar is going to be something everyone uses, get everyone on board and do a potluck work day. Be a Witch. Do the thing.
The Great Outdoors and Sacred Sites
While I would love to make a detailed list of sacred sites you can visit, this really isn’t the book for it. Instead we’re going to focus on the protocol of visiting sacred sites, as well as opening your eyes to ones already around you. We often think of sacred sites as old or ancient, and often natural—and maybe rapidly disappearing. These things can all be true, but new sites can and are being created around, for, and by us.
Visiting Sites and Personal Responsibility
When visiting sacred sites, it’s necessary to consider your own impact on the space. Some places are designed to be participatory: you are instructed or encouraged by the caretakers to make an offering, interact with the space, leave something behind, make a mark, etc. At other sites anything like that is strictly forbidden, and it’s crucial to be respectful of those rules. Many sites have been harmed because people didn’t listen and figured it was okay to take just one pebble or stone, pick a flower, carve a symbol, etc. But the effect of these “just one” actions multiplied by hundreds and thousands of hands and feet over time adds up. It can truly have an impact that leads to the space being damaged or less preserved for future generations.
This also applies to lesser known places, shrines, and special spots that are off the beaten path. If you’re going to do spellwork or leave an offering at such a place, make sure it’s biodegradable and won’t cause damage to the site or any animals. Synthetic ribbons, plastic items, candles, glitter, metal pieces, etc., can create serious problems for flora and fauna. Seeds of plants that are invasive species should be left at home. Be careful about rearranging the natural environment in order to make a mark for your ego. You could be damaging the habitat of species you can’t even see. Don’t be that person.
Also be aware that if you’re leaving regular food offerings, particularly in wild areas, you can unintentionally cause local animals to become accustomed to it, which may put them in danger. In the city it’s a bit of a different matter, but it’s still something to be mindful of. I live in a neighborhood in Seattle famous for its population of crows, and I do give them offerings on occasion. Not far from where I live, a little girl had been feeding the crows regularly, and they started leaving her gifts in return. However, not everyone in the neighborhood was so appreciative, and some complained. Luckily Seattle tends to be a very environmentally conscious city (and I believe the neighbors were told to get over it), but other places may use poisons and other harmful methods to “control” the population. Another thing about city living that many people forget is that the city is host to a wide variety of creatures—skunks, raccoons, squirrels, possums, rabbits, rats, and even coyotes—in addition to pets gone feral, so food will attract them. If you’re not willing to deal with all of the other creatures your food offerings may attract, then you should reconsider your method of delivery.
This “place altar” is literally a map of those locations. In the center are a few sacred items that represent me and my world: a ceramic wolf jug I made in high school, a couple of sacred necklaces, and a few other spiritual trinkets. And then arrayed around it are rocks, twigs and other items I’ve brought home from my travels. Each item is labeled with the place it’s from and the date it was collected. While the space is too small to make everything perfectly to scale, I do create a map showing where, relative to here, each piece came from.
I tend to watch the ground a great deal when I am walking, so when I am at a particularly special place I keep my eyes peeled for just the right memento to present itself to me. I’ll know it when I see it, and my suspicions are always confirmed as soon as I pick it up and feel a distinct yes or no. In some cases, such as in state parks, I’m not able to take anything from the land itself, but I may pick up something I find in the parking lot or on a nearby road. Gift shops have also offered up suitable altar items.
Since I no longer practice magic, I don’t use the altar for any sort of ritual. Rather, it’s a daily reminder of all the amazing places I’ve been introduced to. Moreover, it strengthens my resolve to care for the land, particularly with all the damage we’ve done to it. My sacred acts are those of physical restoration and education, and my place altar is a microcosm of everything that’s at stake. However, you can certainly create a place altar to be used for rituals celebrating and helping the land and its beings.
You don’t need anything fancy to start a place altar. Any flat surface will do, though be aware that organic materials such as sticks will degrade over time in an outdoor space. Then, as you go to various places that are particularly sacred to you, collect appropriate items to represent them. You may find that the place shows you exactly what you need, while other times you may have to do a little hunting around. Please only take something very small, and never take any living being, whether animal, plant (including flowers), or fungus. If you feel moved to leave a gift, make a donation to the nearest park facility or conservation group.
A great way to get immersed in the outdoors and to consider the sacred is to see it with a child’s eyes. It’s never too early to teach our children how to recognize their own connection to the world and the divine. Next, Gwion provides some wonderful tips on how to share the great outdoors with offspring.
Creating altars with our kids was simple because mostly it centered around activities we were doing anyway, like decorating the house for Yule or celebrating the changing seasons. As boxes of decorations were pulled out of the garage or the magical tools cabinet, our son and daughters started placing meaningful items in special places. Before too long those “special places” became traditions, and now certain items always go in just that same spot. My kids will say things like, “Because, Dad, we always put the goddess on the windowsill.”
Fashioning altars that honor the turning of the seasons is probably where we started. For me, connecting to the natural world and its rhythms is vitally important. According to my kids, if I don’t get outside on a regular basis to take a long hike or stroll by the river or visit the beach, I get grumpy. Of course, what they are just beginning to realize is that they get grumpy too. (Sneaky dad wins the day!)
Although the methods for creating seasonal altars will differ according to wherever you are, there are a few basics that seem to be pretty global. Here’s what we’ve done. Modify as needed for your area.
Step One: Go Outside
I know this step sounds ridiculously basic, but it’s quite foundational. Scents change as the seasons change. Different plants blossom and tantalize our olfactory senses. As leaves grow or fall from trees, the light shifts, casting shadows or altering the view. If you are outside enough, you’ll begin to notice when these changes occur.
A side note: I grew up in a busy industrial city with a working port system. On hot days, the asphalt smelled like diesel fuel. After it rained, the streets had a peculiar smell of oil, diesel, and fresh rain. I still associate that concoction of odors with rain. So noticing changes doesn’t have to be all about flowers and butterflies.
Step Two: Acknowledge the Changes
I’d often chat with my children about the differences they noticed. Why does the meadow look different today? What does the smell on the wind remind you of ? How should we dress today? What has grown or withered?
Step Three: Collect Things
This is where the fun really begins. We’ve gathered acorns, pine cones, broken tree branches without leaves and lots of attached moss, bottle tops, rocks, toy parts, photographs, dead fish … you name it. (Note: Dead fish from a dried-up seasonal pond= least favorite altar ever!) We’d pick up whatever the kids wanted to collect that represented to them just how the world was in that exact moment.
Step Four: Make Altars
I’ve mostly left the particulars up to my children, but suggestions I would make run along these lines:
• Indoor or outdoor altar? (See note about the dead fish.)
• Do we need other items, like a table or an altar cloth, or are we good with what we have?
• How will we tend to this altar?
• Is our altar going to keep growing if we collect more things on our next walk?
• Is there a story, spirit of place, or deity associated with this altar that we want represented?
• How will we know when it’s time to take this altar down?
Step Five: Return the Altar from Whence It Came
Everything has its time. Summer gives way to autumn, flowers wither, and I won’t even begin to tell you what happened with that fish! Knowing when to take down an altar or change it up or put it away is as important as constructing it in the first place.
Step Six: Repeat as Often as the Kids Want To
We’ve built altars for everything, and an interesting thing has happened along the way: our kids build and use altars for themselves now. As they’ve grown, altar building has grown with them. School projects, life dreams, relationship breakups, a new home, and friends or relatives who have passed through the veil all get altars.
It’s part of who they are now. They know when it’s time to grieve or plan or contemplate or celebrate and when it’s time to move on, because they know how to create altars.
Sacred Sites, the Fey, and Other Kinfolk
Many places that are designated as sacred sites have a long history of being associated with the fey and other similar folk. From mountaintops in New England Native American lore and rocks in Iceland that are said to be the domain of such beings to wells and trees in the United Kingdom that are said to be visiting spots or gateways, the stories and sites abound. It seems like our ancestors’ first instinct at most of these places was to avoid these spirits, but as we cover more and more of the planet, we’re invading their space—and they ours in return. This clash can be very problematic, to say the least, when handled without respect and understanding. However, there have been plenty of times when we and the other kin have coexisted harmoniously. A balanced and respectful state can be achieved when we pay attention.
Thanks largely to the Victorians, when most people hear or see the word fairy, they think of pretty, happy flower fairies, Tinker Bell, and other cute things. But most Witches who actually know, have worked with, or otherwise have been exposed to the fey know otherwise. Rather than thinking of them as imaginary or childlike, we should give them the respect we would offer to anyone from a different culture or place. They are people too; just a different kind—with real consequences. There’s a reason why actual lore about the fey are often cautionary tales with lots of warnings to heed in order to be both safe and respectful. Think about the cultural barriers and differences that are involved when visiting a foreign country: language, customs, and laws. To enter another country without considering these things would be rude, irresponsible, and potentially dangerous. Now apply that sensibility to the fey and similar folk, and you’ll be on your way to a much better understanding of them.
Creating little doors along buildings in surprising places and crafting tiny houses in the yard is all about amusing ourselves. I want to be very clear: there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But these places are not crafted for the fey. The fey are not going to live or “play” in these spots. They’re basically acts at the Altar of Imagination. We may create such things to challenge our own perceptions, maintain our own sense of play, keep offspring busy, attempt to reenchant the world, and also consider other worlds and realms.
But if you truly wish to work with the fey, there are better ways to go about it. A proper shrine to the fey and similar folk requires allocating space for them. Having an untouched section of your yard where you let nature do its thing is one way to honor them. You can also leave offerings that they will find appealing at the edge of such spaces. The fey don’t need us to manufacture homes for them; they were here before us, and plenty of similar folk already coexist with us in our own homes—which has led to much lore about house spirits. The key thing to remember is to show them respect.
One of the best places for a faery altar is your own backyard. Find a place such as a tree trunk or a little out-of-the-way nook. It shouldn’t be too sunny or shady and shouldn’t be anywhere near the lawn mower’s path. It also shouldn’t be visible from the road. Clear away any weeds or rocks, and level the ground with some additional dirt or sand if needs be. Cleanse the space energetically by burning white sage or palo santo.
Look for natural items for your faery altar. Opt for items made of ceramic, glass, wood, and metal. You may want to buy flowerpots or plant bulbs to bookend the altar. Fragrant herbs such as lavender, sage, and mint also attract the wee ones.
Perhaps the best items for a faery altar are a couple of clear quartz crystals. I recommend buying new ones from your favorite Pagan store, just to make sure the energy is fresh.
Other must-have items for your faery altar are tiny, dedicated dishware for offerings. A small plate, such as a soy sauce bowl, is perfect for holding a couple of strawberries or pieces of chocolate. A shot glass is likewise perfect for a beverage offering, such as mead, juice, or wine.
Consider buying faery figurines. Faeries are immensely attracted to them, even if they don’t exactly resemble them. Glass globes, or “faery balls,” can be a lovely addition as well, as long as they aren’t too big. Ceramic or metal mushrooms are also a big hit.
Once you have everything for your altar, arrange your items beautifully. Keep a little space between the objects so the altar doesn’t feel too crowded. Lastly, hang ribbons and wind chimes from branches, so they blow and tinkle in the breeze.
Now it’s time to bless your faery altar. Set out your food and beverage offerings, and light a stick of incense or drop some essential oil onto the ground. Sing or play beautiful music. Sprinkle a little bit of fine glitter over everything. Blow bubbles and enjoy the feeling of being in nature.
Once you have the fae’s attention, speak softly to them. Tell them you believe in them and respect them. Let them know you’d be honored if they’d visit your altar from time to time, and that they can join in your rituals if they wish.
When you are ready to complete the blessing, take a deep breath and think a happy thought. It may take a few months before the fae accept your invitation, but have patience. If you believe in them, they’ll believe in you too.
The Roadside Shrine
In college I took a special course called Shrine Making (art school for the win!). We covered the history, spirituality, and design of altars, shrines, and other human-made sacred locations. One thing that stuck with me was the discussion on roadside shrines. As these are often associated with the outdoors, I wanted to finish this chapter by touching briefly on several kinds.
The first kind of roadside shrines are places that people make a pilgrimage to and then interact with in some way, usually as part of a larger religion and typically connected to a deity, saint, or spirit. These shrines could be temples, sacred stone markers, gravesites, churches, specially marked trees, wells, springs, statuary, etc. They are typically sites that have been traveled to for centuries—visited by thousands, if not millions, of people over a very long time. Their initial association with their related personality sparked their power, but this power is built on by every person who visits the site.
There are also modern marvels: roadside attractions. As Neil Gaiman talks about in his novel American Gods, tourist attractions have a certain power to them as well. Even if a location isn’t tied to some classic myth or historical figure, roadside attractions start with the novelty of human invention and expand out from there. When people start coming to a place to spend their time (and their money), the site often gets a certain hum to it. We become curious because others were curious—we want to see it too. Time and money are the offerings we make. Then we take a souvenir with us to say we’ve been there. It’s essentially an installation of performance art, completed by the onlooker. The House on the Rock in Wisconsin and the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Kansas may not seem like sacred sites, but they honor both human ingenuity and nature.
Lastly, there are the literal shrines along the edges of roads, marking where people have lost their lives in accidents or other tragedies. These especially stand out to me, because these crosses, flowers, stuffed animals, and other objects don’t mark where the person was buried—clearly that was somewhere else. Rather, these shrines mark the departure point—the actual place (or very close to it) where these people unfortunately lost their lives. These shrines act as memorials to the deceased but also function as a warning to the living to remember that life is fragile, and we must cherish it while we can. This type of shrine is an altar to a lost life and a message to us all.