notes: how to be a polite pagan when converters are around

Paragraph two:

I'm the sort who can't just brush people off-- especially when there's people who are learning to do what they feel they are called to do, like there was yesterday when I was going to pick up my paycheck and my schedule. I don't like being rude, and I don't want to be sacrilegious to any religion, and I didn't have time to explain just what I felt was wrong about what they were saying or doing, especially not in a public street in front of my favorite wine shop. So I played along. I listened and let them do their spiel, I accepted their little booklet, I let them pray over me and feel the pride of getting through to someone, and then I went on my way.

Just because I have no interest in their giant church or their teachings, doesn't mean I have to be rude to them when they're just doing what they think is right. I've been through that point in my life and I've concluded that it's not for me, and I won't be going back to the Church, but I have no right to challenge their faith, and no interest in doing so.

notes: witchy 101 - building an altar

On this article.

Choosing an altar.

Point 1: I have both a permanent and a travel altar, because I feel comforted by redundancy, and I think I'd like separate tools for others to handle, vs the ones that I'll handle entirely on my own. I also have a sort of transient almost-altar-- a shelf above my altar proper-- where I put random things that I like, that were once on my altar, but have been moved or are no longer needed. My permanent altar is a little shelf about a foot and a half long that one of my previous Circle-mates gifted to me one Yule, sitting on top of a lovely table my mom gave me when I moved into my first house, that I retopped with hand-painted majolica tiles. My travel altar is a basket where I keep all my travel tools, a handful of supplies like charcoals and matches, and a cloth, and they just get spread out on any available surface, including the ground, when they're needed.

Point 2: I'm in love with the amazingly complex Catholic altars in the big Cathedrals, and I'd love to have something that big and special in my home, but there just isn't space in my house, so I keep it smaller. I live with several other people, none of which are Pagan, and so I have to respect their wishes not to have half the living room devoted to the Goddess.

I'd love to have a segmented board that's carved and woodburned and then lacquered until it's shiny that would set up across any two stones or stumps or whatever, and then break down like a Bedouin tent when I leave, but I just don't have the skill for that. If I did, I'd also have furniture that broke down easier so I could move more easily.

Point 3: There is no North wall in my room-- that's a double door and a closet-- and so my altar faces South, but it's right next to my bed and between where I sleep and where I put on my makeup in the morning, so I see it constantly, and it serves the purpose of reminding me of my beliefs very well.

Choosing decor:

Mine is all mostly found and gifted, but I like the color green, so a lot of it is green and that helps to pull it all together. Also helping is the fact that everything has a reason for being there, even the things I don't use much, and most of the items have specific memories associated with them. That helps me keep on track as I work.