I’m trying to set up my altar properly. I know the Goddess goes on the left and the God goes on the right and south is fire. I need to know what physical direction the Goddess and the God are in – north, south, east, or west? I’m thinking I read somewhere what color candles represent each direction, but I can’t seem to find that information. Second question. If I face my altar north and I want to do my magick from the north, what direction am I facing? Am I facing north with the north side of the altar opposite from me or am I facing south with the north side closest to me? Thank you in advance for your advice. Stephani McFarland

Greetings Stephani, I can see that you are very worried about the exact placement and direction of your altar and where you stand, etc. There really is no need to worry about these things. I will tell you why… An Altar is a representation of your own spirituality and as a result it can be whatever you choose it to be. Some people create an altar only when they need it, invoke the Energies and then thank and sent them off once the spell is done. Others choose to have the vast outdoors as their altar, sometimes marking their circles with rocks or candles as their moods indicate. The purpose of an Altar is to help you concentrate and to focus your energies on one spot. Also, when you work spells, its important for the area to remain pure and unaffected by negative energies. Goddess candles are usually silver or white to represent the Moon and the candle that represents God is usually yellow or gold to signify the Sun. Another choice is an altar to represent the Elements. In this case, the colors depend on the type of tradition that is followed. In our tradition, you could choose Green candle for North (Earth), Blue candle for West (Water), Red candle for South (Fire) and Yellow candle for East (Air). All Elements are important. The powers and energies are all around us, above us, below us and within us. Tradition again has been that when we consecrate a tool or cast our circle, we start in the North first and then go counter clockwise to West, then South and finally East. If your Goddess statue and altar are facing the North, you will have your back to the altar when standing inside the sacred circle. It is also okay to work your spell facing the altar. Stephani, I am so glad to hear that you are taking care of the tiniest details of this practice. This shows such dedication and enthusiasm. As you practice your spells and sit at your altar deeply meditating in your inner sacred space, you will get the confidence to follow your own ideas. Go forth and enjoy this freedom. Wicca offers you this absolute freedom to think for yourself and follow your own dreams without any one dictating to you “the way it has always been done”. Remember, daily practice will strengthen your learning and enable you to get more magickal. Hope this helps answer your question. Brightest Blessings!