Student in Training - Altering My Relationship With Altars

Blog by Fleur Hoole – 4^th March 2026

As springtime gently made its presence known, with the quiet appearance of the snowdrops amongst the leaf mould and sprinklings of snow, and under the skeleton branches of the trees, I started to reflect on what to bring along to dress the altar for my second Rites and Rituals training session, with its focus on “New Beginnings”.

My experience of altars had been based on religious traditions, so the idea of creating one from objects that were personally significant to me felt both new and exciting. After our introduction to the Four Directions, I did a bit of reading to broaden my understanding and feel more comfortable with the language and symbolism.

Still not quite sure how it would fit alongside my usual meditations and time communing with nature, I decided just to start. I gathered a few meaningful items and created a small altar at home. Almost instantly, it gave me a sense of balance, with North grounding me, East inspiring me, South warming me, and West reminding me of the sea’s flow.

Using my altar as a focus each day, my wordings evolved, quickly becoming a focal point for setting my intentions and connecting to the world’s energy and light, for my life and work.

With encouragement to approach the task in an intuitive, “witchy” way rather than an academic one, I turned my thoughts to what truly captured the spirit of spring and our intentions for the weekend. I knew we’d be exploring our own childhood beginnings, reflecting on the early stages of our learning journey, and sharing our “New Beginnings” ceremony with the group. With so much unfolding, my mind was soon buzzing with ideas.

And so, I walked by my local river and seaside, thinking also of our training site on the shores of Loch Lomond, and letting the signs of early spring guide me.

At the centre, I created a small “nest” to hold our new beginnings, just as the birds are sitting to incubate their eggs at this time of year.

In the North, I placed a rock from Loch Lomond’s shores and snowdrops for grounding, protection and hope.

At the East, goose feathers for the return of migratory birds, and garden herbs (sage, rosemary, and bay) for clarity, remembrance, and protection.

In the South, a tiny log‑fire arrangement and a ceramic sun for the growing warmth, the love of family and friends and the sparks of creativity.

And at the West, water gathered from the Loch as the snow fell, mirroring the water’s constant change on the surface and peaceful depths, with cockle shells for guidance in times of transition.

These were complemented with crystals chosen by my colleague for their symbolic qualities, and which I was keen to learn more about: carnelian for courage and creativity, agates for growth and balance, amethyst for intuition, black tourmaline for grounding, and moonstone for the gentle energy of new beginnings.

Creating this altar set the tone for a weekend grounded in respect and honour for the world around us and the gifts it offers, full of our intention to learn from each other and to grow, and inspired by the hope that springtime brings, with the promise of brighter days ahead.

And so, our second training session began, quietly held within the boundless energy and light of Spirit.   

And so it was, and will be.