Body Altars - What They are and How to Use Them

Creating a body altar is once of my very favorite ways of making magic. There is something so wonderful about intentionally treating my body as I would any sacred space. It has been very healing and very powerful in my practice but it's not something I see too many other witches talk about so here I am talking about it.

For those of you that don't know a body altar is it's just what is sounds like, an altar that you have on your body. It can be a specific piece of clothing, jewelry, accessories, sigils you draw on yourself or carry with you, a specific hair color or style, any combination of these things, and anything else that you can think of to put on your person. You can create one for any intention that suits your needs. I've made them for self confidence, glowing beauty, comfort, protection, to honor deities, and so many other things. Once of my favorite things about body altars is that its super simple to do and perfect for the secret witch who can't practice out in the open but wants bring their witchery with them wherever they go. All it takes is intention and a bit of intuition.

When I make a new body altar I decide on the intention first. Once I have an intention in my mind I'll open up my closet and close my eyes and think about what my intention means to me and how I want it to manifest externally or otherwise for a minute or two. Once I've visualized my intention I just pick things out of my closet. When you're picking pieces let your instincts and intuition guide you but if you really want a cohesive outfit my advice is to think about how the pieces make you feel. Are you making and altar to cast some glamour magic? Pick things that make you feel attractive. Are you doing a calming and balancing spell to sooth anxiety? Pick your softest, most comfortable clothes. Are you making an altar for your chosen deity? Ask for their advice or just choose based on your vision of their aesthetic.

When I make a body altar for Persephone, for example, I pull out a skeleton and rose tee, some ripped jeans, kick-ass combat boots, and a pink leather jacket. I let my intuition lead me to choose my accessories, my make-up, and my perfume for the day as well. It's a great way to spend the day wrapped up in my Goddesses' presence and power.

That's all there is to it! Its super simple and super powerful. If you want to get a little more advanced you can bring color magic into the mix and choose pieces based on color correspondences. Blessing the pieces of your altar with a ritual is another great way to add power to your intentions. I have a thing for rings and so most of the rings I own are dedicated to a deity and I wear them to honor that deity. There are a thousand ways to make a body altar. You can never go wrong as long as you trust yourself.

Do you do anything like this in your practice? Are you curious to try it out? If you do let me know how it goes!