Reference Shelf - Altar Devotion

Tools and Supplies needed:

Salt (place at compass North for Earth)
Water (place at compass West for water)
Stick incense (place at compass East for Air, type specific to intention for following spell or if performing a daily altar devotion, any type is fine)
Red candle (place at compass South for Fire)
Illuminator candles (preferably white)
Wand/Athame

Procedure

Center your focus.
Ground and center.
Raise your hands above your head in the shape of a Y, otherwise known as the Goddess position, with your left hand outstreched (recieving) and holding your wand or athame in your right hand. (sending)
Slowly pull your hands and arms down to eye level and envision touching the divinity. Draw them down to your heart chakra, crossing your arms over your heart, still holding onto your athame or wand, otherwise known as the God position.
Light the illuminator candles, envisioning the light of the divinity shining down upon you, bathing you with purity.
Begin at the east. Clap your hands sharply over the incense after lighting it to extinguish the flame.
Hold your hand over the incense and say:

Creature of Air

I cleanse and consecrate thee by the ancient energies of the East

I remove all negativity in this world and in the world of phantasm.

Blessings of the ancient ones be on you now.

So mote it be.

Pass your hand over it 3 times, then imagine sparkling lights surrounding it.
Light the candle, then hold it up to eye level and say:

O creature of Fire

I cleanse and consecrate thee by the ancient energies of the South.

I remove all negativity in this world and in the world of phantasm.

Blessings of the ancient ones be on you now.

So mote it be.

Pass your hand over the flame 3 times to banish, then hold your hand steady to bless, imagining sparkling light surrounding it.
Repeat these processes using the same format, ex.: creature of _____ I cleanse and consecrate (...) energies of the _____, I remove etc.
Hold the bowl of water in front of you at eye level, in communion with the Gods. Move the water bowl to the center of the altar.
Put 3 pinches of salt into your bowl.
Stir 3 times with your finger / wand / blade. Say:

As the rod is to the God

So is the chalice to the Goddess

Lower the knife into the water. Say:

And together, they are one.

Imagine the water exploding with divine energy.
Imagine the altar a cauldron, in order to meld together the energies. Beginning at the North, spiral motion deosil, stir your hand over the altar 5 times, imagining the energies mixing together.
Tap your wand / hand / athame 5 times at the lower dominant corner., (Right for me, because I am right-handed.)
Ground and center. It is done.

This is an easy devotional to do at the beginning of a spell or a ritual. It sets the mood, and helps energize you and your tools, setting the atmosphere by cleansing the area around your altar and the room in which you will perform the spell.