Rosewicket Wicca Coven

Alright, so, I figured it might be useful if I gave some examples of what my family does in my home...

On our entertainment center, we have five statues (one handmade).  On the left is Kuan Yin, and the right side holds two Ganeshas and two Buddhas (one Amitabha Buddha for my younger brother, whose middle name is Amitabh).  Usually, we burn incense everyday, though I wouldn't exactly say for Them.  It's more because...we always burn incense haha.

In our second living room, we have a hanging wooden plate with Buddha carved in as well as a large gold plate representing our fondness of Indian culture.  We've gone to the local celebration of light at Govinda's, a Hindu restruant that is more like a temple.

My mom has all sorts of trinkets in the room she shares with my stepfather, some from when she was Wiccan.  Our bookshelves that are 'visible to the public', because we have a second library, contain The Oddessy, The Iliad, The Anead, Dante's Inferno, The Golden Bough, a lot of environmental books, and other books on spirituality and direct action/politics.

My room has strings of Asian-styled lights for when I do readings, since they're dimmer than my normal light, and I also store my candles in a cabinet-type thing I got from my 'aunt'.  A big pink ribbon from one of my Christmas gifts hangs on my wall, currently landen down with a few branches I've trimmed from outside (creosote, smells like rain).  I have a file folder for my teaching and tutoring, an entertainment center currently undergoing remodeling so I can either remove it or turn it into an altar, and a bookshelf full of fictional, environmental, and political books.  I have two small tables in my room, one stacked with books and the other holding a candle holder (two pewter dragons, completely covered in wax), candle snuffer (which cost way more than it should), and pink leather gloves (because my hands are tiny and they were the only ones that fit well-enough). 

My walls are painted pink and purple, my uplifting colors.  Outside my window is a sun metal sculpture my High Priestess bought me for my birthday and which I dedicated to Apollo, and my flat wooden inceanse holder used to hang out there too, but it fell down into the hearts and flowers in the garden.  On the left is a wax coated green seashell that used to be my candle snuffer but suffered the unfortunate accident of being dropped in hot wax.  Whenever I would wake up I used to burn incense on the outside holder, but I haven't for a while and the winds from the monsoon blew it down.

My room is slowly being taken over my my spirituality...I have an altar set up facing the East.  It's a cabinet, covered with a red shawl I got from my grandmother (very high quality, and I doubt she intended for me to make it into an altar cloth, but it called to that purpose).  Inside the top drawer are my athame, selenite wand, and other ritual items.  On the bottom are my boxes and incense as well as oils.  I also hold my dried candle wax and devil's claws down there.  My altar always has a seashell with blessed salt, bowl for holy water, chalice (which I found at a thrift store), my initiation stone and friendship stone, pentacles and offerings, crystal, god candle, wolf statue, and prayer beads.  My other cabinet holds my daily journal, oil burner, mediation balls, jewelry, writing materials, and various books and miscellaenous spell supplies. 

Now, you're all probably thinking, 'Great for you, Meniskos, but what the heck about people who can't be as open about their spirituality for x/y/z reasons?'

Well, if your parental units/roommates/sig. other that doesn't yet know your pagan/Wiccan doesn't have a habit of invading your privacy, you can always use a cabinet you have around the house.  If it has stuff you don't need/want/use anymore, you can clear out what's inside and store your magical tools and books in there.  If you can lock it, cool, if not, cool.  You'll want to clean off the entire thing before you fill it up, and then you can use the top for a sort-of-hidden altar.  Place a candle there, maybe some dried flowers and herbs (or use it as your herb drying spot).  Most people will just assume you like having a nice little area in your home.  And when you need to, you can get your ritual/spell supplies and do your stuff.  If you can/want to be a bit more open about your spirituality, then you could put a picture of your preferred deity on the altar spot.  Even if you don't pray there or worship there, at least putting aside a little bit of your home (and thus your life) for your deities will show respect and foster love.

Hope this helps.  Even a little.

thanks for the help