Wicca Workshop
BASIC WICCA INTRODUCTION->Part 9 Ritual Tools
Question: What do you think about when I say the word "Magic" or "Magick"?
"Magic" for me conjures up images of a magician in a top hat and coat tails pulling a rabbit out of a hat. When I think of "magick" I see a lone person in the woods at night offering incense to the moon.
Part 5 Tools for Ritual and Magick
Some common tools that wiccans use in ritual and/or magick are: a personal/coven altar, incense, athame (and/or sword), wand, besom (or broom), crystals, herbs, salt, chalice and cauldron.
Altar
The altar is where you place your working tools when you perform a ritual. Often independent practitioners will keep their altar up for the whole year. Usually, a coven altar is set up for each particular ritual, but either way works fine. Some items one might find on the altar would be: an altar cloth, representations of the God and Goddess (either statue or symbol or both), candles, crystals, athame, wand and chalice. Other items may also be on the altar depending on each person's personal taste. Usually these items are set up in a format that balances each other like a candle on each side, a seashell (for the Goddess) on one side and an antler (for the God) on the other, etc. The symbols one uses for the God and Goddess also depend on the person.
Book of Shadows
Though described previously, the book of shadows is a wiccan/witch's personal book where they place all their ritual workings, spells, songs, chants, prayers, thoughts and notes. The exact methodology is different for each person, and if you're going to create one, the contents will be up to you.
Traditionally, a witch was buried with his/her book of shadows when he/she died. Knowing this, take anyone who tells you "This was my grandmother's book of shadows..." with a grain of salt.
Incense
Incense is used in the creation of sacred space to purify the area and rid it of negativity. The type of incense used is usually associated with the working you are going to perform, or personal taste. Incense comes in three basic forms: stick, cone and powder. Be sure to use a fireproof holder for whatever form you use. Powder incense is especially tricky to use properly. I'd suggest getting an earthenware or pottery bowl and filling it with sand. You'll need special incense charcoal to use the powder, and that goes in the bowl next. Light the charcoal and let it burn until the entire surface has some burn on it. Then place your incense on it. How long it lasts depends on how much you use, and how effective your charcoal is.
Athame (and sword)
The athame is the main tool of most Wiccans. It is usually a double-edged knife with a black handle that is used for ritual only, never cutting. (For cutting, some Wiccans also have a special white handle knife used to cut herbs and trim candlewicks.) The reason for the black handle is so the athame can draw in and focus personal power from the practitioner while the practitioner directs it where it needs to go.
A sword is usually used by covens, if at all, and is just a large version of the athame.
White handled knife or bolline
The white handled knife is used for all the things you wouldn't use an athame for: cutting herbs, inscribing candles, cut a branch (to create a wand from), etc. Sometimes, the blade of this knife is curved in a single arch to make cutting of herbs easier.
Wand
Some Wiccans use a wand in addition to their athame, and usually for the same reason. Some make the distinction that a wand is for Magickal use, and an athame is for ritual use.
Wands come in many forms, such as earthenware, crystals bound with wire, a single terminated quartz crystal, glass and wood. I remember seeing some glass drink stirrers that would have done the job quite nicely and still leave some money in your pocket (of course, if they weren't used to stir drinks). Most wands I have seen for sale have been outrageously expensive because they are not the easiest tools to make. (Try it and see.) Some of the best tools for this are the quartz and agate massage stones that are pointed on one side and rounded on the other. They fit comfortably in your hand and direct the energy quite nicely.
Besom
A besom is a broom and some Wiccans use a broom in their circle to sweep away negative energy. Others take out the broom once a year (usually on Beltane, but I have seen other days) and sweep their altar, tools and sacred space (literally or figuratively).
Crystals
What exactly is a crystal?
When most Wiccans refer to crystals we're talking about pointed quartz crystals commonly seen in new age stores for exorbitant prices. Also, any polished stone may be called a crystal, depending on the person. So, a crystal is a piece of the earth that is not usually (entirely) metal that is polished to a high luster. These crystals are used to recharge psychic energy, aid magick, and heal. Different stones have different properties, and I'd suggest looking for a book on "Crystal Magick" for more information.
Candles
Candles in the old days were most often used for light when oil for lanterns wasn't affordable or not practical. Today we use candles for atmosphere and ambiance. I've never seen a room full of candles that didn't look beautiful, however, one must remember to be careful and never leave them burning unattended. Be sure they're in some kind of fireproof container, and if you're going to put them on the carpet, be sure and put something between the candleholder and the rug. I've found that ceramic tiles work well for this. They're inexpensive and available at most home improvement stores. I've seen some really pretty painted ones at craft shops as well.
Herbs
**Herbs should be used with care and never taken internally without the supervision of a qualified professional.**
In magick, herbs can help the practitioner in the working of certain spells. Certain herbs have been given special abilities in folklore and myth and entire books have been written about that herb is good for what. The abilities also may vary with the season and with the phase of the moon.
Further reading can be found in "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" by Scott Cunningham.
Salt
Salt has long been used as a purifying ingredient even in the church's holy water. It is added to water and sprinkled around the circle to help purify it, or sprinkled on an object to help cleanse the bad energies off of it.
Science Break:
The ph scale is used to measure acidity and alkalinity.
Acid <-1-2-3-4-5-6--7(neutral)--8-9-10-11-12-13-14-> Base
The ph of (rain) water is generally between 5 and 6.5, adding salt (a base) to the water gives it a neutral ph which may be the scientific reasoning of the Magickal practice. (Just to be complete, stream water ph can vary from about 5.8 to 7.9.) If you're interested in finding out what the ph of your home tap water is, there are kits at most pet stores (used to test the ph of aquariums) that may help.
Chalice (and plate or bowl)
The chalice is a symbol of the Goddess (the womb) and can be found almost universally among wiccans. Sometimes a plate or bowl is also used. In ritual use the chalice is used for the "ale" in the cakes and ale ceremony at the end of a ritual. Sometimes a practitioner will also have a bowl or plate on which they place their cakes. Also, salted water is used in the creation of sacred space, and this may be in another bowl-like object, usually a seashell.
Cauldron
Not all wiccans have a cauldron, but it is traditional. I've seen small six-inch cauldrons that are used for the powder incense.
Censer
The censer is used to hold the incense and the kind of holder varies with the kind of incense. The most common are those that hold cone and/or stick incense and can be found in most department stores. They are usually made of wood or metal and have places to put the cone or stick for the incense. Other censers I have seen are the hanging censers suspended with chains. I've seen these in the Catholic church (but not often) where the priest swings it at various points at the front of the church probably to drive out negativity. These hanging censers are also available to the general public and can be found at some new age stores.
Altar pentacle
A pentacle is a five pointed star surrounded by a circle.
A traditional item found on a Wiccan altar, the pentacle represents the humanity within us all (five fingers on each hand, five toes on each foot, five appendages from our trunk (head, arms, legs). The number five has long been seen as magickal in history. The circle surrounding the pentacle represents protection.
Bell
Another traditional item, the use of the bell is associated with the divine. The sound is symbolic of creative power and their shape is a symbol of the female force (the goddess). The sound vibrations created by the ringing of bells have been believed for centuries to possess a magical and/or spiritual power. In some traditions, the bell is used to open and close the circle, creating positive astral energy.
Oils
Oils are used to annoint the practitioner(s) before ritual, to help purify people and tools, and for aromatherapy. Some oils can aid in healing if inhaled or touched lightly to the skin. Lavender oil is said to be good for headaches. Other information can be found on books about essential oils.
Ritual Cloak
Some covens and practitioners like to wear special ritual cloaks to rituals. These cloaks may be made of anything from velvet to cotton. I have seen beautiful cloaks available from many sites online. I'd suggest you shop around for the exact one you want, and the price you would like.
Some covens prefer to work naked (skyclad-clad only by the sky). One should be careful when joining with a group like this because some unscrupulous practitioners use this as an excuse for low morals. The Gardenarian covens especially work skyclad. The idea is that in the circle you are showing your true self, unclothed by human shame.
Still others just do their rituals in street clothes. Whichever you choose should be that which you are most comfortable with.
The Elements
Not a physical tool, but an important idea nonetheless. Wiccans believe in the old elements (for the purposes of ritual) of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Each element has a corresponding direction that is used in the circle. (Actual use is described in Lesson 3.)
In addition, there is also a fifth element, Akasha, or Spirit. Spirit's direction is center and involves the here and now. It also represents the astral plane. Depending on the tradition, Akasha may or may not be invoked.
Methods of Divination (fortune telling)
Methods of fortune telling will not be covered in depth in this workshop due to the tremendous amount of information available both on the internet and in books. A small section at the end of lesson six will introduce some of the various forms of divination. Perhaps a future workshop could be devoted to each of these methods of telling the future.
Where can I buy ritual tools?
The best place I have found is AzureGreen (http://www.azuregreen.com), but there are many other places on the internet that sell ritual tools. Try doing a search on the particular item you're looking for.
Purifying Ritual Tools
A tool should always be purified before use to remove any negative energy from the object. The standard steps for purification are: be in a circle (any ritual circle will do), just before cakes and ale and thanking the God and Goddess, you would purify the tool by cleansing it with blessed salt water, then passing it through the smoke of incense. (You may also add a touch of essential oil.) You have then shown it to earth and water (salt water) and fire and air (incense). You can also say words that bless it like, "May this ___ protect me as I wear it every day."
Ritual tools should also be made by the practitioner whenever possible, but the new availability of materials and exchanges (the internet) have made purchasing and cleansing one's tools more feasible.
Bibliography and Further Reading:
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
A Witches' Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar
A Compendium of Herbal Magick by Paul Beyerl (I have not read this one)
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