Though there is much debate amongst the paths as to whether or not tools are necessary to magic, I tend to lean towards advocating the use of tools. After all, if one wishes to write a spell one needs two tools: something to write with and something to write on. This does not mean that I think everyone needs to run out and buy a ton of special items just for one's magical workings, since most of the tools are objects that have always been commonly in the home. Traditionalists may prefer a cauldron to a saucepan, but if the saucepan cooks the brew and the brew does what it should, then obviously the gods had no issue with a modern interpretation. Likewise if you are having folks over for an indoor ritual are you going to use a broom or a vacuum on the carpet?

 

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Athame  One of several terms witches use for their ritual knives (also as SEAX or yag-dirk). Throughout history there have usually been two knives that were used for ritual uses, a white handled, single edged blade for the cutting and preparation of herbs and foods for the ritual feasts (also called a boline), and the black handled, double edged athame which was used primarily for cutting through etheric clutter in the casting of circles and setting up magic(k)al workspaces. Athames were seldom used to cut anything else. Many witches have substituted a sharpened stick for the double edged blade as it works just as well for drawing circles in the dust, or have done away with the second blade altogether by using the foot of their staff, the tip of their wand, the tip of a sword, or any other handy item. Simplicity is not always the way amongst witches however and there are just as many how have not two, but entire collections of ornate blades for ritual use with a different style of blade for each style of ritual and/or rite they perform. <Looking for an athame of your own? Click Here!>

Bell  The bell is a ritual tool of incredible antiquity and meaning. The ringing of a bell unleashes vibrations which have powerful effects according to its volume, tone and construction. The shape of the bell is both a feminine symbol  as well as the shape of the celestial vault in many cultures. The sound of bells is a great stimulator of creative power and is believed to draw positive energies if rung pleasantly. It is often used to invoke the goddess in ritual and is also rung to ward off evil spells and evil spirits.   From the Liberty Bell in American to the church belles of the grand Cathedral at Notre Dame in France, bells are one of several unifying elements of most religions. Gongs, wind chimes, even a child's toy xylophone can all be substituted for bells in ritual use.

Besom  Witchy term for a broom used in magick. Brooms have been around as long as humans have had homes and hearths they wished to clean. From the simplest branches used to smooth out a dirt floor to the high tech gadgetry housewives use today, brooms both physically and symbolically are meant for cleaning out the clutter, sweeping away negativity in any form, and purifying a space. In handfasting rituals, couples often jump over the broom if they want children. (If you don't want children, DON'T JUMP! The combination of the "brush" and the handle are a very powerful fertility symbol.) Folklore records a broom-brushy side up-by the door protects the home from unwanted outside energies. A simple broom can be made from an ash staff, birch twigs, and willow bindings.

Book of Shadows  The Book of Shadows is a witches workbook or spell book. It is like a witches diary where all spell work, magickal recipes, witches goals and laws are written.  In many ways a Book of Shadows may seem similar to a grimoire, but differs greatly in content. Grimoires were collections only of spells and those spells were very exacting in their requirements, it is not uncommon to find a 45 page spell in a grimoire. As witches moved into the modern day, most of them lost touch with their roots and attempted to preserve as much as they could in journal format. These books would be hidden in shadowy spots, such as under loose hearthstones or in root cellars and thus became known as Books of the Shadow, or Book of Shadows.

Candle  Once one of the main sources of light available for a home, candles are still as much a part of Witchcraft as magic itself. Whether one is using their candles as abstract symbols of fire, corners, watchtowers, or even the deities themselves, you seldom see a witch that doesn't have a candle or three, and many witches actually prefer to keep many candles about. Not only do the colors of candle all have symbolic meanings, but thanks to the wide variety of shaped candles out there, one can use a candle to symbolize almost anything one needs for a ritual. One of the prettiest altars I have seen had different shaped candles (sun, moon, star, fairy, dragon, etc, etc, etc) for each of the special forces that witch used in her workings. It was a pretty sight to see them all lit up and the mood created was quite powerful. <Looking for candles and candleholders? Click Here!>

Cauldron  The cauldron is an ancient vessel for cooking and brew making. The cauldron is the container in which magickal makings occur. It is a symbol of the goddess and is the essence of femininity and fertility. It is also symbolic of the element water.  Once a common site in any home, modern witches supplement the now expensive cauldrons with the use of saucepans and other cookware. Many kitchen witches have been known to keep several sets of pans in their kitchens for the variety of magical brews they concoct. Cauldrons are also useful in scrying, for building a contained fire, or to hold items that are being burned.

Celestial Armillary A clever model of Terra (Earth) at various seasons in relation to the constellations of the Horary Zodiac (Aries, Taurus, etc). The Earth is represented most often as a little ball in the center of a spherical cage with rings representing the equator, Tropics of Cancer/Capricorn, and the Arctic/Antarctic Circles. An arrow running through the center points to the North Star. A band marked with the signs of the Horary Zodiac (Aries, Taurus, etc) encircles the cage in the position of the plane of the elliptic, and the whole thing is rotated within a stationary frame marked with the dates of the year. A must-have for those who practice Violet Magick (the studies of Cosmology and Chronomancy).

Censer  A Censer is used for burning incense during rituals. Censers are small metal (usually brass or bronze) chambers with cutouts for the smoke to escape from. These chambers hang from as few as three and as many as 20 chains and can be swung in the hand or hung from a branch of a tree. Ash catchers, incense altars, thuribles, and other methods of burning incense may be substituted for censers with no loss of energy. In a pinch, any shell, ceramic bowl, or bowl shaped holder can be used as a censer as long as you first cover the bottom with a layer of kitty litter or sand. <Incense and more! Click Here!>

Chalice / Cup  The cup or chalice is simply a cauldron on a stem. It symbolizes the goddess and fertility and is related to the element of water. It can be used to contain water for ritual purposes or to contain the ritual beverage which is to be consumed during or after the ritual. Chalices may be of any material. Many use silver or pewter (be careful with untreated metals when serving wine), but ceramic ones are now quite popular and readily obtainable. Some Witches have many different kinds for different types of rituals. Many a practitioner will avoid real "lead" crystal because of the Saturn energy influence. Bowls may be used instead of or even in addition to cups and chalices.

Cord   The cord is basically used to measure the radius of the circle and for binding things. You can use different color cord to match your magickal need. The cord is also known as the girdle or the cable tow.  Cords are used in any binding magical agreement and it is their use in handfastings and other archaic marriage rituals that gave us the phrase "tying the knot" when we talk of such joinings. In many cultures a witch's first task was to make a series of knots in a long red satin cord that would symbolize the different levels of their study, and other traditions would add charms and tokens to the cord over the course of the witches study. Cords were also once the only form of belt some folks could afford, and even historical records show that it was not uncommon for travelers to tie a cord round themselves to hang pouches, tools, and weapons from while traveling.

Paton  This altar pentacle is usually a flat piece of brass, gold, silver, wood, wax or clay, inscribed with the pentacle symbol. The pentacle symbol is the five-pointed star (pentagram) surrounded by a circle of protection that has been used in magick for thousands of years. The pentacle represents the conjoined strength of five elements and is a convenient tool to place amulets, charms or other objects upon that are to be ritually consecrated. The top point of the star represents the element of Spirit, the divine spark in all life; the top left point represents the element of Air,  as well as the realm of though including intellect, intuition, and imagination; the top right point represents the element of Water and the realm of emotion; the bottom left point represents the element of Earth and stability in all realms; lastly the bottom right point represents the element of Fire and the changing nature of life. Pentacles are also hung over doors and windows to act as protective devices.  If you are short on space you could use a floating star shaped candle in a round bowl of water to combine the aspects of Paton and Chalice, and to show a unity of Fire and Water.

Staff   The staff is a very important tool in some traditions. Often a common piece of equipment used by travelers it was natural that witches would find many uses for staves. It is used to mark quarter points or as a "stang" to hold banners representing elements or other unique symbolic flags. The staff may be used in much the same manner as the wand. It is usually matched "to your measure"- which means it reaches to your shoulder- making it easy and comfortable for you to handle without either knocking yourself upside the head or having it trip you up from behind. Staves were to hang censers from in areas where trees were scarce or too small to support them, to draw symbols in the dirt for magical workings, and of course as a handy method of knocking down fruits from trees when the fruit was out of normal reach.

Stones <Click Here>

Sundial There are many more designs for sundials than this simple yet popular garden variety. For those who practice Violet Magick (the studies of Cosmology and Chronomancy), sundials are as necessary a tool as a hammer is for a carpenter. One of the most attractive "time altars" I have seen is the centerpiece of a friend's fairy garden: flutterby patterned iron sundial with fairy candle lanterns at the compass points of a small circle. Hanging from the compass points on the sundial are small braziers for incense that serve as birdfeeders the rest of the time (even cute little inserts made of tin to line the bowls with when burning incense).

Wand The wand  is one of the prime magickal tools. It has been utilized for thousands of years in magickal and religious rites. The wand can be used to direct energy, draw magick symbols or a circle on the ground. The wand represents the element of air, the male essence, and the East  to some witches and is sacred to the gods. The wand can be made from tree branches, copper piping, mineral rods, or even dowels from your local crafts or hardware store and can be decorated with ribbons and stones. As with many other tools, the use of the tool determines the materials it should be made from as there are magical associations to all things.