THE CAULDRON AND THE KNIFE

THE CAULDRON AND THE KNIFE
Just before going to bed, fill a cauldron (or iron bucket, bowl or pot) with water and place it inside
your house near the front door. Take a very sharp knife or Athame and place it point-down
into the water, saying:
“Into the water I place this blade,
To guard against the thief and shade.
May no flesh nor astral shell
Enter this place wherein I dwell”
This is a good protection spell, and can be performed every evening. In the morning, remove
and dry the knife, and place it somewhere safe. Then, without touching it, pour the water
outside, (or down the drain if necessary) and put the cauldron away. It probably wouldn’t be
a good idea to do this spell if you’re expecting company, as it could be dangerous (and wet).
You can do this at each door if desired, and protects against more than corporeal forms.

RELEASING THE CIRCLE

Once the rite is ended, face North, hold aloft the wand and say:

Farewell, Spirit of the North Stone.
I give thanks for your presence here.
Go in power.

Repeat this same formula to the East, South and West, substituting the proper
direction in the words. Then return to the North and hold the wand aloft for a
few moments.
Lay the wand on the altar. Take up the athame. Standing in the North, pierce
the circle’s wall with the blade at waist level. Move clockwise around the
circle, visualizing it’s power being sucked back into the athame. Literally pull
it back into the blade and handle. Sense the circle dissolving, shrinking; the
outside world slowly regaining its dominance in the area. When you arrive at
the North again, the circle is no more.

Lessons in Magickal Herbal Use – Lesson 4

Lessons in Magickal Herbal Use
by Leillan

Lesson Four: Enchanting Herbs

I have saved this section for last on purpose. I wanted you to get a feel for what was offered before we talked about enchantment.

Enchanting is basically just simple spell casting. In enchanting an herb, you empower that herb with a specific purpose. I know it sounds easy, but remember you are working with things from the earth. The power is there, all you have to learn is how to bring it out. If you are a timing person, time this to the moon, the day of the week, the hour of the day, the time of season, whatever you need do. Remember to visualize as you enchant. Make the purpose as clear as you possibly can, and bring the words straight from your heart and the power from deep within you.

This final lesson of the series will done in ritual format. I will describe the work area, the herbs, and the purpose. Your final test will be to design your own ritual, amulet, bag, incense, or whatever else which to enchant. But you should only use the herbs listed in the previous lessons. You don’t have to actually perform the work. I just want to know what you’d do and how you’d do it. The following is my example to you.

I am making an amulet for a dear friend who needs strength and will to make it through a difficult period. This friend has full knowledge of my art and has asked for help. I have thought about it and decided the way in which I can help most.

On my altar, I have placed two black candles. I use black because it’s my personal favorite color for certain types of work. Between the candles, I have my mortar and pestle; in front of them, I have my athame. My wooden bowl is to the right and filled with sand and a charcoal block. I’ll be using sandalwood incense, as I need strength and power right now, as well. To my left I have placed jars containing Dragons blood, sage, sea salt, rose petals, and a piece of walnut (did I fail to mention that walnut strengthens the heart?). The only other item on my altar is my pentagram, which is a personal cue I’m using to assist me in visualization, and a small locket into which the blend will be placed. A red candle stands off to one side, ready for use if I need it.

I light the black candles and concentrate on seeing this friend happy and her problems solved. I pick up the sea salt and measure out a little with the tip of my athame. As I pour it into the mortar, I say “Salt purifies and cleanses. Your purpose this night is to purify the herbs I use here, and make them pure in intent.” While saying this, I visualize the salt purifying the herbs.

Next, I pick up a rose petal and crumble it into the salt, saying: “I charge thee with the task of bringing intuition to ______. She finds herself in a situation where your power is desperately needed.” I then mix the salt and rose together with my athame.

I measure out a portion of sage with my athame and drop it into the blend, saying, “I charge you and bid you to lend wisdom of decision to ________. She needs this wisdom to overcome what has been wrought.” Stir the sage into the mixture.

Next, I pick up the piece of walnut and say, “I empower thee to lend strength of heart in this difficult time. Through your strength, may her heart be lightened and her will be strengthened.” I then measure out a tiny amount of powdered Dragons blood, saying, “Within thee is the power to intensify each herb I’ve used. You will be the power of change.”

Mixing all together I say, “Within each separate herb lies the power to reach the end; each has its own purpose. May purposes united make true the end, for blended together, the whole is met. For a year and a day, may you be charged to lend thy power where it is needed. An’ it harm none, Thy will be done. So Mote it Be!

I pick up the mixture, bit by bit on the tip of my athame, and place enough in the locket to fill it. I then light the red candle and say, “Red is color of power and strength” while dropping a little wax on the herbs inside the locket to seal and bind the blend together. I then close the locket, hold it in both hands, and concentrate on the person and the purpose with a light and loving heart. When I feel the enchantment is done, I give thanks to the Goddess, put out the candles, and ground the leftover herb and incense. I clean my tools and wrap the newly made amulet in a cloth until I can give it to my friend.

How To Dispose of Ritual Tools

By Patti Wigington

Sometimes, for whatever reason, you may decide that you have a ritual tool you no longer need. Perhaps you’ve got three athame too many, or someone has gifted you with a new chalice and you’re tired of the old one, or maybe something just doesn’t speak to you the way it used to. Whatever the reason, it can sometimes be a bit of a dilemma as to how to dispose of your ritual tools.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Varied

Here’s How:

Pass It On

If you’ve got a particular tool that still has a good feeling to it, or that has some sort of sentimental value, and you’ve decided it’s time to get rid of it, why not pass it along to a friend? You’ll be happy to know your item has gone to a good home, and your friend will be happy to receive a new magical tool. Before you pass it along, you may want to hold a short parting ritual to separate yourself from the object. Once your friend has the item in her possession, she can re-consecrate the tool to make it her own.
Into the Wild

Some items seem to like being released into the wild, like animals. If you have a magical tool that came from nature — a wand made from a branch, a special stone, a bottle of sea water — then put it back into nature. While you may not be able to return it to the place you originally found it, you can always find a quiet place in the woods to leave it. Another option might be to toss it into a creek or river, as long as it is indeed a natural object.
Release by Fire

Sometimes, you might have an item you don’t want any more, and you don’t want to give it to anyone else. You might not want to leave it out in the wild where someone can dig it up, either. In this case, the best thing to do is use fire to get rid of it. Burning a magical item doesnâ€™t have to be complicated – build a fire and place the item in it. If you wish, say a few words to separate yourself magically from the object, and then allow it to burn.
Burial

Another good method of getting rid of old ritual tools is burial. Typically, you’ll want to select a place that isn’t going to be disturbed later on — if you have property of your own, you can bury the item in your yard. If you don’t have your own land, or you’re going to be moving soon, you may want to find a remote spot somewhere that you can bury the object. Use good judgment before digging on any public property.

BANISHING SICKNESS FROM YOURSELF

Take an Athame or wand (or use your index finger) and repeat the banishing
pentagram ritual while saying:
O malady, disappear into the heavens;
Pain, rise up to the clouds;
Inflamed vapor, fly into the air,
In order that the wind may take thee away,
That the tempest may chase thee to distant regions,
Where you came from where you did no harm So mote it be!

The Elements

The Elements – Fire
South
Cinnamon or Juniper incense

Passion, enthusiasm, desire , courage, force, lust, fertility , virility. Fire magick : to bring on the new and destroy the old

Season: Summer
Symbol: Sword, Candle ,Burner
Colors:Reds, Oranges, Golds.
Candle- Red
Stones- Banded agate, black agate, brown agate, red agate, amber, apache tear, asbestos, bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, quartz crystal, diamond, flint, garnet, hematite, red jasper, lava, obsidian, onyx, pipestone, rhodocrosite, ruby, sard, sardonyx, serpentine, spinel, sulfur, sunstone, tiger’s eye, topaz, red tourmaline, watermelon tourmaline, zircon.
Fire stones are used for protection, defensive magic, physical strength, magical energy, courage, will power (such as dieting), and purification
Bonfire Magick:burning something for example a piece of paper with your spell or an image for banishing, destroying
Candle Magick: simple easy and effective form to obtain your desire
Sun Magick : using the sun to enhance power,new beginnings,strength,control

The Elements – Air
North/East

Gems,stones,crystals,symbo Frankincense incense
Thoughts, reason ,intellect, memory, knowledge,freedom,Visualization

Season: Spring
Symbol : Wand, Athame
Color : yello,gold,white
Stones- Aventurine, mottled jasper, mica, pumice, sphene.
Candle- white
Mirror Magick: good for looking within,scrying

The Elements – Earth
East/ or North
Salt

stability, strength, warmth ,comfort, animals, farming,harvest. Earth Magick uses herbs and flowers,burying objects, drawing images in the earth, planting trees or plants,working with nature. Good for grounding

Season : Winter
Colors : Browns, Blacks, Greens.
Symbol: Pentacle ,salt ,grain ,stone.
Candles- Green
Stones- Green agate, moss agate, alum, green calcite, cat’s eye, chrysoprase, coal, emerald, brown jasper, green jasper, jet, kunzite, malachite, olivine, peridot, salt, stalagmite, black tourmaline, green tourmaline, turquoise.

Earth Stones related to this element are useful in promoting peace, grounding and centering of energies, fertility, money, business success, stability, gardening and agriculture.

The Elements – Water
West
Bowl of water

Emotions, feelings, intuition, insight,fertility, divination. Water Magick incorporates rivers,ponds,streams, the beach,sand, shells,seawater,mirrors. Intuition,scrying. Good for love spells.

Season: Autumn
Colors : Blue, Light Greys, Sea Greens ,White,silver.
Symbols: Chalice
Candle- Blue
Stones- Blue lace agate, amethyst, aquamarine, azurite, beryl, blue calcite, pink calcite, celestite, chalcedony, chrysocolla, coral, quartz crystal, geodes, holey stones, jade, lapis lazuli, moonstone mother-of-pearl, pearl, sapphire, selenite, sodalite, sugilite, blue tourmaline, green tourmaline, pink tourmaline.
Stones of this element are used in love rituals and for healing, compassion, reconciliation, friendship, purification, de-stressing, peace, sleep, dreams and psychism.

Elemental Banishing

Elemental Banishing

Elemental banishing is a little more complex way to clean an area of the negative influences that reside there. It should only be done within a cast circle. This is an ideal way to prepare a new living space before you move in. It will take away any remnants of the old tenants that were there before you and let you move into a fresh, new space.

Cast a circle as you normally would. Before you call the elements to attend, take your athame to the west side of the circle and face outwards. Draw a banishing pentagram (point downward towards the earth) and then re-center the athame into the middle of it. Push the athame slowly outward while pushing outward with your own energy, ordering, “Go, or be cast into the depths of the flood!”

Move to the south and repeat your actions, saying, “Go, or be cast into the flames!”

Move to the east and pause to gather yourself and close the circle before drawing the final pentagram and saying, “Go, or be rent by the grinding earthquakes!”

Move to the north and repeat your actions, saying, “Go, or be torn apart by the whirlwind!”

Turn back into the center and yell, “I (we) banish you! I banish you! I banish you! BEGONE!” while clapping and clattering and making a great deal of noise.

At this point, you can proceed with the rest of the ritual that has been planned, starting with invoking the elements to bless the circle

Casting a Formal Circle for a Group or Solitary

Casting a Formal Circle for a Group or Solitary

If there is a limited amount of space within the circle, it is often easier to cast the circle and admit the participants after creating the space. There are pros and cons of doing it this way, mainly having to do with making the participants feel excluded from part of the ritual. In order to avoid this, it is important to have them focus on the people or person casting the circle and adding their energy to what is going on. If you choose to have them within the circle, it is best to have them kneel at the boundary and cast the circle just behind them and over their heads, having them focus on the casting.

With this particular method, you can have one, two, or three people cast the circle, splitting the parts up as you desire. In a large group, splitting up the jobs in this manner helps everyone to participate when there are a limited number of things to do. Any of the parts of the ritual can be split up this way, but some will work better than others. Having more than one person cast the circle is a nice way for a group to maintain the bonds of working together.

When everyone is prepared and quiet, the person casting the circle should move to the altar and touch the pentacle with his or her athame. If the altar is set in the north, all that they need to do now is to visualize energy coming from the pentacle and walk the edge of the circle until they return to the starting point again. Once the caster is there, they should touch the pentacle with the athame again to seal the circle and then visualize pulling the edges of the boundary around to form a sphere above and below. This can also be done by actually using the athame to cast by starting at the pentacle and pushing the energy up over the heads of everyone, around, down through the floor, and back to the pentacle.

If the altar is elsewhere in the circle, the person touches the athame to the pentacle to perform a connection to it and then walks to the east to begin casting. They proceed to the south and then the west and then finally to the north before returning to the east. At that point, they can return to the altar and finish sealing the circle.

NOTE: Circles may be cast in either direction, depending on the work being done. Clockwise (N, E, S, W) tends to be the most common. This sunwise direction is used to invoke and bless. It is useful when the ritual has an outward focus. Moonwise circles (N, W, S, and E) tend to be used for banishing or rituals that focus inward or on the self.

Once the circle is cast, the next person should bless the salt and water to use for purification. Tip three pinches of salt into the water and stir it three times moonwise saying, “By the powers of Life, Death, and Rebirth.” Take this water and go to the east, sprinkling it around the edges of the circle, walking in the opposite direction of the circle caster. Once you have moved all the way around the circle, and if the people are within the circle, sprinkle each of them saying “Be washed clean.” (Make certain that you have someone do this for you, as well.) If they are not in the circle, place the salt water on the altar for later use.

The third person (Or the first, if you are only having two perform this) will bless the incense to consecrate and fill the circle. Place some of the loose powder incense on the hot coal (or light a stick incense) and draw a pentagram over the burning saying, “Blessed be the union of fire and air, the breath of the Gods.” Walk around the edge of the circle with the incense in the direction that it was cast in, slowly, and call the Ancestors to come and witness your circle.

Finally, the fourth person (or number two) moves to the center of the circle and declares that this is sacred time and sacred space. The circle exists outside of our normal time and reality. The shift from mundane to sacred should now be complete and should be a tangible feeling for everyone. The air may look or feel different, or the people may experience a shift in consciousness.

At this point, if you have cast the circle with the people outside, it is time to let them into the circle. The person who cast the circle will take their athame and cut a doorway into the boundary. This is done by inserting the tip of the athame into the circle at the level of the floor and cutting along it to make a wide enough entry for people to pass through. Then they cut upwards to the height of the people outside the circle. They should arch the top and then cut down the other side and across to meet the original point on the floor.

The person who blessed the salt water will switch places with the caster and stand in the doorway before each person as they enter, sprinkling to cleanse them. The caster will hug the person and pull or spin them over the threshold of the circle, bringing them in as a part of the company that will perform the ritual.

Once everyone is inside the circle, the caster will “erase” the doorway by placing the tip of the knife to the floor again and move it upwards, “sealing” the circle again. The “door” should be removed exactly opposite of how it was placed. When you are finished, there should be no trace of a break left in the circle wall. If you can see one, mend it with your own energy and close the break.

Lady A’s Spell of the Day for 8/24 – A Simple Warding

A WARDING

Ingredients:

None

The following is an easy warding ritual for your home or just one room.

You must admit that there are those who would use magic in unwise ways.

A simple way I’ve found of dealing with such attempts is to ward a room you work in, or your home.

It is similar to casting a circle except that it is as permanent as you want it to be.

Be sure that you won’t be disturbed while casting the ward or you will have to start over.

Nothing is required to do this but you may use any props necessary to make you more comfortable.

After ensuring you won’t be disturbed, ground and center (use any form you wish, this is a very adaptable ritual). Cast your circle, using the walls as the four Quarters (again use whatever method you are most comfortable with). After the circle is cast you will do something similar to circle casting.

Invoke the Quarters again this time asking for protection of the area being warded against all negative influences from being able to ever enter the area involved.

As you invoke each Quarter visualize a wall of energy completely covering the wall involved sealed by a floor to ceiling pentacle. On the wall/s with a door visualize a smaller version of the energy wall and pentacle so that entering and leaving will not affect the integrity of the working.

After each wall, the floor, and the ceiling are sealed be sure to cleanse the area to ensure that no negativity was trapped inside the room (any method is acceptable).

When done thank the Quarters for their help and dismiss them.

Knowing When To Move On

Knowing When To Move On

Author: Wynter Wolf

Everything changes.

The seasons change, people change, and the earth is always changing. Flowers grow and bloom and then die, and so do we. It is impossible to resist change.

But I still do resist. When things are exactly where I want them, I never want anything to change, but I know this is futile and sooner or later I will have to change, as well.

Lately, I have been stuck in a rut and only seem to be getting worse. I haven’t done anything Wicca-like in quite some time, because whenever I tried to I felt this dark presence or something telling me not to, as if the gods have turned away from me.

So I backed off for a while. I changed rooms in my house, and got a new desk that I placed directly under my window. So far, this alone has helped me; I have a direct view of my backyard, so I can watch birds hop everywhere and see plants and flowers grow. Sometimes coyotes pass and ravens will circle overhead. When the sun rises, I am the first to see it, and this has made me think of Eos, goddess of dawn. She is the sister of Selene, whom I have always felt drawn to.

A little after my eighteenth birthday, my friend gave me some presents. He drew me a picture of a pentagram with a sword and a chalice going through it, and a sun near the sword and a moon near the chalice. He also drew a few rune symbols on it and lent me his book of runes so that I can learn and decipher them.

He also made me a necklace, which is a chunk of amethyst wrapped in a gold chord that also has runes twisted into it. And last, but by no means least, he gave me a hand-carved athame.

It used to be a knife sharpener, but he sharpened it himself and then carved several rune messages into it. I don’t remember all of them, but I know that one of them that surround the handle is “blessed be” and the one going down the blade is my real name. It was specifically made to work with my energy, and I get this tingling up my right arm whenever I hold it. If I close my eyes I only have to concentrate a little bit to feel the forest where the wooden handle came from and hear the sound of the blade being sharpened.

I once read long ago that you should wait for the right athame to come to you, and I have waited for four years now. During that time, I used an Irish dagger as a stand-in, although the energy about it has been feeling wrong lately. I know that my birthday athame was the one I have been waiting to use, and on the next full moon I will consecrate, cleanse, and empower it, along with my necklace.

I visited my local Wiccan store recently, just because I haven’t in so long. There, I found a rune bag that I was instantly drawn to, behind the stand of statues for Hinduism and Buddhism. I have only used them once, and it was to ask if it is time to part ways with my current boyfriend.

I know I am supposed to use them for magickal purposes, but this has been bothering me for some time now. We have been together for over a year now, and during a recent weekend a few weeks ago, I was happy with him but still wondered if it would last. We are the kind of couple that gets into a fight and goes through a rough area every other week, and usually my depression is the cause of it. I love him, but I’m wondering if it’s time to move on and possibly try again in the future. One of my fellow employees gave me hope; he and his college sweetheart decided to part ways, and nine years later they found each other again and married.

The way things go with me, I tend to tell myself that if things aren’t working out then the universe doesn’t want them to work out, and perhaps sees a better alternative for me. This is a very difficult decision for me, however, because I want to hold on tight to him and never let go. The same employee asked if I was being selfish, to which I grudgingly agreed. But I know my boyfriend desperately wants to hold on, too. It’s like we’re at a harbor, clinging to each other because a storm (change) is threatening to separate us. Instead of throwing ourselves into the storm, we hold on as hard as we can.

Resisting change is futile, and giving in to it will only make things easier.

I wanted to focus on self-love lately, as well. I have been told several times that you cannot accept love into your life if you do not love yourself. So I have been thinking that if I let my boyfriend go and focus on loving myself, maybe, when the time is right, we will meet up again. Or, I will end up happier and he will, too.

While I was at that store, I found a book, Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin. I collect books for beginners in the area of Wicca because everyone has his/her own approach to the religion and I am always curious to how I will feel about it. By reading other authors and beginner books, I have broadened my horizons, so that it is easier to choose my own path.

How are things changing in your lives? How are you approaching it?

Footnotes:
Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Lady A’s Spell of the Day for Aug. 16th: Overcome an Obstacle

Overcome an Obstacle

Is something standing in the way of your financial or career success? Perhaps you’ll have to remove the obstacle before you can make progress. Whether the obstacle is an attitude or something physical, this spell can help you to over overcome it.

Best times to perform this spell:

During the waning moon
When the sun or moon is in Scorpio
On Saturdays

Ingredients or items needed:

An athame or kitchen knife

Hold the athame (a ritual dagger) or knife in your right hand.
Close your eyes and imagine you are in a jungle choked with vines and brush.
Hold the dagger out in front of you and make slashing motions as you symbolically cut away the thick growth that’s blocking your path. Chop your way into a small clearing, where you see a suitcase full of money. Pick up the suitcase and take it with you.

Warning: If the obstacle is a person, don’t envision yourself slicing up him or her with your dagger–in your mind’s eye picture vines, which represent the situation rather than the individual.

And please be extra careful with the dagger!

Air Wand

Air Wand

There is some controversy in both Ceremonial Magick and Wicca as to whether the Wand relates to the direction of the East or the South and whether it relates to fire or air as an element. I am going to share here what I use and what works for me. Others who work differently are more than welcome to share their usage.The way I use the wand in my Magickal working is as the tool for the EAST the element of air. I can’t PERSONALLY see the fire attribute, as I have problems with the idea of a tool relating to an element that can destroy it. Since some wands are made of wood and almost ALL of them were until the popularization of Crystal work with the adoption by some NeoPagans of Native American practises made the metal wand with a Crystal in it the latest thing. If I WERE to work with people who used the wand as fire, I would certainly used a metalic and stone wand of this type and NOT a wooden one. Again, this is personal taste.The air element relates to communication, intellectual ideas, Linear Logic, Clear and intelligent THINKING, and telepathy. It relates to the concept of unity too, in that ALL of us – and all species of life – breathe the same atmosphere. (note – I realize the plants use the Carbon Dioxide while we use the air, which is why I said ATMOSPHERE)

The wand relates to the suit of RODS in Tarot and vice versa.

The Wand is a MALE tool, like the Athame. The FEMALE tools are the Chalice and the Pentacle.

The wand is used to summon the Rulers of the 4 directions and to invoke the Deities in casting a circle. In CERTAIN types of Magick it is sometimes also used to cast the circle, but it is more common to use the athame for this. (or the sword if it is a coven and they have one)

The Wand can also be used when invoking the spirits.

It is particularly helpful at times when wisdom is needed and in invoking the spirits before tranceworking where specific information or guidance is desired. It is also good for doing this for VERY important divinations when they are done in a fully cast circle.

The wand is used in some traditions in a Spring Equinox celebration to create a hole in the soil in which seeds, symbolizing people’s hopes, are planted – obvious fertility symbolism.

The wand can hold a lot of power and be a very special and personal instrument.

There are some Witches/Pagans I know who use only the wand and the chalice as their tools. Their thoughts on this being that the Pentacle is drawn from ceremonial Magick – which is correct – so they want to eliminate it as they feel it is necessary FOR THEM to get back to the roots of Wicca/Paganism. These people also eliminated the knife/sword because they pointed out that in ancient times Wicca was the religion of the Masses and the Peasants – who were not allowed to carry weapons. These people use the wand to cast all their circles,replacing it for ALL the purposes for which the athame is used.

Their are other groups, most noticably the Community of ISIS and it’s inner circle the TEMPLE of ISIS in Salem MA., that use the wand for casting the circle although they retain the athame – which they seem to use only for blessing the chalice in the symbolic re-enactment of the fertility theme central to Wicca. (PLEASE NOTE I SAID SYMBOLIC)

These are the major uses of the wand.

The Old WOTC

Saxon Wands

The Saxon Wands are very good for obtaining a direct, prompt answer to a question. In a way they are similiar to the Oriental I-Ching, though far less complicated.

Seven wands are needed. These are made from wood dowel. There should be three, each nine-inches in length; and four, each twelve-inches in length. One of the twelve-inch wands should be marked, or decorated in some way, as the WITAN wand. Actually, you can decorate all of the wands with runes and symbols, if you wish, but make sure the Witan wand stands out from the others.

Kneeling, lay the Witan wand on the ground before you; horizontally “across” you. Take the other six wands and hold them out over the Witan wand. Close your eyes, and holding them between you two hands, mix them together while concentrating on your question. Keeping the eyes closed, grip the wands in your right hand (left hand if left-handed); take hold of the tip of one wand with the fingers of the other hand; concentrate for a moment longer on your question, then open your right hand. All of the wands will fall to the ground except the one held now by the fingers of your left hand. Open your eyes.

i: If there should be more LONG wands that short

wands on the ground, then the answer to your

question is in the affirmative.

ii: If there are more SHORT wands than long wands

on the ground (excluding the Witan wand) then

the answer is in the negative.

iii: If any wand(s) touch the Witan wand, it means

the answer will be a very definite one, with strong

forces at work.

iv: If any wand(s) are off the ground (resting on

others), circumstances are such (forces still work-

ing) that no definite answer can yet be given-

regardless of (i) or (ii).

v: If all the wands point towards the Witan wand,

then you ( or the person for whom you are asking)

will have a definite role to play in the determina-

tion of the question.

vi: If none of the wands point towards the Witan

wand, then the matter will be determined without

your (the Querant’s) interference.

As with the crystal and the tarot cards, don’t let anyone else use your wands. They are your personal instruments. Keep them wrapped in a black cloth.

Buckland’s Complete Book Of Witchcraft

Raymond Buckland

ISBN 0-87542-050-8

It’s All In The Wrist – Some Wand Basics

It’s All In The Wrist – Some Wand Basics

Author: Bronwen Forbes

After the athame, the most popular – and misunderstood – ritual tool is the wand. Aside from the “is the wand a tool of the East or a tool of the South?” debate I covered in my Witchvox article on athame basics, there seem to still be quite a few unanswered questions about the wand and its use including: Is it better to make or buy a wand? How long should my wand be? What should I make my wand out of? When should I use the wand in ritual, as opposed to using the athame? How do I charge my wand and make it ready to use?

Is it better to make or buy a wand? In general, it is always better to make a ritual tool than buy it. Obviously, unless you have a forge and the training to make your own blade from scratch, it’s better to buy an athame rather than make it. Plus, wands made by other people can be *expensive.*

I remember a few years back with wands made of wood that had a natural spiral twist to it from growing with a wild grape vine wrapped around it were being sold for about $60. If the seller added a shell or crystal at the tip, the naturally spiral wands were closer to $70. I remember talking to a friend who was Pagan and also participated in “Host Your Own Murder Mystery” events. She had just returned from a murder mystery convention and was telling me about the weird stuff that the attendees bought to make their weekend events more realistic (fake blood and cap guns were only the tip of the iceberg) – and how much they paid for it.

I said, “Yes, but Pagans have been known to pay $70 for a stick!” She laughed, but she also had to agree with me.

How long should my wand be? Traditionally, your wand should be exactly the length from the inside of your elbow to the tip of your middle finger. No more, no less, and *never* “trim” your already-made wand to fit in the fancy storage box your sweetie gave you for Yule (seriously, I know someone this happened to) . However, it’s been my experience that if two people are working partners and only one of them has a wand, the other can generally use the wand even if it’s traditionally the “wrong” length.

What should I make my wand out of? Wands can be pretty easy to make. All you need is a short, cured wooden branch, or, if you want to go fancy, find your own “stick” that has wild grapevine growing around it. Take home, strip the bark off, and polish.

I had a student once who wanted more than anything to be a music conductor. Her wand was, in fact, a conductor’s baton. I thought it was perfect for her. I’ve also known people who have used bones from their totem animals (deer bones work very well, if you can get them) rather than wood. They seemed to work well, too.

My husband has a lovely wand he “recycled” from a red maple tree that needed to be cut down in his mother’s front yard a few years ago. To give him an even closer connection with his wand, he and his father were the ones that planted the tree in the first place. If I ever have a wand, it will probably be made of oak, holly or apple – my favorite trees. A quick note to the Harry Potter fans: no, it will not have a phoenix feather in the middle of it!

You can decorate your wand with shells, crystals, feathers, paint, carve runes into it – whatever makes it more “yours.” However, I would reference the excellent article Lupa posted here on Witchvox about the legal use of animal parts for ritual items before adding feathers or bits of fur to the end, or even making the wand out of bone as mentioned above. The last thing you want is to take your wand to a public space to use for a community ritual and have it confiscated by the police or park rangers because you’ve put a feather on it that, legally, you’re not allowed to have.

When should I use the wand in ritual, as opposed to using the athame? You can, generally, use the wand for anything you’d use the athame for –casting the circle, saluting the quarters, etc. If you believe the wand is the tool of the East, use it any time you need extra “air” energy – when you’re doing a ritual to help you study more effectively for an exam, for instance, or when beginning a new job.

If you believe the wand is the tool of the South, use it any time you need extra “fire” energy – if you’ve been feeling physically run down lately, or you’ve got some old life baggage you want to burn away. If your wand is made of wood, I’d definitely refrain from placing it in a combustible situation – using it to consecrate a burning candle, or poking your incense charcoal to get the burnt ash off the surface and expose the glowing coal within, for instance. Use your athame or boline for those – and save yourself the pain and embarrassment of setting your wand on fire!

How do I charge my wand and make it ready to use? I keep my wand tucked away with the rest of my altar tools (I have a small child and many pets. Ritual tools are safely stored in a special cabinet) . To charge it, I waited for a particularly windy day (yes, I am definitely of the belief that wands are the tool of East/Air) and took my wand outside for a few hours so it could absorb the wind. I also did this as close to sunrise as possible to add the dawn/new beginnings energy to the tool. I still do this periodically if I haven’t used it in ritual for a while – just in case.

Whether your wand is something you make yourself or a gift from a dear friend, cherish it and use it well!

Air Wand

Air Wand

The wand relates to the suit of RODS in Tarot and vice versa.

The Wand is a MALE tool, like the Athame. The FEMALE tools are the Chalice and the Pentacle.

The Wand can also be used when invoking the spirits.

The wand is used in some traditions in a Spring Equinox celebration to create a hole in the soil in which seeds, symbolizing people’s hopes, are planted – obvious fertility symbolism.

The wand can hold a lot of power and be a very special and personal instrument.

These are the major uses of the wand.

Fire

Fire
Elemental: Firedrakes
Elemental Ruler: Dijin
Direction South
Color: Red
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Noon
Symbols: Candle, Sword, Athame, Incense Burner
Some Things associated with the element of fire: Energy, Passion, Taking Action as opposed to just thinking about it, Protection especially where active is needed as opposed to passive.
Some Herbs Associated with the element of Fire: Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Garlic, Basil, Cedar, Rosemary, Dragon’s blood
Type of energy: Masculine
Wind: South Wind
Zodiac Signs ruled By Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Power of Magus: Audere, To Dare

Dressing Candles:

Dressing Candles

Dressing the candle with oil is as important as any other step. Use whatever oil you prefer or what a specific spell asks you to use. Personally, I use lotus a lot… but again that is my preference. what is important is the direction you dress the candle. To bring something to you, rub oil on the candle in a downward motion from the top to the middle and then from the bottom to the middle.
To send something away from you…you rub the oil from the middle of the candle out to the ends. Never make a back and forth motion as this defeats the purpose. Dab the remaining oil from your fingers onto your third eye and on your breast bone. Then say the following:

“I cleanse and consecrate this candle in the name of the Lord and the Lady. May it burn with strength in the service of the light.”

Then state your intent or the purpose of the candle.
Inscribing:
If you inscribe a candle you should use your Athame. The same principle as dressing the candle is used…
To draw something to you, write from the top to the middle, and then from the bottom to the middle.
To repel things, write from the middle to the ends.

MAKING AN ATHAME

An athame is traditionally a double-bladed knife with a black handle. Very few
people make their own, although it is possible to do so. Most people obtain one
and personalize it in some way. This is most commonly done by inscribing
symbols or runes on it. In some traditions specific symbols are required and
have been handed down through their lineage. In others and among eclectic Wicca
groups, these can be personal.

How do you do this? You cover the blade with Paraffin. (WAX) Then you let it
cool. Next you take a LONG sharp NAIL and inscribe the symbols in the wax.
Then you use dilute Hydrochloric acid – careful, this stuff is dangerous, and
drop by drop place on the blade where it shows through due to your inscriptions.
When the acid has worked – usually fairly quickly – you rinse the blade under
running water THOROUGHLY and then you use VERY hot water and a lot of elbow
grease to remove the wax.

If ANY ACID FALLS ON THE SKIN RINSE THOROUGHLY UNDER COLD WATER IMMEDIATELY and
if there is a burn of any type, seek immediate medical help. IF it gets in the
eyes, again rinse immediately and completely and CALL THE EMT/PARAMEDIC UNITS.
It is best when doing this if you wear either some type of glasses or goggles
and rubber gloves.

DO NOT INGEST THE ACID OR LEAVE IT WHERE IT COULD BE INGESTED BY A CHILD OR
ANIMAL. Also be careful of how you dispose of the rest of it – do so in an
environmentally SAFE way.

This sounded like a little too much for me, so I tried another method. Koren
made a beautiful athame for me and I personalized it by putting herbs of my
choice in the handle and sealing this with a favorite crystal of mine – again
with his help.

Oh, if you absolutely can’t get a double-bladed knife – in Massachusetts, for
example, possession of such a weapon is a CRIME – get a single-bladed knife and
grind down the other edge as much as you can.

As I said, the Athame is USUALLY black-handled, but there are exceptions – I saw
one Lady use a knife with a deer’s hoof for the handle. She was oriented toward
her Native American heritage as much as her Craft, so it had deep significance
for her. I also saw – in fact a friend of mine was selling it – a BEAUTIFUL
homemade athame with copper tubing forming a cross hilt and crystals in each of
the three tips for the handle. (this was almost a small sword) AS ALWAYS USE
WHAT SPEAKS TO YOUR OWN SOUL!!!!!

The athame is usually NOT used in circle for anything other than ritual and
ceremonial purposed. If you need to inscribe a candle for Magick or slice the
bread for the cakes and wine part of the rite, you usually use a BOLINE or white
– handled knife, often a small dagger or even a pen-knife, set aside for these
purposes.

ALTARS (Misc. Thoughts)

ALTARS (Misc. Thoughts)
Chris Olmstead

As for Altar set ups…

1. I once read Crowley’s remarks on how he contrived his stuff while he was out
wandering the world or climbing mountains. He found ways to just use the
simple things from his kit…cook knife became Athame, tin cup became the
Cup…etc.

This sort of ‘kitchen witch’ working is accepted by lots of folks. You can set an
altar up and take it down as fast as you can set a table.

2. I also have noted the “Porto-Pagan” set-ups at some of the Pagan Fests I’ve
attended. Carry the stuff in a cardboard box that can be up-ended for an altar, or
even placed on it’s side for a rain-proof ‘shrine’. Close and carry off at the end of
the visit with a minimum of re-wrapping to protect the fragiles. Some just contrive
one with the natural objects at hand…a rock, a stick, a lantern or candle, etc.

3. Some folks (including myself) have a small duffle into which I’ve placed a
second set of “traveling” working tools. I have the great good-fortune of having
friends who give me cool things. The coolest stay on my Altar, the second-
coolest hang out in the sac, and sometimes I shift the goodies around.

4. I have a buncha books that offer arrangements I find a bit Over-whelming, but
I can certainly post them, if you really need them. If you want me to fetch out
Official Altar diagrams from some of the slick commercial works I have on the
shelf, RSVP.

5. For “public” Altar, in my home, I ‘clutter’ a shelf, a mantle, or a small window
sill. It sounds to me as though, since all your stuff is packed andyour space is
totally compressed, that the “window sill” Altar is a good solution for you. I put a
little origami pinwheel up on an Eastern sill, a small shell on a Western one, a
tiny oil lamp on a Southern one, and a pretty rock on a Northern one. The whole
House is the Altar “Table”.

To clear my space I have been known to light a stick of incense, scaling it
upward in my mind until I am swinging a huge flaming brand before the various
Darks I’m dispelling, and run through the house screaming and raving aloud until
they back off. A joss stick lasts about 20 minutes. I can almost guarantee that if
you summon your Ki and Incant over a flaming brand for 15 minutes, most
Shadows _will_ go elsewhere. I haven’t had to do it in THIS house more than
twice in 3 years

The Athame

The Athame

The athame is the practitioner’s ritual knife, symbolising the masculine principle, asociated to the element of Air, and according to several authors also with Fire (for the fire used during the forging of the blade). Other tools closely asociated with it are the Sword and the Sickle (a small knife with a scythe-like blade, very popular in british traditions).

The Athame traditionally must have a black handle and a double-edged blade, even though we’re not really going to use the blade too often. The main function of the Athame (and the Sword) is to direct the user’s energy, whether when tracing the circle, or casting a spell. It’s also used, raised high as a greeting, when calling the four quarters when casting the circle. Some traditions also used a smaller, white handed knife for everything that implies cuting or carving.

The sickle is used in a similar manner, mainly to cut ritual herbs, thanks to it’s shape. We could say it’s a direct heir of the small gold sickle druids used to cut ritual herbs, mainly mistletoe. The only difference is that due to it’s curved shape, similar to the waxing moon, it symbolises the feminin principle, and can be used in some lunar rituals. For more practical uses, it can be replaced with the athame, the same as the white handled knife.

The Sword is not strictly a necesary element, even though it’s highly decorative. It has exactly the same ritual uses of the athame, directing the energy projected by the witch. The only problem it can pose is the uncomfortable size when working in smaller places, along with it’s weight. Unless we were lucky enough to get a short sword, they’re generally heavy items, difficult to handle, at least for a woman. And let us not get into the difficulties of taking it along to an open place to perform a ritual, which can be illega in several countries. Whatever the uses we’re planning, it can well be replaced by the Athame, and we’ll gain in comfortability and practicity.

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8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
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	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I Need a Day Off
	quicklycomputera2439… on I Need a Day Off
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on February 5, 2026 Current South…
	fadingfully58e4f7102… on February 5, 2026 Current South…
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I’m Back
	alanleealan on I’m Back
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I’m Back

How To Dispose of Ritual Tools

Here’s How:

Pass It On

Into the Wild

Release by Fire

Burial

Knowing When To Move On Author: Wynter Wolf

Footnotes: Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Overcome an Obstacle

Is something standing in the way of your financial or career success? Perhaps you’ll have to remove the obstacle before you can make progress. Whether the obstacle is an attitude or something physical, this spell can help you to over overcome it.

Best times to perform this spell:

During the waning moon

When the sun or moon is in Scorpio

On Saturdays

Ingredients or items needed:

An athame or kitchen knife

Hold the athame (a ritual dagger) or knife in your right hand.

Close your eyes and imagine you are in a jungle choked with vines and brush.

Hold the dagger out in front of you and make slashing motions as you symbolically cut away the thick growth that’s blocking your path. Chop your way into a small clearing, where you see a suitcase full of money. Pick up the suitcase and take it with you.