The Maiden

Information for the beginner.

There is no tool used in the Craft of the witch that is more important than their will. Positively every ritual, spell, or other magickal working can be performed with nothing but one's desire to do so. Tools are used only to enhance a witch's ability to direct energy. A few basic tools are used by the majority of practitioners. Remember that none of them are completely necessary, but it can help to have them. All tools do not carry any magick of their own, but their energies are used to enhance the power the witch puts into them.

Pentacle 

A pentacle is a disk, a flat circle like a plate, with a magickal symbol inscribed on it. It can be made out of wood, metal, clay, wax, paper, or other materials. For most Wiccans, the symbol inscribed is a pentagram, or five-pointed star. Other symbols can be the six- or seven-pointed star or any other sigil related to the tradition practiced. In ritual, the pentacle has a prominent place usually at the center of the altar, upon which other tools, stones, or talismans can be placed for consecration. The pentacle symbolizes the element of earth.

Pentacles in their most original use were as talismans of protection. Many witches will wear one with a circled pentagram inscribed as both a symbol of their faith, and for its protective properties. This comes to us from Ceremonial Magick (often called high magick), a practice that is steeped in elaborate ritual. I will talk about this more in a later article.

Wand

One of the most recognized tools of the witch is the wand. It is generally a long, cylindrical object made of wood or metal, that can be embellished with stones, carvings, ribbons, runes, and various other things to enhance its directive properties. It is used as an aid in directing energy; for drawing a protective circle, sending energy off into the universe, stirring the contents of the cauldron, or calling the deities into the ritual space. The wand symbolizes the element of air, or the element of fire depending on the preference of the tradition. The use of the wand in Wicca also comes from Ceremonial Magick, which is based on many more ancient traditions.

Athame

The athame is a special ritual knife. It is double-edged and the handle is painted black. Its uses are much like one would use a wand with the exception that the deities are not called with an athame. The blade is often dulled because this knife is not used for cutting. This also makes other materials, such as wood or clay, just fine as athames. The athame can symbolize the element of fire or air, depending on the tradition.

 This tool is extremely important in Gardner's tradition, and the name may have come from a text called the Key of Solomon, though Gardner was the first to use it as we see it today.  If a tradition uses a sword instead of a small knife, it would be used like an athame.

Chalice

The chalice can be any cup or vessel, made out of any material. On the altar, it holds water, a ritual libation, or a special celebratory beverage. It naturally symbolizes the element of water.

The chalice seems to come to us from a variety of religious traditions; the cup used by the Christ at the Last Supper immediately comes to mind. 

Besom

A besom is a broom. The bristles are usually round as opposed to flat, but that is not a requirement. The besom is used to sweep the ritual space clean. This is both an actual sweeping of particles, and a visualization exercise of sweeping unnecessary or unwanted energy from the space.

The besom has many magickal uses outside of ritual cleansing that usually involve protection and purification. When a witch hides their religion from others, it is usually said that they are "in the broom closet."

Cauldron

This is one of those tools that are associated with witches as green is with grass. It is a vessel rarely made of anything other than iron and most often stands on three feet. Its use is similar to that of the chalice and it can also be used for cooking, brewing, and ceremonial burning of objects (this can be as simple as burning a piece of paper that has a habit you would like to be rid of written upon it).

Book of Shadows

The Book of Shadows is a grimoire, a book of magick. It is usually specific to individuals or individual traditions. There is no one Book of Shadows that has relevance to all Wiccans, the vast majority are personal works. They contain ritual instructions, guidelines, recipes, spells, and thoughts. Ideally, the information should be written by hand. The witch can control readability, as most rituals are performed by candlelight, and it ensures that the material has been read. The Book of Shadows serves a better purpose as a reference rather than a manual to be used during ritual. The actual book can be anything from a commercially available blank book to a 3 ringed binder or a fancy scrapbook. Many modern witches have their BoS electronically stored. However, I think that writing a BoS is an act of magick.

Boline

The boline is a knife with a white handle. This knife is not a ritual tool, but rather a functional one. Where nothing is cut with the athame, the boline is the knife used to cut things like herbs or cord or used to carve symbols into a candle or dish of earth. Of all the tools I have mentioned, this is probably the one that is less likely to be a part of any given tradition. Indeed, the tradition known as kitchen witchery encourages the use of ritual items for everyday things, so the athame would also serve as the boline in this tradition. 

There are a few other things which would be considered tools that I have not included here. This list is what I consider to be the basics. You'll want to include an incense burner of some sort and candle holders as well, though these are generally not viewed as tools. Few rituals are performed without the lighting of incense or the burning of at least one candle.

Tools should be cleansed and consecrated before their use. The consecration ritual can be very simple or very complex, depending on what you wish to do at the time. I will present a ritual here, assuming this is the first ritual and you have no tools to work with other than what you are consecrating.

Before you begin, you will cleanse your tools. This can be done several ways, and it depends on the material of the tool itself. You can bury it in the earth for a day, or set it on a windowsill to absorb the light of the sun or the moon, or hold it under running water (tap water will do), or set it on a quartz cluster for a night. You can simply hold the item in front of you, as if you are presenting it to the universe, and say "This [tool] is clean of all energy. This is my will, so mote it be." Mote is a Middle English word that means might or shall in this context. You are not asking for your tool to be clean, you are firmly stating that it be so.

You will need basic supplies to represent the elements: salt for earth, incense for air, a candle for fire, water for water, and of course something to hold each of these. Set them around you in the corresponding direction (North and earth, East and air, South and fire, West and water). You will also need matches, a fireproof dish to put used ones in, and something to snuff the candle when you're through (this is optional). You may also wish a towel nearby.

Start in the North or the East (I, personally, start in the East, I have found that most traditions start in the North). Point towards the perimeter of your space with the index finger of your dominant hand and visualize a brilliant white light coming out of it. This light cleanses the area of non-magickal energies as it moves from your finger to the edge of your space. Circle clockwise, drawing the energy around you through the directions in order. When you arrive back where you started, you have completely drawn a protective circle around you. Direct this energy above and beneath you to completely protect your space. Words are not necessary here, and it helps to have strong visualization skills.  Light the candle and incense. Feel the power of the four elements fill your space.

Next, you will call the Lord and the Lady to witness your ritual. Face the direction where you started drawing your circle (let me just say you started in the North for this) with your arms upraised and state, "Great Lord, Warrior and Protector, witness my rite! Sweet Lady, Mother and Provider, witness my rite!"

If you are consecrating all of your tools at once, you can begin using some of them as you work. Start with your athame. Pick it up and hold it in your hand. Feel its weight, its texture, and its temperature. Take a pinch of salt and sprinkle it over your tool, saying "By the power of Earth, this is consecrated to do my work." Pass your tool through the smoke from the incense, stating, "by the power of Air, this is consecrated to do my work." Repeat this when passing your item through the smoke of the candle flame (be very careful about bringing flammable items too close to your candle) and sprinkling it with a pinch of water (dry it with the towel if necessary). Point to your tool with the index finger of your dominant hand and say, "this athame is blessed and charged to do my work. As I will it so mote it be." Place it down and repeat the process with your pentacle, but when you get to the last step, instead of pointing with your finger, use your newly consecrated athame.

When you have finished all tools, it is time to dismiss your circle. Stand once again facing North with your arms raised. Say, "Thank you, Great Lord, for your presence in my rite. Thank you, Sweet Lady, for your presence in my rite." Then you will reverse your circle, using your athame. Start below you then above, and move counterclockwise around you, visualizing the energy you put out at the beginning returning into you through your athame. When you have completed round your circle, snuff out the candle and incense (or let them burn down if you can do so safely) and state, "this circle is open but never broken. So mote it be."

This is a very simple ritual. Experienced practitioners will notice I didn't call any guardians or beings of the elements. You most certainly may, as you please, but I personally find they are not necessary for a simple ritual of this nature. You are encouraged to ad lib your own words or phrases of power. This is merely a suggestion, and a place to begin.

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