Tryskelion

This may be an optional one (to some), but it is a lovely one. Just as you need to cleanse yourself, you also need to cleanse the room or outdoor area where you want to work. The broom, or besom, as it is traditionally known, was used to sweep away negative energy from all four corners, and to clear the space within the magick circle. Its shaft is usually made from the ash tree because of its protective qualities. Its brush is made from birch twigs, which offer protection and purification, and is traditionally bound by a young branch from the willow, to instil healing and love. The willow also governs moon magick.

Fairly innocuous you may think - however, to a witch, her besom holds sexual significance as well. The shaft is the male aspect, the broom or brush is the female aspect. In some countries it was considered highly inappropriate for an unmarried girl to step over the broom because it foretold she would be pregnant before becoming a bride. However, when a couple "jumped the besom" as part of their handfasting wedding ceremony, it signified a commonlaw committment for both partners. This delightful practice is still part of witches' marriage rites today.

Most all witches use wands. But why, you may ask. Well, the wand is the representative of air and is used to harness and channel the energy of a spell in whatever direction is needed. The magickal quality of each wand differs depending on the wood used for the shaft. Elder and hazel are most commonly used because of the all-purpose magickal attributes. For fertility rites, however, it is better to make a wand from oak wood and attach an acorn to the top. The acorn is the sacred symbol of rebirth, and possesses extremely potent fertility magick. Some witches and magicians use staffs (think of Gandalf in "Lord of the Rings"), which are also made from appropriate magickal trees. Wands and staffs belong to the salamanders of the south.

The athame is an intensely personal possession that is usually handmade to fit to the hight of its owner. Idealy, the hilt should come just a little above the solar plexus - the power source of the body. Most witches impregnate their athame with potent power symbols and secret incantations written in magickal alphabets. Traditionally, the handle is made of black wood to represent the dark moon, while the blade is silvery steel to signify the full moon. It is used to draw the sacred circle either on the ground or in the air, to summon up the four directions, and to invoke the power of the God and Goddess. In addition to his or her sword, a witch will also possess a much smaller knife that is used exclusively to cut herbs, plants, and flowers for culinary, medicinal, and magickal purposes. Both the athame and the knife belong to the sylphs of the east.

Sadly these days, the lovely old black cast-iron belly-pot on three legs is very rare. Nevertheless, its magickal significance is very potent. The three legs represent the triple vision of the Goddess, and its belly is the womb in which special herbal concoctions are mixed and made. In magickal terms therefore, the cauldron represents the essence of Mother Nature. The celtic goddess of the cauldron is Cerridwen who, it is said, set about brewing a potion within her original vessel that could provide universal knowledge. She later became the mother of Tallesin, the Celtic bard who was supposedly the father of Merlin in the Arthurian legends. The cauldron has been very much linked with this Arthurian legend, but as the symbolic form of the Grail or chalice. The cauldron, grail, and the chalice belong to the undines of the west.

The Crafts are known are the OralArts because their secrets have been passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. This came about because most practitioners were either illiterate or terrified of being discovered by the Inquisition, originally established in Europe in 1233. Those who did write down their findings were forced to disguise them thoroughly and hide them in the most secret places.

Grimoires, as a witch's book of spells, is known (probably meaning dark night - grim/noir), were written mainly in midieval times, however, their sources were far more ancient, the Key of Solomon and the Lesser Key of Solomon being the most famous. The incredible tomes are attributed to King Solomon himself, who, according to biblical records, was an extremely accomplished magus capable of all manner of incredible feats and manifestations. The grimoire is also a witch's personal handwritten notebook giving details on healing recipes, results of spells, incantations, etc. Its title "Book of Shadows" reflects the concept that this world is just a mirror of the other life that lies beyond the veil, teaming with spirits, devas, sprites, and angels, and all sorts of magickal dreams, visions, and adventures.

I recommend that you start your own grimoire as soon as possible, especially if you wish to incorporate magick ritual as an ongoing part of your life. You can also use it as a diary to note the dates and effects of your rituals, and to record your dream-time. When you open up to this other side, your dreams often change quite dramatically, and sometimes you can receive profound teachings through the. Make sure you use a special pen (specifically for writing in your grimoire) and appropriately colored ink. This is preferable to a disposible ballpoint pen, which is considered to be less environmentally friendly.

A double bladed, dull knife used only for symbolic purposes like cutting through "bad vibes" and harmful energies. It focuses personal energy and due to the personal connection, it is seldom shared or used to cut with. May witches use this for circle work.

Not to be confused with an athame, it is a knife that can be used for cutting things like a branch for use as a wand or carving symbols into a staff. This can be single or double edged, and usually sharp!

A bowl of salt is symbolic of the earth element in ritual. In antiquity, salt was said to halt the spread of demons and this belief was adapted into the process of spreading salt around one's alter or themselves for protection. It can be used to mark the circle itself.

For mystical purposes, water is a cleansing element which can also be used for divination. Some spells or rituals call for water to cleanse altars or the area of circle during the ceremony. Many witches occasionally use a chalice to hold water for certain rituals, I use a large seashell.

Some ritualistic wiccans will use brews instead of wine or water to drink, along with the symbolic bread, after the ceremony. Brews are generally made by selecting the herbs that are the most complementary to the desired response and boiling them so that their essence, the nutrients and sometimes color, will remain in the water. Plastic is usually not used because of it's porous quality which may allow some brews to leak out and metal is almost always a bad idea. Exceptions include cauldron brewing and the occasional recipe that calls for a double boiler.

AKA: Besom, the broom serves both the practical purpose of sweeping up the ashes after open flame ceremonies, and the spiritual purpose of cleansing the area of spirits and negative emotion. The myth of witches flying upon brooms actually comes from ceremonies in which "skyclad" (nude) witches would run through fields, riding their brooms, much like a child would ride an stick-horse, as a fertility blessing for the land.

Candles are one of, if not the, most versatile tools in magickal workings. In fact, a whole system of magic has been created around the various purposes that they can be used for. They can be used to mark the cardinal points of your circle or they can be used as simple illumination. Each candle color has it's own significance and whenever possible the colors should correspond with the intentions behind the ceremony. Many witches believe if you have already used a candle in ritual, don't recycle it for another ceremony (they liken it to cross contaminating food). One rule that is generally agrred upon is not to use candles that were already used for a dinner or just for fun.

Something that is used to burn incense. Incense itself is a staple in most rituals. Incense is used to represent the air element and to purify both the immediate area and one's mind. It is commonly found during meditation because of it's soothing properties. There are many styles of censers.

Even if the alcoholic content of most rituals has been reduced due to modern pressure, the chalice is still very much in use today. Water or some other drink is substituted for the wine. It's the feminine aspect in most rituals.

Even though it's almost stereotypical to expect a witch to spend time over a hot cauldron preparing "potions", it's not too far from the truth. The practice of using a cauldron while brewing is still very common. Cauldrons come in many sizes - therefore the uses for one can vary.

Often, in ritual, a particular herb or plant would be required so many people will have a bowl of the particular herb that will be required on their altar. Many witches have cupboards of harvested herbs, many have gardens with fresh herbs. Herbs are usually a commonly used item in most aspects of witchcraft.

Most witches will use an oil to anoint candles, tools, cardinal points and themselves in ritual. Although they can be bought commercially, one must take care because often what is marked as "essential oils" will, in truth, be little more than perfume. Preparation of one's own oils is quite easy. Simply take the plant or herbs that you wish to make an essential oil out of and soak it for between 24 hours and 3 days (depending on personal preference) in extra virgin olive or other carrier oil. Jojoba oil will preserve the smell and texture of the compound for a longer time, preventing the "rancid" smell that may come later, but it can sometimes be a little expensive. Strain the herbs from the oil using fine cloth.

A small disk, usually wooden, inscribed with a religious symbol, often one that denotes its purpose. A pentagram would be carved for protection or sometimes witches will use celtic crosses. During the "Burning Times" they would often be made out of wax, which could be thrown into the fire and melted easily if the ritual was discovered.

Most stones are believed to contain some amount of mystical properties. Some oils call for gems to be added in to them, which simply means placing the gem in the bottle that the oil will be stored in. Whenever gems are added to herbal concoctions or to handmade incense, it is generally crushed. Most gems like amber can be crushed with a mortar and pestle, using relatively little force. For others, the easiest way to obtain them is to make arrangements with a professional jeweler. However, due to the expense of gems, they are seldom used in disposable forms. Ritual jewelry includes items like pendants, amulets, bracelets and rings. Often the materials of the jewelry is focused upon. Some covens have the practice of assigning ritual jewelry for the priest and priestess, and these special items are considered symbolic of their place in the coven.

Robes of any color can be used. Many witches prefer black (it absorbs the suns rays, trapping energy inside) or other dark colors. The robes serve a variety of purposes but the primary one is to enhance a person's control over the natural energies inside them. For skyclad witches, the robes provide shelter and warmth after a ritual. By opening your robe or letting your hair down during a ritual, your powers are thought to increase.

Essentially a much larger wand, it is used in much the same way. Symbolic of Power, the size makes it easy to carve images like pentagrams, or particular runes onto it.

Considered by many to be unnecessary decorations, you can still find statues on most altars. The type and number vary depending upon personal preference but some common lay-outs involve either a statue of both the God and the Goddess, a unisex statue (in other words one with only a rough shape that can be seen as either sex), or an icon representing a particular deity or pantheon of deities. The statues may be replaced with particular artwork or simple creative visualization.

Think of it as a huge athame. It is symbolic of the masculine energies of the Deity. In coven work, it's used to direct a group's energy. The leader of a circle may use it to mark the corners (cardinal points) of a circle.

A stick, branch, dowel, flower stem, or any other item of similar shape and length used as a symbol of the element air. Often 12 - 20" in length, they are generally small and easy to make. Many witches measure the length from elbow to middle finger tip, and use this as the maximum size for larger wands. Due to the wide variety of materials that a wand can be made out of, some people customize wands for certain rituals, using a stripped oak branch for protection spells and rituals or a rose stem for matters of love for instance. Generally, the wand is symbolic of the Air element and can be used to cleanse the circle, mark off the cardinal points in honor of their Lords of the Watchtower or deities, or for inducting a person into a coven or group, much like when someone is knighted.