Just Wicca

Now that you have decided to become a witch, it’s time to decide on and gather your ritual tools. These sacred implements are important in traditional spells and ceremonies, whether practiced alone or in a group.

Gerald Gardner, who organized the modern Wicca religion, based much of it not only on the small coven he belonged to, but also on Masonic rites and medieval ceremonial magick. Each of the traditional tools is associated with an element or type of energy and is used in a specific way. None of these things are magic in and of themselves; their purpose is to help you channel and direct the magic that is in you.

Make your ritual tools by hand if at all possible. If you cannot, the next best thing is to buy in person rather than online. Touch and handle them. Ask about their stories, where they came from. You must feel comfortable holding and using them. Ancient witch practices and folklore agree that the right tools, sooner or later, find you. Never haggle over the price of anything to be used in magic. Whether brand new or relics from an antique shop, be sure to ritually cleanse and exorcise everything to dismiss any prior energies. Some witches anoint their tools with a bit of their own bodily fluids — tears, sweat or saliva are fine.

You may have an instinct to use tools other than the traditional ones. You may already have collected items that feel magical to you that can be used in your spell work. Or you may feel you need few if any tools at all. Always listen to these instincts. In magic, always go with your feelings and emotions first. They are the source of your power — which always comes from you, not your tools or sacred objects. James Carpenter Womens Jersey