Tools of the Craft

What you need to Start



Anthame
The athame (pronounced ah-thah-may) is normally a double-sided knife or dagger. The athame is normally dull, for it is not used to cut. The athame is used to direct energy and is often used when casting a circle. Symbols and words are sometimes engraved on the handle or the blade, but it is not necessary.The athame is the tool of the East and is associated with the element of Air. In some traditions it is the tool of Fire.The athame is a masculine tool and linked to the God.
Wand
The wand is usually made from the wood of one of the following trees: willow, elder, oak, hazel, or fruit trees. The length of the wand varies from tradition to tradition, it should be fairly straight, comfortable in your hand and is not so long as to be unwieldy. The wood for your wand can come from a building supply store or a living tree. If you take your wood from a living tree, remember to ask the tree first, then thank it for its sacrifice. Wands can also be made of crystals and metal. Make the wand your own by carving or painting symbols on it, adorning it with ribbons, whatever makes the wand special to you. The wand is been used in both magick and rituals. The wand is used mostly to invoke the God and Goddess, direct energy, and to charge other objects. It is used to draw symbols on the ground and even to stir the cauldron. The wand is the tool of the South and is associated with Fire. In some traditions it is the tool of Air. The wand is a masculine tool and is sacred to the Gods.
Cauldron
It is normally a three-legged vessel, ideally made of iron and has the opening smaller that the body of the cauldron. They come in a variety of sizes. The cauldron is used for many different purposes. It is used for magickal brewing and cooking, and is used for scrying. It is used many different ways during ritual, especially the rituals of the Sabbats. The cauldron is the tool of the West and is associated with Water. The cauldron is feminine in nature and represents the Goddess, fertility and femininity.
Pentacle
The pentacle is usually a flat piece of metal or wood inscribed with a pentagram, a five-pointed star. The pentacle has been used in ritual and magick for thousands of years. It is used to represent feminine energy and to consecrate objects such as amulets and charms. The pentacle is also a traditional symbol of protection and is one of the official symbols of a Wiccan. The pentacle is the tool of the North and is associated with Earth. The pentacle is feminine in nature and represents the Goddess.
Censer
The censer is an incense burner. It can be an ornate brass burner that hangs from chains or something as simple as a small ceramic bowl. The censer is used to burn the incense that are often offered to the Deities, as well as being used to invoke the spirits of the Air, the Sylphs and Faery. The censer is a tool of the element Air.
Broom
The broom is a tool of magick and ritual usually made of ash, birch and willow because of the attributes of those woods, but it can be made of just about any wood. It is used for protection, for physically and magickally cleaning an area that will be used for sacred space, and in handfasting rituals. The broom is associated with Water and is sacred to both the God and Goddess.
Book of Shadows
The Book of Shadows is a book that contains a witch's rituals, spells, runes, dreams, recipes, etc. Each book should be as unique as the Witch him/herself.