Witches Weekly

Essential Tools

What tools do you feel are essential when performing rituals? (Give the reasoning behind each tool and what it means for your ritual)

My hands are the most important tools. They are the ones that lay my ritual tools out and use them. I use a wand instead of an athame, but lately, I've felt drawn to athames. I will probably get one when I find 'the one'. I also have salt and water on my altar that I mix together to cleanse the perimeter of the circle, an altar pentacle for earth and grounding. I usually put the 'cakes' on this during my circle.

I have incense, and candles for the Goddess and the God. I have a bell, a glass for 'wine' (I use juice!), My cauldron is also a big part of my altar. I use it on the esbats with a candle in it. I light it for Full Moon and leave it unlit for New Moon. I also use my cauldron when doing any kind of spellwork that involves burning. I set the item or items in the cauldron to burn out.

I sometimes use other candles for my altar depending on the Sabbat. I decorate with natural items that relate to the time of the year / Sabbat I'm celebrating. I have four quarter candles that I light at the east, south, west, and north of my circle. My Book of Shadows is usually on or beside of my altar as I write any spells or special things in it before hand.

This was sort of a long rambling account, but that is what I use. I have many tools, but the main tool is myself. The magick comes from within the Witch and while I enjoy having my tools, I don't really need them.