Everyone loves tools (me included!). When I first got interested in witchcraft, I spent a lot of time looking for the "perfect" tools. I didn't buy the first thing I saw - I looked in stores and online. For example, I didn't buy my first athame until just a few months ago. It seemed odd that every "Wicca 101" book talks about them, but then they all turn around and say "but you don't need any." The experienced witch, who is accustomed to working with energy, deity, elementals and other beings and who can change her consciousness at will (coincidentally, Starhawk's definition of magick) can perform magick just as well without tools - maybe even better. However, for beginners, tools can be very valuable. They make you feel "witchy." When you've darkened the room, your sacred space lit only by a few candles on the altar and around the room, drumming or chanting playing in the background, incense burning, and beautiful poetic words flowing from your lips, a hand-etched athame or ornately carved wand can be just the thing to complete the mood. However, not every tool needs to be purchased; some work better when they come to you as a direct gift of nature. Below are some tools that you may or may not wish to incorporate into your magick:

• Altar - This may not seem like a tool, but anything you use to perform magick is just that. This is where you place candles, other tools, spell or ritual ingredients, etc. for use during magick. For more on altars, visit the Altars section.

• Athame - Traditionally, this is a double-edged black handled knife. Although a blade, this tool is not used for cutting material objects. It's used to "cut" energy. This is a masculine tool (phallic symbol) that represents the God. Different witches will associate the athame with a different element (either air or fire); I associate it with fire.

• Bell - A small bell or bells are used at times in magick. This tool has several uses, but is commonly used to draw the attention of deity, elementals, or other beings. You can also use it in a group setting to call attention to your group members.

• Boline - A single-edged white handled knife used for cutting material objects, such as chord, herbs, string, paper, etc. This is what you use to cut anything that needs cutting during magick. This isn't necessarily associated with a gender of deity because its purpose is purely practical and not symbolic, however, as a blade, it represents the God.

• Book of Shadows (BoS) – This is the most common name used for the witch’s magickal grimoire, but it’s sometimes called the Book of Light or Book of Shadows and Light. It usually consists of a hodgepodge of things, including a magickal journal, spells, rituals, correspondences, poetry, personal beliefs, symbolism, or anything else that the witch desires. No two are the same, and it’s not uncommon for the content to change over time as the witch learns and grows. The BoS can be anything - a notebook, a 3-ring binder, a floppy disk, or a $500 leather-bound tome with heavy parchment paper. Whatever you use, know that you will be making changes to it as you add things, change things, and move things around.

• Broom – The “magickal” name for a broom is a besom. The besom is a tool used for cleansing the sacred space. This is usually done on three levels – first the physical, then the ethereal, then the astral. This is done to prepare the space for working by removing excess energy, or residual energy from previous workings.

• Burin – A small tool used to carve, usually into candles or wax, symbols, words, etc.

• Candles – Many spells and rituals (if not all) call for the use of one or more candles, usually of a particular color. The particular color used depends on the intent of the work and its associations (for more information, see the Altars: Candles and Correspondences: Colors pages). You may also use a Goddess and God candle to represent deity, and illuminator candles to provide light while you work. Candles are both a source of energy and a source of concentration. The flame that burns is a symbol of the fire element, which is masculine and associated with the God.

• Cauldron - A black iron pot with three small feet. Most of us have an image of one of these hanging over a fire in a witch's hut, or a witch stirring a bubbling potion in one. Those sold for magickal purposes are usually small enough to fit onto the altar; however they don't need to be. They are used to burn herbs or incense, mix potions or herbs, or hold the elements of Earth (salt) and Water (water - what did you expect?). They represent the Goddess (as a symbol of the womb).

• Censer – This is the technical name for an incense burner. This can either be a long, flat piece used to catch ashes from incense sticks, a small round piece used with cone incense, or a larger bowl- or chalice-shaped item in which herbs and ground incense are burned on charcoals. Any are perfectly fine, although many witches use the last simply because they prefer to burn the actual herb or resin that it relevant to their magick. In this case, the censer is filled ⅓ to ½ full of sand, kitty litter, or other heat diffusing medium, a small charcoal is set on top and lit (self-lighting charcoal is available in most metaphysical stores), and once the charcoal is heated and turns gray, the incense or herb is lightly sprinkled onto it. This item can either be associated with fire or air, but the incense that you burn on it is associated with air.

• Chalice - A cup used to hold ritual drink. This can be anything from water to wine to mead to juice. I prefer to use apple juice as apples are a very magickal fruit, plus it tastes good! Whether or not drink alcohol is a personal choice, but keep in mind that the purpose of eating and drinking after magick is to ground yourself. So, if alcohol doesn't ground you, it's probably best not t use it. The chalice is a symbol of the womb and represents the Goddess.

• Divination tools – These include tarot cards, scrying mirrors, crystal balls, pendulums, runes, etc. Anything you use to perform divination.

• Feather – Can be used as a symbol of air for those who prefer not to burn incense, or as a smoke wafter for burning incense.

• Incense – A common ingredient in magick. The smoke that results is an element of air, however while being burned in a container, the combination of heat and smoke represents the God (Fire and Air). This combination is often used as representations of these two elements, and so used to cleanse and consecrate the circle.

• Pentagram – A physical representation of the pentacle (five-pointed star, see Correspondences: Pentacle for more information). This item is used in many ways, such as focusing energy or intent, cleansing the elements or other objects, or even as a “hot plate” for the censer or cauldron. They can be very ornately carved with words and other symbols, or simply a pentacle drawn on a piece of bark. They are usually round, symbolizing the circle and eternity, as well as the interconnectedness of the elements. They can be made from any material, but if using as a hot plate, choose something that withstands heat.

• Stones – Various stones and gems may be part of a magickal working, and called for as ingredients. If you elect to use a stone in a magickal working of your own creation (or add one that isn’t called for in someone else’s working), make sure you use the appropriate stone for your magick (see Correspondences: Stones).

• Sword – Sometimes used to cut the circle. This can be interchanged with the athame or used in addition to it. This is a very powerful tool and should be used with extreme caution when your sacred space is small or you’re working with others. This is a masculine tool (phallic symbol) that represents the God. Like the athame, different witches will associate the sword with a different element (either air or fire); I associate it with fire.

• Wand – Usually a wooden stick-like object used in magick, although it can be made of other materials or have elaborate decoration including stones, paint, cloth, string, etc. It’s used to direct energy (personal or otherwise). This is a masculine tool (phallic symbol) that represents the God. Different witches will associate the wand with a different element (either air or fire); I associate it with air.

    Other helpful things that aren’t necessarily considered tools:

• Altar cloth – To prevent candle wax from getting all over your altar!

• Jewelry – Anything you want to wear that makes you feel “witchy.” Metaphysical and pagan stores carry all types, and anything you are attracted to is suitable.

• Lighter/Matches – For lighting candles and incense, or the occasional paper burning called for in some spells. I find a long lighter easiest to use.

• Pen – Used for writing during magickal workings.

• Salt – Used to represent the element of Earth.

• String/Chord – Used in chord or knot magick. It should be durable, but not too thick to tie knots in.

• Water – Used to represent the element of Water.

    Some of these tools are "traditional," which generally means there's no record of them before Gerald Gardner. That doesn't mean they weren't used. But, for example, I personally find it hard to believe that every witch or coven had a book of shadows when literacy didn't reach the majority of people until around/after the Protestant Reformation. Regardless of when it came in to practice, it's useful and helpful now. Which tools you use, how they're made, what they're made out of, and how you get them is up to you - if a tool resonates with you, then use it.

   For beginners, I would suggest an athame, a censer, incense, salt, a bowl for water, and a book of shadows. These are basic tools that you'll use over and over again, and which will be very helpful as you practice and learn your craft.