Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Author:Thea Sabin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: wicca, witchcraft, for beginners, beginners, beginner, sabin, thea sabin, wicca for beginners, spellwork, rituals
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2006-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

8

Tools, Toys, and Altars

So far, we’ve talked about building a ritual circle, calling the quarters, and calling the gods. As I said earlier on, it’s important to be able to do these things without ritual tools because ultimately the tools are just props, and the Wiccan is the real force behind building the circle; the real will behind channeling the earth energy. I placed this chapter after those others because it’s easy for beginning Wiccans to be distracted by the tools (aka toys) and lose their focus on what’s really important—their own spiritual and psychic development. A bright, shiny set of tools is no replacement for actually doing the mental and energetic work of Wicca.

Then why do Wiccans use tools? A Wiccan’s magical tools are like extensions of him- or herself. They are infused with their owner’s energy and attuned toward his or her will. They enhance ritual and magic by helping their owner focus energy. In addition, since the tools are only used in ritual or magic, and since each one has deep symbolic meaning, simply picking them up helps their owner get into the ritual mindset.

Wiccan ritual tools need not be expensive or fancy, but they should be special and have significance to their owner. Oral lore from some Wiccan traditions states that the Wiccan should make the tools him- or herself. Since we’re not all blacksmiths or woodcarvers, this isn’t practical, but if you can make or modify any of your own tools, they will be more a part of you than if you purchase them.

The Primary Wiccan Tools

Here is a rundown of the main Wiccan tools. There are some additional tools that are specific to certain Wiccan traditions, but since this book is about Wicca in general, we’ll stick to the basics.

Athame

The athame is the Wiccan’s most important tool. It is a double-edged ritual knife, often, but not always, with a black handle. The two sides symbolize the God and the Goddess, who come together at the point; the union of the spiritual and the mundane worlds; and the idea that with power comes responsibility. The athame may or may not be sharp, depending on the preference of the owner. It is never used to cut anything but energy and air. Some traditions hold that if the athame ever draws blood, it must be destroyed, but this is by no means a universal Wiccan belief. Nevertheless, if you’re prone to dropping things on your feet, you may want an athame that isn’t too sharp. Its sharpness has nothing to do with how it works as a magical tool.

The athame is used to focus and direct energy, especially when drawing the circle or calling the quarters. It is associated most commonly with the element of air and the east quarter, but some associate it with fire and the south. It symbolizes the Wiccan’s will. Members of a coven or group can share many of the other tools, but the athame is always personal. Do not touch another person’s athame (or other ritual tools, for that matter) without permission.

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