RITUAL TOOLS

 

Ritual tools act as powerful symbols, charged with our own energies and intentions.  Magickal tools are also filled with the energies of the Earth, The God, and The Goddess, with which we consecrate them.  Ritual tools are not required to perform magick, but they are tremendous sources of energy and help practitioners to focus their work during ritual.  Ritual tools are also a means of achieving elemental balance on one's altar.

 

 

The Besom, or broom, is most often used to clear ritual space.
Many Wiccans have a besom displayed over their threshold to
act as a barrier to negative energies outside the home.  At Wiccan
handfastings, couples jump the broom to seal their union.  Some
believe the besom to be an Air tool, while others categorize it as
a Water tool because of its properties of purification.



A Book of Shadows is a Witch's personal journal, in which he/she
stores information about spells, important events, recipes, rituals,
invocations, and other magickal workings.  

The Cauldron, a Water tool, can be used to brew tinctures, potions, and
other magickal recipes.  Miniature cauldrons are often placed on altars
to balance the elements, or to represent the Goddess.  The cauldrons is
also a symbol of reincarnation.

The Crystal Ball is used by many for scrying, or divination.  
Crystal balls can also be placed on altars to absorb energy
raised during ritual.

    

The Mortar & Pestle, an Earth tool, is used for grinding herbs
for use in teas, incenses, or recipes.

   

The Athame, a Fire tool,  is a double-edged ritual knife.  An
athame is never used to physically cut objects, only to cast the
circle, charge an object, or to symbolically perform the Great Rite. 
Athames are also used to direct energy raised during a rite or spell.

The Bell, an Air tool, is often used to ward off negative energies
or marauding faeries by raising vibrations.

Candles are Fire tools.  Most altars have a white candle to represent
the God, and a black candle to represent the Goddess.  Different
colored candles are also placed on the altar to represent particular
Sabbats.  Candles can be used for candle magick as well, and each
color has a different magickal significance or purpose.

A Censer can be utilized as a Fire tool or an Air tool.  Most people
place charcoal in the censer to facilitate the burning of ritual incense.

The Chalice is a Water tool which represents the Goddess and fertility.
The chalice holds water or ritual beverage, and is used to symbolically
perform the Great Rite.

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Tool graphics courtesy of

   

Altar graphic courtesy of