First of all, it is important to remember that tools, herbs, candles, crystals and so on are not actually necessary to work magick. Your own energy and the power of your mind, as well as the blessings of the deities and spirits, are the important things.
However, these extra ingredients do make it easier to work spells – and are undoubtedly nice to have.
Basic Tools
Altar:
An altar is simply a special area for magic. They may be ornately carved, beautifully crafted works of art; they may be any specially consecrated tabletop on which you work when preparing spells and on which you keep many of the tools that you use – a chalice, for example, candles or an athame.
Altars are central to ritual and many non-pagan spell casters use them, too. The shape and location are irrelevant – they can be round or square, indoors or outdoors: all a spell caster has to do to create an altar is ritually cleanse and consecrate it in exactly the same way as the other tools. That done, the altar is created.
Altars are usually candlelit and in Wiccan or Pagan practice there are usually two special candles – one gold to represent the Lord and the sun, and a silver one standing for the Lady and the moon. Among the objects found on most altars are a bowl of salt and a bowl of water to represent these two elements, incense, an essential oil burner and many of the other things that are commonly used in making magic.
Many spell makers like to have a variety of different coloued altar cloths so that they can be varied in accordance with the phase of the moon, the sabbath being celebrated and the spell being cast. Others make do with just the one, which they decorate with suitably colored crystals, flowers and the other appropriate objects.
Amulets are used to protect the spell caster from any evil influences that may be about. According to Pliny, the 1st-century Roman author, an amulet is ‘an object that protects a person from trouble’. They can be man-made, such as a horseshoe or a piece of jewellery decorated with a precious stone or made from a metal that corresponds to the wearer’s astrological sign, or naturally occurring, such as a rabbit’s foot, a seashell or a stone, again with astrological correspondences to the wearer.
Athame: a ritual knife used to direct magickal energy, this is usually a black handled, two-edged knife, meaning the blade is sharp on both sides, but it may be dull rather than sharp as this is not a cutting tool. This knife may be made of wood, stone, horn, or metal, and could be a regular knife if visualised as the ritual tool (as with Kitchen Witch tools being taken from those used in daily work around the house). An Athame may be a letter opener, pocketknife etc as long as it is seen as a ritual tool. The handle colour may also vary, but black is traditional.
Bell: may be a tiny bell with a delicate chime, or a larger bell, used during ritual and to call upon the Faerie Folk (if delicate in tone); may be of brass, ceramic, crystal, silver etc
Bolline: a cutting tool used in magickal work to inscribe candles, cut herbs, cut thread, or any other such use. Traditionally a two edged blade, with a white handle, but any tool designated as the working tool may be used.
The Book of Shadows, also know as a grimoire, is the journal in which witches keep a record of the spells they cast, the chants and invocations they use, the dreams they dream and other matters that are pertinent to their personal magic making.
Bowls are very necessary items in the witch’s cupboard. One is used to keep salt and another for water but the efficient witch usually has several more to hand in case they are needed in a particular spell – to keep herbs in, for example.
Broom/Besom: a ritual broom not used for housework, but for clearing the ritual space during circle casting and for spell work.
A burin is a sharp-pointed instrument for inscribing candles and other magical objects and is often more practical than a bolline, especially when inscribing candles.
Candles are absolutely essential. It is almost impossible to make magic without one. They are used in literally thousands of spells. Efficient makers of magic ensure that they have a large store of them in all sizes and appropriate colors. Before they are used in magic making rituals, candles are often ‘dressed’ with essential oils and loaded with herbs to make them more powerful.
Candle Holder: can be individual, candelabra, votive holders etc but there is usually one for the Goddess and one for the God, (although this is not absolutely necessary, it depends mainly on your tradition), and one for magickal work.
Cauldron: metal pot for magickal work; when burning a candle inside it, you might want to put a layer of clean sand on the bottom of the pot. Must be large enough to hold melted wax and to burn twigs or incense inside without creating a hazard. Lidded is best, but if not possible, get a separate lid for covering when ready to put out any fire within.
Charcoal is often used to burn incense. Herbs strewn over glowing charcoal are also a part of many spells. Like everything else it has to be consecrated before use. Efficient spell casters usually consecrate a large bag that they dip into when needed.
Censer: container for incense that can be carried around the Circle or set on the Altar. May be of brass, a shell, wood, or any other suitable material and as a container should be partially filled with clean sand to hold the incense and prevent burns.
Cingulum: a nine-foot-long cord of red silk, wool, or cotton that is knotted at Initiation and worn with the Robe, kept on the Altar, or wrapped around the top of a Staff.
Crystal Ball: a smooth sphere without facets, but may contain bubbles and other markings within; clear ones of natural quartz are very expensive, but manufactured lead crystal also works.
Chalice: used for the beverage of Cakes and wine, Esbats, Rituals etc. May be of pottery, silver, brass, crystal, wood, etc.
Compasses are used by practical witches to establish north, south, east and west – essential in traditional magic making if they are weaving their spells in unfamiliar territory!
Cords are used to create magic circles in which to weave spells and also in spells that are cast to create binding magic.
Crystals are used for the power they add to a spell and also for altar decoration. Every spell caster has his or her favourite one, which they know from experience works for them. Each crystal has its own power.
Incense Burner: suitable to hold the type of burning incense used; may be a stick holder, corn holder, or resin holder and made of wood, earthenware, ceramic, glass, brass, shell etc
Pentacle: a flat disk with the five pointed star in a circle engraved or painted on it. May be of wood, ceramic, clay, wax, brass, silver, gold, or simply drawn on a piece of paper.
Plate: one to hold the bread or other such food blessed in the Cakes and Wine Ritual.
Robes: may want a variety of coloured robes depending on the type of ritual or spell work involved, or a basic white or black robe. The cingulum (cord) may be used with the robe to tie it around the waist.
Staff: used as a long wand, may be decorated and carried as an indication of Craft association, or simply for walking in the woods.
Tarot Cards: choose a deck that draws you, and use for divination; you may acquire a variety of decks over time.
Wand: should be the length of the forearm to the fingertip, about 12 to 16 inches, may be of oak, willow, hazel, apple, elder for the influence of those woods; select one from nature, or buy one, but choose one that appeals to you; the tool most associated with witchcraft is the wand.
It is used to draw magical symbols on the ground or in the air, to direct energy and call upon the power of The Lady.
Basic Materials
Altar Cloths; a variety of coverings for the Altar depending upon the ritual and the season; attractively patterned sarongs are often used for this purpose.
Beverages; variety of acceptable drinks; be they fruit juices, mead, cider, wines or liqueurs.
Candles; votives, tapers, jar, shaped, tea light candles in various colours. Natural tallow and beeswax candles are good, but ultimately all you need are some plain white candles. You can change the colour using crayons, or you could tie a ribbon of the colour called for in the spell around the base of the candle and from that it will take on that colour’s energy.
Charcoal Disks; used for resin incense such as copal or dragons blood.
Cloths; variety of solid colours of cotton cloth for use in spell crafting, for wrapping tarot cards, crystals, stones, holding herbs, making poppets, herbal/dream pillows etc
Cords; the cord designating the three styles of green practice (wild witch, hedgewitch, green witch, kitchen witch etc) are gold for energy worker within a cultural tradition, red for working with the Powers of Nature, and black for dedication to the Goddess and the God. As many styles as have been used, such colours may be combined or braided together. The red is also the Cingulum of Wiccan Initiation, to which later may be added the black after Dedication, but only with the red is the practitioner’s measure taken. The symbology is gold for energy work, red for powers, and black for wisdom and union with the Divine.
Glass Bottles; for herbs, oils, moon water, spell work, and storage of other items as needed. Rinse with spring water and sea salt to cleanse.
Essential oils are commonly used in spells on their own, to dress candles or are added to incense which is to be burned in the censer. Essential oils are powerful and should never be swallowed or, with one exception, rubbed directly on to the skin unless diluted in a suitable carrier oil such as almond. The exception is lavender, which is one of the most popular and is often drizzled into a ritual bath to add fragrance to the warm water. Pregnant women should be especially careful when using essential oils: some can cause adverse reactions that can affect the unborn child.
Herbs are widely used when making magic. They can be easily obtained from shops and markets and many are just as easily grown in a garden or window box. Not only is this cheaper but when they are growing their pleasing smell wafts into the house when the wind is blowing in the right direction. Herbs can be strewn on glowing charcoal, added to smouldering incense or used to anoint candles. Herbs make wonderful charms carried in a handbag or wrapped in a piece of natural cloth and kept in a pocket.
Incense is used in either powder, cone or stick form to represent the element of air. Traditionally it should be placed and burned on the east end of the witch’s altar.
Pens are used for entering items in the Book of Shadows. Like everything else used in making magic, the spell should be consecrated before use. Some spell makers prefer a quill pen as they give a continuance of tradition from the days before fountain, ballpoint and felt-tip pens were invented.
Matches; may be regular or long stick variety, or use a lighter.
Musical Instruments; may use drums, bells, flutes, harps, sistrums, cymbals, gourd rattles, other rattles etc to aid in meditation, spell casting, energy raising, etc.
Oils; a variety of essential oils (rosemary, sandalwood, lavender, benzoin, rose geranium, frankincense, pine, Juniper, mint etc) for anointings. (Do not use cinnamon – it will burn) and spell work; also need carrier oils (olive, sunflower, almond, jojoba, coconut, etc) for mixing own fragrance blends. Often, the easiest thing to do if you cannot find the required essential oil, is to go back to basics – instead of dabbing with clove oil, push a clove into your clothes; instead of rubbing a candle with basil oil, rub a basil leaf on it. Sometimes, oil is necessary though. Making your own essential oils is difficult, but you could make an infused oil. Use a simple, plain carrier, such as almond or olive oil. Put some in a small bottle, add your chosen herb, such as rosemary, and leave this to infuse for one lunar month.
Salt; Sea salt, rock salt (Himalayan Rock Salt is best) used in rituals, spell working and cleansings, as well as Circle Castings.
Spring Water; collected in a natural spring and stored for use in spell work and ritual, or bought pre-packaged (remove from plastic container and store in a prepared glass bottle or jar). If you cannot access Spring Water or Bottled Water, you can use tap water, but you must boil it first to sterilise it. Then let cool and place in glass jars or bottles.
Stones; a variety of crystals, semi-precious stones, river and Earth stones for use in spells, healing, and aura work.
Threads; or embroidery floss of various colours for tying up magickal works.
Tiles/Trivets; used under items that will burn hot (such as cauldrons), to avoid scorching a surface beneath.
TIPS
You can often buy these tools and supplies inexpensively at witchy conventions or on the internet, but ordinary, nonwitchy shops can also be good places to look. For example, for an athame, check the $2 stores for a nice letter opener, for pentagrams, check the clearance aisle of your local supermarket after Christmas for “Star of Bethlehem” items; cloth gift bags make great charm bags, or receptacles for your tarot cards, dried herbs are not ideal but may be easier to find and use than fresh, especially if you don’t do a lot of herbal magick. Otherwise, it’s easy to grow herbs in a small pot on your windowsill.
For cauldrons, look in garden centres for pots, or kitchenware stores for soup terrines. Besom Brooms can be found in hardware stores.
For robes, you could use old fashioned nightgowns in plain white, or purple (the colour of occult knowledge), or your favourite colour. Ideally, they should be made from natural fabrics, such as cotton or wool, and you could embroider them with sygils, your magickal name, the names of deities, or other symbols.
When you absolutely cannot find the right coloured candle or make the right smelling oil or are simply unclear about what is needed, use something plain, because that is pure energy and you can never go wrong with that. White as a colour is always good, which is why new members in most covens wear white. Use white candles when in doubt. And a non perfumed massage oil for anointing yourself, your wand or other equipment will always work, although it may not be as potent as the specified item.
