Wiggle your fingers at the monitor to make your browser go back. No, really, wiggle your fingers. Did it happen? Probably not, unless you have massive powers of telekenisis. But you knew that already didn't you? You must use the mouse, or, for those of you who prefer more ceremony, the keyboard. So isn't it logical that a witch use tools to perform a ritual? You don't have to use tools in spell casting other than your words and thoughts, but it is recommended.
The tools of a witch are designed to serve a practical use that coorespondes to an Element. The athame is representative of Fire, and Fire is the element of Will. Don't you think that waving a knife at someone is going to make them do what you told them? That one is pretty logical, as well as most of the others...except for the wand and staff. You'd think that a wand is grenerally made from wood and so would be Earth because trees grow from dirt, naw, it isn't as straight forward as that. Wands are representative of Air and this is why: Wands and staves are an undoubted phallic symbol (just in case you don't know what phallic means, it means resymboling a man's weanie), if not a bit disproportionate. Men are believed to be more left-brained that women, meaning that they are logical rather than creative (which is controlled by the right-brian). Air rules intellect and logic. Go figure, calling someone an air-head might be taken as a compliment!
Below, I have a table with the basic tools of spellcasting with a brief explanation of their usage and what Element they corresponde with.
| Tool | Use | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Athame (Ritual dagger)*1 | Directing powers to your will(forcefully) | Fire |
| Candles | Focuses energies | Fire |
| Cauldron | For making your witchs' brews | Water |
| Censer | For burning incense and burning other offerings | Air |
| Chalice | To make offerings to other powers and to drink out of | Water |
| Grimoire | For writing down your spells and rituals | Akasha/Spirit (if any) |
| Salt/Sand | A balancing and purifing agent | Earth |
| Staff *2 | Directing powers to your will (gently) | Air |
| Sword *1 | Directing powers to your will(forcefully) | Fire |
| Wand *2 | Directing powers to your will(gently) | Air |
*"number" indicates that those items with the same number can be used interchangeably
Now, some of you are thinking,"Hey, what about herbs and stones and all that other stuff people are sayin' that I need for spells!" Well, I have that covered too. I have a list below of common spell components and their common usage. On other pages, I detail almost all of them. You may also notice a couple of items that you wouldn't normally think of and that is exactly why I have them listed, I use them all the time and never think of them until I need them which is usually the most inopportune time. Murphy's Law strikes again!
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | To make tinctures and potions,and offerings |
| Assorted amulets & talismans | symbolism and foci for spells |
| Beeswax | For making candles, seals, and balms/salves |
| Candles | Light and symbolism/foci for spells |
| Charcoal(self-igniting) | For burning resins and powdered incense |
| Incense> | To tap specific energies and to use in offerings |
| Jars & vials | For holding potions and herbs |
| Labels | For labling your herbs and concoctions |
| Lanolin | For making salves |
| Paints | For personalizing tools and for spells requiring painting |
| Parchment(or good drawing paper) | For inscribing spells |
| Pen & ink | For writing in your grimoire and for spells requiring writing |
| Pouches | To hold your charms, mojos, and any divinatory aid, such as runes or tarot cards |
| Resins | For offerings and to set the mood |
| Stones & crystals | Symbolism/foci for spells, also divinatory aids |
| Tarot cards & rune stones | For divination |
| Water (Spring/river/lake/distilled water, etc.) | For offerings and symbolic of the characteristics associated with water |
| Wine | For offerings and libations |