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In the neopagan religion of Wicca a range of magical tools are used in ritual practice.^[one] Each of these tools has different uses and associations and are normally used at an altar, inside a magic circumvolve.

In the traditional system of Gardnerian magic, there was as an established thought of covens which were groups equanimous of initiated members that conducted rituals involving magical tools and secret books (Volume of Shadows). These tools were predominately kept within a specific coven because they were considered sacred. These items were owned and used by individual Wiccans, but could also exist used collectively by the coven.

This practice may derive partly from Masonic traditions (such as the employ of the Square and Compasses), from which Wicca draws some cloth,^[2] and partly from the rituals of the Hermetic Gild of the Golden Dawn. The latter made much employ of textile from medieval grimoires such equally the Key of Solomon, which has many illustrations of magical tools and instructions for their preparation.^[iii]

Usage [edit]

In Wicca, magical tools are used during rituals which both honour the deities and piece of work magic. The general idea is that the tool directs psychic energies to perform a certain action.

In modern-mean solar day Wicca, there is an encouragement of lone practice of rituals and written report. Covens are still a part of Wicca and related doctrines but there is at present insistence that solitary exercise is permissible. The allowance of solitary practice is clearly an of import factor in terms of the growth of adherents, as the requirement to bring together a coven would involve transaction costs of locating fellow members and/or being initiated.

In Gardnerian Wicca as laid downwards by Gerald Gardner, someone who had been initiated in the first degree had to create (or, alternately purchase and and then engrave) their own ritual tools. Ane of the requirements for being initiated into the 2nd degree is that adherents had to name all of the ritual tools and explicate what their purpose and associations were.^[4]

Consecrating tools [edit]

Before tools are used in ritual they first are consecrated. In the Gardnerian Volume of Shadows, there is a department based entirely on consecrating ritual items.^{[five] [6]} The Book of Shadows states items must exist consecrated within a magic circle, at the heart of which lies a pentacle (or paten). Each item that is to be consecrated is placed upon the pentacle, sprinkled with salt and water and then passed through some incense. This is followed past the announcement,

Aradia and Cernunnos, deign to bless and to consecrate this [tool], that it may obtain necessary virtue through thee for all acts of love and beauty. Aradia and Cernunnos, bless this instrument prepared in thine award.^{[5] [7]}

The Primary tools [edit]

Various different tools are used in Wiccan ritual. Chief among them in importance are the pentacle (or paten), Athame (or sword), wand, and chalice, each of which represents one of the four elements of globe, air, fire and h2o.

Pentacle (or Paten) [edit]

The Pentacle (or Paten) is a disc-shaped altar consecration tool with a sigil or magical symbol engraved or inscribed upon it. The nearly common symbol is a pentagram within a circle, specifically a pentacle, although another symbols may be used such equally the triquetra. The disc is symbolic of the element of earth. Information technology is typically used during evocation as a symbol which blesses items, besides equally magically energizing that which is placed upon it.^{[8] [nine] [10]}

Sword and pocketknife [edit]

A sword or a ritual knife, commonly known as Athame, is often used in Wiccan ritual. In Gardnerian Wicca these are symbolic of the element of fire.^[iv] Athame is elemental in nature while the sword is planetary in nature.^[xi]

Athame is traditionally black-handled and ordinarily inscribed (sometimes in the Theban alphabet). Information technology is used to direct free energy for the casting of magic circles, decision-making of spirits and other ritual purposes. Gerald Gardner described information technology as "the true Witch'due south weapon" in the Bricket Wood Book of Shadows,^[12] something which he has been criticized for, by Frederic Lamond believing in that location should exist no "weapons" in Wicca.^{[13] [ page needed ]} In some traditions, information technology is never used under whatever circumstances to draw claret, becoming tainted and requiring destruction if it does.^[14]

The term "Athame" in its modern spelling beginning appears in Wicca, but it originates from words establish in two historical copies of the Key of Solomon. The version currently held in the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Paris, uses the term "arthame" to draw a blackness-handled knife. This was adopted by C.J.S. Thompson in his 1927 book The Mysteries and Secrets of Magic and by Grillot de Givry in his 1931 volume Witchcraft, Magic and Alchemy. The historian Ronald Hutton theorized that Gardner got it either direct or indirectly from one of these sources, although with a modified spelling.^[12]

Wand [edit]

In Gardnerian Wicca, the wand is symbolic of the element of air, though in some traditions it instead symbolizes fire.^[15] It tin be made from whatsoever textile, including forest, metal and stone, and Wiccan wands are sometimes set up with gemstones or crystals.^[9]

In his Volume of Shadows, Gerald Gardner stated the wand is "used to summon certain spirits with whom information technology would not be meet to use the athame". Frederic Lamond states this referred to elemental spirits, who were traditionally believed to be scared of iron and steel.^[4]

Beaker [edit]

The beaker, or goblet, is symbolic of the element of h2o. Many Wiccans do non consider information technology to exist a tool, but instead to be a symbol of the Goddess, particularly her womb.^[four] The chalice bears many similarities with the Holy Grail, except for its symbolism used in witchcraft. Rather than existence the claret of Christ, it is symbolic of the Goddess' womb. The chalice is traditionally used to concord wine.

Other tools [edit]

Boline [edit]

The boline is a white handled knife, sometimes with a curved blade like that of a crescent moon. It is used for more practical uses than Athame, for case harvesting and cutting herbs, inscribing candles with symbols or sigils, or cut ritual cords. Unlike Athame, the boline is used in the physical process of magical works such as ritual cutting; the boline serves for the physical plane what Athame serves for work in the spiritual/astral planes.^{[ citation needed ]}

Censer and incense [edit]

The censer is used to manipulate incense.

Scourge [edit]

The scourge is a blazon of religious whip. Information technology is used in Gardnerian Wicca to flagellate members of the coven, primarily in initiation rites. Frederic Lamond said that whilst Gardner never told his Bricket Wood coven which chemical element this was associated with, he believed that as an "instrument for exercising power over others" then information technology should be Burn.^[4] The scourge stands in contrast to "the Osculation" in Gardnerian and other forms of Wicca. Being representative of the "gifts of the Goddess," the scourge continuing for sacrifice and suffering one is willing to endure to learn, the osculation existence the blessings of abundance in all life's aspects.

Cingulum [edit]

In the diverse forms of British Traditional Wicca, cords, known equally cingulum, or singulum (which literally translates as "girdle" or "belt"), are worn nearly the waist by adherents. These are often given to a Wiccan upon their initiation, and worn at each subsequent ritual.^[sixteen] Traditionally they are ix feet in length (nine being three times 3, the magical number), and are used to measure out the circumference of the magic circle and so that it can exist set upwards correctly.^[16]

In many traditions of Wicca, the colour of a person's cingulum indicates what rank of initiate they are; in several Australian covens for case, green denotes a novice, white denotes an initiate of the first caste, bluish for the second and a plaited red, white and blue for the 3rd, with the Loftier Priest wearing a gold cingulum (symbolising the dominicus), and the High Priestess wearing silver (symbolising the moon).^[16]

Wiccan High Priest Raymond Buckland stated the cingulum should not be worn, only kept especially for spellcraft.

Besom [edit]

The besom or broom, is often associated with witches and witchcraft. The stories of witches flying on brooms originated from the besom. In Wicca, it is used in handfasting ceremonies wherein a couple jumps over it. The besom is besides used in seasonal fertility dances equally a representation of a phallus.

Cauldron [edit]

A cauldron is often associated with witches and witchcraft in western culture. In Wicca, it is sometimes used to correspond the womb of the Goddess, like the chalice.^{[ citation needed ]} Information technology is often used for making brews (such every bit oils), incense-burning, and can be used to hold big, wide pillar candles depending on how small information technology is. A fire is frequently lit within the vessel and the flames are leaped over equally a simple fertility rite, or at the end of a handfasting. If filled with water, a cauldron can exist used for scrying. Information technology plays a large role in Celtic magic in a similar way to that of Cerridwen's cauldron.

Spear [edit]

In the tradition of Seax-Wica, the spear is used equally a ritual tool symbolizing the god Woden, who, in Seax-Wicca tradition, is viewed as an emanation of God in identify of the Horned God. According to Norse mythology, the god Odin who is the Norse equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon Woden carried the spear Gungnir. For the purpose of comparison it is notable Seax-Wica is non a role of traditional initiatory Wicca, nor is it substantially linked to the Gardnerian or Alexandrian traditions.

Other [edit]

• Smudge Stick

Ritual [edit]

There are elaborate rituals prescribed for the creation and consecration of magical tools.^[17] These often include the ritual passing of the tool through representations of the four elements. Some tools are ascribed correspondences to a particular element, one commonly cited correspondence being:^{[18] [ page needed ]}

• Earth - Pentacle
• Fire - Wand
• Air - Sword
• Water - Chalice

These four tools may exist seen in the occult tarot deck designed by Golden Dawn members A.E.Waite and Pamela Colman Smith, nearly obviously in the card known as The Magician. Some practitioners distinguish High Magic and Low Magic. The onetime is based on Ceremonial magic and may exist more commonly practiced in Alexandrian covens. The latter is more typical of the Hedgewitch, who would exist more likely to use everyday tools and utensils, rather than fabricating specially made magical tools.^{[19] [ folio needed ]}

References [edit]

1. ^ Valiente, Doreen. Witchcraft for Tomorrow (1993) London: Robert Hale. ISBN 978-0-7090-5244-9 (paperback edition) ISBN 978-0-312-88452-ix (first hardback edition 1978). Chapter six: Witch Tools (pp 78-85.)
2. ^ Hutton, Ronald The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modernistic Heathen Witchcraft (1999). Oxford: Oxford Academy Press. ISBN 0-nineteen-285449-half dozen (pp52-61).
3. ^ MacGregor Mathers, Southward. Liddell (ed.) The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) Revised by Peterson, Joseph H. (1999, 2004, 2005). Available here
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} Lamond, Frederic (2004). 50 Years of Wicca. Green Magic. pp. 125–126.
5. ^ ^{a b} "Gardnerian Book of Shadows: Consecrating Tools".
6. ^ Gardner, Gerald. The Gardnerian Book of Shadows. Forgotten Books. ISBN978-1605069333.
7. ^ "Gardnerian Book of Shadows Index". world wide web.sacred-texts.com . Retrieved 2020-12-07 .
8. ^ Farrar, Janet; Farrar, Stewart (1984). The Witches' Way: Principles, Rituals and Beliefs of Modern Witchcraft. Phoenix Publishing. pp. 259–260. ISBN978-0-919345-71-iii.
9. ^ ^{a b} Gallagher, Anne-Marie (2005). The Wicca Bible. Godsfield. Page 201
10. ^ Wren (2000). The Tools of Witchcraft by Wren. Witchvox. Page 1
11. ^ Regardie, Israel (1990). The Complete Gilded Dawn System of Magic vol. Iv (Quaternary ed.). Scottsdale, Arizona: New Falcon Publications (Falcon Press). p. 33. ISBN978-0-941404-12-ix.
12. ^ ^{a b} Hutton, Ronald (1999). Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft . Oxford University Press. pp. 229–230.
13. ^ Lamond, Frederic (2004). Fifty Years of Wicca. Green Magic.
14. ^ Sabin, Thea (2010). Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 138–139. ISBN9780738717753.
15. ^ Gallagher, Ann-Marie (2005). The Wicca Bible. Godsfield. Folio 201
16. ^ ^{a b c} Cingulum, an article in Pentacle Magazine, event 22, Autumn 2007, past an anonymous author
17. ^ Gardner, Gerald. Witchcraft and the Volume of Shadows (2004) Edited by A. R. Naylor. Thame, Oxfordshire: I-H-O Books. ISBN 1-872189-52-0 (pp170-200)
18. ^ Crowley, Vivianne. Wicca: The One-time Organized religion in the New Age (1989) London: The Aquarian Press. ISBN 0-85030-737-6
19. ^ Beth, Rae Hedge Witch: A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft, (1992) London: Robert Hale.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_tools_in_Wicca

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