I know what it’s like. You’re excited, you want to have everything you need, you’re not SURE what *everything* is exactly, so you’re kind of looking at buying anything that seems appropriate or has the word “witch” attached to it.
Wait! Before you part with your hard earned dolla on a bunch of random witchy-looking items, have a read through our “Tools for New Witches” series where we look at what you REALLY need, and what’s already handy in your kitchen drawer that might just do the trick.
WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE TOOLS FOR WITCHCRAFT?
Basically, witchcraft is about working with energy. I call this energy workings, others might call it spells or rituals.
Examples of Different Types of Energy Workings:
- Celebrating a season change or lunar phase (our sabbats and esbats)
- Using the energy of plants or crystals to assist with healing
- Divination & psychic activities
- Manifesting a desired outcome
To effectively perform an energy working, a witch needs to be able to focus their mind, visualize and truly believe in their ability to manifest their will.
In order to do this, we make use of tools.
TOOLS FOR WITCHCRAFT CAN HELP US:
- Focus, and step into our role of power (help us separate from the ordinary, every day mundane)
- Add their residual, innate or lineage energy to ours, amping up our personal power reservoir
- Feel closer to our Deities and Spirits that we choose to work with (whether that be Creator, or a chosen God or Goddess, angels, spirit guides, guardians etc)
Our connection to our Higher Self, our Spirit Guides, the Elementals and Great Spirit assist us in moving energy. At its core, all energy workings are simply the process of moving energy. All tools for witchcraft are designed to help us achieve this.
Some tools are practical (eg a place to write things down). Others are symbolic (eg a bowl of salt to represent the Earth element). While others still are traditional and thus carry a lineage of energetic practice aligned with them (eg the ritual chalice).
OK – SO ARE THESE TOOLS ESSENTIAL?
No. I can quite successfully do an energy working sitting here in my chair with my eyes closed.
But do the tools help? Definitely! Especially when you are still learning to harness the forces of energy around you, and what different energies feel like.
After many years, you may not need them, but they are still a great way to begin your energy working. The very ritual of gathering, preparing and going through the steps is part of your practice and power. And every tool lends its own intrinsic, lineage energy to your practice too, making achieving your goal that much easier.
You can build this collection of tools for witchcraft as you go. Aim to only invest in things if / when you need / want them. The Craft does not require that you have exactly this or that. There is almost always a work around if you don’t have something at the time.
JOURNALS
You’ve heard of a Book of Shadows, right? Find out more about journals for witchcraft in our first article here:
ALTAR
The Altar is one of the most essential tools for witchcraft. Find out more here:
COMING SOON:
THE CIRCLE
Before we perform any kind of energy working / spell, we cast a circle around us. Find out more here:
A WITCH’S TOOLS: THE CIRCLE
CLOTHING
Skyclad? Cloak? Ritual Clothing? Find out more here:
A WITCH’S TOOLS: CLOTHING
TRADITIONAL ITEMS
As your progress on your magickal journey, you can invest in traditional items to contribute to your practice of the Craft.
A WITCH’S TOOLS: TRADITIONAL ITEMS