| The tools and trappings of Witchcraft are many and | | | | cleansing. |
| varied. While many of them, such as the broomstick | | | | The Cauldron Now, this is a misunderstood tool indeed! |
| and the witch's cauldron, are very familiar among most | | | | When one brings to mind the image of a witch's |
| of the population, most magickal tools used by | | | | cauldron, the phrase, "bubble, bubble, toil and trouble..." is |
| practitioners of Wicca and Witchcraft are either | | | | often right there with it. People seem to think that |
| unknown or vastly misunderstood. This article will | | | | witches like to brew up some of the strangest things in |
| address the uses of many of the most popular | | | | their cauldrons. Though the cauldron is used as a |
| magickal tools out there, and, hopefully, banish some of | | | | magickal mixing bowl, the ingredients are often found in |
| the misconceptions out there. | | | | the average kitchen pantry. For a witch, the cauldron |
| The specific tools addressed are: | | | | represents the element of water, and the energies of |
| - The Athame | | | | emotions and feeling. In ritual, the cauldron often serves |
| - The Wand | | | | in preparing infusions for a magickal bath, tinctures for |
| - The Cauldron | | | | a variety of uses, or simply a fireproof container in |
| - The Altar | | | | which to burn a piece of parchment. |
| - Book of Shadows | | | | The Altar This is another tool that is often very |
| The Athame The Athame is probably the most | | | | misunderstood. In the Hollywood version, the altar is the |
| misunderstood of all of the magickal tools addressed | | | | creepy table decorated with skulls and black candles |
| here. What is an athame, anyways? It is a ritual | | | | where the victim is tied up helplessly. Try explaining |
| dagger that utilized by witches during rituals and | | | | that one to the neighbors!! |
| ceremonies. It is generally a double-edged blade made | | | | In real Witchcraft, there are two main types of altars |
| from steel, iron or, for the wealthier wiccans out there, | | | | out there: The functional, ritual altar, and the altar that |
| silver. The hilt of the blade is most often black, and | | | | serves as a shrine to honor a specific deity. The |
| painted or engraved with a variety of occult symbols. | | | | shrine-type altar is pretty self explanatory. It is a special |
| Stories and movies, which often depict a witch as bad | | | | place to connect with a specific deity, and decorated |
| guy, often glamorize the athame as a sinister weapon | | | | with items that either represent or are associated with |
| that is used in sacrifices and other outlandish practices. | | | | that deity. |
| This could NOT be further from the truth! The true | | | | A functional altar is one that is used during the majority |
| purpose of this tool is as an aid for the practitioner to | | | | of Wiccan rituals, and is often the centerpiece of the |
| direct their will in ritual. It is never used to cut anything | | | | ceremony. It is the place where Wiccans do most of |
| physically, and if it does, it is considered tainted and | | | | the "dirty work" of burning candles, spilling ink, and |
| cannot be used until some extensive 'psychic cleansing' | | | | burning incense. It is a focal point for their ritual intent, |
| can be done. | | | | and the spot in the ritual circle where they connect and |
| For those who practice Witchcraft, the athame is a | | | | pray to their Deity. |
| representation of the element of air and mental | | | | Book of Shadows This is the quintessential spell book |
| energy. It is one of the most used, and often most | | | | carried by every witch out there. There are so many |
| cherished, of their ritual tools. | | | | ways to describe this particular item. To begin, let us |
| The Wand The wand is another very common item | | | | just say that the Book of Shadows is a combination of |
| used in Witchcraft. The image it brings to mind is very | | | | a journal, a how-to manual, song book, and spell book. |
| accurate. It is a length of wood, about the same length | | | | One of the most common things found in a book of |
| as the individual witch's forearm. It can be constructed | | | | shadows is the Wiccan Rede. This is basically a code |
| from a variety of materials, and the magickal | | | | of conduct that witches follow, and an empowering bit |
| properties of the tree from which it is cut often plays a | | | | of prose. Also commonly found within one of these |
| major role in its choosing. The look and style of the | | | | books is a piece called The Charge of The Goddess, |
| wand is as varied as the people who carry them. | | | | or simple "The Charge". This is a very elegantly written |
| They are often decorated with crystals, stones, | | | | piece of poetry that both empowers practitioners of |
| feathers and ribbons. | | | | Witchcraft, and reminds them of their common values |
| The uses of the wand are very similar indeed to those | | | | and beliefs. Both of these items are often included in |
| of the athame. It is used to direct ones will in ritual or | | | | Wiccan ceremonies. |
| ceremony. However, the biggest difference with the | | | | Aside from that, the contents of a Book of Shadows |
| wand is that it is often the preferred means of repelling | | | | can be almost anything. Most witches include their |
| negativity away from its user. As such, it is often the | | | | favorite rituals, incense recipes, correspondence charts |
| tool of choice for rituals involving purifying and | | | | and other difficult-to-memorize magickal tidbits. |