Tools B - H

Bells

The Bell is a feminine symbol of the creative force, the Great Goddess and is often used to invoke the Goddess during ritual. The Bell is also used at the Four Quarters to call forth the Elemental spirits or the Ancient Watchers. In Ritual the Bell is used as a tool of invocation to welcome the Goddess, or to banish negativity; the clear high pitched sound drives away all evil spirits. The sound of a sacred Bell purifies all vibrations near it - a room, a person, an emotion etc. Placed within a cupboard or hung on the door, the Bell guards the home. At the end of a ritual the Bell can be used to clear and disperse energy.

Besom (Broom)

A witches Besom is traditionally made with an ash handle and birch twigs that are tied on with pieces of willow wood. The ash stick provides magical protection and the birch twigs are meant to entangle malicious spirits. Willow twigs may be substituted, as they belong to the sacred tree of Hecate. As a ritual tool it is both masculine and feminine, the handle masculine in nature and the birch bristles feminine. The handle is plunged into and attached to the bristles, a perfect union of male and female energies. The broom represents the Element of Air.

The fantasy images of witches riding about on broomsticks are based on actual fact. Pagan Western European fertility rites involved women straddling the broom and riding it like a horse, around the fields to encourage crops.

Brooms have always been a symbol of women's domesticity. A woman would push her broom up the chimney or prop it outside the door to indicate that she was out of the house. The broom, a tool kept in all households and used by all women became a tool and symbol of witchcraft. It was an easy leap to believe that witches could hop on their broom and fly up the chimney!

It has been said that Witches Flying Oil, a concoction made from aconite, belladonna, hemlock, and henbane was rubbed on the handle of the broomstick before being "ridden" to Sabbats or Moon rituals. This would deliver the drugs topically. The powerful hallucinogenic ingredients combined with ecstatic chanting and dancing could very well cause the drug-induced hallucination of soaring through the air.

Today the besom's fertility magic symbolism is evident during the Wiccan hand-fasting custom of "jumping the broom". The besom was considered an attribute of Hecate in ancient Greece. In modern Wicca, the besom is a symbol of witchcraft and a reminder of times not so long past when we were persecuted for our beliefs. It is used to cleanse and purify sacred space by sweeping away baneful energy.

There are various uses for brooms in magic:

Single-use ritual brooms can be loosely put together, then burned or taken apart following use.
Special magical brooms that are only used during rituals.
Plain household brooms can be used to magically cleanse and purify your home.
Small handmade besoms may be decorated and placed on the Altar.

Some traditions of Wicca say that your besom must never touch the floor and must only be used as a ritual tool. Other traditions hold that the power of your besom can be used for all manner or magical and mundane work. Not everyone has the means to possess an array of tools reserved specifically for ritual use. Mundane activities, such as sweeping your kitchen floor, can be magical with the correct intentions.

Blessed Water

In many Pagan traditions, as in other religions, water is considered a sacred and holy item. The Christian church does not have a monopoly on the phrase “holy water,” and many Pagans include it as a part of their magical tool collection. It can be used in a variety of ways, but is often incorporated into blessings, banishing rituals, or cleansing a sacred space. If your tradition calls for the use of consecrated water or holy water prior to or during ritual, here are some ways you can prepare your own.

Sea water is often believed to be the most pure and sacred of all types of holy water—after all, it is provided by nature, and is a powerful force indeed. If you are near an ocean, use a bottle with a cap to collect sea water for use in your rituals. If your tradition requires it, you may wish to make an offering as thanks, or perhaps say a small blessing as you collect the water.
Much like sea water, home-made salt water is often used in rituals. However, instead of just throwing salt into a bottle of water, it is generally recommended that you consecrate the water before use. Add one teaspoon of salt to sixteen ounces of water and mix thoroughly, if you’re using a bottle, you can just shake it up. Consecrate the water according to the guidelines of your tradition, or pass it over the four elements on your altar to bless it with the powers of earth, air, fire, and pure water. You can also consecrate salt water by leaving it out in the moonlight, in the sunlight, or by calling upon the gods of your tradition. Keep in mind that salt is typically used to banish spirits and entities, so you should not use it in any rituals that call upon spirits or your ancestors, you’ll be self-defeating by using salt water.
In some traditions, the moon's energy is used as a way of consecrating water to make it holy and sacred. You can leave gathered water outside for three nights in a row: the night before, during, and after the full moon. If you want to use your water specifically for attraction, leave it out during the waxing phase, and during the waning phase for banishing magic. You can also use the silver method: take a cup of water and place it outside on the night of the full moon. Drop a piece of silver (a ring or a coin) into the water and leave it out overnight so that the moonlight can bless the water. Remove the silver in the morning, and store the water in a sealed bottle. Use it before the next full moon. Interestingly, in some cultures it was gold that was placed in the water, if the water was to be used in rituals related to the sun, healing, or positive energy.
In many traditions, water gathered during a thunderstorm is considered powerful and potent, and can add a magical boost to any working you're doing. Leave a jar outdoors to collect rainwater during the next storm you have in your area - and its energy will be even more effective if there's lightning going on!
Spring water is typically purified, and can be used in rituals related to purification and protection. Morning dew—which can be collected off the leaves of plants at sunrise—is often incorporated in spell-work related to healing and beauty. Use rain water or well water for rituals of fertility and abundance, although if you’re using it in your garden, do not blend in salt.
In general, stagnant, or still water is not used in the creation or use of holy water, although some folk magic practitioners do use it for other purposes, such as hexing or binding.
Finally, keep in mind that in a pinch, holy water blessed by some other religion’s deity can be used, as long as your tradition has no mandates against such a thing. If you decide to visit your local Christian church in search of holy water, be courteous and ask before dipping a jar into the font; most of the time, pastors are more than happy to let you have some water.

Book of Shadows

The Book of Shadows is primarily a witch’s diary. It is where he or she records spells, recipes and thoughts and dreams, it is, in essence, one’s very own, unique, personalized, and sacred Grimoire, an ever-evolving, encyclopedia, how-to guide, recipe book, and personal journal.

In families of Hereditary traditions, The Book of Shadows may be passed down through generations and contain messages of wisdom, family traditions, age-old spells & Old Wives Tales, among the rest of its contents.

Some covens or circles have a Book of Shadows the whole group shares, unlike the individual versions, the Coven’s Book Of Shadows generally focuses more on outlining the core beliefs, ethics, ritual practice, and initiatory records than the personal evolution of your own Private Book contains.

Candles

White: Is a balance of all colors and is used for Consecration, Meditation, Healing, Truth Seeking, Peace, Spiritual Strength and Enlightenment, Rituals involving "Lunar" Energy, Purity, Protection, Happiness, Masculine Divinity, and may be substituted for any other colors. Use it to promote Cancer energy.
Pink: Promotes romance and friendship, and is the standard color used for rituals to draw affections. It is used for Love, Honor, Friendship and Fidelity. A color of femininity, it brings lively conversation to the dinner table.
Red: Is symbolic of the spirits of the South, and the elements of Fire. It is used for strength, courage, power, passion, health, energy, vitality, love, fertility and will power. It increases magnetism in rituals and draws on Aries and Scorpio energy.
Brown: Is symbolic of the spirits of the North, and the elements Earth. It is used for rituals involving Animal Magic, Protection of the Home and Solar Deities. Brown candles attract the Power of the Cosmic influences. It eliminates indecisiveness and improves the powers of concentration, study, and telepathy. Use it also for increasing financial success and for locating lost objects. Promotes Capricorn energy.
Orange: Is used for Creativity, Attraction, Stimulating Energy, Legal Matters, Success, New Home, Intelligence, Control over Self and Mental Clarity. It charges and recharges the intellect and combines with any other candles to stimulate their actions. Use for rituals stipulating Mercury energy, and sometimes solar energy. Also used during Samhain.
Gold: Fosters understanding and attracts the power of cosmic influences. Use it in rites intended to bring about fast luck or money. When communicating with Solar Deities and for honoring the Gods. This candle generates solar energy. Use it to promote Leo energy.
Yellow: Is symbolic of the spirits of the East, and the elements of Air. It is used for Charms, Confidence, Attraction, Wisdom, Visions, Psychic Powers, Mental Mowers, Activity, Creativity and Unity. Use it to bring the power of concentration and imagination to the success of a ritual. Also used in rituals where you need to gain someone's confidence or need to persuade someone. This candle generates solar energy. Use it to promote Leo and Gemini energy.
Emerald Green: This candle is important in Venusian rituals. It attracts Love, Social Delights and Fertility.
Dark Green: Is used for Beauty, Employment, Fertility, Healing, Success, Good Luck, Prosperity, Heart Matters, Money, and God Energy. Being the color of ambition, greed, and jealousy, it can be used to counteract these influences in a ritual. Use it to promote Taurus energy.
Dark Blue: Is the color of Loyalty and is used to promote Laughter and Joviality. Use it to promote Sagittarius energy.
Blue: Is symbolic of the spirits of the West, and the elements of Water. It is used in rituals to obtain Wisdom, Peace, Healing, Tranquility, Truth, Protection during Sleep, Prophetic Dreams, Fidelity. Use it to promote Jupiter energy and whenever an influence needs to be increased.
Light Blue: Is a spiritual color and is helpful in devotional or inspirational meditations. It brings peace and tranquility to the home and radiates Aquarius energy.
Grey: Is a neutral color and is useful when pondering complex issues during meditation. In magic, this color often sparks confusion. It also negates and/or neutralizes a negative influence. Use it to promote Virgo energy.
Black: The black candle is immensely powerful. It is one of the most protective colors. It can be used to bring a person back down to earth. It can also be used in various ways to uncover secrets. It can be used in meditation, to help us find the light within the dark. It stabilizes and awakens greater responsibility. It is most effective when burnt with a white candle and is used for Banishing all Unwanted Energies as in uncrossing rituals, or for absorbing unwanted energies. Use also for Crone Magic, Mourning a loss, Meditation, Feminine Divinity, and Samhain. This candle attracts Saturn energy.
Indigo: Is the color of inertia. It is used to stop situations or people's intentions. Use it in rituals that require deep meditation and rituals that require Saturn energy.
Purple: Are used for Psychic Ability, Wisdom, Spirituality, Success, Independence, Spiritual Growth, Power, Healing and Goddess energy. Ideal for rituals to secure ambitions and financial rewards. Increases Neptune energy.
Magenta: Is a combination of Red and Violet that oscillates on a high frequency. It energizes rituals where immediate action is needed, or high levels of power and spiritual healing are required.

Cauldron

Modern magic-users utilize the cauldron in a variety of ways, and it is considered a necessary altar tool for many traditions. Indeed, cauldrons are so useful and so imbued with symbolism that many witches soon acquire quite the collection of cauldrons and cauldron-shaped tools. The modern cauldron may take many shapes. It may be a cast iron, pot with three legs and a handle, perhaps decorated with the symbol of your faith. These are available in many sizes from small enough to fit in your hand to large enough hang over the fire pit. Or you cauldron may be a pretty ceramic pot that resembles the traditional cauldron not at all, but if you say it is a cauldron then that is what it becomes. Cauldrons are also available in copper, pewter, stainless steel, and a variety of materials that may dictate how they can be used. Kitchen Witches may collect practical, functional cauldrons and may might have a slow cooker dedicated to magical cooking designated “the electric cauldron”. The only real requirement for a cauldron is that it be shaped in such a way that it can hold water and that it be made of a material that won’t burn. If it has a lid, it’s a bonus. Size only matters if it restricts the functionality of the cauldron.

A Cauldron symbolizes femininity and fertility, rebirth and transformation, the Western Quarter, and the Element of Water. When used during Ritual on the Altar the Cauldron can be used to hold a candle, or to burn loose incense or magically empowered herbs on a charcoal disc. It is also a great heat-proof container to use when burning paper containing written petitions, prayers, or spells.

You can also create "Witches Brews" which are magic spells in liquid form within your Cauldron. Witches Brews should not be made in a cast-iron Cauldron because it will cause your "brew" to darken, instead choose a ceramic or copper Cauldron for your brews.

Black Salt, a powerful banishing potion can be made within your Cauldron.

Chalice

The Chalice represents the Element of Water and the power of the Mother Goddess. It is the second of the four major sacred tools. A Chalice can be any kind of cup or glass and is used to make libations or drink offerings and to confer blessings.

An Altar Chalice is filled with wine (or water or juice) which is blessed and consecrated during the Ritual. Part of a Blessing Ritual may involve placing the Athame into the Chalice. This act is called the "Great Rite". The Athame represents the phallus of the God, the Chalice the womb of the Goddess when the Athame enters the Chalice it is the union of Goddess and God. This is a particularly important aspect of Wiccan Ritual. A sip of the consecrated liquid is then offered to each person in turn who symbolically drinks the blessing.

Deity Statue(s)

Many Pagans and Wiccans will have some kind of statue of their Deity or the God and Goddess. Normally they’re made of either clay or Pewter. The look and or design of the statue(s) can be anything from abstract, simple, or even very realistic. No one can tell you what your statue should look like, it is always up to you.

Divination

Divination usually involves the use of an object or objects to gain answers to questions, or to see events, that are not perceptible to the average person. The use of interpretive tools can help the Divine relay guidance through your inner spirit or higher-self. This is a common practice among Wiccans, Witches, and other Pagans. Divination takes many forms, and while some of the Craft will use several different techniques, most everyone has their own favorite method for seeking answers from the Divine.

Some of the favorite divination methods include the use of tarot cards, pendulums, or runes. Crystal and/or crystal ball gazing, reading tea leaves, gazing into a pool or bowl of water or candle gazing are also popular. The list goes on and on. Any of these items can help you strengthen your intuition. Simply choose the one you are most comfortable using and practice, practice, practice. It may seem hard in the beginning, but don't give up. The more you use these tools, the easier it gets.

Think of your divination tools as exercise equipment for your intuition. If you want to strengthen your body, you might choose a treadmill, bicycle, or weights to help you achieve your goal. Some of this equipment can prove challenging when you first start to work with it, but the more you use it, the stronger your body will become. If you want to develop your intuition or spiritual self, divination tools can be a tremendous help. Almost anything can be used as a divination tool, and over the centuries just about everything has been. You are simply using these items to strengthen your spirit or intuition. Don't overwhelm yourself. Start with tools you are comfortable with and try more complicated methods as you develop your abilities.

Sometimes divination is described as fortune-telling. If you think it is simply an attempt to find out about future events before they happen, think again! Its real value is that it can help you plan for, and prevent outcomes. If you like the answers you receive, you can continue on your current path. If it warns you of trouble ahead, you can adjust your course of action, and thus change the outcome. In this way, divination can provide you with Divine guidance that allows you to make better choices and have a higher level of control over your future. Divination is about communicating WITH the Divine and seeking Divine wisdom. It is like connecting with a wise old friend who can offer you Divine guidance on anything and everything you want to talk about. Your intuition or higher-self will always guide you to options that are best for you.

If your intuition detects a negative sign, it doesn't mean something bad is destined to happen. Most often, this is a clue to a thought or action that is causing a roadblock on your path, or an issue that you need to deal with. Pay attention to what your intuition is telling you, and use the information to make better choices in your life. Use your Divine intuition freely. This amazing blessing is available to all of us and it's intended for daily use!

Feathers

White feathers symbolize purification, spirituality, hope, protection, peace, and blessings of the Moon.
Pink feathers attract love.
Red feathers symbolize physical vitality, courage, good fortune, and life.
Orange feathers bring attraction, energy, and success.
Yellow feathers bring cheerfulness, mental alertness, prosperity, and blessings from the Sun.
Green feathers symbolize money, prosperity, growth, health, and fertility. Green and red mixed feathers affect financial matters.
Blue feathers symbolize mental abilities, peace, protection. And psychic awareness.
Gray feathers symbolize peace and neutrality.
Brown feathers give stability and respect. They also symbolize the home and grounding.

Brown feathers striped in black, like the tail feathers of a pheasant, give a balance between the physical and spiritual life.
Brown feathers banded or mixed with white bring happiness and give the kind of protection that enables one to go unnoticed amidst those who would harm them.
Brown and red mixed feathers bring healing to animals.

Black feathers give the mystical wisdom that comes with true spiritual initiation.

Black, iridescent feathers give mystical insight. Black and white mixed feathers give union and protection.
Black (or gray) feathers banded or mixed with white give hope, balance, and harmony.
Black mixed with purple means deep spirituality.
Black, white, and blue mixed feathers brings change.

The "eye" on the end of the Peacock tail feather protect against the "evil eye" and stimulates inner clairvoyant vision.
The Rooster's two prominent tail feathers (called sickles) are symbols of the God and Goddess.

The black ones are sacred to the God because of their resemblance to the curved horns of the Horned God. They are also a symbol of male virility.
The white ones are sacred to the Goddess because they resemble the tool (the sickle) with which grain (sacred to her) is reaped. They also resemble the waxing and waning Moon.

Herbs

Given that the plant kingdom developed on Earth many millions of years before the evolution of human beings, it’s fair to say that herbs are the oldest magical tools in existence. Known for millennia to have beneficial properties for both physical and spiritual well-being, many different species of plants were incorporated into the practices of healers, shamans, and other medicine men and women of the “old days”, this was the origin of herbal magic.

Plants both communicate and cooperate with each other in the wild, even among different species. In a forest setting, trees, shrubs, and other plants will exchange information with each other through an underground network of roots and fungi. This natural “internet” allows plants to exchange nutrients with each other, helping each other make up for any shortages at various points in the growing season—much like you might “borrow” a few eggs from a neighbor and return the favor later on with some extra butter! Plants are also able to warn each other about nearby predators. For example, if one leaf is bitten by an insect, a plant will release chemicals that both repel the insect and prompt its plant neighbors to release their own chemicals to do the same. These discoveries serve as wonderful illustrations of the inherent intelligence of Mother Earth. Whether working with a plant’s roots, seeds, stems, leaves, flowers, or berries, or even the bark of a tree, Witches tap into this magical energy when incorporating herbs into their practice.

Herbs are used in many forms of spell-work, of course, from crystal and candle magic all the way through to bath spells. Smudging, the burning of dried herbs to purify and/or bless a space, is a near, universal practice found in many ancient traditions, and has also made its way into contemporary Witchcraft.

When it comes to ritual, some Wiccan practitioners use specially designated herbs to mark the sacred circle before beginning Sabbat rituals. Others use particular herbs to honor their patron deities, such as lemon balm, which is considered sacred to the Roman goddess Diana.

B - H: List