Do you want to practise witchcraft but don't know where to start? Do you find it all too confusing? Maybe you've been practising for a while and want to go back to basics. Or perhaps you're a seasoned witch and want to explore more ways of practisin...
The witch's wand is probably the most stereotypical tool that comes to mind when you think of witchcraft. Indeed, witches do use wands but like most tools in this list, wands are entirely optional.
Wands are primarily used for directing and invoking energy. Examples of their uses include drawing magickal symbols in dirt, stirring a cauldron, generating magick circles, transferring spiritual energy from one object to another, invoking the presence of spirits/deities, and storing magickal energy for later use.
Wands are typically associated with the element of fire, but other traditions (Alexandrian Wicca) attribute wands to the air element. What element you correspond wands with is your personal choice. The wand is also associated with masculinity because it has a vaguely phallic shape, and is primarily used for projecting energy.
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Wands come in all shapes and sizes, but most have these features in common: > Length of the wand usually equals the distance from your finger tips to your elbow > It is straight > Made of wood that has been sanded smooth and nubs removed > Slightly tapered at the top
Most wands are made from tree branches, but they can also be made out of metal, crystal, or resin. Iron wands must be avoided if you intend to work with faefolk, as fae are deterred by iron.
Some witches also use staffs; these are much longer, like a walking stick, and can extend up to head-height. Staffs and wands are used in largely the same way; some witches use both, other witches have either one or the other.
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Wooden wands:What species of tree wands are made out of differs largely on what you intend to use the wand for, and what traditional beliefs you follow (if any) (1). You can use any wood that is readily available to you, as the exact wood doesn't make much of a difference, but rather the relationship you develop with your wand.
Sources of the associations are in brackets (#), see footnote 1 for unabbreviated.
Apple - sacred to Jupiter (Ag). Good for working with faefolk. Ash - sacred to Jupiter (Ag). Good for healing magick (B) and faery magick (Y). Cedar - good for spirit work associated with Mars (S). Elder - ideal for operations of Venus (Ab). Analogised to Saturn, and is ideal for evoking elemental spirits and demons (B). Hazel - multiple sources and traditions attest to the use of hazel for a plethora of uses. Holly - sacred to Druids. Good for use in divination and repelling evil spirits. Horse chestnut - sacred to Jupiter (Ag). Laurel - multiple sources and traditions attest to the use of hazel for a plethora of uses. Some sources state that it repels demons (P). Good for spirit work associated with the Sun (S). Oak - sacred to Jupiter (Ag). Good for spirit work associated with Jupiter (S). Pine - good for spirit work associated with Saturn (S). Willow - good for spirit work associated with the Moon (S). Ideal for manifestation (B). Yew - Traditionally considered a sacred tree among Druids, the yew is deeply rooted in Irish folklore.
