Altar Magick

Basic Tools for an Altar

First of all, it is important to remember that tools, herbs, candles, crystals and so on are not actually necessary to work magic.

Your own energy and the power of your mind, as well as the blessings of the deities and spirits, are the important things.

However, these extra ingredients may make it easier to work spells, as well as being nice to have at your disposal.

An Athame.

An athame is a ritual knife, used to direct magical energy,

An athame, is usually a handled two-edged knife, meaning the blade is sharp on both sides.

However, it may be dull rather than sharp, as an athame is not a cutting tool.

This knife may be made of wood, stone, horn, or metal.

An athame can also be a regular knife if visualized as the ritual tool.

An athame maybe a letter opener, pocketknife so long as it is seen as a ritual tool.

The handle color may also vary, but black is traditional.

A Bell.

An altar bell, maybe a tiny bell with a delicate chime, or a larger bell, used during rituals such as one to call upon the Faerie Folk.

An Altar bell may be made of brass, ceramic, crystal, or silver

A Boline.

A Boline is a cutting tool used in magical work to inscribe candles, cut herbs, cut thread, or any other such use.

Traditionally a two-edged blade, with a white handle, but any tool designated as the working tool may be used.

Bowls.

Altar bowls in general are used in the following way. one for salt, one for water, and one for the libation.

Broom or Besom.

A ritual broom or besom is not used for housework, but for clearing the ritual space during circle casting and for spell work.

Candle Holder.

Candleholders can be individual, candelabra, votive holders,  but in theory, there should be one for the Goddess and one for the God, as well as one for magical work.

Cauldron.

A Cauldron is a metal pot for magical work.

When burning a candle inside it, you might want to put a layer of clean sand on the bottom of the pot.

It is a good idea, for your cauldron to be large enough, to hold melted wax, and to burn twigs or incense inside, without creating a hazard.

A Lidded cauldron may be the best idea, but if not possible, get a separate lid for covering when ready to put out any fire within.

Censer.

A censer is a container for incense that can be carried around the Circle or set on the Altar.

The censer may be of brass, a shell, wood, or any other suitable material.

It may be a good idea that the container should be partially filled with clean sand to hold the incense and prevent burns.

Cingulum.

A Cingulum is a nine-foot-long cord of red silk, wool, or cotton that is knotted at Initiation and worn with the Robe, kept on the Altar, or wrapped around the top of a Staff.

Crystal Ball.

The Crystal Ball is a smooth sphere without facets, although it may contain bubbles and other markings within.

Clear Crystal balls and ones of natural quartz are very expensive.

However manufactured lead crystal also works.

Chalice.

A Chalice is used for the beverage of Cakes and wine, Esbats, Rituals .

May be of pottery, silver, brass, crystal,or wood.

Incense Burner.

Incense burners are used to hold incenses whilst being burnt.

The incense burner itself may be a stick holder, corn holder, or resin holder.

The incense burner may be made of wood, earthenware, ceramic, glass, brass, shell.

Pentacle.

A pentacle is a flat disk with a five-pointed star in a circle engraved or painted on it.

The altar pentacle could be made of wood, ceramic, clay, wax, brass, silver, gold, or simply drawn on a piece of paper.

Plate.

An altar plate is normally used to hold the bread or other such food blessed in the Cakes and Wine Ritual.

Robes.

You may choose a variety of colored robes, depending on the type of ritual or spell work involved, or a basic white or black robe.

The cingulum, cord, may be used with the robe to tie it around the waist

Staff.

A staff is used as a long wand, may be decorated, and carried as an indication of Craft association, or simply for walking in the woods.

Tarot Cards.

Choose a deck that draws you, and use for divination; you may acquire a variety of decks over time.

Wand.

Wands are normally the length of the forearm to the fingertip, about 12 to 16 inches.

The wand itself, maybe made of, oak, willow, hazel, apple, elder , and so on For the influence of those woods, it may be good to select one from nature.

Failing that, buy one, but choose one that appeals to you. After all the tool most associated with witchcraft is the wand

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