| Wands | | | | protect, the birch is for purifying and the willow is |
| A wand is used to project and direct energy to a | | | | sacred and holy to the Goddess. |
| specific area, object, person,or even dimension. It can | | | | Cauldrons |
| be used for tasks like stirring a cauldron if | | | | The cauldron, like the chalice and bell, is also symbolic |
| itsconstruction allows this. In some traditions, it is | | | | of the Goddess. In |
| used in calling the God and the | | | | Wicca, when a cauldron is used it is often central to |
| Goddess to join a ritual. Although traditional wands | | | | the ritual, usually linked with fertility or transformation. |
| are made of wood, you can find wands today in a | | | | Some of the lore of the cauldron is based on the |
| variety of materials. | | | | legend of Kerridwen's cauldron. |
| The ancient Druids held woods sacred and tools from | | | | Kerridwen is a goddess from the Celtic pantheon. |
| wood were considered to carry the spirit of nature. | | | | The story begins where Kerridwen bore a son who |
| It is not suggested that wood from a living tree be | | | | was the ugliest and most rotten tempered man in |
| cut to make a wand. A piece of fallen wood is much | | | | the world. She wanted to fix this by brewing a |
| more appropriate as it can be considered a gift from | | | | potion to transform him into the Maiden Moon wisest |
| divinity. There are few rules about the size of the | | | | man in the world. To do so she brewed a potion for |
| wand. | | | | a year and a day (a period still recognized as |
| Some Wiccans believe wands should be the length of | | | | significant in Wiccan practice). |
| a persons forearm and hand, but in general wands | | | | At the end of that time, there were three highly |
| commonly range from as little as 10 inches up to 3 | | | | concentrated drops left. Kerridwen hired a boy to stir |
| feet in length. Some people like to hold a wand that | | | | the potion and a man to stoke the flames. On the |
| is more massive because they feel more powerful. | | | | very day that the potion was ready, the 3 drops |
| It is equally acceptable to use a wand that is | | | | splashed out onto the boy's fingers. The boy fled |
| compact and lightweight. A wand can be as | | | | knowing that Kerridwen would be very angry. |
| ornamental or as plain as desired. Anything from a | | | | Kerridwen took after him in pursuit. During the chase, |
| wand fabricated of sterling silver and encrusted with | | | | both the boy and Kerridwen changed into several |
| gems to a piece of tree branch still covered in bark is | | | | animals. When Kerridwen finally caught up with the |
| acceptable for use. Each will serve well if the person | | | | boy, she ate him and became pregnant. She had |
| wielding the wand is comfortable with it. The only real | | | | planned to kill the child but when he was born, he |
| concern is that it feels comfortable. | | | | was the most beautify boy she had ever seen, so |
| The Wiccan Boline | | | | she kept him and he grew to be Taliesin the Bard, |
| The boline is a white handled knife, which clearly | | | | one of the most inspired poets. As you can see, |
| distinguishes it from the black handled athame. In | | | | throughout the story, the concept of magickal |
| many cases the blade has a distinct curved shape. It | | | | transformation (the symbology of the cauldron) |
| is a simple working knife used in ritual or ritual | | | | isprevalent from beginning to end. |
| preparation for tasks like cutting herbs from a | | | | Cauldrons are usually made of iron and stand on |
| garden, inscribing candles, cutting cords, etc. It is to | | | | three legs with the opening ofthe vessel being smaller |
| be used for cutting purposes only for the materials | | | | than the inside. You can find cauldrons in a wide |
| and items you need for your rituals and spells. | | | | rangeof sizes from the very small altar top varieties |
| The Wiccan Boline is commonly the size of an | | | | to gigantic pots big enough for headhunters to cook |
| athame. There are larger bolines that are made, but | | | | a few explorers in. |
| these are normally called Druid Bolines and are | | | | Crystal Balls |
| common within paganism rituals and ceremonial use. | | | | While many forms of divination tools have been |
| Even though a larger boline can be used in Wicca, it is | | | | used, the crystal ball has beenthe longest surviving. |
| usually easier to use the smaller versions of the blade. | | | | When used for divinatory purposes, the practitioner |
| The Besom(Ritual Broom) | | | | gazesinto the ball and pictures are perceived either |
| A besom (ritual broom) is used in Wicca for the | | | | inside the ball itself or in themind's eye of the crystal |
| preparation of magickalspace. The magickal | | | | gazer. |
| significance of a besom is twofold. First, as a magickal | | | | When used in Wiccan ritual, the crystal is placed on |
| tool directing energy for cleaning, and second in the | | | | the altar to represent the Goddess. Some Wiccans |
| heritage of ancient Druidic regard for the woods | | | | use the ball during the ritual for scrying but it can also |
| from which a traditional besom is made. In Wicca, the | | | | be used to store energy raised from the ritual. The |
| besom is used to clear the negativity and residual | | | | crystal ball is often at the center of full moon rituals |
| energy from space being prepared as sacred. The | | | | where it represents the Goddess in Mother form. Of |
| sweeping of ritual space is not to clear debris in the | | | | all the tools, the crystal ball is often considered as |
| physical environment. | | | | one of the hardest to charge magickally. |
| The besom does not even have to touch the ground | | | | Many recommend that the crystal be exposed to |
| at all. The sweeping motion in the air combined with | | | | moonlight to increase its charge after cleansing in a |
| visualization clears the negative energies lingering | | | | saltwater bath. This is seen as aligning the crystal and |
| from the mundane world. The traditional besom has | | | | filling it with energy from the Goddess. |
| many legends associated with it. It is said to have | | | | It is usually best for crystal balls to be as close and |
| been used in fertility rituals where it was ridden | | | | as pure to crystal as possible. Finding pure crystal balls |
| hobbyhorse style through the crops. | | | | however is not only expensive, they are hard to find. |
| It is also said to have been used in handfasting | | | | If you can charge the standard crystal balls that are |
| ceremonies promoting fertility in a newly wed couple. | | | | commonly available as much as possible, especially in |
| Besoms are commonly made using an ash staff, birch | | | | the full moon over night, they will work just as well. |
| twigs and willow binding. The ash wood serves to | | | | |