Post by STORMDANCER on Jun 4, 2011 0:15:22 GMT
I will describe what you will require and the order of their acquisition. You will be capable of working ritually with the minimum of requirements, but overall, there are many things I am not including that you might acquire only as needed and also as you learn more about the craft.
ATHAME
Pronounced ath=em-ay, this weapon is obtained as soon as possible by the trainee witch. (be warned that soon these will not be available to buy).It is a dagger with a double-edged blade. It is your weapon of intent. The hilt of the dagger is to be black.
Once you have your Athame, you will use it always (it's meant to be te first and only one you'll ever have while you are aive, like your body). Contrary to some opinions, once it is consecrated to you, it can never be deconsecrated; just like you, once you take initiation, you can never be deinitiated. it's rubbish to think that could happen. So be aware!
The Athame is used to cast a ritual circle, to invoke, summon, power! The Blade is always magnetized before use- that enlivens it. You must be sure that you put energy into the preperation of your dagger; don't just pick one up at a shop and leave it as it is:you must art it.
TheAthame is never used to draw blood. It is never used by anyone else. when not in use, it is to be secreted away (as all ritual things must be). It is associated with air.
CHALICE
The Chalise is traditionally a silver-like, with a goblet shape. It is a moon cup, silver being the metal of the moon, although I have seen them made of clay, wood,crystal, and horn. The cup is the symbol of our Goddess in a rutual, and, as such, it is as important to have it present in your circle as it is to have your Athame. When it is filled, be it wine or water, that fills the initiate with the properties of its nature. It is traditional, always, to drink from the cup-of-pleanty at any ritual. The chalice is associated with water.
THE BOLINE
This is a practical dagger that can be used in your ritual circle and in your day-to-day use....But not by anyone else! The blade can be double-edged, single or curved, it matters not. It is consecrated to your use by your Athame (as is everything else you will use in a ritual way). It is used for cutting herbs for specific use, prepering food, carving the wand and staff; dressing candles, when hunting, and, if the need should arise, self defence. ( this is an extreem and I am teaching as things are written), I used mine to make my wand.When not in use it , too, is to be kept away from others' use.
THE PENTACLE
The pentacle is a disc traditionally made of copper, but wood is ok if copper is unobtainable. It is cut to about fourteen cm in diameter and is inscribed with the seal of the pentagrame, as well as any other pertinent sigils that you deem appropriate. It is a tool for summoning and controlling certain powers, and for banishing.
After having inscribed it is as above, prepare your penticle for ritual use by burying it in earth in the path of the passing Moon at the time of the New Moon. Leave it there until the Full Moon, when you will dig it up and consecrate it with the ritual of esbat. It its copper, it will have turned green within the time-thats okay, the penticle is allocated to Venus, and is associated with Earth.
THE WAND
The wand is always handcrafted (please check out my section on making my own wand), It may be simple or carved, inscribed or painted with sidns of magick. I chose to have my wand simple. There are two types of wand, one that will be of permanemt use as your ritual wand, and others, that will be created for spacific purposes, when needed, then buried after use. The Wand is used to symbolize the active power of fire in any ritual; as such it is an instrument of summoning.
The length of your wand will be from the tip of your middle finger to the inside of your elbow. It is cut and carved from one of the traditional sacred woods: foremost is willow, a wood most sacred for symbolism ofits bending and flowering; then there is hazel, oak, rowan, hawthorn, blackthorn , birch, beech, applewood, and elm. *The wood is not to be taken from a productive tree. Either wait until winter dormancy or intill the branch is dead. The wand is associated with Fire.
CENSER
You will need a censer ( also called a thurible, brazier, or incense burner) and incense. You will be burning incense throughout most of your rituals, and making your own is always the best thing to do, joss sticks are not acceptable. Some well known occult supply outlets have people who will make spacific insence for sale ..I do this for free.
The censer can be of any material that will withstand heat, but whatever it is, it should be aesthetically acceptable for a sacred place. place sand or soil in the bottom of your container ad have some wire mesh to support the charcoal block on which the mixture of incense is to burn.you will need air under the block for efficient burning.
INCENSE
This can be many different things for the magick you are performing I will do a thread on insence soon. xx
FIVE CANDLESTICKS
One particular candlestick for your altar flame (without the light from which no ritual is activated) and four others for each of the gates of Earth, Air,Fire, and Water.
ROBE
Robing is a sometime thing. Witches often work skyclad(naked) or part thereof, but robing is often not only practical but necessary. The robe is to be of a natural fiber, as this does not impede body magnetism like synthetics do. It is also to be, at leat in part handstitched. the robe is most oftena cloak and hood, which is particularly benificial for inner plane voyaging or deep trance work.
Your robe is to be whatever you consider beautiful, but remember that a lot of flowing and draping fabric can be dangerous when working around open flame, therefore it should also be practicle.
OTHER TOOLS
You will need a container of salt, rock salt for use in consecration, a container for the water you will use for consecration, and cords for both marking the perimeter of a circle, when desired, and for certain kinds of witchcreafting ( i use white chalk to mark my circle if i need one or black chalk). You will need an amulet or talisman, which can also represent the robe and will give others of the Way the possibility of recognising you in a public place( hence i wear my pentagram all the time).
I hope you have learned something from this. For a start witchcraft isnt a game and its a religeon. Its not something you play at its a way of life. And there is far more to it than the 'fluffy bunny' books say.
Love and Light
Always here to help you in anyway..ask and i will help you.
Storm xxx
ATHAME
Pronounced ath=em-ay, this weapon is obtained as soon as possible by the trainee witch. (be warned that soon these will not be available to buy).It is a dagger with a double-edged blade. It is your weapon of intent. The hilt of the dagger is to be black.
Once you have your Athame, you will use it always (it's meant to be te first and only one you'll ever have while you are aive, like your body). Contrary to some opinions, once it is consecrated to you, it can never be deconsecrated; just like you, once you take initiation, you can never be deinitiated. it's rubbish to think that could happen. So be aware!
The Athame is used to cast a ritual circle, to invoke, summon, power! The Blade is always magnetized before use- that enlivens it. You must be sure that you put energy into the preperation of your dagger; don't just pick one up at a shop and leave it as it is:you must art it.
TheAthame is never used to draw blood. It is never used by anyone else. when not in use, it is to be secreted away (as all ritual things must be). It is associated with air.
CHALICE
The Chalise is traditionally a silver-like, with a goblet shape. It is a moon cup, silver being the metal of the moon, although I have seen them made of clay, wood,crystal, and horn. The cup is the symbol of our Goddess in a rutual, and, as such, it is as important to have it present in your circle as it is to have your Athame. When it is filled, be it wine or water, that fills the initiate with the properties of its nature. It is traditional, always, to drink from the cup-of-pleanty at any ritual. The chalice is associated with water.
THE BOLINE
This is a practical dagger that can be used in your ritual circle and in your day-to-day use....But not by anyone else! The blade can be double-edged, single or curved, it matters not. It is consecrated to your use by your Athame (as is everything else you will use in a ritual way). It is used for cutting herbs for specific use, prepering food, carving the wand and staff; dressing candles, when hunting, and, if the need should arise, self defence. ( this is an extreem and I am teaching as things are written), I used mine to make my wand.When not in use it , too, is to be kept away from others' use.
THE PENTACLE
The pentacle is a disc traditionally made of copper, but wood is ok if copper is unobtainable. It is cut to about fourteen cm in diameter and is inscribed with the seal of the pentagrame, as well as any other pertinent sigils that you deem appropriate. It is a tool for summoning and controlling certain powers, and for banishing.
After having inscribed it is as above, prepare your penticle for ritual use by burying it in earth in the path of the passing Moon at the time of the New Moon. Leave it there until the Full Moon, when you will dig it up and consecrate it with the ritual of esbat. It its copper, it will have turned green within the time-thats okay, the penticle is allocated to Venus, and is associated with Earth.
THE WAND
The wand is always handcrafted (please check out my section on making my own wand), It may be simple or carved, inscribed or painted with sidns of magick. I chose to have my wand simple. There are two types of wand, one that will be of permanemt use as your ritual wand, and others, that will be created for spacific purposes, when needed, then buried after use. The Wand is used to symbolize the active power of fire in any ritual; as such it is an instrument of summoning.
The length of your wand will be from the tip of your middle finger to the inside of your elbow. It is cut and carved from one of the traditional sacred woods: foremost is willow, a wood most sacred for symbolism ofits bending and flowering; then there is hazel, oak, rowan, hawthorn, blackthorn , birch, beech, applewood, and elm. *The wood is not to be taken from a productive tree. Either wait until winter dormancy or intill the branch is dead. The wand is associated with Fire.
CENSER
You will need a censer ( also called a thurible, brazier, or incense burner) and incense. You will be burning incense throughout most of your rituals, and making your own is always the best thing to do, joss sticks are not acceptable. Some well known occult supply outlets have people who will make spacific insence for sale ..I do this for free.
The censer can be of any material that will withstand heat, but whatever it is, it should be aesthetically acceptable for a sacred place. place sand or soil in the bottom of your container ad have some wire mesh to support the charcoal block on which the mixture of incense is to burn.you will need air under the block for efficient burning.
INCENSE
This can be many different things for the magick you are performing I will do a thread on insence soon. xx
FIVE CANDLESTICKS
One particular candlestick for your altar flame (without the light from which no ritual is activated) and four others for each of the gates of Earth, Air,Fire, and Water.
ROBE
Robing is a sometime thing. Witches often work skyclad(naked) or part thereof, but robing is often not only practical but necessary. The robe is to be of a natural fiber, as this does not impede body magnetism like synthetics do. It is also to be, at leat in part handstitched. the robe is most oftena cloak and hood, which is particularly benificial for inner plane voyaging or deep trance work.
Your robe is to be whatever you consider beautiful, but remember that a lot of flowing and draping fabric can be dangerous when working around open flame, therefore it should also be practicle.
OTHER TOOLS
You will need a container of salt, rock salt for use in consecration, a container for the water you will use for consecration, and cords for both marking the perimeter of a circle, when desired, and for certain kinds of witchcreafting ( i use white chalk to mark my circle if i need one or black chalk). You will need an amulet or talisman, which can also represent the robe and will give others of the Way the possibility of recognising you in a public place( hence i wear my pentagram all the time).
I hope you have learned something from this. For a start witchcraft isnt a game and its a religeon. Its not something you play at its a way of life. And there is far more to it than the 'fluffy bunny' books say.
Love and Light
Always here to help you in anyway..ask and i will help you.
Storm xxx
