When we think about Magick, there are so many images that can come to mind; a frail robed man with a glowing staff and a 50 pound book, a cackling green skinned woman with a cauldron of rolling, glowing green soup, a young boy with a stick and a scar…
Surely these things aren\’t all necessary to create Magick, right? The short answer is no, but by now, you should know I don\’t stop at the short answer. Magick in all of it\’s forms ( witchcraft, necromancy, sorcery, etc ) is spiritual and, as such, can be created with little or no tools at all, if the magician is talented enough and can properly supply enough energy. Tools of Magick allow a magician to use Magick that they may not yet know how to use without them. They also allow a magician to more effortlessly direct their spells, having a physical focus used only for the chosen task.
In this section, I\’ll go over the more common magician\’s tools, what they\’re used for, alternatives to use in a bind, and how difficult it is to perform Magick without them. If you have questions about something not on the list, please reach out.
Book of Shadows: This is the name commonly given to a practitioner\’s spellbook, though 9 times out of 10, the term is used solely within witchcraft. This book is a journal of all of the magician\’s magickal studies, experiments, and findings. As the magician learns, they will add to the book. When the magician has repeated success with an attempted technique, they will copy the steps into the book as a spell. Any notebook, legal pad, or pile of loose leaf paper can be used in place of a book of shadows, but it is highly advised to keep your book private as it will be an amalgamation of your personal energy. You can get by without a book of shadows but it is extremely beneficial to keep one. Recording your progress will pay off in dividends.
Wand: A wand is any fairly straight piece of wood or metal, usually etched with symbols or runes and possibly inlaid with gem stones. It is extremely common for a wand to have been charged in the smoke of specific burning herbs and rubbed with specific essential oils. While some practitioners use only one wand, many use multiple wands having each one specifically charged for a different type of magickal energy ( healing, protection, prosperity, etc. ). The purpose of a wand is to direct and strengthen the energy you are channeling when using Magick. If you remember the lessen in which you manifested a barrier by sending out your energy through your right hand, you may recall that it felt slow or even difficult to force the energy through your arm and away from your body. A wand properly attuned to it\’s user and not directly misaligned with the type of work you are performing can be hand in the right hand and quickly pulls the energy from the caster, charging it up and releasing it to greater effect. If you want to use a wand but do not have one, any fairly straight piece of wood or metal can be used, though to a diminished effect. Be warned that if the object you use as a wand is hexed or has negative energies bound to it, it may disrupt your work and possibly recoil on you in a harmful way. Wands are not required for any type of Magick, though they can be a powerful boost.
Incense: There are hundreds of types of incense, if not more. Some are infused with a combination of herbal scents to achieve a desired effect, while others emit only one pure scent, such as Patchouli or Frankincense. Incense is used to fill the air with a specific type of energy. You may even feel a charged vibration in the air. Incense can help a magician quickly enter the desired mindset and assist with spellwork or meditation. In addition, when you begin working with higher beings ( spirits, angels, demons ) many have a favored incense that will make them more likely to answer your call. If no incense is on hand, oil warmers filled with essential oil or fragrance oil can be used. It is also not uncommon to smolder dried herbs over specially designed coals, but be aware of what effect the chosen herb will have. Incense is not necessary but can be a very useful lubricant to enter the desired mindset.
Altar: An altar is nothing more than a sacred space used as a table to perform spellwork and to enshrine objects from which you draw power. They can be wood, stone, plastic, or any other firm surface. They are often covered with an altar cloth ( a thin, decorative material that protects the altar surface ) and adorned with statures, feathers, pendants, runes, stones, and any other object that the magician feels a connection to. An altar typically has two or more candle holders and a metal or stone brazier for burning herbs or paper. If a magician is an avid mirror scryer, they might keep a mirror at the back of the altar, covered with a dark cloth when not in use. While just about any flat surface can be used as an altar, an altar is meant to be permanent, kept sacred, and kept hidden. No one should look upon your uncovered altar unless you would trust them with your core energy. An altar is absolutely not a necessary tool in Magick but you will likely hit a point in which you will struggle to advance without one.
Symbol/ Pendant: I am referring to a physical piece of jewelry, usually a necklace, that is clearly a symbol of your chosen path. Wiccans often wear a triquetra knot or a maid-mother-crone. Neo Nordics carry a Mjolnir, Satanists wear a baphomet, nearly all pagans wear a pentacle at some point. These aren\’t just fashion statements. They are as much a part of our practice as the crucifix or rosery is for Catholics. Wearing this symbol not only keeps a potent magickal symbol at hand that can be used to quickly call upon protection or guidance, but it has a psychological effect as well. It is like an officer wearing a badge or a soldier wearing rank. It gives us a sense of belonging and a sense of comradary, which in turn boosts our confidence, which in turn boosts our Magick. Wearing our religious symbol is not at all required, but it may help you once you\’ve settled in to it.
Candles: Candles have been used for a very long time to aid in ritual magic. Not only do the bring the element of fire into the mix ( a potent catalyst for unstoppable change ) but they can bring other energies by having colored wax or colored flames. They also are useful for marking boundaries as it is widely believed that fire exists in both the physical world and the spiritual world. Magicians light white candles for protection, black candles for hexing, red candles for passion, green candles for prosperity, and countless other combinations of color and intent. Magicians also use candles to call a circle around themselves during ritual Magick. The circle creates a boundary that acts as a barrier, preventing other spiritual beings from entering the magician\’s space while working Magick. Remember that a barrier\’s strength is only as good as the magician\’s faith in it. While candles are not required to perform Magick, there really is no good substitute for them.
Mirror: Mirrors have been used by many diviners to catch a glimpse beyond what their eyes can see. They can be used to view into the future or past. They can be used to see distant places. They can be used to see into the spiritual world. But most accurately, they are an effective way to visualize what your mind is being shown. No amount of Magick will turn your mirror into a Zoom call, but if you are attempting to gain answers about something, you can be given snippets of visions through a mirror. The technique is called scrying and it can be done with a mirror, water surface, fire, smoke, tea leaves, a black mirror, or just about anything that works well for you. There is a lot more detail that goes into scrying that I will cover later, but for now just understand it is a tool to assist psychic viewing. It is not needed, but will work like training wheels if you have not developed your psychic abilities. Think rule number 2, Learn to Read.
Chanting: Okay, fine. This one isn\’t really a tool in the typical sense of the word, but it is a technique that aids your other techniques, so I will cover it. Deal with it. Chanting is the act of audibly speaking or singing a specific set of words repeatedly. It can be soft and wispy or loud and bassy. It can be a fully articulated piece of prose like a prayer, or it can be latin words, cherry-picked off Google translate to fit your spell. The important parts are that it is audible, that it means something to you, and that as you repeat it, you feel it become more automatic. We talked before about how will and thought have immense power. Now I\’m telling you intonation ( ie. Audible vocalization ) has power too. There are many theories out there and I\’m not a theoretical physicist, but time and time again, the evidence points to vocal vibrations impacting the physical world. If you create a vocal component for your magickal working, a mantra that you can\’t throughout the spell, it is likely to boost your impact and help focus your energy efficiently. It may feel weird, primal even. It may feel silly at first. Trust me, if you find a place that you can comfortably add chanting to your spell, give it a try. It\’s a pretty wild difference.
If there is a tool you are curious about, reach out and ask me. I\’ll do my best to answer you personally.