Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear friends,

I was taking inventory of some of my belongings recently and decided that I really need to de-clutter. I love the idea of being very Spartan and not being tied to my belongings. On the other hand, I do love my stuff, too. It’s a constant battle.

The idea of “things”, however, got me to thinking about the different items and “props” that many people use in Wicca and witchcraft. There are some people that have lots and lots of items that they use on a regular, if not daily, basis. There are other people who prefer not to use props and find that they seem to hold them down. There are some, too, that only use special items for special rituals.

While each practitioner is different in the way that they practice, there are a few things that are fairly common to beginners and advanced witches alike. So what are they and what are they used for? (And most of all, do you have to spend a lot of money on them?)

Your altar:
You will probably do the majority of your spellwork and rituals around your altar so therefore you might find that you devote the most time on it. Your altar is generally stationary and doesn’t move around a lot so you can afford to keep quite a few things around it.

The altar itself doesn’t have to be fancy. I knew someone who used one of those cheap TV stands as their altar. It functioned because the shelf underneath, where you would place the VCR, acted as a good storage facility, and since it was on wheels it was also mobile. You might want to have one built or it could be a special piece of furniture. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it shouldn’t double AS a TV stand, either.

I always keep a selection of candles at my altar and re-stock up on them whenever I can. I keep my candles in a pretty box that stores nicely. You might wish to do the same. Your altar candle is your most important candle but you might want to keep a back-up one as well, just in case yours happens to burn out.

In another box, I keep my selection of gemstones and crystals. I found these really nice little satchets that hold the stones well. Some people have a lot of stones and have trouble remembering which one is which and write the names of the stones on slips of paper. Do this if it works for you.

I do know witches, however, that don’t use gemstones for magick at all so this might not even apply for you.

A small cauldron can be very useful if you plan on using herbs, candle wax, or oils. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should be fire resistant. I found a candle holder that was shaped like a cauldron once and I used it until I could find something else.

For special rituals I decorate my altar with flowers, foliage, leaves, and other things but these are not items that I necessarily have on hand.

Clothing:
If you ever go to a psychic fair or New Age convention you will probably see lots of booths selling a wide range of clothing. What are these and do you need them?

I know some practitioners that wear cloaks and other items of clothing because they make them feel more powerful. I say it depends on how you’re feeling at the time. However, if you want to go skyclad, then a cloak can be an easy way to undress when you’re outside.

Tools:

An athame might be something that you’re interested in. This is a double-edged ritual knife, but it’s not for sacrificing small animals. In fact, it’s often blunt because it’s more symbolic than anything else. Some use it to cut energy and direct energy and other things that a ritual might call for.

If you don’t have an athame, then you can also use a ritual sword or even a wand if you wish. You can purchase a beautiful, expensive wand or you can make your own.

A bolline, on the other hand, is a little sharper and is used to cut branches, herbs, and anything else that might need actual cutting. It usually has a curved blade and a white handle.

“Ingredients”:

For lack of a better word…Herbs, oils, and incense fall under this category and are very personal. These will vary according to the ritual and spell that you are performing. You might need a bowl to mix them in, or a cauldron to burn them in. Remember that that all oils are safe to drink so be very careful as far as this is concerned.

If you have no other items, then the one thing that you should possess is a Book of Shadows. This is a record of the spells and rituals that you have performed, thoughts that you have, dreams you’ve dreamt, and any visions that might have appeared to you. It’s yours and yours alone.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”