Tools and Chakras

Tools

Please don't feel that you need to go out and buy any of the following, they are purely a matter of personal taste.
Tools together with their symbolizism can help to focus an intention, but they are by no means obligatory.
The ancient wise men and women would have used what was around them in their every day life, a couldren was just their everyday cooking pot, just like a casserole dish is to us today. These simple village folk practised natural magick, they wouldn't have even thought of themselves as witches, but as every day people who had special crafts such as healing.

In todays world, most pagans find that using special tools for the purpose of magick, helps them to focus their intent, maybe because there are so many distractions in our time!

Don't go out and buy a load of expensive regalia though, an old kitchen knife is just as good as an athame, and that casserole dish serves as a couldren. Make as many tools as you need, love and devotion counts for more even if they don't look as good as something maufactured.

One of my pet hates is folk who dress up in long robes and such at festivals. Our ancestors wore clothes like that because they were what was normal to wear then. By all means wear something specially put aside for when you are actually performing magick, such as a comfy track suit, or if in doors, a favourite dressing gown. But there is no need to dress up in silly clothes not appropriate to the times we live in, no wonder we get called weirdos, with people like that as our "representatives" always picked up by the media!

Consecrated and Anointed

All tools used must first be cleansed in warm soapy water. After casting a circle, water is set aside and consecrated of the name of the Goddess by adding salt. The consecrated water is lightly sprinkled over the item. Essential oils such as rosemary or lavender are then used to anoint the tool in the name of the Goddess. Often the object is passed through her flame as well.

Athane

The athane, traditionally a black handled knife which is of personal use to a witch.

Pentacle

The Pentacle, a five pointed star, surrounded by a circle is the most well known and used symbol in witchcraft. The single point always points upwards. The five points represent the five elements of Earth (North), Air (East), Fire (South), Water (West) and Ether (spirit). The circle represents the unbroken circle of life.

Couldron

The couldron is traditionally a large cooking pot.
In Witchcarft it represents Ether or Spirit. Power raised is directed towards the couldron, where it collects to energise whatever is placed inside. Usually it is to charge something simple such as a candle. Crystals are often charged this way, and depending on the festival, offerings such as bread or fruit are used. A hand written spell on a piece of paper may be placed inside the couldron, in other words, anything partaining to the theme of the magick to be performed.
One thing, however, contrary to popular belief amongst the unenlightened, is that Witches do NOT use "Eye of newt and wing of bat" in their couldrons!

Wand

Instead of the Athane, a wand is often used to cast a circle. Traditionally a piece of fallen branch from a willow, oak or ash tree, approx. the length of a persons arm between the wrist and elbow. It should be given freely by the tree (not cut off) and collected on a Wednesday.

Jumping Pole/Broomstick

Contrary to popular belief, witches have never been able to fly around on a broomstck! If only we could! The broomstick was a pole of about three feet in length, used by women and children, who would stride the pole and jump in and out of the corn, calling upon the Sun God to fertilise the crop to ensure a good harvest. During the burning times of the Middle Ages, those still following the old ways had to disguise their poles, this was usually done by turning them into a household bessom(broom).
The broom itself eventually became a magick tool in it's own right, used mainly at Imbolg, to symbolically sweep away the debris of winter, making way for the new growth that is just about to emerge. Also it can be used to symbolically cleanse a house of negative energy by sweeping widdershins (anti-clockwise) throughout the house to symbolically eject it through the back door, re-entering the house by the front door, sweeping deosil (clock-wise) throughout, thus charging the house with positive energy.

Crystals

Crystals are great collectors of energy. Often crystals are used in healing spells, when given to the recipient, they can release their energy over a period of time and are useful in balancing the Chakras.

Divination tools, eg Runes, Tarot and Crystal Balls

These are all ancient divining tools, used for centuries as a guide to the future. I must emphasise that they are a guide only. They all indicate what may happen if one stays on the path they are currently following, however we all have freedom of choice and can affect the outcome of our own destinies.

Candles

Probably the most popular tool for magick. The simplist form of candle spell, just lighting a candle and making a wish. Most people, wiccans and non wiccans alike do this every year on their birthdays.

Chakras

In Eastern Philosophies, the body is made of seven energy points knowns as chakras. These consist of
the Lumber or Root Chakra (red)
Sacral Chakra (orange)
Solar Plexus Chakra (yellow)
Heart Chakra (green)
Throat Chakra (blue)
Third Eye or Temple Chakra (indigo)
Head or Crown Chakra (violet)

The term chakra comes from the Sanskrit word for "spinning wheel". Chakras are energy centres situated between the base of the spine and the crown of the head. Each one has many different associations. Knowledge of the chakras can be found in ancient spiritual traditions all over the world.

The opening of the Chakras takes practise. I therefore recommend that anyone interested, buy a good book about using the body's own energy and see a good therapist who will be able to guide you as to how to use your full potential and balance your chakras
This healing energy that empowers our inner selves has been recognised for centuries. The Chinese call it ‘chi’, the Japanese ‘ki’, the Indian ‘prana’ and for the ancient Egyptians it is symbolized by the ankh, we call it pure aether or spirit. The basis of this energy is balance, the Yin and Yang (male and female) energies should be in tune with each other.

For more information about chakras and crystals see: rainbowarc