Magical tools in Wicca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Practitioners of Wicca, modern neopagan witchcraft, use a range of (supposedly) magical tools in their ritual practice[1]. This practice may derive partly from Masonic traditions (such as the use of the Square and Compasses), from which Wicca draws some material[2], and partly from the rituals of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The latter made much use of material from medieval grimoires such as the Key of Solomon, which has many illustrations of magical tools and instructions for their preparation[3].
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[edit] The eight witch's tools
The most important of these are:
There are elaborate rituals prescribed for the creation and consecration of magical tools[4]. These often include the ritual passing of the tool through representations of the four elements. Some tools are ascribed correspondences to a particular element, one commonly cited correspondence being[5]:
Earth - Pentacle
Air - Sword
Fire - Wand
Water - Chalice
These four tools may be seen in the occult tarot deck designed by Golden Dawn members A.E.Waite and Pamela Colman Smith, most obviously in the card known as The Magician. Some practitioners distinguish High Magic and Low Magic. The former is based on Ceremonial magic and may be more commonly practiced in Alexandrian covens. The latter is more typical of the Hedgewitch, who would be more likely to use everyday tools and utensils, rather than fabricating specially made magical tools[6].
[edit] Other ritual objects
Other ritual objects frequently used or associated with Wicca (and neopagan withcraft more generally) include:
- Chalice
- Besom broom
- Cauldron
- Necklace
- Garter
- Bracelet
- Burin
- Incense
- Smudge Stick
[edit] Tools in the Cochrane tradition
In the Robert Cochrane tradition the working tools of the individual witch are described as the knife, the cord and the stang (a staff with a forked end). Collectively, the coven as a whole also has the following regalia: cup, knife, stangs, besom, sword, cauldron and skull[7].
[edit] References
- ^ Valiente, Doreen. Witchcraft for Tomorrow (1993) London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0-70909-5244-8 (paperback edition, first hardback edition 1978). Chapter 6: Witch Tools (pp 78-85.)
- ^ Hutton, Ronald The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft (1999). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-285449-6 (pp52-61).
- ^ MacGregor Mathers, S. Liddell (ed.) The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) Revised by Peterson, Joseph H. (1999, 2004, 2005). Available here
- ^ Gardner, Gerald. Witchcraft and the Book of Shadows (2004) Edited by A.R.Naylor. Thame, Oxfordshire: I-H-O Books. ISBN 1-872189-52-0 (pp170-200)
- ^ Crowley, Vivianne. Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age (1989) London: The Aquarian Press. ISBN 0-85030-737-6
- ^ Beth, Rae Hedge Witch: A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft, (1992) London: Robert Hale.
- ^ Jones, Evan John & Valiente, Doreen Witchcraft: A Tradition Revealed (1990) London: Robert Hale Ltd, pp 93-146.
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