Altar Tools
Here is a small sampling, I will be adding more soon.
Athame: The athame is a ritual knife with a double-edged blade which may be
engraved with various magickal symbols. The Athame represents the elements
of air. It is used by Witches to draw circles, to exorcise negative forces,
to control and banish elemental spirits, and to store and direct energy
during magickal rituals.
Bell: A bell is used by many Witches to summon spirits or dieties or to
signal the beginning or ending of a ritual. Oftentimes bells are rung at
Wiccan funeral rites to bless the soul of the Witch who has crossed over.
Bolline: The bolline is a curved, white-handled knife which is used for
practical magickal purposes such as harvesting herbs, cutting a branch for a
wand, inscribing a candle, etc.
Book of Shadows: This is a Witches personal book of information on spells,
rituals, recipes, invocations, dreams, etc. kept for a Witch's reference.
Another name for the Book of Shadows is the grimoire.
Cauldron: The cauldron is a black, cast-iron pot which is used for brewing
potions, burning incense or parchment papers, etc. It symbolizes the
elements of earth, air, fire, and water and represents the divine womb of
the Goddess. Some Witches fill their cauldrons with water on Samhain night
and use them to gaze into the future or past.
Chalice: The chalice or cup represents the element of air, and is used to
hold wine or water on the altar during rituals. Traditionally, the chalice
was made of silver, however many modern Witches use pewter, ceramic, brass,
or even crystal chalices.
Pentacle: The pentacle is a flat disc which may be made of wood, brass,
clay, wax, or other products. The pentacle is symbolic of the element earth,
and is used during rituals to hold charms, amulets, gemstones, herbs,
poppets, or other consecrated objects.
Sword: The sword generally represents the element of fire and is a symbol
of a Witch's strength. It is sometimes used in place of the Athame to cast
and uncast the circle. It may also be used to store and direct energy during
magickal rituals, and to control and banish elemental spirits.
Wand: The wand is fashioned from the branch of a tree, and is traditionally
21 inches in length. It is symbolic of the element of fire, and is used for
directing energy, drawing magickal symbols into the air or ground, and for
various other purposes.
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