| Since this article is written by a shop owner who | | | | you as well, that is the athame you must have. You |
| earns her living (at least in part) selling you ritual tools, | | | | can always make your own, or use what you can, |
| you might expect the answer to be "of course! And | | | | but there is just something special about the power |
| you should buy the most expensive ritual tools that | | | | you can channel through a really nice knife. Call me |
| you can possibly afford. They will make your magick | | | | materialistic, but there it is. |
| more powerful." But guess what? Kestra tries very | | | | What about those cool offering bowls? Yeah, they |
| hard to give you the honest truth about her views | | | | are nice ritual tools aren't they? Do you HAVE to use |
| about Wicca, Wiccan practices and ritual tools. | | | | them? Course not. You can use paper cups, |
| So, do you really need to buy ritual tools? "Need" is a | | | | household bowls, anything else you desire to hold |
| very strong word. Of course you don't "need" to buy | | | | your salt and water (sea salt is best, but table salt |
| ritual tools. You can make just about anything you | | | | will do if you have to). Do you need a bell? Well, you |
| would ever need. For that which you can't make, you | | | | can try a water glass and a fork. That makes a nice |
| can compromise, for example using your finger as a | | | | "ding" if you can't afford a bell. Candles? You can |
| wand or athame. Now if only we could use our finger | | | | always make your own. If you aren't that handy, |
| to light candles like in Charmed :-). | | | | however, votives are inexpensive. So are "chime |
| So why DO people purchase ritual tools and ritual | | | | candles." However, a really beautiful pentacle pillar or |
| supplies? A ritual tool is used to help you to focus | | | | a Triple Goddess pillar can certainly set the mood, |
| your energies. It is used as an extension of your | | | | and bring your head into the appropriate ritual space. |
| body, to channel your energy into a specific task, or | | | | And, of course, there are the color correspondences |
| to "save" energies for use later. Examples are using | | | | that help your mind focus on the working ahead. |
| your energy projected down a wand for | | | | Now...do you really need to buy a cauldron as a ritual |
| consecrating an object, storing energies into a | | | | tool? If you're going to be burning incense on |
| crystal, or drawing down energy from Deity into a | | | | charcoal, you most definitely need an appropriate |
| statue. | | | | vessel for that. It would also be a very good idea if |
| Do you need to buy a wand? Not especially. You can | | | | that vessel were FIREPROOF. Things that ignite, or |
| find a stick in the woods and use it. However, if you | | | | ooze plastic goo all over your altar are not good |
| want to "tune" your energies for a specific purpose, | | | | choices, and I would imagine that your focus would |
| or use that extra "boost" of using a specific type of | | | | be rather scattered as evil smells permeated your |
| wood that corresponds to a particular Deity or a | | | | ritual area. Might be useful for a ritual celebrating the |
| particular intention, either search for that wood on | | | | wonders of swamp gas, but likely not anywhere else. |
| your walks through the forest, or purchase a wand | | | | So if you decide to use a substitute for the good ole |
| of the appropriate type. | | | | stoneware or cast iron cauldron, please ensure it will |
| But what about an athame? Don't you HAVE to have | | | | do the job. |
| that special Klingon dagger athame with the spines on | | | | So, if you don't want to buy your ritual tools and |
| the side as your ritual tool in order to make the most | | | | supplies, you CAN, with a bit of creativity and |
| powerful circle? Well, uh..... NO. If you feel better with | | | | thought, make/find/use substitutes. Will your focus |
| that kind of a tool, and it helps you project your | | | | be as strong? That varies from individual to individual, |
| energies best, then by all means, buy one, or even | | | | as well as with the situation. If you find that a ritual |
| two. That way you'll have one for each hand. Can | | | | tool makes a big difference, perhaps you should use |
| you use your wand in place of an athame? Sure you | | | | it. Just please be certain that you choose the RIGHT |
| can. Can you use a dinner knife as a ritual tool? Of | | | | kind of substitute to avoid unintended consequences, |
| course. But there's something about beautiful | | | | and uninvited ritual guests who arrive in a large red |
| athames that evokes something in the brain. Holding | | | | truck and wear strange robes with funny black |
| it gives you a special feeling of power that comes | | | | helmets. Their favorite ritual tool is often called a |
| only with that particular tool. If that is the case with | | | | "firehose. |