Class II: Tools of Magick
“But they say that if you take his wooden staff from a sorcerer,
he has no power left. Probably there are evil runes written on the staff.”
Thar shook her head again. “They carry a staff, indeed,
but it is only a tool for the power they bear within them.”
—Ursula K. LeGuin (The Tombs of Atuan, p. 50)Nybor says: “Over the years I have acquired four
sets of tools; each is for specific reasons. I label
them thusly, with examples:
FIRE— Tools I have made myself: the chest I
made for my magickal implements and my
Tarot deck;
AIR— Tools I have purchased: a handmade Book
of Shadows and most of my candles and in-
cense;
WATER—Tools I have been gifted with by others
(also includes initiation gifts): a beaded owl’s
wing fan and a statue of my titular deity;
EARTH—Tools I have found (gifts of the God-
dess as I call them): a red and white altar
cloth and a wand.
I would suggest that apprentice Wizards look at
the tools they have in this light.”The primary set of magickal tools are derived from
the Elemental symbols seen in the tarot cards of
Wands, Cups, Discs, and Swords—representing re-
spectively the Elements of Air, Water, Earth, and Fire.
Give serious attention to collecting or making your
magickal tools, for in time these simple tools will be-
come the representation of your own dynamic Will
and potential Power. Remember to always treat your
tools as the sacred objects that they are!NOTE: In describing positions for objects to be
placed on your altar, I use the directions East,
South, West, and North. This seems to presume
that your altar is placed at the North side of your
temple area, in which case East would be to your
right, and West to your left. But no matter where
your altar is actually placed, you should still posi-
tion things with the same right-left orientation, as
if they were sitting on a map with the bottom
(South) facing you. The orientation is to this map,
not necessarily to the compass. For truly, your al-
tar is actually a miniature stage representing the
world in symbolic form. What you put on your altar
represents what you include in your world.Lesson 2: The Magick Wand (Air)
The first and most important magickal tool you should
make is the wand, which is especially associated with- Introduction: Magickal Tools
ARIOUS MAGICKAL TOOLS HAVE BEEN
associated with Wizardry since
time immemorial. We can scarcely
imagine a Wizard without his
magick wand, staff, or crystal ball!
In some hands, these may be just
psychological props; but prop-
erly made and consecrated, such
tools can be reservoirs of magical energy that can be
tapped into and used by the Wizard, much like batter-
ies. Of course, the true power of the spell comes from
the Wizard’s mental concentration and emotional will
to make it succeed. Raven Grimassi adds that magickal
tools are also “independent bridges to the inner
mechanism of Nature. While the Wizard’s psycho-
logical element is clearly an important component,
there is a pre-existing consciousness at work outside
of the Wizard that likewise empowers the tool. Magic
is a partnership with that inner mechanism and with
the source that lies behind it. The legends surround-
ing such tools as the Holy Grail and the sword
Excaliber speak to something greater in the tool than
it be being simply a ‘psychological prop’ of its former
owner. The psychological aspect is the meeting place
where the source and the Wizard connect and make
magic possible.”
In the old days, it was traditional to make all of
your own tools, except for those special ones that
were handed down from Masters to Apprentices or
given as Initiation gifts. Many tools can be purchased
these days from excellent magickal craftspeople, but
there is a very special satisfaction in making your own.
Also, learning the skills necessary to make your own
tools is an important part of your magickal training!
When you master such skills in this way, you may
even find that they support you as a craftsperson
later on. In this Class, I will only be teaching you how
to make and prepare these tools and implements. Their
actual use will be described in other Classes...
When buying any magickal tools, it is traditional
never to haggle about the price, but pay willingly what-
ever is asked. I recommend checking out garage sales,
swap meets, flea markets, yard sales, and second-hand
stores—I’ve always found the best magickal stuff that
way, and at great prices, too!Corrected pages 3rd printing.1.p65 37 6/10/2004, 2:59 PM