Ritual to Honor the Ancestors at Samhain

For many modern Pagans, there has been a resurgence of interest in our family histories. We want to know where we came from and whose blood runs through our veins. Although ancestor worship has traditionally been found more in Africa and Asia, many Pagans with European heritage are beginning to feel the call of their ancestry. This rite can be performed either by itself, or on the third night of Samhain, following the End of Harvest celebration and the Honoring of the Animals.

First, decorate your altar table -- you may have already gotten it set up during the End of Harvest rite or for the Ritual for Animals. Decorate your altar with family photos and heirlooms. If you have a family tree chart, place that on there as well. Add postcards, flags, and other symbols of the country your ancestors came from. If you're lucky enough to live near where your family members are buried, make a grave rubbing and add that as well. In this case, a cluttered altar is perfectly acceptable -- after all, each of us is a blend of many different people and cultures.

 

Have a meal standing by to eat with the ritual. Include lots of dark bread, apples, fall vegetables, and a jug of cider or wine. Set your dinner table, with a place for each family member, and one extra plate for the ancestors. You may want to bake some Soul Cakes.
If your family has household guardians, include statues or masks of them on your altar. Finally, if a relative has died this year, place a candle for them on the altar. Light candles for other relatives, and as you do so, say the person's name aloud. It's a good idea to use tealights for this, particularly if you have a lot of relatives to honor.

Once all the candles have been lit, the entire family should circle the altar. The oldest adult present leads the ritual. Say:

 

This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before us.
Tonight we honor our ancestors.
Spirits of our ancestors, we call to you,
and we welcome you to join us for this night.
We know you watch over us always,
protecting us and guiding us,
and tonight we thank you.
We invite you to join us and share our meal.

 

The oldest family member then serves everyone else a helping of whatever dishes have been prepared, except for the wine or cider. A serving of each food goes on the ancestors' plate before the other family members recieve it. During the meal, share stories of ancestors who are no longer among the living -- this is the time to remember Grandpa's war stories he told you as a child, tell about when Aunt Millie used salt instead of sugar in the cake, or reminisce about summers spent at the family homestead in the mountains.

When everyone has finished eating, clear away all the dishes, except for the ancestors' plate. Pour the cider or wine in a cup, and pass it around the circle (it should end at the ancestor's place). As each person receives the cup, they recite their genealogy, like so:

I am Susan, daughter of Joyce, the daughter of Malcolm, son of Jonathan...
and so forth. Feel free to add in place names if you like, but be sure to include at least one generation that is deceased. For younger family members, you may wish to have them only recite back to their grandparents, just because otherwise they can get confused.

Go back as many generations as you can, or (in the case of people who have done a lot of genealogy research) as many as you can remember. You may be able to trace your family back to William the Conqueror, but that doesn't mean you have it memorized. After each person recites their ancestry, they drink from the cider cup and pass it to the next person.

A quick note here -- many people are adopted. If you are one them, you are fortunate enough to be able to choose whether you wish to honor your adoptive family, your biological family, or a combination of the two. If you don't know the names of your birth parents or their ancestry, there's nothing wrong with saying, "Daughter of a family unknown." It's entirely up to you. The spirits of your ancestors know who you are, even if you don't know them yet.
After the cup has made its way around the table, place it in front of the ancestors' plate. This time, a younger person in the family takes over, saying:

 

This is the cup of remembrance.
We remember all of you.
You are dead but never forgotten,
and you live on within us.

Tips:

• If you didn't do a separate ritual for animals, you can add photos and candles for deceased pets to your family altar.
• If you like, you may wish to follow this ritual with a Seance.
• If your children are younger, and you'd like to include them in a short ritual, consider holding an Ancestor Ritual for Families With Children instead.

Weather Magic and Folklore (Part 2 of 2)

Weather Divination

How often have you heard the phrase, “Red sky at night, sailors’ delight, red sky in the morning, sailors take warning?” This saying actually originates in the Bible, in the book of Matthew: He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, they say there will be fair weather for the sky is red. And in the morning, there will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowring.

While there is a scientific explanation for the accuracy of this expression – relating to weather patterns, dust particles in the atmosphere, and how they move across the sky – our ancestors simply knew that if the sky looked angry in the early hours of the day, they were probably in for inclement weather.

In the northern hemisphere, the celebration of Imbolc, or Candlemas, coincides with Groundhog Day. While the notion of holding a fat rodent up to see if he projects a shadow seems quirky and campy, it’s actually something similar to weather predictions done centuries ago in Europe. In England, there's an old folk tradition that if the weather is fine and clear on Candlemas, then cold and stormy weather will reign for the remaining weeks of winter. Scotland's Highlanders had a tradition of pounding the ground with a stick until the serpent emerged. The snake's behavior gave them a good idea of how much frost was left in the season.

Some weather prediction folklore related to animals. In Appalachia, there’s a legend that if the cows are laying down in their fields, it means rain is on the way, although this may well be something that mountain folks tell outsiders – most cows seek shelter under trees or in a barn when bad weather comes. However, there are also stories that if a rooster crows in the middle of the night, it is foretelling rain the next day, and that if dogs begin running in circles, poor weather is coming. It is also said that if birds build their nests closer to the ground than usual, a hard winter is on its way.

The term “weather magic” is one that is met with a variety of reactions in the Pagan community. The very notion that a single practitioner could generate enough magical power to control such a powerful force as the weather is one that should be met with a degree of skepticism. Weather is created by a complex combination of forces all working in tandem together, and it’s unlikely that you’re going to bump into someone who has the skill, the focus, and the knowledge to actually control anything as vast as weather patterns.
This is not to say that weather control magic is impossible – it certainly is, and the more people involved in it, the more likely the chances of success.

It is indeed a complex process, and one unlikely to be carried out by an inexperienced and unfocused solo practitioner.
However, it is often possible to influence existing weather systems, particularly if you’re looking at a short-term need that has to be met. After all, how many of us remember doing some sort of “snow day” ritual the night before a big test, in hopes that school would be cancelled? While it’s unlikely to work in May in Texas, you’ve got a reasonably good chance of success in, say, February in Illinois.

In the book Nebraska Folklore, author Louise Pound describes the efforts of early homesteaders to make it rain on their fields – particularly since they knew that the local Native American tribes had rituals that were credited with controlling weather. In the nineteenth century, large groups of settlers often stopped what they were doing at a designated time so they could embark on a mass prayer for rainfall.

There is a legend in northern Europe of magicians who were able to harness the wind. The wind was imprisoned in a magical bag with intricate knots, and could then be unleashed to cause devastation to one’s enemies.

Snow days in particular are one of the most popular targets of weather folk magic. Spoons under your pillow, pajamas worn inside out, ice cubes in the toilet bowl, and plastic bags over the socks are just a few of the legends that school children have used for years in hopes of finding the white stuff blanketing their neighborhoods.

In many magical traditions and modern Pagan paths, if one wishes to have good weather for an outdoor ritual or special occasion, a petition and offering can be made to the gods of that tradition. If they see fit, they may just grant you a bright sunny day to suit your needs!

Using Animal Parts in Ritual

Some Pagans use animal parts in ritual. While this may seem a bit unsavory to some folks, it's really not that uncommon. A good guideline to follow is as follows:

• if your tradition doesn't forbid the use of animal parts, AND
• the parts are gathered humanely and ethically

then there's no reason you can't use them. Let's look at some of the different parts you might want to use.

Why Use Animal Parts in Ritual?

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors performed rituals and ceremonies. They didn’t have tools ordered from an online catalog or purchased at the Local Wytchy Shoppe. They made do with what they had. For the ancients, many of their tools -- both magical and mundane -- came from the animal kingdom. Few things went to waste. Bones could be turned into anything from a knife to a sewing needle. An antler could be used as a weapon or a farming tool. A horse's bladder might become a pouch to carry herbs. Anything was usable.
In some shamanic traditions, animal parts can be used to connect the practitioner to the animal. One might wear a necklace made of bear claws, a headdress of antlers, or use a fetish of bone and feathers. Some traditions still use these today. Someone wishing to celebrate fertility might use the antlers of a stag, for example. An individual hoping for transformation could perhaps powder a bit of snakeskin for use in a spell. A person who wants to develop their inspiration and creativity might use feathers in a working, and so forth.

 

Naturally Dropped Items

These are the items that animals discard on their own as part of the natural cycle. Snakes shed their skin regularly. Deer shed antlers after the fall mating season has ended, typically around January through April. A bird may lose feathers as it flies overhead. These are all items that drop on their own naturally, and there is nothing wrong with picking them up and using them.

 

Items from a Dead Animal

Animals die. It's part of the natural cycle of things. After they've died, sometimes you may find pieces of carcasses lying around. Bones, fur and other parts can be gathered from animal that has died on its own. If you happen to be a Pagan who hunts for food, you may wish to use some of the parts of the animal you've killed. This prevents waste, and allows you to maintain some connection with the animal after death. If you are the one who has made the kill, be sure you have done so in a humane and ethical manner. It's never okay to kill an animal just to use its parts in ritual.

 

Purifying Animal Parts

It's generally a good idea to offer some sort of thanks to the animal before using the item in ritual. As part of this process, you might want to cleanse or purify the object -- you can use smudging, asperging, or any other method of ritually purifying the item. You can also consecrate it as you would any other magical tool.


-via about.com

-The Crafty Witch

Birthday of Wiccan author Starhawk (Tomorrow)

Starhawk is one of the most respected voices in modern earth-based spirituality. She is also well-known as a global justice activist and organizer, whose work and writings have inspired many to action. She is the author or coauthor of twelve books, including The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess, long considered the essential text for the Neo-Pagan movement, and the now-classic ecotopian novel The Fifth Sacred Thing. Starhawk's newest book is The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups, published November 2011, from New Society Publishers.

Her works have been translated into Spanish, French, German, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Greek, Japanese, and Burmese. Her essays are reprinted across the world, and have been included in numerous anthologies. Starhawk's writing is influential and has been quoted by hundreds of other authors, turning up in magazines, trade and academic press, and even inspirational calendars. Her books are often found in college curriculums. The Spiral Dance has been continuously in-print for thirty years and revised twice; in 1999 HarperSanFrancisco published the Twentieth Anniversary Edition. Truth or Dare: Encounters with Power, Authority, and Mystery won the Media Alliance Meritorious Achievement Award for nonfiction in 1988. Starhawk's first novel, The Fifth Sacred Thing, won the Lambda award for best Gay and Lesbian Science Fiction in 1994.  Many of Starhawk's best political essays—credited with helping the global justice movement find and define itself—were collected into her book Webs of Power: Notes from the Global Uprising. At the Book Expo America, Webs of Power won a 2003 Nautilus Award from the trade association NAPRA. Her first picture book for children, The Last Wild Witch, won a silver Nautilus from NAPRA in 2010.

Starhawk is perhaps best known as an articulate pioneer in the revival of earth-based spirituality and Goddess religion. She is a cofounder of Reclaiming, an activist branch of modern Pagan religion, and continues to work closely with the Reclaiming community (www.reclaiming.org). Her archives are maintained at the Graduate Theological Union library in Berkeley, California. 

        In the late '80s she consulted on and co-wrote the popular trio of films known as the Women's Spirituality series, directed by Donna Read for the National Film Board of Canada: Goddess Remembered, The Burning Times, and Full Circle. The trilogy was in the top ten of sales and rentals for the Film Board for over a decade. Starhawk and Donna Read formed their own film company, Belili Productions (http://belili.org), to make documentaries on women and the earth. Their first release is Signs Out of Time (2004), a documentary on the life of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, the scholar who made major discoveries about the Goddess cultures of Old Europe. Starhawk and Donna’s second documentary, Permaculture: The Growing Edge, came out in 2010. Starhawk has also made several short documentaries which can be found on YouTube: "The Spiral Dance Ritual," "Reclaiming’s Spiral Dance: Three Decades of Magic," "Permaculture in the City," and "Permaculture Principles at Work."

Starhawk is a veteran of progressive movements, from anti-war to anti-nukes, and is deeply committed to bringing the techniques and creative power of spirituality to political activism.
She is a founder of Earth Activist Trainings (EAT): intensive seminars that combine permaculture design, political organizing, and earth-based spirituality (www.earthactivisttraining.org). Together with Penny Livingston-Stark, Erik Ohlsen, and others, she co-teaches EAT courses in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. With over ten years of experience in permaculture design and teaching, she has pioneered the application of permaculture principles to social organizations, policy and strategy. Since its first course in May of 2001, Earth Activist Trainings has graduated over 600 students who now shepherd projects that range from community power-down strategies in Iowa City to water catchment programs in Bolivia, from inner city gardens in San Francisco to women’s programs in the West Bank of Palestine. Starhawk’s own expertise is in the communication of ecological systems thinking through images, writing, and innovative teaching techniques.

        Starhawk travels internationally teaching magic, the tools of ritual, and the skills of activism. She lives part-time San Francisco, in a collective house with her partner and friends, and part-time in a little hut in the woods in western Sonoma County, California, where she practices permaculture in her extensive gardens, and writes.
via http://www.starhawk.org/starhawk/bio.html

-The Crafty Witch

How To Honor the Sacred Feminine with a Goddess Ritual

When Margaret Murray wrote her ground-breaking God of the Witches, in 1931, scholars quickly dismissed her theory of a universal, pre-Christian cult of witches who worshipped a singular mother goddess. However, Murray wasn't completely off-base; a number of individual cults existed in pre-Christian Europe which honored mother goddesses of their own. In Rome, the cult of Cybele was huge, and the mystery traditions of Isis soon took on a mother-goddess status. Take advantage of the blooming of spring, and use this time to celebrate the archetype of the mother goddess, and honor your own female ancestors and friends.

 

Difficulty: Average

 

Time Required: Varied

Here's How:

1. This simple ritual can be performed by both men and women, and is designed to honor the feminine aspects of the universe as well as our female ancestors. If you have a particular deity you call upon, feel free to change names or attributes around where needed. Otherwise, you can use the all-encompassing name of "Goddess" in the rite.
2. Decorate your altar with symbols of femininity: cups, chalices, flowers, lunar objects, fish, and doves or swans. You'll also need the following items for this ritual:
   
   • A white candle
   • An offering of something that is important to you
   • A bowl of water
   • A handful of small pebbles or stones
   
   
3. If your tradition calls for you to cast a circle, do so now. Begin by standing in the goddess position, and saying:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   goddesses of the sky and earth and sea,
   I honor you, for your blood runs through my veins,
   one woman, standing on the edge of the universe.
   Tonight, I make an offering in Your names,
   As my thanks for all you have given me.
4. Light the candle, and place your offering before it on the altar. The offering may be something tangible, such as bread or wine or flowers. It can also be something symbolic, such as a gift of your time or dedication. Whatever it is, it should be something from your heart. You may want to read up on Offerings to the Gods for some ideas.
5. Once you have made your offering, it is time to call upon the goddesses by name. Say:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   Isis, Ishtar, Tiamat, Inanna, Shakti, Cybele.
   Mothers of the ancient people,
   guardians of those who walked the earth thousands of years ago,
   I offer you this as a way of showing my gratitude.
   Your strength has flowed within me,
   your wisdom has given me knowledge,
   your inspiration has given birth to harmony in my soul.
6. Now it is time to honor the women who have touched your life. For each one, place a pebble into the bowl of water. As you do so, say her name and how she has impacted you. You might say something like this:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   to honor the sacred feminine that has touched my heart.
   I honor Susan, who gave birth to me and raised me to be strong;
   I honor Maggie, my grandmother, whose strength took her to the hospitals of war-torn France;
   I honor Cathleen, my aunt, who lost her courageous battle with cancer;
   I honor Jennifer, my sister, who has raised three children alone…
7. Continue until you have placed a pebble in the water for each of these women. Reserve one pebble for yourself. Finish by saying:
   I am (your name), and I honor myself,
   for my strength, my creativity, my knowledge, my inspiration,
   and for all the other remarkable things that make me a woman.
8. Take a few minutes and reflect on the sacred feminine. What is it about being a woman that gives you joy? If you're a man performing this ritual, what is it about the women in your life that makes you love them? Meditate on the feminine energy of the universe for a while, and when you are ready, end the ritual.

Tips:

1. This ritual can be adapted for a group easily; with a little planning it can become a beautiful ceremony for a number of people. Consider doing it as part of a womens' circle, in which each member honors the others as part of the rite.

What You Need

• A white candle
• An offering
• A bowl of water
• A collection of pebbles or small stones

-The Crafty Witch

Miscellaneous Ritual Tools

The Cords

Cords are used in some traditions as an indication of the rank or degree the
individual has attained. Different ranks are distinguished by color. Most are 9
feet long. Valiente uses a red cord for initiates and a black one for full
members. In her system the officers are as follows; Lady-silver, yellow or
orange for East, gold or bright yellow for South, black or dark brown for West,
black or white or both for North. She mentions that there is a difference of
opinion on the number of knots to be tied, 13 or 9, she prefers 9. The Farrars
suggest that everyone should have a set of at least three cords, they suggest
red, blue and white, 9 feet long with knots at each end only. Buckland
recommends a 9 foot, red cord made from three lengths of cord braided together,
knotted at each end. The 9 foot measurement is after braiding. The cord is used
for cord magic, not worn. The color red represents life. This last version is
the one that my former coven used, and to get 9 feet after braiding you really
need three pieces of rat tail cord about 29 feet long. Solitary practitioners
rarely use cords as an emblem of rank, some use them for cord magic.

The Scourge

The Scourge is only mentioned by the Farrars. According to them it is purely
symbolic and used to help induce self hypnosis for gaining the sight. It is used
in initiations occasionally. It has eight tails with five knots in each tail.
The tails on theirs are embroidery floss set on a nut wood handle. No markings
are on the scourge. See image below for an example of a commercially available
leather version.

Candle Holders

You will need at least 6 candle holders for a basic altar set up of two altar
candles and four quarter candles but most people will use additional ones for
candle magic, God and Goddess candles, and other activities. These can be made
of any material, glass, brass and other metals are all good choices and easy to
find. If you are interested in doing candle magic you may want to purchase a
dozen or so inexpensive simple taper holders at a dollar store or Goodwill.
These should be small in circumference since in some rituals the candles must
touch each other. Glass is a good option. You may want to round up additional
candle holders of other types such as votive holders depending upon your
practice.

Candle Snuffer

Many authorities advise against blowing out the candles used in ritual saying it
insults the elemental spirits or disperses the power of the spell, others say
you must blow out the candles to add your life force to the spell, if you aren't
going to blow out your candles you still need to put them out. You can just
pinch the base of the flame to put it out or you can use a snuffer. Some of us
are not quick at pinching out the candles and to save our fingers use a candle
snuffer. This is optional and may be of any material you like. They are readily
available at thrift and discount stores for very reasonable prices.

God and Goddess Figures/Images

Not everyone chooses to use figures of the Goddess and God on their altars, and
of those who do, not everyone uses a literal representation. Some prefer to use
an object to remind them of the deities such as a holey stone for the Goddess
and a pine cone for the God. If you choose to use statuary or graphics of the
deities they should be to your taste and of the God and Goddess you worship.
They are not necessary, this is a matter for personal choice.

Offering Bowl

This is used to symbolically give back to the Goddess and God what they have
given us. A bit of the cakes and ale or some of the wine used in the ritual is
placed in the bowl during the ritual. Afterwards the contents of the bowl are
generally taken out doors and poured on the earth to complete the offering. Also
known as the libation bowl by some, this can be any sort of bowl you like made
out of any natural material (i.e. no plastic).


-The Crafty Witch

The Robe and The Boline

The Robe

This is perhaps one of the most controversial items in this section. For those
of you who believe that the only way to work is skyclad (naked), by all means,
proceed. I'll not argue with you, work as you like. There are those of us, into
middle age and living in cooler climates, who like robes. Robes also appeal to
the more theatrical among us who enjoy costumes and for whom the robe sets a
mood. This area is best left to personal opinion. Robes can be quite ornate,
with hoods, rope belts, long and flowing fabrics; or very simple.

The matter of color is a personal one as well. Many prefer black, being the
color of the night sky, mystery, and the unknown. Some feel black has negative
connotations and wear white, it is up to each witch to decide for themselves. In
Ceremonial Magic and some traditions robes are worn in planetary colors,
elemental colors, and the colors of the office held by the individual. You may
decide to utilize color correspondences appropriate to the particular magical
working you will be doing when choosing the color of your robes. Do what suits
you. In some covens tabard in the elemental colors are worn by those who call
the quarters over the top of their normal robe.

Do consider practicalities when choosing a robe, if you will be attending
outdoor rituals be sure to consider the weather and select appropriate fabric to
keep warm if necessary. A heavy wool cloak can be added to help with this, as
well as long johns. Be aware of the sleeves and flowing fabric since you will
likely be around candles and perhaps even a fire. The fabric should be flame
resistant and the sleeves containable. Whatever sort of robe you use it should
never be worn for anything other than ritual, it is a magical garment and must
not be used for any mundane purpose. When you are done with ritual change into
your regular clothes.

The Boline

Pronounced as bow-leen, the Boline or white handled knife is the usable,
practical knife used to cut herbs, cords, whatever one must cut. It should be
kept sharp enough to actually be useful.A simple kitchen or hunting type knife
that has a painted white handle or sometimes a white horn or antler handle may
be used for a boline. There are bolines available that are shaped like a
crescent and are reminiscent of a Druids knife. These are lovely, and perfectly
acceptable, but by no means necessary. They can be difficult to cut with.



-The Crafty Witch

The Censer & The Bell

The Censer

Pronounced sen-ser this is also referred to as an incense burner or thurible
(thur-a-bel). Censers come in a wide variety of styles, material and colors.
There are fewer conventions surrounding the censer than any other ritual tool.
Some are metal suspended from chains, some are bowls filled with sand or salt,
and every possibility in-between. The censer represents air and may be made of
wood, ceramic, soapstone, earthenware, glass, stone, brass, copper, iron;
literally any material. The censer is often placed before the image of the
Deity(s) in the middle of the altar. All authors who mention the censer agree
that the design and material are unimportant, each practitioner should go with
what they like. The incense represents air like the censer.

If you will primarily be using stick or cone incense you may use any sort of
incense burner you like. At some point you may decide to branch out into loose
incense, compounding your own incense, or chosing herbs for magical
correspondences. then you will need a censer capable of smoldering incense on a
burning charcoal. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is to obtain a bowl you like,
fill it with sand, and voila, you have a censer. The sand is necessary to
dissipate the heat from the burning charcoal and incense. It will prevent the
surface under the censer from being damaged by high temperatures and will
protect the bowl itself so that it won't crack or explode. Despite the sand
however, do not use a combustible container for such a censer. Glass, metal,
ceramic or stone are all good choices.

The Bell or Gong

A feminine symbol used to invoke the Goddess, ward off evil spirits, evoke
positive energies; to mark the beginning, end, or sections of the ritual. It is
used for the vibrations the sound produces so it is important to find a bell
with a pleasant sound, clear and sweet. The bell may be engraved or decorated if
desired. Not all traditions use the bell, only Buckland and Cunningham mention
it. It is often used to punctuate various high points in the rituals of
Ceremonial Magic as well. The bell represents either spirit or air if it can be
considered to represent any of the elements. It is a fairly commonly used tool
by Traditional witches as well as Wiccans.

The gong may be substituted for a bell if you like, it is often used in
Ceremonial Magic. The sound of the gong or bell is used in Buddhist, Hindu and
Shamanic rituals to attract the attention fo the Gods and as the physical
representation of the spiritual force. Bells are easier to find and less
expensive, but a coven or group may want to go to the extra effort to find a
gong as a communal tool. I was able to find a triangle and it makes the most
wonderful sound. You may also choose to use windchimes in ritual which may be
struck with a mallet or brushed with the hand. Some choose to incorporate
Buddhist singing bowls into their practice.
*author unknown

-The Crafty Witch

The Cauldron & The Besom

The Cauldron

The cauldron is considered a coven tool in many traditions rather than an
individual one. It represents water, the Goddess, reincarnation, immortality and
inspiration. As Cunningham states, it is "the container in which magical
transformations occur, the sacred grail, the holy spring, the sea of primeval
creation". He calls the cauldron "the witches tool par excellence". It is often
used as the focal point of group rituals and can contain flowers, a ritual fire,
charged water, or incense. It may also be placed empty on the altar as a symbol
of the Goddess or used to prepare brews or for divination by filling it with
water and using it as a focusing point.

Cunningham suggests that the cauldron should be iron, the Farrars agree but also
mention that brass or copper may be easier to find. Valiente considers the
cauldron a coven tool and mentions all the same uses described above and
discusses the symbolism but she also emphasizes that the coven must arrive at
it's own communal understanding of what the cauldron means to them.

If you would like to purchase a cast iron traditional cauldron online I suggest
that you search for a "potjie" rather than a "cauldron". The potjie is an
African cooking pot illustrated to the right above and is perfect for use as a
cauldron. By searching for it by the name of the cooking utensil you will save
allot of money over the witchy stores that sell the same thing but call it a
cauldron. They are available in very large sizes up to 75 gallons if you like.
Copper and brass versions are readily available at thrift stores and
occasionally you may even find a cast-iron cauldron in a smaller size. I collect
them and find most of mine at the Goodwill.

The Besom

Also called the broom, besom is pronounced beh-som. Traditionally made with an
ash handle, broom or birch twigs and a willow wrapping, the broom or besom is
one of the more well known of the tools uses by witches. Every Halloween witch
has a broom, and pretends to ride it, but not every real witch owns one. It is
often considered optional, particularly by solitaires. Round is preferred over
flat. The twigs can also be hazel or yew. The example illustrated above is made
with broom corn bristles which is a perfectly acceptable substitute and is
available from The Traditional Broom Company To care for your besom you will
want to clean the bristles if you actually use it to sweep once every month or
so by washing them in warm soapy water, then rinsing them and shaking out the
excess. Hang the broom to dry with the bristles down. If you don't actually
sweep with the besom you should rehydrate the bristles about twice a year by
putting the bristle end in a bucket of warm, clean water and letting it stand
for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse and shake out the excess water. Be sure to hang
the besom with the bristles down so they won't bend as they dry. The wooden
handle of the broom may be rubbed down with some linseed oil to keep the wood in
good condition unless it's painted or has bark on it.

According to Doreen Valiente the symbolism is as follows: the handle represents
the male aspect, the twigs the female, birch twigs represent birth and rebirth
through the combination of male and female; hazel stands for fire, fertility,
divination and knowledge; yew is the tree of death and resurrection. The message
of the besom is that only though birth will there be life, from that life will
come poetry, art and knowledge. Yet because of birth there must be death and
with death rebirth and resurrection. Cunningham states that the broom is
associated with water due to its purpose of purification. He states that the
broom is protective and purifactory, used to ritually cleanse and area or guard
a home and should be reserved for ritual use. Valiente and Farrar agree as to
the uses mentioned, in addition Valiente mentions using the besom as a gateway
to the circle by laying it at the north in the gateway of the circle as it is
cast. Buckland does not mention the besom, it is not used in his tradition.

It is nice to make your own besom and not really difficult. You need a branch
about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and 3-4 feet long for the staff, a bundle of
small twigs about 18-20 inches long for the broom part and something to tie the
twigs to the handle with. Willow is traditional, but twine works well and is
easy to obtain. Just insert the handle about 6-8 inches into the center of the
bundle of twigs and wrap the twine tightly around them to tie them to the
handle. Be sure you wrap and tie them tight, so your twigs don't fall out. Hand
made besoms produced in this way are best used for more symbolic than actual
sweeping.

*author unknown

-The Crafty Witch

The Athame & The Pentacle

The Athame

Pronounced ah-tha-may. Many people begin with a letter opener or other such implement pressed into service as an athame so if this is what you use don't feel you're unusual. Once you know you're on your true path you may want to invest in a real athame, if you're at that point these comments may be useful. Traditionally double edged, made of steel, with a black handle which may be painted or engraved with markings which vary from one tradition to another the Athame is one of the four elemental tools. The edges are not normally sharpened as the athame is a symbolic tool rather than a practical knife. The athame represents fire in most traditions, the only exceptions being those who follow the attribution of the knife to air as given in some early Golden Dawn documents. There is a theory that this was a deliberate obfuscation on their part, intended to confuse outsiders. Athames are available from occult suppliers for a wide range of prices, it has been my experience that in many cases you will be able to get a better quality knife for less money by going to a sporting goods store or army/navy surplus store to purchase your athame. It is possible to find very elegant athames if you are willing and able to pay the price and it is also possible to have one custom made to your specifications.

It is considered desirable to forge or construct the athame yourself if possible or at least make the handle. Practically speaking, unless you are a blacksmith, or know one, most of us must purchase the blade for our athames. One good possibility is to purchase what is referred to as a boot knife and then create the handle for it. These are available at surplus stores or sporting goods stores for very reasonable prices, often under $10.00. What you want if you want to add your own handle is one that does not already have one, this will appear in a catalog as "solid 420 stainless construction". If you can manage to produce a wooden handle and paint it black it will add to your connection to the tool but there are other options for the unhandy. I found that Fimo clay, available at the craft store, made a wonderful handle for my first one. You knead it till its pliable enough then form it in the shape you want on the knife blade. By baking it in a regular oven it hardens permanently. And talk about connection, it even has your
fingerprints in it!

If you don't care to create the handle, you can purchase fabulous knives that will make a wonderful athame very inexpensively from a sporting goods or surplus store. Boot knives are available with a variety of ready made handles and generally are a convenient size being about 8-9 inches long. You want a fixed rather than a folding blade and with two edges not one, that is why I recommend looking for a boot knife as most fit these specifications. The blade should be unsharpened as it is much safer and it will never be used for cutting in any case. Most come with a sheath that will have a boot clip which can be hooked over your belt.

Generally you would want a knife that was to be used to have a carbon steel blade which is perfect for honing to a fine edge, but this is not the case with the athame. If the knife you are most drawn to has a carbon steel blade that's fine, but it is not necessarily desireable. Carbon steel blades darken with age and use, there is no way to prevent this, it is a natural effect. Such darkening may be removed with wet/dry emery paper in a very fine grit. You will need to take precautions with a carbon steel blade to protect it from rust, occasionally oiling the blade will help prevent corrosion. Always keep the blade dry and clean, remove fingerprints and wipe the blade after use and once a month wipe it down with a clean cotton cloth dampened with warm water and a bit of soap. Dry
the blade completely and apply a thin coat of metal polish. When the polish is dry remove it using a dry cotton cloth to buff it off. Apply a thin coat of mineral oil to the blade with a clean cloth.

The easiest thing is to get a knife with a stainless steel blade which I resistant to rust, but not rustproof. You should still keep the knife clean and wipe it down with a soft cloth after use. Twice a year you should clean it more thoroughly, wiping it down with a clean cotton cloth moistened with warm water and then polishing it dry with a clean cotton cloth. If you will be storing a knife for a long period take it out of the sheath as it will encourage rust. If the knife has a wood handle it should be polished periodically with paste wax with a high carnuba content or linseed oil, those with leather handles may be periodically cleaned with saddle soap and then polished with untinted boot
polish. This same treatment may be used on the leather sheath.

In some traditions the handle of the knife is marked with symbols of some sort. The Farrars suggest markings based on Gardeners writings as follows. They stand for the Horned God, the ankh, the Salute and the Scourge, The Goddess and Scorpio the sign of death and the beyond on side one. Side two is The Perfect Couple, power springing forth, and the eight ritual occasions. Buckland recommends marking your magical name on either the hilt or blade. Cuningham states that no markings are necessary. You may want to write, engrave, or paint your magical name on the handle in runes or any other alphabet if you like to increase your connection to the tool. If you like you may also draw a pentagram or other symbol or affix a stone or crystal to the athame.


The Pentacle

Also known as the altar paten, the pentacle is pronounced pen-ti-cal. One of the four elemental tools, the Pentacle may be made of wood, copper, brass, silver, clay, gold, tile; nearly any material; and either plain or ornamented with crystals and/or symbols. The Pentacle represents earth. The primary and often only marking is the pentagram. It is usually five or six inches in diameter. It may be used as the centerpiece of the altar. Sometimes it is displayed on an easel, other times it is laid flat on the altar. In some cases the bowl of salt is placed on top of it.

Pentacles are one of the simplest tools to make for yourself since there are so many options available on what materials they should be made from. One of the easiest methods is to create a circular plaque out of clay and incise the pentagram in it. This may be fired if you have access to a kiln or it may be
left to dry. If left to dry you may want to paint it with some polyurethane to protect it from moisture. Instead of natural clay you may use Fimo or Sculpey which can be baked in your home oven to harden them.

Those of you old enough to remember sand candles may want to try using the sand cast method to create a pentacle out of plaster of paris. You just need a shallow pan full of moist packed sand, some vermiculite, and a box of plaster. Scoop out a depression in the sand the size and shape you want your pentacle to be. Cut a pentagram and any other symbols you'd like into the bottom of the sand. You may place crystals or other items in the sand as well if you like. Mix up the plaster with water according to the package directions and add about half as much vermiculite as plaster. Stir till completely combined. Pour into the depression in the sand up to the level of the surface of the sand. Don't make the pentacle thinner than about a half inch or thicker than about an inch. Allow time for the pentacle to set up completely before digging it out of the sand. Brush off any loose sand, but there will be a thin layer embedded in the plaster. Use a spray finish to protect the surface from moisture.

Another good option is to obtain a round wood plaque of the sort intended for decoupage from a crafts store. This may be painted, stained or otherwise decorated and the pentagram painted, carved or burned into the wood. This is quite an inexpensive type of pentacle to create as such plaques are generally under $5.00. If desired you can add cabochon stones to the pentacle that are symbolic to you or represent the earth element. I made my first pentacle of a wood plaque which I painted black and topped with a circle of copper on which I painted the pentagram and affixed a sodalite cabochon. It was a very effective tool and cost very little to make.

There is no need to make your own pentacle, it is however nice to construct your tools when it is possible to do so. Pentacles in a variety of materials and designs are available ready made for those who don't choose to make their own. The one illustrated above right is a widely distributed design by artist Paul Borda called the "Moon Crescent Pentacle Plaque". This product line has several different pentacle designs available in two different finishes cast in resin. There are beautiful brass, copper and silver pentacles available if you prefer. Not every Wiccan tradition uses the pentacle, Buckland does not mention the pentacle, nor does Valiente, neither of their traditions utilize it. Some simply
use a bowl of salt to represent earth, or a crystal. The pentacle was in fact borrowed from Ceremonial Magic as is stated by Cunningham and Farrar. In that tradition it is used as a defensive weapon. Ceremonial magic sources indicate that it should be a disk of stone, tin or wood four inches in diameter with a 1/2 inch border in which should be engraved the Archangelic and Godname of
Earth. In their description the pentacle is engraved with a pentagram on one side and a hexagram on the other.

The Farrars illustrate the pentacle with additional symbols on the face along with the pentagram and describe a circle of stones to represent the astrological signs, along with the symbols of those signs. Their pentacle includes the following symbolism: inverted triangle is the first degree, inverted pentagram second degree, upright triangle third degree, waxing and waning moons the Goddess, Taurus the God, the two S's represent Mercy and Severity as the Salute and the Scourge. The stones they used are Aries-bloodstone, Taurus-carnelian, Gemini-alexandrite, Cancer-moonstone, Leo-tigers eye, Virgo-sapphire, Libra-opal, Scorpio-lapis lazuli, Sagittarius-topaz, Capricorn-jet, Aquarius-amethyst, and Pisces-pearl. Their design is by far the most elaborate that I have heard of and by no means represents what you should have. The symbolism is meaningful to them, they designed it, the example is given to indicate what you could design to suit
yourself.

*Arthur Unknown

- The Crafty Witch