Altar Pentacle

The Pentacle is a Magickal tool that some folks do not use. Their reasoning is sound since it is obviously an adaptation from ceremonial Magick, as is the athame. These people use only the wand and the chalice in their work. But I like the use of the pentacle and athame because Wicca has always been quite ecclectic and drawn from several Pantheons and systems. So it doesn't make any sense to me to say we can draw on all systems EXCEPT the Kabbalah as used in Ceremonial Magick. Also I like the way using all 4 of these main tools that most traditions and practitioners share brings correspondences to the 4 suits of Tarot cards and to the 4 elements.

The Pentacle is a flat disk, traditionally inscribed on copper and coated with a clear finish of some type to prevent corrosion after it has been inscribed with the continuos 5-pointed star or pentegram. This is not an open pentacle like many witches wear. It is ENGRAVED on the disk. The reason being you put SALT on this disk in circle and if it was open all the salt would be on the altar, on the floor, everywhere but where you need it.

I have also, recently, seen some pentacles inscribed on slices of agate put out by cauldron Crafts in Maryland that are JUST GORGEOUS. Since the pentacle is feminine and relates to earth either the copper or the stone is appropriate. However brass I find less so as it is usually considered a solar metal and masculine. That is why I also prefer to avoid brass chalices. Copper chalices are avoided because they give off a metallic residue that is poisonous into the liquid, if they corrode - and alcohol in wine or ale and acid in wine or juice WILL do this. But copper is perfect for the pentacle.

What you engrave on your pentacle is entirely up to you. The NeoGardnerian and NeoAlexandrians (as well as the originals of these traditions) have very specific symbols that they always use. Other traditions sometimes have specific symbols they require as well. But others just use a plain pentacle, or tht pentacle with runic symbols of their choosing or whatever has meaning to them. I have seen beautiful pentacles - in fact our distributor of jewelry carries them - that are pentegrams surrounded by inscribings of Celtic knotwork.

I have also seen some gorgeous stained glass altar pentacles – my favorite of these was one where the points where the colors of the elements. The 4 lower points were the Red, Yellow, BLue and Green my tradition ascribes to the elements and the top one was silver for Spirit/Divinity. The center and background were a lovely violet color. Obviously SOMEONE put a lot of work into it.

One note - a specific coating I have found to work well on copper pentacles so that the salt doesn't destroy them is CLEAR NAIL POLISH. This has to periodically be reapplied however.

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The Witch Tools 5 Misc Tools

- Charcoal – for incense.
- Candles – short birthday candles will do in specific colours, but they must not burn out before the circle is opened. A large selection of all kinds of candles is useful.
- Candle Holders – holds the candles straight and prevents wax from getting all over the temple and the altar.
- Little Aluminum Pie Plates – because you never have enough candle holders.
- Herbing Knife – Knife used only for herbs.
- Herb and Oil Containers – use anything. Vials, film boxes, small tea-tins.
- Crystals – used for scrying and as sources of different types of healing energies.
- Herbs – for medicinal and incense use.
- Incense – Frankincense, myrrh, etc.
- Oils – used for anointing and /or blessing candles. Some fragrances correspond to gods and goddesses. Olive oil works well.
- Mortar and Pestal – to grind incense, etc.
- Parchment – To inscribe names and talismans and burn.
- Dip Pen and Waterproof Ink (Black) – for inscribing.
- Pen of Art – used for writing in the Book of Shadows.
- Candle of Art – concentration tool.
- Needles and Thread
- Cord – for cord magic.
- Geometry Set – For drawing circles and pentacles, etc.
- Scissors
- Glue
- Small Paint Brushes – for inscribing.
- Paint – white, silver, and black – for inscribing.
- A Divinatory Tool – usually Tarot cards, but whatever you are comfortable in using.
- Library – a good library of Craft books is indispensable.
- Witches Ladder – a concentration tool.
- A Magick Box – This can be anything, a cookie tin, a wooden box, etc. This is used to store the smaller pieces of your magickal equipment.
- A Familiar – any pet will do, if you have a particularly strong feeling for it. A familiar will allow you to tap its power and will also do things for you astrally. It is important to build up a mental rapport with it.
- The familiar’s Litter Box or Newspaper – Always remember to clean up after your familiar.

***

Bibliography

Complete Book of Witchcraft - Buckland, Raymond; Llewellyn; 1987
Magic, An Occult Primer - Conway, David; Mayflower; 1972
What Witches Do - Farrar, Stewart; Pheonix; 1983
A Witches Bible Compleat - Farrar, Janet & Stewart; Magickal Childe; 1984
The Symbolic Weapons of Ritual Magic - Highfield, A.C.; Aquarian; 1983
Mastering Witchcraft - Huson, Paul ; Putnam; 1970
Witches - Jong, Erica; Granada Publishing; 1982
An ABC of Witchcraft - Past and Present - Valiente, Doreen;
Pheonix Publishing Co.; 1981
Positive Magic - Weinstein, Marion; Phoenix Publishing Co.; 1981

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The Witch Tools 2 Circle Tools

The Quarter Candles – placed at the cardinal points of the circle. These are in the elemental colours and symbolize the four elements.

The Quarter Banners – placed at the cardinal points of the circle. These are in the elemental colours and symbolize the four elements. These are placed on the appropriate walls of the temple.

The Besom – traditionally made from cornstalks and husks bound together. It should be used to sweep the circle from centre to perimeter. It cleans out any old psychic energies and negativity from the circle. If a broom is not available, a sprinkling of salt and water will do. It is a balancing tool and is traditionally male in nature. The end of the broom can be carved into a phallic symbol. The shaft of the broom passes through a ball of red twine symbolizing the feminine principle. This is hidden from view by the straw. It is used by the hand-maiden to cleanse the circle during ritual. It was originally a riding and dancing pole, disguised as an ordinary household broom for security reasons. Stories about witches riding through the air on broomsticks arouse from their use in crop fertility rites.
Women would ride them around the fields, leaping as high as they could. This was sympathetic magic in two ways. The higher the leap, the higher the crop would grow. And the fertility theme would be dramatized by the way the women used their phallic poles during their riding.

The Cauldron – is a Goddess womb symbol. Can be used to hold wine or fire. Has to have three legs. It contains male energy. This would originally have been identified with the witch because of her mysteriously brewing potions and herbal remedies, though for centuries it was simply the family cooking pot. Its associations with witches probably arose from pictures of witches at work.

It is a larger version of the chalice, and is a symbol of rebirth, death, renewal, and inexhaustible plenty. It is more adaptable than the cup since it can contain water, fire, incense, or flowers. Leaping over the cauldron is a fertility rite.

The Libation Bowl – symbol of giving back to the Gods what was freely given to us. Is a form of sacrifice.

The Cake Dish – symbolizes the source of the necessities of life.

The Consecrated Ritual Ash-tray – used during break in circle.

The Summoner’s Staff – Huge, bloody-great stick used to summon the coven, and to keep order if necessary.

The Horned Helmet – used by High Priest or Priestess to represent the Horned God.

Thin White Cloth – used by High Priestess during Great Rite.

The Ritual Tape-recorder – Used to play the Ritual Meditation Tapes.

The Ritual Meditation Tapes – used to set the appropriate mood during the ritual.

***

Bibliography

Complete Book of Witchcraft - Buckland, Raymond; Llewellyn; 1987
Magic, An Occult Primer - Conway, David; Mayflower; 1972
What Witches Do - Farrar, Stewart; Pheonix; 1983
A Witches Bible Compleat - Farrar, Janet & Stewart; Magickal Childe; 1984
The Symbolic Weapons of Ritual Magic - Highfield, A.C.; Aquarian; 1983
Mastering Witchcraft - Huson, Paul ; Putnam; 1970
Witches - Jong, Erica; Granada Publishing; 1982
An ABC of Witchcraft - Past and Present - Valiente, Doreen;
Pheonix Publishing Co.; 1981
Positive Magic - Weinstein, Marion; Phoenix Publishing Co.; 1981

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The Staff

The Staff is generally known as a male mystery. This means that females were not taught the skills necessary to make or consecrate a Staff. However, even the most closely guarded secrets often get out, and today females can make and use a Staff during ritual. Sometimes it is frowned upon, but it is generally accepted as any other working tool of a Witch.

In yesteryears, the Staff was used spear-fashion, to hunt animals and fish. Because it was such a powerful tool it became shrouded in mystery. The priestess females tended to the homefires and the cooking, but food provision and the tools used therein were male mysteries. Women had much to do, and silently let it fall to their men.

By the time more efficient weapons had been devised, such as bows and arrows, the Staff became of use as a walking stick. Canes are generally used by older, wiser people, and perhaps the story of the "magic walking stick" came about because some old apothecary
had a cane to help him in his old age.

By the time the Middle Ages came along, the Staff had been adopted by the Christian church. They believed in magical staffs, as seen in the Story of Moses' magickal stick turning into snakes. And the Christian church decided that if they had staffs, none other could, and the posession of anything looking like a "tool of the devil" resulted in land, money, and status being taken away, as well as the threat of death by hanging or fire. Witches and magicians of the times would make their magickal staffs into brooms, by tying twigs onto the bottom, and using it as a broom. This is how the theory of the witch's broom came about.

Nowadays, when times are a little less threatening, we can carry staffs like the original shamans and villiage priests did. We can gussy them up and hang doodads on them, polish and varnish them, carve runes and mystical symbols on them, and no one really cares. Many Pagans, Witches, and people of other religions carry fancy staffs with them to gatherings.

My Staff

I made my staff fairly simply. I found a branch that seemed to me to be perfect for the task , and I stripped off all of the bark. Because I was using Chinese Cherrywood, underneath the bark was a lovely pale cream colour of wood. I eagerly tore off the remainder of the bark , but was soon dismayed to see that the wood at the top of the staff, where I had started peeling, was turning a dull reddish colour. As the wood dried, it's colour deepened. At first I was none to happy, but I eventually grew, through working on the staff, to like it much better than that creamy colour.

After all of the bark was off, I gathered it all up and put it in a bag. I later burned it in a small cauldron to represent the elements of air and fire in my staff's consecration ritual. I then proceeded to carve the runes upon my staff. I carved the Egyptian
Symbol of Life on one side, and several words along the other side. Using Ogham runes I carved the words, "To Heal, To Love, To Learn" and my
name rune , and farther down, "Summer Solstice, 1991", being the date upon which I finished my staff!

After all the carvings were finished I proceeded to sand it down, using the heaviest grade of fine sandpaper. I sanded until my bloody arms were going to fall off. Don't do this one at home kids, leave it to the professionals . When all of the staff was smooth, I then began to resand the whole thing again, this time with really fine sandpaper. It turned out to be really smooth.

After I re-etched the runes to make sure they would stand out okay, I varnished the staff with a spray-on varnish . I did this 4 times, letting it dry overnight before reapplying. Then I hung my doodads on it, stuck it in the altar room, and off I went on the night of the full moon to consecrate it.

Consecration Ritual

Consecrate the staff the way you would consecrate any magickal tool. I sort of "edited" the usual version of the ritual because I had the bark to burn as incense.

Pass the Staff through the smoke of the fire, saying:

O Creature of Wood and Spirit!
With incense made from thy own bark,
Representing the Element of Air,
I cense thee!

Pass the Staff through the flames of the fire, saying:

With Fire bright, also of thy own bark,
I burn away all impurities!

Sprinkle the Staff with the consecrated water, saying:

With Water, clear and cool, that once fed thy roots,
I wash thee clean and free!

Sprinkle the Staff with the consecrated salt, saying:

With the Salt of the Earth,
I ground thee firmly to thy purpose!

Thou shalt be an aide in the Directing of my Will.
Thou shalt be a physical symbol of the Masculine within me.
As the Egyptian symbol of Life is etched on your side, so shall the
Feminine and Masculine meet and join,
And be stronger and wiser because of the union!

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The Chalice

The use of the Chalice in Magick is as a feminine symbol. It holds the juice, wine, spring water or ale. It is usually purchased but I have seen some hand-made ones that are gorgeous. Pewter, Silver, silver plate, and pottery are the most common materials they are made of. I knew a woman with a pottery chalice that had various Goddesses from all 5 races of the world painted around it, nude, with arms linked together. This was her own work. It was NOT a great artist's work, but it reminded one of the primitive cave-paintings upon which
our Craft revival draws for much of it's history and so was very beautiful in it's own right. It was one of the most unique chalices I have ever seen.

Another witch I knew, who was ethnically Jewish, used a chalice that had a great deal of meaning for her. It was her GRANDMOTHER'S Silver Kiddush cup used to greet the SABBATH BRIDE and draw the Shekinah Presence - also female according to Jewish tradition - into the home after the lighting of the Shabbat candles.

As this connected this particular Witch to her lineage and to her grand-mother's spirit, it was especially appropriate for her to use it - especially since shewas an initiate of one of the offshoots of Gardnerian and Alexandrian tradition that draws heavily on the Kabbalah; which she emphasized more even than other H.Priestesses of those lineages due to her desire to remain connected to her background.

In some traditions a drinking horn is used instead of a chalice. It is mostly used by those drawing from the Norse or Germanic legends in recreating their ritual structure, but really such a horn could be used by anyone. You can make your OWN drinking horn far easier than making a chalice. Get a cow's horn - usually available from farmers or from your local Tandy Leather store - and make a stand for it with heavy copper or silver wire that you wrap around it and form into a stand. You can GENTLY engrave (DO NOT USE ACID FOR THIS) the horn or you can solder small gems and crystals to the wire stand or whatever else strikes you as being appropriate symbolism.

But having a chalice or horn that IS YOU is important in your work, perhaps more so than any other article in Wicca which is so Goddess oriented.

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