Traditionally, the wand is roughly the same length as that from your own elbow to the tip of your smallest finger and about as thick as your thumb. It can be painted, decorated with symbols, tipped with crystals, or left plain.
The Wand is consecrated when the Full Moon is in a Fire Sign (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) on the day (Tuesday, Sunday, Thursday) and in the hour (Mars, Sun, Jupiter) of that sign's planetary ruler.
Traditional lore, dictates that to make your own wand one must rise early on the morning of the Full Moon. Next, go alone to a wooded area with a new, unused axe and find a healthy living tree. One must then ask the tree for permission to take one of it's branches in order to make your wand. If the permission is not given, you must respect the answer and seek another tree.
Once the permission is given, you then cut the branch in one swing of the axe and wrap it in special cloth. Before returning home the tree which donated a part of itself to your cause is given a ritual offering for it's sacrifice.
The branch is then reduced to correct size (long as the space between your elbow and the tip of your smallest finger) and stripped of all bark. The branch is then wrapped up again and allowed to dry for a week. Afterwards, use sandpaper to smooth down the nubs left from the twigs.
At this point, the wand can be embellished in several ways including the following:
* Hollowing out the tip(s) and setting crystals in the sockets.
* Painting or Staining the Wand.
* Using a wood burning tool to inscribe symbols on it's surface.
* Wrapping the handle in leather or ribbon for better gripping.
How you embellish your wand, or not, is completely up to you and whatever you choose will be right for you. Once the wand is finished it is important that it be ritually blessed and consecrated. (See Bath of the Elements, this page)
For those who don't feel up to this process, there are easier methods. For instance. In the early days of my craft I purchased a wooden dowel from a local hardware store, which I then soaked in chamomile tea (which is known to be a fiery herb), which acted as a natural stain. I then allowed the wand to dry and to personalize it, I anointed it with three drops of my own blood before cleansing and blessing the wand.
I've even used a decorative wooden spoon as a wand.
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