Athame or Wands?

Gaia Dragoncat · Post by **Gaia Dragoncat** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:50 pm

I was just curious is it necessary for every witch to use an athame or a wand? My energy is tranfered through my hands and it feels like when I use these tools alot of the energy and focus gets lost in the transfer. So if I get better results by not using them, am I doing something unheard of or wrong by not using these tools? Must I use them?

Windwalker · Post by **Windwalker** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:00 pm

Not at all! Do what feels best for you.

I always wondered whether to use an athame or a wand... apparently the athame is used to demand, while the wand is used to request. I've yet to find a wand or a good athame. The athame substitute I use at the moment does seem to magnify and direct energy, but just my pointer finger works almost as well.

As far as I can see there's no reason for you to use something if it doesn't work. Then again, you may just need to find the tool that clicks with you and resonates with your energy. So my advice is, use your hands if that's what feels best, but don't totally rule out tools to the point that you overlook one that's calling out to you.

katsu · Post by **katsu** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:19 am

Though I have a Athame, I only use it to represent "north" in the circle.
I have used it to draw the circle when I first started, but I do not need it anymore.
It is (to me) a focustool. No more, no less.

And, as Windwalker commented: Do what feels best for you.

SageWolf · Post by **SageWolf** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:43 am

I have an anthame and a wand I don't use either one of them anymore ever really, Now they are just pretty decorations, when I first started out I had no money to buy any supplies at all, I am still short on the finances so I have compromised, I actually find rocks outside and if I need a candle I reuse it I won't dress the candle for my ritual, I will use a peice of paper or something, But I still rarely use tools in my workings, I find they are distracting and my energy level goes better alone, But I don't keep my mind closed I'm always looking for something new, So No I don't think you need anything just yourself is all, some people think the tools help them raising their energry and some don't it just depends on the person.

SageWolf

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:33 pm

I never use either. Although they may be handy for focusing when its tricky to do.

Post by **Crazy Healer Lady** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:28 pm

It is said by some that tools are for the beginner-intermediate, and that as you advance along your path (although I hate terms like advanced or intermediate, like we're playing Final Fantasy or something), you lose the need for tools.

Just a thought

Lotus · Post by **Lotus** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:41 am

I have an athame but, rarely use it. Most of the rituals I do are outdoors in parks.....not a good idea to have something that looks like a knife (well, it is a knife). I did have a wand that I made myself but, it broke....never needed one again.
As time passed, I learned to get by with limited tools or items since it would mean me shleping it all over.

BB
Lotus

Jescissa · Post by **Jescissa** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:56 am

I have two wands, one is a natural apple wood one, and the other...believe it or not...is a replica Harry Potter wand

I have a better reaction whilst using the resin 'Fleur Delacour' wand than the apple wood one, but I keep the wooden wand because apple wood is the Celtic wood for my birthday. I use the wand to draw my circles, but for most other things I use my hands.

Part of me wants an athame, but another part of me wonders what more I can do with one that I can't do with a wand!

Windwalker · Post by **Windwalker** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:35 pm

I think I like athame's best because metal is a good conductor, because I love edged weapons, and because I find them aesthetically pleasing. They're not in any way necessary, but they do help put my brain into a certain mind-frame (like my altar in general, I guess). I hardly ever use it for magick because I'm too much of a hedge-witch as far as magick goes. I just like having one

They're also good places to store power. I find metal holds power better than wood, which is one of the reasons I prefer athames to wands.

I can see where wands would be more sensible in public, though. I've always wanted a good staff, which I suppose is just a giant want, but I've never wanted a wand, which is a bit peculiar.

That was all a bit patchy, I think... I was sorting through my thoughts. I use posts to do that every so often

forgotten oceans · Post by **forgotten oceans** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:06 pm

This whole post is gonna sound really red neck, but I don't have a wand per-say and never erally wanted the typical wand as I have relations with trees, so it just doesn't seem right. It's not often I need a wand, but when I do I use my mothers old wooden spoon, weathered and worn smooth with time. It works just as well and I have fond memories of it. I do have an athame, but it's not the usual athame, it's my old hunting knife and the last majickal rite it preformed envolved a squirrl. It doesn't get used too much, but that doesn't make me feel any less of a witch. You don't have to have tools, ask anyone with tools and they'll most likely tell you they don't use them often. If you just have to have them, make due with what you got.

Post by **Crazy Healer Lady** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:22 pm

Forgotten Oceans, that is really wicked ^_^ Very cool very cool

forgotten oceans · Post by **forgotten oceans** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:25 pm

It was one of those living off the land/running around the woods all savage like things. Reconnecting if you will.

iriseyes · Post by **iriseyes** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:53 am

Jescissa wrote:I have two wands, one is a natural apple wood one, and the other...believe it or not...is a replica Harry Potter wand I have a better reaction whilst using the resin 'Fleur Delacour' wand than the apple wood one, but I keep the wooden wand because apple wood is the Celtic wood for my birthday. I use the wand to draw my circles, but for most other things I use my hands.

Part of me wants an athame, but another part of me wonders what more I can do with one that I can't do with a wand!

Oh my how funny is this... I was looking threw my daughters catalog and found some of the wands from the Harry Potter movie.. I thought for a second.. Wow, Could I use one of them.. then I thought

that is silliness.. So when I read this it made me smile.

I was looking for a place to put this.. It seem appropriate here.

I wanted to know if it is fine to create your own things.. I would really like to bind my own book of shadows, I would love to make my own wand.
My daughter made my cauldron (well not for that) and I picked it up one day and thought cauldron just out of no where this thought came.
I went to a local flea market and found some other things that just jumped out to me. I was so excited.
My thoughts are if you make something your self then wouldn't hold more power and meaning?

Windwalker · Post by **Windwalker** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:34 pm

iriseyes wrote: I was looking for a place to put this.. It seem appropriate here.

I wanted to know if it is fine to create your own things.. I would really like to bind my own book of shadows, I would love to make my own wand.
My daughter made my cauldron (well not for that) and I picked it up one day and thought cauldron just out of no where this thought came.
I went to a local flea market and found some other things that just jumped out to me. I was so excited.
My thoughts are if you make something your self then wouldn't hold more power and meaning?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. It's even preferable, when possible, to make something yourself. All your energies go into it, and it's something that's definitely yours. That's not to say that it isn't a perfect experience in its own way to buy an object that calls to you, but you know what I mean.

There's a brilliant book I found not long ago and for the life of me I can't remember what it was called.... "Magickal Toolbox" or something like that. I can't even remember the author, but it was a fantastic book, and for every tool it went really in-depth into purposes and reasons for using it in a certain way, and then it would give examples of how to make your own if you wished to. It had some really good ideas - I've taken notes on how to make a staff my own, should I find a stick that truly calls to me.

You can personalise things in different ways, but when you make your own tool, it's personal from the bottom up! So yes, it's definitely okay

Good luck... and hey, if you make something, post us a picture in the art gallery or something!

Jescissa · Post by **Jescissa** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:58 am

It's always good to make your own things, as Windwalker just said. I find that if I want a new altar figurine or icon, I prefer to sculpt or paint my own. There are some Pagan artists out there who are much better than I am, but I think that the personal energy that goes into it makes it a much better tool.

Iriseyes wrote:Oh my how funny is this... I was looking threw my daughters catalog and found some of the wands from the Harry Potter movie.. I thought for a second.. Wow, Could I use one of them.. then I thought that is silliness.. So when I read this it made me smile.

The Harry Potter wand was such a fluke

My friends and I are the nutters who go to HP conventions and write fan fiction and stuff, and the wand was just supposed to be fancy dress. One day I used it in a ritual and the energy from it was amazing

I didn't know resin could do that! I think as well as the reaction I get from it, it's the look of the thing too. I do enjoy working with my hands, but this wand is so decorative, it looks the way a 'real magic wand' should so I suppose I feel more magical when I hold it. I will even be holding it when I handfast my friends this Autumn so the simple movie prop has come along way!

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