~The Basics~

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~The Basics~
By:
Post # 1
This is a basic forum that I have worked hard on to do. It consists of the following: Meditation, Visualization, Grounding and Centering, Shielding, Chakras, Circle Casting, and Days/Moon Phases. Some of the information goes to this site, my father, and other amazing sites. There are also other ways to do some of these things, so find the right way that is fit for you.

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~Meditation~
Meditation is the practice of reaching a deep state of mind that allows us to focus and think clearly. .It is essential for magick in all parts including the other basics and its important to learn for it helps when casting spells, rituals, and more. This is when you sit in a very quiet place and make your mind blank. This is a very important part in magick because if the opponent knows how to get into people?s mind, then they will be able to tell what you will do, what you are thinking, and use them against you. You must be smart and take quick actions for yourself and yourself only. Magick is used for healing and hurting. Yes there is summoning and things like that but what do you do it for? Many people use it to heal and others use it for hurting and maybe even killing. Well it can be used for both. In battle you will use both as well. So anyways, I?ll get into that later. Now we need to talk about Meditation.
Meditation is used in many cultures such as Buddhism and Hinduism. It is used to think more clearly and get new ideas, while in other religions it?s to gain more knowledge and relaxation, which is what we will be doing with Meditation and more. Without Meditation, your mind will wander off. If it does, then you might have your spells fail or it can backfire.
In this Meditation, it will be used for gaining knowledge, relaxation, strength mentally and physically, and for gaining answers. It doesn?t matter if you believe in God and Jesus, or in Norse Gods and Goddesses, or even Roman Gods and Goddesses, this is still important for magick. Now that I have covered much of what this will accomplish, then I will just teach you the basic Meditation that I learned how to do myself.
First, you must find a place where it is quiet for maybe bird chirpings or wind. It can be inside or outside, though I advise to do it outside so that nature can have more connection to you and your consciousness. Sit down in any way you like, as long as you are sitting on the ground. Close your eyes and think of nothing; nothing at all. Try not to get distracted by the sounds and weather around you. It helps if you have a breathing that has a rhythm. I personally would do a six, two, and six. Take a deep breath slowly for six seconds. Hold in your breath for two seconds. Then let it out slowly for six. Keep doing this until you are only concentrating on that and that only. That is considered Meditation. Keep doing this for about ten through fifteen minutes every day. Now this is only Meditation.
Now, there is more you can do. You can do many things when you?re in Meditation, such as going into the spirit world and much more. As for that, that will be later. It will be considered as a ritual.

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~Visualization~
Visualization is another important topic in magick. This is a hard topic to teach so bear with me. Lots of people always skip this because they think that they know this and later find out that they can?t do any magickal exercise. So I tell you now. Don?t skip this topic. Visualization is when you view something with your mind and actually see it there, but it?s nothing more than a illusion in your mind. It doesn?t mean that other people may see it as well. So know we will do a exercise for it.
There is only one thing you need to do to perfect this part of the basics: Read. Just read, read, and read. Reading is a great way for visualization. When you read, you make images in your mind of what is happening. That is all there really is to it. But then again there are people that don?t like reading. They despise reading. They hate reading. As for me I love reading and that is why I didn?t really need to go through this part of the basics. But for those who read will ask me, what if you?re not a reader. How do you learn without reading? Well I made this great exercise that took me about two weeks to figure out how it works. So this is the technique.
What you first want to do is get a simple object that has many details, such as a picture or a pencil that is used or you and even use your own hand. Now stare at it for as long as needed. When staring at it for that time, what you should be doing is looking at the details. Look at how it is shaped and how the marks on it are. Look closely and continue until you feel like you got everything memorized. After that, close your eyes and try to make the same image in your mind. Make it the same. Now after you have mastered that much, what you should do is try changing the way it looks, such as the color (which is probably the easiest thing to do) or the shape. What you do is just put the image like normal and instead of its original, imaging the color a different color such as a yellow color or a black color. Any color you want.
When you change the shape all you got to do is change the shape. An example of it is a penny. All you got to do is image the circle forming into a square, but still having the rest the same, like its color, scratches, words, ect. And that is basically it.
Now you should just make any random object in your mind such a tree or a knife. This is important to master and what will help you master is the exercise that I?ve made. In spells that ask you to visualize sometime such as a bright light covering your whole body, you visualize it. That?s all. Hopefully you continue practicing and once you have mastered it, you have earned your next step to you magick studies.

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~Grounding and Centering~
Grounding and Centering is two different things. They are somewhat a good thing to learn when you feel like negative energy is around you. But there?s always a common mistake. People mistake them for the same thing. Well they?re not. Grounding is when you renew your body?s energy with the help of Mother Nature. Centering is when you renew and you center your chakras with the help of the Universe. This is how you Center and Ground yourself.
First, find a quiet place where you may not be disturbed. Find a place where you can sit with you feet flat against the floor. This is very important. Also keep your back straight. Breathe calmly and release any stress you may have. The mood of a person also determines the effects of spells. That is why it?s important. After that, focus on your feet. Visualize roots coming out of your whole foot (both feet) and relax. Let them branch out into the good soil and Mother Earth. Now it?s the part of inhaling and exhaling. With the roots deep in the ground, inhale a deep breath. While this happens, visualize white healing energy being absorbed into your roots. Feel the white energy cleansing your body. When you deep exhale, visualize bad energy that was in you or around you going down the roots and into the Earth so that it may be renewed into positive energy. Visualize the energy that was sent into the ground going deeper. Do this for about two through five minutes. When you?re done grounding yourself, meditate for about three minutes so that any energy that was left behind can be cleansed as well. After this you should feel renewed with new energy. Ground at least every week so that every week can be a new one. Now these are the steps to Centering.
First, you must concentrate on your Crown Chakra opening. Then after you feel that it is fully open, send a white beam of energy into the universe. Then once you have done that, form it into a pipe or a funnel, a wide one so that you may gather energy. After you have done that, visualize and absorb the energy going into the funnel/pipe and going into you. Feel it going around you body renewing the energy and centering the chakras from you head to the base of your pelvis bone. Once you feel that you have done it long enough, pull back the energy pipe and pull it into the Earth so that it can be renewed. After this you should feel new and centered. Do this every at least every week with your Grounding.

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~Shielding~
Shielding is very hard to some and easy to others. It is used to protect you while doing magick. Yes there are protections spells when you get there but it?s different. Shielding with protection spells uses magick to shield, as for shielding with energy, that?s different. Shielding requires forming one?s energy in a protective way around a person, area, or object. This will protect the person easily or object as well. This is something that you must learn before doing combat magick.
What you should do if you?re starting off shielding, practice on yourself since it?s the easiest and closest thing that is yours. After you have mastered it, you can move onto objects such as rocks or jewelry that are closest to you. Once you have more experience in shielding, you can move onto other people and areas farther away.
To start off, visualize your personal energy, in any form you feel works for you best, wrapping around yourself and confirm its presence by feeling it psychically. Once you are comfortable with the energy surrounding you, reinforce it by visualizing more energy solidifying the shield. Now with the energy, you don?t necessarily have to use your own. You can use other kind of energies, but there still must be a mixture of your own special energy. An example of this technique is where one person visualizes their energy as a tree trunk growing around them and they reinforce the shield by visualizing the tree becoming stone around them. It?s basically like you shaping the energy into a shield or protection. This can also be considered as energy manipulation. Now note that there are many ways of shaping the energy.
By putting different energies into the shields that isn?t yours, your making an advantage type shield, though I will first start by making a normal shield. What you are doing is weaving the energy that isn?t made by you into you own, making it more resistance (depending on which energy used against the damage) and in some cases, stronger. Common energies that most people use are those of the elements. What you can do though is weave energy into the energy of your own, but a curtain amount. An example is if I use Water energy to reinforce my shield. Now I can add it to my original energy but the thing is that not completely. What I must do is weave ninety percent of Water energy with my ten percent of personal energy and start from there. Now I just visualize it into the shape I would like. It must be water based for it to work if using the elements. If using different types of energy, the way you shape it must be related to the substance. So in this case I will use a wave of water in front of me. To solidify it, I will visualize and feel it turn to strong ice or crystal. That will be my shield.

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~Chakras~
Believe it or not but everyone has Chakras. Chakras are energy filters located in the physical or spiritual (astral) body with corresponding locations that act as conduits or connectors between you and the Universal Life Energy. Each Chakra filters the Universal Life Energy into a different type of energy (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, ect) that your body requires to function properly. They are very important for your magick to work and to stay in perfect health. The body has seven main chakras that must be cleaned at all times. Each Chakra is a different color and has a different location, and of course different functions in life.
The Root Chakra corresponds with the color Red. It is located at the base of your pelvis bone and it represents the physical body. It is also important to be cleaned as it represents your roots, survival, security, and your base. The next Chakra is your Sacral Chakra which it corresponds to the color Orange. It is located at your groin, lower abdomen. It represents your emotions, your sexual energy, and your creativity. The next Chakra is the Solar Plexus Chakra which corresponds with the color Yellow. It is located at the stomach and it functions as your personal power, your control, your freedom, and your mental energy. Next is the Heart Chakra which corresponds to the color Green. Obviously it is located at the heart and it functions as your love, compassion, your empathy, and healing. Next is the Throat Chakra which corresponds to the color Blue. Obviously it is located at the throat and it functions as your communication with others, your expression to the world and your freedom of speech. Next is your Third Eye Chakra which corresponds to the color Purple. Its location is in between your eyebrows and its functions as your intuition (Intuition means instinctive and unconscious knowing without deduction or reasoning), your psychic abilities, and our clairvoyance (apparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses). Finally the last Chakra is the Crown Chakra which corresponds to the color White. It is located on top of your head and its functions are your consciousness, and your connection to the Universal Life Energy.
Your Chakras are always open, for the most part, but they may not be in optimal shape or as open as they could be. There are many ways to open them up, as with the cleaning methods, there are many. The most common one is with meditation.
Cleaning your Chakras is easy to some. What your first do is enter a state of relaxation (meditation) and relax by breathing in and out. Then locate your Root Chakra and visualize a red energy ball spinning clockwise in that location. As is spins, visualize the force of the spin removing and clearing any dark spots that has accumulated in the Chakra. Just visualize it all spinning away. When that Chakra is spinning with clear red energy, you?re done with that Chakra. Now move on to the next Chakra. Do the same this with the next Chakra but with its corresponding color. Do this to all the Chakras until you have cleaned your Crown Chakra. After you have finished your cleansing session, meditate for at least a minute so that any dark spots and negative energy that was missed or left behind may clear up. Cleaning your Chakras should only take a few minutes. If you do this every day, you?ll notice less and less dark spots and you can get them clear faster (within thirty seconds or so).
As for closing your Chakras, you don?t want to do that. The more your Chakras are energized and open, the more easily your life will flow. Some people unconsciously (sometimes consciously) close their Chakras for the fear they feel because of their connection to the world and other people. Naturally, this isn?t a good thing to do. If they are closed, then you should open them up and face your fears. It is horrible to live in a shell for the rest of your life. Instead of closing them, you should shield yourself, which is something that you would want to do if you?re around someone so somewhere with negative, aggressive energy or someone who is trying o leech your energy or power from you. To shield you can visualize a shield of white or gold energy surrounding your whole body, leaving you cocooned inside. Or you can also visualize a mirror in front of you reflecting the person?s negative energy back at them.
Clogged Chakras can cause physical problems related to the area where they function. F you are empathic or psychic, you may be attraction other people?s emotions and issues to you like a magnet. Other people?s issues might stick to you because you don?t release them, and that can cause you Chakras to get clogged as well. Especially for those people that help others with problems their friends or family face. There?s no earthly reason to carry around other?s burdens or pain. You?ll just clog up your own system of Chakras. Having clogged up Chakras can cause many bad problems in your life. There are always effects of clogged and unclogged Chakras.
A clogged Root Chakra can cause you to feel unsafe. You may feel paranoid, in danger, alarmed. Obviously, this is not a good way to live your life. Nobody should feel unsafe for the rest of your life for any reason at all. Unclogging this Chakra can not only help you feel safe, but actually help you realize when real danger is near, help you be more alert, to defend yourself or flee according to the problem faced, keeps you alive.
A clogged Sacral Chakra can cause mood swings, depression, unexplained anger, and a lack of self control. Unclogging this Chakra will give you control of you emotions. You will know fear only when accepted, feel anger if you choose to, and have peace for as long as you wish.
A clogged Solar Plexus can cause you to feel trapped or victimized. You may feel powerless, out of control, and exhausted. Unclogging this Chakra gives you the sense of freedom, power, strength, and you will have more energy and you will have better control over yourself. By opening this Chakra, you go from being the victim to the victor.
A clogged Heart Chakra can cause you to feel isolated from others. You may feel unloved, uncaring, and hateful. Unclogging this Chakra not only allows you to feel loved by others, including yourself, it also makes it easier for you to care and not feel hate towards others. Beside that it will also help you to heal from emotional injuries caused by others and yourself.
A clogged Throat Chakra can cause you to find it hard to say what needs to be said, to express yourself and your beliefs, and to communicate with others. Unclogging this Chakra makes it easier for you to express yourself, to share your thoughts and beliefs, to communicate with friends and family.
A clogged Third Eye Chakra gives you the benefits of a ?normal? being since it blocks your intuition, psychic abilities, and your clairvoyance and because almost all humans have their third eye closed. Unclogging this Chakra can give you many abilities; the ability to read minds, to gaze into the future, to see Spirits, Demons, anything that humans consider to be ?paranormal?
A clogged Crown Chakra can cause you to find it harder to realize the difference of what is right and what is wrong, and to not make you feel connected to the world around you. Unclogging this Chakra can make it easier to feel good about what you do, and you?ll feel a little more at peace no matter where you go.

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~Circle Casting~
Casting a circle id very important to cast for many reasons, and though it is said that circle casting is always associated with Wicca, it need not necessarily be limited to it alone. A circle is casted as containment; as a protection. Think of it ass an invisible force creating a safe space to work magickal practices that work may be. By creating a circle we are physically sweeping that area clean of any negative influences or any inappropriate energy, and then creating a wall or boundary around it so that none might enter while you work. The reason behind this is that when we invoke either healing, good wishes, or whatever else we wish to invoke within the circle; if there is anything inappropriate present in that circle at the time, we may inadvertently have added it to our spell or our healing wish. Obviously, this is not a good thing, so a little preparation while doing spell-work will repay you by making your invocations and spells clear, precise, and safe. Another reason casting a circle before any spell-work is for protection of the inside, as well as for the outside of the circle. An example is if you invoke a demon. Depending on your strength and energy, you can contain the demon in the circle while you try to send it back from where it came from. Also when you are doing a spell, no spirit or demon will interfere to make it evil. Basically nothing comes in and nothing goes out.
Before you cast the circle it is worthwhile standing in the center of the space that you wish to clear, and mentally sweeping it with a large broom of white light of energy, so that it is sparkling and psychically clean. While you do this say to yourself ?This space be cleared of all negativity and all inappropriate energies, and may any lost souls inhabiting it be returned to where they belong?. Now after that, it?s time to cast the circle.
To cast the circle you must make sure that there is nothing in the space that you are going to use that may be harmful to the spell. All you need it you pointer finger to cast the circle. Stand in the middle of the space were you want the circle to be casted. Then relax and focus your energy on the Crown Chakra, allow that it be opened and that pure white energy flow down on through this Chakra and down your dominant to your pointer finger, making it a pencil of pure white energy. Now point the finger to where the circle will start, and very slowly draw the circle by turning and visualizing the energy coming out of your finger and forming the circle. Turn very slowly, drawing the large circle, keeping it even as you work around. It will be better if you draw it three times to give it protection and a firm barrier. If by any chance there is a pet in the room where you are doing spell-work, make a mental plea that a little doorway is left open for them to pass to and fro, but them alone. That is the secret to a well-made circle.
To end the circle, do the opposite of what you did when you casted the circle but instead of the energy going back into the Crown Chakra, make it go into Earth so that it can be renewed. But a question you may ask is what if you have to pause for a little bit when your in between casting a spell to get the door or something similar? This is how.
To open the circle without breaking it, you must first put your hands into the sky, thinking of the element Air, then if there is an flame source near you like a candle, wing your hand lightly into the flame, thinking of the element Fire. Then if there is a water source near you, place your finger in the water and think if the element Water. Then place your hands on the ground and think if the element Earth. While you do all this, send energy into all of the elements. If you don?t have the element of Fire or Water, then just say the name of the element and say please at the element. Once you?re done sending energy into the element Earth, chant the following invocation: The Circle Is Open, But Not Unbroken. May The Peace Of The God And Goddess Go In Your Heart. Mercy Meet and Merry Part, And Merry Meet Again. So Mote It Be.
To continue on your spell-work once the interruption is solved, do the same thing you did when you casted the circle but only draw it once.

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~Days And Moon Phases~
There are moon phases every night, even if we don?t see the moon. The moon phases help us make our spells more durable and stronger. There are four moon phases and each moon phase has a corresponding attribute. The New Moon Phase increases the success rate of spell that gets rid of thinks. The Waxing Moon Phase increases the strength of spells that gain things such as money, hair, ect. The Waning Moon Phase increases the strength and success rate of spells that deal with the doing away of destruction of thing. Then there is The Full Moon Phase. The Full Moon Phase is the most powerful moon phase of all. All magick is much more powerful during the night of this moon phase. During this phase, spells which deal with power and magickal energies will be at their strongest.
There is a cycle that all the phases of the moon are connected to. If you start with The New Moon Phase, the next moon phase will be The Waxing Crescent, and then comes The First Quarter. The next phase will be The Waxing Gibbous, and then The New Moon Phase. After The New Moon Phase, the next phase is The Waning Gibbous, and then The Third Quarter. Then after The Third Quarter, the next phase is The Waning Crescent, and then finally The New Moon Phase.
There is always times when spells are stronger at that day than other days. Example: A love spell will work on any day, but will be stronger on Fridays. Here are the qualities of days. On Sundays, it?s good to cast spells that will aid in the success of a task. On Mondays, it?s good to cast spells that affect you home, garden, ect in some way. On Tuesdays, it?s good to cast spells that deal with justice and vengeance, as well as hexes, curses, ect. On Wednesdays, it?s good to cast spells that deal with inspiration and confidence. On Thursdays, it?s good to cast spells that deal with money, luck, business, and fortune. On Fridays, it?s good to cast spells that deal with love, romance, fertility, grace, and glamour. On Saturday s, it?s good to cast spells that may bring Karma.
There is also a special time and day. Halloween is a day when the boarder of the spirit world and the human world is weak. This will be a good day to use spells that involve spirits. At midnight, it is like a one-minute Halloween. That is when spells that can be done quickly that involve spirits are good to cast at this time.



Re: ~The Basics~
By: / Novice
Post # 2
Random Tips
By: Bejeweled / Novice
Mar 01, 2011 Post # 1

(delete post)
So I give out advice on some of the most random subjects often. Other than energy, I have no speciality but have some random range of knowledge so here's a few things I find important, though mostly it's learning processes and etc.

1) Research!
Make sure you do your own research! Asking questions is important, but keep looking! Never try anything unless you've looked enough. And remember, you're not looking for everything, just substantial information.

2) Belief!
Self-belief is important. I know things not happening as they're supposed to is disheartening and plants doubts. Just breathe, focus, and figure out what went wrong or try again. Have you ever noticed sometimes your best accomplishments happen when you're not trying? You have no doubts since you weren't thinking so hard about it. This isn't foolproof, but it is a good part of it.

3) Why Are You Doing This?
Before you try anything, especially something drastic, ask why you're doing this. Is it to help someone or enact revenge? Morals are important in magick, even more so than in general I believe. Who will you affect? One simple thunderstorm can affect hundreds, thousands of people. Is it worth it? This kind of thinking is often skipped over, and I believe it shouldn't be.

4) Don't Expect Miracles
Magick isn't like movies. It doesn't make things poof out of thin air, and you're not going to fly on a broomstick. In fact, magick is very subtle. Don't expect miracles, drastic changes, unbelievable events. Don't let ideas of grandeur distract you. If you chose to study magick, then study it. I don't mean to be rude or mean, but if you expect miracles, many people miss the successes they have achieved.

5) Don't Limit Your Options
Now many people choose one area to focus on. Like for me, energy work is my main focus. But don't let it limit you. Learn what you can! Even if you don't cast spells, listen to people talk about how to do them. Learn some side knowledge you think you might not need. You never know when it'll be useful! And don't forget to learn mythology, folklore, etc. Enrich your mind, and it'll help you, no matter what path. :)

That's my ranting for today :D Hope you enjoy and please comment :)

Re: ~The Basics~
By:
Post # 3
I have a great exercise for practicing visualization here, you're supposed to practice it every day for a week, then 2 times a week, and then finally once a month so you don't forget it, and keep up your practice, let's get started...

Exercise 1
~Seeing
In this first exercise we will focus on the sense of seeing. The goal is to see as clear as we would if our eyes were open. Sit in your meditation position, close your eyes and relax. You see blackness all around you, the absolute nothingness. Black everywhere. In the center before you, you see an apple. Focus on that apple and try to see it as clear as you can with as many details as possible like it's a real apple but you see it with your eyes closed. Watch it turn and see it all. When you have a good shot of it, you can move on to the next exercise.

Exercise 2
~Hearing
As in the previous exercise, sit and relax. You see yourself in a forest clearing sitting down. See the forest as clearly as you can but don't focus on seeing this time, focus on listening to the birds on the trees, the noise the leaves make because of the breeze, the song of the flowing water near you. Just sit there and listen to the forest, the nature. The goal of this exercise is to hear everything around you as clear as possible, as you normally hear things every day in your life. When you think you've started to hear as if you were really there, you're ready for the next exercise.

Exercise 3
~Smelling
This exercise is similar to the previous one though this time, you will not only see and listen to the forest but you will be focusing on smelling too. Smell the odor of the leaves on the ground, the flowers nearby, the woods, the grass... The goal of this exercise is to smell the area around you as you would if you were in a forest. To be able to use your sense of smell as if this forest were real, right in front of you.

Exercise 4
~Touching
In this exercise, you are in the forest clearing again but this time you will stand up and start walking in the forest. Feel the steps you take, the sensation of your bare feet when touching the grass on the ground. You see flowers nearby, kneel down and touch one, run your fingers on its petals then stand up and touch a tree trunk, feel your hands touching the trunk. The goal of this exercise is to feel what you touch as you would if you did it physically.

Exercise 5
~Tasting
Back in the forest again walking around. keep walking and walking as you see the forest around you, hear the sounds of it, smelling it's odors and feeling your feet touching the ground. As you walk, you see an apple tree in the not-so-long distance. Walk to it, hug the tree and feel it's trunk as you hug it, smell the odor of it's trunk, the leaves on the ground, hear the birds on it's branches singing, the noise of its leaves moving in the breeze... There you see apples hanging on its branches, take it and spin it in your hands. Now bite it and taste it. Feel the sense of taste as strong as you can, as if you were eating an apple in real life, as if the apple were truly in your hands and you were truly eating it.

Not only is this extremely helpful it's very very peaceful.

Re: ~The Basics~
By:
Post # 4

By: drea23839

Jul 03, 2009

Your altar is a sacred place in your home

Your altar is the place where you hold rituals, and keep or display your ritual tools. It can be a coffee table, bookshelf, TV tray, computer desk, or any other flat surface. An unattractive table can be spruced up with a decorative cloth.
Depending on your space or living arrangements, you may have to keep your altar small and portable. If you are unable to have a permanent altar because of friends or family members, you can just set it up and take it down whenever you need to. Using small items can make this easier. Or you can create an altar space that can camouflage as just a group of decorative items. Use your creativity.
There will be things you keep on your altar all the time, but during the Sabbats, you can decorate with appropriate items. Your altar need not be a static display. Changing it throughout the year can reflect your own frame of mind as the seasons change.
One thing to consider when setting up an altar is the direction it faces. It is traditional to have your altar facing north, but if that is just not possible due to the size or arrangement of your living space, then you may need to place it elsewhere.
If you choose to have items to represent the 4 elements, they are usually placed at their corresponding direction:
? Fire - South (athame, candles)
? Water - West (chalice, sea shells)
? Earth - North (pentacle, bowl of salt or earth)
? Air - East (incense, wand, feathers)
Including images to represent the God and/or Goddess are also ideal, like statues or artwork. Sometimes extra candles are used to represent the Deities. Overall, the items you choose to have on your altar is up to you.
Those following an eclectic path should feel free to create an altar that represents their own spirituality. If you are a member of a specific tradition, you may find that a certain altar layout is expected.
Once your altar is in place, remember that it is a sacred place and should be treated with respect. Whether or not you let other people touch the items is up to you, but some people feel that other people will bring 'outside' energy to your tools. Keep your altar dusted and clean too.


Altar Tool Basics



What are the tools you need, and how to use them





Outfitting your altar with magickal tools is usually the first step before casting circles and doing rituals. There are so many tools and items; it can be a bit overwhelming to know which is which and what you need. First and foremost, you do not need any of these things. Magick comes from within and the tools only accentuate your own power. Tools can be purchased or made, whichever works better for you. You also don't need to get all of your tools at a specialty Wiccan store. I've gotten some wonderful items from garage sales and Goodwill.
Athame
It's pronounced a-THAW-may or ATH-amay, not A-THAME. The athame is a ritual knife or dagger, usually double-edged with a black handle. The knife represents Fire, but is never used to cut anything physical. An athame is often used to cast a circle. It's symbolic only and many suggest you dull the blade to prevent any accidents.
Chalice
Your chalice (or cup) represents Water. Altar chalices are typically a stemmed goblet style, but any cup, glass or mug will do. Your cup is used to hold the water or wine for drinking at the end of a ritual or circle.
Wand
Most people think of wands as long wooden branches with a big stone on the end. Your wand can be any material you feel drawn to (wood, metal, bone). Your wand is the tool of Air, and is used to direct energy during ritual. Wands tend to be the one tool that most Wiccans are likely to make themselves.
Pentacle
Your altar pentacle can be anything from a simple pendant, to a large table-top platen. The pentacle represents Earth, and you use it to cleanse or consecrate other items on your altar. Typical pentacles are metal, ceramic or carved from wood.
Cauldron
The cauldron represents Water, like the chalice. Most Wiccans don't actively use cauldrons but keep one for the symbolism and the sheer 'witchy-ness' of it. Cauldrons are cast iron pots, usually pot-bellied in style. If you cannot find a true cauldron, other bowls or pots may be used. Though it represents Water, many rituals also call for small fires to be burned in the cauldron. If you plan on doing this, make sure to have a cauldron that can take the heat.
Bowl of Salt
You can use a bowl of salt to represent the Earth, rather than an altar pentacle. Salt is used to cleanse other tools, crystals, jewelry or any item that may pick up negative energy. A small bowl of salt (coarse sea salt is best) is simply kept on the altar.
Other Items
Candles - Represent Fire, and some people keep a special pair of candles to represent the God and Goddess
Bells - Used to mark points during a ritual
Censer - For burning incense (Air)
Sword - Just a longer version of the athame. Not very practical for the solitary Wiccan
Boline - Curved knife for harvesting herbs, not really necessary for most people
Incense, crystals, statuary - Not really tools, but handy and attractive things that many Wiccans like to display on their altars.
You may never use all of these tools on a regular basis, but you may come across a spell or a ritual that you want to do that requires one. If you don't have a tool, you can always improvise, or keep your eyes open for your next magickal item.


Re: ~The Basics~
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Post # 5
I love this it was all very insitefull

Re: ~The Basics~
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Post # 6
Very thorough. Great resource, thank you for sharing.

Re: ~The Basics~
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Post # 7

Bump for 123.


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