Do I have to add a small crystle to the end of my wand? I heard you can and my friend did it but I dont have any on hand to use. Is it a must have or is it just optional?
Re: What is necessary By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 3 Apr 08, 2016
Even a wand is not a "must".
Here is a list of my tools:-
A knife for cutting herbs.
A pestle and mortar (Granite).
An Incense Burner.
Two brass candle sticks.
When I need to mix anything I use an ordinary household basin or bowl.
I do have a lot of jars,bottles, and boxes!
I only set an altar at the Sabbats, when, in addition to the above, I have a chalice for wine; and two small ceramic bowls, one for water,one for salt.
You don't really need anything else for witchcraft! Although you may like to have other tools for religious purposes, such as Wicca.
Adding a crystal is optional. I suggest you read up on crystals. Different ones offer different properties. Do what feels right to you! If you want a want that looks a little fancier, then go for it. In general I've found that if it feels right to me, then it works very well.
Definitely optional :) However, you get better 'zapping power' when you add a crystal. I've heard of 'heavy zappers' being used which are made out of a copper tube and filled with crushed crystals or crystal pieces and capped. I have one wand and it's a wooden branch with a piece of wire wrapped around the tip.
it depends on your path what's more important than others in the beginning, but you don't need anything. it's a good idea to have certain items, but not essential. [and you don't need a crystal attached to your wand if you don't want it] i already had an incense burner when i started practising, so the first item i got technically was my book of shadows [which was just a blank notebook i had lying around] next was my athame, and everything else i've slowly acquired or repurposed over the years.
Unless you belong to a specific tradition or wish to emulate such a tradition, there are no rules to your practice. If it is for personal use and is not used within your system, it should be personal to you. In my opinion tools should reflect a practitioner's personality and so if you don't want a crystal, don't have one. If you do, simply add it when and if you get time and acquire one.
A wand is not necessary at all. I have made several, I was born with fingers before I gained the knowledge to cut a branch!
My altar has two candles, a charcoal disc burner, a incense stick holder, and my ritual dagger. I have found that witches of old simply used what was on hand, you don't need fancy, special tools, if it works, it works. Fancy tools are to please the ego with extravagance, or for ritual work whereby you attune the mind to certain forces which are concordat with the programmed nature of the tool being used.
