As I like to see it, there are four basic types of tools in the Craft: the essentials, the working tools, the ritual objects, and the consumables. Essentials are the things you cannot buy and without which there is no point in gathering the rest. The working tools are the various implements such as the usual athame, wand, cup and pentacle, as well as your Book of Shadows, your divination tools, and whatever stones and bits of the natural world you find useful. Ritual objects are the furniture, idols, dishes, cloths, etc. that are not intrinsically necessary for the practice of the rituals or for working magic, but that can make things more pleasant and special. The consumables are those things used in the rites and rituals that are frequently used up and need to be replaced in the course of one's workings and rites, such as candles, salt, wine, and incense.

THE ESSENTIALS

Our first tools are the will and the body. We each begin with these, and end with these sacred tools. Witchcraft requires imagination, creativity, responsibility, integrity, honor, persistence, determination, perseverance, commitment, courage, tolerance, scholarship, honesty, service, love, and trust. As the mind and memory are shaped and disciplined, so the body is likewise trained and brought into the service of our Craft through the powerful techniques of movement, breath, voice, and gesture. All else comes after the heart, hand, and head.

THE WORKING TOOLS

Each tool has a specific role or function in the work of a Witch. The athame or ritual knife is possibly the most well known tool of the Craft. A black-handled knife used in ritual, the athame can be carved with special symbols, made from special materials, or otherwise personalized and empowered by each Witch. There is a lot of nonsense written about athames, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that this is a tool generally used for focusing and directing energies. It should fit in your hand comfortably, preferably with good balance, and it should fit your tradition or chosen system.

In addition to the athame there is the traditional set of elemental tools, which may have been drawn from ceremonial magic and which correspond to three of the four suits of the tarot -- the cup, the wand and the pentacle. Some groups and paths also include a sword in this set of tools. I will not waste space on the silliness surrounding the elemental attributions of the sword and wand -- your tradition will dictate which element they belong to, otherwise just pick one that fits for you and stick with it.

The wand is used to direct, stir, and coax energy within the circle, much like a conductor's baton. I prefer a simple length of rough wood, but Wands come in an amazing diversity of shapes, styles, and materials. If it serves to do what you need it to do, then that's all that matters. The sword is sometimes a coven tool, and sometimes a tool that has ties to specific lineages or bloodlines. It cuts and cleaves through things, slicing through the tangled webs and astral clutter surrounding the sacred space. You can draw the circle with a sword and it does look impressive at outdoor events, making it a highly useful tool. If you get into some of the more Solomonic forms of ceremonial magic, the sword takes on a wide range of uses most Witches will probably never find a need for.

The cup is a receptacle for energies and a vessel of cooperation, as it is passed from celebrant to celebrant for all to partake of its nectar. The cup is also seen as the grail, the cauldron, and the womb -- generally a feminine symbol of renewal, rebirth, and the promise of reincarnation.

The pentacle is sometimes a dish, other times a disk or plate carved or painted with various symbols. You place stuff on the pentacle, and it represents the microcosm within the macrocosm. For some, the pentacle is a symbol of the wheel of the year and the passing of the seasons upon the earth. In many ways it is the anchor, the symbol-seed of potential and desire that becomes manifestation. The pentacle is the connection to the material world of shape and form that rests upon the altar as the circle is cast taking us between the worlds and beyond. You could look at the pentacle as the way of return, the map back home.

The four basic working tools not only correspond to specific elements, but also to particular seasons and sabbats. The attributions are different from tradition to tradition, but with some quiet meditation and contemplation, each tool will reveal its connections for you. In many ways they are the keys to the Witches' circle.

As far as I am concerned, it's important for a Witch to have an appropriate divinatory apparatus such as the I Ching, rune stones, a good tarot deck, dice, bones, Ogham sticks, pendulum, mirror, scrying bowl, or whatever you prefer. In order to really benefit from these techniques, you might want to keep a journal, as well, which makes another useful and practical tool. Divination is a valuable resource for anyone on the path.

The Book of Shadows is a repository of experience, whether you are a Gardnerian high priest or a solitary hedgewitch, your Book of Shadows is a repository of lore and ritual, myth and liturgy that is your indispensable guide and road map for sabbats, esbats, rites of passage, and other rituals.

The besom, or broom, is essentially a staff to which you've tied rushes, corn-straw, or heather -- or it could be a store-bought special. An integral part of the mythic Witches' repertoire, the broom has a wealth of symbolic associations connected to it, from sexual union and fertility rites to cleansing the circle of ill luck and night-flying or astral projection. Sometimes overlooked in the rush to seize upon the more exciting tools of the modern Craft, the humble broom is one of the more practical magic tools available. Ever try to sweep a circle clear with a sword?

Of all the things used by a Witch, books are quite possibly the most popular. Visit any Witches' home and you're likely to encounter hundreds of books. Witches read about all sort of stuff -- some of it very useful.

In the course of study and reading, you will encounter many more tools such as the cords, staff, stang, bell, and others. Witches tend to use those things they have found to work for them. For Example, I have found the Tattvas to be useful for helping students learn basic magical techniques. You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not to use any of the more specialized or exotic tools you come across. My only advice is to make sure that the tools you select are there for a reason and not just elegant clutter.

THE RITUAL OBJECTS

Be it a humble flat stone, two cement blocks, a slightly battered fruit crate, or a fancy little taboret you found at an antique shop, your altar is an important tool that should not be taken for granted. Here is where you set your tools, prepare yourself, and come before the gods and ancestors. The altar is a tool well worth some contemplation and consideration. Before you place anything on top of your altar, stop and think for a moment: what do you need it for? Simplicity is a virtue in successful spell craft, effective ritual, and good altar arrangement.

THE CONSUMABLES

Incense, candles, and water/wine are the most common items in this category. Unless you're working in a primal, atavistic manner, you'll most likely be using candles on the altar, salt for purification, incense, oil, and some form of cakes and wine or juice for the symbolic great rite. These are all tools as much as your wand, cup, or besom. Each item is used for a specific function and they all are integral parts of the ritual process. Of all the tools you might use in your rites, candles and incense are among the most sensual, stimulating, and rewarding -- and more often than not they are taken for granted. Consider carefully just what it is that you bring into your circle, and what role it plays in your rituals. Every tool, no matter how fancy or simple, carries power and meaning into your sacred space.

The information above was taken from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1999