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    Tools of the trade

    From wands to candles to stones, what tools and items do you use the most in your path, magical or otherwise?

    For me, candles are at the top of the list. I use candles for pretty much every single aspect of my path. I also have a knife that I use (not an athame--just a knife) that I use if I ever need to cut anything. I use various stones, herbs, and water for spells and charms, but the knife and candles are the big ones for me.
    Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

    Honorary Nord.

    Habbalah Vlogs

    #2
    Re: Tools of the trade

    Hmm.. I'm glad you asked because I hadn't really thought about it for a while. My spiritual work is mainly inner work these days but I still use some items. Like you, I like to use candles. I use joss too, and I have a big deep wok on my oven that I've come to view as a magical tool over the last few months, as my inner kitchen witch is starting to come out.

    I still have my old ritual tools, and I'm not opposed to the idea of using them again, but I don't feel the connection I once had with them. It's almost like the tools were like stabilisers on a bike. I feel I out grew the need for them. Although I'm not suggesting that ritual tools are only for beginners. I don't believe that at all. It's just the role they appear to have taken in my own personal journey. Purely subjective.
    夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

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      #3
      Re: Tools of the trade

      Pen and pad - for writing, drawing, and sigilizing. I have a thing for rosaries and have a small collection from your basic Franciscan 7 Decade Marion Rosary, Buddhist rosaries, and Satanic and Luciferian Rosaries I made myself. I used to practice a lot of incantations and Hindu mantras, but mainly I practice qigong, bagua, and some very basic banishings and on the fly sigil magic, so a pen and pad is really all I need. I am very fond of the Athame, though, and have a joy for carving wands for fun.

      If I had the space and privacy where I could do proper calls - and by 'proper' I mean able to project my voice - I would most likely have a complete altar. Someday I would like my own private temple just so I can evoke more of my deific masks and feel the rush of ritual.

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        #4
        Re: Tools of the trade

        Originally posted by THANK... View Post
        Pen and pad - for writing, drawing, and sigilizing.
        Pen and paper! I should have added that as well. Especially when I'm doing something new, I want to record the experience and/or the spell recipe.
        Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

        Honorary Nord.

        Habbalah Vlogs

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          #5
          Re: Tools of the trade

          I have way more magical diaries and drawing books than I need, but each one, at least each magical diary, is dedicated to specific aspects of my magical and spiritual crafts. My drawing pads are just different sizes, mainly so I can have a traveling doodle pad and an at home doodle pad (which there are at least three at home).

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            #6
            Re: Tools of the trade

            Honestly...anything...anything can be a tool. And nothing, because I don't really need any of it, I just like it---fulfills my inner magpie.

            I use a lot of jars, bowls, muslin bags, yarn, ribbon, string, shells, stones, sticks, vines, herbs, trees (live trees), dirt, coins....found fishing lures and Tillandsia sp. (mostly spanish moss, but also air plants) are starting to be a more utilized item. Like everyone else, candles.
            Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
            sigpic

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              #7
              Re: Tools of the trade

              Mostly pen and paper (or keyboard + a text editing software) for me too. If writing cheesy pseudo-spiritual poems and stuff like that counts. And for me it does.
              I do have a couple of rosaries and a singing bowl but they are more like curiosities. It would be nice to use them somehow but I've yet to find the right way. I have a habit of getting news things that I end up never using so I'd rather keep my inner life rather simple and tool-free. That itself is an act almost spiritual!
              baah.

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                #8
                Re: Tools of the trade

                Thought, will, random dose of faith...
                life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


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                  #9
                  Re: Tools of the trade

                  I use centering and grounding more than anything else but meditation follows closely behind. For work in sacred space I use water (from different places around the globe), Salt that is specific to the magik, altar stones, daggers, wands, candles, chalices, sigils, and magikal names. I use my mind and hands, movement and the lack of movement, and my voice. I record everything, well - almost everything, in my books of growth.
                  The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
                  I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

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                    #10
                    Re: Tools of the trade

                    Hm... rune stones are the only thing I use on a regular basis. But candles, mortar, herbs, a few crystals. But mostly just my mind to be honest.
                    You remind me of the babe
                    What babe?
                    The babe with the power
                    What power?
                    The Power of voodoo
                    Who do?
                    You do!
                    Do what?
                    Remind me of the babe!

                    Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

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                      #11
                      Re: Tools of the trade

                      Imagination. Everything else is gravy.
                      Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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                        #12
                        Re: Tools of the trade

                        From wands to candles to stones, what tools and items do you use the most in your path, magical or otherwise?
                        Herbs, runes and my athame. I use herbs in potions, lotions, teas, spells, jars, everything. I use runes in spell work more than my own actual runes. I cut with my athame so I use it for any magic cutting I do.

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                          #13
                          Re: Tools of the trade

                          Originally posted by habbalah View Post
                          From wands to candles to stones, what tools and items do you use the most in your path, magical or otherwise?
                          Candles are used pretty widely by me. I use them to represent the presence of the gods, especially Hestia. When I'm not burning incense as an offering, I use candles to kick-start flames for burning offerings to the gods. And generally for mood lighting in rituals. I have rarely done candle-magic, but it interests me.
                          Next to that is probably a censer and an incense stick paddle-thingy. I burn incense quite frequently as my offering to the gods in regular, everyday rituals.

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                            #14
                            Re: Tools of the trade

                            I do manage to get through a lot of candles, simmering crystals, vapourising oils, joss sticks, and scented cones... my favourites tend to be sandalwood, frankincense, or witches brew.
                            I am also using my decanter and chalice quite often, for wine or cider libations.
                            I also use my scrying stuff quite often, a dark bowl, a crystal ball, tarot cards, pendulums, runes etc., and candle flame.
                            My pestles and mortars get put to good use, to make herb and spice blends, sometimes for adding to oils and vinegars.
                            And I get through plenty of art and craft type materials, ribbons, strings, gauze, muslin, net, silk flowers, cloth, twine, cottons, glitter, beads, sequins, charms, for making popits and spirit dolls.
                            Plus gifts from nature, twigs, pebbles, feathers, shells, bits of driftwood, sea glass, seeds, dried flowers, grasses and so on.
                            And recycled bottles, tins and jars... for storage, and for making spells in.

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                              #15
                              Re: Tools of the trade

                              Objects representing elements/concepts:

                              Athame for fire / destruction / heat
                              Chalice for water / containment / adaptability
                              Mortar & pestle for earth / creation / stability
                              Gong for air / freedom / cold

                              Black dagger for void / black / nothingness
                              White candles for light / white / completeness

                              And a candlestick with a black candle on it (which respectively represent body and soul.

                              I use incensce only for the pleasant odor but its nothing really magical.

                              Check out my blog! The Daily Satanist

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