Wands

In Wicca and Ceremonial Magic, practitioners use wands for the channeling of energy. Though traditionally made of wood, they may also consist of metal or crystal.
Practitioners usually prune a branch from an Oak, Hazel, or other tree, or may even buy wood. It is often then carved, with decorations added. It is possible to purchase ready-made wands. However obtained the wand should be cleansed and made ready for ritual.
In the picture the wands shown are left to right:

High Priestess (HPS) Hazel Wand, HPS Laurel Snake Headed Wand,
In the centre is The Scourge

To the right the High Priest Willow Wands tipped with Carnelian from the seashore and embellished with Hemp.

Top: Willow wand tipped with East Anglian Fenland Bog-Oak.

Solstice

This morning at 9:02 in County Meath, Ireland the sun rose above the eastern horizon and entered the lightbox over the entrance of Newgrange Passage Tomb and gradually crawled down the main passage to a chamber.
Here fifteen lucky lottery winners stood watching the shaft of sunlight crawl across the floor and up a intricately carved vertical stone at the rear of the chamber. The entire event took about seventeen minutes and was created over 5200 years ago to mark the winter solstice. We have never been alone.
At 12.25 p.m. today the sun will appear to stand still for a few moments and then begin its annual move northward. The days will grow longer until June 21st when the sun will again appear to stand still and begin its move southward.
Today marks a new beginning of the cycle. Enjoy this day, the shortest daylight time of the year.
In our ceremony Holly will give way to Oak, whose strength will take us all onward towards Imbolg, when we shall mark the end of winter.

Full Moon - this one is special

Make sure you spend some time gazing at the full moon tonight. It is very special.
This is the highest the moon has been in the sky for two decades and it will not return to this position for another 23 years.
This means it will seem to be very large in the night sky, and the forecast for our part of England is good. It should be clear and bright.
The moon has always held an especial fascination for mankind. Many people, me included, can feel its affects, particularly at full moon.
Yesterday it was revealed that evidence of a human species living at Pakefield, near Lowestoft, about 40 miles from our coven in Suffolk, over 200,000 years ago has been found. Those people will have gazed up at the same moon, in wonder, just as we will tonight.
This esbat is special and members of the coven will meet in philosophical and spiritual mood.
Blessings be.

Yule

The next Sabbat will be YULE (Winter Solstice) on 21st December.
We will be celebrating the return of the light as can be seen for this day by the lengthening daylight hours.
This year we will concentrate on the Wheel of the Year as represented by various trees, using the Holly and the Oak as the two Kings of the Year. Their bi-annual meeting at the Solstices symbolises the waxing and waning of the Sun's power and will be presided over at Yule by the Goddess in her guise of Queen of Mid Winter.
Coven members can look forward to magical happenings at this wonderfully festive time.

Cauldron

A cauldron or caldron (from Latin caldarium, hot bath) is a large metal-made pot (kettle) for cooking and/or boiling over an open fire, usually attached to a hanger with the shape of an arc.

In legend, a cauldron is purported to be where leprechauns keep their treasure.

In Wicca a cauldron is often placed at the centre of a sacred circle, and used to contain items that will be set alight during a ritual.

Traditionally, or in myth, a cauldron was also used by witches to prepare their potions, most notably the weird sisters in the play Macbeth.

As a cooking vessel it is now rarely used. The myth of the Holy Grail probably refers to a cauldron or similar vessel.

Athame

Athame or athamé is a ceremonial knife. In some traditions, the athame is a knife with a double edged blade and short (often black) handle; other traditions require that the blade be dull, curved, wavy, or a variety of other specifications.

The athame is usually used for ritual and magical purposes only, to direct energy; if something such as herbs or cord needs to be cut, another knife called a boline or white-handled knife is used.

Many traditions associate the athame with the masculine principle and with the element of air, though traditions associating it with fire are not uncommon.

As a masculine principle, it is often used in combination with the Graal, as feminine principle, and evokes clearly the act of procreation, as symbol of universal creativity. This moment is the central symbol of the Great Rite in Wicca rituals.

Other traditions forbid the ritual use of blades in general, or specifically of iron blades. This is most common amongst traditions that have a particular fondness of the Sidhe, to whom iron is supposedly harmful.

There are cleansing ritualsfor a newly acquired Athame, be it new, or acquired from another person.

There is no proven etymology for this word as it does not appear in any European Language. In the book Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft, Prof. Ronald Hutton looks into the possible sources that Gerald Gardner may have used to obtain the word 'athame', but he does not pinpoint any clear single source. Some sources, however, (including Robert Graves) suggest that it is derived from Arabic Al Thame (or Adh-dhame), The Arrow.

Tools

The High Priest's Athame is used in many rituals.

As is the cauldron, which is usually placed at the centre of the sacred circle.
For more pictures of items used in wiccan rituals at the coven go to our web site