Athame
An athame is a ceremonial knife used in witchcraft spells and rituals. Knives and swords have long been powerful symbols, not just utilitarian tools. Throughout history, they have represented conquering enemies in battle and were seen as imbued with magical properties. Many cultures would bless weapons before combat and adorn them with precious jewels and gemstones.
Knives and swords are symbolic of masculine energy, aggression, and nature's active, dynamic force. In some pagan rituals, a knife is plunged into a cauldron to unite the masculine and feminine energies in order to create new life. Altars often prominently display a ritual knife in order to direct energy and focus intent.
Knives also represent endings, as gods and deities would use blades to sever life cords and end lives. Blades are a symbol of ending situations, defeating enemies, and instilling fear. Some pagans and witches use knives for controlled bloodletting rituals. Many weapons, especially blades, are powerful symbols across cultures worldwide.
However, it is important to remember that athames and other ritual knives are purely symbolic and should never be used to endanger anyone. They represent and channel energy but are not intended to cause harm. While they have a long history of symbolism in many belief systems and spiritual practices, safety should always come first.
The athame shown here are from Fenris Customs.
Besom
The besom, also commonly known as a broom, is a tool particularly linked to witchcraft and Wiccan practices. It is frequently constructed specifically for an individual practitioner, crafted from twigs harvested from a tree that holds symbolic meaning for them. As with most ritual implements, a besom is typically set aside solely for magical workings - in this case, acts of purification and cleansing - and serves a spiritual and symbolic purpose as much as a physical one.
An essential component of a witch's arsenal of tools, the besom is imbued with sacred significance. It is not merely another name for an ordinary broom, but rather an instrument with mystical attributes and associations. For many witches and Wiccans, a besom is one of their most personal and cherished possessions, as it represents their craft and spiritual path. When sweeping with a besom, one sweeps not only on the physical plane but also on the spiritual and energetic levels, clearing away negative energies and creating sacred space.
The besom is a multifaceted magical tool with a rich history and tradition. More than just a broom for tidying, it serves as a powerful ally and conduit for a witch's will and intent. Far from being an ordinary household broom, the besom possesses a magic all its own.
The besoms shown here are from Lylliths' Emporium.
Candles
Candles are such an essential component of the practitioner's work that they have developed into an entire branch of magic in their own right. As representations of the element of fire as well as illumination, candles can serve a pivotal role in any ritual or magical working.
The colours of the candles utilized can be tremendously significant and symbolic. Red candles often symbolize passion, desire, and love. White candles represent purity, peace, and cleansing. Blue candles relate to wisdom, intuition, and tranquillity. Green candles connect to growth, abundance, and prosperity.
By carefully selecting the colour of candles for a ritual, the practitioner taps into the energies and associations of those colours to strengthen the intention and purpose of the magical working. The number of candles burning, their placement, and the way they are positioned in relation to one another also carry meaning and help the practitioner to shape the flow of energy during the ritual.
Candle magic is a broad and complex practice. There are many spells and rituals that can be performed using candles alone. Candles can also be incorporated into workings from other magical traditions and paths. Given their importance and versatility, it is no wonder that the use of candles has become such an expansive field of study and practice within the magical arts.
The candle shown here is from Aphreya.
Cauldron
The cauldron of old was typically envisioned as a sizable cast-iron pot. While cauldrons today can be crafted from nearly any material and are frequently of a dimensions that permits them to be positioned on an altar, they were traditionally heavy, iron kettles. Used as receptacles for herbs and other enchanted objects, the cauldron is metaphorically connected with the womb and its life-giving powers.
Ancient cauldrons were multipurpose vessels, serving as cooking pots, religious symbols, and tools of magic and witchcraft. Their rounded bellies and sturdy handles allowed them to be suspended over open fires, containing the furious flames and bubbling contents within. The iron-wrought cauldrons of yore were said to produce the best-tasting and most healthful food and drink when used for cooking and brewing. They were also rumored to impart magical qualities to the victuals and potions prepared in them.
Beyond the culinary realm, cauldrons had important ritualistic and supernatural significance. They were a focal point of hearth magic and were thought to be a source of inspiration and prophecy. Venerated priestesses and sorceresses would gaze into the depths of the cauldron to gain insight and wisdom. The cauldron also represented a symbolic womb of creation and was featured prominently in certain pagan ceremonies and fertility rites. Its shape was suggestive of the feminine, with the rounded base being an emblem of the womb and the open mouth being symbolic of the vagina.
Chalice
A ceremonial cup, the chalice holds a position of great importance and significance in many rituals and religious ceremonies. Often fashioned from precious metals such as gold or silver and encrusted with gemstones and semi-precious stones of esoteric meaning, the chalice represents a symbolic vessel for containing sacred and consecrated liquids.
These elaborate drinking vessels are frequently decorated with intricate designs, patterns, and engravings holding occult or mystical significance. The chalice itself is a sacred object which is revered for its symbolic role in certain rites and its representation of profound spiritual and philosophical concepts. Crafted by skilled artisans, a chalice may be etched with alchemical symbols, zodiac signs, or other ancient emblems to amplify its mysterious and arcane qualities.
Valued for its precious materials as well as its esoteric symbolism, the chalice serves as a conduit for divine energy and a container for sacramental wines or other potent potables utilized in secret rituals. Whether simple or ornate in design, the chalice holds mystical meaning as a sacred object of spiritual transcendence and magical power.
The chalices shown here are from Carry On RETRO.
Crystals
There is a wide array of crystals to work with for various spiritual and healing practices. Some crystals are attuned to amplifying psychic abilities while others are better suited for emotional healing or balancing the chakras. The colours, shapes and patterns of different crystals also carry their own symbolism and meaning which can resonate with your intentions.
When selecting crystals to adorn your altar, it is important to choose ones that you feel drawn to and that support your desired purpose. You may be called to a particular crystal due to its colour, shape or by sensing its subtle energy vibrations. Allow your intuition to guide you to the crystals that are right for you. Arrange the crystals on your altar in a way that is visually appealing and symbolic while also providing the energetic qualities that you want to cultivate in your sacred space. The crystals will imbue your altar with their powerful earth energy and help you achieve resonance with the qualities they represent.
Divination Tools
Scrying, or the practice of divination through gazing, is the attempt to gain insight into future or distant events by gazing at certain objects and entering an altered state of consciousness. Common scrying tools used for this purpose include crystals, mirrors, colored water, runes, and other reflective or translucent surfaces.
The black mirror shown here is from Blue Raven Bazaar.
Mortar & Pestle
A mortar and pestle are essential tools used for crushing, grinding, and combining herbs, spices, and other ingredients by kitchen witches and practitioners of magic alike. These implements, which consist of a bowl-shaped container (the mortar) and a heavy pounding device (the pestle), have been used for centuries to prepare ingredients for medicinal remedies, rituals, potions, and of course, cuisine.
While modern technology has given rise to electric spice grinders and blenders, many cooks and witches remain loyal to the mortar and pestle. The physical act of grinding the ingredients imparts the maker's energy and intent into the food or spell. The mortar and pestle is also valued for its versatility - it can crush soft herbs and spices as easily as it can grind tough roots and nuts. For some, the sound and aroma of the grinding process is soothing and calming for the mind and soul.
Offering Bowl
If you participate in making offerings to ancestors, spirits, deities, or others as part of your spiritual or religious practices, having a dedicated offering bowl specifically reserved for this purpose can be very useful. A special offering bowl placed on your altar or shrine provides a sacred vessel within which to place various offerings such as food, drink, flowers, incense, or other ritual items.
Using an offering bowl helps to keep your offerings contained, organised, and separated from your everyday items. It also helps create a sense of reverence and respect for the offerings you are making to honour your spiritual connections. Many people find that using a bowl specifically designated for ritual offerings helps put them in the proper mindset and enhances their spiritual experiences.
The offering bowl you choose does not need to be fancy, but should be made of a material suitable for holding food and liquids, such as ceramic, glass, or stainless steel. You may also wish to choose a bowl in a colour, shape, or style that has personal spiritual significance to you. With regular use, an offering bowl becomes sacred in itself as a container for your devotional practices.
Pentacle
The pentacle, often referred to as a pentagram disk or sacred dish, is a shallow ceremonial plate or bowl which is typically engraved or inscribed with a pentagram, a five-pointed star within a circle. Pentacles are frequently used in esoteric and mystical practices as a symbolic 'power point' for consecrating, charging, or empowering other ritual objects and tools.
For example, a pentacle may be used to consecrate a chalice of wine or water prior to its use in a ritual. The pentacle helps to infuse the liquid with the symbolic energies and attributes represented by the pentagram. Pentacles are also commonly used to consecrate amulets, talismans, crystals, and other items prior to their use or before gifting them to others.
The pentacle is believed to provide a sacred space for containing and directing energy toward a specific intention or purpose. The pentagram symbol within the pentacle is thought to offer spiritual and magical protection while attracting beneficial energies and influences. As such, pentacles are important and versatile instruments in many modern Pagan, Wiccan, and occult practices. They can be used on altars for a variety of ritual purposes and are often considered sacred, consecrated tools in their own right.
Scissors
Scissors are a powerful symbol in magic and witchcraft, representing the cutting of ties and the severing of connections. Spells that employ scissors, or the symbolic cutting of cords, are often used for banishing - removing unwanted influences from one's life.
The cutting of ties can signify releasing oneself from a painful past or from negative relationships that are holding one back. Scissors can also be used magically to cut the energetic cords between two people, causing distance and conflict in what was once a close relationship.
Witches will often perform cord-cutting spells using two candles to represent the people or entities involved, with a cord physically connecting the candles. The witch then cuts the cord while visualizing the separation of the two parties. Some spells call for the burning of the cord after cutting it, to finalize the energetic rift.
Scissor magic can be a potent way to gain control over one's life by cutting out what is unhealthy and unneeded. By severing ties to past pain, toxic relationships, and unwanted influences, one can move forward in a lighter and freer state of being. Scissors represent self-empowerment through refusal - the refusal to remain tethered to that which no longer serves.
The scissors shown here are from The Leathermans Wife.
Statues
A statue depicting a deity will likely serve as the centrepiece of your altar. A statue is not merely an artistic representation but rather a sacred vessel for divine energy and a conduit for communion with the spiritual world. The statue acts as a representation of the deity and their energies. Carefully chosen based on your spiritual path or deity of worship, an altar statue symbolizes divine presence and facilitates an energetic connection between the physical and spiritual realms.
Statues constructed from natural, sacred materials such as wood, stone, or ceramic are thought to embody the deity or archetype they depict to an even greater degree.
Through ritual, meditation, prayer and other devotional acts directed at a statue, we seek to honour the deity depicted therein. The statue becomes a focal point for devotional energy and ritual. By forging a connection with the statue, one forges a connection with the divine archetype it represents. In this way, altar statues serve as sacred tools to help us transcend the physical world and commune with spiritual forces.
The Hekate statue shown here is from Bramble & Bone.
Wand
The wand, a powerful magical tool, should be no longer than the length of one's forearm and is frequently constructed from wood that holds sacred or mystical significance. Given that a wand acts as a conduit for a witch or wizard's magical energies and spells, it is an extremely personal object that ought to be selected with the utmost care and precision attuned to match its owner's unique magical essence.
When choosing a wand, one must consider the type of wood from which it is made, as different woods possess distinct magical properties that will complement certain types of magic and personal dispositions. Popular wand woods include holly, oak, willow, and yew, though any wood that calls out to a practitioner may be used. The wand's length, shape, and any adornments must also resonate with its owner's power and practice.
A wand that is not properly matched to its practitioner will fail to focus and channel magical ability to its full potential. However, a wand that is carefully handcrafted or chosen and attuned specifically for an individual's use will become a conduit for magic that flows freely and powerfully through it, serving as a steadfast companion in spellwork and witchery for many years to come. Overall, a wand should be highly personalised - its energy and magic inextricably linked with that of its owner.
The wands shown here are from Mage Apothecary.