The Wand

 

The wand is one of the prime magical tools.  It has been utilized for thousands of years in magical and religious rites.  It is an instrument of invocation.  The Goddess and the God may be called to watch the ritual with words and an uplifted wand.  It is also sometimes used to direct energy, to draw magical symbols or a circle on the ground, to point toward danger while perfectly balanced on the Witch's palm or arm, or even to stir brew in a cauldron.  The wand represents the element of Air to some Wiccans, and is sacred to the Gods.

There are traditional woods used for the wand, including willow, elder, oak, apple, peach, hazel, cherry and so on.  Some Wiccans cut it the length from the crook of the elbow to the tip of the forefinger, but this isn't necessary.  Any fairly straight piece of wood can be used; even dowels purchased from hardware stores work well, and can be made into beautifully carved and painted wands.

New Age consciousness (and merchandising) has brought the wand into renewed prominence.  Delightful, beautiful creations fashioned of silver and quartz crystals are now available in a wide range of sizes and prices.  These certainly can be used within Wiccan ritual, though wooden wands have a longer history.

Don't worry about finding the ideal wand at first; one will come to you.  I used a length of licorice root as a wand for a while and had good results with it.  Any stick you use will be infused with energy and power.  Find one that feels comfortable and it'll do just fine.

Below are easy instructions on making your own wand....enjoy!

An Easy Way To Make Your Own Wand

Materials:

***Stick from a tree*: This should be approx. 8"-12" long, or whatever feels most comfortable to you.

***Glue: Tacky, Super, or Epoxy (Read bottle for best application.)

***Decorations: such as crystal points, stones, ribbon, paint to draw runes or symbols.

 

(This is your wand, so decorate it however you feel fit.)

Here is  a suggestion:

Find a stick in the woods that you feel comfortable with, (believe me, you might go through a lot of them before you find one you like.)

Saw off each end, then drill a hole into the tip of it and attach a crystal point to it using epoxy glue.

Wrapped the body of the stick in thin leather and stitch it together using fake sinew.

Paint small symbols and runes on it, and attach a crystal sphere to the end of it.

*Wood you can choose from for your wand:

  • Balsa: Psychic awareness
  • Cedar: Healing, purification, protection
  • Cherry: Love
  • Ebony: Protection, magickal energy
  • Elder: Spirituality, protection
  • Eucalyptus: Healing
  • Maple: Love, money
  • Oak: Strength, health
  • Pine: Money, healing, exorcism
  • Walnut: Health
  • Willow: Psychic awareness, blessings of the Moon

Taken from, "Wicca A Guide For the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham