Many of the spells and rituals in this book call for optional “extras.” These are items that are used by many Witches to help boost their focus when they work, such as herbs and stones that correspond to whatever magical goals they are pursuing. Additionally, some folks like to decorate their altars with certain items associated with aspects of the Craft and/or goddess worship.
If you have been practicing for a while, you probably have all of these, or at least as many as you want. Some Witches (ahem, me) have a huge stockpile of various supplies. Others make do with one white candle and maybe a clear quartz crystal. This is purely a matter of personal choice. But in case you are thinking, “I really want a basic Witch’s toolkit, but I don’t know where to start,” here is a list of some of the most commonly used items.
If you are lucky enough to have a Pagan or New Age store where you live, you can probably just stroll in there and pick up everything you need. For those who don’t, however (or for people who perhaps aren’t comfortable being seen out shopping for witchy supplies), you can find some supplies in health food stores (dried herbs, for instance, which are often available in bulk bins for much cheaper than the tiny containers you get in the spice section of a regular grocery store, with the bonus that they’re also not likely to have been irradiated), or even in regular shops (candles, for example).
Anything you can’t find nearby is available online, of course. I get most of my supplies from a place called AzureGreen.com which is family owned and run and has some really beautiful decorative items in addition to the usual supplies.
A note about herbs: Please keep in mind that just because something is an herb doesn’t mean it is safe, either for you or for your pets. I tend to stick to herbs that can be used for culinary and medicinal purposes, and avoid anything that would be poisonous to my cats, just to be on the safe side. But many other herbs are associated with magical use, so use caution when experimenting with ones not mentioned in this book. (I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use herbs that might be poisonous, just that if you have small children or animals in the house, you will want to check on anything you aren’t familiar with and keep it locked away if it might be dangerous.)
Also, just because something is generally nontoxic doesn’t mean that no one is allergic to it. If, for instance, you are going to make a tea out of an herb you haven’t had before, you might want to try out a small amount ahead of time to be sure you’re okay, especially if you have a tendency toward allergies, like I do. I found out by accident years ago that I am allergic to yarrow, a flowering herb often used in magical work. (I picked some in a meadow because someone told me they make a good medicinal tea … and my hands promptly developed giant blisters.) No yarrow tea for me, although I could probably safely use the dried herb in a sachet, as long as I didn’t let it touch my skin. Thankfully, there are always alternatives.
In addition, if you are going to harvest herbs in the wild, avoid those growing near the edge of a road, since they may have been treated with pesticides and contaminated with pollutants from passing cars.
Athame—Witch’s knife, used for directing energy, not for cutting, symbolizes the god.
Book of Shadows—in which you collect all your magical knowledge, spells you have used, even recipes.
Broom—used to sweep the circle before a ritual to cleanse the energy. Ritual brooms should be kept for magical use and not household cleaning. The only tool that combines both the female (the bristles) and the male (the handle).
Cauldron—usually made out of cast iron, these can be any size and are used for burning things like herbs or papers, also symbolizes the goddess.
Chalice (also called a goblet or a cup)—goddess symbol (for the womb), used to hold wine, water, etc.
Garb—not actually a tool, but used like one to center the mind on magical work. Any clothing you wear specifically to perform magic. May be a robe that goes on top of your everyday clothes, or a special outfit.
Incense and incense holder, if you use them—usually used to represent the element of Air, although sometimes both Fire and Air.
Representations of the four elements—Many Witches have these on their altars, or use them during ritual, although they sometimes use candles in the quarter colors of green, yellow, red, and blue. Earth is often represented by a rock or stone, although a plant can be used as well. Air can be a feather, or incense, Fire is usually a candle, and Water can be a bowl of water or a shell.
Salt and water—used for cleansing, usually each has a separate container and then there is a small bowl to combine them in.
Statues or pictures of the goddess (and god, if you are using both in your practice)—these may be for a specific goddess, such as Bast, or simply a general goddess figure.
Wand—usually made out of wood, can be very plain or decorated with runes, dangling feathers, etc. Used to direct energy, also symbolizes the god. Unlike in the movies, they have no magical powers on their own. Too bad.
Witches use a lot of candles. Usually there is one for the goddess (and sometimes one for the god as well, especially during Sabbat rituals), one each for the four quarters that represent Earth, Air, Fire, and Water (north, east, south, and west). Then a candle for the magical work you’re doing. You will probably want some or all of the following colors. (These colors can be used in tools other than candles, for instance, when you make a charm bag, or even the underwear you put on to get you through a difficult day.)
Black—banishing, some forms of healing, getting rid of negative energy, protection, binding, loss, divination, the night
Blue—the element of Water (west), peace, healing, calm, the sky, hope, dreams
Gold—often used to represent the god, power, confidence, prosperity, the sun
Green—the element of Earth (north), prosperity, abundance, growth, fertility
Orange—courage, energy, imagination
Pink—romantic love, friendship, calm, serenity, peace, affection, contentment
Purple—psychic ability, spirituality, inspiration, intuition
Red—the element of Fire (south), energy, passion, strength, anger, desire, courage, sexual love
Silver—sometimes used to represent the goddess, the moon, inner self
White—can stand in for any other color, represents the goddess, purification, and all things positive, cleansing, protection, healing
Yellow—the element of Air (east), spring, intellect, ideas, creativity, communication, joy, the sun (sometimes used to represent the god)
There is an endless array of gemstones (and things that aren’t really stones, like amber and jet, which are resins, and pearls and mother-of-pearl, which are used like gemstones) all of which are said to have different magical associations. To complicate the issue even further, they come in different forms—tumbled stones small and large, crystals, hunks, chunks, and even beads which you can transform into wearable magic.
There are some Witches (okay, me) who go a little crazy with their stone collections, both for magical and “I just like shiny rocks” reasons. But for the purposes of basic magical work, you really don’t need to have more than a few basic stones to do most of the work. If you can’t afford or don’t want a huge assortment, there are a few stones which are good for almost everything. You can probably start with either tumbled pieces or crystals of the following, and be set for a while.
Amethyst—a beautiful purple stone, amethyst can be used for healing, love, peace, happiness, dreams, psychic ability, courage, and love.
Crystal quartz—like a white candle, clear quartz can stand in for almost any other stone. It symbolizes the goddess and the moon, and can be used for general energy, power, healing, protection, psychic abilities, and magical work.
Lapis Lazuli—usually just referred to as lapis, this blue stone is good for healing, prosperity, protection, love, joy, psychic abilities, and spirituality.
Turquoise—prized by Native Americans and rightfully so, this stone can be used for healing, protection, prosperity, happiness, emotional balance, joy, love, friendship, courage, and luck.
Note: Amethyst, lapis, and turquoise can be expensive, especially for larger stones. But you don’t need to have a giant fancy showpiece in order to do magical work. A smaller tumbled stone will do just fine.
Here are a few of my other favorite stones for doing magical work. Remember that you don’t need to go out and buy them all on day one; just do as I did and add to your collection slowly over the years. If you have the chance to wander through a store or a rock show, try picking up a number of different stones and see if one of them calls to you more than another.
Agate—available in many different variations, agate is an inexpensive stone that is often used for protection, healing, and strength.
Amber—actually a resin, amber is a powerful tool for healing, protection, and love.
Aventurine—a green stone, use it for prosperity, luck, healing, and peace.
Black onyx—onyx can be found in many different shades, this one is my favorite to use for protection, grounding, and defensive magic.
Carnelian—one of my favorite stones, this orange-red rock can be used for courage, strength, peace, sexual energy, and protection.
Garnet—dark red, used for healing, protection, purification, and strength.
Hematite—silvery black and very heavy, hematite is good for grounding, calming, healing, and divination.
Jasper—another stone that comes in various different colors, its powers are generally healing, protection, and emotional health. Red jasper in particular is a very good, inexpensive stone for protection work.
Moonstone—a milky white or lightly colored stone, it is often used as a symbol of the moon and the goddess (hence the name), also good for healing, peace, protection, love, sleep, and divination.
Rose quartz—a relative of clear crystal quartz, this light pink stone is usually used for love, peace, friendship, happiness, and healing.
Sodalite—a less expensive alternative to lapis, this blue stone is also good for healing, peace, and grounding.
Tiger’s eye—an earthy mottled brown stone, tiger’s eye can be used for protection, prosperity, energy, courage, and luck.
Herbs and Witches have been associated with each other since the dawn of time. Herbs are easy to grow, relatively inexpensive, flexible, and can be hidden in plain sight on your kitchen counter. What’s more, many of them can also be used for culinary and healing purposes. No wonder we love them.
In Witchcraft, herb is a term used to cover pretty much anything that grows. So white willow bark from a tree and apples would be considered herbs, along with actual herbs like basil and sage. Remember that herbs can be used in various different forms, including fresh plants, dried, incense, and essential oils. (Don’t use artificial oils—they don’t contain the actual herb and are therefore useless.) You can easily make your own magical oils by combining two or more essential oils from herbs with the same or complimentary properties.
While Witches have historically used some herbs, which are both powerful and occasionally dangerous, I have managed to satisfy all my magical needs with less esoteric options without a problem. Here are a few of the ones I find the most helpful.
Basil—prosperity, peace, protection, love
Calendula—(marigold) healing, calm, protection
Catnip—cat magic, love, happiness
Chamomile—calm, sleep, prosperity
Cinnamon—love, lust, prosperity, success, energy, healing, spirituality
Dill—prosperity, love, protection
Garlic—protection, healing, purification
Ginger—success, power, love, prosperity, sex, physical energy, courage
Lavender—love, peace, sleep, healing, purification, the conscious mind
Lemon—healing, purification, cleansing
Peppermint—prosperity, healing, love, energy, purification
Rose—love, peace, beauty, sex, protection
Rosemary—the conscious mind, remembrance, mental abilities, protection, love, purification
Sage—protection, cleansing, healing, wisdom, the conscious mind
Thyme—healing, love, purification, courage
Note: Some Witches believe that certain days are the most powerful for doing specific magical work. I’m not sure exactly where this belief came from, and it certainly isn’t shared by everyone. You can follow these guidelines if you wish, or simply do the work on the days when it is most convenient or seems the most necessary.