A Broom of Your Own
In a perfect world, we’d make all of our magickal tools from scratch. I don’t know about you, but I don’t live in that world. There are some skills I don’t have, some resources I don’t have access to, and some things I just plain don’t have the time and energy to do.
So I do what I can, making some of my Craft items myself and buying others. In many cases, I start with a basic tool that I bought (such as a candle or an athame or a blank book) and make it my own by decorating it with runes or some form of adornment and then blessing and consecrating it on my altar or under the full moon. We all just do the best we can, and the gods understand that, I think.
In the case of magickal brooms, not everyone is going to want (or be able) to stroll through the woods and find the perfect branch to use as a handle, grow a patch of broomcorn in their yard or garden, and peel a bit of willow bark for the binding. That’s okay. It is absolutely fine to start with a premade broom and make it your own.
If you are lucky, you will be able to find a local craftsperson that makes brooms in the traditional manner or pick out a broom at a Pagan or New Age store, fair, or convention. Or, as an alternative, you can order one online at a Witchcraft shop. If possible, it is nice to get a broom that is made for magickal purposes, even if you can’t make it yourself.
On the downside, these brooms do tend to be more expensive, and you may not be able to find a place like this near you. And if you’re not out of the broom closet (so to speak) and don’t want to use an obviously “witchy” broom, you may want to buy a standard broom and simply make it as magickal as you like. As with all magickal tools, intent is the most important component, so don’t worry too much if you start with a plain old broom from the grocery store.
broom lore
put a broom outside the door on Midsummer’s Eve to ward off evil
Buying a Broom
No matter whether you start with a broom purchased at a specialty store, online, at a craft fair, or at the local hardware store, you will want to keep a couple of things in mind.
Make sure that the broom is made of natural materials. If you are buying an inexpensive broom from a non-Pagan or non-handmade source, you probably won’t be able to choose what kind of wood the handle is made out of or get anything other than broomcorn for the bristles. But do make sure it isn’t made of plastic or of clearly shoddy materials. You wouldn’t want to use a crappy broom for magickal work.
A flat premade broom that has been magickally decorated
When picking out a broom, make sure it feels good in your hands. Some of the fancy witches’ brooms sold in Pagan stores look beautiful and artsy, but they can be hard to hold onto and may bend and twist in ways that might be comfortable for some folks but not for others. If possible, pick up the broom and hold it for a minute. Does it feel right in your hands? Is there any particular energy—good or bad—in the broom already? Does it call to you? A broom with neutral energy is fine; you’re going to put your own energy into it, after all. But you don’t want one that has picked up an unpleasant vibe somewhere along the way.
If you are buying a broom to decorate, make sure that the surfaces will work with the kind of decorations you intend to use. As cool as a traditional round besom is, it might be easier to decorate a conventional flat broom. On the other hand, a round besom can look amazing when adorned with ribbons and hung with herbs.
Give some thought to how you are going to use the broom and where it will be stored. If you are hanging it above a doorway, is it the right size and shape to fit in the space? Will it go with the décor of whichever room you will be keeping it in? Think about whether you want a witchy-looking besom or a mundane-looking broom that can be left out in plain sight with no one the wiser.
And, of course, it should speak to your soul, at least a little. Even if your budget is limited, there is no reason to settle for a broom that makes you say “eh” instead of one that makes you say “ah!” If you can’t afford (or don’t have room for) a large broom, you can also make a magickal broom from a whisk-size broom, which may be considerably cheaper.
Remember that this is going to be a sacred tool. Try to find one that will suit both your practical limitations and your magickal needs.
Making Your Own
Basic Magickal Broom
At its most simplistic, a broom is not particularly hard to make if you can get the right bits and pieces, as we discussed earlier. You simply take a wooden pole, place the bristles around it, and attach them securely. Of course, as with most things, that may be easier said than done, and the end result will vary greatly depending on the materials you choose, your general crafty skill level, and the time and care you take in the process.
The besom-making process
Here are some instructions for creating a traditional witch’s besom. You’ll need the following:
- a 4-foot length of ash or oak for the handle. If you are short, you may want a shorter piece of wood; if you are tall, you might want a longer one. If you can’t find ash or oak, you can use a pine or maple dowel, or any long, reasonably straight branch. Some people prefer the natural look of wood that still has bark on it, while others would rather have a smooth, polished handle.
- thin branches of birch or a bunch of broomcorn for the bristle part (you can substitute a woody herb like mugwort, rosemary, or thyme for the bristles if you like, but make sure you have long, thick pieces to work with)
- lengths of willow, strong twine, or heavy cord
to bind everything together - scissors or snippers
- a large bucket of warm water
- a large cloth or an old sheet (to catch the mess)
Soak whatever you are using for the bristles in warm water overnight, along with the willow strips if you’re using them. This will make them pliable and easier to use.
To make the broom, lay the handle on a flat surface and place the bristles next to it, about four inches from the bottom of the stick. The bottom of the bristles should point towards the top of the handle, because you will end up flipping them over.
Tie the bristles around the broom handle using the willow or other binding material. Continue adding bristles until the broom is as full as you desire. Tie the cord or willow binding tightly, so the bristles stay put. For an extra magickal touch, tie three, six, or nine knots at the end.
Take the bristles and fold them over so they are now pointing toward the bottom of the handle (the binding will be underneath). Place another section of binding further toward the end of the broom, so it is secured in two places. Trim the ends as desired.
As you’re making the broom, don’t forget to visualize your intent for its use, and put as much of your own energy into it as possible. Let it dry for a couple of days, and then bless and consecrate it as desired.
broom lore
never carry a broom
across running water
The Power of the Broom1
The broom represents the power of the witch to traverse the spirit world…The broom draws together the power of ash, birch, and willow. The ash is the bridge tree connecting material reality with nonmaterial reality. The willow is sacred to Hecate, and as its bark strips bind the sweep to the hand of the broom, it is a reminder of what binds the witch to the Night Queen.
real witches,
real brooms:
Tess Whitehurst
for me, the point of power is always the connection between the seen and unseen, physical and spiritual, “mundane” and magical. That’s why I consider my everyday housecleaning broom to be a potent magical tool, not just for cleaning the house but for simultaneously sweeping out old energy and clearing the way for the new.
In many ways, I consider my vacuum cleaner to be like a modern version of a witch’s broomstick. In fact, one of my favorite rituals for lifting my mood and energy level, creating space for the things I want to experience, and inviting more clarity on every level is this simple ritual: vacuuming the floor. It works every time.
Sometimes I like to take a smaller-sized decorative broom and tie one or more fresh, cleansing herbs to it such as eucalyptus, rosemary, sage, thyme, mint, or parsley. Then I use it as a space-clearing tool by moving it around in the air near the room’s corners, the edges of the floor, and behind things. One of the best parts of this technique is that you can also clear the high corners and the areas where the walls meet the ceiling.
Whenever I’ve moved into a new apartment, I’ve left the old broom behind and gotten a brand-new one to bless the new space and to symbolize saying goodbye to the old energy and welcoming in the new.
Tess Whitehurst
author of Magical Housekeeping, The Good Energy Book,
The Energy of Bliss, and Magical Fashionista
1. From Raven Grimassi’s Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days (Weiser Books, 2011).