The athame (pronounced "ath-uh-may") is the witch's ritual knife. No, it's not used for blood sacrifices. That's anti-witch propoganda. It's primary use is to direct power to wherever you are sending it. I don't use mine much (and i never have gotten around to really purchasing one...) except to carve symbols into candles and things like that.

The cauldron is probably the most famous symbol of the witch. Many a tale has been spun of the witch brewing a potion in her cauldron, using exotic ingredients such as wing of bat and eye of newt. Personally, I've never used either *smile* but i do use mine for mixing things. I haven't cooked with it, yet. Mine's sort of small, actually. (Yes, the picture is my cauldron.) To be honest, I mostly use it for fire safety. I often place a candle in it to allow it to burn safely.

Candles are a very popular way of sending energy for a purpose (in other words, casting a spell.) The different colors of candles have different kinds of energy, and we often use the color to send the energy we want. For example, pink has love energy -- not just any love energy, but emotional love or friendship. Passion is another color entirely. *grin* As the candle is consumed, the energy the witch put into it is released. It's a very visible, tangible way of casting.

What would a witch be without her broom? I could make a joke and say "grounded" but I'll save the off-beat humor. Almost every witch I know has a broom, and uses it. No, we don't fly on them. We use them to sweep negative energy out of our homes. There are other ways to "cleanse" the energy in your home, but a broom (or besom, as it is known in "witchy" circles) is a good one!

The chalice is a very feminine symbol, just as the athame is a very male one. It's ritual uses can be many and varied. The few times i have used one it has either been to hold water, if for some reason i wanted water on the altar, although i usually use seashells to represent that element, or to hold ritual wine to be tasted as part of my ceremony.

This is the best picture I could get of my magic wand. I use it in nearly every ritual I perform. It is used to create (cast) the circle within whose space i do my work. I can (and do) cast circles without it but i enjoy using it. I think there is a little bit of the little-girl-fascination about fairy princesses and magic wands in each of us.

Yes, i read Tarot. Many witches don't but many do. They are merely a tool to help us focus our energy while we are gathering clues about our world and our lives (or the lives of others.) These are my own much-used, much-loved cards.

This is a picture of my crystal ball. It is made of amethyst, a stone I feel a very good relationship with. I admit, I don't use my crystal ball very often. I am still learning it's ways.

Herbs I use! Each plant (and sometimes different parts of plants) has a different energy. Most people know that chamomile is calming and jasmine is an aphrodisiac. I have studied herbs quite a bit, and use them for many, many things, including pest control around my home. I also burn dried herbs as incense in my rituals, rather than commercial incense. I enjoy combining my own herbs, and I don't have the allergic reactions I sometimes do to the commercial stuff.

This is my incense burner. I just put a block of charcoal in the bottom, light it, and sprinkle herbs on it throughout the ritual.

Salt is spiritually cleansing. I use it in the bath, when preparing for a ritual. I use salt water to remove any residual energy from an item when I bring it into my home. I also sprinkle salt water to purify the energy in my home, as an alternative to sweeping the energy clean. I always use sea salt, rather than another type, but there is no real need to. I just find it fitting for a Priestess of Aphrodite.

Like herbs and colors, each gemstone has its' own properties. I use them a lot! I carry an Apache Tear for luck, or a Tiger's Eye for courage. There are many, many stones and many. many uses. I place appropriate stones on my altar, to add their energies to my work.

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