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Does anyone have any direct experience with using wands in their rituals or in general in their form of magic/magick? I have one myself and have done only cursory research on best practices.
I'm not finding a lot at the moment to explain the best way their used in practice. Book recommendations are always welcome, but so are any how-to videos or, what would be great, is if people could share their direct experience using one or the other or both - positives and negatives if there are any?
To fair effect, I'd been combining a Seven Section & Double Wand into a Staff to correspond with the Middle Pillar of the Tree of Life as I mapped it at the time. In the last year with developing a new philosophy to go with a modern understanding of nature, and the following cascade of changes to metaphysics and cabalistic models, a new Staff with a wand of Twelve Sections & Double Wand is currently in the works. I might use the same style of vine strangled wood for the spiral sections.
I find a Sectioned Wand can tap wells of power through grip and orientation with the Double Wand as a brush.
The physical Wand can also be visualized in different forms, but the physical gesticulation is helpful when working in groups or psychically holding several concepts and need an autonomic through referenced posture with the Wands.
I always found wands a bit corny. But because I am corny myself, I have made some. For the Grand Grimoire I repurposed one I had made earlier and attached an big iron U at the end. That's not really how it is described in the book but it seemed a good solution for me. The prongs are (I believe) meant to represent the crescent of the moon which, just like the similar attachment on a ritual dagger, are there to repel evil spirits (think of the horned hand as popularized by Dio)
In Grand Grimoire there's a spirit linked with this “Blasting Rod” who is called Zariatnatmick. He is only mentioned in the conjurations.
“I beseech you, O great ADONAY, ELOHIM, ARIEL and YEHOVA to be favorable and to give this rod that I am cutting the strength of the rod of Jacob and the virtue of Moses and that of the mighty Joshua; and I beseech you, O great ADONAY, ELOHIM, ARIEL and YEHOVA to enclose in this rod all the power of Samson, the righteous rage of Emmanuel and the thunderbolt of ZARIATNATMICK who will avenge man's affronts on the day of Judgement.”
Playing with words I think the name could be a compound of three Hebrew words:
ZRTh = a span, the distance from the thumb to the little finger when the hand is extended
NTH = to stretch out, to extend
MQL = a rod, a staff
ZaReThNuTHMeQL then is “the rod that extends the (reach of the) hand”
I'm sure the ChatGPTers will disagree.
A span is said to be 9 inches. That is just slightly less than half of the length of the Blasting Rod. So, one span “extended” or rather doubled, is the Rod. Could this name then be (part of) the instructions rather than a name, or is it / has it become the personification / the name of the rod – the spirit attached to it?
I think it can't hurt to treat the rod as a housing for a spirit by the name of Zariatnatmik.
My rewritten consecration for the Rod included
three verses from Psalm 110, because these mention a rod and the word “luciferum” which, even though it's not really Lucifer that is intended but rather the dawn, felt appropriate. I condensed these verses into:
A dextris meis.
Virgam virtutis tuae et splendoribus sanctorum: ante luciferum, genui te.
(on my right hand, the rod of your power and the splendour of the saints: before Lucifer, I have begotten you)
I only used this Rod in Grand Grimoire callings and not outside of it because I still think wands are kinda silly.
There is a deep mystery there for folks. Now, speaking only to those who work in animist magical contexts; in making the tools, you are taking a deeply personal mythic journey, demonstrating sincerity to the daimons, and showing you are a good investment of their time and attention.
When working more grim trad it helps to enter the mindset of an 'unsophisticated' medievalist or early modern magician. They didn't have the the same concept of Levy to Crowley 'Will' and a subjective inner temple. The "Above" was just the Neoplatonic One or God (depending on which school of Catholicism they were in) and which was conceived as a separate world, and not just as a higher aspect of your mind. You went there for magical authority to call the spirits who then did the work.
I don't work other systems aside from New Thought / Chaos Magic, and have not done any in 25 years, so i have no idea how that translates into other systems these days. The older operative worldview for magic was very externalized, so helps to do a big leap of Chaos Magic paradigm shifting to enter it.
Once there, you can see the making the two wands of Grimpoirium Verum as a kind of spirit pact.
The Elder wand is a "finger" of Frimost, a heavy-hitting masculine spirit who might just be a lower manifestation of Belzebuth. Elder is hollow and mythical patterned after Mercury. It carries connotation of fire, or rather blowing on fire to heat things up. Elder grows in liminal spaces, graveyards, and boundaries between cultivated and wild lands.
If suspect if you have no Elder then bamboo might be a good substitute. In some New World Sorcery the souls of the dead are said to rest on bamboo. Worth investigating.
The Hazel wand is consecrated to Klepoth and carries connotations of the Sun, and being of sunny disposition. She's a feminine spirit. (I think, I do not work with her directly. I just call her to lend her authority.) I sometimes get these sense she is being entreating on behalf, seducing, and making sweet sweet introductions. Hazel the wand helps you navigate between worlds and discover what's concealed. Think of it as a tool for opening doors and making first contact with the spirits when you're working in the Grimorium Verum system.
Again, this animist magic . There is "soul" dimension to the work, one can discover, but is not talked about much, where more psychological modern magic can sort of laterally connect to. But it helps to see with all this corny magical kit you are sort of making in interdimensional diplomatic agency, and opening a Star Trek hailing frequency on the channels they recognize. You can skimp on some of the ritual furniture and kit, as long as you stock up the concession stand
Post automatically merged:
edit: Pardon. Rushing to get done writing to water some plants.
In the G.V, system, the hazel wand carried connotation of the Sun and Mercury. Hazel is attributed Mercury, with all the mythic importance suggested there, but is consecrated on the day of the Sun. That this etheric matrix is then 'used' by Klepoth is very interesting.
You know what, I have a vast library that spans four walls and I don’t own a single book that goes into great detail on the subject. However, due to that I have been very experimental in my personal practice with the use of wands, staffs, stangs, and besoms.
In my experience wands can be considered tools that help channel/direct energy, links to spirits, and act as keys to our sorcerous mind. When I say sorcerous mind I am referring to a mental state in which your mind is actively ready to consciously interact with spirits and magic without mundane doubts and disbelief holding it back. This mind set is honestly important for all types of magic work. In my practice I craft different types of wands for various purposes. When you use a solid wood one it is there as a focus and the tree/plant spirit, assuming you bother to connect with it, can add its spiritual powers to your working. Though, I like to use a wood slice with a bloodied sigil for the same effect since as a whole I don’t use wands to direct energy at this point in my practice.
For example, in my personal practice I use a blackthorn wand frequently. This particular blackthorn wand can be seen as a symbol of authority, a link to the ruling dryadic spirit of Black thorn, a key to the underworld, and of course a way to help direct or focus energy, though I don’t don’t usually bother with conducting with them. In my practice the ruling spirit of blackthorn is one of the most dedicated to the master of spirits and can act as a messenger for him. It is one of the most dominating ruling spirits amongst the light eaters which is why this particular spirits alliance is so fortuitous. I won’t give you a break down of everything blackthorn is good for but as a wand the spirit has the power to direct pernicious currents towards both the living and the dead, as a wand it becomes both Sword of Death and Scepter of Dominion and Mastery in current 218. To knock thrice with such a wand is a coercive summoning that few earthbound spirits dare to ignore, as it is not only the holder of the wand but the spirit of this mighty dryadic spirit attached to it that in such cases summons those called upon. Any spot encircled with the empowered wands of this spirit becomes protected and impenetrable, but it is also widely known that any unsanctioned use of the wood of this spirit brings a curse upon the head and heart of the user, similar to the Elder tree's curse in folklore.
The other type of wand I use in my practice is made from various types of horns such as goat, bull, impala, Kudu, etc… Once I acquire a horn I decide on what this particular wand will be used for. For this example I’m going to discuss a wand I made to honor the goddess Morrigan as well as work for rituals and spells channeling her powers. For this Wand I chose to use a black glossy cow horn as the base and I filled it with herbs that reflected her powers and nature, clear quartz chips, a raven heart (dead raven I found), female wolf fur (acquired from the zoo), an eel bone, a hooded crow feather, some small rubies, some small garnets, trimmings from a black horses tail, and a bunch of black thorns. Through the center of a wand like this I like to use silver wire (you can use copper also.) that I’ve coiled around a stick so it’s shaped in a way to help flow and direct energy up to the top where I will eventually attach a large crystal point. For this one I chose to use an Amethyst. Then I mix my wand stuffing and pour it in carefully. Before attaching the crystal point. After it’s crafted, cleansed, and has a dedication ceremony you have a physical portable symbol of your devotion to your chosen god/goddess/spirit.
This style of wand should be considered stronger with every ritual since you will be adding more energy to it with every use. Such a wand can be held during trance, channeling, and meditation on your deity to help you connect faster and amp up your natural abilities. You can use this wand as a symbol of your deity instead of a statue or image during a ritual, making this style of wand fetish like. The most common way to use it would be to hold it while reciting a spell and then pointing it where you want the energies directed. Some will treat an empowered wand of this nature as a holy symbol that they can hold up during a banishing or during exorcisms of unwanted spirits/influences. This style of wand has such a strong energy that even a novice can feel it and be empowered by it typically. For those new to magic having something with a strong energy that they can feel can be helpful.
Now for some wand basics. Not all wood is compatible with all energies. It is important to do research on what wood will complement the style of magic you wish to use with it. So it is wise to study tree magic correspondences or discuss it with the spirit of a tree you want to collect your wand from. In most cases trees prefer you collect their wood from fallen branches. It’s best to find these after a storm. There is no hard fast rule for how your wand needs to look but I do suggest it be designed to feel magical when you look at it. In some cases you may have access to a root wand which can be very powerful. How many wands you personally need will depend on your practice. In truth I don’t believe we need wands to do magic. Our hands and bodies are more than capable. It definitely comes down to adding some extra kick to our magic through the aid of plant/tree spirits, deities, and altering our state of mind. For me personally I like to have two main ones I use. I have one horn type one for blessings and friendly magic workings and I have one horn type one I use for curses and aggressive magic. All other wands I have I treat more like fetishes, portable symbols of a deity, or for linking me to a particular spirit. I also don’t use wands for every spell or ritual as I don’t find it to be necessary. I believe wands are most helpful as portable links to spirits as well as for people with abnormalities to their hands.
For example each finger is associated with a different planetary influence so if you wanted to use hand gestures in magic with that in mind it can enhance your practice, however, if you were injured or born without certain fingers or thumbs you may find having a wand you can hold that is aligned with the appropriate planetary energy highly useful in your personal practice. My suggestion is to try different techniques out and see what resonates with you personally. It really doesn’t matter what others do or think in this case. What truly matters is which technique helps you get the results you want and enhances your practice. After all the goal is to have a high spell success rate not look cool or be popular with other practitioners. If anyone reading this lacks the ability to hold a wand I suggest wood pendants you can wear to connect you to that particular dryadic spirit because hands aren’t required anymore than wands are.
Staffs have always had associations with wisdom, authority, and the wilderness. Most people when thinking of a wizard will think of a wise elderly man in a robe holding a staff. Is that what a wizard is, definitely not. However, it is a symbol that most people have experienced in western culture. What is a staff? It is a very large wand in my humble opinion. Just like wands they are used to channel energy, which can be amplified by the material of the staff and other items such as, but not limited to crystals or herbs. Some practitioners use a staff to focus their intent, charge it with their energy through meditation or touch, and will use it for specific magical purposes such as casting a circle, working with spirits, performative spell work, and when hiking which is honestly the most practical use for a staff listed. In some traditions staffs are symbols of authority and only carried by a high priest or priestess.
In my personal practice I have found ways for a staff to be more useful. If you have a basic understanding of traditional witchcraft you are probably aware of witches' flight and how witches were known to fly to the sabbat on besoms, pitch forks, sticks (staffs), plant stalks, various animals, etc… This is useful information that we can incorporate into daily practice. Now what I am about to describe can be applied to besoms also in case someone reading this has one that is large and for spirit flight. In my practice I suggest using a staff that is as tall as you or just a little taller. Types of woods can vary. Traditionally most staffs for this purpose were made from Ash, Oak, Elm, Tulip Poplar, Pine, and Spruce. This is because they naturally attract lightning and conduct energy. However, I have had success with other trees such as Birch, Willow, Blackthorn, Elder, Hawthorn, Rowan, Maple (is a good conductor due to starch content.), Acasia, Plum, Pear, Apple, Sycamore, Ebony (is toxic if breathed in or ingested so if you don’t have a way to safely cut of sand this one it is best to avoid it.), Alder, and devil’s walkingstick aka Aralia Spinosa (This bad boy is sharp and will need to be sanded in spots and handled with care.).
Many traditional witches believe that if the staff or stang touches the earth again after being created its magic will be lost. I don’t agree with this concept, however, if you don’t want to risk it just put a small iron nail in the bottom of it to trap the energy. To attune yourself to the staff many people will sleep with it in their bed to connect to its energy. You should also carry it around as much as possible when first attuning to it. This is to link your energies and goals. If the tree you picked for your staff is your patron tree or one you work closely with even better. I believe Robin Artisson's book The Cloven Stone Workings goes into some detail on Besoms and how to use them in the way I use a staff. I will double check that it is the correct book later for you. Regardless, many of his books can be found in the WF library and should cover staffs, wands, and besoms to some extent.
After going through the awkward trouble of bonding to your staff/besom you can use it as an item to help you attain spirit flight. Now you can’t actually fly on it but you could go into a trance and as your fetch self or astral self then use it to ride. I often ride my nightmare besom this way in spirit flight. My nightmare besom is designed so that my staff portion can separate from the blackthorn and hawthorn twig broom part. When separated my staff has a sharp stake bottom for stabbing (into the earth, uppity humans, whatever needs stabbing) and it has thorns on parts of the staff itself. When not in use it hangs on my wall as a sort of apotropaic charm and it can be used in house clearing and banishing rituals. I don’t think it is necessary to have one to achieve spirit flight, however, if enlivened correctly it can enhance rituals in witchcraft traditions. Another great one to have is one for taking on hikes specifically. For this one you want it to be strong and the bottom should be designed for catching snakes. The top should be like a stang and make a Y shape. This one is for channeling the serpent or ophidian currents in nature. It’s even better if it gets used to protect you from actual snakes, try not to kill them with it since it’s for working with their energy. When you want to meditate you would sit and have it on an angle so it’s bottom is against or in the ground and the Y portion is resting gently on or over your closed eyes. It’s intended purpose is to channel that energy or current through you and induce visions.
This is all I have time to write at the moment but I hope it helps.
Love it. A wand like a paquet congo / mojo bag. Either as a container to hold materia magica for the deity / spirit (or power thereof, depending on your personal filter). Great stuff!
To fair effect, I'd been combining a Seven Section & Double Wand into a Staff to correspond with the Middle Pillar of the Tree of Life as I mapped it at the time. In the last year with developing a new philosophy to go with a modern understanding of nature, and the following cascade of changes to metaphysics and cabalistic models, a new Staff with a wand of Twelve Sections & Double Wand is currently in the works. I might use the same style of vine strangled wood for the spiral sections.
I find a Sectioned Wand can tap wells of power through grip and orientation with the Double Wand as a brush.
The physical Wand can also be visualized in different forms, but the physical gesticulation is helpful when working in groups or psychically holding several concepts and need an autonomic through referenced posture with the Wands.
I always found wands a bit corny. But because I am corny myself, I have made some. For the Grand Grimoire I repurposed one I had made earlier and attached an big iron U at the end. That's not really how it is described in the book but it seemed a good solution for me. The prongs are (I believe) meant to represent the crescent of the moon which, just like the similar attachment on a ritual dagger, are there to repel evil spirits (think of the horned hand as popularized by Dio)
In Grand Grimoire there's a spirit linked with this “Blasting Rod” who is called Zariatnatmick. He is only mentioned in the conjurations.
“I beseech you, O great ADONAY, ELOHIM, ARIEL and YEHOVA to be favorable and to give this rod that I am cutting the strength of the rod of Jacob and the virtue of Moses and that of the mighty Joshua; and I beseech you, O great ADONAY, ELOHIM, ARIEL and YEHOVA to enclose in this rod all the power of Samson, the righteous rage of Emmanuel and the thunderbolt of ZARIATNATMICK who will avenge man's affronts on the day of Judgement.”
Playing with words I think the name could be a compound of three Hebrew words:
ZRTh = a span, the distance from the thumb to the little finger when the hand is extended
NTH = to stretch out, to extend
MQL = a rod, a staff
ZaReThNuTHMeQL then is “the rod that extends the (reach of the) hand”
I'm sure the ChatGPTers will disagree.
A span is said to be 9 inches. That is just slightly less than half of the length of the Blasting Rod. So, one span “extended” or rather doubled, is the Rod. Could this name then be (part of) the instructions rather than a name, or is it / has it become the personification / the name of the rod – the spirit attached to it?
I think it can't hurt to treat the rod as a housing for a spirit by the name of Zariatnatmik.
My rewritten consecration for the Rod included
three verses from Psalm 110, because these mention a rod and the word “luciferum” which, even though it's not really Lucifer that is intended but rather the dawn, felt appropriate. I condensed these verses into:
A dextris meis.
Virgam virtutis tuae et splendoribus sanctorum: ante luciferum, genui te.
(on my right hand, the rod of your power and the splendour of the saints: before Lucifer, I have begotten you)
I only used this Rod in Grand Grimoire callings and not outside of it because I still think wands are kinda silly.
There is a deep mystery there for folks. Now, speaking only to those who work in animist magical contexts; in making the tools, you are taking a deeply personal mythic journey, demonstrating sincerity to the daimons, and showing you are a good investment of their time and attention.
When working more grim trad it helps to enter the mindset of an 'unsophisticated' medievalist or early modern magician. They didn't have the the same concept of Levy to Crowley 'Will' and a subjective inner temple. The "Above" was just the Neoplatonic One or God (depending on which school of Catholicism they were in) and which was conceived as a separate world, and not just as a higher aspect of your mind. You went there for magical authority to call the spirits who then did the work.
I don't work other systems aside from New Thought / Chaos Magic, and have not done any in 25 years, so i have no idea how that translates into other systems these days. The older operative worldview for magic was very externalized, so helps to do a big leap of Chaos Magic paradigm shifting to enter it.
Once there, you can see the making the two wands of Grimpoirium Verum as a kind of spirit pact.
The Elder wand is a "finger" of Frimost, a heavy-hitting masculine spirit who might just be a lower manifestation of Belzebuth. Elder is hollow and mythical patterned after Mercury. It carries connotation of fire, or rather blowing on fire to heat things up. Elder grows in liminal spaces, graveyards, and boundaries between cultivated and wild lands.
If suspect if you have no Elder then bamboo might be a good substitute. In some New World Sorcery the souls of the dead are said to rest on bamboo. Worth investigating.
The Hazel wand is consecrated to Klepoth and carries connotations of the Sun, and being of sunny disposition. She's a feminine spirit. (I think, I do not work with her directly. I just call her to lend her authority.) I sometimes get these sense she is being entreating on behalf, seducing, and making sweet sweet introductions. Hazel the wand helps you navigate between worlds and discover what's concealed. Think of it as a tool for opening doors and making first contact with the spirits when you're working in the Grimorium Verum system.
Again, this animist magic . There is "soul" dimension to the work, one can discover, but is not talked about much, where more psychological modern magic can sort of laterally connect to. But it helps to see with all this corny magical kit you are sort of making in interdimensional diplomatic agency, and opening a Star Trek hailing frequency on the channels they recognize. You can skimp on some of the ritual furniture and kit, as long as you stock up the concession stand
Post automatically merged:
edit: Pardon. Rushing to get done writing to water some plants.
In the G.V, system, the hazel wand carried connotation of the Sun and Mercury. Hazel is attributed Mercury, with all the mythic importance suggested there, but is consecrated on the day of the Sun. That this etheric matrix is then 'used' by Klepoth is very interesting.
You know what, I have a vast library that spans four walls and I don’t own a single book that goes into great detail on the subject. However, due to that I have been very experimental in my personal practice with the use of wands, staffs, stangs, and besoms.
In my experience wands can be considered tools that help channel/direct energy, links to spirits, and act as keys to our sorcerous mind. When I say sorcerous mind I am referring to a mental state in which your mind is actively ready to consciously interact with spirits and magic without mundane doubts and disbelief holding it back. This mind set is honestly important for all types of magic work. In my practice I craft different types of wands for various purposes. When you use a solid wood one it is there as a focus and the tree/plant spirit, assuming you bother to connect with it, can add its spiritual powers to your working. Though, I like to use a wood slice with a bloodied sigil for the same effect since as a whole I don’t use wands to direct energy at this point in my practice.
For example, in my personal practice I use a blackthorn wand frequently. This particular blackthorn wand can be seen as a symbol of authority, a link to the ruling dryadic spirit of Black thorn, a key to the underworld, and of course a way to help direct or focus energy, though I don’t don’t usually bother with conducting with them. In my practice the ruling spirit of blackthorn is one of the most dedicated to the master of spirits and can act as a messenger for him. It is one of the most dominating ruling spirits amongst the light eaters which is why this particular spirits alliance is so fortuitous. I won’t give you a break down of everything blackthorn is good for but as a wand the spirit has the power to direct pernicious currents towards both the living and the dead, as a wand it becomes both Sword of Death and Scepter of Dominion and Mastery in current 218. To knock thrice with such a wand is a coercive summoning that few earthbound spirits dare to ignore, as it is not only the holder of the wand but the spirit of this mighty dryadic spirit attached to it that in such cases summons those called upon. Any spot encircled with the empowered wands of this spirit becomes protected and impenetrable, but it is also widely known that any unsanctioned use of the wood of this spirit brings a curse upon the head and heart of the user, similar to the Elder tree's curse in folklore.
The other type of wand I use in my practice is made from various types of horns such as goat, bull, impala, Kudu, etc… Once I acquire a horn I decide on what this particular wand will be used for. For this example I’m going to discuss a wand I made to honor the goddess Morrigan as well as work for rituals and spells channeling her powers. For this Wand I chose to use a black glossy cow horn as the base and I filled it with herbs that reflected her powers and nature, clear quartz chips, a raven heart (dead raven I found), female wolf fur (acquired from the zoo), an eel bone, a hooded crow feather, some small rubies, some small garnets, trimmings from a black horses tail, and a bunch of black thorns. Through the center of a wand like this I like to use silver wire (you can use copper also.) that I’ve coiled around a stick so it’s shaped in a way to help flow and direct energy up to the top where I will eventually attach a large crystal point. For this one I chose to use an Amethyst. Then I mix my wand stuffing and pour it in carefully. Before attaching the crystal point. After it’s crafted, cleansed, and has a dedication ceremony you have a physical portable symbol of your devotion to your chosen god/goddess/spirit.
This style of wand should be considered stronger with every ritual since you will be adding more energy to it with every use. Such a wand can be held during trance, channeling, and meditation on your deity to help you connect faster and amp up your natural abilities. You can use this wand as a symbol of your deity instead of a statue or image during a ritual, making this style of wand fetish like. The most common way to use it would be to hold it while reciting a spell and then pointing it where you want the energies directed. Some will treat an empowered wand of this nature as a holy symbol that they can hold up during a banishing or during exorcisms of unwanted spirits/influences. This style of wand has such a strong energy that even a novice can feel it and be empowered by it typically. For those new to magic having something with a strong energy that they can feel can be helpful.
Now for some wand basics. Not all wood is compatible with all energies. It is important to do research on what wood will complement the style of magic you wish to use with it. So it is wise to study tree magic correspondences or discuss it with the spirit of a tree you want to collect your wand from. In most cases trees prefer you collect their wood from fallen branches. It’s best to find these after a storm. There is no hard fast rule for how your wand needs to look but I do suggest it be designed to feel magical when you look at it. In some cases you may have access to a root wand which can be very powerful. How many wands you personally need will depend on your practice. In truth I don’t believe we need wands to do magic. Our hands and bodies are more than capable. It definitely comes down to adding some extra kick to our magic through the aid of plant/tree spirits, deities, and altering our state of mind. For me personally I like to have two main ones I use. I have one horn type one for blessings and friendly magic workings and I have one horn type one I use for curses and aggressive magic. All other wands I have I treat more like fetishes, portable symbols of a deity, or for linking me to a particular spirit. I also don’t use wands for every spell or ritual as I don’t find it to be necessary. I believe wands are most helpful as portable links to spirits as well as for people with abnormalities to their hands.
For example each finger is associated with a different planetary influence so if you wanted to use hand gestures in magic with that in mind it can enhance your practice, however, if you were injured or born without certain fingers or thumbs you may find having a wand you can hold that is aligned with the appropriate planetary energy highly useful in your personal practice. My suggestion is to try different techniques out and see what resonates with you personally. It really doesn’t matter what others do or think in this case. What truly matters is which technique helps you get the results you want and enhances your practice. After all the goal is to have a high spell success rate not look cool or be popular with other practitioners. If anyone reading this lacks the ability to hold a wand I suggest wood pendants you can wear to connect you to that particular dryadic spirit because hands aren’t required anymore than wands are.
Staffs have always had associations with wisdom, authority, and the wilderness. Most people when thinking of a wizard will think of a wise elderly man in a robe holding a staff. Is that what a wizard is, definitely not. However, it is a symbol that most people have experienced in western culture. What is a staff? It is a very large wand in my humble opinion. Just like wands they are used to channel energy, which can be amplified by the material of the staff and other items such as, but not limited to crystals or herbs. Some practitioners use a staff to focus their intent, charge it with their energy through meditation or touch, and will use it for specific magical purposes such as casting a circle, working with spirits, performative spell work, and when hiking which is honestly the most practical use for a staff listed. In some traditions staffs are symbols of authority and only carried by a high priest or priestess.
In my personal practice I have found ways for a staff to be more useful. If you have a basic understanding of traditional witchcraft you are probably aware of witches' flight and how witches were known to fly to the sabbat on besoms, pitch forks, sticks (staffs), plant stalks, various animals, etc… This is useful information that we can incorporate into daily practice. Now what I am about to describe can be applied to besoms also in case someone reading this has one that is large and for spirit flight. In my practice I suggest using a staff that is as tall as you or just a little taller. Types of woods can vary. Traditionally most staffs for this purpose were made from Ash, Oak, Elm, Tulip Poplar, Pine, and Spruce. This is because they naturally attract lightning and conduct energy. However, I have had success with other trees such as Birch, Willow, Blackthorn, Elder, Hawthorn, Rowan, Maple (is a good conductor due to starch content.), Acasia, Plum, Pear, Apple, Sycamore, Ebony (is toxic if breathed in or ingested so if you don’t have a way to safely cut of sand this one it is best to avoid it.), Alder, and devil’s walkingstick aka Aralia Spinosa (This bad boy is sharp and will need to be sanded in spots and handled with care.).
Many traditional witches believe that if the staff or stang touches the earth again after being created its magic will be lost. I don’t agree with this concept, however, if you don’t want to risk it just put a small iron nail in the bottom of it to trap the energy. To attune yourself to the staff many people will sleep with it in their bed to connect to its energy. You should also carry it around as much as possible when first attuning to it. This is to link your energies and goals. If the tree you picked for your staff is your patron tree or one you work closely with even better. I believe Robin Artisson's book The Cloven Stone Workings goes into some detail on Besoms and how to use them in the way I use a staff. I will double check that it is the correct book later for you. Regardless, many of his books can be found in the WF library and should cover staffs, wands, and besoms to some extent.
After going through the awkward trouble of bonding to your staff/besom you can use it as an item to help you attain spirit flight. Now you can’t actually fly on it but you could go into a trance and as your fetch self or astral self then use it to ride. I often ride my nightmare besom this way in spirit flight. My nightmare besom is designed so that my staff portion can separate from the blackthorn and hawthorn twig broom part. When separated my staff has a sharp stake bottom for stabbing (into the earth, uppity humans, whatever needs stabbing) and it has thorns on parts of the staff itself. When not in use it hangs on my wall as a sort of apotropaic charm and it can be used in house clearing and banishing rituals. I don’t think it is necessary to have one to achieve spirit flight, however, if enlivened correctly it can enhance rituals in witchcraft traditions. Another great one to have is one for taking on hikes specifically. For this one you want it to be strong and the bottom should be designed for catching snakes. The top should be like a stang and make a Y shape. This one is for channeling the serpent or ophidian currents in nature. It’s even better if it gets used to protect you from actual snakes, try not to kill them with it since it’s for working with their energy. When you want to meditate you would sit and have it on an angle so it’s bottom is against or in the ground and the Y portion is resting gently on or over your closed eyes. It’s intended purpose is to channel that energy or current through you and induce visions.
This is all I have time to write at the moment but I hope it helps.
You know what, I have a vast library that spans four walls and I don’t own a single book that goes into great detail on the subject. However, due to that I have been very experimental in my personal practice with the use of wands, staffs, stangs, and besoms.
In my experience wands can be considered tools that help channel/direct energy, links to spirits, and act as keys to our sorcerous mind. When I say sorcerous mind I am referring to a mental state in which your mind is actively ready to consciously interact with spirits and magic without mundane doubts and disbelief holding it back. This mind set is honestly important for all types of magic work. In my practice I craft different types of wands for various purposes. When you use a solid wood one it is there as a focus and the tree/plant spirit, assuming you bother to connect with it, can add its spiritual powers to your working. Though, I like to use a wood slice with a bloodied sigil for the same effect since as a whole I don’t use wands to direct energy at this point in my practice.
For example, in my personal practice I use a blackthorn wand frequently. This particular blackthorn wand can be seen as a symbol of authority, a link to the ruling dryadic spirit of Black thorn, a key to the underworld, and of course a way to help direct or focus energy, though I don’t don’t usually bother with conducting with them. In my practice the ruling spirit of blackthorn is one of the most dedicated to the master of spirits and can act as a messenger for him. It is one of the most dominating ruling spirits amongst the light eaters which is why this particular spirits alliance is so fortuitous. I won’t give you a break down of everything blackthorn is good for but as a wand the spirit has the power to direct pernicious currents towards both the living and the dead, as a wand it becomes both Sword of Death and Scepter of Dominion and Mastery in current 218. To knock thrice with such a wand is a coercive summoning that few earthbound spirits dare to ignore, as it is not only the holder of the wand but the spirit of this mighty dryadic spirit attached to it that in such cases summons those called upon. Any spot encircled with the empowered wands of this spirit becomes protected and impenetrable, but it is also widely known that any unsanctioned use of the wood of this spirit brings a curse upon the head and heart of the user, similar to the Elder tree's curse in folklore.
The other type of wand I use in my practice is made from various types of horns such as goat, bull, impala, Kudu, etc… Once I acquire a horn I decide on what this particular wand will be used for. For this example I’m going to discuss a wand I made to honor the goddess Morrigan as well as work for rituals and spells channeling her powers. For this Wand I chose to use a black glossy cow horn as the base and I filled it with herbs that reflected her powers and nature, clear quartz chips, a raven heart (dead raven I found), female wolf fur (acquired from the zoo), an eel bone, a hooded crow feather, some small rubies, some small garnets, trimmings from a black horses tail, and a bunch of black thorns. Through the center of a wand like this I like to use silver wire (you can use copper also.) that I’ve coiled around a stick so it’s shaped in a way to help flow and direct energy up to the top where I will eventually attach a large crystal point. For this one I chose to use an Amethyst. Then I mix my wand stuffing and pour it in carefully. Before attaching the crystal point. After it’s crafted, cleansed, and has a dedication ceremony you have a physical portable symbol of your devotion to your chosen god/goddess/spirit.
This style of wand should be considered stronger with every ritual since you will be adding more energy to it with every use. Such a wand can be held during trance, channeling, and meditation on your deity to help you connect faster and amp up your natural abilities. You can use this wand as a symbol of your deity instead of a statue or image during a ritual, making this style of wand fetish like. The most common way to use it would be to hold it while reciting a spell and then pointing it where you want the energies directed. Some will treat an empowered wand of this nature as a holy symbol that they can hold up during a banishing or during exorcisms of unwanted spirits/influences. This style of wand has such a strong energy that even a novice can feel it and be empowered by it typically. For those new to magic having something with a strong energy that they can feel can be helpful.
Now for some wand basics. Not all wood is compatible with all energies. It is important to do research on what wood will complement the style of magic you wish to use with it. So it is wise to study tree magic correspondences or discuss it with the spirit of a tree you want to collect your wand from. In most cases trees prefer you collect their wood from fallen branches. It’s best to find these after a storm. There is no hard fast rule for how your wand needs to look but I do suggest it be designed to feel magical when you look at it. In some cases you may have access to a root wand which can be very powerful. How many wands you personally need will depend on your practice. In truth I don’t believe we need wands to do magic. Our hands and bodies are more than capable. It definitely comes down to adding some extra kick to our magic through the aid of plant/tree spirits, deities, and altering our state of mind. For me personally I like to have two main ones I use. I have one horn type one for blessings and friendly magic workings and I have one horn type one I use for curses and aggressive magic. All other wands I have I treat more like fetishes, portable symbols of a deity, or for linking me to a particular spirit. I also don’t use wands for every spell or ritual as I don’t find it to be necessary. I believe wands are most helpful as portable links to spirits as well as for people with abnormalities to their hands.
For example each finger is associated with a different planetary influence so if you wanted to use hand gestures in magic with that in mind it can enhance your practice, however, if you were injured or born without certain fingers or thumbs you may find having a wand you can hold that is aligned with the appropriate planetary energy highly useful in your personal practice. My suggestion is to try different techniques out and see what resonates with you personally. It really doesn’t matter what others do or think in this case. What truly matters is which technique helps you get the results you want and enhances your practice. After all the goal is to have a high spell success rate not look cool or be popular with other practitioners. If anyone reading this lacks the ability to hold a wand I suggest wood pendants you can wear to connect you to that particular dryadic spirit because hands aren’t required anymore than wands are.
Staffs have always had associations with wisdom, authority, and the wilderness. Most people when thinking of a wizard will think of a wise elderly man in a robe holding a staff. Is that what a wizard is, definitely not. However, it is a symbol that most people have experienced in western culture. What is a staff? It is a very large wand in my humble opinion. Just like wands they are used to channel energy, which can be amplified by the material of the staff and other items such as, but not limited to crystals or herbs. Some practitioners use a staff to focus their intent, charge it with their energy through meditation or touch, and will use it for specific magical purposes such as casting a circle, working with spirits, performative spell work, and when hiking which is honestly the most practical use for a staff listed. In some traditions staffs are symbols of authority and only carried by a high priest or priestess.
In my personal practice I have found ways for a staff to be more useful. If you have a basic understanding of traditional witchcraft you are probably aware of witches' flight and how witches were known to fly to the sabbat on besoms, pitch forks, sticks (staffs), plant stalks, various animals, etc… This is useful information that we can incorporate into daily practice. Now what I am about to describe can be applied to besoms also in case someone reading this has one that is large and for spirit flight. In my practice I suggest using a staff that is as tall as you or just a little taller. Types of woods can vary. Traditionally most staffs for this purpose were made from Ash, Oak, Elm, Tulip Poplar, Pine, and Spruce. This is because they naturally attract lightning and conduct energy. However, I have had success with other trees such as Birch, Willow, Blackthorn, Elder, Hawthorn, Rowan, Maple (is a good conductor due to starch content.), Acasia, Plum, Pear, Apple, Sycamore, Ebony (is toxic if breathed in or ingested so if you don’t have a way to safely cut of sand this one it is best to avoid it.), Alder, and devil’s walkingstick aka Aralia Spinosa (This bad boy is sharp and will need to be sanded in spots and handled with care.).
Many traditional witches believe that if the staff or stang touches the earth again after being created its magic will be lost. I don’t agree with this concept, however, if you don’t want to risk it just put a small iron nail in the bottom of it to trap the energy. To attune yourself to the staff many people will sleep with it in their bed to connect to its energy. You should also carry it around as much as possible when first attuning to it. This is to link your energies and goals. If the tree you picked for your staff is your patron tree or one you work closely with even better. I believe Robin Artisson's book The Cloven Stone Workings goes into some detail on Besoms and how to use them in the way I use a staff. I will double check that it is the correct book later for you. Regardless, many of his books can be found in the WF library and should cover staffs, wands, and besoms to some extent.
After going through the awkward trouble of bonding to your staff/besom you can use it as an item to help you attain spirit flight. Now you can’t actually fly on it but you could go into a trance and as your fetch self or astral self then use it to ride. I often ride my nightmare besom this way in spirit flight. My nightmare besom is designed so that my staff portion can separate from the blackthorn and hawthorn twig broom part. When separated my staff has a sharp stake bottom for stabbing (into the earth, uppity humans, whatever needs stabbing) and it has thorns on parts of the staff itself. When not in use it hangs on my wall as a sort of apotropaic charm and it can be used in house clearing and banishing rituals. I don’t think it is necessary to have one to achieve spirit flight, however, if enlivened correctly it can enhance rituals in witchcraft traditions. Another great one to have is one for taking on hikes specifically. For this one you want it to be strong and the bottom should be designed for catching snakes. The top should be like a stang and make a Y shape. This one is for channeling the serpent or ophidian currents in nature. It’s even better if it gets used to protect you from actual snakes, try not to kill them with it since it’s for working with their energy. When you want to meditate you would sit and have it on an angle so it’s bottom is against or in the ground and the Y portion is resting gently on or over your closed eyes. It’s intended purpose is to channel that energy or current through you and induce visions.
This is all I have time to write at the moment but I hope it helps.
Hit enter by accident with the first reply. Apologies lol. Thank you for this especially the recommendation to look more into tree magic. I had several questions about the significance of the wood used in a wand or staff ritual and this (along with some of the other responses) helped to round that out. I guess my only other question, is if you don't worship any deities and you aren't attempting to work with any spirits, could the wand and staff simply be used as a conduit for your energies and intentions?
A picture I had saved from a few years ago taken at the spot where I did one of my initiation rituals in 1995.
Testing a solar grip. There isn't a picture of the other wand handy. Being cut from the same branch it's similar in appearance, except only two sections. What it's doing can be left to the imagination. While in this instance it was being used in a dramatic ceremonial sense, spirit flight with the administration of psychoactive substances via the wand would've made a great episode of Outlander.
A picture I had saved from a few years ago taken at the spot where I did one of my initiation rituals in 1995.
Testing a solar grip. There isn't a picture of the other wand handy. Being cut from the same branch it's similar in appearance, except only two sections. What it's doing can be left to the imagination. While in this instance it was being used in a dramatic ceremonial sense, spirit flight with the administration of psychoactive substances via the wand would've made a great episode of Outlander.
Verum wands are kind of workman-like, by comparison.
I won't share mine (*blush * it's too personal), - but here's a couple of Jake's elder and hazel wands , held at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, Cornwall .
