Tools
Read my sister's post here.
Altars: Altars are flat surfaces, at a comfortable height, on which objects are placed within and outside of rituals. There are different types of altars: ones that are set up and used only in ritual called "temporary altars" and "permanent altars," which are left up, usually for devotional purposes. Altars help focus attention toward magical workings. Altars are very personal and vary from person to person. Almost universally, however, altars have altar cloths. These are cloths that not only protect the hard surface the altar is built upon, but also helps to unify and compliment the altar.
Candles: Candles are the embodiment of the fire element. They can be used as an offering, a light source, an invocation, or the focal point of a spell or ritual.
Crystals: An earth element tool. Crystals are used for many purposes including offerings, protection, healing, or as focal points of a spell or ritual.
Drums: Drums are used to invoke spirits, and to cast out negative energies. Drums are dual in that they can be used to bring in things you want, like good energies or spirits, and can be used to cast out negative energies in places and people. Rhythmic drumming can also be used to get yourself into "ritual space," or even into a trance.
Essential Oils: Pressed oil from plants and trees. Oils are used to anoint people, places, tools, and other things. Each oil has various correspondences, and can be used individually or as a blend.
Caution MUST be used though! Some oils are not safe, and you need to make sure that you are buying the pure oil (a great place is New Directions Aromatics), and that you know the safety guidelines for which oil you are using.
Incense: The air element. Incense, usually in stick form, helps to set the mood, cleanse a person, place or tool, and give some mental direction and focus. Smell is a strong sense, and using incense can help one keep that "ritual space" going for the length they desire.
Ritual Book: A Book of Shadows, a Grimoire, a Codex, or whatever name you have, is the book that contains spells, rituals, correspondence lists, and other thoughts regarding one's path. These are kept in a lot of different ways. Some are all handwritten. Some are typed and printed out. Some are all digital. Some are shared with others. Some are only for the Coven or individual who wrote the book.
Mine is digital.
Ritual Garb: Special clothing for spiritual use. Some may use a robe, or some may go naked or "skyclad." The changing of clothing is seen as a preparatory stage for ritual. Some garb is simple, such as robe. Some is complex, such as long, beaded capes. I personally include a set of dancing wings (called Isis Wings in the bellydance community) as my main ritual garb, as my two Patron deities are winged.
Sage and smudging supplies: Sage and smudging is a vital part of my process. Sage is used to cleanse and purify an area, people, and tools when doing a ritual. Some rituals are just smudging ceremonies, and others incorporate sage. The smudging supplies I use include an alabaster bowl to catch and hold the smudge stick, and a bird's wing to direct and control the direction of the sage smoke.
Salt: Salt is an earth tool. Salt is used to purify, espeically to purify oneself. Rubbing salt over yourself, or soaking in salt water is a purifying experience. Salt can also be used to make a visual circle during circle casting. The salt threshold separates the magical area from the mundane area.
Singing Bowls: Singing bowls made of of different sizes create different tones and can be used for various things. Bowls can be used for healing, cleansing (espeically by placing objects inside the bowl and "shattering" out the negative energies), and getting one into the "ritual space." Learning to play the singing bowl(s) can be a fun task, espeically when offering music to the Gods.
Statuary/Images: Statuary and images are placed in ritual spaces or on altars to represent a deity. Some statues, espeically ones that you can buy in stores, are based on traditional images from history, but you should always try to find an image that speaks to you, no matter where it comes from. (I often recount the story of how Quetzalcoatl got my attention through Star Trek, and Cama Zotz through a Facebook game.) Google is a great place to find images, as is deviantArt. Be sure to write down your source and, if possible, ask permission to use the image. If you can, you can also commission artists to draw, sculpt, or carve images to your liking.
Tarot: Tarot cards are my primary divination device. The cards can be used to introspection, for giving direction, and they can also be used in ritual purposes, espeically for meditation. There is the traditional Rider-Waite deck, and there are countless fancy art decks.
Water: Just what it sounds like. Water. It represents the water element! Heh. But water is an important part of rituals. It can clean things physically, cleanse things spiritually, be used as a base for potions, and used for various other purposes.
Of course, there are still countless other tools that I use, some that are specific to certain rituals or spells, so I didn't include them in that list. But these tools are: pendulums, charms, brooms, knives, paper, pens, ink, flowers, petals, glitter, jewelry, feathers, and much more.
Altars: Altars are flat surfaces, at a comfortable height, on which objects are placed within and outside of rituals. There are different types of altars: ones that are set up and used only in ritual called "temporary altars" and "permanent altars," which are left up, usually for devotional purposes. Altars help focus attention toward magical workings. Altars are very personal and vary from person to person. Almost universally, however, altars have altar cloths. These are cloths that not only protect the hard surface the altar is built upon, but also helps to unify and compliment the altar.
Candles: Candles are the embodiment of the fire element. They can be used as an offering, a light source, an invocation, or the focal point of a spell or ritual.
Crystals: An earth element tool. Crystals are used for many purposes including offerings, protection, healing, or as focal points of a spell or ritual.
Drums: Drums are used to invoke spirits, and to cast out negative energies. Drums are dual in that they can be used to bring in things you want, like good energies or spirits, and can be used to cast out negative energies in places and people. Rhythmic drumming can also be used to get yourself into "ritual space," or even into a trance.
Essential Oils: Pressed oil from plants and trees. Oils are used to anoint people, places, tools, and other things. Each oil has various correspondences, and can be used individually or as a blend.
Caution MUST be used though! Some oils are not safe, and you need to make sure that you are buying the pure oil (a great place is New Directions Aromatics), and that you know the safety guidelines for which oil you are using.
Incense: The air element. Incense, usually in stick form, helps to set the mood, cleanse a person, place or tool, and give some mental direction and focus. Smell is a strong sense, and using incense can help one keep that "ritual space" going for the length they desire.
Ritual Book: A Book of Shadows, a Grimoire, a Codex, or whatever name you have, is the book that contains spells, rituals, correspondence lists, and other thoughts regarding one's path. These are kept in a lot of different ways. Some are all handwritten. Some are typed and printed out. Some are all digital. Some are shared with others. Some are only for the Coven or individual who wrote the book.
Mine is digital.
Ritual Garb: Special clothing for spiritual use. Some may use a robe, or some may go naked or "skyclad." The changing of clothing is seen as a preparatory stage for ritual. Some garb is simple, such as robe. Some is complex, such as long, beaded capes. I personally include a set of dancing wings (called Isis Wings in the bellydance community) as my main ritual garb, as my two Patron deities are winged.
Sage and smudging supplies: Sage and smudging is a vital part of my process. Sage is used to cleanse and purify an area, people, and tools when doing a ritual. Some rituals are just smudging ceremonies, and others incorporate sage. The smudging supplies I use include an alabaster bowl to catch and hold the smudge stick, and a bird's wing to direct and control the direction of the sage smoke.
Salt: Salt is an earth tool. Salt is used to purify, espeically to purify oneself. Rubbing salt over yourself, or soaking in salt water is a purifying experience. Salt can also be used to make a visual circle during circle casting. The salt threshold separates the magical area from the mundane area.
Singing Bowls: Singing bowls made of of different sizes create different tones and can be used for various things. Bowls can be used for healing, cleansing (espeically by placing objects inside the bowl and "shattering" out the negative energies), and getting one into the "ritual space." Learning to play the singing bowl(s) can be a fun task, espeically when offering music to the Gods.
Statuary/Images: Statuary and images are placed in ritual spaces or on altars to represent a deity. Some statues, espeically ones that you can buy in stores, are based on traditional images from history, but you should always try to find an image that speaks to you, no matter where it comes from. (I often recount the story of how Quetzalcoatl got my attention through Star Trek, and Cama Zotz through a Facebook game.) Google is a great place to find images, as is deviantArt. Be sure to write down your source and, if possible, ask permission to use the image. If you can, you can also commission artists to draw, sculpt, or carve images to your liking.
Tarot: Tarot cards are my primary divination device. The cards can be used to introspection, for giving direction, and they can also be used in ritual purposes, espeically for meditation. There is the traditional Rider-Waite deck, and there are countless fancy art decks.
Water: Just what it sounds like. Water. It represents the water element! Heh. But water is an important part of rituals. It can clean things physically, cleanse things spiritually, be used as a base for potions, and used for various other purposes.
Of course, there are still countless other tools that I use, some that are specific to certain rituals or spells, so I didn't include them in that list. But these tools are: pendulums, charms, brooms, knives, paper, pens, ink, flowers, petals, glitter, jewelry, feathers, and much more.