What tools do you feel are essential when performing rituals? (Give the reasoning behind each tool and what it means for your ritual)

Mmm. Good question. Essential tools would be:

Candles: And lots of them. Why? Because that, to me, is really what helps me make the transition from ‘average everyday’ to ’spiritual magic’. Certain candles mean certain things - my spirit candle, elemental candles, etc. - but I’ll just lump them together.

Oils: I’m big on scent, as well. Annointing myself with oils is a spiritual thing, almost like a repeat baptism.

Tarot: I do a bit of divination most every ritual. It’s important to keep connected, and more, to keep focused.

Salt & Water: For purification of the ritual circle/altar area/whatever.

Everything else varies by the ritual at hand. And mind you, these are things that are essential to me - not essential to ritual. While it’s been said by many that magic - and ritual - can be done without anything whatsoever, I’ve always been a bit of a material girl. I like my things. I love my things. I like to use them. I don’t have any particular designs on simplifying my life (though I do need to do some serious decluttering/organizing) by ridding myself of my possessions, and I don’t see any particular need to better enlighten myself/work pure magic/whatever by forgoing the tools of the trade just because they aren’t /necessary/.

I’ve met a few pagans who seem to have designs on impressing to others how cool they are because they aren’t trapped by all the trappings - they don’t need to use [insert tools of choice here], all they need is their mind, themselves, yadda yadda. Well, that’s fine. They might not need a spoon to drink soup, either, but I’m sure not going without one, and it doesn’t make for a better person, or even a more sincere/honest/better pagan to do so.

That said, I like to have lots of things on my altar. Herbs and candles and cloth and plates and bowls and water and salt and oils and random stuff piled everywhere. Some people might look and cringe. But it’s important to me. And dammit, I’m not gonna change it just because certain people feel no need for frivolous earthly trappings.

2 Comments »

1. I’ve met a few pagans who seem to have designs on impressing to others how cool they are because they aren’t trapped by all the trappings - they don’t need to use [insert tools of choice here], all they need is their mind, themselves, yadda yadda.

   Ahh.. yes. See, I myself thing these ‘trappings’ are essential too! Certainly when it comes to spell craft. Ritual you can be more subtle about if you like it like that.

   Comment by InkyWitch — February 20, 2007 @ 11:23 pm

2. Uh-oh. I’m a minimalist! But its a focus thing for me– too much stuff, my attention scatters.

   Comment by Turtleheart — February 20, 2007 @ 11:57 pm

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