A combination diary and recipe book for Wiccans/Pagans to keep track of what they did, when and how effective it was. Some have expensive leather bound books but a loose - leaf binder works just as well. A good grimoire tells of the growth and profinciency of a wiccan. The information in a grimoire varies from rituals, spells and general information of interest to the pagan. (Such as holiday recipes and decorations)
An altar can be very simple to a complex layout. The minimum requirements for an altar should be two candle holders, and incense burner, 2 small bowls or cups (for earth and water), a candle snuffer (it would be insulting to the fire spirits to blow out a candle!) a drinking chalice, and athame. Some rituals/ spells call for special ingrediants that can be aquired in advance.
An Athame is a very personal item to a Wiccan. It is a dagger that has a blade of six to eight inches in length with a plain black handle. It is used very much like a wand but has more protective qualities. It can be used to cast (draw) the circle and can be included in parts of spells and rituals.
A chalice can be either a wine glass to an ornately decorated chalice that is found in occult shops. Where the Athame is male the Chalice is a female, representing the Womb Of Life.
Some spells and rituals require finely ground herbs so these can be indespensable to the working Wiccan.
A Wiccans cord has many uses. It can be a sash or belt but it can also help layout the circle (traditionally from seven to nine feet but with larger covens this can get a little crowded! :) ) It can be made out of ribbon or cotton in whatever colours the Wiccan likes. Sometimes it's braided in colours or 'rank' within the coven. It's usually between five and six feet in length and knotted at the three and a half mark and four and a half mark.
Some Wiccans do thier work skyclad (ritually naked) and some wear robes. The choice is up to the individual or conveinience. The Wiccan can either make simple robes of a colour of their choice or have white robes that can be embroidered as the years go by like the Druids used to do. There are colours that are best suited for each sabbat but tying ribbons around the arms, neck, and ankles are just as good.
I know that everyone has heard about Witches flying around on brooms. No matter how hard a Wiccan tries to fly (or wishes!) we can't. Besomes are used to sweep away the negative energies in our sacred place (our circles). In olden times some used to jump around their fields on brooms to show how high they wanted their crops to grow. In Wiccan marriages the bride and groom jump over the besome together symbolizing the end of their old lives and the beginning of a new one together.
The sword is usually used in initiations and powerful rituals. It is the focus of the whole covens powers. A solitary Wiccan might not have a sword of their own, their Athame is as good, but it is a powerful tool none the less.
The wand is a focus of the Wiccan's energies. The wand is a creative tool compared to the protective of the Athame. It is most often used in calling the Watchtowers.
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