Staves, got one? use it? How?

[Grey]

Do any of you use a staff in your practice? How? what do you assosciate it with? if not why not?
If you have one how did you get it?

Myself I have an old staff I got from the lake with a peice of turquoise stuck in it at the top, looks like an eye I think. Ive used it but only as a focus for channeling and a storage "battery" for energy.

[Theres]

i have a number of them, and i use them for a variety of purposes.
the first one i made is now retired to Beltane use only, as it has been kissed (OH! how it has been kissed!) by the past eleven May Queens in our area.
i also have a Hekate staff that i use during rituals to Her, and Samhain.
and i'm working on my Cernunnos staff, which will have an antler(s?) on the top.
i also have a walking stick that was given to me as a gift when the Dragonfly was May Queen, but i never use that for ritual.

basically i use my staves the way most people would use a wand, but usually for the bigger rituals. i associate them with fire, and use them in place of my wand (sometimes) when i'm calling the South.

[Haedis]

I have two. The first one is about 6 ft long. I found it two years ago on Yule sticking out of the trail I was walking on that night. I havent decorated it yet. Its behind my altar right now and these days I only use it for protection.

The other one is a thinner piece of wood about 5 ft long that washed up on the shore at my cabin. Both ends were gnawed by beavers which makes it look pretty nifty. I use that one for everything. Directing energy, casting a circle, general ritual drama, etc. Its the only tool I cant seem to part with. I dont think I'm going to decorate that one either.

[Corvidae]

I have one and I'm working on a second. I've never liked a wand so in times when I feel like my hand isn't enough or my arm isn't long enough, I use a staff. I associate mine with air though, just like my sword :)

[Hamelyn]

I tend to use mine as both walking staffs and ritual staffs. Or staves. Or whatever. I figure that the best way to empower something is to give it purpose, which exercises power... sorta... yeah. Anyways, I don't have any specially prepared ones- I think my parents would freak if I did that- but I'm more instinctive. I'll be walking along and stop or trip over what, upon examination, leaps out and says ME! and I pick it up and walk along with it for a while, until I get the impulse to discard it.

This happened just the other day, walking in the park with my sister. We were trudging through the creek and came out a place we hadn't been with a deep drop. She jumped down and I jumped down, having just found a walking stick. I almost broke my ankle, heh. And there weren't really any other sticks around that area, so I'm glad the stick paid more attention to my stupidity than I did.

[Myrddyn Emrys]

I use mine in rituals AND as a walking stick. It's wonderful for emphasizing a point in the ritual, striking it on a stone at the end of a sentence. Plus I use mine to scribe the circle.

Myrddyn Emrys

[WereWarrior]

I dont have a staff myself. But both of my parents have staves that they made themselves. I plan during the summer to make my own but for now I use a staff of my favorite purple locust tree, and it helps me in my spells.

[Semele]

I just had to come in and say that everytime I see this thread on the front page I think it says SLAVES..got one!!!

For the record I don't have either!!:D

[Xentor]

But that's because I do use a magic wand in entertainment magic. I wouldn't want to get the two magics mixed up by mistake... ;)

[Tranquility]

LOL semele!

[whiteowl]

Hi,
I find this thread interesting - my daughter has a staff that she started decorating and then got stuck and came to me for advice. I wasn't sure what to tell her, since I have never done this before, although I have wanted to for a long time.

Does anyone have any advice on decorating/preserving? Someone once told me to rub linseed oil for preservation- has anyone ever tried this?

Whiteowl

[WereWarrior]

For preservation of a staff I prefer to use spray on shalack. You can put it on about once a day, put on about five coats and it will stay preserved for at least five years. Also about decoration, My parents staffs use semi-precious gems on the top edges and also they adorn chains with charms on them. Also my father has carved stuff into his staff and gives a real nice accent. For my staff that I'm doing I am carving runes into the edge in a decending spiral and it will look very earthy when it is finished.

[whiteowl]

I like the idea of carving stuff into it. Thanks!

Is there a certain kind of shellac that you would recommend or just any kind of sealer?

[WereWarrior]

Any kind of sealer will do, but I like using a combo stainer because to carve it you have to remove the bark and that gives it a beige color. so I darken it with the stain. I prefer cherry or chestnut stain for a staff with stones in it.

Also with the carving, you can do it free hand with a dremen bit or you can find plans on the net for different carvings. I personaly did mine with free hand.

[cydira]

I have two. One is used as a walking staff and a ritual tool. The other is a martial weapon and I've used it as a ritual tool on rare occasion. I'm planning on learning how to use a quarter-staff and I guess owning one is a step in that learning process.

My walking stick is a section of ash that's roughly 6 ft long and capped with a glass ball that's blue with streaks of white glass swirled through it. I don't like it much and I'm considering replacing it with a gemstone sphere, but those are expensive. :p

The quarter-staff is approximately the same length. It's slightly tapered at both ends and is made from the heart wood of a red oak. It's lovely wood and holding it I can feel the strength of that tree. It is very easy to see why the oak tree is known as strength and the Guardian of the home. :)

[Initiate Steamcircle]

I have one right now, and am getting a second. I use it to cast a circle, to represent the element of fire, and kinda like a "long wand"

[Armitage]

I've found mine feels somewhere between a wand and a sword, in what it's for.

[Willow_Raindancer]

I have no use for a Stave, most of my rituals ore done inside.
I've been thinking of making s Stang though. It's kind of the native American version of a Stave. It will be topped with deer antler and have all kinds of feathers (wild turkey since owning feathers from birds of prey is illegal in Indiana) and crystals.
A Stang is typically the marker for the entrance of an outside circle. It is used much like a wand to cut open a door for a magic circle. It is then placed to mark the door for those entering and exiting. :bigredgri

[Old Witch]

I have one that I made it myself.........I use it in rituals, and I use it to chase grown sons around the house when they tick me off.....I preserved it with a marine polyurethane.........

[SylverStar]

I don't have one yet but I do have a branch from a birch tree that I'm planning on making into one. So if anyone has any suggetions on how to go about it there would be much gratitude. It will be the first tool I've made myself.

[cunningraven]

yes i use the stang as staff(see stang post for more details).also have a hazel wand scarred and shaped by honeysuckle,that is slightly bigger than a wand so may count as a staff.how many people here make there own tools? like wands,staffs etc...or rather prepare them to be magickal tools rather since we cant make branches.i cut my own wands and stang from the woods next to my house,i see you can buy these tools online,but its not the same nor as powerful as preparing your own,then it is truly a part of you.also to leave an offering is a good idea.

[usbear]

I always have a walking stick when out in the woods. We walk daily. I feel that it connects me strongly to the energy in the earth. Just feels better.
I have a different stave for use in the fire pit. That is becoming so interesting. If anyone has ideas on use of fire in ritual..I am listening. I really feel that this is an area I am to investigate well.
When I am on a walk and do not have my stick, I borrow one...the right one is always there. I replace it with thanks when I leave.
usbear