The Wand...

[DragonSeer]

Previously, I questioned members about magick (what they think it is and how they practice it). Now I'd like to know what form of a wand you use during your ritual work. (If you don't employ a wand, please don't respond.) Is your wand made of wood (if so, what kind)? Is it crystal (if so, what kind, or kinds)? Other?

I've read that the wand is a very powerful tool. Then again, I've also read that it's used to direct energy (assuming that the energy is drawn from either yourself or a Higher Power) from point A to point B. In that sense, I see the user as the ultimate power, with a wand as merely being a tool that's not necessary but serves a purpose for some. Please tell me your thoughts, though. What success do you get out of using a wand?

Thank you for your patience with one who studies a lot on religion (nearly all of them) but does not currently employ Pagan rituals.

[Grey]

Hehe, I know how that goes.

Anyways I rarely use wands, though I have and I find that it is much the same as using a staff wich Ill talk about here.
First off all it increase power much like a conductor does. Part of this is by focusing the energy you have *much like a magnifying glass focuses sunlight or a wedge focuses force* and by secondly allowing you to draw in more power from the surrounding area. It also allows you to hold more power at once because its easier to focus, and focus is key when using energy.
Another bonus is that you can save energy in it to be used at a later time, sometimes even complete spells. This allows you to use more power much like having an extra battery pack would.
And lastly it helps protect you from an overload. Much like a circuit breaker or surge protector to some extent. Thats really the best way to explain it... as a buffer.
Finally the type of material its made out of can influence your energy's feel or "wavelength", vibe... This can be a benefit if your going for a certain kind of spell and some people have multiple wands of differrant substances for differrant kinds of work.

[WhiteRavenBran]

I have one crystal and one wood. Both were gifts to me, and each has its own energy to it. I've used the crystal one, which is smaller, more often...and I think it feels better, but the wooden one is nice too (It was an initiation gift and is handmade, so it really has some good energy in it!). The crystal one has various gemstones in it (amethyst, etc) and I couldn't tell ya what kind of wood my other one is...I suppose I could ask...lol.

At this point, I use my wand to cast the circle and nothing else. I don't do a lot of "directing energy," so it's just used to create sacred space. Actually, I even use my hand/finger to do that occasionally, so it just kinda depends on my mood.

The wand is a nice tool to have, though, especially if it's one you're fond of. :-)

[SylverStar]

My wand is made of birch wood...wrapped in copper and brass wiring with a quartz crysta at the top and two small emeralds, and one small amythyst. However I rarely use my wand...usually for the same reasons as above.

[starlitestarbright]

I'm making one now actually, and i heard that its best to make these things on a full moon. Not sure how true this is but ill give it a go. Mine is going to be made out of willow, and have a quartz somewhere at the bottom and a moonstone somewhere about. This is because quartz it s great energy condutor and transmitter -bascially the purpose of the wand, and the moonstone is because i'm quite partial to it and the willow wood is of course associated with the moon. Not to sure how often i'll use it, but i'm gonna give it a try.... _catroll_

[welkin]

i dont usually use a wand, except in healing, or meditatin. Healing i'll use a special crystal point, as a wand.
i have made wooden and copper wands, with a crystal point at either end or point at one end and gemstone at the other, for specific energy. copper is a great conducter of energy! wood wands seem to have a softer feel.

[HorseCrow]

I use an elder wand. I hollow out the spongy bit in the middle, add my own magickal herbs, crystals etc., seal it with beeswax, carve symbols on it and.... voilá, my wand :)

For me it's like an extension of my arm and I use it to direct energy, draw symbols on the ground, even raise the circle + many more.

[Loopaleigh]

I also made my own wand (well me and Mother Nature). One of my favorite trees is the Dogwood, so it was just natural for me to pick this wood for my wand. When I first discovered Paganism you couldn't as readily buy your tools as you can now, it was either spend alot of money, improvise, or make your own. When I lived in Va. we had about 30 Dogwoods on our property, so I picked up a stick that was the right length and fairly straight and cleaned off the outer bark, sealed it with alittle spray on waterproofing, and wood burned some personal sigils and runes into it. I've never felt the need to use any other.

[DragonSeer]

Thank you for the replies. That all being said, though, I'm now wondering what true purpose the wand serves you? Even if it does direct energy, what specific good does that do you? (You're not "zapping" folks with it, right? :bigblue:) Seriously, though, I'm not making the connection between the wand and its true purpose in spellwork. Are you actually attempting to send energy outward (to far away places/ people)? Forgive my apparent silliness, but I really would like to know.

[Morgandria]

All magical tools are, in essence, props. They serve as a focus in the magician's workings; all one may need is will and intent, but focus is important as well. You may be able to direct energy with a spoon or a pencil or a finger as easily as a wand, but using the wand signifies to most people that they are doing something magical. It's a lot like putting on a certain robe, lighting candles and specific incense - it is a cue or sign to ourselves that puts us in a proper frame of mind for what is being worked. Because we associate the wand with magic, with a particular gender or sex, with a particular element or energy, it helps us to focus our energy and our intent into the proper "space" to be sent out to do its work in the world.

Wands represent, depending on the tradition or preference of the magician, Air or Fire. I personally feel it is Fire. A wand is a phallic tool, male, but it is also feminine. By comparison, an athame or ritual blade (the other common energy-directing tool) is a male masculine tool. Both are phallic, but where an athame is not meant to do anything but direct energy out from the body, a wand directs energy out of the body in order to attract something inward. It works the other way as well: The chalice is a female, feminine tool, being receptive and rounded, curved. The pentacle, the other female tool, is round like the chalice's curves, but is not receptive - it does not hold,, instead having things laid on top of it. It is thus masculine.

Moving on, since I'm sure you're bored now...

Some people use the wand interchangeably with the athame, as they both perform the same basic function or directing energy. It seems to be a matter of preference; some people prefer it over the athame, because of the violent, warlike connotations a blade can have. I have seen the compromise made between these two, in the form of a wooden athame - a sort of wand-knife.

Wands are used often for invocation, to call down the quarters, invoke spirits, or invoke deities to the work being done. In this case, they physically direct energy into one area, where we hope that energy will draw, or bring to it, the spirit or deity you are invoking. They can be used to physically draw diagrams into dirt, and I have seen people make wands and blacken the ends of them in fires to draw symbols onto rocks or other hard surfaces. Like with the invocation, you are directing energy physically to follow the lines you are drawing, to empower that delination or symbol you are creating. By creating that symbol, and empowering it, you will also draw similar energy towards that symbol. It's like a deity invocation, but instead you're attracting a concept energy, not a specific spirit.

I don't know if I've helped, or hindered understanding here, but I've tried.
-M,

[Grey]

Thank you for the replies. That all being said, though, I'm now wondering what true purpose the wand serves you? Even if it does direct energy, what specific good does that do you? (You're not "zapping" folks with it, right? :bigblue:) Seriously, though, I'm not making the connection between the wand and its true purpose in spellwork. Are you actually attempting to send energy outward (to far away places/ people)? Forgive my apparent silliness, but I really would like to know.

Well think of it as a magnifying glass, it focuses the light rays and makes them much more intense... to the point you can sear and burn with it when before it only warmed the surface. The wand and the staff or whatever other focus you have just does the same thing... it concentrates it in one spot.