I'm working on my scrapbook/heritage/Book of Shadows --- and I'm planning several pages on the various tools a Witch uses, and I've listed quite a few... but part of me thinks I'm leaving something major out....

Here's what I have so far-- can you think of anything I should add?

Altar, Amulet, Athame, Beads, Bell, Besom or Broom, Bolin, Book of Shadows, Bowls, Charms, Cauldron, Chalice, Chants, Cords, Crystal, Crystal Ball, Dolls, Drums, Familiars, Flail, Garter, Girdle, Herbs, Hearth, Incense Burner [Censer], Jewelry, Knots, Mirror, Mortar & Pestle, Necklace, Oils, Pentacle, Pentagram, Pendulum, Plants, Poppet, Potion, Salt, Scourge, Sigils, Spells, Stang, Stones, Sword, Thurible, Talisman, Tarot Cards, Wand, Witch’s ball,....

Edited List as of 1/10/07: Altar, Altar Cloths, Amulet, Athame, Beads, Bell, Besom or Broom, Bolline, Bone, Book of Shadows, Bowls, Candles, Cauldron, Charms, Chalice, Chants, Cords, Crystals, Crystal Ball, Distaff, Deity Representations, Dolls, Drums, Effigy, Familiars, Flail, Garter, Girdle, Gris-Gris, Herbs, Hearth, Incense, Incense Burner [Censer], Jewelry, Knots, Labyrinth, Loom, Mask, Mirror, Moon-rake, Mortar & Pestle, Necklace, Oils, Pentacle, Pentagram, Pendulum, Philtre, Pitchfork, Plants, Poppet, Potion, Rod, Runes, Salt, Scourge, Shears, Sigils, Spells, Spindle, Spirit Boards, Staff, Stang, Stone, Stones, Sword, Thurible, Talisman, Tarot Cards, Thread, Wand, Witch Bottle, Witch’s ball, Witch’s ladder....
Blessed Be!

Might depend on what path you follow but only thing I can think of of hand.

Altar cloths or colored scarves that can be draped across the altar to coordinate with spellworking at hand and season. Staff might replace the Athame.

Both those are great additions....

I also realized that I left off candles from my original list.... Duh,

Blessed Be!

I also use a spirit board (ouija board) and God and Goddess representation.

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Crafty little Witch - friend to animals and trees alike

Thank you.... yeah, on to the list

Spirit Boards (that's what we call them)
And
Representations of the Goddess'/Gods

Keep them coming, so far these are all things I use as tools (or at least someone in the 'family' does), but as we're always learning new ways to bring magick into our lives, we're adding a number of new tools to the list.... my brother-in-law does a lot of more work on a 'shamanic' path and just added several things to the list....

Such as Medicine Bags, Sweat Lodges, and Totems..... the list keeps growing as does the magick so I welcome it all!

Blessed Be

I've thought of another one - Ribbons!

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Crafty little Witch - friend to animals and trees alike

Ribbons???

I sorry but, I don't understand, I don't think I've ever used them (magickally, that is)....

Blessed Be.

That was me... I got logged out some how?

Oh yes - I've used ribbons many times.

They are used in much the same way as cord, to bind together elements of a spell so that you can keep, hang or burry them as the spells requires.
Different colours have different meanings.

They can also be used to decorate magic tools adding power with their colour symbolism.


Ellovium
xx

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Crafty little Witch - friend to animals and trees alike

O.K. so, I already have 'cords' on my list... and that is a use that I meant when I listed cords... too.

One of my favorite handfasting rites calls for hand plaited cords to be knotted as the 'binding/fasting' of the couple. We've always used wool, cotton yarn, or long grasses to plait the cords; but I could see where some very colorful and meaningful cords could be made by plaiting ribbons. But to me they are still cords.

So, are the color associations basically the same as say candle colors, or for you do ribbons have different associations for you? Just curious.

Sorry for the confusion... I guess I thought maybe you used them for some other way.

Thats ok - I'd be confused too if I hadn't heard of it before.

Yes the colour associations are the same as with candles. I like to use ribbons as they are more readily avaliable in a wide range of colours and they're cheaper too! But I also use cord.

Is your article in the first eddition of e-zine or a later one?


Ellovium
xx

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Crafty little Witch - friend to animals and trees alike

My series of articles is going to start with the July issue, I believe.

I'm writing the second one now, and like I've stated on some other post: early on I'm concentrating on the 'art' of making a BOS -- I believe everyone's content is individual... but, I will talk about ways of organizing and will include suggestions as to possible content.

The list on this forum was for a 'layout' of information I'm currently working on for my personal / heritage Book of Shadows that I hope to pass down to my son or someday grand-child/ren.

Blessed Be!

I think that is a lovely idea, I'm sure the book will be treasured by everyone in your family for years to come.

I'm looking forward to the articles as I am also starting on my main book of shadows which I hope to pass on!


Blessed Be
Ellovium

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Crafty little Witch - friend to animals and trees alike

have you thought of putting spical experiences in you book. i put them in my BOS. it helps me to rember my highs and lows in my life which helps me to help others in destress.

I keep a several journals... one that is for magickal experiences. But, the way I have it set up, my Book of Shadows is a magickal workbook... with essays, tables, and infromation I've learned about working magick and developing my spiritual connection to the Goddess. It records my tradition, my methods, and provides me with a reference tool to work with.

Many others too keep a seperate journal for thoughts and experiences sometimes termed a 'Book of Mirrors' -- as these are reflections of the Witch. I also keep a journal for dreams, one for tarot readings, one for recording infomation collected during scyings, etc.

I am a huge journaler... I also have more mundane journals and calendars as well as several scrapbooks in which I journal about things and share the many, many photos that my husband and I take of our lives.

But, I know some journal in their BOS, to each their ownn, if that is what works best for you, great!

Blessed Be, DML