A List of Magickal Tools & Supplies for Witches

As I began my time in the Native American church, I was dazzled by the beauty and creativity of the tools I encountered that belonged to all of the spiritualists I met. The prayer boxes people carried to ceremonies were handcrafted from cedar and filled with sacred objects. Things that were so vividly unique and full of creative artistry, things painted and beaded by hand, lovingly cradled among slim wooden cases (to keep fragile pieces safe) and silver antique boxes with matching tiny sterling silver spoons (to keep powdered peyote), feathers wrapped in silk scarves, folks had intricately carved hardwood staffs, gourd rattles with long thin strands of braided leather fringe sprouting from the handle, horse-hair toppers for the staffs and rattles nestled into glass cigar tubes that were granted a divine second life, ornate fans with every color of feather, and appliqued and fringed shawls just as brilliant as the sunrise, all intended for use in ceremony or in people’s sacred space. The spiritual connection to these tools, and the organic manner in which they all seemed to come into my life when the time was right, was all part of my initiation process into a life of magickal working.

I'll start with the tools evoked by elemental magic. You might know these same tools from the suits of the tarot. This is a quintessentially traditional set of instruments. Cups represent water and receptivity. A chalice is a ceremonial goblet and might be used as an offering cup, or passed around the group as a communal partaking of the same sacrament. Pentacles represent earth and stability. They are many times represented  as plates or carvings, typically made from clay or wood or metal or wax, with a symbol present (most commonly a pentagram) etched into them. They are many times used as a place to leave items to be blessed before a ritual. Wands represent fire and spirituality. Magick wands are often used to cast a circle (a way of marking sacred space before a ritual) or direct energy to bless, purify, consecrate, or to make invocations. Swords represent air and mental energies. An athame is a ceremonial dagger, and it might be used to take a sacred offering from a tree, to carve a sigil into a candle, or to make a symbolic cut during a ceremony. For some witches the meanings are switched, with wands being an air sign and the swords being a fire sign. The point is, these tools are used to symbolize, and in some cases, direct those energies. Having them present during magical workings can be helpful, and in some cases or traditions, required. As always, choose the tools which will serve you best.

Divinatory tools like tarot and oracle decks, pendulums, runes, I Ching, crystal balls, scrying mirrors, and astrolabes are going to be best used as tools of receptivity. If called to use divination, witches typically connect with one or two of these methods and focus that skill at receiving information and messages from guides, for confirming intuitive notions, and working through how to best apply that guidance. All of these skills will rely on the ability to receive the message, and to varying extents, use intuition to interpret the meaning of that message. 

Candles are used often for offerings and spells. Anointing oils too. Incense as well. All of these are consumed upon use, must be replenished regularly, and will correspond with a element, planet, or deity, depending. All can be used individually or in conjunction for stronger results.

Cauldrons are an easily recognizable tool of witchcraft. A round, typically black, cast iron pot with three short legs. Can be used for burnt offerings, water scrying, or for making potions, oils, and other special brews. Offering bowls or plates are another common vessel you might see on an altar. Many times the bowl or plate will match the chalice. If you work with ancestors or deities or guides who you make offerings to, this is something you might want to use. Any nice little plate or bowl will do.

Sound producing instruments can have different purposes. For instance, bells can be used to summon or banish unwanted energies, and singing bowls can help us to attune to the harmonics and activate our chakras. Rattles are used in ceremonies to also bring about peaceful and happy feelings and to accompany singing. Gongs, conch shells, and chimes are rarer instruments for communicating sonically with the spirits but can all be great for getting their attention.

Robes, shawls, jewelry, and other wearable items can be wonderful in helping to raise power, hold focus, and free the magician from distraction. Colors can be used here to direct energy or to show devotion to your deity. Specific pieces can be consecrated for particular purposes. Over time your magickal wardrobe will become infused with your power and will help you to even further lend that power to your work. If you want to know more about charging up these items for specific purposes, turn to my instructions for consecrating objects for magical uses on page (). Some witches choose to wear all black while doing a ritual so that their workspace is the only attention grabbing area in their field of vision.

Brooms (aka besoms) are good for sweeping out stagnance and aid in purifying the energy of a space. A witch’s besom is traditionally made from natural fibers, hand woven, held together at the end of a wooden stick or pole. These can be made small to cleanse an altar space between workings, or regular broom-sized for cleansing a whole house. They hold a protective energy.

Herbs and oils and crystals are of the earth, widely used, and can be very easily obtained in most places. Using them relies on understanding their correspondences. A correspondence is an energetic link between two otherwise unrelated objects, such as a planet or deity or plant or stone or scent or day or hour. Herbs and crystals can be used in a myriad of ways. Having a mortar and pestle can be an important tool for kitchen witches and those who are getting deeper into herbal medicines. Incenses and oils mixed by hand are another lovely way to delve into these plant-based studies. Crystal grid cloths and boards can be wonderful tools for those who are exploring their relationship with stones, and I’ve known witches who swear by the healing power of crystals.

Rope, ribbon, and string are tools that witches use to seal, bind, and weave with magic. They’re used for knot spells, making dolls, embroidered charms, handfasting ceremonies, and many other applications. I’m not so much into these kinds of fiber art magickal workings but I know other witches who have had wonderful success using these tools. 

Statues, figures, and dolls can be great ways to represent particular energies on your altar or to represent a target during spell workings. I have obtained small clay figurines of animals when I need to pull on that energy when I don’t have access to some part of them or something they touched. Voodoo dolls are a very commonly known version of the idea of using a physical embodiment of the practitioner’s target, and actually come from the European tradition of creating poppets, rather than African or Caribbean traditions. Sculptural representations of deities are often the focus of a shrine, and in recent years we’ve seen many ancient religious shrines repatriated and returned to their homes, like the Lakshmi-Narayan sculpture that was seized from the Dallas Museum of Art by the FBI and returned to Patan, a small town in Nepal just south of Kathmandu. The sculpture, a conjoined embodiment of Vishnu and Lakshmi, was welcomed back to its temple to be venerated and live as a god again.

Feathers and fans are intrinsically linked to air, and are invaluable for directing smoke if you’re using smoldering herbs or incense for cleansing. They can be a natural talisman, like a stone or crystal can be, and can be used as an ingredient in a medicine pouch, or can be used as a part of a spell. Use your instincts and animal symbolism (page ?) to further explore how different birds might bring different energies to your workings. Also, be aware that certain feathers are not legal to possess, so check on the laws in your area before you obtain any wild bird feathers.

Respecting the life of any animal whose feathers, bones, skin, hair, claws, teeth, or body part you keep on your altar or use for your spellcraft is extremely important. I try to only use items that the animal naturally dropped or from animals who died of natural causes. When I am lucky enough to find myself in the possession of some magical part of a creature that I plan to add to my sacred space I first cleanse the gift I’ve received and thank the animal for allowing me to use its body. Consider giving the spirit of the animal a small offering as you smoke cleanse or anoint with oil if you feel called to do so.

The most important component in any magickal working is the person doing the magick, and these tools can really help to support mental clarity, summoning and dispensing with energies, to draw the attention of benevolent spirits, promote connection, aid in protective and cleansing matters, and to aid in banishment. Let intuition and practice be your guide. It can’t be underlined enough that there is no shortcut to gaining the skills that come from hard-earned practice. Taking the time to do, reflect on that experience, and . In time your toolkit will expand to encompass