Tools of the trade

As in almost all religions at one point or another you will have some sort of sacred item. Here we have a few and a little explanation of what they are and why they're used.

• Wand. Yes these are real. You don't have to use one but they help channelling energy. They can be made from stone, crystal or wood and are personal to you. You can buy them if you wish but I find the best method is to head to woodland and find a fallen twig that appeals to you. Once you have your wand you can decorate it as much or as little as you like. Just remember, it's a tool not a glow stick.
• Broom. Not for flying on I'm afraid. You can use a broom to cleans a space before working, or in creating a circle. We'll come to that later so don't worry about it too much yet.
• Athame. This is a ceremonial knife, though modern ones are completely blunt. These are used in a similar way to wands and are often used as symbols for guess what, yes, a knife.
• Herb cutting knife. A knife for cutting herbs... that's it.
• Robes. These can be anything as long as you only use them for working, that's if you have any at all. Many modern pagans have black jumper and trousers for outside working as it's more comfortable and safer. These are work clothes so try not to have too many bells and whistles, and make sure that they're suitable for the weather in your area. It might get pleasantly warm in the circle but you won't be there forever. And if you don't like robes you could always go skyclad.
• Cup or chalice. It's a cup... It holds liquid...
• Book of … Well, there are many names for this book but you'll use it to write anything you learn, any spells or rituals you work and pretty much anything that pertains to your faith. For those still in the broom closet a lockable diary is perfect for this.
• Candles. For lighting and fire symbols. And many spells for that matter.

These are your most basic tools, we'll cover extra things later.