The wand is one of the most renown of the tools and one of the most versatile. Traditionally, the wand is made from the wood of many different kinds of trees including willow, elder, oak, hazel, and fruit trees. The length of the wand varies from tradition to tradition, but it is safe to say that the wand should be fairly straight, comfortable in your hand and is not so long as to be unwieldy. When searching for wood for your wand, even wood from a building supply store will work. If you take your wood from a living tree, remember to ask the tree first, then thank it for its sacrifice. Wands can also be made of crystals and metal. Make the wand your own by carving or painting symbols on it, adorning it with ribbons, whatever makes the wand special to you.

For thousands of years the wand has been used in both Magic and rituals. The wand is used mostly to invoke the God and Goddess, direct energy, and to charge other objects. It is used to draw symbols on the ground and even to stir the cauldron. The wand is the tool of the South and is associated with Fire. In some traditions it is the tool of Air. The wand is phallic in nature, is a masculine tool and is sacred to the Gods.

The wand is used to bind the energy of the spell together. The wand has been used for thousands of years in religious and magical rites. The Goddess and God are invoked with the wand. The wand is also used to direct energy, to draw magical symbols during ritual. The wand represents the Element of Air and evokes the energy of the spell. The energy is sent in the direction the wand is pointing.

The wand represents the element of Air and the Male East. You can purchase a ready made one or collect one from your friendly neighborhood tree. (Ask first, if you want to harvest one from a living tree and leave a small token of thanks.) Even dowels, such as those sold in hardware stores, can be painted and decorated quite beautifully.

The wand can be used to cast the circle or direct energy in other magical ways, such as in spells and incantations. There are wands of glass, copper, silver and other metals, but the "classic" material is still wood. Various woods have different magical associations and uses. It is very common for a "Wand Witch" to have many wands of various types in his/her magical closet. Witches who do not use athames often use a wand instead.

Starwood's Making Your First Wand

by Susan Baxter

Some feel the tools of Magic must be made by some powerful person with more knowledge than yourself. This just isn't true. Making your own wand is the most powerful thing you can do. making your own tools invests then with your personal power and therefore will work better for you as from its' conception it is imbued with your vibrations, your energy, it is a part of you - a familiar, if you will.

Choose a length of wood - I use tree branches that must be pruned anyway. I like a 12 inch length about the thickness of my finger. When selecting the wood I refer to the magical vibrations of the different woods. I use apple for love Magic, seven barks for money Magic, Elder for fairie Magic, oak for nature Magic, willow for general Magic.

You will want a quartz crystal point for the tip - you could use rose quartz on the love wand or amethyst on a wand for spiritual contact and guidance. Gouge a bit of wood out of the tip of the wand to help hold the crystal - glue with high temp hot glue gun or a strong hold glue - let set.   Now use glue on bottom sides of crystal and top inch or so of wood, wrap with leather strips or cord or embroidery thread in a color that goes with the purpose of the wand. That helps to  ecure the crystal. Now wrap the base end of the wand by gluing wood and wrapping with  leather or yarn to make a hand hold. Use the same color as on top and cover about 4 inches.

You may decorate the shaft of the wand with symbols that relate to the purpose of the wand, such as runes and other symbols that have meaning for you. You can use a knife, water proof marker, paint, wood burning tool, etc. You could decorate the end of the top yarn with  emstone beads, metal beads, wood beads and tip it with feathers if you like. Cleanse and consecrate as with any tool.

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