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| One can dream about having this beauty. Image taken from Pixabay |
I believe there’s power in connections. That’s why humans are a social species, because we need to connect, we need to identify a part of us in others. If it’s to feel safe, understood, part of something bigger, or any other reason, the result is the same. We want to belong, somewhere, somehow. Reading Jason Mankey’s post about Cunningham’s Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, I focused on what he said about tools and whether they were seen as masculine or feminine.
It never bothered be, honestly, but I can see it can be a bit problematic for some. For example, agender Witches, or those who want to build a craft not based on their genitals (to paraphrase Storm Faerywolf, although I forgot the original phrase and where I read it.) I really like my tools, and like to use my cauldron in any way it fits. My athame and wands, on the other hand, and I agree with Jason on this one, never felt phallic, just like the cauldrons I used never felt uter-ish (is there a real word? Let me know, please.)
So I started to think about what, regarding bodies and not based on genders and sexualities, what could tools represent for a Witch? To make this simple, I put the list in alphabetical order, although I cheated with the first one. I know you’ll understand. In short, it is based on the five sense and the forms of magic represented in them.
Wand - The Right Hand: In the concept of the Right Hand Path, magic is gentler and matches the ‘grand design’, it is a more polite kind of work and usually the one we use to most. It is all about asking, directing, negotiating and accepting, the common perception we have about magic when we explore this path for the first time. I perceive the wand as a gentler extension of my arms, and my hand as well. It a kinder connection to invite and direct, to be part of something bigger, draw symbols and ore. Anatomically speaking, by ‘right’ I mean ‘dominant’ hand, not in the literal sense of the word.
Athame - The Left Hand: In the concept of the Left Hand Path, magic is wilder and diverts from the ‘grand design’, it focuses on our own desires and working towards them. It could be described as harsher at times, a bit more violent, but I see it as a more independent approach that often goes misunderstood by many. The athame represents exactly this for me. It is a fiercer, wilder extension of myself (no matter that I hold it with the right hand 99% of the time, he he) and a tool to represent my authority, that I’m not taking no or maybe for an answer. Anatomically speaking, by ‘left’ I mean ‘non-dominant’ hand, not in the literal sense of the word.
Book of Mirrors - The Nose: Being the book in which to write my experiences and results, my meditations, journaling prompts and ideas, the Book of Mirrors allows me to calm down and go deeper into myself. Deep-work was one of the first thing I had to learn about when I got serious about Witchcraft, one of the first thing every Witch learns to really connect with their core before any magical work. Breathing is something we take for granted most of the time. The same happens with memories and experience. We rely in other’s experience, but doubt our own, we doubt our story, and it has certainly has happened to me several times. Breathing helps me come back, believe in myself, in what I do and what I think.
Book of Shadows - The Tongue: As the book to write my incantations, my rituals, spells, correspondences, everything I learn, say and do when witching, the Book of Shadows represent my path as a Witch, a kind of big script that reminds me what’s truly important and what my Craft and path are supposed to be. We often read straight from it, but sometimes it feels it is someone else who wrote that, and sometimes it is someone else who reads it. Spoken words are also one of the first things we learn about, one of the most well-known forms of magic that we are way too quick to dismiss, thinking it unimportant or weaker than other kind of works. This books is an extension of my tongue, the knowledge that will transform into wisdom one day and how I express it.
Broom - The Legs: Energy moves whether we like it or not, and it goes wherever it needs to whenever it needs to however it needs to. I go through this every time I learn and read about different forms of energy healing. However, energy needs to move, just like us, so it’s more effect and faster in action. That’s where the broom comes in. Although we cannot cross the sky with it (one can always dream,) what it can do for sure is clean the way so the energy crosses and moves with ease, just like we do when walking on a clean, plain road. Having a clean space and a clean body helps it to do its thing while we focus on ours. Rather than commanding it to do so, I see it more as team-work: You do your part and I do mine, but we help each other in the process.
Cauldron - The Eyes: The Witches’ vessel has been linked with women’s womb due to its form and being able to transform the materials we put inside of it. However, unlike a womb, you can see that change inside before your eyes. The cauldron has also been used as a divination tool when filled with water as a substitute for the crystal ball, and I often use it that way, water or no water included. The cauldron allows you to see and represent anything you can in a visual way, and see how it gets transformed. Eyes have also been called the windows to someone’s soul. I don’t consider the cauldron to be the soul of Witchcraft, but as a popular symbol and one of the things more strongly associated with it. A window to look deeper into whatever we want to.
Pentacle - The Ears: I swear I didn’t save the best for the last, but I’m so freaking happy to close the list with this one. Music has been my savior, my 911, my healer, my armor, my sword and shield. It is where I get my power from when I need it the most and my most important, indispensable tool when meditating, visualizing, healing or any other form of energy work, be it Witchcraft or not. Songs have helped me uncountable times to connect with the Gods, their energy, to call them, to worship them and to do their work when I had to. It opens the door for us to meet. And what is a pentacle if not a key to that very same door? Although I don’t use to bless anything as I’ve read I should, it’s a permanent reminder of who and what I am, it connects me when I have to work and keep me focused. Just like music. I dare you to say you haven’t experienced the same.
Kinky regards, K!
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