Lesson Nine

                     Tools and Blessing of your tools

 

 

 

Hi my dear friend of the Fae, 

For this chapter in the Faery Course we are going to explore the different tools you can use in your Faery Craft. But before we go into the different kind of tools I really want to stress that you don't need to buy any expensive tools. Working with Faery is a path of nature, a path of the heart. Think many years back, where we didn't have an overflow of witchy online shops, and still people were able to practice their magic. Everything you need you can find in nature, and if you have to purchase something it doesn't have to be expensive. When you just start out, know that you don't need everything straight away. And maybe you don't even need any tools at all, this is your choice, your practice, do what’s right for you. I will have another lesson especially for any kind of divination tools, so we don't talk about them in this lesson.

Let’s have a look a some basic tools to start with.

 

Chalice

During your practice with Faery you will see that water will often be used in your craft, especially if you can get it from holly wells and springs. Water is used to cleanse and clear the space, for blessings, for healing work, or to consecrate tools and other objects. So this comes in as a very handy tool. You can use any kind of glass, goblet, or bowl, just avoid plastic. When you chose a vessel use it only for your magical work and leave at your altar if you have one. 

 

 

 

Wand

The wand is a very traditional tool and used in many different magical paths. It is used to direct your energy and as an extension of your will. A wand can also be used to cast a circle if this is something you do in your practice. I have to admit I don't cast circles, or very rarely. 

In my opinion you shouldn't buy a wand but make it yourself. Yes there are many beautiful carved wands out there, but you can never be sure of how and when the wood was cut. It is very simple to make your own wand, and you can decorate it with ribbons, feathers, or you can carve symbols in it. 

You can either cut a branch of a tree yourself, or you wait until you find a fitting fallen branch.

If you choose to cut it from a particular tree wait until new moon as the juices are more concentrated in the roots at this time and you don't hurt the tree as much. 

If you want to wait for the wand to come to you, just send out the message that you are ready to receive your special wand. Don't try to hard and be patient, allow it to happen naturally and someday you will see that special stick and you will know it’s meant for you. 

 

 

 

Staff

The staff can be used for the same purposes as the wand, but it also acts as a bridge between the sky and the land and it can help you to root yourself to your environment. You can also take your staff on a walking meditation. For this purpose you can also add a little bell to your staff for example, as you walk in an aware manner and come to a regular walking rhythm, the bells will chime in the same rhythm as well and it might help to bring you into a meditative state. 

Here you can find a brief list of the different kind of woods and for what magical purposes they are used for. You can find more informations about the different trees in my OGHAM course

 

- Hawthorn

Oak, ash and thorn is the holy trinity of trees in Faery work, so you might want to do a bit more research of these trees on your own. The hawthorn tree often grows near holly springs and wells and acts as a veil between the worlds and deeply connected to Faery. You should never cut from a Hawthorn tree as it is sacred to the Fae. You can use this wood for vision and divination work as well as for blessings.

 

- Oak

Oak is a guardian tree, and can be used for protection, strength, power and healing. This tree is also connected to horned gods and so a gateway to the Underworld. You can use the wood for protection against lightning and storms. It also helps you to focus and not let yourself be distracted. It can also be used to improve your leadership skills.

 

- Ash

Ash represents strength, endurance and protection.The ash teaches important lessons about the right use of strength, and the gaining of skill to make the strength effective. It encourages self-control, courage, durability, and respect. As we know now oak, ash, and thorn as a sacred trio; the oak is masculine energy representing the god, the thorn (hawthorn) is the feminine energy representing the goddess, and the ash as the world tree and druid’s staff is the phallic link between the two; the transmitter of the energy as well as the product of the interchange. 

 

- Rowan 

Rowan protects against negative influences, so a rowan wand can be used to clear the energy in a troubled area. Rowan is also a good helper if we need to set up boundaries, especially if you work on the edges of the spirit world, like with the faeries, then rowan helps you to guard your boundaries and to negotiate relations with otherworldly contacts that are respectful to both parties.

When you use rowan as a walking stick, you are also protected on your journey, which leads us again to the association with Thor, who protects those who travel, especially over sea, and here rowan protects against storms. If you keep it in the house, it is said that it will protect you against lightning strikes. 

 

- Apple

Wands from the apple tree are very good for healing and love spells. It can also be used to bring you visions of the Otherworld and to connect you to Avalon. The silver branch, adorned with bells or flowers, makes a powerful magical tool for use with tree spirits and gaining entry to the otherworld. It is an especially good tool for otherworld journeying, where it can aid clear vision and effective navigation. 

 

- Willow 

Willow has a good balance between light and dark and has many magical qualities. It is connected to the moon and the element of water and it can help in healing spells. You can also use willow wands for protection and guidance for otherworld and underworld journeys, and as a tool to help anchor someone with psychological or emotional distress. It can also be used for weather magic, and fertility spells. Or you can also sleep with the wand to have more vivid dreams.

 

- Yew

The wood of the yew is used to summon spirits and any other Otherworldy communication. Yew is associated with death, war, and poison and you must be aware that all parts of the tree are toxic so handle the wood carefully. It is best to use from wood fallen from a tree with its permission and with whom you have already established a relationship. If you work with a yew wand always oil, wax or varnish it before use. The yew wand not only proffers the great knowledge of infinity and ancestors, it also may assist in contacting deep land-based ancestral lines, following in the very parts of the druids who walked the land before us.

 

- Alder

As a wood for shield making, alder brings to mind the balance that must be maintained by any warrior, when to use the sword and when to use the shield. Alder teaches the wisdom and appropriateness of timely defense. Alder wood should be used for magicks that need to balance action with emotion. The magic of the Alder is that it spans the space between earth and water, with its roots in the two elements, that faery space of betwixt and between.So it has a connection to faery and the wood is seen as a gateway to the realm of Fae. 

 

- Beech

Beech is said to be excellent for any spells concerning prosperity or plenty and to increase the capacity for learning. It is a gateway for those on a quest of knowledge and wisdom. It is said that beech wands are a great conductor for the transfer of energies, but do not hold energies very well, but beech wands will open stronger lines of communication with the deities and spirits based on the high transfer of energies. 

 

- Hazel 

Hazel wood is excellent for making all purpose magical wands, and especially for healing, but also for divination purposes. Use the wood in your spells or magical work to gain knowledge, wisdom and poetic inspiration. It will also help you to provide artistic ability, magical knowledge, and optimism. The energy of hazel wands promote love and creativity allowing a person to move beyond self-serving modes of existence. Hazel is the bringer of change and also promotes creative expression and eloquence.

 

- Birch

Birch wood is a wonderful choice to carve any kind of sigils, ogham, or runes in it. Birch can be used for new beginnings, to sweep out the old and welcome the new. Birch wands can also be used to invoke Freya or Thor. It is also a tree of protection.

 

- Holly

Holly is a very fiery and fierce wood and good to build up energy if carefully used. Otherwise you can use a holly wand for protection and in spells for legal success, courage, endurance and to attract success into any project. It can also be useful for sexual magic, for example in long-term relationships where it may help to rekindle desires. 

 

- Elder

Elder can be used for protection from evil, banishment and closure spells. It is also connected to imagination, change, transformation and shapeshifting. You shouldn't cut a branch from the elder tree but ask the spirit of the tree to gift you a stick and wait if you will receive one. Make an offering to the tree before you take a part of it. 

 

- Blackthorn

A wand of blackthorn wood is also called a „blasting rod“ and especially known for its power to curse, but also to bless. The blackthorn is connected to the darker side of Faery and you should be careful if you use it. This kind of wand is not for beginners of the craft. 

 

 

Athame, knives or daggers

For those who work in traditional witchcraft it might be normal to use an athame or any other kind of knife. However it is important to know that in traditional lore many faeries are either offended by iron or can actually get ill. We will talk about this in a future lesson in more depth. 

If you want to use a knife, it is best to choose other materials, for example bronze, silver, stone or even wood. I was never able to find a knife of this material in a reasonable price range, so I just skip this tool, as it has mostly the same function as a wand. 

 

Stones 

Stones are a wonderful tool to use in your Faery work, and I’m not talking about crystals. 

Simple stones or pebbles may not seem as glamorous as the shiny crystals, but they have a very special energy on their own. If you find a stone in a special place, they are going to be more powerful than a crystal purchased in a shop. 

If you have a stone or pebble that you found in a place of power you can use it in your meditations, or you just cary it with you to remind you of the energy of this special place. You can also program your stone for your own needs and purposes. Start to build a connection to your stone, listen to it and be open to receive its messages. 

If you want to work with crystals make sure they have been ethically mined, and in the world of online shopping this can be a tricky task. If you are looking for an all purpose crystal, as you don't want to spend a lot of money on many different crystals, I would suggest to get a clear quartz, they aren't to expensive and they are allrounders. You can of course choose something else. 

A special stone you might be lucky enough to find is a hag stone, also called a Faery stone. This stone has a natural hole in it and should never be purchased, as you never know if the hole in it is natural or drilled. You can find them at the beach or sometimes they can be found in streams or by rivers. If you found one you can thread some red wool through the hole and hang it by your door to protect your home from harmful energies. It is also said that if you look through the hole you can see into Faery. You might want to use this stone if you do journey work into the Faery Realm. 

 

 

 

Music

Faeries love music and especially hand made music, so maybe you want to use a drum in your Faery work, which is also very useful for journeywork. They help you to create an altered state if you play them with a simple a regular beat. You could also choose a singing bowl or a didgeridoo for example, but again, please know you don't necessarily need this to work with Faery, it is just an addition as you go along the path. 

 

Incense burner

When you work with loose incense and you want to burn in on charcoal you will need an incense burner of some kind. This is something you usually have to purchase, unless you have a large shell which you can fill with sand or earth and put the charcoal on. I have two different kind of incense burners, and I will show them in the video for this lesson. 

 

 

 

 

Candles

Candles are obviously a tool to represent the element of fire. In a previous lesson I suggested to make a candle yourself, how did that go?

Maybe you didn't try it yet, but it would be wonderful if you could give it a shot.

Otherwise you can buy candles in every regular grocery store, and you can add some oil to them, to make them more special, or you could carve symbols in them.

 

Glass bottles

Keep an empty glass bottle at hand, wash it out thoroughly and take it with you when you take water from sacred wells or springs. I admit plastic is lighter and more practical, but if you want to take the healing waters from a well, it is better to use glass rather than plastic.

 

Herbs and Flowers

I love to grow my own herbs and flowers for my magical work, and this is definitely a tool I would recommend for anyone who works with the faeries. If you only grow a few different herbs you can make already many other magical objects yourselves, such as magical oils, candles, flower essence, or incense mixes. If you don't have a garden please know that you can definitely grow your herbs in pots. Ask the faeries for assistance and grow your herbs and flowers with them together. If you plant them you can also work with a moon calendar.

If you grow your own herbs you have full control over planting time, harvesting time, and the use of chemicals. When you buy the in a shop it is impossible to know if they used any kind of pesticides, and this will be offensive to the Fae.

You can also use flowers or plants that you find in nature, I would suggest to get a good field guide to avoid confusion. 

I will list just a few herbs and plants that are useful in your Faery work, but as always you can do your own research on this topic

 

 

- Fern 

Fern is a highly magical plant, protected by fierce spirits and the sidhe. It is said the ‘seeds’ from a Fern render one invisible – but only if the seeds are gathered on Mid-Summer’s eve. Practically that means you can use fern to maintain invisibility and protection when you want to go unnoticed, even if it will not make you invisible like Harry Potter’s cloak. 

 

- Cowslip 

A well loved and protected flower by the faeries. It is said that cowslip hold the power to unlock  hidden treasures. In Wales it was thought that this flower can help one to find hidden faery gold. 

They were thought to protect against evil spirits and they were worn on Beltane to protect the festivities from threat by witches. 

 

- Daisies

Daisies can be seen as little suns, and this solar power is able to bring protection and blessing. It was said that if children wear a daisy flower that they are protected from being kidnapped by the faeries. 

 

- Heather 

Heather is said to ignite faery passions and open portals between their world and our own. It is said that the Faeries of this flower are especially attracted to shy people. Heather is also used to contact your spirit guides. When you sleep on a pillow stuffed with this magic herb, it can bring dreams foretelling good fortune. If Burned outside with fern, it brings rain. You can burn it as an incense while meditating on inner healing, or if you want to gather your thoughts, or find the passion in your life.

 

- Bluebell 

Bluebells belong to the faeries. It is said that bluebells can cause children and adults to be pixie-lead. Some state that these flowers have an aura of danger and death around them, and that a field of bluebells is especially dangerous as it is interwoven with faery enchantments. 

I honestly can say that I never felt any kind of danger while dwelling around bluebells, I just felt a sense of wonder and positive enchantment. It is also recommended not to pick this flower, as it will bring you bad luck, and I will agree on this. 

 

- Primrose

Legend tells us, if worn in proper number, the primrose is the key to Faery. Hanging a bunch of them on your door was an invitation for fairies to bring fairy blessings and to invite them into your home. However, scattering the primroses outside your door was supposed tot he keep fairies at bay. It is said, that primroses also granted fairies the power of being invisible. It was also believed that if you ate primroses you would be able to see the fairies.

 

- Rose

The plant and especially its scent attracts the faeries. If you do further research you will come across the mystery of the red and the white rose, which represent the river of blood and the River of Tears. If you want to investigate this further I can recommend the book „The Well of Light“ by R.J. Stewart. 

 

- Broom 

Broom is used to invoke the air spirits, linking it to the idea of clear thinking and communication. If you throw broom into the air you can raise the winds, or burn it and bury the ashes to calm them. It is also used to sweep away negative energies, If you use broom and birch twigs together you can make a traditional witch besom. Some sources state that broom attracts faeries, so you can wear broom if you seek faery contact or earth healing, but other sources mention broom is used as protection against faeries. 

 

- Lavender

Lavender is known to attract ancestral spirits and the knowing ones from the Underworld.

 

- Foxglove

Also known as faery bell, faery glove, or faery caps, these flowers were said to invite faeries if planted by the door. You often find them in the forest, where many of the Fair folks dwell.

 

- Mugwort

A useful plant for dreamwork and to enhance your psychic abilities. It opens your inner sight and is sacred to the Fae. You can burn it as an incense for divination purposes or journey work. 

 

- Thyme

Thyme is said to be attractive to elves. It can be used to develop and strengthen the second sight. 

 

- Clover

Clover, especially the four-leaved one, is especially  connected to the leprechauns, but they do in fact attract all kind of faeries. Other sources state that a four-leaved clover can break a faery spell and clears the sight from Faery glamour. 

 

- Toadstools

Mushrooms and toadstools are said to be the roses of Annwn, the Underworld, they are the flowers of death and decay. With the toadstools come the phenomena of Faery circles, it is believed that they are formed by the Fae and they mark the boundaries of their dancing and festivities area. 

 

Any flowers that attract bees and butterflies are said to also attract faeries, so you could choose any kind of bee friendly plant. 

If you do more research about the different kind of herbs, flowers, and trees, you will often find contradicting opinions about if a certain plant protects against faeries, or if they attract them. So you will have to learn through experience, I guess. 

There is much more to say about how you can work with the different kind of herbs, flowers, trees, and mosses, for example in healing work or how to make your own flower essences, but I will leave that for another time in the future. Let me know if you have any interest in this topic, and what you would like to learn, just contact me. 

 

Blessing of your tools 

This might not be for everyone, yet I find it to be a wonderful way to connect in a deeper manner with the tools you use for you Faery work. 

You can do this as simple or as complex as you like, there are no rules or set techniques for this. 

I want to share just a few ideas with you and you can adapt them to your own.

Find a quiet moment to be in your sacred space, you might want to have representations of the four elements; incense, a wand, or a feather for air, a candle for fire, a chalice with water, and a stone or salt for earth, for example. 

When everything is ready take a few moments and become still. Maybe you want to say a few words, or you may to sing or hum, do what feels right for you.

Then think about what the four different elements mean to you and then you can call upon them if you like.  

For example you could say something like this:

 

By the element of air, the direction of east, I call upon you to bless this tool, to bring fresh ideas and clarity to my Faery work. 

 

For fire you might want to bring in willpower and passion. Healing and emotional balance for the element of water, and strength, stability and roundedness for the element of earth.

Add what the elements represents for you, not something you have learned through a book, a course or whatever, but something you have experienced through our first lessons, while you were exploring the elements. 

You can also add the direction of above, below and within if you like.

Dedicate the tools to your Faery Work and thank the powers.

There are of course many different ways to do this, I like to use a full moon night to bless my tools, or I go to a special place with a high faery activity and ask the good folk directly to bless the tools. You can do the same if you feel like they need a bit of extra energy.

I hope this is helpful, take care of yourself, and we will see each other for the next lesson when we finally enter the Faery realm.

 

Your Faery Homework

- Make one tool yourself dedicated to the faeries

 

- Find a special stone and build a connection with it

 

- Start to grow your own herbs, even if it is just one pot.

 

- Bless and consecrate your tools