How the Best Known Witchcraft Tools are Really Used

We can all picture the classic "Halloween witch" stereotype: she rides in on a broomstick, stirs a big cauldron bubbling with a mysterious brew and cackles, right? Well, some* real witchcraft practices actually do use these famous tools, but not quite how we see on the screen. Some may cackle too, but no judgements here.

The Cauldron

The real witch's cauldron doesn't make concoctions of bizarre animal parts into potions for absorbing souls or dramatic appearance changes like they do in the movies. Most cauldrons are pretty small, with the larger end of the spectrum being more like average soup bowl size rather than "I can cook a child in this" size. The cauldron's use is generally for burning things for ritual or spellwork - herbs, incense, bits of paper... that sort of thing. Some witches like to cook things in cauldrons too, or make non-poisonous potions that are for consumption, bath rituals, or sprinkling around the home.

The Broom

Many witches use a broom as a magickal tool, but not for flying. Mainly, the broom's use is for cleaning, but not exactly how a normal broom is. Yes, you could clear dust and dirt with a witch broom, I suppose, but normally you would only use them to "sweep out" stagnant or negative energies before spellwork or ritual.

To hear a bit about where the "flying broom" idea comes from, check out my YouTube video Witchcraft AMA: Real Witch Answers Common Questions!

The Athame

A lesser known tool - at least by name - is an athame. It is a small dagger (usually with a dull blade). Rather than cutting physical items, the athame symbolically/energetically cut or separate things. A spellwork example: if you want to remove something from your life, you would use the athame to "cut" it out. Because the athame has this power of energy separation, it is often used to cast circles, separating the barrier between the outside world and the circle for spellwork/ritual that has been cast. I personally use an athame more than a wand for directing energy as well. A dagger that is dedicated to cutting physical things (think paper or string, not people or animals) that's often called a bolene.

The Wand

Actually, the wand is kind of the same as it is in the stories. The idea is, anyway. It doesn't spark out in colors or make things move around the room like it does in TV or movies or anything. It's normally an organic material like wood. This organic material helps guide and sort of funnel the witch's energy through the wand. This helps to focus their power more precisely where they want it to direct in their practice. It's like creating a beam of sunlight through a magnifying glass.

The Pentacle

Many witches will have a pentacle on their altar or among their tools during their magickal workings. Sometimes it is engraved or painted onto a disc or item. It also could be painted on the actual altar or drawn the floor. This five-pointed star enclosed in a circle is not an evil, demon-summoning symbol many stories make it out to be. The symbol has many variations of meanings. The common use is a symbol for protection. It is also a symbol for unity with the elements, represented by each point of the star: earth, air, fire, water, spirit.

*Not all witches and practices use these tools. This is just a brief description of some of their more common uses. Witches are so creative and I know there are many more uses than just these. Every witch has their own way!

Also, I said "she" referring to witches in the intro because that's also generally part of the stereotype, but boy witches are witches too!

Are there any tools or uses I missed that you'd like me to cover next? Let me know in the comments! (Or on Instagram @XristiWitch!)