Wands

Hi all i recently started thinking of getting/making a wand. Could you all please enlighten me on what i need to know about
1) usage
2) do and do not's
3) storage
4) any thing else i need to be aware of
thanks in advance
TarotGirl Jess

TarotGirlJess said:

Hi all i recently started thinking of getting/making a wand. Could you all please enlighten me on what i need to know about
1) usage
2) do and do not's
3) storage
4) any thing else i need to be aware of
thanks in advance
TarotGirl Jess

Click to expand...

I'm in the process of basically the same thing so I'm interested to see what others have to say on this too. I do know that wands are used to direct the energies...and a clear Quartz is often used for this. What type of wood you choose also is important and doing some research online can help there. For example....Willow is excellent for a healing wand. As to storage...I can only imagine that if one has an altar it would fit nice and snug upon it. I wouldn't allow anyone else to hold it...keeping your own energies within it. The wand is also used often for casting circles. So far, that's all I know...I'm interested to know how people have actually made theirs tho...

oh additional question...
do you varnish, poly your wands or leave them natural? should the bark be stripped? or left on?
TGJ

Wands are definately a very personal kinda thing. Certain woods are considered best for certain uses, but you may work well with a wood thats not on the list...

Birch, oak, holly, willow are all good wand woods, I'm not sure the specific meanings/ uses of each wood.

Some people embed crystal points into the tip of a wooden wand others just use solid crystal wands. Some wrap their wands with copper wire (a conduit).

It is fairly standard to only pick up branches which the tree has naturally shed, and to offer a prayer of thanks to the tree for the piece you take.

You'll want to let the branch dry through before treating it in anyway.
I like to carve patterns between the bark and the "meat" then sand the transitions so its still smooth. Some people paint their wands in which case you'd want to clear coat it to give the image a longer life. I prefer the o natural thing so I scrub the wand with sea salt and clean water then rub natural oils into it. My fave is dragon's blood oil because of the amber color and the strength dragon's blood adds to magik.

Carve patterns or images, words or spells, tie on talismens, feathers, beads, whatever makes you happy. Just try to get a straight piece of wood, energy travels better without the bendies (IMO), and make sure it's comfortable for you to use.

ummm... thats a brief basic overview for you. Google "wand" or "wand making" there are lots of great sites and examples of how different people make and work with wands...

Love and Light,

Ankou

Oh yeah... Storage, mine lives on my alter, it likes the sun

Two other threads on AT discussing wands...

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=38517

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=43329

Love and Light,

Ankou

Thank you Ankou,
very helpful information about your wand ( i had already searched the site LOL).
I decided on willow. i got it from somewhere that was special to me and has been a part of my life since i was like 4, so in a a way the willow that gave me my wand watched me grow.
I went ahead and just did what feels right and i really like it. i have a crystal tip, i also have 5 other stones on it. I wrapped part of it in embroidry floss. every single part of this means something to me so it feels doubly special. I am proud of it.. i like the way it looks/feels/smells and sounds.
as i was working on it I pointed it at my cat.. my normaly mean cat just reached a paw up and touched my crystal.. ( awwww).
I still have a few things left before it's done done. but it's very close.
I didn't carve anything in it ( as of yet). but i'm not sure it's done. LOL
Once again many thanks!
TarotGirlJess

I got my wand about a year ago. I bought it from a shop that I was also taking lessons from the owner. When I was trying to choose mine, he told me, "choose the wood that resonates with you, and choose the wand that makes you feel magickal."

I did that, and I've got a beautiful wand made of apple wood (representative of love and immortality). Its very plain, sorta looks like a Harry Potter wand, except it has this nice curve in it. When I first got it, my mother got a hold of it and started "knighting" our dogs with it, which pissed me off that she couldn't understand how valuable it was to me, she was treating it like a toy and laughing.

i have yet to tell anymone but posters here of it's existance...

Enjoy the process!
Let the wood tell you what it wants to become.
Usage and storage are up to up and the wand.
There really aren't any do's and don'ts IMHO as long as it's made and used in the greater good.
I've made a few wands and was so afraid of messing up or doing it "wrong" that it tok away from the process so I got a few pieces of wood and decided they would be practice pieces in case the didn't turn out and they turned out really nice and helped to relax and just let it happen.
Some wands may like a crystal tip at the top and bottom to help the energy flow or no crystals at all, just feel it out and enjoy

Love and Light
Alanna

I use my wand to direct energies during circle casting and spellwork. I don't always use it, sometimes I use my hand instead.

When I first started using magic I read lots of books on Wicca and Witchcraft and came to the conclusion that any self-respecting witch just has to have an athame, so I went out and bought one.
I used it a few times but soon realised that the whole knife thing just didn't gel with me, it felt very wrong. I feel much, much more comfortable using a wand.

I'd suggest if you want to make one to do a bit of research into the magical qualities of different types of wood and trees.

I have a willow wand that came from windfallen willow but the wand I use most is hazel. The thick bit that you hold is twisted because it had honeysuckle growing around it as it grew. It has an amethyst crystal in the tip that was found on a beach in Cornwall - it really is lovely.

Your wand sounds lovely too. It should be a powerful magical tool for you as you say everything on it has a meaning to you.

Edited to add: Willow corresponds to water and the moon. It's a good for healing and protection. It's also good for using in spells to increase your intuition.

Enjoy

love

Sulis xx