5 Unsuspecting Tools of the Hedgewitch

Witchcraft has its own set of "tools" or magical objects that are often employed during spells and rituals, including brooms/besom, wands, athames, chalices, etc, to enhance the magic performed. Lists of these tools are found in every book on witchcraft or Wicca, a flood of blog posts, and a large number of Pinterest boards. However, there are many tools witches often use that are not talked about. Here are 5 unsuspecting or little talked about tools of the hedgewitch, tools I commonly use every day in my practice.

1. Poetry. This is a pretty big one for me. First, poetry offers us melodic ways to cast our spells. They teach us how to organize and memorize spells in an easy yet beautiful format. Poetry is extremely easy to memorize, just like a song, which is why so many witches create rhyming spells or spells with iambic pentameter. You don't always want to carry your Grimoire or BOS into a ritual and it's much more powerful to have a spell memorized so you can speak it with conviction during your spell or ritual. Furthermore, poetry offers us some amazing magical correspondences. For example, my favorite poem is The Poison Tree by William Blake. Because of this poem, I associate apples with revenge and death. Another favorite of mine is The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. For me, the albatross represents innocence, patience, and purity. The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe is also a favorite of mine and as a result, I associate ravens with death, remorse, and lost love. Whatever the poem, you're going to find some pretty powerful correspondences that speak to you as well as an understanding of how to construct your spells if you use and read poetry.

2. Science. This may seem out of place for some of you. How in the world can magic and science coexist? Thankfully, the Hermetic Principles do a pretty good job of explaining the connection between science and magic, which has been covered numerous times, including by myself. Either way, magic works within the confines of our physical world, so understanding physics and chemistry will give you a pretty good understanding of energy, motion, and ingredient reactions. You construct better spells and perform stronger magic when you grasp scientific principles. Furthermore, science offers us a slew of correspondences. Garlic, for example, is well known in the medical community for being antibacterial and antiviral. In the magical community, we associate this with protection because garlic literally protects you from infections! Water is a know purifier, hence why we associate it with purification and renewal, while certain flowers are the first to grow in spring, making them associated with rebirth. Lions represent strength because physically they are strong, being able to take down prey larger than themselves, such as the water buffalo. Science offers us a greater understanding of our world and therefore a better understanding of the magic we perform. The two cannot be separated, and they shouldn't be. If you have to ignore science to perform magic, you may not be doing anything other than lying to yourself. Many of the correspondences you read in a book are based on science, and it's important you know WHY the correspondences exist if you are going to use them or write your own.

3. Tackle Boxes. Alright, so moving away from literature to more practical everyday objects. I have a lot of tackle boxes. I mean...like 4 or 5. I use them to organize crystals, herbs, and other smaller magical objects I collect, like acorns, petals, insect parts, and feathers. This is a valuable organizational tool for witches, so utilize them. You can purchase some at Dollar Tree, Walmart, or Amazon for next to nothing. In Dollar Tree, they tend to be sold near craft items and school supplies, although you may need to check with a store associate. You don't need "witchy" bottles or chests to organize your supplies. Modern tackle boxes are just as useful.

4. Scrapbook Supplies. I freaking love scrapbooking supplies, and I mean LOVE them. I had to stop going to craft stores because I was buying scrapbooking supplies faster than I could use them. I used to be super into scrapbooking. Now I am super into using my scrapbooking supplies for magical purposes. I use the papers to write spells, using colored papers or patterned papers to enhance the magic. For example, I use green paper for money spells, while rose floral papers get used in love spells. Furthermore, scrapbooking supplies are an excellent way to work with your Grimoire or BOS. You can decorate pages with papers, stickers, stamps, and so much more. Go wild and crazy! Seriously! I find it boring to spend time just writing and drawing. I plan on including many more pages in my Grimoire in the future that incorporate the supplies I already have. It is a great way to fill your magical book with your own power and personal creativity.

5. Calendars. I talked about all my calendars in one of my first posts of the year, so it shouldn't be a surprise they made this list too. From almanacs to personal planners, calendars play a role in helping us keep track of astrological events, major holidays, and our personal lives. They allow us to better plan spells by allowing us to work with the moon cycle, days of the week, or times during the day. Calendars also allow us to plan future spell work so we have everything we need when the time comes. If you are planning an elaborate ritual, you are going to need to set apart time to write the ritual and purchase any items you may not have. I also keep track of my goals, blog posts, hedge riding dates, and sometimes even my dreams. I make constant little notes off to the side in all my planners/calendars. It can be something as simple as how I'm feeling or more complex, like a premonition or omen or synchronicity. Keeping a calendar is like keeping a journal, at least for me. Mine is an integral part of my magic practice, and it should probably play a role in your magic as well.

So there you have it! Some may be unfamiliar or shocking, while others you may already be using. Help me add to the list. What are some unsuspecting or little mentioned tools you use in your magical practice?