Making Your Own Wand
Most witches agree that the best way to procure your wand (or any ritual tool for that matter) is to make it yourself. Not only does it truly portray who you are as a witch, but it is also tied to your energy on a much deeper level than any store-bought wand ever could.
Don’t think you have to sacrifice beauty for a wand that will capture you essence. On the contrary, homemade wands provide you with the opportunity to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece that will last you for years.
The first thing to consider when making a homemade wand is the core material from which it will be made. Will you use wood, metal, or some other material? Most witches opt for wood because of its connections to nature. Different types of wood are thought to have different abilities. There are plenty of online resources where you can look up the attributes of different varieties of wood. The most commonly used woods are those from fruit trees like apple and cherry trees or woods such as oak, maples, and occasionally elder. Many witches consider the elder tree a very sacred tree and frown on cutting from it to make a wand. Then again, it’s important to use wood from whatever tree speaks to you the most.
When you figure out the type of wood you are going to use you can either collect fallen branches or cut it from the tree itself. It’s important to thank the tree for its gift. When cutting a wand most witches agree that it should be about the length from the end of your middle finger to the inner crook of your elbow, but whatever length feels most comfortable to you is what should be used.
Once you’ve cut the wand you can start decorating. It’s important to maintain functality no matter how you decide to decorate. Try to use only natural decorations such as ribbons of natural materials, stones, and crystals. You can make a more comfortable handle by wrapping it with leather or hang feathers or small bells off the end to add character to your wand. If you are familiar with runes you may want to inscribe them on your wand or paint them on. The point can be fixed with a crystal or stone that speaks to you. Popularly used crystals for wands are clear quartz, amethyst, and obsidian. You can look up the meaning of individual stones and crystals and choose whatever is best for your purposes.
Once you’ve finished your wand you’ll want to cleanse and consecrate it. This is a point of variance among pagans in general. Some like to take rituals out of books or write their own. On the other hand, many witches don’t make a big fuss of it and just spend time holding their wand while meditating. Anyway you do it, cleansing and consecrating your tool will help it become more a part of you.
Once you’ve completed all of this you’ll want to keep your wand in good shape. Not only is it a beautiful work of art, it is also a working tool that will no doubt take a lot of physical and spiritual abuse. You’ll want to cleanse it regularly of negative energies or just astral buildup. On a more physical level, you may want to take a clean cloth and rub your wand with oil to keep it from cracking. You can use just plain olive or vegetable oil, but most witches mix essential oils that will further aid their purpose. Not to mention, essential oils typically have a fantastic smell that lingers on your wand.
So, instead of spending ridiculous amounts of money on a wand do what your witchy ancestors did, get out in the wild, natural world and make your own. Not only will it give you something uniquely yours to cherish for years to come, but it will also be a more powerful, useful tool for the love you put into making it.
