From: boylan@sltg04.ljo.dec.com (Steve Boylan)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: the care & feeding of staves
Date: 20 Nov 92 17:15:05 GMT
Reply-To: boylan@ljohub.enet.dec.com (Steve Boylan)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


Now THIS sounds like a fun topic!

In article <Bxzro6.8LF@world.std.com>, marty@world.std.com (Marty M
HaleEvans) writes:

> While we're at it, can we have a little basic seminar on wands? How 
> would one best go about getting and/or making one, what steps should one
> (I know that's a loaded word -- how about "would you") use? What are some
> of the traditional woods and their attributes? Wands vs. staves: pros and
> cons? And what, generally, do you use yours for (if you have one) and why
> don't you use one (if you don't)?

Here's the little bit I can come up with.  My basic philosophy with
regard to wands and staves is the same as my basic philosophy regarding
ritual tools in general - whatever feels right for you IS right.  This
is basically just a collection of ideas, some of which might give you
an idea you'd like to try.

How big it is and where and how you get it and the material to use may
depend, in part, on how you're going to use it.  If you celebrate
rituals at a small altar in a corner of a cramped apartment, a heavy
six-foot oak staff is going to be a bit awkward.  On the other hand,
if you're leading a ritual for sixty people at a gathering, a big oak
staff can be pretty impressive as a symbol of power and authority.
You might also want to consider what you're going to do with it -
a small wand is handy for . . . er, I can't remember the term, drawing
a pentacle in the air, like some folks do with an athame, YOU know!

If it were me, I'd probably go for a walk in the woods or along a
beach or some such thing, keeping an eye out for a piece of wood that
looks and feels right.  One can, of course, buy pieces of wood at
the lumber yard, but somehow, that just doesn't feel right to me -
but then, I'm the sort who wants to try building furniture using
a woodlot and an axe!

Once you have an appropriate piece of wood, you need to decide what
processing might be appropriate.  Do you want to use the wood in its
natural state?  Or would you like to have a more "finished" surface?
Some folks might like the feel of bark, others might want a smooth,
polished result, someone else might want their own Painted Stick.
Do you want to use any metal tools, or would you like to try peeling
the bark by hand or with a stone tool?  Do you want to use sandpaper?
Do you want to apply linseed oil or Tung oil?  Do you want to
a varnish?  Or would you go as far as enveloping the wood in
polyurethane?  Are there any signs or symbols you would like to
carve into the wood?  Any writing?  Maybe shape part of the wood
to fit your hand?  How much of a ritual do you want to build around
transformation of the raw wood into your ritual tool?  Just sitting
quietly and working, or do you want to fast first and sing a chant
while scraping and polishing the wood slowly over several days?

I believe that, for ritual tools in general, the power and personality
that the tool possesses comes from you.  If you invest a lot of
time and spiritual energy into something like a wand or staff, it
will be a very powerful tool for you.  There is a risk in doing that,
too - if you have invested a wand or staff with a lot of power, you
probably need to keep close control over who uses that object and
how it is used, to prevent that use from affecting you in some negative
way.

I remember only a little about the different woods.  One wood that
was held to be very magical in "olden days" was the European rowan
tree.  There is a New World tree that is basically the same species,
but I can't for the life of me remember what it is.  Then there's the
oak, which evokes for me images of royal power and druidic lore.

I get a nice feeling from fruitwoods, like apple and cherry.  Those
somehow seem appropriate for celebrations and happy, festive
occasions.

Walnut feels like a "serious" wood, without the heavy associations of
oak.  It tends to be dark and sombre.

Maple seems like a quiet, solid wood - it's very hard and strong, with
a light color and faint grain.  It seems to me to suggest quiet strength.

Hmm . . . actually, this is getting pretty fanciful.  I'm hoping
there are others out there with more knowledge of traditional magical
associations of different woods.

				- - Steve

				boylan@ljohub.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: alt.pagan