Sulum Factum Magus

One approach to working with magick is to always consider the energy of whatever it is that you are doing. For instance if one desires to work with one’s dreams, building awareness of dreaming, and the development of choice in one’s dreams, then the first thing to do is work out what energy would be helpful to you in achieving this goal. The way I go about it is as follows. First of all, I work out the elemental energy required. That’s easy. Water is associated with all things of the psyche and the unconscious including dreaming. If my intention is to bring about self awareness within the dreaming state, then I would further differentiate to Air of Water, air of course, being associated with the mental realm. Having identified the energy required, I would then seek natural objects which embody this energy. My speciality is Australian trees, so I would select a tree which has an Air of Water quality – in my experience one of the smooth barked Grey Gums would suit, or a Casuarina or Kurrajong. Having selected a tree, I would then work a piece of the wood into a convenient size and shape that I can wear around my neck, under my cloths. It doesn’t have to be very big, but must be made in the full awareness of the energy connection required, with the intention to seek the assistance of the spirit of the tree. It must be made in a state of connection, as best as you are able to do. Since I prefer to sand wood through a series of grades to a high polish, to bring out the natural beauty, this may take some time. However, this time is time when you are doing the real work of building, strengthening and consolidating the energetic connection between yourself and the tree spirit, via the object you are working on.

I like to cut across a small branch, if available, to give a circular disk, and polish starting with 80 grade garnet paper, then 120, 180, 240, 400, 800, and 1200. Such a disk, once polished up, and finished with some natural cold pressed oil, such as linseed oil 2:1 with pure tea tree oil, feels beautiful against the skin, as well as beautiful against the eye. A hole can be drilled through for a leather thong, or if you prefer, the wooden disk can be mounted by binding a soft leather thong around the perimeter.

The object can be used as is, after being blessed and consecrated and charged with its magical purpose. However I find it useful to add additional energetic correspondences to fine tune the energy, in the way of engravings and markings. For example, a rune, or combination of runes can be selected, and engraved or burnt into the piece. In order to activate the dreaming state, for example, the rune Laguz refers to dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the hidden, the deep, and the underworld, along with water and the sea, fertility and renewal. However it may also stir up any fears, obsessions or un-dealt with psychological issues that are currently lying dormant, so of course caution is required. Are you really in a healthy and positive space where you can safely and constructively deal with what may emerge from the deeps? Perhaps it is worthwhile stating this intention in your consecration!

Planetary energies may also be helpful. The moon is the obvious ruler of the realm of dreams, and so the astrological moon symbol may be engraved or burnt into the object to provide assistance in the endeavour. In addition, one may care to select a zodiacal sign to further focus the intent of the talisman. For example, the sign of Gemini (An Air sign) may be helpful in opening up communication between the conscious and unconscious selves, and bringing alertness and clarity to the mind.

Further energetic signatures are possible, using for example Ogham script, Hebrew letters, or numbers, however if you aren’t practiced in each system, there is a danger of confusing and muting the energy, rather than honing it to a strong and clear intention. My advice is to select from those symbol systems with which you are comfortable, or if you are exploring a new system, have at most one new symbolic character at a time. If you are of a particularly investigative bent, you can start off with no symbols, and work with your object as is for a week or two, then add a symbol at a time, and re-consecrate, then in the following days observing how the energy has developed.

Wear the object around your neck, against your skin at all times during the day. When you go to bed, have the object under your pillow. Notice the difference in energy in your dreams, and make notes in your journal each morning on waking.

The same principle can be applied to herbs, to make sachets, with appropriate symbols embroidered, sewn, or otherwise marked onto them. In all cases, the work of making the piece is not only in the physical construction, but in the holding of the intent and the energetic connection whilst in the making. 

Blessed Be,

Robyn

To some people, a wand is a magical accessory that looks impressive on an alter, or when waved about in the air. However, there is much more to a wand than this. It is a magical tool, for use in channeling and directing magical energy. Everything about a wand, in my opinion, should be calculated to improve or enhance its ability to perform its magical function. It may be fine to decorate your wand with various crystals, gemstones, sigils, markings and what not, but each should be chosen and crafted with a view to enhancing the way the wand can be used to fulfill its primary function of focusing the transmission of magical energy. For example, in my experience, energy tends to flow outward from the trunk of a tree towards the leaf ends of branches. This direction is the natural way that energy will like to flow in the finished wand. Crystals tend to also have a particular direction of energy flow, in most cases towards the pointy end. If adding a crystal to your wand, these directions of energy flow must be aligned.

The choice of adhesive is also important, as some adhesives, particularly synthetic adhesives, can interfere with the free flow of energy. Araldite is a popular choice for magical tools, but in my experience it does nothing to enhance the flow of energy. It does not completely block the flow of energy, and will result in a serviceable tool, however using a different adhesive can make a very noticeable improvement in the flow of energy. The adhesive that I have found that enhances the flow of energy most is natural tree resins. They can be mixed with alcohol, or methylated spirit to make a varnish type of adhesive, or powdered and heated in place to fuse and gel together. However, these can be difficult to work with, and a lot of trial and error is required to get it right. One doesn’t need one’s athame blade flying out, or crystal catapaulting off the end of one’s wand at a particularly artistic flourish of a tool!

I believe that hide glue should also provide a very good bond for such things as crystals and athame blades, and being derived from purely natural and living sources should enhance the flow of magical energy. However, being derived from animal sources, those with vegan leanings will want to avoid it. I will keep you posted on this front! I myself prefer the minimalist wand, without any attachment of crystals, or elaborate decorations and markings, because I like the purity of also working directly with the donor tree consciousness – which I believe is best enhanced with an un-adorned wand. However this is no more than a personal preference. Each person’s wand should be an expression of their own magical identity, and embody the significant energies with which they themselves like to work. Each adornment, of course, carries it’s own energetic connection, and its own frequency of consciousness energy.

Now there are many dimensions to the concept of channelling and directing magical energy. As with much of my magical work, I work with the energies of Earth, and Sun, and their sacred union. This is the basic exercise that I do for practicing channeling with my wand. First of all, it is necessary to hold the wand in a way that facilitates the transmission of magical energy from yourself to the wand. The grip I use is to have the base of the wand butted against the centre of my palm, with the fingers and thumb then used to grip the shaft, and hold it to the palm. To get this grip correctly, hold your right hand out, palm up. Holding the wand in your left hand, place it standing in your right palm, so that the natural direction of energy movement is upward. The base of the wand should then be in contact with the energy centre in the centre of the right palm. Continuing to hold the right palm level, left up the thumb and fingers to grasp the wand. This is the grip that I use, with the wand now forming an natural energetic extension of my body.

To practice with the wand, do the following exercise. Sit cross legged in front of your alter, or on a chair so that your feet are flat on the floor. Hold the wand as described above in your right hand, so that the natural direction of energy movement is away from you. Hold the tip of the wand in your left hand, using the same grip as the right hand. Breathe slowly and deeply. Begin with your attention on your throat energy centre. As you breathe out, move your attention to your right shoulder, down the centre of your right upper arm, through your elbow, down the centre of your forearm, through your wrist, to the centre of your palm, and then continue to move it through the wand, and out the tip to the palm of your left hand. Synchronize this movement so that as you are ready to breathe in again, your attention reaches the palm of your left hand. Then as you breathe in, move your attention from your left palm to your left wrist, up through your left forearm, to your left elbow, then through your left upper arm, to your left shoulder, and then rest your attention on your throat centre, just behind the Adam’s Apple, while you complete your breath in. Then repeat the whole process, circulating your attention through right arm, wand, and left arm as you breathe out and then in again. Repeat for at least ten minutes daily for three weeks, and you will be well on the way to using your wand as an effective magical tool.