About Magic Wands

Magic wands are thin sticks made of different materials, including wood or metal, and used as a conductor when practicing Wiccan rituals or other types of magical rituals. Wands have been around since Egyptian times and have always been associated with magical properties and religious connotations.

Historical References

Mention of magic wands appears in numerous historical documents, including ancient papyri describing magical rituals as far back as the the reign of Pharaoh Pepi II in 2278 B.C. Mythological texts describing Roman god Mercury using the caduceus (a special wand) and even Freemasonry documents showing the use of wands during ceremonial initiations also exist. The Swedish Museum of National Antiquities has a special display of a 9th century bronze and iron wand dedicated to Völva, female shamans in Norse paganism.

Wiccan Significance

Wicca, a neopagan religion based on the celebration of nature, has a special place for the use of magic wands, which are considered essential for energy channeling, spell casting and healing. Wiccan practitioners usually make their own wands by first picking and pruning a branch found during a walk or meditation trek. Magic wands represent the element of air and are used to channel the wind's or universe's floating energy into a specific point or spell.

Making Your Own

Certain trees are considered especially good for making magic wands as they embody certain properties that are passed on into the branches (and thus, into the wands). For example, birch is good for purification purposes, while hazel will help channel intuition and oak provides protection. Once chosen, the branch will then be molded into a wand by adding carvings, writings or decorations to it. A magical ritual of consecration is then performed, which usually involves the burning of incense and the chanting of specific passages. Pagan practitioners usually use branches found on the ground rather than cutting them off trees as a way to show respect to Mother Nature.

Magicians

The name "magic wand" is also applied to a wood or plastic stick used by magicians on stage. Classic ones are black with a white top, although modern magicians use other colors as well. The main objective of using a magic wand is to misdirect the audience's attention so the performer can complete a trick while everybody is focused on a different area of the room. There are also magic wands that can be used for physical comedy or as gags, since they split-up or "multiply" when pressed, pop off, bend or stretch. More sophisticated wands can disappear, bending to a size small enough to fit into a closed fist.

Literature and Film

The use of magic wands in books and films has always been associated with power. In fantasy, they are used not only to cast spells, but also as dueling weapons or to extend or dismiss curses. Homer's "The Odyssey" features goddess Circe using a wand to transform her enemies into animals, and the character Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" used one to fight goblins. Magic wands are primarily used by fairy godmothers and witches in Middle Age stories and fairytales, as well as in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and movies.