Shamanic Tools

These pages were put together from information from Sky and Starbright. My thanks go out to them

To a shaman everything has life. A tool they use has as much of a soul and an energy as any individual person. Many shamans actually speak to their tools as though they would speak to a person: tools are viewed as everything else viewed through the eyes of a shaman: They are alive and should be thanked for their assistance.

Tools aren't necessary to perform rituals or healings but they are a great means of focusing energy. They shouldn't be turned away from due to pride, They should be used to help strengthen your resolve and your ability. The energy within the tool will help to focus the energy within you and direct it...one should never deny this due to their ego...

There should be no ego in shamanism, and if there is then perhaps you should rethink your reasoning for following this path. A shaman's duty is being in service to the universe. If you aren't using your abilities to help your community as well as your earth then you aren't truly on a shamanic path nor can you ever become a true shaman. Sorry, that's a slight rant on my part...anyways moral of the story...use the tools that you feel called to and feel a strong bond with.

The rattle, made of sacred wood and hide filled with lentils is used for clearing a sacred space ready for rituals to be carried out or for the clearing of bad spirits from an area.

Smudge sticks, typically of white sage or similar, are used for a similar purpose, and their use with people I find to be exceptional. Riddance of personal demons is instant with their use and should be tried by anyone 'having trouble crying'!

A talking stick is particularly useful when working in groups, or just one to one. Made of sacred wood and embellished with ornaments such as stones, bone, feathers, or whatever you feel to be appropriate, they are held by the person talking at that point in the group. Many people find it difficult to talk about things, especially if they are of a personal nature, and the talking stick acts as a distraction, which the speaker can focus their eyes on and fiddle with while they speak. It is a useful tool for helping to remove embarrassment from speaking, and leads to far more honesty, (not, that is, for the benefit of the group, but for the person speaking).

On a more general note, a ritual tool can be anything which helps 'you personally' to perform a ritual. A pebble or a handful of sand can be just as valuable as an expensive shop-bought item, if it serves the purpose for which you intend it.

Staff: the staff is used in various ways...during ceremonies, and as a tool to use to direct your flow of energy. it also has practical uses as both an aide in travelling as well as a form of protection

Your staff should be between chest and chin height. you can either purchase one or create your own. I personally feel any tool is better when it is created with your own hands. When picking a tree limb, either attached or fallen, you should be sure to thank the tree as well as the branch for giving itself to you. Always bless the spirit from which you take and it will payoff in your work. Most staffs are from oak, but any tree that speaks to you should be the tree from which you take your staff. The rest is up to your personal taste. The staff should

be cut in the waxing moon phase and given time to dry completely. You can remove the bark or leave it. You can create a hand grip out of fabric or leather or what have you. You can add feathers or ribbons or beads, anything that speaks to you that you wish to add, go ahead and do so. make it as thick or as thin as you like but keep in mind that you want it to be durable. You can carve images into the staff or symbols or even your name...whatever you like and whatever bonds you to it the best. Once all the work is done use a wood sealer or a varnish on it.

Rattles: these are used in rituals as well as for driving out evil spirits, bringing rain, healing, and just changing bad for good.

to make a rattle you will need:
-dried beans or pebbles or something to make the rattle noise
-cord
-sand
-rawhide
-a stick or some other long object to use as a handle
-very strong thread
-any other materials you care to use as decoration

You will need to soak your rawhide in cold water until it is loose enough to work with then lay it flat and let it dry. When dry you may draw shapes onto the rawhide that you wish the rattle to be and then soak it again. (if you wish to have a round rattle head then draw two circles on separate rawhide strips.) Now take the material you're using as your handle and straighten it out then sand it down so the surface is smooth. If you aren't going to carve into the handle then go ahead now and seal the wood with a stain or a wax. When the rawhide is again loose, remove it from the water. Now sew up the edges to create your shape but be sure to leave the end where the handle will go open. If this takes a while and the rawhide begins to harden just put it back in the water until it softens again.

When it is sewn and still soft, begin putting sand inside it: use a spoon if the opening isn't very large. Use a stick or something long enough to open the rawhide up and fill it out. Fill it completely and shape it as you wish it to appear then place it somewhere warm and dry to take shape, leaving the sand inside. When it is completely dry, and I mean completely, then you can pour all of the sand out.

Now put the stones or the beans or whatever inside the rattle. Check it occasionally by shaking it to see how many beans you like in it. Take the amount you like out and put them to the side. Now soak the opening of the rattle in water that it is only deep enough to wet the neck of it. When it is soft, remove it from the water and fill the rattle up with your beans then place the handle inside the hole and bend the rawhide around it. Now use your cord to wrap around the neck of the rawhide tightly. Leave it to dry. When its done it should be firmly held against the handle but if you are concerned you may glue it to keep it sealed.

Once all this is done feel free to add any decorations you want...paint, feathers, whatever.

In the end some sand will still be inside the rattle, this will only some out in time...

Drums: drums are used to assist a shaman into reaching an altered state, i.e. trance.

I know you can make a drum for yourself, but I don't know how as mine was store bought, so anyone with directions on that please feel free to add them.

Medicine Bag/Power Pouch: this is used to carry various objects of special meaning or spiritual significance, anything from herbs to crystals, it may carry talisman or anything really. Most shaman have a variety of those pouches that are decorated differently. They will have various symbols on them depending on what the contents of the pouch's purpose is. These bags are used for both personal and inter-personal reasons. One may have a bag created to ease their own pain. They will decorate it with the symbols representing healing and they will fill it with the objects that promote the same. They will then carry this bag along with them. The shaman will also have bags to use on those coming to them for help. Each bag's purpose is meant for a different cause: healing, calming, etc.

I don't have any images to share on how to create your personal medicine bags...and images are kind of vital in creating them. The simplest way is to create a draw string pouch and that can be done by the seat of your pants as its very simple. You may also purchase these bags.

Once you have created the bag, or purchased it you will need to empower it. To do this you must lay the bag and all the objects you wish to place inside of it onto a table. Create the atmosphere as you prefer it, candles and whatnot. Then take one object into your hand, close your eyes, and focus hard on what you wish that object to be able to do. Once you feel you have spent a sufficient amount of time on it, place it inside your bag. Do this for each object until your bag is full. Then do the same step to the bag full of objects. You may also wish to do a cleansing of your bag and its objects but its not necessary. Afterwards be sure to thank all the spirits of the objects which gave themselves to you.

Talking Sticks: this was used during tribal meetings. The individuals would pass the talking stick around and only the one hold the stick was permitted to speak. Beforehand, all were smudged to rid everyone of negativity and then the meeting would begin. This way all members could be heard without interruption.

To create a talking stick you must find the proper candidate. Search the woods for the tree that calls to you and use the wood from one of its branches. You may also look up the different kinds of trees and what kind of spirits they have and chose that way but I prefer to let my intuition be my guide. When you find your tree, try to use one of its fallen branches. If there are none then you may cut off one of it's attached appendages. Try and find one that is about 12 inches long and as thick as your middle finger. Remove all the bark and allow the wood to dry out for about 2-3 weeks and don't forget to thank the tree for giving of itself to you. When it is dry, you may begin decorating it. You may carve it or burn images into it...use feathers or crystals or whatever you like. When you are done, place it in the window on the full moon and leave it there through to the next full moon. During this period, meditate on your talking stick and on what you wish its purpose to be. I infused the drive for truth into mine. so that it will bring about honesty. Before you use it, smudge it with sage and sweetgrass and ask the great spirit to bless it...you may even try consecrating it as described below.

As for consecration of your tools, this should correspond with the full moon and can be done during the day or the night. This is a basic circle consecration that can be used with most tools...I will use the staff as an example in this one just to give a better perspective. You first need to open a circle by using any object you feel bonded to or simply pointing your finger and creating the circle around you. Start at the east and moving clockwise, say something to the effect of 'I consecrate this circle by the power of the ancient ones, let them here my wishes and bless me.' Once the circle is drawn move back into the centre. Now face the east and say, while pointing your staff to the east, something to the effect of 'Spirit of the east bless this staff.' then face the south and do the same and then the west and then the north. Then stand in the in the centre again and thank the spirits by saying something to the effect of 'I thank you ancient ones for guiding me and protecting me.' Then point your staff to the east and trace the circle counter clock-wise and say something like 'This circle is no longer open yet it remains a circle, forever flowing with no end and no beginning.'

Chalice	Athame	Altar Tile
Wand	Censor	Staff
Cauldron	Bell	Besom