poll: wooden or crystal wands?

[themessenger]

which do you all prefer? a wand made of yarrow, or oak, maybe? Or of crystal? Aside from the poll, tell my why you chose your answer, if you like, because i'm trying to decide what my first wand will be.


Blessin's!

[Traknavar]

I was just thinking about this from reading the wand/lightning thread. I haven't got one yet and have been thinking of getting one soon. I decieded on going with wood since, well...it just makes sence to me for some reason. Is there a certain type of wood that is best suited for wands? And is there a certain way that I should go about cutting the branch to make it?

[IvyCeltress]

Well mine have either a wood or clay base and have crystals embedded in it.

[serenarian]

Mine is wood with a crystal bound to the top.

[Mistiblue]

I actually have both. One is a wooden wand that I use for Divination. I'm not sure what types of wood it is made of but it is supposed to be made of three different kinds.

The other one is a crystal wand with a Labradorite crystal for the handle and a channeling quartz in the tip end. I use it primarily for spell work.

[Demeter]

I have a number of them. Some I purchased, some I made myself, some given as gifts. I have an oak one with a crystal tip (my very first) and a bamboo one with a crystal at one end and a tektite at the other. The bamboo one I made myself out of bamboo that grew in my yard. I have several metal ones with copper shafts, and one pewter one. And I have a glass one with the shaft being a tube filled with crushed crystals. But the one that I wind up using most? The one from my travel altar kit, which is a plain glass swizzle stick with a knob on one end ... :D

[DanuMoonrunner]

Mine's made of wood, carved by my husband in my image. He says when he imagines the Goddess, he imagines me! Ain't that sweet!

[Aidron]

Mine are all made of wood. I cut them (after asking for permission), remove the bark, allow them to dry, and then using a wood burning kit I burn various symbols related to what I wish that wand to be used for. I sometimes fix a crystal to the end (as with my general all purpose wand) and I prefer wood overall.

Crystal you have to buy, unless you are under special circumstances and can craft your own. I've never cared for a metal wand, and I don't care for clay in regards to anything. It's too earthy and solid for me. Haha.

[themessenger]

Great, guys, thanks! I've learned a bit more today and in-so-doing, i have a better grip on what to look for in a wand. I always thought wooden made more sense, but i only found crystal wands in occult shops and the like.

Thanks again!

Love and Blessin's :fpraiseyo
themessenger

[Sylv]

If you end up going with wood (I like wood more) and aren't sure which type, you could always consider using the wood of your birth-tree. *grin*
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthrea...ht=tree+zodiac
That's the thread talking about them. I think it's based on Celt ideas (sow, you might be interested in the Tree Ogham) so might not fit with your belief system but I'll just put it out there. :D

[CalliopeHellice]

I have only one wand...it is made of Willow (a tree sacred to my Matron, Hekate, is affiliated with the Muses--my sacred name is Calliope--and Helice is the Greek word for Willow--Hellice is my sacred name, and also the Maiden "form" of Hekate). I found the perfect branch already fallen from the tree. I wrapped the bottom with black leather for a handle, spiraled silver jewellary wire up the wand, and put a lapis lazuli near the top (the stone I work with) and a quartz point at the tip (for focusing energy).

I've made MANY wands, though, and usually given them as gifts.

I made a really nice one out of maple, with a handle of lavendar silk ribbon, and a sheer lavendar ribbon spiralling up it, tipped with a moonstone. I gifted this to a friend of a friend who always wore moonstones.

Another favourite was the "Beltaine/Ostara wand" I made. It was a thick birch branch, completely wrapped with white silk ribbon, with a black leather handle, and yellow silk ribbon and gold and silver thread spiralling up it, tipped with a rose quartz point.

I also made a very pretty wolf wand, with a thick silver birch branch, black leather handle, and a howlite point wrapped in black leather, with a pewter wolf's head (with red eyes) attached near the point.

So, I guess it's obvious I prefer wood. All-crystal wands seem off-balance to me.

[Skrette]

I don't use a wand but I do use a staff, and to me it is a important aspect of the staff that it represent the axis mundi, the world tree, and as such wood is the material I wood want :-)

I understand that a staff and a wand is different, but anyway I think it would be a good thing to have the axis mundi in your hand for spell work and such to :-)

[Mudbubbles]

Different wands are right for different people, so I would try a few first. Some will be compatable with you, and some will not. Don't know whare to start? What's your star sighn? If your a fire sighin you might try metal. Clay and stone are good chioces for an earth sighin. I'd try glass for a water sighin, and wood for an air. You might also want to consider the intended use of the wand, stones are great for healing. Crystal wands provide a lot of clarity for things like chaneling and readings. I've found wooden wands to be the most versitile. Although any wand can be used for a number of things, I've found wood is most easily used as an all pourpose wand. Thare are many different types of wood used for making a wand. The big queshtion isn't really witch one is better, so much as it is witch one is better for you. The best way to to find out is to try them. I've found oak is comonly compatable with most people, but it's not for everyone. Whatever you decide, my advice to you would be to try it out first.

mud.

[Flar's Freyja]

Great, guys, thanks! I've learned a bit more today and in-so-doing, i have a better grip on what to look for in a wand. I always thought wooden made more sense, but i only found crystal wands in occult shops and the like.

Thanks again!

Love and Blessin's :fpraiseyo
themessenger

The best thing about wood wands is that if they're free if you want to make them yourself. I feel that tools that we make ourselves are a bit more powerful than store-bought ones since you can put your own energy and intent into them.

My first wand was willow - an old tree dropped an abundance of it in my yard after a storm. I also made a wreath and besom from these gifts. Willow makes a good all-purpose wand and symbolizes gifts from the moon. I made another from oak and still another from a wood that I'm not sure of I found the branch and it was the perfect size and shape. All of my wands are tipped with crystal.

I can't remember which book it's in, but Scott Cunningham has a good list of wood correspondences.

[themessenger]

Where on Earth am I gonna find a Hornbeam Tree???