Care and Feeding of the Wand
(a non-Socratic Dialogue)

c. 1987,  Golden Tree and Silver Wood, .K.A.M.

A first degree approaches his High Priestess. He has decided to
investigate wands, one of the primary tools in magickal
transformation. 

Init.     "I have noticed the wand you have on your personal
altar and I would like to have one. Could you tell me where you
bought it?" 

HPP. Chuckling "I'm glad you have decided to investigate wands.
But you can't buy a wand like this. You have to make it yourself.
What do you think a wand is?" 

Init.     "A wand is a reservoir of magical energy that can be
tapped whenever you want." 

HPP. "All the power is already in the wand? If any once born can
go to Crystal City, buy a power tool and make it work, then why
are you here? Rethink your wand definition please."

Init.     "Well a wand is...", The initiate is forced to search
through all the knowledge he has accumulated and form a definite
idea of what is a wand. He replies, "A wand is like an antenna.
It is a magickal tool designed to resonate with and tune into
specific energy reservoirs."

HPP. "A beginning. Go on."

Init.     "Not any one can just pick up the wand and make it
work. It requires the skill of being able to connect with the
tool. Then the wand directs the energy."

HPP. "What! The wand is on automatic pilot and takes care of all
the directing. You don't have to aim. Does the phrase "Shooting
yourself in the foot. mean anything to you? Under her breath the
High Priestess mutters, "No wonder those store made wands have
lead in them. It's a safety device to protect the incompetent
innocents from themselves." 

     The initiate laughing says, "Of course not. The witche would
direct the energy with their own will." 

HPP. "There see, you have the basic idea of the magickal theory
underlining wands. Do you have your magickal diary with you? You
may want to add this information to your definition of a wand so
that you can refer to it as you are working on your own wand."

The initiate retrieves his diary from his bag and writes down the
information he and his High Priestess have just discussed. 

HPP.  "Moving on, what kind of energy do you think my wand has?" 

Init.     "I've seen you use your wand to call the fire elements.
So, I guess it must contain fire elemental energy. But, what I
want is a wand to work with the water elements not fire. I
already have enough fire in my chart." 

HPP. "Why water elementals?"

Init.     "Because I want to work more with my intuitive
perception. I also want to get better at remembering my dreams.
Both of those abilities fall under water." 

HPP. "Good." The HPP goes to her altar and returns with her fire
wand, which is wrapped in orange silk. 

Init.     "I know you selected orange for its resonance with
fire, and you keep it wrapped to hold the energy in. This is silk
isn't it."

HPP. "Yes. The wrap also helps to keep mundane energy out"

Init.     "Because silk is a great magickal insulator."

HPP.  "Ah, so you didnÕt sleep through all of my classes."

Init.     "Would I do that?"

HPP. "Humph, lets move on."  She unwraps the wand and places it
on the table in front of the initiate. "Take a good look at this
wand and tell me what you see."

Init.     "I see a wooden wand with an unworked single-terminated
citrine quartz crystal. It's smoky gold in color. There are three
brass rings encircling the wand. The first brass ring is at the
junction of the wood and the crystal. The second is about 1/3 of
the way down the wand. And the last ring is just above the
handle. There are three brass wires running from the first ring
to the last. Connecting each of the three rings. Finally, there
is the astrological sun symbol inscribed on the plain wooden
handle. What type of wood is this?" 

HPP. "Mustard."

Init.     "Right! The fire connection again. The brass wiring
forms a path connecting each of the rings so that the power can
flow into the wand from the crystal or out of the wand through
the crystal." 

The HPP puts the wand down and throws a bit of orange silk over
it. "That's correct. This is a simple elemental wand."  

Init.     "I've seen other wands that don't have a direct
connection from one end to the other. How can you receive the
energy if there is a break in the connection?"

HPP. "You can't. There are some who feel the energies transmitted
through a wand are so subtle that they don't have to follow the
normal rules of conductivity. That may or may not be so. Leaving
that aside for now lets concentrate on the steps you would take
to fashion your own wand. What is the first step? Wait, we are
out of time. WeÕll finish this later, okay?" 

Init.     "Would next week be all right?"

HPP. "Next week would be fine. See you then."