Collection: Witch Wands

What Is a Witch's Wand Used For?

A witch's wand is used to direct energy: to draw a circle around a ritual space, to point at a candle or a charm while you state your intention, and to call in the elements at each quarter. It works like a pointing finger with a little more reach and a lot more ceremony.

The ritual wand has a long history in ceremonial magic, from the grimoire known as the Key of Solomon to the Golden Dawn, and that line of practice is where Wicca picked it up. You can read more about the history of the magic wand and how different traditions use it. In Wicca the wand stands for air in some lineages and fire in others, so you will see it placed in the east on some altars and in the south on others.

What Is a Selenite Wand Used For?

A selenite wand is used for cleansing. Many practitioners sweep one slowly over their body, a room, or a pile of crystals to clear stale energy, and keep one on the altar to rest jewelry and other stones on between uses. Selenite is a soft, glowing form of gypsum, and it slowly dissolves in water, so cleanse it with smoke or moonlight and keep it dry. Our guide to selenite's meaning and uses goes deeper.

What You Will Find in This Collection

Selenite wands. These polished white selenite wands run about 5 to 6 inches long, a size that fits easily in the hand for cleansing work.

Wooden wands. The mango wood magic wand is hand-carved and about 15 inches long, with a grain that is different in every piece. Its length gives a clear line for casting a circle.

Goddess and moon wands. The Spiral Goddess Wand is about 13 1/2 inches, with a crescent moon crown that holds a blue crystal accent, and it suits moon rituals and goddess devotion. The Moon Magic Wand Pen is a working pen shaped like a small wand, made for writing intentions and Book of Shadows entries.

Carved resin wands with pentagram and serpent designs, and metal and rosewood wands with crystal points, join the collection whenever our supplier restocks them.

What Do Wand Woods Mean?

Many practitioners choose a wooden wand by the tree it came from, and some of those choices come from old folklore. In Irish legend, the Salmon of Knowledge gained its wisdom by eating hazelnuts that fell into a sacred well, which is one reason hazel wands are linked with wisdom. Rowan was believed in Britain to ward off evil spirits and witches, so a rowan wand is often chosen for protection. In modern witchcraft, oak is commonly linked with strength and willow with the moon and intuition. Woods without an old tradition, like mango, work just as well, and many witches care more about how a wand feels in the hand.

How Do You Choose and Care for a Wand?

Choose a wand that fits your hand and your practice. A wand about as long as your forearm, roughly 12 to 15 inches, gives a good reach for casting a circle, while a shorter wand of 8 to 9 inches is easier for pointing at a candle or a charm on a small altar. Crystal-tipped wands focus the point, and plain wood gives you a blank start you can carve or paint yourself.

Keep wooden and selenite wands dry, and wipe resin wands with a dry cloth, since resin can chip if it is dropped. Many practitioners cleanse a new wand with incense smoke and dedicate it before first use. If you are building out an altar, the wand sits beside the athame, and you can plan the whole layout in our free Altar Builder.

Related Collections

A wand works alongside the other tools on the altar. Browse athames for the ritual knife, pentacles and pentagrams for the altar's center, more selenite for cleansing, and the full range of altars and altar tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a wand used for in witchcraft?
In witchcraft a wand is used to direct energy: to cast a circle, point at a candle or charm while stating an intention, and call in the elements at each quarter. Some practitioners also use it to bless tools and stir the energy of a space.

What is the difference between a wand and an athame?
Both tools direct energy, but the athame is a double-edged ritual knife and the wand is a staff of wood, crystal, or metal. In early Wicca the wand was used to summon spirits and the athame to cast the circle, and today many witches use either one for both.

Can you put a selenite wand in water?
No, keep selenite dry. Selenite is a soft form of gypsum that slowly dissolves in water, so cleanse a selenite wand with incense smoke, sound, or moonlight instead.

What size wand should I get?
A wand about as long as your forearm, roughly 12 to 15 inches, suits circle casting, while an 8 to 9 inch wand is easier for pointing work on a small altar. Choose the length that feels balanced in your hand.

Can I make my own wand?
Yes, many witches make their own wand from a fallen branch of a tree they feel close to. Strip the bark, sand it smooth, let it dry, and add carvings, paint, or a crystal tip if you like.