There are three basic reasons for taking your tools through the process of consecration and empowerment your tools. These are:
* It removes any left over negative residue or energies that have attached to the item from previous users or places.
* It melds your positive energy with that of the Universe to bring divinity
* It instills this energy into the object for positive purposes.
The act of ritually consecrating your tools also allows you to easily gain a strengthened and calmed attitude toward yourself and your work, allowing you to focus your energies without constraint.
There are many opinions as to which times are best to perform a tool consecration ritual. As is the case with many rituals, these times are generally related to moon phases. Two common times are:
* During the New Moon – This time represents new beginnings, new projects and new life paths.
* During the Full Moon – At this time the energies of the full moon may be incorporated into the ritual. The energies radiated a few days preceding the full moon can also be used to cleanse your tools.
Consecrating With the Elements
As it is quite apparent, the elements generally play such an important role in the life of a practicing witch. Cleansing and consecrating your tools using the elements of the four cardinal directions brings to your tools the attributes associated with each of them.
Before we can consecrate our tools we need to gather a few items to represent each of the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. The following item are commonly used:
* Salt or Soil – Earth
* Incense – Air
* Candle flame – Fire
* Dish of Water - Water
Below I have provided a brief explanation of the attributes associated with each of the elements, their direction, and the way in which I generally use the elements to cleans and consecrate my tools.
Note that in which direction you place the elements and which attributes you associate with them is entirely up to you. These are my own personal preferences.
Air – In the East – creativity, thought processes, inspiration, new beginnings, intellect.
Pass the tool three times through the smoke of the incense while saying:
"By the eternal power of Air, be purified. Be dedicated to purity,
that all goals you help me to achieve may be for the harm of none and for the good of all beings."
Fire – In the North – purification, courage, creativity, higher self.
Pass the tool through the flame of the candle three times while saying:
"By the eternal power of Fire, be purified. Be dedicated to desire,
that all goals you help me to achieve may be for the harm of none and for the good of all beings."
Water – In the West – intuition, emotions, inner self, cleansing of all things, reflection, tides of life.
With your fingers sprinkle water on the tool three times while saying:
"By the eternal power of Water, be purified.
Be dedicated to emotion, that in complete harmony shall
you be used for the harm of none and for the good of all beings."
Earth – In the South – fertility, strength, stability, growth, foundations, material abundance, healing.
Tap the tool on the salt or soil three times while saying:
"By the eternal power of Earth, be purified.
Be dedicated to steadfastness, that through you,
my will be achieved with harm to none and for the good of all beings."
Empowering Your Tools
There are as many ways to empower your ritual tools, as there are people on this earth. Empowering your tools makes them sacred. Any combination of the following can be used, or you may feel more comfortable with another method.
1. Empowering with Symbols
Etching and engraving symbols onto your tools and personalizing them using your own creativity is a form of empowering. Although it may not seem directly apparent you are melding your personal energies with the tool to create a personal bond between you and your tool. Your tools will obtain much more sentimental value when you have used your own creative energies to personalize your tools. This is my favorite way of empowering my tools.
2. Using Your Personal Power
This is a more direct method of empowering your tools. It is when you are working directly with the energies themselves and your intent is perfectly clear, to meld your energies with the tool.
Hold your Athame (or hand if the tool being consecrated is your Athame) above the tool and visualize an orb of silver light forming in your chest. Concentrate all of your energies into this ball as it increases in size. Once you feel you have built up enough energy begin to direct it up into your projective arm and down into your hand/Athame. Visualize the energy encasing the tool, forming a protective shield around it. See the energy sinking into the tool and becoming a part of it.
You have used your own personal energy empower the tool directly.
3. Calling on the Power of the Deities or Universal Energies
The next way of empowering tools that I wish to present is by drawing on the powers of the Lord and Lady to meld with the tool. We do this in much the same way as empowering with our own personal energies but this time we source those energies from the God and Goddess and/or the Universal energies surrounding us as opposed from within ourselves. We can draw the energy up from the earth or down from the cosmos and direct it in the same fashion as using our personal energies.
After empowering my tools I generally speak an affirmation to seal in the energies I have placed into the tool. These words can be ad lib or something like the following:
"By the Free Will of All
And with harm to none
As I will
So shall it be done!"
Dedication/Presentation to the Gods
Now that your tools have been effectively cleansed, consecrated and empowered it is only right that we present them to the Gods that we will be using them in service of, and dedicate them to the Lord and Lady. It also gives you the chance to add a few words that will help to ensure that no harm will come to another being through the use of the tool (should that be your intent).
It is your choice to who you present and dedicate your tools to first. Generally if the tool represents a certain gender then you would present the tool to the appropriate deity first. For example, a chalice or cauldron would first be presented to the Goddess because it often represents fertility and the womb. On the other hand an Athame or Besom would be first presented to the God as these are often seen as phallic symbols. Ultimately the choice is yours.
Here are a couple of examples of presenting and dedicating tools to the Goddess and God.
Presentation of the Chalice
"Lady, bless this chalice, let it be a vessel of productivity that may be worthy to reside in circle with you.
Let it be so bound that no harm may come to any being through its use.
To thy service, I dedicate this vessel, that it and I may be long of service to thee.
Lord, bless this chalice that it may bring forth joy and purity.
Guard the work which may come forth from it, that it be of harm to none and ever the in service of thee.
So Mote it Be!"
Presentation of the Athame
"Great Lord, bless this athame, let it be pure for thy service and bind it so that no harm may come to any being through its use.
Lord, bless this athame, that it be used always in the worship and honor of the One.
Lady, bless this athame, that it may bring forth joy and purity, and through its use may no harm come to any being.
I dedicate this athame to thy service, Great One.
So Mote it Be!"
As with any form of ritual it is important to practice. This concludes this workshop on Tool Consecration.
Subject: Consecrating Your Tools 
Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:41 am
