A lot of people enjoy making their own tools to use because they feel that in doing so they will be more connected to the tool. Even if you're not one of these people and you feel that it doesn't matter who created the wand as long as you feel connected to it, it is a good idea to know what exactly to look for when purchasing or looking into making a wand.

The main things to consider are the materials that it is made out of.

We can start with the shaft of your wand. (Main body) I, personally, enjoy using wood for the shafts of my wands, but some other people and wholesalers like to use metal (pewter, copper, etc.) and still others like to use glass.

When looking for or making a wand with a wooden shaft you need to consider, firstly, how you will obtain the branch with which to make your wand. Some people feel that it is acceptable to cut the branch directly from the tree as long as you ask the tree for its permission. (If you want more detail on this feel free to ask.) Some people disagree entirely with the concept of cutting directly from the tree and will only use a stick if it has already fallen, naturally, from the tree. There is still more controversy if you know a stick has been cut by someone else. (i.e. your grandmother has a tree cut down in her yard and all the sticks are sitting by the curb waiting for large trash pickup) Should you use this branch so at least it's destruction was not completely pointless, or leave it because it was cut forceably by human hands? Unfortunately, the only person who can answer these ethical questions is yourself. It may take contemplation and meditation to figure out what you feel is right, or you may just instinctively know. Don't feel rushed to figure it out right away! You want to do it correctly, not quickly.

Also, to consider, with a wooden wand, is the type of wood. Unless you are an expert at identifying wood by looking at it this can be difficult. Perhaps you are lucky enough to know someone who works with wood who can easily identify it for you. If you are buying it you should be sure to ask the person selling the wand what type or wood it is. Often, the best way to learn how to identify wood is just to go outside and look at the trees. They will appreciate your attention and you will be learning a new skill! Sometimes, I myself, have identified fallen sticks by picking it up and comparing it to the trees that are nearby. I I.D.ed a maple stick quite effectively this way. Also, if the branch still has leaves on it that can help as well. I might recommend a Peterson's Guide to Tree Identification, which shows you how to ID trees by their leaf shape.

Once you discover what type of wood it is ,(assuming you did not cut it directly from the tree knowing what it was already), you should research what the metaphysical properties and correspondences of it are. In fact, it might even be a better plan (if cutting the branch directly from a tree), to look it up ahead of time, especially if you have a theme already in mind for your wand. (i.e. faery magick, love, money, acquiring ancient knowledge, water magick, etc.) I believe that if you are using a stick that you found/ found you that there is a good chance that you will find that there is something about that type of wood that will help you in your life, (much like when acquiring stones).

Once you have decided on a wood you have several options of how to prepare the wood. You can leave the bark on, strip the bark, strip the bark and sand it to a smooth texture, burn designs into the wood, or you can draw designs on the wood.You could consider, in this step, the correspondences that go along with certain textures, if you wanted to go that far. (Try "Your Book of Shadows" by Patricia Telesco for texture correspondences.) If you want to burn or draw designs onto the shaft you need to decide what you want to put on it. In order to do this you'll need to do some more research on what different symbols or designs you could use to help you with the theme of the wand. (i.e. spirals = rebirth) If you are purchasing the wand you might want to consider, if the shaft has designs on it, researching what exactly the symbols/designs on it symbolize and if that is a quality that you want to draw to yourself or not.

If you are looking at making or purchasing a wand with a glass shaft you have to first decide if the properties of glass are desirable to you. Some people say that quartz and glass are, in many ways, very close to the same material. So, in your research behind the metaphysical properties of glass, you might want to learn about the different properties of quartz as well. In addition to the properties of the glass itself, you should take into consideration the color of the glass shaft you are planning on using. (The same holds true if using plastic, as well.) To learn which color you like try looking up different color correspondence lists in books or online. Books about candle magick are sure to have that information in them!

If you are considering a metal shaft for your wand you need to consider the properties of this. A lot of people like to use copper on their wands because copper is an excellent conductor of energy. It is also a masculine metal. Each material has it's own set of properties and correspondences that need to be taken into consideration before you choose what to use. Some people even suggest putting a copper wire within a wooden shaft, if you are willing to take the extra effort to do so. It is worth mentioning that if you are making a wand for faery magick that a lot of sources say that metal repels faeries, so be sure to keep this mind.(Especially iron.)

Once this is completed you will have to choose what to put on the end and point, if anything. This information will be included in Part Two! I look forward to your questions and comments!

Blessings!

~RW