So you want to be a Witch -- or you want to explore Witchcraft, at least a little -- and you find yourself slightly bewildered by the pictures or descriptions of altars. What is all that stuff, anyway? Don't worry; it isn't as complicated as it looks.

The first thing you should realize is that all of this paraphernalia merely serves to set the mood and focus the energy. We use signs, symbols, and tools to fine-tune our attention but they aren't essential -- a skilled Witch or sufficiently motivated beginner can work magic with her mind alone.

The next thing to consider is how you feel about your "working" tools. A "Kitchen Witch" feels that since everything is sacred, using her athame to slice carrots does not diminish the power of her blade but instead adds extra sanctity to the carrots. On the other hand, an "Altar Witch" feels that in order to concentrate the power of her tools, they should be reserved for strictly magical or sacred purposes and never used for anything else. Finally, you can acquire your tools four main ways: make them yourself, buy them, receive them as gifts, or find them.

The four main tools of Wicca are the athame, the wand, the chalice, and the pentacle. The athame is a knife, usually but not necessarily with a black hilt. In most traditions, this tool represents the element Air, in others, Fire; you use it to divide and defend.

To create sacred space, we usually draw a Circle with an athame. The wand can be made of almost any material; it is long and thin, often with a crystal at the point and other decorations along its length. Typically, this tool represents Fire or Air; you use it to focus and direct. When we cast a spell, we often use a wand to point at the object of our desire or a symbol for that object.

The chalice is a cup or goblet, occasionally a cauldron (which can range from a few inches to several feet across). This tool represents Water; you use it to contain and cleanse. The pentacle or stone is also flexible in form; you can pick up a rock that feels right, or buy an engraved chunk of semi-precious stone in a metaphysical shop. This tool represents the element of Earth; you use it to protect and stabilize.

Other Pagan religions have their own set of basic tools, but Wicca is such a common choice that this set has spread widely, especially among Eclectics. It is also a very adaptable and practical set with which you can do many things.