There
are no magical supply shops, so unless you are lucky enough to be
given or sold tools, a poor witch must extemporise. But when made you
should be able to borrow or obtain an Athame. So having made your
circle, erect an altar. Any small table or chest will do. There must be
fire on it (a candle will suffice) and your book. For good results
incense is best if you can get it, but coals in a chafing dish burning
sweet-smelling herbs will do. A cup if you would have cakes and wine
and a platter with the signs drawn into same in ink, showing a
pentacle. A scourge is easily made (note, the scourge has eight tails
and five knots in each tail). Get a white-hilted knife and a wand (a
sword is not necessary). Cut the marks with Athame. Purify everything,
then consecrate your tools in proper form and ever be properly
prepared. But ever remember, magical operations are useless unless the
mind can be brought to the proper attitude, keyed to the uttmost pitch.
Affirmations must be made clearly and the mind should be inflamed with
desire. With this frenzy of will you may do as much with simple tools
as with the most complete set. But good and especially ancient tools
have their own aura. They do help to bring about that reverential
spirit, the desire to learn and develop your powers. For this reason
witches ever try to obtain tools from sorcerers, who being skilled men
make good tools and consecrate them well, giving them mighty power. But
a great witch's tools also gain much power; and you should ever strive
to make any tools you manufacture of the finest materials you can
obtain, to the end that they may absorb your power the more easily. And
of course if you may inherit or obtain another witch's tools, power
will flow from them.