How does a spell work? Do I need a wand?

A spell, simply put, is the deliberate channelling of intent and energy toward a desired end. There are many ways this can be achieved. Intent can be put into the world via a carrier (think smoke, steam, flowing water, wind), it can be channelled solely via the mind (think meditation based workings), it can be spoken aloud using language to shape the intention and it can even utilise music or chanting to achieve the necessary end result.

For most of these examples a wand would not be necessary. The purpose of a wand in magic is usually as a director of energies. A wand tapers to a point and is favoured by many witches as bringing a precision to the energy they wish to control. A wand can be used to draw the boundaries of a circle for those witches who practise circle work where the energy is focused to separate a small area from the mundane world to be used for magical workings. Similarly some witches use a wand to create a circle for protective purposes, raising a boundary that negative energies cannot cross.

A wand can be a useful tool but is by no means a requirement and many witches choose not to use one.

Image http://www.deviantart.com/art/Pentacle-oak-wand-55111498

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