Which wand do I want? 

by Karl Feret

When buying a wand there are several things you will want to consider beyond the obvious appearance.  The first thing to consider is your purpose with the wand.  Wands can be used to enhance the effects of healing treatments, to charge or empower other objects or to guide energy during rituals.  I recommend having a different wand for healing rituals and magic rituals to reduce the chance of unwanted left-over energy and possible conflicts with intent.  A healing wand is one that you would use exclusively for healing sessions on yourself or others; or for use in healing rituals.  A wand used for general magic is less structured than a healing wand and shows more of its owner’s individual qualities, personality and strengths.

 

Wood selection is important and related to your intent.  Every wood has its own unique qualities and characteristics.  You may be the type of person with strong innate healing abilities and may only want a wand to enhance that strength in general – or you may not have the innate ability and choose a wood with its own focused energy to help bring that healing ability out in you.  A little research is well worth the time.

 

Also important is how the wand will feel in your hand.  If you are of a smaller frame a large inch thick wand may feel uncomfortable and too large in your hand.  In the same way a large man might feel uncomfortable holding a thin delicate wand.  Length is another important consideration for ease of use.  Tradition sets the length of a wand as the distance between the crook of the arm and the tip of the middle finger, but that is only a good baseline.  A smaller,"pocket" wand is versatile for travel, one of my own personal pieces exceeds "tradition" by over 6 inches and feels comfortable and energetic.  You may want to practice with sticks or rulers of various sizes to determine a length that feels comfortable and works for you. For the length, take hold of the end of a measuring tape or narrow ruler to determine what is comfortable.  

 

Wand balance is also a point of consideration although of slightly less importance than length and thickness.  The best feeling wand is going to be one that feels balanced in your hand and isn’t always tilting one way or another.  I balance the thickness and overall length to balance my wands near the meeting of the handle and blade.