The spiral shell of the snail is an emblem of extreme slowness just as time moves slowly in the shapping of the landscape. However the spiral also suggests the miraculous journey to the Otherworld. This journey can be made in the blink of an eye.

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Epona,

Its really strange but just yesterday I found a shell just like this over in the woods where I recently found my wand. Its not really woods, its more like the bank of a lake with a lot of trees hanging over the lake. I live in the city so this is the closest thing I can come to a wooded type of area. Its a secluded and quiet area that I try to visit at least a couple times a week.

Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a great, safe, and relaxing weekend. Peace and Light.

Bright Blessings,

Candee

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It looks like the shell of a nautilus, which is not extinct.

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Here's another pic, I just think they look cool.

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oh wow I didn't know that and Candee well done I think you will find that shell an important item for your ritual workings. You will possible find that like your wand the Goddess meant you to find it so use it wisly.

Todays symbol is the Athame.

This can represent the male energies in ritual work and it is the same as other knives or swords or daggers. It can also represent your God on your altar.

This is a bone handled Athame

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Did you know that the body of a bell can represent the vulva where as the clapper represents the male organ. Alternativly the bell body can represent the womb and the clapper a baby. This imagery could be enhanced by the crafting a body of bell to resemble a woamn - the handle is the head and torso while the round bell is the skirt.

This is not really the type of bell I was talking about but it gives a basic idead. This is a bell that is rung by the use of ropes the type discussed above is known as a hand bell.

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A broom is found as part of the old fashioned cleaning tool but is very much associated with Witches in a rather bad way. witches do not use a broom to fly on it is more of a symbol of removing bad energies from an area. A lot of Wiccas use the broom to clear their sacred space before making a sacred circle. However from one source I have been informed that the broom represents perfect union of man and woman. The handle is the male force where as the straw or broom head is the female force.

This broom is magical sweeping out the negative energies of the area it is in.

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The cauldron metaphorically represents the female generative organs. It can also be noted that the Egyptian hieroglyphic for woman was a pot.

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This is the symbol of the water element or of the womb of the Goddess. It is the same sort of shape as the cauldron but is usually used onan Wiccanaltar for holding water, wine or naturel fruit juices.

The liquid represents the waters of the Great Mothers womb as it does in all females both animal and human.

This is an example of a chalice with the pentagrame bounching in and out of it like the breathing of mother Earth!

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This is also known as the Horn of plenty for that is exactly what it is. It represents fertility prosperity and a good harvest. Pictures of some ancient deities like Flora are shown holding the cornucopica, even Fortuna as a goddess of good luck sometimes holds one.

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A Labrys is a double headed axe and is identified with the female aspect. It can also represent the soul, or the waxing or waning moons. It could possible be an ancestor of the magical wand!.

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The Mortar and Pestle are quite easy to reconise what they symbolise. The Pestle being the male organ where as the Mortar is seen as the female womb. Because creation is the result of these two organs the pestle and mortar represent the creating of potions, herbal concotions and the union of the Goddess and God who created everything.

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these are not the same a pentagrame is a five pointed star where as the pentacle is the pentagram engraved onto it.

this is the pentacle.

this is the pentagram.

Yes I know it is very confusing but I hope the discription helps those who are new to the craft.

So what do these two symbols represent well the Pentagram represents witches and protection although it has been used to resemble both Jesus christ and Satan. the Pentacle represents protection and the element of earth.

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Staffs represent the male energies and are possible descended from the sacred phallic poles which were used in Dionysian processions.

NB the staff can be used for making the magic circle of a Wiccan circle but also as a support for walking. the walking stick is descended from the staff.

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the wand is very much like the staff in that it is used to represent the male phallic powers. the only difference is that it is smaller than the staff so that it can be easier to use than the longer staff. Alot of female Wiccans use it instead. It can help summon up the four elements as well as in creating a sacred space. some people use the wand instead of an antheme.

this is a serpent wand since like the staff and sword it can be named.

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first my apolges for the picture deletions but I accedently deleted them from my photobucket and hence the result of pictures not being there.

however todays sign/symbol is the Eye of horus.

I wear one of these as a bracklet since it is an Egyptian sign for protection. The mighty god Horus, son of Isis (Egypts mothers goddess) and her brother/husband Osiris (Lord of the Underworld and rebirth to the Egyptians).

The eye of Horus is the opposite to the Eye of Ra which can be the same symbol but sometimes represented by other deities who are usually female.

Both of these eyes are usually drawn on the coffins of coffins which are better known as saphguses. I beleive that the Eye of Horus is shown on Tutukamens coffin.

The picture below is the Eye of horus.

If it was the other way round it becomes the eye of Ra.

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The sacred circle is cast usually when a working is going to be performed but it is also cast when there are special rites or celebrations like the Samhain better known as All Hallows Eve or Hallowe'en.

The circle represents the never ending cycle of life for it has no end nor a begining. The seasons are paart of this as is everything in life for everything is a circle.

Spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Life, death and rebirth.

the growing and dying of plants, animals and mortals goes on forever and will never end this is the same as the design in most Celtic work espicaly the Celtic knot.

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The sigil is a magical symbol which represent different things in different cultures. they can be found on athames or wands or any magical tool as well as amulets and the like.

Below are a few;

Z indicates female. A reversed Z is male.

S indicates a kiss or love if it has a line going diagonaly from right to left throught it means scourge.

X this symbol with the ends curved inwards represent the breasts of the Goddess.

An X turned on its side and with the ends curved inwards is the initial of the Goddess.

There are many other sigils but due to my inability to draw them I can't demonstrate these others. If anyone can post the ancient runes or Germanic sigils I would appricate this.

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Colours all over the world can mean different things to different cultures.

Red is usually a colour of blood or danger however in China it is a good luck colur.

Green usually represents growth or go, as in traffic lights, or rebirth.

Black is very much a colour that coincedes with death and evil. it is the colour that vampires and witches are usually depicted in. Black is also the true colour of Nyx (Night) as it is the time when the law is usually boken thus burglers and murders occur at this time.

White represents pureness, cleanleness as well as virginity. It is usally the colour of a wedding dress espically if it is the womans first wedding although today this is not always the case.

Blue is a colour of air and the sea or water. In Egyptian myth it represented rebirth for some of their deities were painted blue. King Tut had a face mask that was of a blue stone and gold. The stone was a representation of the precious jem Laziril Lapiz which was the sacred stone of Hathor the cow goddess and she was the sky mother goddess.

Prehaps you know what other colours can represent in your culture.

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The Raven or blackbird are usually indication of death as is the vulture and other prey birds.

the dove however is usually white and represents peace. If it carrys an olive branch this indicates life.

The Lion indicates a show of strength here in england we have three lions on our national sport wear to represent our strength and power.

In some countries certain animals of either water, air or earth are represented on their nationaly flags.

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