Have Athame, Will Travel – Making a Traveling Witch Kit

Most pagans have a set of ritual tools and articles they keep in their home, whether under their altar, in a closet or in a special room dedicated for magickal/religious use. But sometimes we are witches on the move. There’s something beautiful about finding yourself in a secluded patch of woods and being inspired to commune with the Gods. It’s not unusual for a few pagans to get together, and a ritual breaks out – wouldn’t it be nice to have a secondary, portable set on hand to augment your impromptu ritual or spellwork?

Now, I am the first person to say that the most important tool a pagan has is located between his/her ears. Your mind is all you need to connect to Spirit and have a positive and strong ritual. In fact, I teach my own students that they should be able to conduct a ritual without their tools first, and then they can bring in their fancy shmancy stuff. A pagan should be comfortable with casting Circle with their mind and finger to direct the energy…tools are helpful, but they’re not necessary. But…we are human, and as humans we have a tendency to want things to make our sacred rituals that much more special to us.

Many pagans have a Traveling Witch Kit, a portable set of magickal tools they keep in their car or in a separate tote/suitcase. Pagans use these Traveling Witch Kits when they go camping or hiking, attend pagan festivals or simply as an impromptu set if Spirit moves them. This can also be your main supply kit if you’re concerned about space (such as a dorm or apartment environment). It also makes a beautiful Yule, Birthday or Wiccaning gift for your pagan friends!

What is a Traveling Witch Kit? Well, it obviously consists of items which you use in sacred space and/or in Circle. What you put into it is up to you – you can make it as comprehensive or as minimalistic as you wish. The most important thing is that it is portable; some people have Witch Kits which can fit in a purse, and some are a little larger. You can use a basket, tote, wooden box, a plastic bin, or even use an extra ritual robe to wrap the whole caboodle up in. Think about when you will use this kit and that should determine how large or small you need to make it.

Remember that all the tools you put in this Traveling Witch Kit will be used in sacred space – therefore your tools should be consecrated and treated with the same amount of honor and dignity as you give any of your other magickal tools. When I talk about consecration, what that means is to formally make an item sacred to be used the presence of the Gods. Some people do this through smudging the items with incense (traditionally sage), or with oils (though you have to be careful about what you’re anointing with oil so you don’t muss it up). You can also consecrate your items with energy work or through a formal ritual.

It’s not hard to find small versions of what needs to be in your kit – thrift stores, small items in your home, yard sales are all good resources to find items. Certainly you can put whatever you want into your own Traveling Witch Kit, but some of the most common items you will want in your kit are:

Athame (this can be a letter opener or small knife)

Boline (penknife, or other small blade)

Pentacle

Four small quarter candles – tealights or votives are best (blue, green, red and yellow for each of the elements/directions)

God & Goddess candles – tealights or votives (silver & gold if you can find them, but whatever colors you associate with the God and Goddess are appropriate)

Cone incense & holder

Lighter (I always forget this one)

Small bowls for salt & water – don’t forget a small jar of sea salt!

Altar cloth (a nice sarong or silk bandana works great)

Of course you can also put in some optional items if you feel the need:

Sash for yourself (instead of a robe, put it over your clothes to denote your sacred persona)

Jewelry

Bottled water – in case you might not have water handy, or in case chanting makes you thirsty!

Divination tools (small Tarot decks, pendulums, runes, crystal balls, Ogham, etc.)

Special sacred items like feathers, stones, crystals, decorations

Herbs that you might use in Circle

Small bottle of wine and crackers for cakes & ale.

That’s it! You really can put in anything you feel is important to you in ritual, but those are just a few ideas for making your own Witch Kit. You can always make your own tools and add them, or find the appropriate tools while you’re there, making an ad hoc ritual. It’s all up to you!

I would like to note that Athames can be a tricky thing, especially if you are traveling along checkpoints, attending pagan gatherings with strict prohibitions or have checked luggage. I’d suggest finding a suitable substitute for an Athame (a wand, perhaps). As benign as our Athames are, it’s a big pain in the keister to have to explain our ritual tools to Joe LawEnforcement.