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How do your magick wands work? Is it like in Harry Potter where you just wave them and sparks fly out?

Druid magick is usually more subtle than the spectacular sort of stuff in Harry Potter and druid wands work on a more subtle plane of existence - or, one might better say, between the planes. At its most basic, a magick wand is a pointing device: point and click! But it isn't a machine. Wands don't work automatically. They draw their power from their user and that is why the most effective wand will be one that is tied to you through the sympathetic choice of wood, stones, and symbols. Sparks seldom fly out that are visible to the mundane eye, but light, lightning, rays, sparks, or cones of energy will emerge in the astral realm, visible with the fourfold vision of the mage or the poet. Our wands need to be charged and consecrated by their owners, and a bond established before one should expect reliable results. As always, the wizard's training is essential. For more about real magick, as opposed to the Harry Potter/ Hollywood variety, read my article, "Wizardry in the Alferic Tradition" and the many good books referred to in the bibliography of that article.

Do you have to be born a wizard or witch to use your wands?

No, I don't believe that. The distinction in Harry Potter between Muggles and Wizards comes across as a genetic thing, a sort of lineage or a peculiar talent. Undoubtedly some people are drawn to magick and some aren't, but everyone has the potential for magical power of some sort. You do have to want to develop it, though. It won't usually just emerge spontanously without your trying. There are rare cases of people who generate psychic phenomena, poltergeists and so forth, spontaneously, and there are undoubtedly rare geniuses in magick, just as there are in music or other arts. Similarly, some natural talents may come from families of witches, or they may have experience in magick from past lives. Even so, to develop and direct astral abilities requires deliberate intention, concentration, and a developed imagination. Traditionally, the key is to contact and communicate with your "higher self," which is to say, your extended astral being, something much larger than your mundane mortal persona, or your ego.

Can you send me some spells to use?

No. You need to learn about magic and the ethics and ecology of the business before you start in casting spells. There are many books available on Wicca and spells. I recommend the works of Scott Cunningham, Dorothy Morrison, and Donald Kraig as good introductions to magical practice. If you do not have any background in magical studies, I do not recommend that you buy a wand yet. Do some reading and get serious about it first. Find a reputable group working in one of the ancient traditions by contacting one of the following organizations: the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD), the Covenant of the Goddess (COG), or A Druid Fellowship (ADF). And start by reading my article, "Wizardry in the Alferic Tradition" and some of the books on its "Further Reading" list. You might also wish to visit Avalon Center for Druidic Studies whose online courses are conducted at the post-secondary level.

Where do you get phoenix feathers and unicorn hair for your magical cores?

From phoenixes and unicorns, of course. These magical creatures, like dragons, hippogriffs and griffins, and the like, are astral beings. Their existence in this mundane reality is fleeting and tenuous and as habitat has been destroyed, their haunts here on planet Earth are ever more ellusive. My suppliers venture forth into the the Otherworlds and harvest feathers and hair without harming the animals. As you may know, it takes a young virgin to even get close to a unicorn, let alone brush its mane or tail, and as for phoenixes, timing is everything -- and heavy, fireproof gloves. I have a small supply of dragon scale from time to time. While dragons shed their scales, it is by no means easy to procure them because they are usually not far from the dragon's lair. When sliced into thin shards, they make fine magical cores, though sometimes temperamental and always requiring special tongs to handle them, lest you get sulfuric acid all over yourself. We don't use dragon "heartstrings" by the way, as some wandmakers advertise -- these can only be procured from dead dragons!

What do you mean when you say that "part" of the Dryad spirit resides in the wand?

The word "part" in this context describes the fact that the Dryad of a tree resides in all its wood and leaves. The parting of the wand branch from the tree does not really divide the Dryad into separate parts, but we speak of "parts" to distinguish the wand-spirit from the whole spirit of the tree. The distinction is academic, perhaps. It means that the spirit of the tree resides in the wand. In the case of a tree that has died in its physical manifestation, the wand dryad may be all that remains of the dryad in this plane until such time as it reincarnates. But the planes aren't really separate or distinct either, so in effect the dryad, like all spirits, is "bigger" than what is in the wand. The same thing is really true of us: our spirits extend into the astral and across time far beyond the merely present ego-consciousness we are used to think of as ourself.

Is the spirit in the wand that of a dryad or a phoenix or unicorn?

Both. The dryad is in the wood. The stones have their spirits, and so does the core material. These are all combined in the wand's enchantment to render a unique intelligence which can be directed by the wizard to amplify and focus his or her intentions. This is why one should pay some attention to the kinds of magical creatures used in the wand, as well as the kind of wood and the kind of stones, if any.

Can druids levitate and transfigure themselves into an animal?

If I told you yes, would you believe it? If I told you "no" would you believe it? There are two different ways to look at these sorts of magick: one is that anything is possible when you are walking in the Astral dimension, or the Otherworlds, as they are called. But once you understand the nature of the Astral dimension, you will realize that it's not as simple as being one place or the other. The Otherworlds and this island Earth are just different parts of a whole; they interpenetrate each other and analytical thinking won't really serve to grasp the relationship. Only holistic thinking can do so. So what is "real"? How do you judge? Disbelief is a powerful force and as a result acts of magick are almost never "visible" to non-believers. Very little useful magick happens in the blink of an eye anyway, because "time" is a meaningless term in the Astral dimension but here, in the perception of time, things of this nature (or any nature) unfold gradually, like the growth of a tree or leaf.

Having a strong and active imagination is good and useful in many ways. But wizardry requires that you apply your imagination as a faculty of the mind, train it, and use it to change things around you. Personally, I don't try to use magick to transform people into cats or lead into gold. Lord knows there have been enough magicians and witches who have devoted themselves to such things. I prefer to use magick to find information and insight, to help trees and flowers grow, to talk to faries and spirits, and to cast charms of protection, prosperity, or good health. In addition, druid magick consists in large measure of magically (which is to say imaginally) joining with the cycle of the seasons, the power of the sun and moon and stars, the ancient wisdom of the trees and rocks, and thus to help bind the universe together in love. Next to such wonders, flying or material transmutations would not be a wise use of time or energy, however "fun" they might seem.

How does magical imagination differ from fiction or fantasy?

Good question. Let's put it this way: the imaginal power of constructing alternative realities is much the same, but the reader or fiction writer is engaged in a different quality of relationship to the created world. The writer or reader of fiction and fantasy believes in the world through what the poet Coleridge called "the willing suspension of disbelief." That is, readers compartmentalize their belief in the mundane world away from their belief in the fantasy world. The wizard or mage doesn't suspend disbelief, but rather knows how reality is woven and asserts him or herself into the weft and warp of the world. Both the writer of fantasy and the mage use words to create a new reality, but the one enters into that reality only while writing (or reading), while the other walks continuously in that world. Put another way, the "fantasy" of the mage is not fantasy: or the mage relates to that "fantasy" as reality.

One of the major differences between, say, believing in the world of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings and being a wizard is that you don't affect anyone else's reality when you are reading a book and enjoying belief in its world. When you actually shape the world and craft it with your intentions through wizardry, you do affect the reality of others, and that is why it is so very difficult to perform transfigurations and levitation and that sort of thing when unbeleivers or skeptics are looking. Consider the relationship between fantasy and magick another way: think about how you feel when you are totally absorbed in the fantasy world of a book like Lord of the Rings or the Harry Potter books, and think how it does change your own mundane world, casting over it a glamour of possibilities and wonders. Or think how a vivid dream will affect you in your waking life sometimes. That's an inkling of how a wizard has to think and feel all the time.

Why should I spend so much money on one of your wands when I can get one elsewhere for $30.00?

Well, the price we request for our wands is intended to signify a sincere dedication to the Ars Magica and to compensate the maker for all the time and energy put into making the wand. There is a very important virtue to wood that wands of copper piping or stone do not possess, and, not to put too fine a point on it, I think there are very few wandmakers who put in the same time and care into magically crafting the wand and enchanting it as we do. There is considerable value in having a wand that has a preliminary enchantment and awakening and is ready for you to bond with it. Of course, if you were to make your own wand, cutting it and carving it by hand, you could achieve a very powerful effect too and in that case would perform the preliminary enchantment and awakening of the dryad spirit yourself. The price of the wand has no direct relationship to its power. What is important is its beauty and inherent power to hook your own magical will, your own love and affection. In additon to this aspect, there is one other factor to consider. A wand received as a gift carries a very special power. And that is why I try to structure our transactions as an exchange of gifts, not as buying and selling a commodity. A good wand is a friend and helper as you walk the Astral worlds. Who can really put a "price" on that? The prices that we have set are all mystic numbers that add to nine (for example, 99=9+9=18=1+8=9). This is another way that we endeavor to give the transaction special power and significance. Finally, to transfer a wand from its maker to its new owner requires a significant exchange of energy. Money (or barter) represents energy and some such ritual gesture of giving on both sides is necessary to astrally permit the wand to pass from me to you. On the other hand, there are some fine wands out there that are very inexpensive (See The Fellowship of Wandmakers page). Rather than buy one of these, though, I would recommend making your own.

I'm having trouble deciding on what type of wood or core to have for my wand. How can I decide?

I don't know that there is any single answer to that question. It may be that you will see a wand that really grabs you. You might come back and look at it again and again. You might pick it up and feel a strong current from it that seems right for you. Or you might have a mental image that you are trying to realize and drawing some sketches might help. Or it may be simply that there are too many lovely kinds of wood to choose among. I'll give you two ideas and you can see which appeals to you.

First, you could be systematic about it. Review the characteristics and associations of the various woods we have on our website in the article "Dryads and the Magical Properties of Woods." Consider your own sun sign and its elemental correspondence. Are you more Fiery, Airy, Watery, or Earthy? Look over the woods in each element and see what fits you best. When chosing a magical core, the important thing is the associations you have with the particular magical animal. Positive associations are, obviously, what you are looking for.

Second, however, you might want to consult an oracle such as Tarot cards or the Celtic Tree Oracle. Or, more simply, write out some choices on bits of parchment, toss them in a hat, and shake them up. Then ask your spirit guides or divinities to help you decide what is right for you at this time and pull out a slip. Do this for woods, cores, stones -- whatever you like.

How do I take care of my new wand?

You should keep your wand in its box when not in use, and it is a good idea to wrap it in silk, which has the property of keeping out the extraneous vibrational noise of modern life. You can polish your wand with a soft cloth and furniture polish. I use a lovely concoction called Clapham's Beeswax Polish, which I get with a Lavender scent. It comes originally from England (Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire) but should be available at woodworkers or hardware stores, etc. Polishing your wand, even just with your hand, also helps build up its electrical and astral charge.

Other things you might wish to do with your wand to "maintain it" (besides the consecration ceremony I suggest in the little guide), is to just keep it around your person as much as possible, even when asleep (as long as you don't break it). Touch it, talk to it, and meditate with it, giving attention to the dryad spirit of the wand. Visualize the shining core material running down the very center of the wand, shining with light, radiant with light. Unicorn hair gives off a very pure silver-white light, phoenix feather a brilliant scarlet and gold fire, dragon's scale has a dark fire, almost ultraviolet, if that makes sense. Feel the connection to this magical animal, and remember that it is very probably still alive and well in the Otherworld forests. You can also meditate upon or study the type of tree the wood came from. All these interactions will serve to bond the wand with you and charge it with your energy and light.

How do I use a wand to cast spells?

As for how to use the wand, there are many schools of thought there, and indeed it is something you should develop as you go. The traditional "swish and flick" of Harry Potter is a lovely movement that symbolizes the release of energy in a particular direction. When you cast a spell, generally speaking, you are creating an energetic tension inside your sacred space (the circle you've cast) and at the end you want to release that energy into the cosmos so that it carries your will into being. Usually if there is an object you can point at, use the wand to point, and if you are enchanting an object with a spell, touching the wand's tip to the object establishes the connecton of the astral current. Sometimes a photograph of a person or a name written on a piece of parchment in runes can serve as a surrogate object at which you can direct your wand, for example in a healing spell. However, in many spellings there is no clear "direction" in which you wish to cast the spell (See: "Circumstanciations" in my online essay on magical theory). In such spelling, one thing I do is wave my wand in a spiral upwards as I feel the energy being sent out, with an appropriate incantation to that effect. You might equally well direct the magic down to the earth, depending on the effect you are trying to create, or how it feels to you. Use your own instincts and let me know how it goes.

So, if those are the "dos" what are the "don'ts"?

Don't ever use your wand as a weapon, even in fun. Don't hit anyone with it: you could put an eye out! Don't put it directly in a fire or a boiling potion. Don't stick it in your eye or any other orifice of your body. And don't ignore your wand or forget about it. If you do, it will be cranky the next time you take it out of the box! If you decide to give up magick, you should give your wand to someone who will use it, or failing that, send it back to Bard Woodcrafts so that we can see to it that it finds a good home.

What are the advantages or disadvantages of using milled lumber as opposed to a natural branch?

The difference is mainly aesthetic. There is something to be said for having a wand made of the branch of a still-living tree and lumber is, of course, milled from trees that have been cut down. For some, this might not be desireable, but I look at it this way: trees are sacrificed for all sorts of building and craft projects carried out by humans; what better way to make this sacrifice worthwhile than to create a wand out of some of that wood, thereby preserving some of the dryad spirit of the wood and giving it new life as a magical instrument? Beyond that philosophical question, there are many aesthetic differences. Milled lumber often has a more pronounced grain with more distance between the growth rings. It will also produce perfectly straight wands, while branches are seldom straight and look more "natural" or as we say, "romantic" rather than "classical."

How do you enchant your wands?

Each Bard Woodcrafts wand is enchanted personally by Alferian himself, who determines the most auspicious day under the waxing moon when sun, moon, or rising sign are in a Fire sign. The ritual aspects of the procedure and the invocations used are derived from Druid and Alferic traditions. Each wand is awakened to its new life as a wand and is consecrated with the four elements. Each is annointed with oil of Frankincense and with charmed Moon water. The new wand is then charged magically with Alferian's wand. During the enchantment, the Elvish name of the wood is intoned, the dryad spirit is called upon to reveal its secret name, the name by which it wishes to be known (although it might be happy to accept another name from you), and the magical core material is imaginally enchanted into the wand. Finally the wand is bidden to be used only for good and to harm no living thing. This enchantment prepares the wand to seek its new partner and create a working bond. In all cases, we suggest that a new owner perform his or her own blessing and consecration to seal the relationship between wand and user. For more on this topic, see our Guide to Consecration and Dedication.

Well, it would be a good idea to study this for some time before you get your wand. Many books on Wicca deal with styles of ritual and spellcraft. Ceremonial magick, on the other hand, tends to be much more sophisticated and requires much study. You can start by reading my primer on the subject: "Wizardry in the Alferic Tradition". At the end of that article is an annotated bibliography with suggestions for further reading. To order "spellbooks" or introductions to witchcraft and magick, I suggest you go to one of my favorite esoteric book stores, Magus Books.

Spelling is a complex subject and I highly recommend that you consult with reputable teachers of druidry or witchcraft in your area or by correspondence course, once you have read a few books on your own. As I say in the bibliography at the end of the wizardry article, the works of Scott Cunningham are some that I find very accessible for novice wizards. Amber K's classic True Magick: a Beginner's Guide is a very sensible introduction in the Wiccan vein. Donald Kraig's Modern Magick is a heafty introduction and training manual in the Ceremonial Magick tradition that derives from The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Perhaps the most important rule to remember when considering spell-casting is the Law of the Returning Tide, which says that whatever magick you cast forth will come back to you three-fold. That means that cultivating wisdom is the first requisite to performing magick, unless you want to get yourself into big trouble.

Does the "Alferic Tradition" you refer to have anything to do with your name, Alferian?

I use the term Alferic as a Anglicisation of the Elvish word alferion, which means "of the Elves." My name is derived from the same root, only in a different grammatical case. Alferian means something like "composed by Elves." One vowel makes a lot of difference in Eranor. However, I do not claim any authority as the creator of the Alferic magical tradition. It comes from the Elves and I present it here as I have found it in my researches, not as any sort of "true" revelation of Elflore at the expense of anyone else's. There are many tribes of Elves and many other beings of Faerie realms who hold different philosophies and speak different tongues. There are an increasing number of books on the market written by persons who have had direct experience of elves, fairies, or nature spritis of one kind or another and I encourage you to seek them out. The Alferic Tradition is not a "tradition" among anyone but the Alfer, that is the Elves. It bears a kinship to what we know of Druidic lore in the ancient Celtic world. I do not wish to present it as superior to any other tradition, or as more "authentic" in some objective historical sense. Elvish history is, after all, treated as fiction even by most modern Pagans.

Do you make staves and how does a staff differ from a wand?

We do make staves, although the process is magically different from making wands, and because they are so time-consuming to carve, they are rather expensive ($333). The main differences between staves and wands are that the staff is used vertically, while the wand is used mostly horizonally, each representing the axis of divine power. The staff symbolizes the wizard's place joining Sky and Earth, while the wand symbolizes the direction of the wizard's intention outward toward some object or goal. The size of a staff, like the size of a wand, is somewhat a matter of taste. Some wizards like a staff the same height as themselves; others insist that "heart-high" is the correct length. I believe either will work just fine, depending on individual preference. As for carving and stones, a staff does not have the same polarity as a wand, and so does not benefit, to my thinking, from a magical core. But many staves will sustain a large crystal on the head end, which can serve as a focus of power. Finally, the consecration and enchantment of a staff is a little different, principally because I don't enchant a magical core into staves. Because staff-sized branches are much harder to find and tansport, I have a very limited supply of staff-sized branches, and sometimes I do not know for certain which type of wood they are. If you would like a staff made, please consult by email and we'll see what we can do.