Shaman's Tools of the Trade

“In Sweden, old women who dwelt in the forest were credited with powers of sorcery and were believed to have the wolves under their control. Thus they were known as Vargamor or wolf-crones.”
-Alexander Porteous, The Forest in Folklore and Mythology, 1928

Costumes are often used by shamans to help them become more like their animal familiar. A variety of animal parts are used to decorate the shamans costume such as antlers, bones, claws, feathers, fur and teeth. The shaman takes on the attributes associated with their animal spirits. Shamans may use some or all of these tools to help them with their shamanistic journeys.

The four elemental tools of the shaman are the spear or staff which represent the element air, the sword which represents the element fire, the cauldron which represent the element water, and the stone which represents the element earth.

THE TOOLS

Amulet bag - a small pouch usually worn around the neck and filled with one or more amulets to protect the wearer from evil forces. Native American shamans use a similar object usually referred to as a medicine pouch. Larger amulet bags made out of leather, suede, or heavy cloth can be used to hold a variety of shaman tools such as rune stones, herbs, stones or healing crystals.

You may want to design and create one or more amulets bags for your own personal use. For example, I have created my own individual beaded amulet bags to represent each of the 4 elements. I used a butterfly pattern to represent the element air, a dolphin to represent the element water, an iris to represent the element earth while I created a sunflower amulet bag to represent the element fire.

Blanket or cloth or animal hide to sit or lay on. This gives the shaman a comfortable place on which to conduct their shamanic journeys. The shamans tools and a small altar can also be set up on and around the blanket.

Cloak or cape - the shaman often wears a cloak or cape while conducting their shamanic work. The cloaks can be decorated with various feathers, shells, small gemstones, bits of fur, claws, and other animal parts to help the shaman assume the form of their animal allies.

Cauldron - represents the element water. A metal cauldron can be filled with sand and used to burn a variety of herbs and incense. Candles can also be placed inside the cauldron and burned as part of the shamans rituals. An abalone shell can also be used in place of the cauldron if desired.

Crystals - also called earth stars. Gemstones represent the healing energy of the earth and can be used by the shaman to help heal specific illnesses of their patients.

Dagger - used for cutting rune symbols into slices of wood, for tracing magical symbols into the earth, and for harvesting herbs.

Drum - used to produce meditative music to help induce the ecstatic trance-like state of the shaman.

Feathers - used to decorate the shamans masks, cloaks, capes, and headdresses. A further aid to helping the shaman assume the form of their animal allies.

Headdress or headband - made out of metal or cloth and decorated with items such as feathers, claws or teeth.

Mask - masks which have been decorated with feathers, claws, fur or small shells help the shaman to assume the form of their animal ally while conducting their shamanistic journeys.

Mortar & pestle - to finely grind any plant materials that are used as part of the shamans healing rituals.

Rattle - used to induce a trance-like state through the use of the hypnotic, rhythmic sound produced by the rattle. Similar items such as rain sticks and tambourines can also be used to great effect.

Staff or spear - the staff is commonly made out of wood and can be carved and decorated with magical symbols and talismans which further help to protect the shaman. The staff or spear represents the element air.

Stones - a flat stone to work magic on. Imbued with magical properties. A flat stone can be used as a makeshift altar by the shaman. The flat stone should be placed on the northern most point of the shamans blanket and represents the earth element.

Sword - represents the element fire. Used in spiritual battle while the shaman is traveling in the other-world. The sword is used as a protective tool by the shaman while undergoing their spiritual journeys. The sword offers symbolic protection to the shaman and doesn’t need to be sharp.

Wand - a tool which is used in certain magical rituals which represents the element fire. Wands are often made from a fallen tree branch, you should never cut a branch from the tree as this would upset mother nature. A found, fallen tree branch should be thought of as a gift from mother nature.

See my blogs What is Shamanism and Magical Healing Gemstones for further information.

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