Tools

I can attempt to explain a little of what these items are used for:

• The Golden Sickle
  Used historically for cutting Mistletoe (also called, All Heal or Golden Bough) although Gold would not be strong enough to cut the herb and the Sickle would more likely have a purely symbolic nature.
• The White Robe
  Worn for purely ceremonial affairs, rituals and the Great Festivals.
• A Bull's Hide
  Worn for Battle, most likely as a form of armour.
• A Robe of Many Colours
  Worn for social gatherings and events.
• A Staff
  Could have been a metaphorical representation of the world tree or a pole with which to ascend to the upper world or descend to the lower world. However, it could simply have been a weapon or a walking aid.
• Mistletoe
  Simply the name All Heal should give an indication as to the nature of this tool.

More often these tools are not used, and in fact in Druidry, as I said at the top of this page, there is no greater set of tools than self belief and imagination.

As I have said I work in a very Shamanic way and I have found that the following tools have been more of a benefit to me than those classically described as Druid tools. I have written this more from a Shamanic perspective:

Drums
The most common kind of Drum used is a simple frame or hoop drum. Shamans across the world use Drums to help them Journey, heal, clear space and use them also for other techniques. The Drum is often referred to as “The Shaman’s steed” as it produces waves of sound capable of inducing a trance upon which the Shaman enters to Journey, The Shaman "rides" on the waves of sound produced by the Drum, but also because the Drum is said to hold one of the many Helper Spirits that the Shaman works with. Frame drums are made from rawhide, such as Deer, Elk, Reindeer or Buffalo, Goat, Ox or Horse.

Among the Celtic people the frame drum was known as the Bodhran (pronounced Bow-Rawn), which means Cow song. These are often made with goatskin and they have a circular wooden frame with a wooden cross piece handle. Today these can be bought in many music shops; they are a wonderful version of the shamanic frame drum.

Rattles
Like the Drum the Shaman can use the rattle to help them Journey, heal, clear space and use them also for other techniques. The usual material for the rattle head is rawhide. The handles are usually made of wood. There are however many different forms of rattle used by many different tribes. Some rattles are carved of wood, the head of the rattle being hollowed and filled with small pebbles. 

The Mongolian Shamans also use a type of rattle called a Shigshuur. It is made from a cow horn, with the pointed end being carved into the shape of a raven's head. The Shigshuur is used to direct and send energy in a specific direction, the rattle being shaken like a Raven pecking.

The rattle can be used effectively for clearing space; the sound can be like fire, burning away negativity, or like rain, washing it away.

Smudge
Smudging is a very ancient technique of using sacred, aromatic herbs to purify an area or person. Some plants used in smudging are White Sage, Sweetgrass, Mugwort, Cedar, Fir, Juniper or tobacco. During a smudging ceremony, the dried herbs are placed into a Shell, often Abalone and are then lit and allowed to smoulder. Sometimes a feather, such as Eagle would be used to keep them alight. The smoke from these herbs is then drawn over the heart, then over the third eye and crown. The smoke may then be passed over the rest of the body.

As well as creating a sacred atmosphere with their scent, the herbs actually do cleanse; the smoke from the herbs gets into the pores of the skin and cleanses it of impurities.

Of course a much easier way of smudging is to use an incense stick, it's often a nicer smelling way too. I personally use White Sage, Oak and Beech leaves and Bark. Lleuanwen loves making new blends of smudge and incense for use in our ceremonies and it is really interesting to note how each plant affects the mood and outcome of the ceremony, even a tiny addition can change a lot.

Shamanic Costume
Shamanic costume is as individual as the Shaman who wears it; of course it was also influenced by the Tribe or Clan to which the Shaman belongs. The most common form of shamanic costume is an animal skin, sometimes with feathers, artwork, bones, Metal mirrors, fetishes (small carved animals) or other things of personal significance. The uses for a shamanic costume are varied. Sometimes it is used almost as a badge, stating that there is a Shaman at work. Sometimes it is used as Armour against bad spirits. In the case of some tribes, the costume is made deliberately heavy, so that the Shaman's physical body gets worn out and allows for the Shaman's helper spirits to enter his or her body. 

I have two costumes, one is the obvious White Robe. The other is the skin of a Grey Wolf I was lucky to find in an antique store. 

The Shaman may also use a hat or some form of head-dress or Mask I have a huge oak mask I carved from a fallen tree on Blackford Hill in Edinburgh, it has Antlers from the Scottish Highlands and Pheasant feathers from my homeland in the Chiltern Hills. This aids in seeing the spirit world.

Other tools
I also have many other tools that I use for such things as Divination and Healing. From coins and bones for divination, to fans for dance and smudge, from altars to crystals. The individual practitioner will often accumulate a set of tools specific to his or her work. The tools can often be quite obscure in their meaning, but it is through the teachings of the spirits that we find and learns to use these tools.

Power Plants
This is often a very shady area, as power plants can more often turn from a tool to a crutch and can also turn a good path into a form of escapism from the world. Druids and other forms of Shaman across the world have a good working knowledge of certain herbs, fungi and cactus that we collectively call power plants. 

These plants have mind-altering substances. I will give you a very brief list of the most common power plants and a short description with each. Please note, I personally do not advocate the use of these plants, I also don't care about the chemistry side of them so my descriptions are not as clear and scientific as those of other people. NONE OF THESE PLANTS SHOULD BE USED WITHOUT THE SUPERVISION OF SOMEONE EXPERIENCED IN THEIR USE!

There are many, many more plants that are used and if you wish to learn more I suggest these links:

www.ayahuasca.com

www.shamanshop.com

 Unfortunately the abuse of these and other power plants has lead to many of them being made illegal, also their use is thought of by many as a way of escaping reality or as a form of recreation.  The truth is that these herbs are very powerful allies.  They are shortcuts to the spirit world taking the user quickly, in some cases instantly, to the journey state.  The one unfortunate problem is that lack of understanding or proper training can lead to the herbs being used as a crutch and some less advanced Shamans end up needing to use them all the time.

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