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pieces with religious or magical designs. Then, too, amulets and talismans (devices made to ward off or to attract forces) often double as ritual jewelry. Such wonders as necklaces of amber and jet, silver or gold bands worn on the wrists, crowns of silver set with crescent moons, rings of emeralds and pearls, even ritual garters set with tiny silver buckles are often part of Wiccan regalia.
    But you needn’t purchase or make such extravagances.Keep it simple for now. If you feel comfortable wearing one or two pieces of jewelry during ritual, fine! Choose designs incorporating crescents, ankhs, five-pointed stars (pentagrams), and so on.Many mail-order suppliers carry occult jewelry. If you wish to reserve such pieces for ritual wear, fine.Many do.
    I’m often asked if I have a good luck charm, a piece of jewelry, an amulet, or some other power object that I always have in my possession. I don’t.
    This often comes as a surprise, but it is part of my magical philosophy. If I determined that one piece of jewelry (a ring, pendant, quartz crystal point, etc.) was my power object,my link with the Gods,my assurance of good luck, I’d be crushed if it was stolen, lost, misplaced or otherwise parted company with me.
    I could say that the power had gone out of it, that it was a magical lemon, taken by higher beings, or that I’m not as aware as I think. But I’d still be devastated.
    It isn’t wise to put our hopes, dreams, and energies into physical objects. This is a limitation, a direct product of the materialism fostered upon us all our lives. It’s easy to say, “I can’t do a thing since I lost my lucky moonstone necklace.” It’s also tempting to think,“Nothing’s gone right since my horned God ring disappeared.”
    What isn’t easy to see is that all the power and luck we need is within ourselves. It isn’t wrapped up in exterior objects unless we allow it to be. If we do this, we leave ourselves open to losing that part of our personal power and good fortune, something I won’t willingly do.
    Power objects and ritual jewelry can indeed be reminders of the Goddess and God, and symbols of our own affinities. But I feel they shouldn’t be allowed to become more than that.
    Still, I do have a few pieces (a silver pentagram, an image of the Goddess, an Egyptian ankh, a Hawaiian fishhook that symbolizes the god Maui) that I sometimes wear during ritual. Donning such objects triggers the mind and produces that state of consciousness that is necessary for effective ritual.
    I’m not saying that power shouldn’t be sent into objects: indeed, this is the way magically charged talismans and amulets are made. I simply prefer not to do so with personal and ritual jewelry.
    Certain natural objects, such as quartz crystals, are worn to invite their energies within ourselves to effect specific changes. This type of “power object” is a fine adjunct to personal energies—but it’s dangerous to rely on them exclusively.
    If wearing specific pieces puts you into a magical mood, or if wearing an image of the Goddess or one of her sacred symbols draws you closer to her, fine.
    Your goal, however, should perhaps be the ability to constantly tune in on the hidden world around us and the reality of the Goddess and God, even in the midst of the most grounding, debasing follies of the human experience.
    So, now you’re bathed, clothed, adorned, and ready for ritual. Any other considerations? Yes, a big one—company.
    Do you wish to worship the Old Gods of Wicca privately, or with others? If you have interested friends you may want to invite them to join you.
    If not, no problem. Solo ritual is fine when starting out on the Wiccan way. The presence of like-minded people is wonderful, but can be inhibiting as well.
    There are certainly rituals at which others can’t be present. An unexpected glimpse of the full moon half-shrouded in clouds calls for a few moments of silence or attunement, an invocation, or meditation. These