CLEANSING AND CONSECRATING YOUR TOOLS WITH HERBS

  These are suggestions for dedicating the tools prior to thier first usage or thier formal consecration.  Perform these with proper visualization and ritual intent.

THE ATHAME OR SWORD

     Rub the blad with fresh basil, rosemary or oak leaves at sunrise, outdoors, where you will not be disturbed or seen. Lay the sword or athame on the ground with its point to the South. Walk clockwise around it thrice, scattering bay leaves (perferably fresh)over it. Take up the sword or Athame, stand facing East and holding the sword upward but with the arms lowerd, invoke the god to infuse your Athame or sword with his strenght.  Point it tot he sky, invoking the Goddess to charge your blade with Her love and power.

     Wrap your Athame or sword in red cloth and take it home. It may be stored in the cloth, if desired.

THE WAND

     If the wand is wood, take it outdoors at sunset and rub it with fresh lavender, eucalyptus, or mint leaves. Raise it in the air toward the East (0r the moon if it's visible) and invoke the Goddess. At sunrise, take it again outdoor, rub with the fresh fragrant leaves and invoke the God by raising it the the East.

THE PENTACLE

     Place the pentacle on bare earth. Lay upon it dried parsley, patchouly, mistletoe, fresh jasmine, or honeysuckle flowers.  Sit before it facing North for several seconds, visualizing the pentacle absorbing the Earth's energies. Then pick it up and scatter the herbs or flowers to the four quarters, beginning and ending in the North.

     If this must be done indoors, fill a small dish with fresh Earth and place the pentacle on this. Proceed as above, saving the herbs or flowers to be scatterd outdoors at a later time.

THE CENSER OR INCENSE BURNER

     Fume pure rosemary, frankincense or copal within the censer prior to its first use. Do this for about an hour.

THE CAULDRON

     Take the caludron to a stream, river, lake or ocean. Gather the leaves of some plants growing around nerbly. Dip the cauldron in the water to fill it. Place the leaves in the cauldron, then set it on the waters edge where it is on both water and sand. Place your hands on the cauldron and dedicate it to the Goddess in any words you like.
     Empty and dry the cauldron, and return home. The charge has been made.

     If done inside, place the cauldron in a large basin of water or the bathtub, in a candle-lit room. Add a bit of salt to the water, which should be cold. Procced as above.
      Salt water corrodes metal so be sure to wash and dry the cauldron after any contact with salt or sea water.

THE CHALICE

      Anoint the base with gardenia, rose, or violet oil and fill with pure spring water. Then set afloat a sprig of ivy, a small rose, a fresh gardenia or some other apporopriate flower or herb. Gaze into the Chalice and invoke the Goddess to bless it. You might also wish to take it outside at night, filled with water, and catch the Moon's relfection within it.

THE BROOM

     It can be fashioned from any old staff. Brush it with chamomile, willow, lemon balm, elder, or mallow stalks and branches, they bury these with due solemnity. You might also wish to carve a crescent Moon upon its handle.

THE BOOK OF SHADOWS

     Sew into the cover of the Book of Shadows leaves of the sacred herbs, vervain, rue, bay willow, or others, if you wish. Theyshould be well-dried and secretly placed by the light of the moon. The covers of the Book of Shadows should, of course, be coverd with cloth for this purpose.

THE ROBE

     Lay it among sachets filled with lavender, vervain, and cedar when not in use. Sew a bit of rosemary or frankincense into the hem while fashioning.

Information taken from
http://www.jaguarmoon.org/public/Herb/Consecrate.htm