In Wicca, tools are often used--to represent a God or Goddess, to direct magic, for divination, or for whatever reason. This is a list of some of the most common tools and their meanings & uses.

The Broom:

The broom, or besom, is sacred to the Goddess, used to sweep the ritual area clean of negative psychic influences. Sorry, it's not used for riding. The law of gravity still applies.

The Wand or Staff:

The wand is a descendant of the staff, becoming common among Witches during the Burning Times (the Inquisition, when anywhere from a quarter of a million to nine million supposed Witches were killed) because it is easier to hide. While staffs are tall and obvious, wands are much smaller and more readily concealed from prying eyes. Both wand and staff are used to direct energy, mostly in casting magical circles. They are sacred to the God, since they're phallic symbols, much like the maypole.

The Chalice:

The chalice is sacred to the Goddess and is used in ritual to hold sacred drinks, such as the ceremonial wine. It is possible that the chalice, like the wand, is descended from a larger tool, made easier to hide, during the Burning Times; in this case, the older tool would have been the cauldron.

The Cauldron:

The cauldron is sacred to the Goddess, and is a symbol of rebirth. Pagans often light small fires in their cauldrons at the Winter Solstice to represent the God's rebirth. It can be used as an instrument to scry, or gaze to see fortunes/visions, with, by filling it with water and staring into its depths. It is usually three-legged. Cauldrons can be any size, from tiny to huge. Often used to brew magickal recipes in; during spring rites, it can be filled with water and fresh flower petals. I don't use mine that much, but it looks really neat on my altar.

The Athame:

The athame is the ritual knife. No, it is not used for sacrifices! It is often used to cast the ritual circle or to direct power. Athames, being phallic symbols, are sacred to the God. The athame is commonly black- or dark- handled, but you don't have to stick to that; my athame's handle is made of brass, and I can cast my circle with it quite well. Heck, my athame's a letter opener. To each their own...

The Sword

Some traditions use a sword in place of the athame, to invoke certain things, to do whatever. It's pretty cool--if you can afford a sword, which generally runs anywhere from two hundred dollars to the thousands of dollars range. They're expensive and bulky. If you can afford a sword and have a good place to store it, then by all means, feel free to get one; but I suspect that most Wiccans are not nearly so enamored of the idea. An athame will do quite well.

The Crystal Ball

The crystal ball is used for scrying, gazing into the future or past. It is sacred to the Goddess, particularly Hecate (pronounced, if you can believe it, hek-uh-tee), the Crone at the Crossroads of Past, Present, and Future. It may be used to represent the Goddess or the Moon during full moon rites. A lady I know uses her crystal ball to focus her thoughts during rites.

The Book of Shadows

A Book of Shadows, or BoS, is a magical journal in which Wiccans record things related to their religion--for instance, a Wiccan might put down a favorite recipe, or a ritual; anything goes, especially when you're a solitary. Many covens have a coven BoS that newcomers copy down. If this is the case, I will humbly point out that you can keep more than one BoS, one for your coven, and one for you.

The Pentacle

The pentacle, with five points, is not a satanic symbol. It is, rather, represenative of the Five Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. When used by Wiccans, it will most commonly have one point pointing up; one point pointing down will sometimes mean that the wearer is a second-degree initiate in a tradition. But be warned: a pentacle necklace does not make a Witch!

When you have your tools, you will want to consecrate them (make them holy). This is done by taking them and, in the fashion you feel is best for you, asking the Lord and Lady to bless them.

Now, don't panic. You don't have to have all of these things to be a Wiccan. Tools are just that: tools. I still don't have a sword, or a staff, but I'm a practicing Wiccan and I do just fine. You can use a bowl in place of a cauldron, a letter-opener in place of a knife, a pair of scissors, even; what it boils down to is work with what you have. Acquire items when you can. Use caution, don't pay more than they're worth. Be careful around knives. Don't stick pointy things like wands into other peoples' eyes, either.

Basically, use your common sense and you'll be just fine.

Your body is the best tool you have. Treat it wisely. Eat right, or at least try to; get enough exercise; don't pump it full of things like alcohol on a regular basis; and learn to love your body, not as fat or thin, not as any ideal or expectation, but because it's your body.

Take care of yourself, alright?