How to craft, cleanse and activate a wand?

Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to spell casting. I would like to create a wand and would greatly appreciate any help and tips for crafting, cleansing and activating my wand.
Thanks,
Willow <3 xoxoxo

[Albalida]

This depends on what your tradition is. If you believe the power is all in your mind, but a wand only helps you be comfortable with it, then you can use a pencil.

Otherwise, you could just attune yourself to the wand meant for you. I have two, and they're both crystal point wands, not wood.

Western Ceremonial wands make it purposely complicated, with gobledygook instructions like "the wand should be of elderwood, or rosewood, or hazel or nut tree, in all cases the wood being virgin--that is, of one year's growth only. They should each be cut from the tree at a single stroke, on the day of Mercury, at sunrise. The characters shown should be written or engraved thereon in the day and hour of Mercury." Don't get me started on the actual engravings.

Otherwise, find a tree or a bush or whatever, ask for permission to cut it, when you feel that it's right then do so, strip the bark, make sure to leave the wood to dry or "cure" so that the green parts don't rot your wand from the inside...and then, sand, varnish or paint. Personalize it.

Sometimes the activation comes with intuition. I wanted to use my clear quartz wand for lucid dreams, but it's really for cleansing. I wanted to use my amethyst wand for astral travel, but it's really almost like a phone for divine artistic inspiration. On another forum that's now gone down, one user mentioned that their wand only finds lost objects like a dowsing rod. That was disappointing considering that she wanted it to do everything, that is, help with everything in her practice, but it's kind of cool that it does anything at all.

Thankyou!!! <3

[Jenny Crow]

Yeah, I agree that Ceremonial Magic promotes a lot of intricate 'stuff' and I really don't believe that it's necessary. However, to know the magical properties of the wood you're using can be very beneficial. For example: apple is female energy and is symbolic of fertility, peace, plenty and joy and helps in aiding you with the skills you wish to work on; it's also used in love magic

Birch is male energy and a birch wand would be good for cleansing rituals. It is a symbol of rebirth, renewal. Good for lunar spells, healing and protection. Good for rituals that signify a new start of any endeavour.

Oak - strong masculine energy and is protective. Oak wands are supposed to bring vitality and long life; it is a healing wood and has strong connections to the earth. Oak is supposed to help centre the mind and helps to promote intuition, also prosperity.

I did take the bark off as Albalida suggested but I didn't paint or varnish it and through the years it has gained a beautiful patina.

And so on.........

I used a piece of wood I found on the forest floor. I peeled the bark off and decorated it with colourful wire, beads and a small piece of carnelian which I glued to its point.

I always burn sage when I cleanse my tools. You could sit and meditate with it in your hands, asking for it to be cleansed, to be made your friend and ally... And then visualise that with every out-breath you breathe into the wand, and with your in-breaths you suck up the energy from wand. That way you'll be connected forever ;)

I only crafted one wand and I still have it to this day.

It's made out of some type of beach wood that I found
in a wind swept sand dune in Cape Cod when I was in 7th grade
[jeez, I'm 26 now.. so I've had it for a long time now eh?]

The bark was already stripped off by the wind and the sand/water
and underneath are these natural spirals, probably from smaller
vines growing along side the branch when it was alive.

I wood burned all of the Runes and the symbol for Air along with
a symbol of the feather. I macrame'd Amethyst and wire wrapped
a crystal on the tip. I dedicated it, but with where it came from I didn't
feel it necessary for further cleansing.

I mainly use it as a representation for air and as a reminder of where
I came from and how far I've come in my Path.

If you're planning on taking from a living tree, make sure to ask for it's
permission first and to leave an offering like bird seeds or those mini fertilizer tabs. And after the wood dries and you decorate it, make sure
to rub some Natural wood oil to keep it from cracking and splitting.

Good luck, I hope you find the perfect one for you :]

[Jenny Crow]

You can also use the elements to cleanse a tool. Pass it through some cleansing incense (asking for the incense to cleanse it); dip your finger in some charged water and put some water on the tool; pass it through a flame and then place it in a bowl of salt for a while (again, asking the salt to cleanse it)