| Athame Knife History and Background | | | | |
| The athame knife is a ritual dagger that is used by | | | | Much like a gun, it is not the gun that is evil or intends to |
| Wiccans and Neo Pagans in rituals and spells as an | | | | do harm, it is the individual who wields it. The same can |
| extension of their body. | | | | be said to any ritual tool you use, especially your |
| The athame in Wicca is traditionally a male principal, or | | | | athame blade. |
| a male symbol representing the reproductive organ of | | | | To prevent this, ensure you treat your blade with |
| the Horned God who impregnated the Goddess Gia to | | | | respect and dignity. A good way to ensure such |
| give birth to the Earth and nature. | | | | respect would be to offer the athame knife as an |
| The athame knife is traditionally either black handled or | | | | offering each night before you go to sleep or every |
| wooden handled, with the blade made of steel. | | | | morning when you awaken to one of the gods or |
| Wood is often used in an athame blade because of it's | | | | goddesses you worship and pray to. Say a prayer as |
| representation of Nature and the Earth. A tree was | | | | you are knelt down, with your head down looking at |
| either sacrificed or already dead, and the wood was | | | | the ground and the blade held out in both hands, palms |
| recycled into the athame so that it may be continued | | | | up in front of you. After the prayer lay the blade down |
| to give life and energies once again, almost like a | | | | on your altar and keep it there until you are ready to |
| symbolic rebirth. | | | | use it once more. |
| It is not exactly clear as to why the black handle | | | | Rituals To Put Your Athame to Use |
| became a traditional, though many texts and historic | | | | You can use your athame for practically any ritual or |
| refrences point back to King Solomon who was said | | | | spell you perform. However, if you are just breaking |
| to use a black handle knife in his rituals and spells. This | | | | into Wicca and would like some example rituals as to |
| black handled blade then became a symbol and a | | | | how you can use your athame here are a few |
| staple to the athame since Solomon was revered as | | | | examples. |
| one of the greatest wizards to ever have lived in real | | | | The first ritual that you can use your athame for would |
| life folk lore. | | | | be in a protection ritual. Cast and open your circle as |
| Whatever handle blade you decide to use or choose | | | | you would any ritual and set up all your other |
| for your athame, it is always best to use steel for the | | | | tools(incense, candles, gemstones, etc.) when this is |
| blade. Iron is not considered a good metal for an | | | | completed, sit cross legged in the center of your circle |
| athame because traditionally this metal is soft and | | | | and begin to meditate. Since this is a ritual on |
| weak when put under heat and will melt. Since fire is | | | | protection, imagine energies begin to build up inside of |
| such a strong symbolic element within Wicca and | | | | you that will keep you safe from negative influences |
| Paganism, many rituals call for it and often times, the | | | | and forces. These white light energies completely |
| athame needs to be plunged into a fire and must with | | | | surround you, imagine these energies being channeled |
| stand the heat. For this reason stainless steel or steel | | | | from your core and outwards so that it surrounds your |
| in general is the best material for the blade itself to be | | | | entire body in a shield. |
| used. | | | | Perform this meditation for as long as possible, and |
| | | | when you feel you ready pick up your athame by the |
| Athame knives are NOT meant to be used as a | | | | hilt and hold it firmly. Stand up and while standing, hold |
| weapon in Wicca. These sacred tools are meant for | | | | your athame out in front of you and begin to imagine |
| rituals and spells only, never to be raised as a weapon | | | | this protection energy being channeled into the athame |
| even for self defense. Athames are an extension of | | | | from your body, through the hilt, and into the blade. |
| yourself and are to be used almost like a carpenter | | | | Imagine in your mind's eye that the blade is glowing in a |
| would his hammer or saw. | | | | white protective light, and when you feel that you have |
| It is very common within the Wicca tradition for an | | | | charged the blade, take the athame and begin to trace |
| athame to "find" it's owner. This means that the | | | | in the air in front of you a symbol of a pentacle. As |
| individual who would like to own or use an athame | | | | you are doing this, try to imagine the pentacle forming |
| must not actively seek it out. Rather, the blade is | | | | in white light as you trace the design with the athame. |
| supposed to find the individual. Almost as if when you | | | | |
| actively seek out love and you never find it, but when | | | | Once you have finished tracing your pentacle, stand |
| you are not looking you suddenly come across the | | | | before it and imagine the light getting brighter and |
| person of your dreams. | | | | brighter until it is blinding. When you reach this point, just |
| Athames Have a Mind of Their Own | | | | through the pentacle and imagine it's protective white |
| It is often believed that athames pick up a mind of their | | | | energies merging with your own to strengthen the |
| own. That often they become "alive" and almost have | | | | shield that you had previously put around you. |
| their own personality. This seems to be true, or at | | | | Another example for a ritual with your athame would |
| least, there have been many strange and unexplained | | | | be a love ritual. It is very similar to the above example, |
| occurances with athames. | | | | only instead of imagining white protective energies |
| There have been accounts from their owners that | | | | surrounding you, you would imagine pink colored |
| they simply disapear without a trace for hours or | | | | energy flowing through you and your body. Imagine a |
| sometimes days only to return right where the owner | | | | sense of love, peace, and harmony and that you |
| left it later on, safe and sound and without damage. | | | | DESERVE love, and love will find you. |
| Some people insist that they placed their athames in a | | | | Instead of tracing a pentacle, you would trace a heart |
| storage box at night and when they awaken the blade | | | | in the air with your athame and then picture that |
| was resting besides them on their beds or night stand | | | | energy as the same pinkish rose color. Step through |
| right next to them. | | | | the heart as you would the pentacle. |
| If an athame was given to you as a gift you should | | | | Again, these are just some example rituals you can |
| cherish that blade and be sure to give your thanks to | | | | perform. Rituals and spells when created by you are |
| the individual who gave it to you. Athames who have | | | | limitless in the possibilities you can do with them. These |
| been in someone's possions and used extensively for | | | | rituals will work and they are quite powerful when you |
| rituals and spells not only pick up energies of their past | | | | put all your energies into it. |
| owner that are retained within the blade, but they | | | | Cleansing Your Athame Knife |
| retain the energies they were used for(such as | | | | Cleansing your athame is quite simple and easy. The |
| protection, love, prosperity spells and rituals etc.) | | | | best way to cleanse your athame would be to light up |
| If your athame is brand new and has never been used | | | | some sage incense or even better, a sage smudge |
| then it is "dormant" or basically it has yet to be given | | | | stick and then wave and turn over the blade several |
| life. The more you use it, the more you place your | | | | times through the smoke. Sage purifys and cleanses |
| energies and will into this ritual tool, the more and more | | | | and is perfect for this task as your athame will not get |
| this blade will take on a life of its own. You HAVE to | | | | damaged. |
| respect your athame for if you do not and you misuse | | | | |
| it, much like a dog who has been abused so many | | | | Another method would be to simply rinse your athame |
| times it snaps, the athame will cut you. | | | | with some clean water. Get some bottled water, pour |
| The more these sacred objects are mistreated and | | | | some onto a cloth, and then wipe down the blade and |
| abused the more likely that are to become a source | | | | hilt as best you can. Be sure to dry it off when you |
| for negative energies. The blade will suddenly become | | | | are finished. Usually salt is mixed with water to |
| a vessel for these dark forces and they will begin to | | | | cleanses other ritual tools however salt water can |
| leech off your energies like a vampire and will backfire | | | | corrod and rust the blade and you do NOT want this. |
| the rituals and spells you use the athame in. | | | | Keep salt away from your athame. |