The Witches Athame
Copyright 2005 Amita Dragonspell
What is an Athame?
The Athame
(pronounced ath-a-may or ath-a-me) is a traditionally black handled
dual edged knife used in rituals. It should be dull for it is not
actually used for cutting anything (though you may, like me use it to
inscribe things, so I keep a slight point on mine). It may take you a
while (as with acquiring most tools) to find the right athame for you.
The athame is used to invoke and banish things that are unwanted or
needed in the circle. It is considered to be an extension of your
power hand. It is a ritual object, for only ritual use - never
cut anything like food or herbs (or yourself!) with the blade.
Information from Full Moon
Paradise
"The written history of the Athame as a magickal tool comes to us from
the Lansdowne Manuscript dated 1202 and the Sloane Manuscript dated
1307. Before we go further it must be stated that the manuscripts
above were great magickal works and this information was evidently
known and practiced well before these manuscripts were written. These
are considered to be the only survivors of the book and Witch burnings
of the inquisitions. The material contained in these manuscripts is
Quabalistic in nature. In the book The Key Of Solomon,
L.W.deLaurence's 1914 translation of the manuscripts states that the
Black Handled Knife,"...is for making the Circle wherewith to strike
terror and fear into the Spirits. It should be made on the day of
Mercury, the Hour of Saturn, tempered "thrice" by fire and dipped into
the blood of a black cat and juice of hemlock."
In Israel Regardie's book, "The Golden Dawn", 1984 the method of
"making" the Air Dagger is a very long ceremonial ritual. The Air
Dagger is considered to be the equivalent of the Wiccan Athame. This
is where so many get confused as to what direction the Athame should
correspond to. The Athame my be used as an Air Dagger but it is NOT an
Air Dagger. Considering the age of the manuscripts that deLaurence
translated and the initial printing of "The Golden Dawn" in 1937 there
was a change of attitude as to the Athame, i.e., no more blood used in
consecration. Further history shows a Greek vases with women
commanding Spirits with a short bladed knife. "The Clavicle Of
Solomon" published 1572, mentions the knife as a "Arthana" which
Athame may be a subverted form of the word.
For more information
on the history of the Athame, I would suggest reading The A.B.C.'s of
Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente."
My Search for the right Athame
I was never happy with the athame that was presented to me upon my
original initiation. Back then, things were done fairly "by the book"
and everyone I knew had a simple black-handled athame. A few witches
who were into SCA and re-enactments had more fancy athames that they
had gotten at Ren Faires.
After many years
(where I had purchased many different daggers all for re-enactments
and going to Ren Faires, but none suitable as an athame) I finally
decided to check out the wares of a swordsmith I knew personally who
had just completed a very beautiful custom sword for a friend. I asked
about a custom athame, but considering my friends sword had run about
$700 I figured an athame would be out of my price range. It was,
however he had a friend who was a pewtersmith who had designed a
couple of award-winning athames.
The one I ended up
purchasing (at $70, a steal for a handmade in the USA piece of this
quality) is the Spiral Goddess Athame pictured below.
Some information from Full Moon
Paradise
Consecrating the
Athame
Things need for
the Ritual:
The intended blade
wrapped in a black cloth (symbolically still unmined metal)
A basin of water large enough to wash the blade with salt
Solomon's Seal incense
A feather `````weeeeeeeeee
A needle and candle to sterilize, to take a drop of own blood
(optional)
Lodestone or magnet
Beginning in the
center of the consecrated alter in the center of a sacred space (In
the center of the Universe) three days before the New Moon;
1. Take the intended blade out of the black cloth as if mining the
metal. Wash the blade as if washing new metal from the Earth (optional
brushing as well). Thank the Earth for the metal.
2. Carry the blade to the East and smudge with smoke of incense and
the feather. Meditate upon the blade's purpose-extension of self with
fine tuned intellectual process behind its use, consciously driven.
Anoint the blade with oils from the skin rubbing it from haft to
point, visualizing it being formed into the shape it should be in idea
or design.
3. Carry the blade to the South. Pass quickly through the flame of the
candle three times. Be careful not to scorch or color the metal.
Meditating on the forging of the metal as per the design, thinking it
made as "mine" (A drop of blood from one's own finger intensifies this
concept at this time) then chant:
Blade of steel I conjure thee, To ban all things as named by me, And
as my words, SO MOTE IT BE.
4. Carry the blade to the West. Bathe the blade lovingly in the basin
of water. Meditate upon the emotional bond one chooses to build with
the blade. Make sure to wipe the blade carefully, so no water remains.
5. Carry to the North. Rub the blade gently from the point to haft
with the magnet or lodestone chanting:
Blade of steel I conjure thee, To attract all things as named by me,
And as my words, SO MOTE IT BE.
6. Carry the Athame to each quarter. Introduce it to the Guardians by
the name that has been chosen.
7. The name of the blade, one's own name, and/or words of power in
secret symbols of one's own choice can now be embedded, painted, or
engraved upon blade and handle as one chooses.
An Athame Blessing
Cast circle about yourself and
call the four watchtowers. Sit in front of your altar with the athame
in the center of your working space. Calm and center yourself, reach
out your mind to the Lord and Lady. When you are ready, focus on your
athame and say:
"I cleanse and purify this tool of
my Craft from all past energies and negativity." Visualise all the
past associations of your knife and all negative energies shooting
forth, leaving the knife and your circle.
"Spirits of Earth, bless this
athame by the steel of it's blade, to lend strength and stability to
my magick and work."
Sprinkle some salt onto the blade and handle of your athame.
"Spirits of Air, bless this knife
with the power to direct my magick on the journey I send it, as it
alone may penetrate through space and time."
Cense your athame in incense smoke.
"Spirits of Fire, who forged this
blade, bless my athame to be the instrument of my Will, free of
negative influences and pure in it's direction of my energies."
Run the blade through a candle flame.
"Spirits of Water, bless this
magickal knife to be a tool used with love, and in respect for the
mysteries. May all spells it casts be within the natural rules of
using the Power."
Sprinkle water over the athame.
Now, to the Goddess and God, say:
"I bless this athame in the names of my Goddess and God that it may be
true to the Will of my spirit, to be a powerful tool of the Lord
tempered with the intuition of the Lady.
In love and in trust,
In peace and in wisdom,
I bless this tool of my faith,
So mote it be."
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