Topic: Witchy Tools - Athame
So the task today is to talk about the Athame, a ritual tool used by Witches.
There is some debate among witches about which element the Athame belongs to, does it represent Fire or does it represent Air. I associate it with Air, because (and I have covered that I am into Tarot) in a Tarot deck the Suit of Swords is the Suit of Air, it represents our thoughts on the matter and deals with how we handle things through internal dialogue and how we perceive situations. An athame is a more refined personal form of the Sword for ritual purposes, so I'm sticking with it represent Air. You are free to disagree with me and say Wands are Air and Athames are Fire. But that isn't how I see it.
Anyway, what is an Athame for? Well it directs and channels energy. I have seen them used interchangeably with a wand to cast a ritual circle. For myself being involved with a Circle that is on-line, I prefer the Athame for casting the circle, I feel it keeps the thoughts of those involved in the ritual together, and being that we can be thousands of miles away from each other that is easier for me to maintain than the thought of a fire stream connecting us. Something about shooting fire around the country or across the Atlantic to England doesn't sit right with me.
Anyway, online rituals I use the Athame for circle casting, personal rituals I like the wand, and the imagery of a wall of fire blocking anything that might wish me ill while I am doing ritual. Right, back to Athame.
An Athame is a double edged blade with a pointed tip, though some people dull their tip. It is not horribly sharp on the edges, as it isn't used to physically cut anything. And often has a black handle. Mine does not have a black handle, it has a beautiful wooden handle, and an energy within that vibrates when I hold it. It feels right to me and works beautifully, I have considered altering the handle, but don't see why I should fix something that isn't broken.
I would like one day to have an athame with an Obsidian handle, I have dreamed of an entirely obsidian athame before, Nit sure why and I have yet to take the time to look into the significance.
I have heard it said that a Witches tools are crutches and that with the acquisition of true power they are no longer needed. Personally, I think that is crap. I believe that tools have a Spirit of their own, and while you can most certainly do Magick without them, they have a inherent power of their own that they can lend to your workings. I also believe that with each tool representing different elements, that we honor the elements and the elemental spirits as well as the elemental Kings by humbling ourself, and recognizing that we can connect more strongly with them, when we come before them with the tools and symbols of the trade. The last thing I want to do is cast a circle and call on help from Watchtowers that I have offended by being so arrogant as to think I don't need magickal tools because I can do it all myself. I see is as trying to boil water without a pot to put it in.... The use of the pot isn't a crutch to the cook, it is necessary for the perfect end result. That is how is see my Magickal Tools.
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