This is not only the Witches principal working tool, but also a symbolic representation of their magical power. A Witch may have none of the other Magical tools, but they will always have a knife set aside for magical use, regardless of what material it is made out of.The term 'Athame' probably originated in Ceremonial Magick (see The Witches Way/The Witches Bible) from the word 'Arthana'. In Ritual Magick their are two knives; the black handled knife used for ritual within the circle and the white handled knife for actual cutting.It is from here that Gardner took the idea of the two knives which we find in Wicca today. Quite simply, they are imports from Ritual Magick, although the roots of the knife in Paganmagical practice are far older.
The knife as
a magical tool can be traced back to the dawn of mankind.
A bladed
weapon was the first purpose made tool, initially by the knapping of
flint and later as early technology developed, made in metals such as
bronze and iron. It was an important tool, and still is, in a setting
where survival was dependant on being able to cut and scrape materials
from your immediate environment. It is not surprising that the knife
came to magically represent an individuals control of the elements when
you look at it from this perspective. The knife therefore became an
important symbolic tool in magical ritual.
For the above reasons the
element of Fire is traditionally attributed to the Athame. Principally
because of the use of Will in controlling the elements, but also
because it was forged by the Smith (amagical profession) in the
furnace. Event the original flint knaped blade can be associated with
this element - flint being an important tool in the production of fire.
Of course, not all Witches use metal Athames nowadays, and there has
been a fashion in recent years for ones made of sacred woods (in which
case an association with the element of Air is probably more fitting).
If you work with certain
energies you may want to choose a knife made of an appropriate
material. It is said, for instance, that 'iron scares away the fairy
folk'. So, obviously, if you intend to work with 'Fairy energies' you
may be better off with one made of wood or if your budget can stretch
to it, one of bronze or silver. We should point our that a wooden
Athame is used more like a wand, and is not an instrument of 'command'
in the same way that a metal Athame is. You may not find itas
effective......
To continue please sign in with your Hotsposz ID... If you are new to Hotspotsz you can
register a new ID .
This page
contains a number of magical alphabets and symbols that you may find useful.
Many people use magical alphabets when engraving talismans. Many of these are
available as True Type Fonts at
Violet
...Sacred geometry
Anthony North: Sacred geometry is an ancient system of design and building based upon the harmonic relationship between man, nature and the universe. Virtually ignored by modern architects and designers, it was central to most ancient societies. The practice concerns a worldview of pattern recognition, producing religious patterns and structures involving space, time and form. By working with such forms, insight can come regarding the nature of all. It often involves mathematics.: Pythagoras rea...Stonehenge amulets worn by elite
Forget dressing for success: Clothing ornaments thought to confer supernatural power were all the rage among chiefs and other important people in England 4,000 years ago, say scholars. A recent find indicates some of these fashion trends might have originally been designed by Stonehenge leaders.While working two months ago in South Lowestoft, Suffolk, British archaeologist Clare Good excavated a four-sided object made of the mineral jet. It closely matches a geometrically designed gold object fo...The mysterious history of tattoos
Humans have marked their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. These permanent designs—sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal—have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment. Joann Fletcher, research fellow in the department of archaeology at the University of York in Britain, describes the history of tattoos and their cultural significance to people around the world, from the famous " Ice...Pagan Symbolism in Christianity
The
history of the Christian fish symbol:
The
pre-Christian history of the fish symbol: The fish symbol has been used for
millennia worldwide as a religious symbol associated with the Pagan Great Mother
Goddess. It is the outline of her vulva. The fish symbol was often drawn by
overlapping two very thin crescent moons. One represented the crescent shortly
before the new moon; the other shortly after, when the moon is just visible. The
Moon is the heavenly body that has long been...Turtle Symbolism
A paper recently presented on October 25, 2006, by independent researcher Judy Kay King at the Second International Congress for Young Egyptologists in Lisbon, Portugal, is now available at www.isisthesis.com/papers.htm.Selected by the Congress’ scientific commissions, King’s paper and approximately 55 other scientific papers, including those by prominent members of the International Scientific Commission, such as Professor Erik Hornung of the University of Basel, Profess...Elemental Cauldrons
Using a cauldron, symbol of inspiration and rebirth, has brought new dimensions to both group and solitary work. A cauldron decorates the center of the Circle during Lesser Sabbats. An air cauldron at a spring rite creates a misty, magical quality for the ceremony. In summer, the cauldron will flash and spark.A blue flame burns mysteriously within the Water cauldron during the autumn festival. Throughout Yule, the Earth cauldron burns steadfast and constant. During moon rites, when m...The Elemental Cross: An Alternative to the Pentacle
This article goes in conjunction with my first piece titled "Overview of Secret Societies," of 2005. This is the second part of several articles on shadow groups and symbols. All the secret societies, particularly the Inner Circle, are involved in all or in some aspect of hidden agendas, and all have their own symbology. The Power Elite or just the "Elite" are the deep core, decision-makers of the combined various societies.Symbols and signs, which are used as a mea...
Foldersz is an internal bookmarking system where you can save and organise Hotspotsz content (including this article) into a Folder of your own for later reference.
Paranormal Category List (A-Z)
All our articles are sorted under categories and topics, making it easier to cross reference different subjects. Below are all the different categories the articles are sorted under alphabetically.
55(54/1) 
Magical Symbols and Alphabets
Sacred geometry
Stonehenge amulets worn by elite
The mysterious history of tattoos
Pagan Symbolism in Christianity
Turtle Symbolism
Egyptology Researcher Explains Biological Meaning of Ankh, Ouroboros, Star of David and the Cross
Elemental Cauldrons
The Elemental Cross: An Alternative to the Pentacle
Symbology used in Secret Societies
