Athame

[DracoJesi]

so, I've been looking for and thinking the THE Athame, the one meant to be yours spiritually forever, and be the one for your whole life.

I have been thought that while you can have and use more than one, that you should only dedicate one to yourself spiritually....

and some say that you should make your own, and while I see the benefits of this......I do not feel as though it is a requirement, I am designing it, so it will my connected to me.

and notably some prefer to switch the elemental properties of the Athame with the Wand, now I can see both qualities in each, just like the Pentacle disk has symbolism for each of the elements, I don't see the Wand or Athame as strictly one or the other.... and I do want to make mine flexible..... I'm trying to figure out, for myself, the differences between the Athame and Wand.

I want it to be Dragon themed, to match my path, I want the hilt to be the wings and the blade to come forth from the mouth, to better visualize the flow of energy....

the handle, will be black, as it is traditionally, and there will be Amethyst had the tip of the handle, as it helps me open up to my higher self....

I'm aso am thing of inscribing my name on the blade, but I don't know how to go about that, still thinking.

also, I like to have one with a white handle, a Boline ( but this one wont be for cutting herbs, so perhaps a different name is needed) but for ritual use, when you don't want any other energies being involved....say for like a purification....


I want to make a matching sword..... but I don't know how to incorporate the the white aspect, and I want to go for balance here, which is very important to me.... but a Black handle looks so much better..... so I'm still trying to figure that out... The sword handle will probably be black...

maybe I'm to picky but I just haven't been happy with the ones I've been looking at.... I know that it's not all about the tools, I've been without any for the longest time, but I want to do this right, make it personal... why use them if they don't speak to you?

I have some friends who are great 3d modelers, so I'll see if I can get some reference models and then go from there.

[aluokaloo]

I don't think there's just one athame out there for one person, I've had two other ritual knives before this one, one was stolen, the second one got trashed. good luck finding it

[DracoJesi]

I don't think there's just one athame out there for one person, I've had two other ritual knives before this one, one was stolen, the second one got trashed. good luck finding it

thanks :)

and I'm sorry to here about your previous Athames :(

[Crysiira]

I don't believe in tying myself spiritually to an object like that. Right now I have an athame I love, but I don't think I would ever spiritually dedicate myself to it. But, I'm a wierd one, I don't do set rituals like that. I sort of do whatever I feel like when I feel like doing it. lol. Sometimes I use my athame, sometimes I don't. It does look awful pretty sitting on my altar though... lol!

Your envisioned athame sounds beautiful. I hope you are able to find it or make it. Good luck! :hahugh:

[Sakurako]

I understand how ppl say that puting so much importance on a 'thing' can hamper your progress spiritually. But i went 5 yrs without tools and there really is no difference to me with or without them. I like my pretty things lol:rotfl:

I had the same view as the previous posters until my husband bought home my athame. Im so glad a waited until I had found just the right one. While I have many wands and many altar items my athame is really the closest to me. I thought I was just wacky but I cant deny the connection. Its perfect for me and in the event that i lose it, I very much doubt another will even come close.

I hope you find what your after. Its worth the effort :smile:

[DracoJesi]

update: a friend of mine who likes to design swords is going to help me plan this, and then I will be looking for someone to forge them :)

I need to figure out what I want to do in regards to putting my spiritual name in the Blade, I don't know whether to put it in Theban,Runic ect... (Latin would be the same since Draco is Latin for Dragon) I would like to put it on there, and I think there needs to be something on the blade to balance it out...


I understand how ppl say that puting so much importance on a 'thing' can hamper your progress spiritually. But i went 5 yrs without tools and there really is no difference to me with or without them. I like my pretty things lol:rotfl:

I had the same view as the previous posters until my husband bought home my athame. Im so glad a waited until I had found just the right one. While I have many wands and many altar items my athame is really the closest to me. I thought I was just wacky but I cant deny the connection. Its perfect for me and in the event that i lose it, I very much doubt another will even come close.

I hope you find what your after. Its worth the effort :smile:

thanks :) and yep, I know what you mean.... and maybe I'm a little eccentric, but oh well....

[Nox_Mortus]

Good luck finding some to make that, I used to know a guy here that did that sort of thing (I'm not that close to danville but close enough to go back and forth in a day) but I think he either moved or went to prison or something, I'll get back to you on that.

As for etching on the blade, I think that's a good idea, but make sure you do the etching yourself, it really is important that you do at least some sort of work on it yourself and etching is pretty easy.

[DracoJesi]

Good luck finding some to make that, I used to know a guy here that did that sort of thing (I'm not that close to danville but close enough to go back and forth in a day) but I think he either moved or went to prison or something, I'll get back to you on that.

As for etching on the blade, I think that's a good idea, but make sure you do the etching yourself, it really is important that you do at least some sort of work on it yourself and etching is pretty easy.

You live in IN?

well do find somebody who can do a nice detailed job, I might have to ship it in out of state or oversees, but if theres someone close that can doit, that would have it's benefits...

and I do plan on doing the Etching myself, in an attunement/consecration ritual, and I have a guide for that somewhere, in Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of witchcraft, is where I think I saw it...

and I am coming up with the design, or the core concept of it anyway, so it's not like I'm doing nothing ;)

[Nox_Mortus]

I live in Louisville, KY right across the river from Indiana, like I said, not that close bt you could make a day trip to pick it up easily enough.

And yes designing it is very good, but i meant doing actual physical work on it, and IIRC Buckland strongly emphasizes that as well, you could also do etching or painting on the handle,using whatever symbols you choose, which is traditional but not very common outside of BTW apparently (actually in that case the symbols used are also traditional but since you aren't a BTW you can use whatever is important to you if you decide to do that)

To adress some things in your first post also, the wand is used for invocation and welcoming spirits, whereas the athame is for subduing spirits (i.e. you wouldn't want to welcome a diety with a blade if you want to remain on friendly terms with them.) those are the major differences.

[DracoJesi]

I live in Louisville, KY right across the river from Indiana, like I said, not that close bt you could make a day trip to pick it up easily enough.

And yes designing it is very good, but i meant doing actual physical work on it, and IIRC Buckland strongly emphasizes that as well, you could also do etching or painting on the handle,using whatever symbols you choose, which is traditional but not very common outside of BTW apparently (actually in that case the symbols used are also traditional but since you aren't a BTW you can use whatever is important to you if you decide to do that)

To adress some things in your first post also, the wand is used for invocation and welcoming spirits, whereas the athame is for subduing spirits (i.e. you wouldn't want to welcome a diety with a blade if you want to remain on friendly terms with them.) those are the major differences.

IIRC?

I know he does and I did consider doing it myself, but I don't think I could do it, I didn't want to just go out and get one though... I think I would be more connected with it, but I will be, and I'm sure my years of bonding with it will more than make up for it :)

and thanks for the Info on the Athame vs Wand, I didn't know that, any suggested reading on it in more detail?

[Nox_Mortus]

IIRC= If I Remember/Recall Correctly.

Well you don't need to make it yourself, just put some form of physical work into it (i.e. the etching of the blade and/or the handle).

As for further reading A Witches Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar is probably the best book for detailed information on that sort of thing, and pretty much everything else related to Wicca except for historical information (it was written in the early 80s) seriously one of the best books I've ever read on Wicca and certainly the best 101 book (although really it goes much more in depth than just 101 material)

[Glowy]

My Athame is a fruit knife from when I first moved in... I serves me well

It is plain and basic.
to the OP your idea is very nice! Go with it

[DracoJesi]

my Athame Is A Fruit Knife From When I First Moved In... I Serves Me Well

It Is Plain And Basic.
To The Op Your Idea Is Very Nice! Go With It

Op?

[Nox_Mortus]

OP=Original Post