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The term "Athame" in its modern spelling first appears in Wicca, but it originates from words found in two historical copies of the Key of Solomon. In some traditions, it is never used under any circumstances to draw blood, becoming tainted and requiring destruction if it does.
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Gerald Gardner described it as "the true Witch's weapon" in the Bricket Wood Book of Shadows, something which he has been criticized for, by Frederic Lamond believing there should be no "weapons" in Wicca.
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It is used to direct energy for the casting of magic circles, controlling of spirits and other ritual purposes.
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Īthame is traditionally black-handled and usually inscribed (sometimes in the Theban alphabet). Athame is elemental in nature while the sword is planetary in nature. In Gardnerian Wicca these are symbolic of the element of fire. Sword and knife Ī sword or a ritual knife, commonly known as Athame, is often used in Wiccan ritual. It is typically used during evocation as a symbol which blesses items, as well as magically energizing that which is placed upon it. The disc is symbolic of the element of earth. The most common symbol is a pentagram within a circle, specifically a pentacle, although some other symbols may be used such as the triquetra. The Pentacle (or Paten) is a disc-shaped altar consecration tool with a sigil or magical symbol engraved or inscribed upon it. Chief amongst them in importance are the pentacle (or paten), Athame (or sword), wand, and chalice, each of which represents one of the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. Various different tools are used in Wiccan ritual. Aradia and Cernunnos, bless this instrument prepared in thine honour. This is followed by the declaration,Īradia and Cernunnos, deign to bless and to consecrate this, that it may obtain necessary virtue through thee for all acts of love and beauty. Each item that is to be consecrated is placed upon the pentacle, sprinkled with salt and water and then passed through some incense. The Book of Shadows states items must be consecrated within a magic circle, at the centre of which lies a pentacle (or paten). In the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, there is a section based entirely on consecrating ritual items. Consecrating tools īefore tools are used in ritual they first are consecrated. One of the requirements for being initiated into the second degree is that adherents had to name all of the ritual tools and explain what their purpose and associations were. In Gardnerian Wicca as laid down by Gerald Gardner, someone who had been initiated in the first degree had to create (or, alternately purchase and then engrave) their own ritual tools. The allowance of solitary practice is clearly an important factor in terms of the growth of adherents, as the requirement to join a coven would involve transaction costs of locating fellow members and/or being initiated. Covens are still a part of Wicca and related doctrines but there is now insistence that solitary practice is permissible. In modern-day Wicca, there is an encouragement of solitary practice of rituals and study. The general idea is that the tool directs psychic energies to perform a certain action. In Wicca, magical tools are used during rituals which both honour the deities and work magic. The latter made much use of material from medieval grimoires such as the Key of Solomon, which has many illustrations of magical tools and instructions for their preparation. This practice may derive partly from Masonic traditions (such as the use of the Square and Compasses), from which Wicca draws some material, and partly from the rituals of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. These items were owned and used by individual Wiccans, but could also be used collectively by the coven. These tools were predominately kept within a specific coven because they were considered sacred. In the traditional system of Gardnerian magic, there was as an established idea of covens which were groups composed of initiated members that conducted rituals involving magical tools and secret books (Book of Shadows). Each of these tools has different uses and associations and are commonly used at an altar, inside a magic circle. In the neopagan religion of Wicca a range of magical tools are used in ritual practice. The Magician from the Waite–Smith tarot, who is depicted using the same tools that modern Wiccans use.