Athame and Fingers

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Athame and Fingers
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Post # 1
Perhaps I spelled it wrong,
but by "athame" I am referring to the ceremonial knife
often placed on altars for the purpose of "cutting through energy"
or something like that.

Anyways, here's my confusion.
I was told that anything can be used as your athame,
including a finger or wand.
I was also told that the athame should only be used
for the purpose of cutting through energy.
So what if I use my finger?
Should I not use my finger for poking through plastic packages?
And let's say I do choose to use a knife,
what is so bad if I do use it for anything else?
Or what if it was used for something else
before I decided to use it as my athame?
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 2
lol. okay heres what i have to say. you seem to be realy new to all. tha athame is used for cuttiong doors in the sacred area. now about using it for anything else big no no. when you bless an athame it is charged only to do the job you blessed it for nothing else. if you use it for anything else than it will lose its charge and there for making you have to rebless it. the finger techneak is only for the more experanced practioners. to realy be able to understan you must learn to mold with the energy ensted of cutting through it
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 3
I don't use an athame so I must be new?
lol, the athame must be more important then I was told.

I am anything but new to what I do, Raven.
My beliefs are different from that of Wiccans/Pagans
as are many if not all my tools,
but that does not mean that I am new.
So far I have had no trouble with using my finger.
I was just curious about whether or not
someone would tell me not to use my fingers for anything else at all.

Honestly I think the idea of "cutting through energy"
is what gets me the most about an athame.
I don't see the point in cutting with a knife
what can so easily be manipulated with the mind.
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 4
The Athame,my children, is not used for cutting thru energy, it is used to direct energy, such as, when building your Circle, which is not so much circle, as it is bubble. It is used to cut and reseal a door if for some reason you must leave the Circle after you've built it...say you forgot you're Sacred Bic.It can be used to etch runes n symbols in candle Magick for example.
( a burin is easier to use for this, tho.)
The Wand, and the Staff are also used interchangably for this purpose. I very rarely use an Athame, prefering the Wand.
There are two schools of thought on the idea of using the Athame for anything other than A Magickal tool. Some do, some Don't.
I have three kinds of knives which I use in my Magick. my Athame, which I rarely use, my Boline, used for ritually gathering herbs and my herb knife, used for cutting, chopping herbs for potions etc.
And yes, you can use your finger, or a butter knife, or a popsycle stick. Magick works because YOU BELIEVE it will work.
If you believe you can only cast Magick with a black handled, double edged, Athame made of one certain metal then thats what will work for you. Magickal tools are just props. It is your belief in them that makes them work for you!
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 5
Salamander, I believe that you may have just given
the best answer we can expect to see in this thread.
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 6
Nicely said Salamander! =)
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 7
morion dae im sorry if i had afended you. but the question seemed like it was from a beginner.
i agree with you that our ways are difrent there for there will be difrent ways that the tools will be used.

its true that athame's are used to direct the flow of energy by most but i use it to cut doors in my protective space. i use an twig of berch to direct energy.
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 8
"Was" the apprentice.
Then I graduated. :D
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 9
well it all comes down to what and how you belive. unlucky raven i belive that when i bless my tools in my goddess name it is give its own power and that the only way that tools should be used if in the way i blessed it. there for when i use it for something else i belive that my goddess strips the tool of its power.
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Re: Athame and Fingers
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Post # 10
An Athame is a Wiccan ritual tool, used to make a circle and cut doorways in that circle.

You can not use just anything for an athame. Generally it's a double bladed black handled knife that has known no blood. Mine is a hunting knife.

Now you can use anything to make a circle and cut doorways though.
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