Pagans....how do you pronounce...

Sirona

Athame?

My HPS says "Ath-hay-mi"

some others say

"ath-am-ay"

Its getting on my nerves because I just got mine and I keep saying a variation of the two ....

Sirona

funkyderek

According to http://paganwiccan.about.com/library/glossary/bldef_athame.htm it's pronounced a-THAW-may or athem-AY

Or you could just call it a dagger

Sirona

Thanks FD,

I've always been inclined to say "atham-AY" but its wierd when the HPS is saying "Ath-ay-mi" because I'm sorta stuck. She's my teacher!

Mines a nice little wooden and brass handled boot knife.

Sirona

arrowstar

Sirona - congratulations on gettting your athame. I've always pronounced it a-THA-may. I don't believe the pronouncation is that important. It would be like the tomato/potato thing.

Lisa

Ravyn

kinda' like the Beltane(Bell-Tane) and Beltaine(Bel-Tinnah) argument.

Ravyn, of the Atham-ay and Bel-tinnah persuasion

funkyderek

kinda' like the Beltane(Bell-Tane) and Beltaine(Bel-Tinnah) argument.

In Irish, it's spelt Bealtaine and pronounced Byowl-tinnah and as well as being the name of a pagan feast it's the Irish name for the month of May.

Sirona

Arrowstar and Ravyn,

I think I'm going to say "athaMAY" from now on.

Any tips on cleansing it? Its 2nd hand....

Sirona

hmmmmm, well unless I knew it really really needed cleansing for sure or felt some major bad vibes, I would just use a salt water bath, some sage incense, pass it thru a candle flame, and then stick it into the earth in the moonlight-preferably a fullmoon or a new moon.(water/air/fire/earth)

then I would charge it(bring up your energy and endow it with it--in whatever way you choose to bring up your energies...) in a circle with a little dedication type ritual I wrote. now since I am more into left hand paths than wicca, I would also probably use some of my own blood.

Ravyn

Sirona

Ravyn,

I'm being initiated on the 24th, and the HPS suggested I could consecrate it at the initiation. I think I will be putting it through the elements then.....I just thought maybe it needed an initial cleanse beforehand. I submerged it in salt for a while, but I've not done anything else. It wouldn't hurt to give your suggestion a go and do all of that prior to the initiation. Re putting it in the ground - I could do that with the blade but I don't want to get muck all over the wooden handle (which currently seems a bit porous - I will have to varnish it I think).

Blood - I'm not against using it myself. Actually, I can see how that really does endow the athame with something "of" you.

About bad vibes, well I don't feel bad vibes from it, but I *did* have a dream about using it to kill someone. (It was in self defense though - not a truly murderous dream LOL). Somehow this dream isn't bothering me, so if I do standard cleansing methods I think it will be OK.

Thanks! You've given me some good ideas.

Sirona

arrowstar

Sirona -

Saltwater would be what I would suggest. Then charging it with your energies.

I like Ravyn's suggestion. Sounds like that would be perfect.

Lisa

Pagans....how do you pronounce...

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