Wiccans and other Pagans, what is an athame and what is it used for?

Ah-THAH-may. It's a double-edged knife, usually straight blade, that's used in rituals. No, I never killed animals or people with it, nor did my High Priest. It is used as a sort of marker to define the circle we are in, to represent the forces of air (in Tarot, the suit of swords is Air, a masculine suit), and to penetrate and bless the cakes and wine.

It is occasionally used to draw a single drop of blood for a ritual, such as what you have seen in movies to represent "blood brothers," or to write something in blood. But that's pretty rare.

I have an excellent hand-made athame which I inherited from My Steve and which I would sell to the right person. For a lot of money.

Very few classic Pagan religions employ an athame

as a tool for directing energy. It is a Wiccan practice

I believe.

Athame (pronounced ath-uh-may) is a black-handled knife often used for things such as casting circles (if you don't have one you can just use your index finger) or consecrating things such as wine and cakes. Some keep theirs sharp, other purposely dull them and keep their bolline (white-handled knife) sharp for any cutting of herbs, cords, etc that they might need to do- after all, a sharp knife can be a bit dangerous, especially if you're in a crowded or skyclad circle.

I do have something similar to an athame- I do not have the proper resources to purchase or fashion a real one, so until I do, my athame substitue will work fine.

To symbolize male power and liminality and the complex structure between them. This can be simplified to say "to direct energy" as well, but the energy direction itself derives from these concepts.

Pronounced like it is spelled, as it comes from French Grimoires. athamé. eth-uh-may....Sometimes a more open or nasal initial vowel. 'Ah-thu(soft)-may, eh-thu(soft)may. I've heard it with an r added to syllable 2. Ah-thur-may. That's an accent thing. I've heard it with an r added to syllable 1. arth-uh-may.

I have been to gatherings around the world and never heard "A the may" (eh the may?) or an accent on the middle syllable(except when the r was added). Not in rituals in English, not in rituals in French.

Maybe nonWiccans pronounce it differently.

A-THAM-AY

its a ritual dagger, with uses ranging from cutting a wand straight from a tree to directing energy. it is the masculine magickal tool, compared with the feminine Chalice.

It's a ritual knife used to direct energy.. mostly used by Wiccans.

Two different pronunciations: "A the may"

or "a THAW may"

Most common pronunciation is the first one.

It is used to direct energy, like when casting a circle just as an example.

Ah them may

I don't use one myself, I would though if I found one I just had to have.

It is used to direct energy and/or will, as well as represent the male energy or God. Pronunciation would be "ath-uh-may" (you'll probably get answers several different ways to pronounce it)

It's a black-handled dagger. It's used to direct energy.

"Ah-tham-ay"

It's a knife that's used for directing energy.