Editing Athame (section)

== Associations ==
Some Wiccan traditions associate the black-handled athame with the [[masculine]] principle and with the [[classical element|element]] of [[Fire (classical element)|fire]], as did [[Gerald Gardner|Gardner]]; while the wand is associated with [[air (classical element)|air]]. Other traditions may reverse these elemental associations, and use the athame to represent air and the wand to represent fire. [[Janet Farrar|Farrar]] & [[Stewart Farrar|Farrar]] (1984, 1996) suggested this difference is due to the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]] releasing false information in the hopes of preventing its rituals being used in the correct way.<ref name=Farrar-Farrar-1984/>{{rp|style=ama|p= 252}}<ref name=Farrar-Farrar-1996/>{{rp|style=ama|at=II: p 252}} They add that a witch should always choose the association which seems the most correct to them.

Fire and water are considered to be polar opposite elements, classically and in [[alchemy]] and traditional magical practice. They are sometimes considered to be the two primordial elements, the combination of which gave rise to the other two elements of earth and air. Fire and water are also the elements most associated with Sun and Moon, and thus the [[Horned God]] and the [[Earth Goddess|Goddess]] within Wicca. For this reason, covens that associate the athame with air (and the wand with fire) may decide to use the wand to bless the wine chalice, instead of using the athame. A union of air and water does not carry the same symbolic significance of the ''conjunctio oppositorum'' (union of opposites) that the union of fire and water does. Also, covens that regard the athame as air and the wand as fire, may choose to cast the ritual circle with the wand or staff, instead of the sword or athame – if they conceive of this casting in the traditional way, as a casting of etheric fire via a projection of psychic energy. If they conceive of the circle casting as cutting a line in the air with the tool of air, then they may choose to purify the circle with the remaining three elements of fire, water, and earth; this would involve using a candle to purify the circle, and omitting the incense, since the circle has already been imbued with the element of air.

The athame is the most important ritual tool in Wicca, and like other ritual tools it is generally purified and consecrated to the gods before being used for ritual and magical purposes. There are various ways of accomplishing ritual purification and consecration, depending on the specific tradition of Wicca being followed, and also whether the individual Wiccan is practicing with a coven or as a solitary witch. One common way to do this is by using the four magical elements of fire (candle), air (incense), water, and salt; and perhaps anointing the blade with an oil infused with magical herbs. Touching another person's athame without permission is considered a ritual ''[[faux pas]]'' in almost all traditions of Wicca: It is an intrusion of the owner's personal space; and more importantly, it is an act that violates the magical bond between the athame and its owner. Some witches will go to great lengths to ritually purify, reconsecrate, and rededicate an athame after it has been touched by another person.