Order of Paladins Lesson : 16 The Sword and Athame copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Warrior’s Admonition Your body is your temple: Care for it! Do not engage in useless activity. Listen to the Goddess. Help thyself. You create your own reality. The Warrior’s path is creativity. A serene path to enlightenment. Know thyself. Master thyself. Create your own reality. Nurture the ability to perceive the truth in all matters. Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye. Learn from your mistakes. Teach thyself. Create your own reality. Do not be negligent, even in trifling matters Grace and guilt do not exist: Strive for responsibility. Honor thyself. Create your own reality. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

13 Precepts: 1.Know thyself. 2.Nurture the ability to perceive the truth in all matters. 3.You create your own reality. 4.Develop a sense of Right Action. 5.Do not be negligent, even in trifling matters. 6.Your body is your temple: Care for it! 7.Minimal appearance, maximum content. 8.Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye. 9.Power with. 10. Who dares wins. 11.The Gods cannot help those who will not help themselves. 12. Be creative! 13. Do not engage in useless activity. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Code of Chivalry:  All members of the Order of Paladins must live according to the principles of chivalry, which include:  Sincerity.  Courtesy.  Compassion.  Perseverance.  Industriousness.  Justice.  Loyalty.  Courage.  Self-Discipline.  Humility.  Largesse.  Truth.  Honor copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Hint:  Refer to the notes pages in this Power Point presentation for more in-depth information on the subject of each slide. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword and Athame When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. William Shakespeare, “Antony and Cleopatra.” copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword and Athame  Knights on this path become Masters of Air energy. Like the wind, they flow around obstacles. Like an edged weapon, they cut to the heart of a matter with their will. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword  “The sword is not just a weapon. It is a spiritual symbol used to fight and break your own weaknesses, negative energy, and karma.” Kohshyu Yoshida copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

A symbol  The sword is a symbol of self awareness and will. Kohshyu Yoshida tells us: “Striking is like spreading your wings. In life, we are always reaching out to the sky, striking for something: dreams, glory, goals or a better tomorrow.” Let the sword inspire you to be better than you are. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Swords SSSSwords first became differentiated from daggers in the Bronze Age (about 3000 BCE). Edged weapons of this sort aren’t long distance weapons like Spears and arrows: They are close quarter weapons. Throughout history, combatants have used cutting and stabbing weapons such as swords and daggers to control the area within their reach.

Shi Fuu  Shi fuu is a Japanese term meaning “wind of the samurai”. Kohshyu Yoshida once said: “The earth produces wind to express its life. Likewise, Shi Fuu blows from the samurai’s heart so that others can sense it.” Shi fuu is the power of the element of air. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

3 Elements of Shi Fuu  Wisdom: Sharpen your wisdom so that you can see what needs doing.  Love: Connect with the universe so that you can understand others.  Courage: Understand life, so that fear will be a friend of your heart. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Edged Weapons OOOOf all of the Magickal Weapons found in a Wiccan Circle, the Athame and the Sword are the ones that are most obviously weapons. Much is made of the fact that Wiccans carry such ritual Weapons in Circle by people antagonistic towards Pagans.

Athame IIIIt was the Athame that Gerald Gardner named as the Wiccan’s Magickal Weapon. Gardner, who had spent time in the far east, had a collection of Kris or Keris and his knowledge of these might have influenced his thinking regarding the Athame.

Keris TTTThe kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the southern Philippines. A keris is made specially to perform magick. The smith goes through a complicated ritual forging that is believed to house a powerful jinn/khodam spirit into the keris Blade. After the keris Sword has been created, the spirit is continually fed, so it gradually grows more powerful. They are often passed down from generation to generation.

Athame TTTThe Athame first appears with the name "arthame" in French transcripts of the Greater Key of Solomon (specifically manuscript number 2350 in the Bilbioteque de l'Arsenal in Paris, entitled Le Secret des secrets, autrement la Clavicule de Salomon ou le veritable Grimoire). [[[[ 1111 ]]]]

Athame  In De Givry's Witchcraft, Magic and Alchemy, the "arthame" is described as being the magic knife of the witch.[1] [1] copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Athame  A tool with a similar name, an "arctrave" or hook, appears in the Book of True Black Magic, which is based on the Greater Key of Solomon.[1]  A tool with a similar name, an "arctrave" or hook, appears in the Book of True Black Magic, which is based on the Greater Key of Solomon.[1] [1] copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Athame  Sybil Leek referred to the Athame as an "athalme". copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Athame DDDDoreen Valiente points out that Clark Aston Smith introduced the arthame as a tool of magic with the name "athame" in his story, "The Master of the Crabs", which appeared in the magazine Wierd Tales in Valiente also points out that: "some present day exponents of the near-eastern cult of Sufism have attributed it to the Arabic 'adh-dhame', meaning 'blood letter', in the sense of it being a shedder of blood, which is just what the witches' athame is not." [[[[ 1111 ]]]]Valiente then dismisses the Sufist theory of the word's origins for this reason.

Athame NNNNow while the athame is definitely NOT used to draw blood in modern Wiccan practice, we cannot say that this is alone is a valid reason to reject the possibility that this was, in fact, the original root of this word. Walker reports that the name of this Moorish-Arab-Andalusian weapon as the "al-dhamme", which was used by a cult of moon worshippers called the "Double Horned-ones". It was called the "blood letter" because it was used in a ritual scarring ceremony. [[[[ 1111 ]]]]

Anlace TTTThe closest word that I could find in English is the Middle English "anlace" or "anelace", also known as an "anglas" in Welsh, which was a broad, tapering knife or dagger, from eighteen to twenty four inches in length and which was worn at the waist.

Bolline AAAA sickle or knife used for cutting herbs, engraving, etc, in Occidental Ceremonial Magick and in Wiccan ritual. Often has a white handle. The term "bolline" first appeared in the Greater Key of Solomon in reference to a tool of this sort. Another term for this knife used in Welsh traditions is Kerfan. Traditionally it is only used for ritual purposes and often is not used outside of a consecrated Circle.

The Sword and Athame TTTThe ritual use of Magickal Weapons such as the Sword or Athame is a practice which Wiccans borrowed from Ceremonial Magick. Ceremonial magicians brandished daggers towards the quarters of the Circle in an attempt to force external entities and energies to comply with their wishes. These magicians carry magick Swords as a form of protection against these external forces. This relates to traditions that held that evil spirits shunned iron tools. These customs are a part of a Judeo-Christian magickal system that treats energy and divinity as separate from mankind. They are customs from a system which seeks domination of the earth’s forces. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword  The sword is one of the most recognizable Magickal tools in Ceremonial Magick copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword and Athame TTTThe Order of Paladins rejects this external system. We are stewards of universal energy. Our power does not come from domination, it comes from mastery. We don’t need edged weapons to protect us from spirits. We don’t want the energy outside of the Circle that we create: We want the energy to flow through us and our Circle. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Sword and Athame  Another place that the Athame or Sword appears in Wiccan ritual is in initiation ceremonies. In some traditions the blindfolded novice is challenged at the entrance to the Circle by a Covener brandishing an edged weapon. The point is pressed against the novice’s chest and he is challenged:  “O thou who standest on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the dread domains of the Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay? For I say verily, it were better to rush upon my blade and perish, than make the attempt with fear in thy heart.”[i] [i] copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Trust TTTThis is another clear example of how Gardner viewed the Athame: As a Magickal Weapon. It is a perfect example of an attempt to instill fear into the heart of the initiate through threats of violence with an edged weapon. This isn’t the sort of thing that one expects to find on a non-violent Wiccan path. It is a custom borrowed from Freemasonry, and the Order of Paladins has discarded it. If we are bringing this person into a community of love and trust, how can we justify such an action? How can you enter a Circle in perfect love and trust if someone has just threatened you? Instead the Order of Paladins has devised “ordeals” such as the “Battle of Proof” to test the initiate that do not depend on such a device.

7th Precept:  “Minimal appearance, maximum content.”  Appearances can be deceptive. It isn’t the tools that make you powerful. They are just extensions of you. If you haven’t achieved the mastery of yourself, then these extensions won’t be extending your abilities very far. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Focusing TTTThe more important purpose of the Athame or Sword is as a focusing tool. In this they are very similar to the Weapons of Fire (Wand and the Spear or Staff). Double edged blades seem to do a better job of focusing energy than single edged blades. This is probably because their structure is more symmetrical. It is best if your Athame or Sword has a grip made of natural materials such as wood, leather, or bone. Even a metal grip is acceptable. The reason for this is that such handles do not impede the flow of chi from you to the blade. Handles made of rubber or artificial materials such as plastic or fiberglass have less conductivity and may impede the flow of chi.

Focusing KKKKohshyu Yoshida describes the sword as “an antenna for clean energy”. As edged weapons are used to stab and thrust, it is natural to think of them as phallic tools that project energy. Yet any serious student of the sword forms in Asian martial arts will tell you that the Sword is used to draw energy into you. As the double edged sword can cut in either direction, so can the energy flow through it in either direction. In this, the Sword is very like the Wand. The Weapons of Air are focusing tools: Like the Weapons of Fire, you can use them to focus the chi both inwards and outwards.

Breaking the Contacts  If you detect someone’s energetic ties linked to you, there are various ways to detach them. Dion Fortune's ritual of severance in her classic book Psychic Self Defense is an example of this. Fortune called this “breaking the contacts,” which I think is a very good description of what you are actually doing in these situations. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Cutting Links  The simplest ritual for breaking contacts is called cord cutting. You take a number of cords or strings, each representing a negative aspect or person that you want to disengage yourself from. One end of each you cord tie to some object: It could be your altar, a tree, a candle stand, whatever. The other ends of these cords you hold in one hand. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Cutting Links II  As you visualize these strings as representing the bonds linking you with the person or situation creating the negative influence, you take an edged Magickal Weapon such as your bolline, athame or sword and, one by one, cut the cords. Visualize these negative bonds falling away from you, setting you free. Sense the streams of negative energy being disrupted. The knife, athame or sword is a symbol of your will. This ritual sends a message to your subconscious mind that you are using your will to cut away the impediments in your life. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Tabellarium, Armory and Scriptorium  In Caer Paladin in the east there are some smaller structures copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Tabellarium copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Tabellarium  The Tabellarium (Latin for “post office”) is a place where the air and fire energies merge.  It’s a good place to send psychic messages out or to leave psychic messages for members of the Order who “drop in” to Caer Paladin copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

Scriptorium

Scriptorium  From Lesson 14 you will recall the expression: “The pen is mightier than the sword”? The Scriptorium is a place where the earth and air energies combine to inspire writing.  This is a good place to come to for inspiration in writing or finding the words to use to inspire or convince others. copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Armory copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain

The Armory IIIInside Caer Paladin there is a building just south of the Air Temple called “The Armory”. YYYYou were introduced to this building as a Squire and encouraged to find your Magickal Weapon there. If you’re trying to decide what Magickal Weapon to dedicate yourself to, this is a good place to go to discover it BBBBeing between the Air Temple and Fire Temple, this is a place where the fire and air energies merge, just like in a blacksmith’s forge.

Lesson 16 Assignment: GGGGo to the Tabellarium and practice sending or leaving psychic messages to another member of the Order GGGGo to the Scriptorium and find inspiration for a short essay or poem.

Order of Paladins Be Glorious! copyright 2013 Kerr Cuhulain