Course Three: Practice 107
of metal or ceramic at any occult store, you can also
easily make your own. Go to an arts and crafts supply
store and pick up a package of air-drying clay (Mexi-
Clay is a kind I often use). Roll out a flat disk be-
tween two sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin, just
as if you were making cookies. Don’t make it too thin,
or it’ll get easily broken. A half-inch thick is good.
Then use a large round can (like a coffee can) or
Tupperware to cut out a circular piece.
Trace or copy a pentagram design onto paper (the
right size for your piece), such as this one, and center
it over your cut-out clay disk. Use a sharp skewer to
poke holes through the paper into the clay at the five
points. Then use a round-ended stick to inscribe a
circle around the design (it
helps if you can find
a circular object
like a tin can the
right size to trace
around), and use
a ruler to draw
straight lines
with the same
stick connecting
the points. This is
your basic panticle.
If you wish to in-
scribe other sigils and sym-
bols into the design such as on this Panticle of Earth,
do so now. The inner symbols are the traditional runes
from the Greater Key of Solomon, while the outer ones
spell out “E-A-R-T-H” in Theban runes. On the back
side you should inscribe “Blessed be thou Panticle of
Art” and your own magickal name in Theban runes.
While you are making and inscribing your panticle,
you should chant: “Blessed be thou Panticle of
Earth.”
Then let the whole thing dry hard, and sand the
surface smooth. Now you have a perfect panticle of
Earth. Of course, if you have access to a kiln, such as
in your school art department, you can make such a
Panticle of ceramic and fire it into a magickal artifact
that will last forever! Consecrate it during the waxing
Moon by sprinkling salted water over it and passing
it through the smoke of burning incense compounded
of rosemary, cedar, sandalwood, pine resin, and lav-
ender oil.An Earthly Star before me rests
A vessel strong to manifest.
All things that I would conjure here,
Or banish forth the things I fear.
So mote it be!Using Your Panticle
When positioning your panticle on your altar, it
should be placed in the North (back), the direction ofEarth, or in the center. Use it as a receptacle upon
which to place amulets, charms, crystals, or other
objects to be ritually consecrated. Any ritual food, such
as bread, cookies, or fruit slices, can be served on the
Panticle as a plate. However, if it’s made of Mexi-
Clay, you should cover it with a circle of waxed pa-
per so the clay won’t get into the food.Lesson 5: The Athamé (Fire)
The athamé (pronounced variously as a-THAH-
may or AH-tha-may) or magickal dagger represents
power, action, and domination. The first iron blades
were made from meteoric nickel-iron—practically the
same as stainless steel—and were considered (rightly
so!) to be the thunderbolts of the gods. Thus, the
athamé symbolizes the Element of Fire. Here is the
quintessence of masculinity corresponding to the posi-
tive and creative forces of Nature. Such magickal
blades have been used in every culture throughout
the world over the past 3,500 years.
An early version of this name for a magickal dag-
ger appears in the Grimoire called the Clavicle of
Solomon, dated 1572, where it is written as arthana.
You will use your athamé to cast the Magick Circle,
consecrate water and salt, and banish unwanted enti-
ties. Traditionally, it should be seven to nine inches
long, with a double-edged blade and black handle.In recent years several knife companies have been
producing spectacular blades with magickal and fan-
tasy designs, and these have become quite popular
among magickal people for athamés—as long as they
have a double edge.
While the traditional athamé has a steel blade,
certain workings (especially with faeries and Nature
spirits) require no iron and some, no metal at all. For
these purposes, some magickal craftspeople are now
making beautiful athamés with blades of napped flint,
copper, brass, crystal, wood, bone, antler, or polished
stone. Once you have your basic athamé as described
here, you might wish to acquire some of these oth-
ers.... For your first basic athamé, I recommend shop-
ping at flea markets, where you can usually find a
nice selection of simple and inexpensive double-edged
daggers in several styles. Try several of these: Hold
them in your hand, and cut the air in twisting figure-
8 patterns to get the feel of them. Be sure and get a
matching belt sheath along with the knife! After you
buy it, take it home and hone it to a sharp edge and
point with a whetstone.
Some Wizards make their athamés completely
from scratch, cutting a blade out of a sheet of metal
and carving a handle of wood, bone, or antler. This is- Practice.p65 107 1/14/2004, 4:20 PM