🗡 WITCH CHALLENGE - Sacred Blades: Athames & Bolines

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Thank you once again to all those who joined in for last week’s Witchy Challenge - Powerful Plants

After growing a garden of plant wisdom and magick, we’re getting ready to do some snipping - both physical and spiritual

The theme for this challenge explores a common witch’s tool and is…

Sacred Blades
Athames, Bolines, and Other Magical Blades

From athames (blades used to cut spiritual ties) to bolines (blades used to cut ingredients or physical materials) to ceremonial swords and more - the witch’s toolkit has space for some sharp and shiny things. We’re putting those tools in the spotlight for this challenge!

Please know that you do NOT need to have or use an athame or boline for this challenge. If you don’t own or don’t wish to use a sacred blade, feel free to take an educational approach. From magickal blade history to theory, high magic ceremonial sword usage, consecration, spellwork, journalling, or more - a written approach to the challenge is always welcome.

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This challenge is about sacred blades - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you.

So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

Safety Note: While athames, bolines, and other sacred blades are instruments of the Craft, tools used for cutting physical things can be sharp. Please remember to exercise care when using them.

Picture from Canva

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Snips & Cuts in the Craft

This challenge is all about athames, bolines, and other sacred blades - as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few suggested spells and other ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Athame: The Spiritual Blade

An athame is a knife-like tool used for cutting spiritual influences. It is commonly used in Cord Cutting rituals. As it is rarely ever used to cut physical items, an athame does not need to be sharp in order to serve its purpose. Consider consecrating, using, showing, or exploring athames for your entry.

Athame: Do’s and Don’t’s of Your Ritual Knife

Athame: BoS Printable Page

Related resources and discussions:

• Ritual Tools Show and Tell - The Athame!
• Dedication of an Athame
• Does an Athame have to have a double blade?

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Boline: Physical Blade

While the athame is used to cut spiritual ties, the boline handles the physical. Witches may use their boline to harvest herbs, draw sigils in wax, cut paper or thread, and other physical items. Consider consecrating, blessing, exploring, or researching bolines for your challenge entry.

Boline: BoS Printable Page

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Other Sacred Blades & Spells

A witch’s tools are limited only by one’s imagination - any number of tools can serve a variety of purposes in one’s practice. There are many other types of blades that can be used in the Craft, and endless ways to use them! Consider exploring other types of blades or spellwork that uses them.

Cutting Ties: Spell to Release Negative Energy

Cut Spiritual Ties with a Simple Cord Cutting Ritual

Cord Cutting Spell for Healing

Tarot: The Suit of Swords

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…And More!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. If you feel called to explore the challenge theme in another way, you are welcome to do so.

Picture from Canva

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How to Join the Challenge

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Do I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

Click here for a note for our lovely lurkers

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge. For those who would like the challenge prizes, please know that you will need to share your experience if you want to receive a prize and a public shout-out.

Don’t feel comfortable sharing? No fear! For lurkers and those who are shy, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge on the sidelines. At the end of the day, these challenges are here to help you help yourself by expanding and enhancing your personal magickal practice. I hope they can be helpful for you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 13 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, April 22 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2025-04-22T11:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums the day the challenge closes.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

Picture from Canva

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A boline to harvest and cut things clean,
An athame to sever bonds unseen
You need not fear the tools that aid-
For blessings come from a witch’s blade!

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Blessed Be

[Artemisia]

Challenge entry - Sacred Blades

I have both an athame and a volume. I purchased my athame when I first started my practice in 1993. Before my self-initiation, I carved in symbols on the hilt.

I don’t use it much, but I do have it packed in my travel altar bag that goes in my purse.

My boline was a much more recent acquisition, in comparison. I found one that spoke to me in the early 2020s (can’t remember exactly anymore).

I spent some time this morning harvesting some herbs from the garden with my boline.

Then I took a silver pen to trace the carvings on the athame hilt and then used lemon oil to protect the wood.

[cherietta]

Challenge Entry - Sacred Blades
I just got my blade recently (March 27th). I placed it on my altar and it’s waiting there for it’s consecration. I plan on doing a small ceremony for her this weekend.

[Chaotes-siren]

I love love LOVE this athame and the hilt it comes in! So beautiful.

[BryWisteria]

@Artemisia Look at those beautiful blades! It sounds like your athame has been by your side for a long time, it must be a close friend in your Craft

@cherietta Your new blade looks right at home on your altar space! Wishing you good luck with your consecration ceremony - let us know how it goes!

@Chaotes-siren Welcome to the forum!

[Artemisia]

Merry meet @Chaotes-siren and welcome! We’re happy to have you here!

[georgia]

Welcome @Chaotes-siren!

[CasLyn]

Challenge Entry- Sacred Blades

I absolutely love this athame!! I honestly don’t have words for what this blade means to me.

[cherietta]

Thank you. I knew I was supposed to have it as soon as I saw it. I think it’s a “she”. I should consult her spirit just to make sure

[cherietta]

@CasLyn Wow! It’s beautiful.

[georgia]

Challenge Entry

I have to admit, this one is hard for me. There is a blockage in me, probably caused by the adage that those who live by the sword die by the sword. It’s not the same, though. These blades are not weapons, not even for self defense. They can still cause accidental injury if not treated with care and respect.

I have not pulled out my father’s army knife for spring crafts as yet. His pocket knife is one of the few things I have left of him after all these years. I was only 3 when he crossed the Rainbow Bridge; yet I still feel him close, watching over me.

This pocket knife is HUGE! It consists of the usual knife, file, bottle opener, screw drivers, and saw, but it also has a corkscrew, spoon and fork. It’s heavy enough that if I put it in my pocket, it would pull my pants down!

When I pull it out, I always give it a good sharpening. If the blade is tight to open, I grease it to make it easier for me to use.

Then I tell my father what I found to use the knife on and the project I want to work on. I always ask if he would like to work with me. Sometimes, I feel advisory warnings on how to use the knife, and sometimes I feel his hands over mine, guiding my craft. It always feels good, in my humble opinion.

[MistyW]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

I think I have a pretty unique set of blades. My Atheme is a knife that was my deceased boyfriends and is a stilleto knife. And since ive really started becoming nore of an Art Witch I have consecrated my red handled scissors as a blade I use almost daily in my craft. Both represent passion and the fire element of creativity for me. And of course air as well.

[Susurrus]

Challenge Entry

At one time I had a couple of sacred blades. Now I can only honestly say that I have 1 I use for my practice. It's a blade made of Selenite. I keep it on my altar that I have on my dresser.

I had done a serious clean & dusted everything & went through things that I no longer used or had a connection with, but that I kept for my altar.

When I first got it, my kids couldn’t walk into my room without touching it, picking it up, all the kid things Thank goodness that phase has long since passed.

The only other blade that I can think of is a, pocket knife type of blade… It’s stainless steel & iridescent… My husband gave it to me years ago & I’ve always had it & use it for little things

[amanda6]

Hello and welcome @Chaotes-siren

[MeganB]

@MistyW

consecrated my red handled scissors

Oh my goodness, I love this! I was just thinking yesterday that the blades I use in my craft are more like scissors and kitchen knives than anything else Now I just need to find the pair I have stashed away with my current knitting project and snap a picture, and grab a picture of my kitchen knives that I use to score my sourdough bread and make meals for my family!

[Susurrus]

Oh my! Yes more than any blade, crystal or pocket is scissors. I’m ALWAYS using scissors… In the kitchen, crafting, or “crafting”, cleaning, organizing I have a pair in my wooden box & 2 in the kitchen.

[MeganB]

One of my friends has several pairs of really intricate, fancy scissors she uses for her crafting (not witchcraft…other crafting lol) and I’ve always wanted a pair. Maybe I’ll see if I can find some this week and consecrate them! She’s got some that look kind of like these, I think? I know she get them from Temu, which is where the pictures are from, but I don’t shop there.

I’d like to have something intricate like these lol

[Susurrus]

Oh, those are pretty! I’ll have to go into my scrapbooking stuff. I think the bottom has some like that, but they are really old, so I try not to use most. They came in an old wooden sewing box that opens outward at the sides with different levels for storage. It’s really nice, and I had put all or most of my paper craft things in it, including scissors! Now that I think about it, I have quite a few pairs of scissors. They aren’t colorful like that, though… those are pretty! Maybe try some thrift stores? They may have something like those around!

[MeganB]

Thrift stores is a good idea or eBay! lol If I find some fancy ones then I’ll post them for the challenge.

[CelestiaMoon]

Here’s my athame

I was on vacation on the isle of the Sun, Rhodes, some ten years ago, when walking in the old town I saw this gorgeous blade, and I was instantly drawn to it It took me a few more years to find out that I’m a witch, but when I did, I had my magical dagger ready

It was sold blunt, and I have not sharpened it, as I only use it to do symbolic cutting. I don’t have a dedicated boline, but an engraved sharp curved blade sounds enticing Or maybe one made out of obsidian