Wiccan cards: first 4 cards; the 4 elements

Sophie

In Cunningham's book on Wicca, he writes that the Athame is linked to the element of fire, and the Wand to the element of Air.

Can anyone (catlin?) explain the discrepancy? Are there several traditions? I must say I am more familiar with the classic Tarot-style Wands = Fire and Sword/Athame = Air. Cunningham explains the Athame = Fire correspondence by saying that the Athame is a ritual instrument of change. But the same could be said of wands, if my understanding is correct.
 

Fulgour

Help!

Since the very first time I encountered the word "Athame"
I have been trying to discover its etymology, and still am.

"Athame" has a clear and specific definition... but what are
the linguistic origins of the word itself? Does anyone know?
 

Dwaas

Fulgour said:
Since the very first time I encountered the word "Athame"
I have been trying to discover its etymology, and still am.

"Athame" has a clear and specific definition... but what are
the linguistic origins of the word itself? Does anyone know?
Click to expand...

I tried as well and the best I could find at wikipedia...

There is no proven etymology for this word, which does not appear in any European language. A ritual knife from the Key of Solomon (not however the main 'black-handled knife') is named in various manuscripts artave, artavus, arthana, artanus, arthany or arthame. Idries Shah, who was personal secretary and close friend of Gerald Gardner (a British civil servant, amateur anthropologist, writer, and occultist who published some of the definitive texts for modern Wicca, which he was instrumental in founding), provides an etymology from the Arabic al-dhammé, "blood-letter", which was the ritual knife of a medieval magical cult of Morocco and Andalusia. Shah's scholarship is much debated, however. This particular etymology appears in his book The Sufis as a quote from A History of Secret Societies by Arkon Daraul. Arkon Daraul turns out to be a pseudonym of Idries Shah. Robert Graves (also an acquaintance of Shah) suggests an Arabic derivation from al thame (or adh-dhame), which he translates as "the arrow"
 

catlin

Helvetica said:
In Cunningham's book on Wicca, he writes that the Athame is linked to the element of fire, and the Wand to the element of Air.
Click to expand...

There are indeed several opinions on assigning air and fire. I have decided to go with the more common flow on assigning Athame/air and Wand/fire as most ppl on AT do it like this.
 

Sophie

catlin said:
There are indeed several opinions on assigning air and fire. I have decided to go with the more common flow on assigning Athame/air and Wand/fire as most ppl on AT do it like this.
Click to expand...
Good, so I'll stick to that one. It suits me. Don't laugh - but I always think of Merlin's and Madam Mim's wands making sparks during their duel :D - fire it is! (oh, OK, I also associate wands to fire because I think of the sap rising up the trees in spring, like fire leaping to life).
 

December Fairy

Oh, I just found this thread. I'll get my cards out and join in.
 

catlin

Ok, dear, glad to have you with us!
 

catlin

No more input on these cards? Can we switch to the next one/s then?
 

Sophie

Good idea, catlin. I am sure more will come on the four elements as we get to know the cards better (at least, for me it will - that's how my mind tends to work :D). So it would be good to move on to the next cards.
 
Good Witch Bad Witch Study Group - Your favorites and least liked cards Madame Endora's (Secret Circle) Study Group: Medusa