Rose Ariadne I have this obviously old athame. Came in my possession years ago through my then husband, probably from a garage sale. It shows much use.The handle and blade seem to have separated and then repaired.The handle is an owl.For some odd reason I like it.Can I use such old and well worn athame as my own? Or do I need to buy a new one for myself? Yvonne

Merry Meet Yvonne, It is wonderful to hear of an Athame that has been used for many years now coming into your able hands. Of course, it is not only appropriate, it is much better to use an owned one than to purchase a brand new one. An old Athame may have a lot of wise and powerful energies in it. However, it is a good idea to cleanse it before use and also to repeat the cleansing when you feel that is has absorbed a lot of negative energy. In Witchcraft, old is certainly Gold! The whole point of living close to nature is to consume very little of the world’s resources. So using an old item can only increase your good karma. If the Athame has been fixed so that it is completely and safely usable, then you have nothing to worry about. For some reason, it seems that the spirit of the person who used this Athame has handed this over to you. If you can, find out more about this person who owned the Athame so that you can learn a lot about its history. An Athame is mainly used to direct energy. Its blade is usually dull. For cutting herbs, etc, use a boline. The handle on your Athame represents the Owl Goddess. Owls are believed to be wise beyond their years. In most cultures, they are supposed to be the link between this realm and the spiritual one. Take good care of this old, wise and powerful tool. May it serve you well. Brightest Blessings.