Bringing the paths of magick together through the symbolism and power of the sword.

Hammer, Blade, Cup

by Daniel Watson

These are three archetypes that represent man's earliest tools. They register to an extent in our subconscious, but archeologically they are the first tools of man. Imagine early proto-humans and what was the first tool. A rock. the hammer that was used to strike and get something else, one object hitting against another.

The next two tools probably arose simultaneously, the blade and the cup. The blade being a sharpened stick, or a broken stone or a splintered bone. Anything sharp.

The other is the cup. A gourd. A piece of skull A dried hoof print. A folded leaf.

I consider these as energies or archetypes that evoke a certain emotional response within our subconscious. This is a form of early trinity. It wasn’t Father, Son, Holy Ghost. In early Christianity it was Father, Mother, Son. But in the Garden of Eden the 3 were Creator, Male, Female. Perhaps this was a reference to even earlier myths.

The hammer evokes the creator energy. The original ability to create other things. Ever wonder why Jesus was carpenter? The hammer is the creator and can create either blade or cup. The hammer is, in a sense, neutral (but not neutered). It has both the potential for creation and destruction, it can break as easily as it can make. But its nature is to destroy one thing to create another.

The sword represents the divine masculinity. The blade especially represents masculine energy. It has to do with protecting life, delivering death, absolute and final decisions. Honor. Once the cut is made, it can never be retracted. So the blade is a lot about responsibility and decision-making. If I decide, then it is so. The blade says, “If I decide, then it is so.” The attitude of the blade is, “I choose and take absolute responsibility for that choice, right or wrong, live or die. I choose and carry that.”

The cup represents the divine feminine. The holder of life, nourishment, feeding. It is also about sacrifice. The cup is not as important as its contents. The cup is about acceptance. The attitude of the cup is “if it is meant to be.” The cup holds, sustains, supports.

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Scarborough Faire

Weekends
April 10 - May 31
10am-7pm
Rain or Shine

Come visit us at Scarborough Faire in Waxahachi, Texas (30 minutes south of Dallas).

Directions and ticket information can be found at the festival's web site.

SwordMagick.com is sponsored by Angel Sword, maker of fine swords, daggers and other edged weapons since 1979. Angel Sword operates one of America's premier forges - one of the few that still crafts swords, knives and daggers using the traditional methods of hammer, anvil, fire and sweat. Each Angel Sword piece is a fully functional combat weapon that also stands alone as a work of art.