  This work consists of two distinct parts. In the first part we present a new
method for solving the initial value problem of general relativity. Given any
spatial metric with a surface orthogonal Killing field and two freely specified
components of the extrinsic curvature we solve for extrinsic curvature's
remaining components. For the second part, after noting that initial data for
the Kerr spacetime can be derived within our formalism we construct data for
axisymmetric configurations of spinning black holes. Though our method is
limited to axisymmetry, it offers an advantage over the Bowen-York proceedure
that our data approach those for Kerr holes in the limit of large separations
and in the close limit.
