-a- stral- Another dimension of reality. It has been referred to
as "dream-time'. This reference is from the Australian Aboriginal
people and their teachings.
Astral Travel/Projection- The process of separating your astral
body from your physical one to accomplish travel in the
astral plane or dreamtime.
Athame- A Wiccan ritual knife. It usually has a double-edged
blade and a black handle. The athame is used to direct
Personal Power during ritual workings.
It is seldom (if ever) used for actual, physical cutting.
The term is of obscure origin, has many variant spellings among Wiccans, and an even greater variety of
pronunciations. "Ah-THAM-ee" ; "ATH-ah-may" or ah THAW-may."
Balefire- A fire lit for magical purposes, usually outdoors.
Balefires are traditional on Yule, Beltane and Midsummer celebrations.
Bane- That which destroys life, which is poisonous, destructive,
evil, dangerous.
Banish- To magically end something or exorcise unwanted entities.
To rid the presence of.
Beltane- A Wiccan festival celebrated on April 30th or May 1st
(traditions vary). Beltane is also known as May Eve, Roodmas,
Walpurgis Night, Cethsamhain. Beltane celebrates the symbolic union,
mating or marriage of the Goddess and God, and links in with
the approaching summer months.
Besom- Broom
Book of Shadows- A Wiccan book of rituals, spells and
magical lore. Once hand copied upon Initiation, the B.O.S.
is now photocopied or typed in some Covens. No one "true'
Book of Shadows exists; all are relevant to their respective users.
Burning Times- It is is reference to a historical time from around
1000 ce through the 17th century when it is said that over nine
million people were tortured and burned by church and public
officials on the assumption that they were the Christian version
of Witches. This turned into an extremely profitable venture,
as all land and property was seized from the accused individual
and and portions given to the accuser (in reward fashion) and the
remainder seized by the church officials. Historians indicated
that the majority of people tortured and murdered were women and children.
Censer- A heat-proof container in which incense is smoldered.
An incense burner. It symbolizes the Element of Air.
Chakras- Seven major energy vortexes found in the human body.
Each is usually associated with a color.
To Charge- To infuse and object with Personal Power.
"Charging" is an act of Magic.
Cone of Power- Psychic energy raised and focused by either
an individual or group mind (coven) to achieve a definite purpose.
Cleansing- The act of removing any negative energy,
vibrations or images from an object or place by utilizing positive,
psychic energy.
Conscious Mind- The analytical, materially-based, rational half of
our consciouseness. The mind at work when we compute our taxes,
theorize or struggle with ideas.
Concecration- The act of blessing an object or place by instilling
it with positive energy.
Corn Dolly- A figure, often human-shaped, created by plaiting
dried wheat or grains. It represented the fertility of the Earth
and used in Wicca. Corn dollies aren't made from cobs or husks;
corn origianally referred to any grain other than maize and still
does in most English speaking countries.
Coven- A group of thirteen or fewer Witches that work together
in an organized fashion for positive magickal endeavorsor to
perform religious ceramonies. The covenstead is the meeting place
of the Withces.
The Craft - Wicca. Witchcraft. Folk magick.
Dedication- Unlike the initiation ceramony that brings one into
an order, the dedication of a Witch is that process where ther
individual accepts the Craft as their path, and vows to study and
learn all that is necessary to reach adeptship in a given tradition.
In a dedication, you consciously prepare yourself to accept something
new into your life and stick with it, regarless of the highs and lows
this action may produce.
Deosil- Clockwise, the direction of the Sun's apparent motion in the sky.
Pronounced "JESS-ul". In norther hemisphere magic and religion, deosil
movement is symbolic of life, positive energies, good. It is much-used
in spells and rituals; i.e. "walk deosil around the Circle of Stones.
"Some Wiccan groups below the equator, notably in Austrailia, hhave
switched from deosil to Widdershins movements in their rituals, for the Sun
"moves" in apparent counter-clockwise motion from this vantage point.
Divination- The magical art of discovering the unknown by interpreting
random patterns or symbols through the use of tools such as clouds,
tarot cards, flames, pendulums, runes and smoke. Divination contacts
the Psychic Mind by tricking or drowsing the Counscious Mind through
ritual and observation or of manipulation of tools. Divination isn't
necessary for those who can easily attain communication with the
psychic mind, though they may practice it.
Divine Power- The unmanifested, pure energy that exists within the
Goddess and God. The life force, the ultimate source of all things.
Dowsing- The art/science of using a pendulum or stick to find the
actual location of a person, place, thing or element. Dowsing can
also be used to answer yes or no questions.
Drawing Down the Moon- A ritual used during the Full Moon by Witches
to empower themselves and unite their essence with a particular diety,
usually the Goddess.
Earth Magick- A practical form of magick wherein the powers and
forces of Earth Mother are used to conduct magickal workings
or celebrations.
Elder- Many Wiccan organizations have a group or board of Elders
who over see the operations of the church and its variety of functions.
These people have usually gained their positions through a combination
of their abilities which may include education, experience, magical
adedtship and counselling.
The Elements- Earth, Air, Fire, Water. These four essences
are the building blocks of the universe. Wverythin that exists
(or has the potential to exist) contains one or more of these
energies. The elements hum within ourselves and are also "at large"
in the workd. They can be utilized to cause change through magic.
The four elements forned from the primal essence or power-Akasha.
Esbat- A Wiccan ritual, usually occurring on the Full Moon.
Evocation- Calling up spirits or other non-physical entities,
either to visible appearance or invisible attendance.
Grimoire- A magical workbook containing ritual information,
formula, magical properties of natural objects and preparation,
of ritual equipment. Many of these works include "catalogues of spirits."
The most famous of the old grimoires is probably The Key of Solomon.
Most first appeared in the 16th and 17th centuries, though they may be
far older and contain traces of Roman, Greek, Babylonian, late Egyptian
and Sumerian rites. Another word used to describe Book of Shadows.
Handfasting- A Wiccan, Pagan or Gypsy wedding.
Initiation- A process whereby an individual is introduced or
admitted into a group, interest, skell or religion. Initiations
may be ritual occasions but can also occur spontaneously.
Invocation- An appeal or petition to a higher power (or powers)
such as the Goddess and God. A prayer. Invocation is actually
a method of establishing conscious ties with those aspects of
the Goddess and God that dwell within us. In essence, then, we
seemingly cause them to appear or make themselves known by
becoming sware of them.
Karma- The belief that one's thoughts and deeds can be either
counted against them or added to their spiritual path during
several life times. It follows the law of cause and effect.
Labrys- A double-headed axe which symbolized the Goddess in
ancient Crete, still used by some Wiccans for this same purpose.
The labrys may be placed on or leaned against the left side of the altar.
Lughnasadh- A Wiccan festival celevrated on August 1st,
also known as August Eve, Lammas, Feast of Bread. It marks
the first harvest, when the fruits of the Warth are cut and
stored for the dark winter months, and when the God also
mysteriously weakens as the days grow shorter.
Mabon- On or around Septenber 21, the autumn equinox, Wiccans celebrate
the second harvest. Nature is preparing for winter. Mabon is a
vestige of ancient harvest festivals which, in some form or another,
we once nearly universal amoung peoples of the Earth.
Magic/Magick- The movement of natual energies (such as Personal Power)
to create needed change. Energy exists within all things- ourselves,
plants, stones, colors, sounds, movements. Magic is the process of
rousing or building up this energy, givig it purpose, and realeasing it.
Magic is a natural, not supernatural, practice, though it is little
understood.
TheMagic Circle-, A sphere constructed of Personal Power in which
Wiccan rituals are usually enacted. The term refers to the circle that
marks the sphere's penetration of the ground, for it extends both above
and below it. It is created through visualization and magick.
Meditation- Reflection, contemplation, turning inward toward the
self or outward toward Deity or nature. A quiet time in which the
practitioner may dwell upon particular thoughts or symbols, or
allow them to come unbidden.
Megalith- A huge stone monument or structure. Stonehenge is perhaps
the best-known example of magalithic construction.
Menhir- A standing stone probably lifted by early peoples for
religious, spiritual or magical reasons.
Mighty Ones-The- Beings, deities or presences often invoked
during Wiccan ceremony to witness or guard the rituals.
The Mighty Ones are thought to be either spiritually evolved beings,
once human, or spiritual entities created by aor charged by the
Goddess and God to protect the Earth and to watch over the
four directions. They are sometimes linked with the Elements.
Neo-Pagan- Literally, new-Pagan. A member, follower or
sympathizer of one of the newly formed Pagan religions
now spreading thoughout the world. All Wiccans are Pagan,
but not all Pagans are Wiccan.
The Old Ones -A Wiccan tern often used to encompass all
aspects of the Goddes and God. Some Wiccans view it as an
alternative of The Mighty Ones.
Ostara- Occurring at the spring equinox, around March 21st,
Ostara marks the befinning of true, stronomical spring,
when snow and ice make way for green. As such, it is a fire and
fertility festival, celebrating the return of the Sun, the God
and the fertility of the Earth (the Goddess).
Pagan- From the Latin paganus, country-dweller. Today used as a
general term for followers of Wicca and other magical, shamanistic
and poytheistic religions. It can be interchanged with Neo-Pagan.
Pendulum- A divinatory device consisting of a string attached to
a heavy object, such as a quartz crystal, root or ring. The free
end of the string is held in the hand, the elbow steadied against
a flat surface , and a question is asked. The movement of the heavy
object's swings determines the answer. A rotation indicates yes or
positive energy. Aback and forth swing signals the opposite. (There
anr many methods of deciphering the pendulun's movements; use those
that work best for you.) It is a tool which contacts the Psychic Mind.
Pentacle- A ritual object (usually a circular piece of wood,metal,clay etc)
upon which a five-pointed star (pentagram) is inscribed, painted or
engraved. It represents the element of Earth. The words "pentacle"
and "pentegram" are not interchangeable, theough the understandabl cause
some confusion.
Personal Power- That energy wich sustains out bodies. It ultimately
originates from the Goddess and the God (or rather, the power behind Them).
We first absorb it from our biological mothers withing the womb and ,
later, from food, water, the Moon and Sun and other natural objects.
We realease personal power during stress, exercise, sex, conception
and childbirth. Magic is othen a moement of personal power for a specific
goal.
Polarity- The concept of equal, opposite energies. The Eastern yin/yang
is a perfect example. Yin is cold; yang is hot. Other examples of
polarity: Goddess/God, night/day, Moon/Sun, birth/death, dark/light,
Psychich Mind/Conscious Mind. Universal balance.
Priestess- A female dedicated to both the service of her chosen
deity(ies) and humankind. A High Priestess is the feminine leader
of a coven or Wiccan organization and plays the role of Goddes in
certain ceramonies. A solitary Witch can be a Priestess by dedicating
herself to a particular God or Goddess.
Priest- Is a male and plays the God role in certain ceramonies.
Priestess and Priest are equal in every aspect, the only difference
is their gender.
Projective Hand- The hand that is normally used for manual activites.
The hand you favour i.e. right or left handed. It is symbolically
thought to be the point at wich personal power is sent from the body.
In ritual, personal power is visualized as streaming out from the palm
or fingers of the hand for various magical goals. This is also the hand in
which tools such as the athame and wand are held. Ambidextrous persons
simply choos which hand to utilize for this purpose. The hand used for
giving gifts.
Psychic Mind- The suconscious or unconscious mind, in which we sleep,
dream and meditate, It is our direct lnk with the Goddess and God and
with the larger, non-physical world around us.
Psychism- The act of being consciously psychich, in which the psychic
mind and conscious mind are linked and working in harmony. Ritual
Consciousness is a form of psychism.
Receptive Hand- The left hand in right-handed persons, the reverse
for left-handed persons. This is the hand through which energy is
recieved into the body. The hand that is used when recieving gifts.
Reincarnation- The doctrine of rebirth. The process of repeated
incarnations in human form to allow evolution of the sexless, ageless soul.
Ritual- Ceremony. A specific form of movement, manipulation of objects
or inner processes designed to produce desired effects. In religion,
ritual is grared toward union with the diving. In magic it produces a
specitic state of consciousness which aligns with personal power, in
which rituals occur.
Widdershins- Anti-clockwise motion, usually used in the Northern
Hemisphere for negative magical purposes or for dispersing negative
energies or conditions such as disease. Southern Hemisphere Wiccans my
use widdershins motions for the exact opposite purpose; namely for
positive ends. The use of widdershins and deosil in Wicca stems form
ancient European rituals practicd by peoples who watched and reverenced
the Sun and Moon in their daily revolutions. Some Wiccans walk
widdershins around an altar to symbolise the end of a ritual.
Yule- A Wiccan festival celebrated circa December 21st, marking
the rebirth of the Sun God from the Earth Goddess. Yule occurs on
the winter solstice
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