AKASHA - the spiritual ether (or Aether); the omnipresent
fifth occult element which embraces the other four- earth,
air, fire, and water; and from which they stem. This is the
realm of "pattern" or causality, from which the realm the
normally thought of "five senses manifests. Some define it
is the "other" of the "two worlds" that the witch or
magician walks between.
ARADIA - Daughter of the Goddess Diana, and a name for the
Goddess used by Italian Witches or Strega, commonly used in
many Wiccan traditions today.
ATHAME - black handled, double edged dagger. Principally used
to cast and dissolve the circle, for which purposes it is
interchangeable with the magic sword. A tool of the"Element" of Fire in the Georgian Tradition and some others.
BELTANE - May Eve festival. One of the Ancient Celtic "Fire
Festivals." on this night, the cattle were driven between
two bonfires to protect them from disease. Couples wishing
for fertility would " jump the fires" on Beltane night. Also
the traditional Sabbath where the rule of the "Wheel of the
Year" is returned to the Goddess. This Festival also marks
the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from
those of Maiden to Mother.
BURNING TIMES -
The name given by pagans to the period when people were
imprisoned, tortured, and killed under the office of the
Inquistion. Although initially begun as an internal hunt within
the Church for heretics, the Inquisition was expanded to include
non-Christians, who were tortured for witchcraft.
The death-toll from the Burning Times is held to be 9 million,
but it is acknowledged that only a small percentage of these
were actually pagan. The vast majority were Christian women.
BOOK OF SHADOWS - Traditionally hand copied book of rituals,
recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other
materials deemed important to a Witch or a coven. Each
tradition has it's own standard version of the Book and each
Witch's book will be different as he or she adds to it with
time from many different sources. Only another Witch can see
your book of shadows. Also, traditionally, it may never
leave your hands or possession until death, when it should
be destroyed, or (in some traditions) returned to the coven
to be disposed of. ( Gardnerian
Book Of Shadows Index Page)
THE CRAFT - Witchcraft. (See Witchcraft Section)
CANDLEMAS - Festival held on Feb. 1. One of the 4 Celtic"Fire Festivals. Commemorates the changing of the Goddess
from the Crone to the Maiden. Celebrates the first signs of
Spring. Also called "Imbolc" (the old Celtic name). This is
the seasonal change where the first signs of spring and the
return of the sun are noted, i.e. the first sprouting of
leaves, the sprouting of the Crocus flowers etc. In other
words, it is the festival commemorating the successful
passing of winter and the beginning of the agricultural
year. This Festival also marks the transition point of the
threefold Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden.
CARDINAL POINTS - North, South, East, and West, marked in the
Georgian Tradition by candles of green, red, yellow, and
blue, respectively. The Circle is drawn to connect these
four points.
CHALICE - one of the tools of the Witch. Placed on the altar
to represent the element of Water.
CHARGE OF THE GODDESS - The Traditional words of the Goddess
to her followers, or "hidden children". Normally declaimed
by the HPS at every coven Circle.
CIRCLE - The space within which Wiccan rituals are held and where it is believed
contact with greater spiritual forces can be achieved. ( Casting A Circle)
alternate...
CIRCLE - the area in which the magickal worship and spells
takes place. Can also be used to designate a particular
group of Witches or Pagans such as "Silver Acorn Circle".
CONE OF POWER - power raised in the circle by the Witches
assembled, and sent out into the world to work magick, is
usually visualized as being retained and built in the form
of a "cone" prior to release.
COVEN - an organized group of Witches, led by a High
priestess and/or a High Priest who meet regularly for
worship and fellowship. The traditional membership is 13,
but in fact most covens number considerably less. 3 is the
minimum in the Georgian Tradition. In Middle English,"Covin" a group of confederates; In Old French "Covine"
a
band or group with a single purpose; Latin "Com"-together,"Venire"-to come or move.
alternate...
COVEN -
Traditionally, a group of 12 plus a "leader". Most Witches
covens were originally built around this number, though the
Burning Times ended the widespread practice of this tradition,
as there were seldom 13 Witches alive in any given area. In
modern usage, "coven" refers to any group of pagans that wishes
to use the term. Note: The original "12+1" configuration can be
found in several Christian myths and traditions. Christ and his
12 Apostles, Arthur and his original 12 Knights, the 13 stars in
Mary, the Queen of Heaven's crown, etc.
COVENSTEAD - regular meeting place for a coven. Usually the
home of the High Priestess or High Priest.
COWAN - a non-Witch. Formerly used in a very derogatory
manner. Still used in Masonic Ritual to indicate the non
initiate and/or pretender to "real craft". Not often used
today among most Witches.
CROSS QUARTER DAYS - The modern name for the Celtic Fire
Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.
DEOSIL - clockwise, or sunwise. Traditional direction for
working "building" magick.
DIANIC - In Margaret Murray's "The God of the Witches," published
in 1933, the
Dianic cult worshiped a two-faced, horned god known to the Romans as Janus or
Dianus, who represented the cycle of the seasons. This was supposed to be the
ancient religion continued by covens of witches. Today the Dianic tradition
refers to the ritual worship of the triple goddess (maiden, mother, and
crone).
DIVINATION - magical method of exploration or inquiry into a
situation via such methods as Tarot cards, runestones, I-
Ching, etc.
DRAWING DOWN THE MOON - Ritual invocation of the spirit of
the Goddess into the body of the High Priestess by the High
Priest. ( Drawing Down The Moon Ritual)
ELEMENTS - Earth, air, fire, and water, plus spirit, which
includes them all. These are regarded as realms or
categories of nature (both material and non-material) and
are not to be confused with the physicists table of
elements, which the modern witch, of course, accepts. (The Elements)
ESBAT -
A pagan Lunar holiday. There are usually 13 Esbats in a year,
occuring on the nights of full moons. On occasion, Esbats
coincide with Sabbats. These occasions call for a larger party
than normal.
FAMILIARS - Either a Witch's pet animal which has been
trained to be a magickal helper, or an artificially
created "elemental" which performs the same functions as
the animal friend.
FIVEFOLD KISS, FIVEFOLD SALUTE - The Witches' ritual salute,
with kisses; (1) on each foot, (2) on each knee, (3) above
the pubic hair, (4) on each breast, and (5) on the lips-
really 8 kisses in all. It is only used within the Circle,
but the words that go with it are the origin of "Blessed
Be."
GARDNERIANS - Tradition of Witchcraft descended from the
teachings of Gerald Gardner.
GNOMES - an "entity" or "elemental" that dwells in the plane
of Earth or is associated with the EARTH Element.
GREAT RITE - The rite which is the main feature of the third
degree initiation, and which is also laid down for certain
festivals. It is sexual in nature, but may be `actual'
(and private to the couples concerned) or symbolic, as the
participants wish.
GROVE - A group of covens.
HANDFASTING - Wiccan equivalent of a wedding. It can be made
legal if the Priestess and/or Priest are registered as
clergy with the local authorities, or it may only be
considered binding within the coven.
HIGH PRIEST/ESS - Technically speaking, a Witch who has
received the 3rd. degree initiation. More usually, the male
and female leaders of a coven.
MAIDEN - An appointment held by one of the women of the
coven. She is virtually the assistant High Priestess. This
term is also the descriptive term used to describe the first
of the aspects of the Threefold Goddess Energies (Maiden,
Mother, and Crone). It is traditionally associated with the
Waxing Moon, and the period from Imbolc (Candlemas) to
Beltane (May eve) where the energies are those of
initiating, beginning, and creation.
OLD RELIGION - This term for the alleged universal pre-Christian goddess
religion first appears in "Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches,"
published in
1899. The author, Charles G. Leland, claimed to have met a woman in Italy who
was descended from a with family that practiced "la Vecchia Religione"
(the Old
Religion).
PAGAN -
A person who follows a religious path which is Earth-centered.
Including, but not limited to, Wicca, Druidic worship, Native
American Ways, Aboriginal Australian, pre-Christian African, and
in some respects, Shinto.
PENTACLE - a disc shaped talisman; in particular, the metal
disc which represents the earth element among the witch's
working tools.
PENTAGRAM -
An ancient symbol, comprised of a five-pointed star in a circle.
The symbol has been given many meanings over the years. It has
stood for Mankind, the Element of Earth, as a protective symbol.
It is most often used to symbolize the five Elements (Air,
Earth, Fire, Water, and Spirit) bound together as one. It is
often called a "pentacle", but this actually refers to a flat,
round object inscribed with a pentagram. Either word is
acceptable, however.
QUARTERS - The North, East, South, and West parts of a
magickal circle or other ritual area. (See also"Watchtowers")
MAGIC -
Difficult to define, as nearly everyone has their own
definition. Natural Magic does NOT require the intervention of
spirits, and this is the form of magic practiced by most
Wiccans. Other pagan groups will vary. Magic has been best
defined (in the author's opinion) as: 1) Energies that flow
through and permeate reality, that modern science has yet to
quantify; 2) the use of these energies to affect a change in the
status quo. (See Magick Section)
REDE - rule or law.
SABBAT - Meeting of a coven to mark the eight major annual festivals of the
Old
Religion. These are Samhain (Halloween), the Celtic religious new year;
Oimelc (Feb. 1), a festival of winter purification and the approach of spring;
Beltane (May 1), the great fertility festival; Lughnasadh (Aug. 1), the
festival of first fruits and, in some traditions, the time of the death of the
sacred king; the vernal and autumnal equinoxes; and the winter and summer
solstices.
alternate...
SABBAT -
A pagan Solar holiday. There are eight Sabbats in a year
occuring at approximately six-week intervals, corresponding to
solar events, i.e., solstices and equinoxes, and the midpoints
between them. The pagan New Year is usually Samhain (pronounced
Sah'-when), which occurs on October 31. This Sabbat, which is a
time for honoring those who have gone before, gave rise to
Halloween. Note that the word "sabbat" has been adopted by
certain satanic groups as a name for their own meetings, but
this is a modern corruption of the pagan practice.
SALAMANDER - an entity that dwells in the realm of Fire.
SAMHAIN - The festival of remembrance for the dead, held on
the eve of Nov. 1st. It is the last of the three harvests.
This festival also marks the transition of rulership of the"Wheel of the Year from that of the Goddess to that of the
God.
SCRYING - divination, usually using such methods as crystal
gazing, or divination via incense smoke, or water as opposed
to tarot or other manipulative means.
SATANISM - The worship of the devil, often employing inversions of Christian
rituals. (Witchcraft is non-Christian, therefore not Satanism).
SPELL - a prayer, or verbal direction of magickal energies
toward the accomplishment of some goal.
SUMMONER - The male officer of the coven who corresponds to
the Maiden. He is the assistant High Priest.
SYLPH - an "entity" or "elemental" that dwells in the plane
of Air or is associated with the AIR Element.
TRADITIONS - any of the various "sects" of Wicca such as
Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Georgian, Seax, etc.
UNDINE - an "entity" or "elemental" that dwells in the plane
of Water or is associated with the WATER Element.
WAND - A rod or staff that is prepared so that it may be used
for magickal or psychic purposes, usually to project some
form of power.
WARLOCK - a term coined in the Burning Times . It was used to
denote a traitor to the Craft, or one who had betrayed the
followers of the Old Religion. It's origin is Scottish.
Because of the negative connotations, it is not used by most
Wiccans today.
alternate...
WARLOCK - Often used to mean a male Witch, but this is incorrect. The word
actually comes from the Old English, and means "oath breaker".
It refers to the Inquisitors' early tactic against Witch covens,
where a deep-cover agent was sent to infiltrate a coven, and
upon being initiated was to betray the coven members.
Unfortunately for the agent, the Inquisitors usually tortured
ALL initiated members of the coven, which included the agent.
WATCH TOWERS - Originally from the Enochian branch of
Ceremonial Magick, now incorporated into many "Traditions"
of Wicca, these are the four elemental "directions" or
"quarters" (corresponding to the appropriate points on the
compass) called to protect the Circle during its
establishment. Each of them have a correspondence between
the compass point, an element, and (varying amongst
different traditions) color associated with them.
WHITE HANDLED KNIFE- the working knife of a Witch. It is
used to carve candles, and for fashioning the other tools.
Traditionally, it can only be used in a Circle.
WICCA - The Old English word for a male witch; today widely used by followers
of
the Craft to refer to wisecraft, that is.
alternate...
WICCA - The name most modern day Witches use for the Craft.
It comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Wicce, meaning to bend or
to shape. This is the root word from which we get wicker.
WIDDERSHINS- counter clock wise. Used for "tearing down"
OR BANISHING magick.
WITCH -
An archaic term, from the Old English "wice", meaning "Wise
One". Modern usage varies, but it is sometimes used as a synonym
for Wiccan, a practioner of Wicca. Applies to either gender.
WITCHCRAFT - The craft of the wise. (See Witchcraft Section)
alternate...
WITCHCRAFT -
The forerunner of modern Wicca. Literally, "the Craft of the
Wise". An Earth-centered religion holding Life as sacred, and
honoring both the Divine Female and Male (Goddess and God). True
Witchcraft was all but destroyed during the Burning Times,
though some family traditions (famtrads) have survived in total
secrecy (until lately).
| Authors
Details: Rowan Moonstone and Durwydd MacTara - Unknown Web Site |
|
