Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

ADEPT: A person highly skilled in Magick

ALTAR: The Point of Manifestation; the working table of a Witch; the "Spiritual Home" of the Witch

AMULET: A passive charm that serves as a magnet for a particular idea or entity

ARCANE: Secret

ASPERGE: To cleanse by sprinkling with water

ATHAME (Variously pronounced Ah-tha-may, Ah-thay-me, ah-thahm, Atha-may): the Witch's Sacred Knife; a knife consecrated for ritual use; often black-handled, double-edged; one of the Four Witch's Tools

AUTUMN EQUINOX: Solar Festival, approximately September 21

BANISH: To drive away

BANE: Something that is destructive or poisonous

BEAN-SIDHE (ban-shee): The Good Little Folk (later called banshee and seen as wailing women

BELTANE: One of the Four Great Fire Festivals, April 31-May 1

BESOM (bay-som): Witch's broom

BIND: To prevent from a specific action

BOLINE: Knife used by a Witch for practical ritual purposes, such as cutting fruit or paring candles; often white-handled and single-edged; some witches see the boline as sickle-shaped and bone-handled

BOOK OF SHADOWS: Book containing the lore of a Coven or Tradition of Witchcraft. There is no "one" Book of Shadows; it varies from group to group

BURNING TIMES: Time in history during which Witches (and others) were persecuted

CANDLEMAS: One of the Four Great Fire Festivals, also known as Imbolc, Oilmelc oe Bride's Day, February 2

CAULDRON: Three-legged kettle with handle, usually made of cast iron or copper

CENSE: Expose to incense smoke

CENSER: Incense burner

CHALICE: Drinking vessel consecrated for ritual use; one of the Four Witch's Tools; also called Cup

CHARGE: To fill with energy

CINGULUM: See Cord

CIRCLE: Working area of a Witch; another word for a Coven; a gathering of Witches

CONE OF POWER: Concentrated energy of an assembled group

CONJURATION: Act of summoning or willing

CORD: Worn around the waist or wrist, binds the Witch to the Gods and the Wheel; also used for cord magick, also known as Cingulum

CONSCIOUS MIND: That part of our mind of which we are aware

CONSECRATE: Cleanse, bless and set apart for ritual use; make sacred

COVEN: A group of witches with a personal commitment to work together

CRAFT, THE: The Old Religion, The Faith of The Wise, Witchcraft

CRONE: The third aspect of the Triple Goddess, The Ancient One, the Wise Woman

DEEP MIND: The part of our mind that is hidden from the conscious mind; the unconscious or subconscious mind

DEOSIL (Day-oh-sil): Clockwise, or sunwise

DIVINATION: Discovery of information by occult means

DRUIDS: A class of wise men, physicians, and moral philosophers, who were the teachers and religious leaders of the Celts

ELEMENTS: Air, Fire, Water, Earth; the general categories of energy and matter; sometimes Spirit is seen as the Fifth element

EQUINOX: Either of the two points at which the Sun crosses the Celestial Equator, making day and night equal.

ESBAT: Witch's gathering, other than for Festivals; Circle

ETHIC, THE: "An it harm none, do what ye will!", the Witch's rule for living

EUCHARIST: Sacred Meal. Some pagans object to this term as Christian, but actually it originated in Mithraic tradition

EVOKE: To call up, or out, forces or beings on a lower level of existence than our own

EXORCISE: To cast out unwanted influences

FETCH: Thoughtform sent to bring something or someone

GNOME: Dwarfish being whose Element is Earth

GREAT RITE: Ritual Union of God and Goddess

GRIMOIRE: Personal notes of a Witch

GROUP MIND: The combined thought processes of an assembled group

GUARDIAN: A being or force that protects the Circle; the Coven officer responsible for the safety of its members

HALLOWS: One of the Four Great Fire Festivals, also known as Samhain, October 31

HANDFASTING: Trial marriage, usually a year and a day

HARVEST: see Autumn Equinox

HEXAGRAM: Six-pointed star composed of two interlaced triangles

HIGHER SELF: Super-conscious mind; that portion of the self which is nearest the Divine

HIGH PRIEST: Male leader of a Coven

HIGH PRIESTESS: Female leader of Coven

HONORED DEAD: Witches who were killed during the Burning Times

HORN CROWN: Crown with horns, worn by person representing the Dark Lord in the Circle

HORNED ONE: The God, primarily in His fertility aspect, such as Pan, Kernunnos

IMAGE: Altar piece representing God or Goddess, usually a statue, but may be anything. Example, shell-Goddess, horns-God

IMBOLC: See Candlemas

INCANT: Chant

INITIATE: Person who receives an Initiation; also, to give an Initiation

INVOKE: Request the attention or presence of forces or beings on a high level of existence than our own

KARMA: Spiritual Force, generated by one's actions, which determines reincarnated situation

LADY: The Goddess; also ritual title of the High Priestess

LANCET: Disposable, pre-sterilized needle, for the purpose of drawing blood

LEGEND: A story, true or untrue, passed from generation to generation

LIBATION: Liquid spilled or poured out as offering

LITTLE PEOPLE: Fairies, elves, gnomes, leprechauns

LORD: The God; also ritual title of the High Priest

LUGNASADH (loo-nah-sahd): See Lammas

LUNAR: Of the Moon

MAGICK: The knowledge and use of certain powers of the mind and of the Universe, seemingly beyond conventional scientific law

MAGISTER: A title sometimes used for the male leader of a Coven

MAIDEN: First aspect of the Triple Goddess; the Virgin Goddess; the Coven officer who assists the High Priestess

MEDITATION: Controlled contemplation of a specific thought our idea

MIDSUMMER: See Summer Solstice

MIGHTY ONES: Those entities or beings who have advanced beyond this plane of existence

MYTH: A fictionalized account of something that actually happens, usually analogous rather than literal

NEED FIRE: A magickal fire, kindled to serve specific needs

OCCULT: Beyond human understanding; mysterious; hidden

OIMELC: (ol-mek): see Candlemas

OLD ONES: See Mighty Ones

OMEN: Portent or sign

ORACLE: Spoken prophecy

PAGAN: One who worships the Deities of Nature

PENTACLE: Flat plate or disc, usually inscribed with a five-pointed star, used as a serving plate, shield, or personal altar; one of the four Witch's Tools

PENTAGRAM: Interlaced five-pointed star, often circled

POWER: Energy

PRESENCE CANDLE: Candle burned to symbolize the Presence of Deity

PUCA (pooka): A mischievous but helpful supernatural being, often seen in hare-shape, or as a horse, goat, etc

QUARTERS: Points of the Four Directions in a Circle; also the Four Lesser Sabbats

RITUAL: Ceremony; religious observance

RUNES: Magickal script or alphabet

SABBAT: One of the eight Festivals of the Year

SACRED KING: That person chosen to represent the Sacrifice for the Coven. Also called the Year King.

SAMHAIN (sow-wen): See Hallows

SCRYING: Divination by visual method, such as crystal-gazing

SHADES: Spirits of the Dead

SHAMAN: One who uses a set of spiritual techniques to enter into a trance state called ecstasy in which the practitioner travels to Other Worlds in order to diagnose, heal, gain information, divine, guide souls, etc.

SKYCLAD: Nude

SMUDGE: Purify by bathing in sage smoke

SOLAR: Of the Sun

SOLAR CROSS: An equal-armed cross

SOLITARY: A Witch who works alone

SOLSTICE: Either of two points at which the Sun is farthest from the Celestial Equator

SO MOTE IT BE: So be it!

SPELL: Magical operation, usually for practical purpose

SPRING EQUINOX: Solar Festival; approximately March 21

SUMMER SOLSTICE: Solar Festival, The longest day of the year, approximately June 21

TALISMAN: Charm which is charged with a particular force or energy, which transmits that force to the wearer or user

TRADITION: When capitalized, refers to specific sub-group of The Craft; also, custom

VEIL: The barrier between the Worlds

WAND: Rod of wood, crystal or metal, consecrated for ritual use; one of the Four Witch's Tools.

WARLOCK: Liar, betrayer, traitor

WATCHER: Another name for a Directional Guardian of the Circle

WHEEL: The eight Festivals of the year

WICCA: A name applied to the religion of Witchcraft by some Witches

WIDDERSHINS: Counter Clock-wise

WITCH: A follower of the Old Religion; Wise One; one who uses Natural Magick in an ethical manner as part of a Pagan religious practice

WINTER SOLSTICE: Solar Festival, also known as Yule, the longest night of the year, approximately December 21

YULE: See Winter Solstice