List of Useful Terms

Animism: One of the oldest human belief systems, its the belief that all objects in the material world have spirits. For example a rock on the beach, a chair in an office, or a room in a house, all of which have spirits. The belief can also have the idea that all of the spirits are part of one overall spirit. The belief in the spirits/souls of natural objects.

Aspects of Deity: The idea that deity is one and that different deities are just aspects of the all. Commonly the diamond is used as an analogy as deity is the whole diamond but each facet is a particular deity. The associated attributes of deity; for example: In Wicca deity is recognized as having aspects of both the male and the female in the form of the Goddess and the God. The Goddess is most often associated with the moon, earth, as well as a Triple Goddess form in which the aspects of a maiden, mother and crone are recognized. The God on the other hand is associated with the sun and sky as well as in many cases an image of a horned god.

Attunement: bring a particular energy in harmony with the aura. This is usually done through a form of initiation and can often have levels. For example in Reiki there are three levels of attunement each giving the practitioner more access to the energy. In ceremonial magic practitioners are attuned to the elements. A harmonious relationship/connection, to bring different psyches into harmony, a good coven will be able to attune all of its members to each other.

Aura: The energy field around the body. It has three layers thought emotion and spirit. A field that surrounds a body can be both felt and seen depending upon the practitioner. An aura is most often visible only to those born with the skill to see it, or those who developed this ability. A visible aura contains various colors and tells about the spiritual and emotional persona of the plant, human, or creature surrounded by it. However, an aura can also be felt, heard, or sensed through other means. Usually the ability to detect auras is associated with the third eye chakra.

Blessed Be: a greeting, which comes from the long version of the Wiccan Rede. An expression that is used as a simple blessing, it means to stay blessed and be blessed with every action. It can also be used as a greeting within the Craft. A term derived from the ritual of the Five-fold Kiss, it is simple a blessing commonly used by Wiccans and Pagans as a greeting or a goodbye. Abbreviated as BB or B*B.

Book of Shadows: A term coined by Aleister Crowley for a book of rituals, recipes, journal entries, laws/rules, chants/poems to gods and goddesses, magic, advice, and coven laws (if a coven B.O.S.) among other things. A B.O.S can be a coven book, detailing that coven's craft, or owned by an individual Wiccan with a more personal style. It can also be a notebook kept by a witch similar to a grimoire.

Burning Times:  A time in the middle ages and early colonial times when witches were burned to death. Refers to the Early Modern European witchcraft trials during which alleged witches were burned alive or hanged or tortured to death between the 14th and 18th centuries. Most victims were tried by local community councils/courts and were not associated with paganism or witchcraft, some were midwives, native healers, and pagan worshippers but very few, the majority be far were not.

Centering: bringing into balance the energies in the aura finding one’s center of awareness, emotional balance and ultimately becoming fully aware of oneself and the connection formed with Deity. Usually thru meditation.

Chakras: Seven major energy vortexes in the human body. Each is usually associated with a color. These vortexes are: crown-violet, forehead-indigo, throat-blue, chest-green, naval-yellow, abdomen-orange, groin- red. Originates from Hindu texts and traditional Indian medicine. The chakras are seen as energy centers (wheels) that are connected to and radiated from a physical point on the human body.

Charge of the Goddess: A poem written by Doreen Valentie, which gives her version of how, the goddess expects her followers to act and behave. Attributed to Doreen Valiente, the Charge of the Goddess has been adapted and changed overtime and now several versions exist. The premise is that the Charge is a set of guidelines or instructions given by a Goddess to her followers.

Circle: A sphere of magical energies in which Wiccan rituals are usually practiced. The area inside the circle is seen as being sacred ground in which Wicca and their deities may meet. The circle is deconstructed (released, grounded, etc) after use. Often constructed using the athame, along with incense, salt, and water, but methods vary greatly.

Cone of Power: the build up of power for a spell or magical working often done through circle ambulation. An energy form raised within a circle during ritual, many methods can be used to raise this energy form, it resembles a rounded pyramid, once raised the cone can be released so that the energy/magic raised can be sent towards the intended purpose.

Correspondences: the alignment of direction elements season’s tools. The associated attributes of an object, in Craft practices today common correspondences are followed for many things such as color, gems and stones, herbs, moon phases, days or the week, etc.

Coven: traditional three to thirteen witches that work together A group of practitioners that gather to perform ritual workings and celebrate important points on the Wheel of the Year (sabbats) as well as esbats. Covens can take many forms and can have widely varying bylaws.

Cowan:  non-witch or outsider, a person who does not follow the religion of Wicca.

Degrees: the level of membership in a coven. Usually there are three. Largely a part of British Traditional Witchcraft, Gardnerian and Alexandrian Tradition but can exist within others. Usually a three tiered system with recent initiates at the first level. Second degree initiates can initiate new members and form semi-autonomous covens in some cases. A third degree is referred to as a High Priest or High Priestess and can form their own autonomous coven. It is thought that when they have reached a new degree level the person in question will have experienced or be ready to experience certain “Wiccan Mysteries”. In order to advance to the next degree initiates are required to take part in a ritual or rite for this purpose. Each Degree also brings with it a new level of knowledge being mastered.

Earthing or Grounding:  the drawing of excess energy. Often done to center or after a ritual

Elder: someone whose been in the craft for a long time. Often twenty or more years, many Wiccan organizations have a group or board of elders who oversee 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 adept ship and counseling.

Elements: Usually counted as four: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. However many witches add spirit or akasha to this category, as well. Each element has a direction within a magical circle: Earth=north, Air=east, Fire=south, Water=west, Akasha=center. The elements are what sustain all life. The elements are found within each individual as well as in nature.

Esbats:  The celebrations based on the lunar cycle. Usually two the full and new moon esbats. Contrasted to the sabbats, which are feasts, the esbats are time of study and magic.

Evocation/Invocation: The calling forth of spiritual forces. Evocation is summoning them externally to one aura. Invocation is to summon within ones aura. An essential initial step for energy working. This is a technique in which energy that is raised is returned to the earth or an object of the earth, it is used to return energy levels to normal and to avoid overcharging your circuits so to speak.

Familiar:  An animal that shares a spiritual bond with a witch. A companion spirit, which helps or supports the practitioner. Can be sought through meditation or divination. Similar in concept to a Christian guardian angel.

God, god: Loving father to all and the perfect compliment to the Goddess. He is viewed as co-creator of the universe. Often identified with the sun, sky deserts, forests, agriculture, and wild animals. Not to be confused with the monotheistic Christian concept of 'God' he is part of a pair.

Goddess, goddess:  Definitions differ but Generally the universal mother of all who created the universe with the god. Often associated with the Moon, ocean, earth, fertility, birth and death. Healing: To repair damage either spiritual or physical. Can be physical, emotional or spiritual in nature, the goal of which is to return to a state, which is considered normal and healthy to the individual. This can be done through many means in ritual.

High Priest: The male leader of a coven

High Priestess: The female leader of a coven

Immanence: to have control over a certain group or area. Theory in which divinity is manifests and present in the physical world

Initiate:  To become a member of or rise with in a group, to take an energy into ones aura, to pass a test depending on the context Someone initiated into the Craft, a coven, Wicca or a tradition who has agreed to the bylaws of that specific group.

Law of Return/Threefold Law: What ones sends out into the universe it returns three fold. This is a law similar to karma. States that whatever is put out (positive or negative the repercussions will be felt at three times the output.

Lunar Cycle: Over the time of the month it is one orbit of the moon and the different phases of the moon. The cycle, which the moon goes through over a period of roughly 30 days. Includes full, waning, new, and waxing stages.

Magic:  To cause change in accordance with the will through the manipulation of energy. According to Crowley is the “science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with the will”. The art and science of focusing your will and emotions to effect change both in the world around you and the world within you. Magic is neither good nor evil, positive or negative. It is the use of the power that determines the path that it will take.

Pagan and Heathen: Someone not of the Abraham faiths. Usually polytheistic or animistic. A pagan is a person who follows a religion or belief outside of the main religions of the world; usually references a follower of a polytheistic religion. Heathenry follows typically a Norse/Anglo/Germanic/Indo-European tradition that strongly relies on reconstructionalism. From Latin paganus a 'country dweller' or villager. Today it' a general term for followers of Wicca and other polytheistic, magic-embracing religions. Some prefer that Wicca are called neo-pagan and that pagan refer to practitioners of ancient polytheistic faiths in their more or less original form, such as Astaru, Odinism, etc. Pagans are not Satanists.

Pantheism/Divination: The belief that a spirit permeates all things and all things are one and that one is deity. Pantheism is the belief that nature and the Divine are integrated and identical. “God is everything and everything is God.” The art of peering into the unknown by interpreting random patterns or symbols. Incorrectly referred to as "fortune telling". Examples include: tarot cards, the I Ching, rune stones, staring (scrying) into water or fire, etc.

Pentagram: The five-pointed star. Each point represents an element. A five pointed star. I always took the points to represent the elements with spirit being the top point when not inverted. When in this position it represents the importance of spirituality and when inverted the importance of the material world; when enclosed with a circle the elements and aspects of spirituality and physical are interconnected.

Perfect Love and Perfect Trust: The state of mind one enters the circle. A line found within the Wiccan Rede: “Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust”, this implies that to stand within a circle with another or as part of a coven is to completely trust and love the individuals in question.

Polarity:  two opposites that work in harmony, In Wicca usually used in reference to male and the Divine represents female as.

Polytheism: The belief in many gods, the belief in more than one god.

Priest: A male initiated witch, a male worshiper and practitioner. In the context of Wicca one who is capable and comfortable carrying out ritual and instruction in practices seekers.

Priestess:  A female initiated witch. In the context of Wicca one who is capable and comfortable carrying out ritual and instruction in practices to seekers. A female dedicated to both the service of her chosen deity or deities and humankind. A high priestess is a feminine leader of a coven or Wiccan organization that plays the role of Goddess in certain ceremonies. A solitary witch can be a priestess by dedicating herself to a particular God or Goddess.

Quarters: The four direction of a circle, North, south, east and west. Normally aligned with the elements: North=Earth, South=Fire, East=Air, West=Water. Called for protection in the circle

Reincarnation: Being reborn after death to a new life, The belief that after death the soul is born again in another body to continue learning and developing through the lessons that life offers, The rebirth of the soul into other physical forms from one life (reincarnation) to the next. The new physical form can be animal or human.

Ritual: A structured form of worship, a focused mental/physical ceremony to either honor or thank ones chosen pantheon, or to perform a specific magical working or act.

Ritual Tools: items used to do a ritual, Tools that are used to aid the practitioner in ritual. The athame, boline, candles, incense, cauldron, offering bowl/cups, statues, bell, besom/broom, wand/staff, stones, herbs and even the altar itself are considered tools in the Wiccan tradition.

Sabbats: The eight feasts, which correspond to the equinoxes, solstices or the four times directly between them. Religious holidays in a sense that follows the Wheel of the Year. Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, Yule, Ostara, Litha and Mabon. Related to the fertility and harvest cycles of the Earth.

Skyclad: Being naked in ritual, the practice of worship and ritual performed without clothing (clothed in the sky)

Spell: Conscious working of magic the magical practice or ritual performed with the purpose of bringing about a change or the will of the practitioner. Extended mental and emotional energy spoken aloud, written, spoken to oneself, drawn, or even danced. To work, it should be clear, concise, focused and emotional. The need must be present to bring any spell to a successful end.

Summerland: The afterlife between the reincarnation cycles, The Wiccan place of afterlife where souls can rest between incarnations.

Three levels of Self: thought, emotion and spirit. An alternate version of the three fold law in which what is given is returned not at three times the intensity but is applied at all three levels of self: body, soul and spirit

Traditions: the way a particular group operates and believes, Different interpretations through which Wicca and the Craft are practiced. Some common traditions are Gardnerian, Alexandrian, British Traditional, Seax, Eclectic, Dianic, and Celtic, Church and School of Wicca among others.

Wheel of the year:  the eight sabbats mark the passing of time. The annual cycle that the Earth follows. Eight sabbats are placed along the wheel, which have roots in Celtic and Germanic pre-Christian feasts and occasions. Is symbolic of the process of birth, life, decline, death and rebirth, which is experienced in life. One full cycle of the seasons, in pagan beliefs in begins on Samhain as opposed to in January.

Wiccan Rede: An it harm none do what ye will; several different versions exist, long and short. The short version exists in many variations of “An it harm none, do what ye will.” And is considered the main moral guideline in Wicca.

Witch, Wicce, Wicca:  Controversially a witch is one who practices witchcraft. A wicce is a female witch and a Wicca is a male witch. These are the old definitions of wicce and Wicca. Today Wicca is a form of witchcraft. Wicca also is used to refer to the religious belief system. There are many types and traditions of witches. A witch is not necessarily a Wiccan, though if Wiccan practices witchcraft they can be called a witch.

Witches' Pyramid: known as the four pillars of witchcraft refers to four basic principles: to know, to dare, to will, and to be silent. This is the foundation on which successful magic is based.