 | Dictionary
Adept ~ An individual who through serious study has reached a high level in a certain magick system, ie: crystals or tarot.
Akashic Records ~ This is a giant collection of healing techniques and other magickal practices. It is also said to hold information on past lives. These records cannot be accessed by a P.C. but only through the mind and universe connections.
Alexandrian Tradition ~ This tradition was founded in England in the 1960s by Alex Sanders. He called himself the Witch King.
Altar ~ A surface on which to carry out magickal workings, it can be at the center of a ritual or spell.
Amulet ~ This is basically another name for a charm. These are symbols of good luck and protective energies. They can be made form anything such as feathers, beads and crystals. There are also the common amulets, such as the horseshoe and the four-leaf clover.
Ankh ~ This is like the Christian cross but it has a loop at the top. It originates from Egypt and is often seen in pictures of gods. It was recognised as a symbol of birth, life, and death.
Arcana ~ These are the two different sections of the Tarot deck. The major arcana consisting of 22 cards, and the minor arcana being 56 cards in size.
Astral ~ This is another name for anything to do with spirits. The Astral Plane is where we go after death. Astral Projection is when we split our spirits from our bodies and travel in the form. Referring to something as being in Astral Form would simply mean for it to be as a spirit.
Athame ~ Much like the wand, it is a cleansed peice of equipment that is used for magickal work only. It can be used to cast a circle or direct energy. It is usually in knife form but is never used for blood letting or cutting anything physical.
Banish - To get rid of something, usually by magical means. It can also mean to end something unwanted.
Beltane - One of the major pagan holidays. See the holidays section for full details.
Bi-Location - This is very like Astral Projection, but with bi-location you stay on the physical plane, but in astral form. During bi-location you are usually aware of your physical surroundings, thus it is more like travelling through the mind.
Bind - To restrain something, or someone. To bind a spell can also mean to seal a spell and may be done to finish it and send it into the universe.
Book of Shadows - Each witch usually has one of these, taliored to thier needs. Recipes for spells and potions can be stored here, ritual records are usually stored here as well, to improve on future attempts. Anything to do with Paganism may be added here. A cover spell can also be put on the book to stop it falling into the wrong hands.
Boline - A knife that has a curved blade and a white handle. It is used for magical applications where things need to be cut. For example, cutting herbs or carving candles.
Chakras - Along the body there are seven major energy points called chakras. Starting from the groin up to the head they are all different colours and effect our bodies in different ways. There are also many smaller energy centres such as in the hands and the feet. Many magical systems use the major chakras for healing and power purposes. Find our more in the Crystals section about using the chakras.
Channelling - This is the art of allowing a spirit or ghost to enter your body and make contact with the physical world, either verbally or with writing. A lot of people do not follow channeling because it is hard to prove, and people fear what it could do to them. The most covered subjects in channeling are information on the afterlife and what death is like. Channeling is the new way to practice mediumship.
Charms - Charms are also known as Talismals or Amulets. They can do a number of things from protecting the wearer, to banishing fear or greed. See the charms section for more info.
Cone of power - The cone of power is formed when a group or solitary raises energy for a spell or ritual. The energy forms a sort of cone shape and is released into the universe as the spell is carried out and finished. It is different from the magic circle, but it can be weakened if something passes through it like the circle.
Cleansing - To cleanse something is to remove negative and stale energies from it, and restore it with positive energy. Crystals need to be cleansed if they have been touched by other. See the crystals section for cleansing crystals.
Consecration - This is slightly different from cleansing. Consecrating something is to bless an object with holy energies. Like cleansing, consecration instills the object with positive energies, but on a more powerful level.
Coven - A group of witches or pagans that perform magic and ritual together. The group can be as small as two or three witches, but should be no larger than thirteen. The covenstaed is where they meet up, this can be anywhere the coven desires and a place where they all feel safe.
Dedication - This is when you dedicate yourself to Witchcraft. Pagansim, Wicca or any of the other magic systems. Within Dedication you accept this new path and vow to learn and study about it. You are about to accept something new into your life and stay with it, no matter how hard. This is not like Initiation, where you are accepted into a group.
Deosil - A clockwise movement.
Divination - Using a tool to acquire information on the past, present or future. You can also attain information on a certain object or event.
Dowsing - Using a Pendulum or a Forked stick to gain an answer. The stick is more commonly used to find sites of water. It can be trained to give a Yes or No answer. or to help you find the location of something, for example, the Aura.
Drawing down the Moon - Part of a ritual, or a ritual by itself, where one gains energy from the full moon and/or to invite the essence of a Goddess into the circle.
Elder - Within an older coven there may be a small group of Elders who help and oversee the functions of the Coven. The are usually older than many of the coven members and have reached thier position through many years of craft service, educating new pagans and being a counselor.
Elements - Known as Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit (Ether). Each element has its place on the compas, East with Air, South for Fire, West for Water and North for Earth. Spirit is usually placed at the centre of the circle. There is some controversy over the elements and thier compass points, some argue that Air is in the North, but that choice is yours to make and could be determined by your tradition.
Evocation - To bring something outward from the inside.
Familiar - An animal that has a spiritual link with the Witch. It is usually a domestic pet owned by the witch, but it can also be an astral entity that is created by the witch to do a certain job, for examplt, protection.
Gaia - Said, 'Guy-a', is a greek goddess but also means Mother Earth.
Green Man - This is another name for The God, this name came about because he protects the forests of the world.
Guardians - In ceremonies or rituals, the guardians my be called. Guardians of the Watchtowers/Quaters are used the most. The are seen as angels by most, but can be anythina, maybe made from the elements if using the Quarters. The choice is up to you.
Handfasting - The Pagan and Wiccan marriage ceremony.
Initiation - A ritual that changes the Witches life once more. It usually occurs when one is being accepted into the coven community as a full member.
Invocation - Bringing something in from the outside.
Karma - Every action and thought effects your karma for better or for worse. This state of mind, known as karma, is carried with you for the rest of your life, some even believe it goes into the next life as well. The word Karma is sanskrit for 'Action', karma acts very much like the rule of three.
Macrocosm - The world around us
Microcosm - The world within us
Magic - Focusing will to make change, both in the physical place and the astral planes. It is a science where one alligns thier emotions, thoughts and needs, along with the universe to help that change come to be.
Magic Circle - A circle of energy raised by the witch or coven to protect them during the ritual or spell. It is usually made of blue fire that surrounds the whole spell area and keeps the energy in. A door has to be cut to let people in and out as the circle will be weakened or even borken if someone passes through it. The circle is always taken down at the end of a ritual or spell so the energy does not go stale.
Magic Systems - These are also known as traditions, where the pantheons and rituals may be different fomr another system.
New age - This is a term used to describe how old metaphysical practices are mixed with modern day structured religions.
Neo Pagan - The word Neo just means, new or contempory. Thus, new pagan only means modern day pagan. A pagan of the modern world practices more modern parts of the old religion.
Pantheon - A collection of Gods and Goddesses from a certain tradition or sect. The Egyptian and Greek God Systems are examples of patheons.
Pentacle - A pentagram surrounded by a circle.
Pentagram - A five pointed star that is the symbol of the Witchcraft and Wicc Religions. Each point refers to one of the elements, the top one being spirit. The upside down pentagram is seen as a symbol of evil be many, and even a wrong doing be fellow pagans. But this is completely incorrect, the normal pentagram is the sign of first degree initiation, upside down shows second degree initiation. Third degree initiation symbol is a pentagram with a triangle surrounding the top point.
Priestess - Once a Female has dedicated themselves to the path of the craft and her chosen pantheon she becomes a Priestess for that pantheon, though, she could be a priestess to a select few Gods of that system.
Priest - Once a Male has dedicated themselves to the path of the craft and his chosen pantheon he becomes a Priest for that pantheon, though, he could be a priest to a select few Gods of that system.
Reincarnation - The belief that when we die we rest for some time then return to the physical plane for another lifetime.
Ritual - A ceremony to either honour or thank a deity or pantheon, or to carry out a magical act.
Runes - An old alphabet from north Europe that is now used for divination.
Scrying - Divination using a crystal ball or a bowl of inked/clear water. This technique produces mental thoughts and pictures about a certain question.
Sigil - A magical symbol or letter that is used for sealing something, signing something or protection. Sigils should be created by the witch themself so that the power of the sigil is stronger, and has true meaning to them.
Skyfather - This is another name for the god, he is the sun and is refered to as skyfather by some people, just as we can call the goddess earthmother. Skyfather is not just pagan, it is also seen in many of the native amercan religions.
Skyclad - Being naked when doing a spell or ritual.
Spiral - This sacred symbol is the sign of creation and making, the spiral dance celebrates this symbol.
Talisman - an object that has been cleansed and consecrated, then charged to carry out a certain task for the wearer, be that protection, or increase in health. They can also bring good luck.
Vision Questing - Using astral porjection, bi-location or dreaming to find something out.
Webweaving - Writing letters or e-mails to other magical people. You can ask for advice, or in turn, provide advice when asked for it.
Wheel of the Year - One full turn through all the seasons, from november 1st to October 31st.
Widdershins - Anti-clockwise movement, this is sometimes used in banishing spells.
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