|
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.
|
| ASPECTING | Any advanced magickal activity in which a practitioner
manifests a particular aspect of the Goddess or God, in thought,
feelings, behavior, appearance, etc.; Often as a direct result of a
"Drawing Down". Often a minor variation of this phenomena occurs with
the selection of a "Magical Name", of Craft Name.
|
| ASPECTS | Forms, facets, or personas of Deity: for example, Brighid,
Iseult,Eos, and Kore are all aspects of the Maiden, and the Maiden
is an aspect of the Goddess.
|
| 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.
|
| 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.
|
| BURNING TIMES | a term used by some Witches for the period of
persecution in the Middle Ages and later. It is in fact a
misnomer in some places, as Witches were only burned in
Scotland, and on the continent of Europe. In England and the
U.S., they were hanged.
|
| 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 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.
|
| 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.
|
| COYOTE ENERGY | trickster energies. Named for the American
Indian Trickster, Coyote, who tricks man into learning what
he needs to learn. Applies to one who constantly jokes and
clowns. Also applies to the concept of "Holy Fool" in many
traditions.
|
| 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.
|
| DRAWING DOWN THE MOON | Ritual invocation of the spirit of
the Goddess into the body of the High Priestess by the High
Priest.
|
| DIVINATION | magical method of exploration or inquiry into a
situation via such methods as Tarot cards, runestones, IChing,
etc.
|
| 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.
|
| ESBAT | weekly or biweekly meeting of a coven. Traditionally
held either on the full moon or the new moon.
|
| 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.
|