Altar- An area or surface built or designed exclusively for magickal or religous workings and ritual.

Amulet- A natural object, often of stone or fossil used as a protection device to the holder.

Ankh- The Ankh symbolizes the feminine aspect of life, love and reincarnation.

Astrology- The belief and study of the effects of the planets and other heavenly bodies, and how they affect lives and behavior of human beings.

Athame- Ritual knife. The handle is traditionally black or of natural wood.

Balefire- Basically another word for 'Bonfire', a balefire is a communal bonfire. Usually used at Beltane ceremonies.

Bane- A negative force or energy. Another word for bad, negative, or in opposition.

Banish- The removal of negative energy or force. To rid the presence of unwanted entities.

Besom- A witches broom used to sweep a sacred area purifying the sacred space.

Bind- Restrained from using magick.

Bolline- A curved knife, often white hilted, used for the magickal gathering and cutting of herbs.

Book of Shadows (Grimiore)- A witches book where all magickal dates, information, times, aspects, formulas and spells are enscribed. One of the most important tools as recorded happenings cannot be forgotten.

Burning Times- A time were many people were persecuted and murdered by the Christian church simply because they were 'non-believers' or witches. Believed to be in advocates of Satan. Their possessions and assets seized at death, the Christian church often profited on the killings of witches.

Cauldron- Often replaced by the cup or chalice in ritual, this tool is used for making brews or magickal potions. Its symbolizes the womb of the Goddess.

Celtic- Peoples of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, & Brittany.

Censer- A ritual tool used for burning incense during spellwork or ritual.

Chalice- A ritual tool used in libation, feminine representation.

Chakra(s)- Seven major energy centers in the human body. These are at the third eye, head, throat, chest, navel, abdomen and groin.

Circle- Sacred space where all magickal rituals and workings are performed. The circle not only protects the practitioner from outside energies but contains the working energies within.

Consecration- Blessing an object (usually a ritual tool) to purify it and empowering it with positive energy.

Coven- A group of witches who work and rite together utilizing the greater empowerment of the sum of its members, as opposed to the power of those members added individually. Containing both male and female members, traditionally a coven has 13 members but may contain any number of members.

Dedication- The acceptance of the craft (of any way), as one's path and religion, followed by intense study to gain the necessary knowledge and preparation to be adept at this tradition.

Deity- God, Goddess or Godhead.

Divination- Any method used to foretell the future. Some forms are Astrology, Runes, Tarot, tea leaves,& scrying. There are many other forms as well.

Element- The elements earth, air, fire, water and spirit. The elements and their directions are extremely important in rituals.

Esbat- From the french word, esbattre, meaning to frolic, the esbat is the powerful ritual time of the full moon. There are 13 esbats in a year, all known by moon names.

Evocation- The act of summoning the presence of spirits, deities or elementals to your sacred space.

Familiar- Most commonly an animal, a familiar is a witch's working helper.

God- The aspect of a masculine deity..

Goddess- The aspect of a feminine deity.

Handfasting- A Wiccan marriage ceremony which traditionally takes place at a specified period of time depending on one's tradition.

Herbalism- The magickal and medicinal art of using herbs for the practitioners use or benefit.

Invocation- The drawing of an aspect of a deity into one's self using magickal ritual.

Karma- Karma follows the law of cause an effect. It is the belief that what one's actions do in this life, will return to them in this life be it negative or positive and also carry over to the next life and lives to come. Basically - "What you give is what you get," and "What goes around, comes around."

Magick- Aleister Crowley said it best: "Magick is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity to will"

Offerings (Libation) - Drink or sometimes food, given to a deity, or spirit during magickal ritual.

Wiccan Rede- "An ye harm none, do what thou will". Visit the Wiccan Rede page.

Pendulum- A string attached to a heavy object such as a crystal or the like. Questions are divined by noting the motion of the pendulum during divination.

Pentacle - A pentagram surrounded by a circle, usually a pendant.

Pentagram - Always seen with the apex (point) upwards, it represents the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit and also creative principle over creation.

Polytheism - The belief in the existence of multiple deites or godheads, as opposed to monotheism, where only a single god or godhead is revered.

Reincarnation - The belief that we all return, after death, to the earth in the form of another body. A result of a major wiccan principle that energy never dies.

Ritual - Ceremony to perform magickal acts or workings.

Runes - Alphabet and a divination tool, runes are a set of symbols.

Sabbat - Day of Power. Holy Day. Holiday. Eight days of the wheel of the year.

Samhain - October 31, Sabbat denoting beginning of Winter. Celtic New Year.

Scrying - A form of divination using mirror and bowls where the user "sees" images, pictures of thoughts themselves.

Sidhe(Shee) - The name applied to the fairie, faery, fey, faierie, kind.

Skyclad - Nudity in ritual is "skyclad".(Dancing naked in the moonlight)

Solitary - - Single practicioner witch who practices/worships without a coven.

Spell - A ritual designed to change something, based on praticioners goals. Also called ritual, spinning, weaving, casting and spellcraft.

Sunwise - dancing clockwise during a spell or chant.

Talisman - An object empowered to protect the wearer. (kinda like a good luck charm)

Tarot - Divination using cards. There are many decks available. I prefer the traditional Rider-Waite deck, and the Mermaids and Dolphins Deck.

Triple Goddess (Fates) - The 3 aspects of fate, maiden, mother and crone.

Wheel of the Year - The seasonal shift of the 8 sabbats or days of power.

Wicca- Ancient religion based on nature and life. Translated from old latin phrase "practice of the wise"

Witch - Offerings (Libation) - Practicioner Of Magick. "Practicioner of the wise religion"

Yule (Norse New Year) - Winter Solstice, shortest day of the year. Yule is when the goddess gave birth to the god.