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THE MAGICKAL
WICCAN TERMINOLOGY
ALTAR - Special flat surface set aside for religious
acknowledgement and/or
magickal workings. Generally of an all natural material, ie.
stone or a wooden table
built with out metal fasteners.
ARADIA - Daughter of the Sun, Lucifer, and the Moon, Diana, and a
name for the
Goddess used by Italian Witches or Strega, commonly used in many
Wiccan traditions today.
ALEXANDERIAN - That tradition of Witchcraft descended
from the teachings of Alex Sanders.
ATHAME - black handled, double edged knife. Principally used to cast and dissolve
the circle, for which purposes it is interchangeable with the sword, the wand or
besom. Considered to be a tool of the Element Fire in many traditions.
ASTRAL TRAVEL/PROJECTION: The process of separating your astral body from your physical one
to accomplish travel in the astral plane or dreamtime.
AVONIAN WICA - Tradition initiated by Avon Maser. Primary dieties are Mother
Earth, Father Sun and Daughter Moon. Based in belief in an ecological pattern of
technology to achieve advancement of Human race.
BANISH - To exorcise unwanted energies and/or entities. To rid the presence of the same.
BESOM - Some traditions see the besom/broom as others use the athame or wand. It
is often used to sweep physical debris and meta-physical negativity from a place to
serve as sacred space, ie. casted circle.
BELTANE - May Eve festival. One of the Ancient Celtic Fire Festivals. Bel, meaning
the god Baal, and tane meaning fire, literally translates to Baal's Fire. 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. This Festival also marks
the transition point of the triple Goddess energies from those of Maiden to Mother.
BIND : To prevent or limit. in the magickal context the act of limiting a spell
BANISH : To make go away, To magically end something or exorcise unwanted entities.
BOOK OF SHADOWS - Traditionally hand copied book of rituals,recipes, 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 should be allow
to 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.
CALL: Invoking Divine Forces.
CANDLEMAS - Festival held on Feb. 1. One of the four Celtic Fire Festivals.
Commemorates the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden.
Celebrates the first signs of Spring. Also called Imbolg or Imbloc (the old Celtic
name). This is the seasonal change where the first signs of sring 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 triple Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden.
CARDINAL POINTS - North, South, East, and West.
CAULDRON - Three legged cooking
vessel, considered by some traditions to be a one of the tools of the Witch. May be
used as a vessel to prepare brews and potions, as well as a censer. Placed in circle or
on an altar to represent the womb of the goddess.
CHALICE - one of the tools of the Witch. Placed on the altar to represent the element
CHANNELING: New Age practice where you allow a disincarnate entity to "borrow" your body
to speak to others either through automatic writing or verbally of Water.
CHARGE OF THE GODDESS - The Traditional words of the Goddess to her followers.
Originally written by Doreen Valiente, it is a story of the message from the Goddess
to her children. Normally declared by the HPS at every coven Circle.
CHAKRAS: Seven major energy vortexes found in the human body.
Each is usually associated with a color.
CLEANSING: The act of removing any negative energy,
vibrations or images from an object or place by utilizing positive, psychic energy.
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 Dark Moon 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.
CONSECRATION: The act of blessing an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.
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
considered to be 13, but many covens number considerably less. In Middle English,
the word Covin means a group of confederates; In Old French Covine is defined as 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. Not often used today
among most Witches.
CRAFT, THE : Witchcraft, Wicca.
CROSS QUARTERS - The modern name for the Celtic Fire Festivals of Samhain,
Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.
DEGREE - Levels of attainment, many traditions have three degrees,or levels of adeptness.
DEOSIL - clockwise. Traditional direction for working building magick.
DOWSING: The art/science of using a pendulum or stick to find the actual location of a person
place, thing or element.
DRAWING DOWN THE MOON - Ritual invocation of the spirit of the Goddess into the
body of the High Priestess by the High Priest.
DIANIC - Tradition initiated by An Forfreedom. Members are both male and female,
but focuses on Feminine leadership.
DIVINATION - magical method of exploration or
inquiry into a situation via such methods as Tarot cards, runestones, I-Ching, etc.
EARTH MAGICK - Practical form of magick whereas the powers and forces of Mother
Earth are used to conduct magickal workings or celebrations.
ELDER - Individuals who through their wisdom, age, experience,education,
counseling, as well as other areas have overseen the teachings of the Crafte, and
protected them with their all. Seldom one under the age of thirty-five.
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.
ENCHANTMENT: A magickal object that must be kept absolutely secret and hidden
from all human eyes ands affects a hidden aura. Enchantments must be charmed first.
Gems and magickal writing are good items for Enchantments
EQUINOX - Either of the two times a year when the sun
crosses the equator and the length of day and night are approximately the same.
Spring Equinox approximately March 21st-22nd, Fall Equinox September 21st-22nd.
ESBAT - meeting of a witches, Traditionally held either on the
full moon or the new moon.
EVOCATION: To call something out from within.
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.
FIVEFOLD KISS - The Witches' ritual salute, with kisses; (1) on each foot, (2) on each
knee, (3) above the pubic hair, (4) on each breast, and (5) on the lips, really eight
kisses in all. It is only used within the Circle, but the words that go with it are the
origin of Blessed Be.
GARDNERIAN - A tradition of Witchcraft descended from the teachings of Gerald
Gardner.
GODDESS: Generally the universal mother of all who created the universe with the god.
GNOMES - an entity or elemental that dwells in the plane of Earth or is associated
with the EARTH Element.
GREAT RITE - The rite which is the main feature of the third degree initiation, and
which is also laid down for certain festivals. It is sexual in nature, but may be actual
(and private to the couples concerned) or symbolic, as the participants wish.
GREEN MAN - One of the many faces/aspects of the God.
GUARDIANS: Ceremonial magicians use the Guardians of the
Watchtowers or Guardians of the Four Quarters.
HALLOWS - Name used by some traditions for Samhain, or Halloween.
HANDFASTING - Wiccan equivalent of a wedding. It can be made legal if the Priestess
and/or Priest are registered as clergy with the local authorities, or it may only be
considered binding within the coven.
HEATHEN- One who dances on the Heath. Another word for Pagan.
HIGH PRIEST/ESS - Technically speaking, a Witch who has received the third degree
initiation. More usually, the male and female leaders of a coven.
IMBOLG - Celtic name for Candlemas.
INITIATION: An experience that so transforms the individual that their concept
of personal and worldly reality has been altered.
INVOCATION - The ritual calling-in of an entity or energies higher than human, either
for communication with the caller through a medium or by visible manifestation or
else to enter into a human body as in the Drawing Down the Moon. In some
traditions, a Prayer.
KARMA: The belief that one's thoughts and deeds can be either counted against
them or added to their spiritual path during several life times.
LAMMAS - August 1st. Witch Festival. The Old Celtic name for this festival is
Lughnassadh. It is the Festival of the First Fruits, and is the first of the three
harvests. This festival also marks the change of the Triple Goddess energies from
that of Mother to Crone.
LEFT HAND PATH - Path less traveled, denotes that which is against Nature and
Human Kind. Also known as the DARK PATH.
MAIDEN - An appointment held by one of the women of the coven. She acts as the
assistant High Priestess. This term is also the descriptive term used to describe the
first of the aspects of the Triple Goddess, Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Traditionally
associated with the Waxing Moon, and the period from Imbolc -Candlemas till
Beltane - May Eve, where the energies are those of initiating,beginning, and
creation.
MAGICK CIRCLE: A circular boundary drawn in visionary blue flames or white light
that protects the Witch from outside forces while conducting ritual magick.
MOON TIME - Also known as that time of the month, a woman's menstrual cycle.
MOTHER, MAIDEN, CRONE - The three aspects of the Triple Goddess.
NEO-PAGAN - Meaning New Pagan, New Age talk.
OLD RELIGION - One of many names for the religion of Wica.
OLD PATH - One of many names for the religion of Wicca.
OLD WAYS - One of many names for the religion of Wicca.
PAGAN - One who is not Christian, Islamic or Jewish. From the latin,
PAGANI or PAGANUS meaning country dweller or bumpkin.
PAGANING - Presentation of an infant to the Circle and to the Gods. Similar in aspect
to the Christian Christening.
PATH - Different Magical traditions
PANTHEON: A Collection or group of Gods and Goddesses in a particular
religious or mythical structure.
PENTACLE - An altar upon an altar, usually a disc shaped talisman; which can be
fashioned from wood, Beeswax, stone or, more commonly in today's world, metal,
which may or may not have inscribed upon it the five pointed star of the Pentagram,
as well as other mystical symbols. Among the witch's working tools, it is this disc
which represents the earth element.
PENTAGRAM - The five-pointed star, often said to represent the five elements of
life, Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. With a single point uppermost, it represents
the human being. Inverted, with two points uppermost, it is said to have Satanist
associations; but not necessarily. Some traditions of Wicca use the inverted
pentagram to signify an initiate of the second degree, and take offense at such
usage.
QUARTERS - The North, East, South, and West parts of a magickal circle or other
ritual area. Refer also to Watchtowers
REINCARNATION :The belief that one has lived before in another lifetime.
REDE - rule or law.
RUNES: A set of symbols that are used both in divination and magickal workings.
There are several types of runes with different origins. A few are the Norse
Scandinavian and Germanic runes
SABBAT - one of the Eight festivals or high holidays of Wica.
SAMHAIN - The festival of remembrance for the dead, held on October 31st. It is the
last of the three harvests.This festival also marks the transition of rulership of the
Wheel of the Year from that of the Goddess to that of the God.
SCRYING - A form of divination intelling self hypnosis to achieve a trance state, in
which joins the concious with the sub-concious to discern useful information. Usually
done by using such methods as gazing into crystal balls, black glass or polished
bronze mirrors, hearth fires, candle flames, smoke or a bowl filled water as opposed
to tarot or other means that may be manipulated.
SKYCLAD: In some traditions, for example the Alexandrian,
it is the act of celebrating or doing a magickal working in the nude.
SEAX-WICA - Tradition founded by Raymond Buckland, promotes Saxon traditions.
SOLSTICE - Either of the two times a year when the sun reaches an extreme
northward or southward motion. Summer Solstice approximately June 21st-22nd,
approximately December 21st-22nd.
SPELL - the structured and focused direction of psychic energies toward the
accomplishment of a goal. Sometimes uttered in rhyme or the form of a prayer to a
specific diety.
SUMMONER - The male officer of the coven who corresponds to the Maiden. This
person acts as the assistant High Priest. TRADITIONS - any of the various sects of
Wicca such as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Georgian, Seax, etc.
TALISMAN: An object that has been magickally charged
TRIPLE GODDESS - Refer to MOTHER, MAIDEN, CRONE
WAND - A rod or staff that is prepared so that it may be used for magickal or psychic
purposes, usually to project some form of power. One of the Witches tools,
representing Air. Though elemental affiliation may vary from one tradition to the next.
WARLOCK - Seventeenth century Scotland. Bad Scottish pronounciation of the Old
English words waer logga, denoting a traitor to the Craft, meaning oath breaker, or
betrayer of the faith. Because of these negative connotations, it is not used by
Wiccans today.
WATCH TOWERS - Originally from Ceremonial Magick, has now incorporated into
many Traditions of Wicca, these are the four elemental directions or quarters
(orresponding to the appropriate points on the compass)called to protect the Circle
during its establishment. Each of them have a correspondence between the compass
point, an element, and color associated with them, varying amongst different
WEBWEAVING: Networking with other magickal people traditions
WICCA - the name most modern day Witches use for the Craft. It is, in actuality, the
Old English word for male witch, the femminine being wicce. The Old English word,
Wiccain meant to bend or to shape. This is the root word from which we get wicker.
WICCE - Old English, Female Witch.
WIDDERSHINS - counter clockwise. Used for
tearing down OR BANISHING magick.
WHITE HANDLED KNIFE - the working knife of a Witch. It is used to
carve candles,
and for fashioning the other tools. In many traditions, it can only be used in Circle.
A WORKING: As in MAGICKAL WORKING. The process of using magick
to reach a desired positive goal......
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