Witchery's Book Of Shadows - Glossary Of Often Used Terms
- ALTAR - Special flat surface set aside for religious acknowledgement
and/nor 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 Witchcrafte 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.
- 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/nor entities. To rid the
presence of same.
- BESOM - Some traditions see the besom/nbroom 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.
- BLACK HANDLE KNIFE - See ATHAME.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- COVEN - an organized group of Witches, led by a High
priestess and/nor
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/nor pretender. Not often used today among most Witches.
- CROSS QUARTERS - The modern name for the Celtic Fire
Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.
- DARK PATH - See LEFT HAND PATH
- DAYS OF POWER - See SABBAT
- DEGREE - Levels of attainment, many traditions have three
degrees or levels of adeptness.
- DEOSIL - clockwise. 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- FAM-TRAD - Family Tradition, see TRADITION.
- 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.
- 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/naspects of the God.
- 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/nor 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.
- 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.
- JACK IN THE GREEN - One of the many faces/naspects of the God.
- JOHN BARLEYCORN - One of the many faces/naspects of the God.
- 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.
- 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 jargen.
- OLD RELIGION - One of many names for the religion of Wica.
- OLD PATH - One of many names for the religion of Wica.
- OLD WAYS - One of many names for the religion of Wica.
- 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 - see TRADITION
- 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
- REDE - rule or law.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 "corresponding 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 traditions
- WICA - Old English name for the form of worship practiced by
heathens.
- 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 clock wise. 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.
