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Akashic Records: records of everyone's past lives and of ancient knowledge; these records are found only on the astral planes. These records cannot be accessed without a journy to those planes and without the training to find, read, and interpret what one sees. In India, it is believed that thses records also record any future lives as well.
Altar: a flat surface used only for performing rituals or making magic. An altar may be something as simple as a large, flat stone or a table.
Amulets: a human-made object that is charmed for the protection of the wearer
Ankh: the ancient Egyptian cross, crux anata, with a loop at the top, in ancient times it symboloized life and reincarnation.
Apprentice: a beginner. The words neophyte, novice, and postulant are also used, although these are more reminiscent of orthodox religious orders.
Arcana: a name applied to the 2 parts of a tarot deck. There are 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana is further divided into four suits of Pentacles, Wands, Swords, and Cups, which represents the four Elements.
Astral Planes: other planes of reality that interpenetrate and co-exist with the physical plane on which humans live. These can be reached through directed astral travel or meditation. There are several levels or areas on the astral planes, all different and all containing different trypes of beings.
Astral Travel: the seperation of the astral body from the physical body. The person retains consciousness and can use this astral form to explore the astral plane or journey across time and space.
Astrology: the ancient science that uses the position of the stars at the time of a person's birth to predict a possible future. Astrology is also used to calculate the time of "birth" of a city, nation, or business to predict the future.
Athame: the traditional black-hilted, double-edged knife used by Witches during rituals and in magic.It is not used to kill or cut anything.
B
Balefire: an old word for bonfire. The original word was Bel's fire, referring to the sun god Bel.
Bane: a source of harm or destruction; a curse.
Banish: to cast something out by magic, usually negative spirits, entities, or energies. The word is also used when referring to cutting the astral ritual circle. Some Wiccan groups use the word banish in reference to expelling a memeber.
Baphome: a half-human, half-goat image of a deity. Originally used by the Knights Templar, latter by Satanists.
Besom: an old word for a broom. This special broom is used to symbolically sweep the circle clean before ritual.
Bi-Location: a phrase used to describe seeing a physical person in one place, while others see the astral body (which appers physical) of that person in another place.
Bind: the use of magic to restrict the power and movement of people, entities, and energies. This is primarily used by Witches when they are attacked.
Blasting: placing a curse on someone.
Blood of the Moon: a phrase used by some female Witches to describe the menstrual cycle.
Bolline: a white-handled knife with a curved blade; primarily used to cut herbs, usually resembles a small hand sickle.
Bonfires: fires lighted outdoors by ancient cultures to celebrate certain holy days. The name probably came from the words "bone-fire" or "Bel's fire." The Celtic word teinne means fire, such as in the word Beltane. Surviving Scottish place-names, such as Craig-an-teine (rock of the fire) and Auch-an-teine (feild of the fire), reveal their origins. The ashes from these fires were thought to be very lucky. People carried some home to attract luck and protect against evil and ill-wishing.
Book of Shadows a.k.a. BoS: the traditional name for the book in which a Witch keeps his/her rituals, spells, and any other information he/she has learned. Although some Witches believe this can only be a black-bound book, others choose notebooks in colorful designs.
Bune Wand: an old Scottish term for anything a Witch used to fly upon. In Scottish folklore, bune wands are usually described as a forked stick or a staff. The forked stick like antlers, symbolizes the Horned God.
Burning Times: the period during the Middle Ages when the Christian Church hunted down, tortured, and murdered anyone they suspected of being a Pagan or a Witch.
C
Cakes and Ale: a phrase used by Gereld Gardner to describe the wine, juice, ale and cakes, cookies, bread useed in some Wiccan rituals.
Call: a series of words or sounds that are used to invoke or "call" deities.
Cauldron: the cast iron pot used by Witches, used for making fires, holding lighted candles, brewing herbal remidies, magical work, or as a symbol of the womb of the Goddess.
Chakras: the Hindu comcept that describes seven major astral light centers or energy vortices in the physical and astral body of humans.
Canneling: contacting and communicating with disembodied entities while in a trance state, or altered state of consciousness and allowing such entities to use the physical body and voise to communicate with other humans. It is also known as mediumship or being a medium.
Chanting: verbally repeating words or verses to build up power within a magic circle. This accumulated power is released as part of spell work.
Charms: an amulet or talisman that has been enchanted with power by a spell.
Circle: a smybol of eternity, the devine, the universe, or spirit. Also see "magic circle."
Clairvoyance: being aware of psychic happenings, it also means "clear seeing."
Cleansing: to remove all negative energies or entities from an object, person, or place.
Cone of Power: the magical, psychic energy that is raised and contained within a consecrated circle. Psychically seen, the power eminates from the edge of the circle and rises to a peak high above. At its hight, this power is released to manifest a desired result.
Consecration: the purification and blessing of an object, person, or place.
Coven: a group of Witches or Wiccans who work together regularly. Some believe a coven must have thirteen members of less, but never less than three. The word coven was first used in sixteenth-century Scotland.
Covenstead: the place where a coven regularly meets.
Craft Name: the new, magical name taken by a Witch or Wiccan at initiation. The name is kept secret from all except those with whom the Witch or Wiccan works.
Curses: deliberate ill-wishing or blasting of a person.
D
Days of Power: these days can be holy days (sabbats) or the Full or New Moon. Other days can be powerful for Witches because of eclipses, astrological alignments, or personal days of significants.
Dedication: the oath made by Wiccan initiates that promis their life and self to the Wiccan religion.
Degrees: in traditional Wiccan groups, there are three degrees of initiation, earned by study and practice. The last, called the Third Degree, makes one a High Priest or Priestess.
Deosil: to move in a Clockwise direction.
Divinations: to uncover the possible future of information by the use of certain tools, such as tarot cards, I Ching, or runes. Divination is also used to find hidden things.
Drawing Down the Moon: a Full Moon ritual usually performed by a priestess or female Witch, to bring the essence of the Goddess within the woman.
E
Earth Magic: magic performed with natural objets found in or on earth. Also, magic that uses power drawn from the earth.
Elder: the title bestowed upon an older, knowledgeable member of some Wiccan or Witch groups. In traditional Wiccan groups, an elder is generally a Third Degree.
Enchantment: to use magic to influence the actions of a person or the outcome of an event.
Esbat: the Full and New Moon rituals of Wiccans and Witches.
Evocation: the calling of a spirit.
F
Familiar: a physical or astral creature that has a psychic bond with a Witch.
Five-Fold Kiss: a ritual practice used by Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wiccans.
G
Great Rite: a symbolic sexual ritual of the Great Marriage between the Goddess and the God, performed by the High Priest and High Priestess. This can be physically or symbolcally enacted.
Grimoire: although some Wiccans use this term to refer to the Book of Shadows, it is more correctly a name linked with ceremonial magic.
H
Handfasting: a Pagan marriage ceremony.
Hexagram: this six-pointed star dates farther back that Judaism. It is somethimes used to represent the Hermetic (Egyptian) teaching "as above, so below," Tis is a symbol of the balance of male and female energies.
High Priest: the male leader of a coven.
High Priestess: the female leader of a coven.
Hive Off: when a mamber of a coven leaves and starts his/her own coven.
I
Incarnation: the present physical life.
Initiation: the ceremony performed when someone joins a coven, after studying and practicng with the coven for a year and a day. Self-initations can be done by Solitary Wiccans as a sign of total dedication to the Wiccan religion.
Invocation: the part of a ritual in which higher powers and/or deities are invited into a consecrated circle.
K
Karma: the Hindu law of casuse and effect.
L
Lift-hand Path: the psychic road travled by those who use negative magic. Sometimes this term is applied to Satanism.
M
Macrocosm: the great outer world; the universe around us.
Magic Circle: a consecrated, circular space where magic and rituals are performed.
Microcosm: the inner world within us or our immediate personal surroundings.
O
Old Ways: a refference to the ancient practises of Witchcraft and Paganism.
P
Pagan: a term to describe any non-orthodox nature based belief system or religion.
Pantheon: traditional groups of deities. Each pantheon is connected with an ancient culture or tradition.
Pentacle: a five pointed star with a circle around it, uaually made of metal, wood, paper, or cereamics.
Pentagram: a five pointed star; each point represents one of the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit).
Polytheism: the belief in more thatn one deity.
Q
Qabala: the Jewish magical system. It can be spelled many ways including, Cabala, Kabala, Kabbala, and Qabala.
Quarters: the four direction of a consecrated circle (north, south, east, and west).
R
Reincarnation: the belief that everyone has lived many lives and will live more in the future.
Runes: sacred symbols used by the Vikings for divination and as an alphabet.
S
Sabbats: the eight holy days for Wiccans and Witches.
Skyclad: the term meaning nude or naked during a ritual. Traditionally used by members of the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions.
T
Telekenesis: the ability to physically move objects by the power of the mind.
The Craft: a term that is used to refer to Witchcraft.
The God: the male aspect of deity.
The Goddess: the female aspect of deity.
The Lady: a term used to refer to the Goddess.
The Lord: a term used to refer to the God.
The Wiccan Rede: the main law of Wicca that states "An' is harm none, do as thou will." This means, do what you want as long as it does not harm yourself, nature, or anyone else.
Threefold Law: the ethic in Wicca that states "whatever you do comes back to you three times as greater."
W
Warlock: an oath breaker, trator, desciver, or a liar.
Wheel of the Year: the term to dexcribe the eight Sabbats.
Widdershins: to move counter Clockwise.
Witching Hour: traditionally this is Midnight.