Pagan Vocabulary     

Alter - a special surface or place set aside for magickal workings and/or religious acknowledgement

Amulet - an object that is charged for protection or for charm-like use (e.g. love, money, etc)

Astral Plane - another plane or dimension of reality.

Astral Projection - the process of separating your astral (psychic) body from your physical body in order to travel to the Astral Plane.

Athame- A double bladed ritual knife used to direct energy. The athame is never used for physical cutting.

Banish - to magickally end something or to send away.

Besom - An energized broom used to sweep out negative energy

Bind - to magickally restrain someone or something.

Boline - A curved knife used for cutting, harvesting, and inscribing

Book of Shadows or BOS - a private magickal journal that a witch keeps... they usually contain his/her notes of magickal workings, dreams, spells, rituals, etc.

Cauldron - A cast iron pot that is representative of the Goddess

Censor - An incense burner

Chakras - the seven major energy vortexes found in the human body.

Chalice - A ritual cup

Charm - an object that is charged and instilled for a specific task.

Circle - Ritual area used to contain energy and perform rituals

Chinese Elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water

Cone of Power - a mass of psychic energy that is raised and focused by a person or a group of people (coven) to achieve a purpose or goal.

Cleansing - removing any negative energy, vibrations, or images from a person, object, or place.

Consecration - blessing an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.

Coven - a group of 3 -13 witches that practice magick and perform rituals together.

Dedication - a ritual in which the person accepts Wicca / paganism as their spiritual path and in which the person vows to study and learn as much as they possibly about their new path.

Deity - a god or goddess (usually refers to the god and goddess pair in which a Wiccan chooses to honor or call upon).

Deosil - clockwise movement.

Divination - the art of using tools and/or symbols to gather information about a person, place, the past, the present, the future, etc. (e.g. tarot cards, tea leaves, runes, etc)

Dowsing - the art of using a pendulum or stick to find the location of a person, place, or object. This technique can also be used to answer yes or no questions.

Drawing Down the Moon - a ritual during a full moon in which energy and the essence of the Goddess are drawn into the witch's body.

Elements - the five elements of nature; Earth, Air, Fire, Water; plus Spirit (or Akasha).

Esbat - Full moon celebrations honoering the Goddess

Equinox - either of the two times each year (as about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length

Evocation - to call something out from within.

Familiar - An animal that has a spiritual bond with a witch... usually a family pet, it can also be a creature from the astral plane.

Full Moon - a phase of the moon in which the full face of the moon is visible (when the moon is round).

Green Man - another name for the God; referring to his aspect of Lord of the Woodlands.

Grimore - similiar to that of the Book of Shadows, a grimore is where a witch may keep notes that s/he is willing to share with select others, so that s/he may keep the Book of Shadows private to either self or to coven.

Guardians - the creatures or angels that protect the four corners (the elements-earth, air, fire, water).

Handfasting - a pagan marriage ceremony. Unlike traditional weddings, the Handfasting does not bind the couple to remain together until death, but for a year and a day, for as long as the love shall last, or any other predetermined length of time.

Initiation - a system of degrees achieved through different levels of spiritual learning within a coven setting.

Invocation - to bring something in from without.

Karma - a belief system that is similar to the saying "what goes around, comes around". Karma can be either good or bad. What you do in this life will determine whether you are rewarded or punished in this life time or the next.

Lord and Lady - God and Goddess

Magick - Spelled with a "k" to differenciate between theatrical stage magic; It is the art of focusing your will and emotions to effect change in the world around you and the world within you. It is important to remember that magick is neutral; it is neither good nor bad... only our intentions are good or bad. Magick will only take the path of least resistance.

Magickal Circle - a circular boundary that is cast with a wand, athame, hand, or other method. The circle is cast for the purpose of protecting the witch from outside forces during a ritual or spell

Magickal Correspondences - items, objects, days, colors, moon phases, oils, angels, and herbs used in a ritual or magickal working that match the intent or purpose of the celebration or ceremony.

Meditation - the act relaxing the body and focusing one's mind on a specific target or goal.

New Moon - a phase of the moon in which none of the moons face is visible (when the moon is dark).

Pagan - a follower of a nature-based religion. It is important to remember that all Wiccans are pagan, but not all pagans are Wiccan. There is a very wide variety of pagan religions; Wicca is just one of them.

Pentacle - a five pointed, upright star with a circle around it. The pentacle has many meanings; however, the most common meaning is where each of the five points represents an element and the circle representing unity. The symbol is in no way evil or satanic.

Pentagram - A five pointed star with no circle representing protection and grounding

Reincarnation - a belief system that one's soul lives many life times in order to grow and learn.

Ritual - a ceremony in which the God and Goddess are honored, a sabbat is celebrated, or energy is focused towards a specific goal.

Runes - a set of symbols that are used for divination and magickal purposes. Runes from different origins have different symbols and meanings.

Sabbat - a holiday-like celebration that marks a season, time of harvest, or time of planting. There are 8 sabbats in a year; Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Litha, Beltaine, Ostara, Lammas, and Mabon.

Scrying - a divination method that uses tools such as a crystal ball, mirror, etc. While scrying, the individual is able to "see" images or gain information about a specific person, place, or object

Skyclad - the act of working magick or performing rituals in the nude

Solitary - a witch who works or practices alone.

Solstice - the time of the sun's passing a solstice which occurs about June 22d to begin summer in the southern hemisphere and about December 22d to begin winter in the northern hemisphere?

Spell - the extension of mental and emotional energy in order to accomplish a specific goal. A spell can be written, spoken, drawn, etc. The best spells are the ones you write yourself. Remember, a spell will not work unless true need of it is present... so don't be getting greedy. Also, magick always takes the path of least resistance... a spell can only open a "path" in which you will need to take to reach your goal.

Spirit - the overall energy that runs the universe in a harmonious way.

Summerland - a wiccan version of Heaven, this is where the souls go after physical death to celebrate the after life and continue our spiritual education (also considered to be a resting place for souls before they are reincarnated into the next life)

Talisman - an object that has been charged in order to bring something to the bearer.

Tarot Cards - a set of 78 cards which have pictures and symbols on them. The cards are used to connect the user with the collective unconscious in order to get information about a person or situation

Turning of the Year - Passing of the seasons

Vision Questing - the use of astral projection to accomplish a specific goal.

Wand - An instrument used to project energy (usually a small branch from a tree)

Waning Moon - a phase of the moon in which the face of the moon is getting smaller (the time between a full moon and a new moon).

Warlock - A person who has broken their oath

Waxing Moon - a phase of the moon in which the face of the moon is getting larger (the time between a new moon and a full moon).

Wheel of the Year - the full cycle of the seasonal year beginning with the Samhain celebration (October 31st).

Widdershins - counter clockwise movement

Witch - someone who practices witchcraft to help better the world and mankind. A witch is NOT someone who is ugly, worships the devil, or hurts people. Also note that note all Pagan's and/or Wiccan's are witches.