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by: Rick Johnson
PO Box 40451
Tucson, Az.
85717
RikJohnson@juno.com

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C.E.-- A term of dating that means 'of the Common Era'. It is used by Pagans, Witches, scientists and other non-christians to refer to the modern calendar without using christian references. Compare to B.C.E. The modern year 1990 a.d. equals 1990 c.e. In Wiccan terms, this date refers to 34,311 yr of the Goddess.

CABALA-- See Kabala.

CABALLA-- (Hebrew) See Kabala.

CABBALA-- (Hebrew) See Kabala.

CAIRN-- A Gaelic term that refers to a pile of stones made by a farmer when he is preparing his field for planting. They were made because Ireland is so rocky that they had to do something with the rocks.
In ancient times, they were piles of stones that had been heaped over a burial and had some religious significance such as a grave or to mark a holy spot or even a boundary marker.

CAKES AND ALE-- See Cakes and Wine.

CAKES AND WINE-- (Wicca) The small feast of wine and food with which most Wiccan rituals end. It uses blessed food and drink which are generally pot-luck and vegetarian and shared between the end of the ritual and the closing of the Circle.
Fundamentalist xians never tire of confusing Cakes and Wine with the black mass, which is a purely christian concept. Also Cakes and Ale.

CALL-- In Wicca, to invoke Divine forces.

CALLING DOWN THE MOON/SUN-- (Italian) See Drawing Down the Moon/Sun.

CALLING THE QUARTERS-- The action of evoking the Lords of the Watchtowers of the Four Quarters to come to witness and protect that ritual. In Traditional Wica, this is a vital part of the ritual and must be done properly or dire actions may result.

CANDLE-- That fire tool which is used in a ritual or spell for any of a number of reasons.

1. Altar Candles are placed on the Altar and represent the God and Goddess and allow you to see what you are doing.
2. Offeratory candles which are used in magick to represent a specific goal.
3. Circle candles are placed about the boundary of the Circle to represent the Four Elements and so are specifically colored.
4. Astral or object candles to represent the person or target in a spell.

CANDLE HOLDERS-- These are tools that have the sole use of keeping the lit candle from falling over. They can be ornate or simple as pleases the Witch. Since some spells and rituals require the candle to burn itself out, it is not a good idea to have a wooden candle holder. Those pretty glass candle holders in star shape are popular because of the pentacle symbolism as well as being cup-shaped to catch dripping wax. Some metal holders will transfer heat to the Altar so care should be taken with their selection.
As a free bit of advice, put a bowl under your candle holder to catch all the wax drippings. Otherwise you will be on your knees with an iron and brown paper bag trying to pick up spilled candle wax from the carpet.

CANDLE MAGICK-- The use of differently colored candles in a magickal spell to achieve a specific goal. Candle magick is the most popular form of magick used by Witches. There are a number of charts made as referances in candle magick.

CANDLEMAS-- see Imbolc.

CAPNOMANCY-- Divination by smoke.

CARDINAL POINTS-- See Quarters.

CARROMANCY-- Divination by melting wax.

CASTING-- To divine by tossing stones, twigs, coins or such onto the ground and interpreting the results. Rune stones are cast as well as i ching stalks and coins.

CASTING THE CIRCLE-- The act of ritually building the Wiccan Temple. Although each Tradition does it differently, there are rules that if followed, will provide a stronger and safer temple.

CATCHER-- See Summoner.

CATOXTROMANCY-- Divination by looking glasses.

CATTABOMANCY-- Divination by vessels of brass or other metals.

CAULDRON-- A Wiccan Tool. A 'pot' in which is placed water, fire or food. It is a symbol of Fertility and Rebirth from the Goddess.
Many Witches choose and venerate the Cauldron because of its symbolism and ties with the Goddess and Fertility and Rebirth.
At some Sabbats, a fire is built within the Cauldron and may be jumped for a number of different reasons. At others, it is filled with water for scrying or with flowers..

CAW-- See Church of All Worlds.

CELT-- A race of people who once covered Europe but who are now restricted to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittony and the Isle of Man. The majority of modern Witches are descended directly or by literature, from the Celts.

CELTIC WITCHES-- Those Witches who take the Celtic Religion as the clothing for their version of Wicca. The Celtic and Italian Trads are the only Traditions that can be determined to have survived into modern times, all others being recreated from historical sources. Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Welsh and Algards are among the Celtic Trads.

CENSE-- To bless and purify by means of a Censer.

CENSER-- A Wiccan Tool. An incense burner that is usually hung from a chain. In it's simplest form, it is a shallow bowl filled with sand. Censers represent Air even though they do contain fire. Refer to thurible.

CENTERING-- The act or non-action of turning your mind within and ignoring the external world.

CEPHALONOMANCY-- Divination by broiling of an ass's head. Again, this is not done by Wiccans.

CEREMONIAL MAGICK-- A Complex form of magick developed by jews and christians. It usually has as its goal unification of the magickian with his god.

CERNUNNOS-- The Latin name for The Horned God of the Witches. His image can be found all over Eurasia from Mojo Domo in India to the Altar found beneath Notre Dame cathedral to the Gunderstrup Cauldron in Denmark to Val Camonica in Italy. He is generally shown with antlers, cloven hooves and an erect penis and often accompanied by the ram-horned serpent. He is a God of hunting (provider), death (caretaker) and lust (sustainer). Also Kernunnos.

CERRIDWEN-- (Celt) One of the Welsh Mother/Crone Goddesses who was accompanied by her sacred pigs (an unusually intelligent animal). She had a son who was so ugly that in order to compensate him she decided to give him the gift of prophecy. She set Gwion Bach to stirring the potion of Prophecy in Her Cauldron for an entire year so that She could go about Her own business. On the last day three drops spiled on the man's hand and as it was hot and burned, he sucked the injured part, accidently injesting the poition. He then was gifted with the powers of prophecy and realized that the Goddess would kill him for drinking the potion that She had made for Her son. She discovered this and chased him so he turned into a hare to escape and the Goddess turned into a greyhound in persuit. And so it went with each transforming into one animal to another until Gwion changed intoa kernel of grain. Cerridwen became a hen and ate the grain and shortly after discovered that She was pregnant with Gwion who when born, was called Taliesin and became the greatest of the Welsh bards.
In Wicca we remember this differently and venerate Cerridwen as the Great Goddess (some as the Mother and some as the Crone Aspect) in whose honor we play the Chase game in the Spring where a woman teases a man of her choice and runs off singing a certain rhyme (which I will not mention here) and becomming that chosen animal. The man must sing the proper complimentary rhyme as he becomes the proper and complimentary animal and he chases her as she changes from animal to animal until she allows him to catch her. What happens next shall be a Traditional secret. This is an aetological myth.
This is one of the many examples of the similarities betweenWicca and a related religion but yet showing certain differences that make Wicca unique. Also Cerwyddin and Keridwen

CERWYDDIN-- (Celt) See Cerridwen.

CHAKRA-- The focal points of the energy field, seven (actually six) in number that run in a line up the spine.

CHALICE-- see Cup.

CHANGELING-- In Celtic and Irish lore, a fairy who was given to a family in exchange for a human child. Modern Irish myths state that this was always evil but ancient indications show that there were a number of benevolent and profitable reasons for this fostering.

CHANNELING-- 1) A 'new age' practice where you allow a non-material entity to 'borrow' your body for the purpose of providing information or guidance.
2) (Wicca) The action where the High Priestess allows her mind and conscious to 'step back' so that the Goddess may enter into her body and speak to the Coven. A similar but less used act is done by the High Priest during Drawing Down of the Sun.

CHANT-- A set of words or sounds that are repeated to raise power or to alter the consciousness.

CHAPLET-- A garland of leaves, herbs or flowers that is worn upon the head.
During Handfastings, the bride wears a chaplet of flowers while the gorrm wears one of leaves. Flower chaplets are worn by the Maiden and during Beltane rituals. Chaplets of oak and/or holly are worn by the High Priest during some Yule Rituals.

CHARGE-- 1) A set of instructions from the Goddess in the form of a speech given to the Coven during the Drawing Down of the Moon. In Traditional Wicca, the version used was rewritten by Doreen Valiente and is considered to be a work that was either 'written' by the Goddess or inspired directly by Her.
2) To invest with energy, to dedicate to Craft use, to place under a geis.

CHARGING CUP-- This is a bowl used to contain the exorcised water on the Altar. It is then carried around to asperge the Circle and Coven. Also called the water bowl.

CHARM-- 1) Spoken or written words of a magickal intent. A simple spell.
2) An object that has been charged with magickal energy, generally in the form of a blessing.
3) To charm is to enchant or to put a spell on someone.

CHARM BAG-- See sachet.

CHARTER-- (Wicca) This is not really a Craft term but it does refer to Cross- Initiations. When someone mentions a charter, they are generally talking about a paper from some magickal lodge giving that person permission to found a local lodge of that order and not at all referring to a Coven.

CHARTOMANCY-- Divination by writing in papers.

CHEIROMANCY-- Divination through the examination of the hand. The technical term for Palmestry. Also Chiromancy.

CHIROMANCY-- See Cheiromancy.

CHOKING PEAR-- An instrument of non-torture that consisted of a pear- shaped object that was shoved in the mouth and throat by the Inquisition. A crank was then turned and the pear expanded to choke the suspect. Choking was not considered to be torture.

CHORD-- See aka thread.

CHRYSTALLOMANCY-- Divination by glasses.

CHURCH OF ALL WORLDS, CAW-- (c 1960+) An extremely sucessful religion developed by Tim Zell and based upon the science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. CAW adds other sci-fi concepts and uses the Wiccan Coven structure for its base. CAW admits that they are pagan but not Wiccan.

CINGULUM-- see Cord.

CIRCLE-- 1) The magickal, psychic and religious barrier in Wicca and magick which defines the place between the worlds. It is created at the beginning of almost all Craft workings; when formed it serves as a protection device and energy enhancer; when open or broken, it indicates the end of a working. It is the Temple of the Gods. There are certain methods of Forming the Circle, all based upon the physics of magick, the Psychology of Ritual and the needs of the Gods. To draw an effective Circle takes some months of training and practice under an experienced teacher. Some of the ancient Megalithic Stone Circles are still being used today by Witches as temples.
2) To get together to perform ritual or magick.
3) To dance in a circular motion to raise energy.
4) A group of Wiccans who get together for ritual or magick. More casual than a coven.

CIRCUMAMBULATE-- 1) To travel in a Ritual Circle along the edge, and thus in a circular direction.
2) To circle a person or object with your right side always facing that person as an act of blessing or worship.

CIRCUT-- Energy, even psychic and magickal energy must have a completed circut in order to function. Thus, when you are sending energy to someone, you also receive energy from that person as well. If you block the return so that you get nothing back, you will be unable to send. This is basic physics and works in magick as well as in your reading lamp.
Following this argument, if you are healing an illness (diabetes, cancer, etc) by sending healing energy to the target, you will receive energy from that person in return. When this happens, the received energy will be contaminated by the sickness of the target and you can easily contract that sickness. Therefore it is vital that you shield yourself while you are healing to allow the return energy but filter out the illness being carried by that energy.

CLAIRAUDIENCE-- The ability to 'hear' that which is normally not hearable such as 'hearing' the crash of a jet with the knowledge that it will happen in three weeks.

CLAIRVOYANCE-- The ability to perceive that which is not normally perceivable, generally interpreted as sight.. Examples are seeing the future or another location without any physical connection.

CLASSES-- Most groups have some method of teaching their new people about their organization. In a Coven situation, this is done by the Coven itself. But some people actually hold public Witch classes. I, myself, have been doing this yearly since 1982.

CLEANSING-- In Wicca, to remove or banish all energies from an object.
This is similar to an exorcism but concentrates on using energy and not on the assistance of an entity.

CLEROMANCY-- Divination by lots.

CLOCKWISE-- See deosil.

CLOSING-- To end a ritual by unforming the Circle is a set manner. Also Uncasting.

COCA-- The bean from which we get chocolate. It is chewed in the Andes to give energy to a people who are suffering almost constant oxygen deprivation because of the altitude.
The easiest way to tell an Eclectic Witch from a Traditional Witch is that Eclectics wrongly believe that Chocolate is the fifth element. This is, of course, rediculous as the Fifth Element is Akasha. Any Traditional Witch can tell you that Chocolate is the fourth Principle, the other three being mercury, sulphur and salt. If you don't know what the Principles are, you really should consider joining a Coven that knows what they are doing.

COGNITION-- 1) (Gardnerian) News, knowledge, information.
2) Any form of psychic knowledge received by the psychic.

COLOR THERAPY-- Healing through the use of color. It has been found that patients in a hospital room that is painted pale blue with a stripe of red will heal faster than those is a room that is painted red or white.

COMPLEMENTS-- (Rick Johnson) Two or more terms that appear to be opposites but are actually similar. It is only our perception that defines them as opposite. Some complements are: angel -vs- demon, religion -vs- superstition,

CONE OF POWER-- The concentrated field of energy that is raised by a Coven during certain workings.

CONJURATION-- The act of summoning a non-material entity.

CONSCIOUS MIND-- The rational part of the mind. That part that we use in everyday activities. It is generally ignored when doing ritual or magick.

CONSECRATE-- In Wicca, to bless an object to the service of the Gods.

CONSECRATION-- (Wicca) To dedicate something or someone to a sacred purpose such as to dedicate a Tool to the Goddess.

CONSTANTINE I, EMPEROR-- (c 4th century) This Roman Emperor had a vision in 324 c.e. of jesus immediatly before a battle. He took this as a sign and declared christianity to be the official religion of Rome.
His advisors had the same vision at the same time but they all reported seeing Mithras. Unfortunatly, Constantine was Emperor and his single vision was true wheras the vision of the majority was false.. or else!
Others argue that Constantine's conversion was a political move to get the minority xians behind him as a base of power.

CONSTITUTION, THE AMERICAN-- Two hundred years ago, and long after America won its revolution to be free (not to be confused with the Civil War where another group lost a similar revolution to be free), a group of people sat together and wrote a set of guidelines on how they should run their new country. There were problems however. The slavery issue was still a big thing. The Lees of Virginia (good christians) had threatened to pull out of the war and have Virginia and the South fight for England against the other colonies if Jefferson (agnostic) and Adams (athiestic) and Franklin (satanist) insisted that ALL MEN (black, white and red) deserved to be free and equal. Thus to keep the Colonies together, the founding fathers had to allow slavery. These same problems continued as they attempted to write a Constitution for the new country.
Fortunately, they had help from the Masons, a magickal order that still exists and whose symbols appear on our money today. They also wanted to avoid the problems that they inherited from England and Europe. Having suffered the tyranny of the Puritans who came to America to impose their own repressive religious beliefs on others, and having a hatred for the catholic church, the Founding Fathers included a provision that they felt would prevent one church or religion (christian) from imposing its views on everyone, thus creating what they felt was the first written, sanctioned concept of freedom of religion. The original idea was that the government would allow all religions equally and not favor any one above the other even for those who professed no faith. Thus whether you were christian, jew, satanist, athiest, or whatever, you would have the freedom of your beliefs.
Unfortunately, as many Witches have found out, Freedom of Religion in Amerika (spelling is deliberate) means that you have the freedom to be a christian... or else! More people should read the true history of our Country, or, at least, actually read the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights (I own copies of all three and think that ALL Americans, especially those who flaunt the Flag, should go to the effort to own or at least read what they are 'supporting') and the conditions and reasons for these documents.

CONTACT-- A non-physical entity that acts as a guide or teacher.

CONTAGION, LAW OF-- That rule of magick that states that objects once in contact tend to remain in contact. This is the basis for object links and doing magick on a person from a distance because you have a piece of their hair or clothing.

CONVERSION-- In Wicca, few actually convert to the religion. Rather, one describes one's feelings for the faith as 'coming home'. Most people join the Witch religion because over the years they have developed their own system of beliefs and ethics and suddenly they discover that there is a religion that has almost exactly those beliefs that they also have. Some describe this as the person was possibly a Witch in a former life and is finally returning to the Goddess, others describe it as Wicca is simply the most logical and natural and emotional religion and most people, if left to themselves, will simply develop the most natural possible religion which just happens to be Wicca.
Wicca is one of the few religions that refuses to send out missionaries. As an Anthropologist, I personally believe that missionaries are evil and should be killed and eaten (attractive missionaries should be eaten then killed). As a Witch, I believe that missionaries have only one job ...to destroy your beliefs system by any means possible and force you to accept a foreign system as a replacement.
The argument against conversion goes like this. If your belief system is so good, then you will naturally want to share it with others. Especially if the alternative to accepting your system is eternal torment. Thus, through love, you want to share the religion that you follow. Nothing wrong with that, right?
Next, what if they don't know of your religion? Why not offer them printed material on it. After all, they can always throw it away and refuse to read it, right?
Next, if they refuse to read it, they will never know so why not tell them of it? Preach the 'truths' of your faith on the corners or at bus stops. They can always walk away, right?
But, what if your message is so important that they MUST listen. Then after they have heard your message, they can alwayse reject it, Right?
But, what if they aren't where you are, isn't it acceptable to visit them in their homes? It will only take a few hours to give them the message. Even on a Saturday morning when all they want to do is rest and vegitate after a long work week.
But what if after all this, they still refuse to accept the message? Doesn't that mean that they are against you? Evil? And if they are evil, isn't it right to kill them to save others from their evil?
Each of these leads logically to the next level and ALL have been used at some time in history. And Wicca refuses to take even the first step on this road. Thus, if you meet a Witch and ask for Initiation, you will be evaluated by that person and either be accepted as a student or sent to someone who can teach you (even if that person is from a different Tradition) or you will be told that you probably belong to another religion entirely where you will be happy.

COOK BOOK-- The common book on the market today that is usually one chapter on religion and padded with 10 chapters on spells and another 10 chapters on rituals to do. They tend to be written by people who never really learned the religion and owned by people who treat Wicca in the same fashion I do when I bake a cake. I open a cook book, read the recipe and follow it literally without thinking or knowing what I am doing.
Most cookbooks are simply a compilation of spells and rituals with little else.

COOK BOOK WITCHES-- An untrained Solitary or self-formed coven wiccan who has no idea of what magick is or how to do it. So they buy any of the popular books of spells, collect the listed materials and follow the instructions by reading the book during the spell. TV and the Movies are rife with Cook Book Witches who find an archaic book in a book store, read the spell and bring the dead back to life.
It NEVER works like that in real life simply because cook books never tell you the basics like how to breathe or stand to align the chakras or...

CORD-- 1) A Wiccan Tool. A rope used as a badge of rank, the color of which determines the Degree of the Witch.
2) A rope that is used to measure or used in certain magickal spells. The infamous 'Witches Ladder' uses a cord.
3) A measure of length equal to your height or the distance between finger tips when your arms are stretched out. About 6'. See famn.

CORD MAGICK-- The use of ropes that are knotted in a certain manner in order to focus and release power.

CORN-- In Wicca and in Europe, this refers to any of the cereal grains such as wheat, barley, rye, etc. In America, it refers to maize which is a specific starchy food grown by the Indians.
Some Eclectics like to purify their Circles with corn instead of salt. They argue that salt is ecologically harmful and corn will feed the birds afterwards so is ethically better. Unfortunatly, ALL actions cause problems of some sort, all we can do is to reduce the harm as much as possible. Also Salt IS a purifier because it destroys and non- material entities avoid the material. Corn attracts those which one would wish to keep away. Fortunatly, wiccans who use corn are rarely able to raise enough energy to attract the demons.

CORN DOLLY-- A figure, often shaped like a woman but occasionally symbolically-geometric made from wheat stalks or similar grain. They represent the bounty of the earth and are often used in Spring and Harvest Sabbats. They are usually made from the last of the wheat to be harvested. Sometimes they are buried in the fields, sometimes they are hung in the kitchen and saved for Imbolc.

CORRESPONDENCES-- A set of related concepts that allow us to use magick in our everyday lives. They are generally done in table and chart form.

COSCINOMANCY-- Divination by sieves.

COVEN-- 1) The church, school and extended family of the Wicca. This is where the Witch studies the religion, performs the rites and spells and goes to for suppport. As Covens vary in belief, structure and attitude, it becomes important to choose the right one for you to join. Careful examination of the locals is useful.
2) (Traditional) The Coven consists of at least three unrelated people and less than thirteen. Many Covens start as a husband-wife team with one other person. If that other person is their child, it isn't a Coven but a family group. They then grow slowly as Traditionals require that their members be of a like mind and similar personality so are careful as to whom they allow into their family. Traditionally, you can only belong to one Coven at a time. If you find another Coven that you wish to join, then you must first resign from your first Coven.
3) (Eclectic) A group of any number of people, no matter how loosely they are organized. Thus you will find Eclectic Covens consisting of and number from two up to and more than 40 people. Occasionally, you will even find a single person who claims that s/he is a coven even though s/he is a solitary wiccan.
One Eclectic coven that I know of considers any person who has ever attended one of their rites to be a member. This caused some consternation because when that Eclectic Coven did a public rite, they called out their members to take a bow and insisted that that a certain Traditional Witch come out with them. I and his HP cornered him later and asked what he was doing and which coven he actually belonged to. He explained that he was not a member of that Coven but of the Traditional Coven but he had guested with them once and ever since they considered him to be a member.

COVENANT OF THE GODDESS-- ( 1975) One of the major blanket organizations of Witches in America. It was formed in 1975.

COVENDOM-- The area ruled by a Coven. Traditionally, every Witch within a 1 1/2 mile radius or a league of the Covenstead will be members of that Coven. Modern Witches rarely follow this rule, thus creating enormous problems because of overlapping psi fields generated by the Covens.

COVENSTEAD-- That place where the Coven actually erects it's Circle. It is usually at the home of the High Priest or High Priestess of the Coven. Some Covens have an alternate Covenstead in the desert or woods for outdoor rituals.

COWAN-- (Traditional) The uninitiated or non-Witch. Compare with Mundane and Once Born. This is not an insult but a simple description.

CRAFT, THE-- see Witchcraft.

CRAFT LAWS-- A set of rules that are to aid Witches in times of troubles. There are a number of sets of these, each specific to a certain coven or Tradition.
There are a number of stories about how Gardner wrote the Laws to enforce some of his ecentricities, but Haining claims to have seem a 17th century ms in the British Museum that contains at least some of The Laws.

CRESCENT-- That phase of the moon that is somewhere between new and full. It resembles a circle with a bite taken out. Many High Priestess wear a crown consisting of a silver band with a crescent upon the brow to represent the Goddess.

CRETE-- One of the few true Goddess civilizations known. It is an island in the Mediterranian sea which was destroyed by the eruption that also destroyed Atlantis. Cretan Goddess statues show the Goddess in a full skirt, open vest to expose the breasts and holding snakes and are in much demand by modern Witches but can no longer be found in Crete today (I tried), thus forcing Witches to buy modern copies made in Japan, India or Mexico.

CRITHOMANCY-- Divination by grain and corn.

CROM-CALLEACH-- The name of the Ram-Horned Serpent which accompanies the Horned God. It was this serpent that was sent by the Horned God into Eden to teach Eve to think and give her wisdom. Unfortunately, jehovah didn't want Adam and Eve to think for themselves and twisted the myth around to show that freedom and knowledge is evil.
Note: I am not completely certain about the last part of the serpent's name being spelled this way, it sounds like this though and it may be cognate with cromlech.

CRONE-- The Third aspect of the Goddess as She changes from the Mother to the Hag. In this aspect She is the patron of magick, intuition and death. Her symbol is the waning moon.

CROSS INITIATION-- The process where a Witch of one Tradition (possibly Gardnerian) will Initiate another Witch into their own Tradition. In return, the other Witch (possibly Alexandrian) will Initiate the first Witch into their own Tradition. The advantage is that there are some secrets that are restricted to members of that Coven/Tradition and the only way to legally share the knowledge is to join that Tradition/Coven. The cross-initiation does NOT give the cross-initate the right to practice or pass on that Tradition, only to participate in the rites and to see the BOS.
This was a good idea when used with descretion but too many people became Degree Hunters and sought Cross Initiations from as many people as possible. Thus the concept which started out as a good idea became abused by a few greedy people.

CROSS QUARTER DAYS-- The Greater Sabbats of the Equinoxes and Solstices.

CRUX ANSATA-- See Ankh.

CRYSTAL BALL-- A round object made from quartz crystal and used as a means of scrying. If it is more than a few centimeters across, it is probably artifical. They should be optically clear and so are prohibitally expensive and replaced with glass balls. Also Crystal Sphere.

CRYSTAL SPHERE-- See Crystal Ball.

CUBIT--(Mid-east) See Aln. See also measurements.

CULT-- In strict Anthropological terms, a sub-set within a religion. Generally it refers to a religion that is so complex that people cannot follow or completely understand the entire thing so they concentrate on only a small part such as those catholics who pray almost exclusively to mary belong to the mary cult. They do so because catholicism has so many saints that no one can pray to them all.
Wicca is often referred to as the Witch Cult because it is a subset of Paganism.
With the incident of Jonestown where Jim Jones (a christian) murdered 900 other christians in a religious fervor, the term 'cult' has taken on bad connotations.

CUNNING FOLK-- See Cunning Man.

CUNNING MAN-- (Pennsylvania Dutch) In Pennsylvania and the surrounding area, a person, almost always a man, who understands the local folk magick well enoughto be called a sorcerer. Also Cunning Folk.

CUP-- A Wiccan Tool. The female symbol and container for the Ritual Wine that is to be blessed by the Goddess.
During many Rituals, the Cup is blessed by the High Priest and High Priestess and then passed around for all to share. Traditionally the Cup is made of silver to represent the Moon though many now are of pewter or even wood. Note that copper will mix with alcohol to produce a poison and alcohol will leech lead from pewter so copper or brass or pewter Cups MUST be silver plated on the inside with no scratches. When I worked with an Alexandrian HPS, she would do the wine blessing in such a manner that she would actually damage the Cup. I suspect that she didn't quite understand the what and why of that particular rite or of the chemical reactions she was initiating..
Many Witches at the time of the passing the Cup hope that the Circle will prevent the person next to them from passing a cold as well. There have been volumes written on how to deal with this in a public Rite where you know no one (and so trust no one's health reports) or when one member of the Coven is an alcoholic or is contagous. Do you deny the entire Coven Ritual wine because of one persons inability to control themseves or do you force the alcoholic to face their problem and drink, or do you have two Cups, one with Wine and one with Grape juice? The arguments go on and on as do the suggestions.

CURFAIN-- See Kirfane.

CURFANE-- See Kirfane.

CURSE-- A magickal spell used to harm. Usually it follows the target forever or until removed by someone far more powerful than the initial caster.
Few Witches like to throw curses around because of the Three-Fold Law, but some are more than willing to do what they call is 'helping that persons karma come back to them'. Right! Like catholic hospitals never do abortions, they only do 'uteral evacuations." A rose by any other name, as the Bard says.

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To contact me or to request topics to be covered, send to RikJohnson@juno.com
by: Rick Johnson
PO Box 40451
Tucson, Az.
85717

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