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

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FAERIE-- 1) (Gardnerian) Fairy, enchantment, wonder.
2) See fairy.

FAGGOT-- A bundle of wood used to burn Witches and heretics.

FAIRY-- A race of very small people who lived in the British Isles. They were displaced by the Celts and other invadors until they were forced to live in pit pouses that were disguised to look like hills thus giving rise to the belief that they lived underground. Sir Frances Drake had small ships built to sail underneath the guns of the Spanish armada and had Fairies man his cannon. The Fairy race died out shorthy afterwards. Also faerie.

FALSE BODKIN-- When Matthew Hopkins set himself up as a Witchfinder, he got paid for each 'witch' her discovered and so to ensure a positive cash flow, he invented the false bodkin as a means of locating the 'devils mark'. The flase bodkin was similar tothe bodkin save that the blade was straight and blunt and slid into the handle so that the 'suspect' didn't feel any pain as the bodkin 'penetrated' their skin. This proved the 'suspect's' guilt and they were hanged. Refer to Bodkin.

FAMILIAR-- 1) A Coven totem animal in Wicca.
2) A Witches pet. Many Eclectics call their favorite cat their familiar. I am always asked if my iguana is my familiar. To that question, I respond, "No, he's my guard 'dog' who considers people to be lower than him on the food chain so watch out." My daughter, Cerridwen, is terrified of Link but that is only because he tried to eat her one day.
The most popular name for a familiar of this type is Pywackett, probably named from the classic movie Bell, Book and Candle staring Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart. The name was derived from an illustration of Matthew Hopkins from the work Discovery of Witches, 1647, which showed a number of Witches and their familiars.
3) An animal owned by a Traditional Witch, sometimes used as a shield to detect or absorb incoming curses. If this is the purpose, when your pet cat suddenly dies for no reason, it may be wise to set up your shields in a hurry.
4) A thoughtform or other living receptacle of energy created in a set manner to provide a specific purpose. This form is generally short lived deliberately because it is such a drain on the Witches energy reserves and health. There are a number of books which tell how to do a simple form of this and often call them 'Thought-forms' or 'Whammie-balls.'

FAMILY TRADITION-- That form of Wicca which was kept within a family over the centuries as a means of survival. It was taught to the children or grandchildren, whichever was safer and over the generations, most of the knowledge was lost or distorted as it mixed with xian teachings.
In general, if you couldn't openly teach your children about the Goddess of the Moon for fear that the child would tell the neighbors, thus resulting in your being executed for heresy or Witchcraft, you told them about the Lady of the Moon instead, not mentioning that she was The Goddess. It would then be inevetible that the Lady idea would become distorted into a fairy or saint concept.

FAMN-- A measure of distance. See cord. See measurements.

FASCINATE, FASCINATION-- The act of controlling anothers mind generally through telepathy. Having been the victim of Fascination (despite my training) I can personally testify that it is subtle and effective. I only realized that I was being Fascinated when I thought back and realized that I had been doing things that I would normally not do. Then I was able to determine who was Fascinating me and put up shields to prevent it in the future.

FASTING-- Most Covens have some form of purification proceedure that they expect their members to undergo before a ritual. This purification is generlly more important than the ritual itself and some magickians will spend three months purifying themselves for a half-hour spell. Generally Wiccan Covens have a purification that is anywhere from 12 hours to three days and will restrict the types and food and drink consumed, sex, violence and such. One of the major purposes of purifications is to focus your mind and body on the rite and not that person in bed next to you or that meal on your plate. It also forces you to learn control. In other words, what is more important, the Goddess or a hamburger?

FATE-- Whatever happens. You cannot control or influence Fate, only react to it. This is a Wiccan term that was replaced by many modern Witches with a misunderstood form of the eastern concept of Karma.

FAVA BEAN-- The first of the bean family known in Europe. Among the Greeks and Romans it was used in Funarary Rites.
It has one major drawback. For those with G6PD disorder, eating fava beans causes an allergic reaction that has symptoms that can easily be mistaken for the attacks of a vampire, thus leading the superstitious to drive a stake through your heart and burn your body. The cure for favism is to stop eating the beans. Afterwards, the symptoms fade away and the victim recovers.

FEALTY-- (Gardnerian) Loyalty to a particular Lord or HP/S. This is based upon respect or power or payment of some form. In many Traditional Covens, you retain Fealty to your HP/S even years after you have 'left the nest' and formed your own Coven. This Fealty is shown by a blanket invitation (actually given freely and in good faith) to that HP/S to attend your Rituals and your listening to the advice of your Initiating HP/S.
Fealty, in the modern Wiccan world, is a thing of the past. All the more sad to a people who swore Perfect Love and Perfect Trust then turned on their Initiators when things got rough. This same person who refuses to call their HP/S 'Lord' or 'Lady', despite that HP/S giving for free years of training and assistance, will give to anyone who they pay to teach them martial arts, the title 'Sensi' and bow and grovel to that person based upon the ability to cash your check.

FEAST-- The ritual meal shared within the ritual to allow the Coven to settle down and relax. A social time characterized by song, game, dance and gossip.

FEMALE ENERGY-- The energy which is adjusted by the female body. It is receptive, nurturing and creative. Yin.

FEMINIST WITCHES-- (c 1972) Witches who deny the male principle and the Horned God in favor of exclusive worship of the Goddess. Some are lesbian and man- haters. This Tradition was developed by Z. Budapest in the early 1970's as a reaction to heterosexuality and patriarcial religions and as a means to empower women in a society that has striven to take that power away from them. Feminist Witches may even be a separate religion altogether and no longer a part of the Wiccan Family. Compare with Dianic with whom they are often confused. Feminists dislike the term 'woman' as it includes the word 'man' which is profane in their eyes. They have their own terms such as 'womyn', 'wimmin' and so on. See also Goddess Religion.

FESTIVALS-- A public gathering of Witches, Wiccans and Pagans to share ideas. They generally are composed of from a few to a few hundred people. Often Festivals have workshops, Rituals and a lot of social sharing.

FETCH-- 1) A thoughtform used to summon someone.
2) (Wicca) Another word for the Summoner. This is a rare use.
3) (Gardnerian) A ghost who is supposed to bring you tidings of your own death. If you see it, it will fetch you away. Similar to the Irish Bean Sidhe.
4) See astral body.

FETISH-- An object, often crudly made of simple materials, that possesses magickal power.

FFFF-- (Saxon) A contraction for 'Flags, Flax, Fodder and Frig.' Also written as 4F. It can easily be made into a mandala by joining them together at the base to any shape or design. See Flags, Flax, Fodder and Frig.

FILI-- (Irish) A seer or diviner.

FILTER-- The act of creating a psychic shield around yourself so that when you share energy with a person, only the energy gets through and any illness or baneful materials being carried by that energy is prevented from entering your aura or body.

FINGER-- A measure of length equal to the width of your longest finger at the knuckle nearest the finger tip. About 3/4". See measurements.

FIRE-- The Element that corresponds to Energy and South.

FITH-FATH-- A poppet.

FIVE FOLD KISS-- In Wicca, the ritual action of blessing the feet, knees, genitals, breasts and lips in a set ritual manner. It is a sign of devotion, humility and as an act of purification. It has no sexual connotations save during the Great Rite or sex magick.

FIX-- A short term negative spell. It is like a curse but it creates one swift kick then dissipates. Compare to Hex. and curse.

FLAGELLATION-- The art and practice of using a special whip to induce a form of enlightenment or purification. Some xian sects used flagellation to such an extent that often the members died. Many Traditional Witches use a modified form of flagellation, called scourging, to purify. See scourge. Many xoans and some wiccans confuse flagellation with B&D/S&M.

FLAGS, FLAX, FODDER AND FRIG-- An old Saxon blessing that has been adopted by many other pagans and witches. It translates into "May you always have a home to live in, clothing to wear, food to eat and someone to love.
Flags refers to flagstones, Flax refers to a plant (linum usitatissimun) that is used to make cloth, fodder refers to feed for your livestock and ultimately yourself and Frig refers to the Norse Frigga who was a Goddess of sexual love and from whom we get the term 'to frig.'

FLARE-- A bright spot in the aura that indicates a problem or emotional turmoil.

FLITTERMOUSE-- The common bat. Called this because if it's superficial resemblence to a mouse with wings. In reality they are not at all even closly related.

FLOUROMANCY-- Divination by flowers.

FLUID CONDENSER-- Any of a series of liquids that are designed to absorb, concentrate and store specific magickal energies.

FLYING OINTMENT-- 1) A mixture of materials, generally hallucinagenic considering the dozen or so recipies I possess, which when rubbed on the 13 Cardinal points is absorbed into the skin and bloodstream causing the sensation of flying. One experiment with these formulae showed each researcher having identical hallucinations which included flying to a mountain and worshipping the Horned God which was interpreted as the xian devil.
2) In Wicca, true flying ointment was made in the olden days to be rubbed on the skin as a protection against insects and the cold and to provide a slippery skin in case the xians tried to grab you.

FOLIATES-- Those images found on a number of early churches and resembling a human face made of leaves. They were often horned or had leaves in the shape of antlers to symbolize the Horned God. They are thought to have been placed there by witches who, being forced to attend church, wanted to pray to their own God. I have seen Floiates in Germany, England and Belize. Refer to Sheila-na-gigs. Also foliate mask.

FOLIATE MASK-- See Foliate.

FOLK MAGICK-- A system of magick where the natural herbs, stones, and the power of the magickian is used instead of spells. Similar to the modern 'Kitchen Witch'.

FOLKLORE-- The traditional myths, superstitions, stories and medical practices of a culture. It is related to but different from their religion even though there may be some cross-over. Santa Claus is a part of American folklore but has some aspects of the xian religion.

FOOT-- A unit of measurement equal to the length of your foot. About 9".

FOX FIRE-- A mysterious light often found hovering over marshy ground or old cemetaries at night. It has been called everything from UFO's to fairy lights but is probably methane gas ignited spontaneously.

FRANCIS DRAKE, SIR-- See Drake, Sir Francis.

FRANCIS STEWART, EARL OF BOTHWELL-- See Bothwell, Francis.

FUCK-- No one really knows where this word came from. Some say it is an anagram for the term "For Using Carnal Knowledge", others say is is a corruption of the older term 'firk'. Jessica T has sent me a recent e-mail stating her belief that it means "Fornication Under Consent of the King" to describe afairs in whichthe king approved. The truth is that the word predates all these definitions.
It is a vulgar term for the physical act of sexual intercourse as opposed to the emotional action of making love. Although they seem similar, one is a gentle physical act that is expressed between two people who care deeply for each other and the other is pure wild sex, often without any emotional entanglement. Even people who are deeply and tenderly in love sometimes fuck each other. It's also a good way to ground excess energy after a ritual.
Witches are known for their ideas of sexual freedom (anything done between consenting adults is ok by us) and to a traditional Witch, "Fuck You!" may very well be an invitation. Of course, we also are taught that sexual freedom also means the freedom to say "no!"

FULL MOON-- The peak of the Lunar Cycle. The time of the Goddess. Witches usually meet at this time to perform magick.

FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN-- Those christians who are focused on their way being the ONLY RIGHT AND TRUE WAY of god. They generally believe that if you are not with them and attend their church, then you are against them and therefore evil. Fundamentalists put a great deal of energy and money into passing repressive laws and speak highly of the 'good old days' of the 1950's when America was a god-fearing moral christian nation. Of course, these are the same people who lynched blacks, stole land from the indians, burned synogagues and kept women barefoot, pregnant and at home so we can see what their true vision of christian morality is.
Note, recently there has developed a small cadre of fundametalist Wiccans (all BTW, most Gardnerian) who are known for claiming that the way that they believe and work is the right or only way.

FUNDIE-- A derogatory contraction of fundamentalist christian.

FUTHARK-- The Germanic-Norse alphabet used for writing and divination. Although there are a vast number of variations, generally Futhark, is composed of three series of nine letters each. See runic, Runes. Many Witches prefer this alphabet to the more common Theban. Also futhorc.

FUTHORC-- See futhatk
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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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