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

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LABIOMANCY-- Divination via the size and shape of a woman's sexual organs. Another form of divination I invented. See Priapomancy.

LABRYS-- The double-headed axe found painted all over crete. It has been taken as a symbol for womans religion.

LADY-- 1) a title for the Goddess in Wicca.
2) A title for the High Priestess while she is possessed by the Goddess during a Wiccan ritual.
3) (Eclectic) Many wanna-be wiccans call themselves in public "Lady whatever" in an attempt to give some excitement to their otherwise dull and empty lives. Traditional Wiccans only use the title in Ritual or in Craft business.

LAMMAS-- One of the four Greater Sabbats of Wicca falling on the Evening of July 31. It celebrates the bounty of nature and so is a harvest festival. It is also called Lughnasath or Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-na-sa).

LAMP-- See candle.

LAMP OF ART-- See candle.

LAMPADOMANCY-- Divination by lamps and candles. This form requires a flame and is not used with incadescent lamps though flourescant lighting may be possible because the frequency of the bulbs duplicates the frequency of the brain. Be careful, though, because flourescant lights cause irritability, headaches, psychosis and have been known to induce epileptic siezures in sensitive persons.

LAND OF FAERY-- The Sidhe or land between the material world and the fantasy world. In Wicca it refers to the Summerland and/or certain of the Astral Planes.

LANDMARKS-- The requirements which establish a person as free and able to follow the Craft.

LAW ENFORCEMENT-- One major problem that occurs within the Pagan Religions is the interactions that we have with the police. To us, we are simply trying to experience our Consitutional rights to Freedom of Religion. To the avarage cop, we are a bunch of potential criminals who are running around with weapons (Athames) that they would dearly like to see outlawed. Bigotry and ignorance are rife in the law enforcement profession which would rather look for some mass conspiracy than actually protect people's rights.
Note: this may be a bit rough on the law enforcement officers but after being raised by a 28 year veteran police officer, working in the court system for over 14 years, being a consultant to the police on 'occult' matters, speaking at police seminars and helping to train police in the truth, my personal experience as well as that of other Witches who have made similar attempts is that the avarage cop very quickly learns that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are an easily avoidable encumberance to a person who wears a badge and gun. After one police seminar I spoke at, the facilitator came up to me and apologised for her fellow cops who, as she put it, "Wore their badges and guns on the ends of their dicks."

There is a story that I heard recently that shows this attitude perfectly:
The FBI, the CIA, and the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) are all trying to prove that they are the best at apprehending criminals. The President decides to give them a test. He releases a rabbit into a forest and each of them has to catch it.
The CIA goes in. They place animal informants throughout the forest. They question all plant and mineral witnesses. After three months of extensive investigations they conclude that rabbits do not exist.
The FBI goes in. After two weeks with no leads they burn the forest, killing everything in it, including the rabbit, and they make no apologies. The rabbit had it coming.
The LAPD goes in. They come out two hours later with a badly beaten bear. The bear is yelling: "Okay! Okay! I'm a rabbit! I'm a rabbit!'

Lest you think I am an far too hard on the police, ask around to see how Witches perceive the police after they have been unjustly harassed by those who took an oath to protect us and our rights. Remember that the LAPD got into trouble NOT because they beat Rodney King when he was handcuffed and helpless on the ground; they got into trouble because they were filmed doing it. Had no one taped the incident, no one would have complained. And in Tucson a few years ago, a large group of armed police officers possessing body armor shot to death an unarmed Hispanic man for the crime of being drunk and tossing a few rocks. And FBI tapes 'appear' to show FBI agents in Waco Texas machine-gunning unarmed Branch-Davidian women and children who were attempting to escape that burning building.

LAW OF CONTAGION-- See contagion, law of.

LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY-- See responsibility, law of.

LAW OF RETURN-- See return, law of.

LECANOMANCY-- Divination by a basin of water.

LEECH-- 1) (Anglo-Saxon) A healer.
2) (biology) A worm-like creature that lives by drinking blood. Once used to drain blood from the sick, hence the application of the name to doctors, George Washington died from the application of too many leeches.

LEFT BRAIN-- that part of the brain that is devoted to logic and rationality. See right brain.

LEFT HAND PATH-- That type of lifestyle or magick that is concerned with evil.

LESSER SABBATS-- The four Equinoxes and Solstices. Yule, Ostara, Litha and Mabon. These are the original Sabbats worshipped by Witches before the Celts introduced the Greater Sabbats.

LEY LINES-- The currents of energy that criss-cross the earth. They can be tapped by the Witch to increase power or to send the spell a great distance.

LIBATE-- To pour a sacrificial drink on the ground or in a special libation bowl in honor of the God and Goddess. The idea is that all that we have comes from the Gods and so we should share with Them a part of our gifts. If this is done indoors in a bowl, the contents are later taken outside and given to the earth.

LIBATION-- See libate.

LICWIGLUNGA-- (Seax) the conjuration of spirits..

LIFE FORCE-- The energy that all living things possess.

LIGATURE-- 1) To bind as with a cord. Generally, in Wicca a certain type of cord magick and magickal training used by some Traditional Witches. It, like many of the paths, can be dangerous if misused.
2) A spell used to produce impotency in a man. I am unaware of a cooresponding spell for women. If you know of one, please let me know.

LILITH-- (Sumeria) A demon who was, in Jewish tradition, Adams first wife. She rebelled because she wanted to be equal to man and not a possession. Thus she ran away and was replaced with Eve who was more complacent and submissive. See Lilitu.

LILITU-- (Wicca) In Wiccan Tradition, Lilitu was the first woman, made by the Goddess and sent to Adam (the first man who had been made by jehova) to ease her lonliness. She ran away because Adam refused to grant her equality or let her get on top during sex and so she made a replacement man of clay to be her new partner. Christians are said to be the sons of Adam and Witches are the daughters of Lilith. See Lilith.

LINEAGE-- (Wicca) A historical fact of who Initiated Whom into a Tradition or Religion. Most Traditionals make a big deal of Lineage because your Lineage will tell a person what you actually know as opposed to what you think that you know. Since different people emphasise different things in their teachings, a Lineage derived from "***" indicates that you spend a number of years learning Ritual wheras a Lineage derived from "####" indicates that you slept your way to the Third Degree. As a result, many Witches 'invent' a Lineage in order to make themselves look better and more important to the newbees. Unfortunately, these invented people actually expect those of us with a real Lineage to believe their lies. Integrity people!!!
In British Gardnerianism, your Lineage is traced by the legal names of who actually did the Initiations, thus, I am Rik/Rick Johnson who was Elevated to the third Degree by Shelly R. who was Initiated by Paul M. who was Initiated by Margaret A. who was Initiated by Mary D. who was Initiated by John S. who was Initiated by Eleanor Bone was partner to Gerald Gardner.
In American Gardnerianisn (post Buckland), Lineage is traced by the Third Degree High Priestess who Drew the initiatory Circle and Craft names would be used. Thus I would be ***** who was Initiated by **** who was daughtor to ***** who was Initiated by **** who was Initiated by ***** whose Queen was ***** whose Queen was **** who was partner to Gerald Gardner. Sorry, I won't give full legal or any Craft names here.

LINK-- see object link.

LITHA-- The Wiccan Sabbat concerned with the Sun at it's high point. It is held on the Summer Solstice or June 21st and pronounced "LEE-ha". In ancient times, this Sabbat was called Beltane, though now it is generally called Midsummer or the Summer Solstice.

LITHIA-- See litha.

-LITHIC-- A suffex that means 'stone' and generally refers to an age of mankind. See Neolithic and Paleolithic.

LITHOMANCY-- Divination by stones.

LITTLE GALLOW'S MAN-- The plant mandrake (mandragora officinalis).
The reason that a man's pants cuffs were tied close around his ankles when he was hanged was because the act of hanging a person by the neck would cause them to orgasm, quickly followed by defecation and urination. The pants were tied to prevent the semen from dripping to the ground. It was believed that if the semen hit the ground, it would grow into a mandrake and so people would search for mandrake plants under the gallows.

LIVANOMANCY-- Divination by the burning of frankincense.

LOA-- (Voodoo) A Voodoo god or goddess.

LOGARITHMANCY-- Divination by logarithms.

LORD OF MISRULE-- During some Sabbats like Yule or Litha, one of the Coveners is appointed the Lord of Misrule. His job is to ensure that the games are fun and he has the authority to punish even the HPS for lack of entheusiasm during the Cakes and Wine. It is best if he has a warped sense of humor and a talent for the double entendre and satire. His symbol is often a wand with an air filled bladder with which he enforces his will.
He represents the chaos and disorder that occurs at various times of the year.

LORDS OF THE WATCHTOWERS-- In Wicca, The Guardians of the Four Quarters, also called The Mighty Ones. Little is known about Them and I refuse to expound further on Them other to say that you had better be in Their good graces.

LOVE APPLE-- The plant tomato (lycoperscion spp.).
It was once widely believed that tomatos were deadly poison. One day a couple of hundred years ago, a man took a bushel of tomatos to the steps of the city hall and declared that he would eat them in public. His doctor insisted that he was comitting suicide and called for the police to stop him, but before they could, he took a big bite from the fruit. Women fainted at the sight and men rushed to save him but he clamly ate the entire thing. By the time he had started on his third, the crown was laughing at the doctor and the tomato became a staple in our diet.

LOVE MAGICK-- That form of magick that concentrates on creating or enhancing or attracting love and lust between people. Although adult Witches prefer a spell to attract love, teenagers of both genders and all religions do love and lust spells on a specific person in violation of the Wiccan Rede.

LOVE POTION-- An herbal mixture that is designed to influence the emotions of a specific person favorably towards the caster of the spell. See philtre

LOVE SPELL-- A magick ritual used to attract and control the emotions and body of either a specific person or to attract anyone who is compatable to you. Although doing a love spell on a specific person is considered by most Witches as evil, there is a saying among Witches that "Being aWitch is trying to get rid of the result of your latest love spell!"

LOW MAGICK-- The simple magick used by the Witch. It uses simple tools like herbs, candles and cords and is done for personal reasons like healing, fertility or getting a job.

LOWER SELF-- In many traditions, that part of the mind that relates to the unconscious, id, child or the emotions and physical body together.

LUCK-- Energy that encourages good or bad to a person.

LUCKY HAND-- A collection of good luck charms.

LUGH-- (Celt) The Celtic Sun God. Also a name for the Horned God in His aspect of the Sun.

LUGHNASAD-- see Lammas.

LUNAR CALENDAR-- Most modern calendars are xian based with xian holidays. Many Covens are attempting to create a calendar that is specific to Wiccan holidays. Ideally, they name the month after the Full Moon that occurs at that time such as the Harvest Month is that month that begins at the New Moon before the Full Moon nearest the Autumn Equinox and ends at the New Moon after the Full Moon nearest the Autumn Equinox.
Lunar Calendars tend to be complex and mark important Wiccan days like the Sabbats, Esbats, historical dates of importance to Witches and so on.
There are a number of nameing systems used and Desert Henge Coven has produced a Wiccan Lunar Calendar for a number of years. We even created a lunar naming system specific to the desert. If anyone is interested in contributing Wiccan art to future editions, please let us know. We cannot buy the art but will send you a free copy of the calendar in which your art appears.

LUNAR CYCLE-- The 28 days that start at the New Moon and continue through the Quarter Moons, Full Moon and back to the New Moon. Each part of this cycle is used for a specific form or attitude of magick.

LUNAR GARDENING-- The science of planting certain crops or herbs by the appropriate phase of the moon. An example being that potatos are planted during the dark of the moon but apples are planted during the full moon.

LUNATION-- A single lunar cycle which begins with the new moon and ends with the next new moon.

LUPERCALIA-- (Greek and Roman) Celebrated on February 15, it is generally a fertility festival dedicated to Pan. It was a party festival where women were swatted with goat-skin scourges to promote fertility and licentiousness. It is occasionally celebrated in Tucson by female Witches.

LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS-- One of the diseases that cause arthritis. Symptoms include: swelling knuckles, the skin turns brown and leathery, sunlight sensitivity, the victim can come out only at night. Distinct reddend patches covered with greyish-brown scales may appear on the upper cheeks, nose, scalp, and the lips of the lining of the cheeks.
This may be one of the diseases that was confused with and may be the basis for Lycanthropy.

LYCANTHROPY-- From the Greek myth of King Lycos who was so cruel, the gods punished him by transforming him into a wolf. His name lives on as the technical term for the werewolf.
1) Although werewolves and Witches were often confused in the literature, they are generally two distinct matters. The true werewolf is a person who is cursed by the gods for some henious act to walk as a wolf. In some cases, a person uses a magick spell to transform into a wolf for various reasons.
Clinical lycanthropy is a psychological disorder based in sexual repression. It has been said that if the vampire is the ultimate in seduction, the werewolf is the ultimate in rape.
2) Some Witches astral project and may send their astral bodies into the body of a wolf for any of a number of reasons. Others are under the belief that they must send their astral body out in the shape of an animal and so choose the raven or wolf as such a form. If this is done, it is more to enable the sender to have a focus for their concentration than to play at shapeshifting.
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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

Return to the Home Page.
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