So you've decided you want to talk to some Pagans, either face-to-face or on-line. Good. Here's a quick guide to help you through it, and a couple of guidelines. We tend to use a bunch of terms and acronyms that might confuse people a little bit.
Common Acronyms:
BB - Blessed Be
HP - High Priest
HPS - High Priestess
MM - Merry Meet = Hello
MP - Merry Part = Bye
Xian, Xianity - Shorthand for Chistian or Christianity.
Not meant to be offensive; it's just easier to write.
Common Terms:
Athame - A black-hilted knife, often dull, used to
direct energy. An athame is NEVER used to cut
anything. See Boline.
Besom - A Witches' broom.
Boline - A white-hilted knife, sometimes curved. This
is used for cutting cords, herbs, etc. See Athame.
Cross-Quarters - Days that are halfway between the
solistices and the equinoxes. February Eve, May Eve,
August Eve, and November Eve.
Esbat - A lunar ceremony. Typically on the full moon
or the new moon. Generally used for a celebration of the
moon (common in feminist groups) or for casting magick.
Magick - The art and science of manipulating yourself
or your surroundings by acts of focused will. Spelled with
a "k" to differentiate from stage
magic/slieght of hand.
Quarter - One of the 4 directions (N, S, E, W), and
its elemental correspondence (earth, fire, air, water,
respectively).
Sabbat - A solar festival. The most common sabbats
are on the solistices, equinoxes and cross-quarter days.
Normally used for celebratory purposes.
Warlock - This is NOT the term for a male
Witch; Witch is not gender-specific. Warlock translates
into "oath-breaker" or "covenant-breaker." It's generally
considered bad form to call someone a Warlock.
Working - Casting magick.
Guidelines:
Don't try to convert someone. Most Pagans are quite
familiar with Christianity, and have chosen a different
religion.
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