Animistic- The belief that all forms of nature have the Divine spirit within.

Athame - a personal knife, usually made of steel, that is double edged, with a dark handle. The double edge of the blade symbolizes that power works both ways (heal/harm, create/destroy, light/dark). This is a magical tool that is associated with change. It is the symbol of fire.

Avatar - an advanced soul, who chooses to return to a physical body, in order to teach the less evolved.

Aura - the coloured low level energy field that surrounds living tissue.

Balefire - a fire lit for magickal purposes, usually outdoors. This is used traditionally on Yule, Beltaine, and Midsummer.

Bell - symbol of Goddess or of the motion of the Elements, swinging to and fro (positive/negative). It is rung during rituals to either invoke the Goddess, or to mark the beginning or end of a ritual.

Besom or Broom - The Broom is a symbol of water, because of it's association with cleansing.

Biddy - a "doll" made from the last sheaf of the last harvest. Sometimes called CORN DOLLS or CORN DOLLY. It represents the Mother Earth's fertility.

Bolline - white-handled knife, used opposite of the Athame. It has a single edge and is used for more mundane or working actions, such as cutting herbs and engraving candles.

Book of Shadows - a handwritten book of rituals, spells, and magickal lore. Some say it should be destroyed at the owner's passing over, burned or buried with them.

Burning Times - period of history known as the "Middle Ages", when a large number of people were put to death supposedly because of witchcraft. Burning wasn't the only method used, however, and witchcraft was not the only reason.

Cauldron - iron, fire proof pot or kettle (usually with 3 claw feet and handle). This is the symbol or the Goddess, the Element Water, reincarnation, immortality, and inspiration.

Censer - heat proof container for incense burning or smoldering. It is the symbol for the Element Air.

Chalice - a cup with similar meaning to the cauldron. Represents the Element Water. Marriage, abundance, and inexhaustible sustinense. Most neopagans prefer to use goblet or cup as Chalice is the term used most commonly in Christianity

Charging- to infuse an object with your personal power.

Cheiromancy - the act of reading palms (Palmistry).

Circle - sphere of magick.

Coven - an organized group of Wiccans led by a Priestess &, Priest and joined through initiation and mutual respect for each other, the gods and the elements.

Covenstead - home of a coven.

Cowan - a person not of Wiccan beliefs, trying to fake the beliefs. A derogatory word for a "fake pagan"; a fool who doesn't know what they are talking about.

The Craft - Slang term for the practising of Witchcraft or embracing it as a source of religious dogma.

Croning - ritual celebrating those who have come into "full wisdom" (post menopausal. Age has no bearing on when a woman is no longer able to be the mother. ) Females are called Crones, males are called Sages.

Cross quarters - the midpoints of the seasons, they are four of the Sabbats, or holidays, which fall between the Sabbats at the Equinoxes or Solstices.

Deosil - clockwise circle, following the sun and moon's motion in the sky. It represents the creation or building of positive energy. It is opposite of widdershins. (see below)

Divine Power - the life force of energy; ulitimate source of all things

Drawing Down the Moon- the bringing of the Goddess' power into oneself. Voice pitch and brilliance can occur during this.

Earth Power - manifested Divine power found in natural things.

Eclectic - a mixture of beliefs complied from various traditions and theologies.

Elements - four essences that are the building blocks of the Universe. Earth-North, Air-East, Fire-South, and Water-West. There are some traditions that place Water in the South and Fire in the West. Everything that exists, or has the potential to exist, contain one or more of these energies. Some theorize that there is a Fifth Element, that of 'spirit,' 'self,' or 'soul' which is depicted as the 'center' of the four.

Energy- natural vibration or power that is tapped into or raised in spells and rites.

Equinox - happens twice a year when the sun is exactly over the Earth's Equator. It produces one day of equal light and dark hours.

Esbat - ritual occasions celebrating the full moon.

God - the divine counterpart to the Goddess. Often depicted as Green God of Summer and Horned God of Winter. Seen as the Sun, without which we could not survive. His life is honoured through the passing of the seasons. The God's domains are untouched lands. The stars are his too. Symbols are the sword, horn, spears, wands, knife, arrow, and sickle.

Goddess - The Divine, Universal Mother. The source of fertility, wisdom, and love. Depicted in 3 aspects - The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Her gift is life. She is Mother Nature. Her life is honoured not only through respect of all living things, but also by using Esbats to celebrate, since one of her symbols is the moon. Other symbols include the cauldron, chalice, mirror, and five-petaled flower.

The Fourth Face of the Goddess - that which is never seen, the unknown. Some say this is the source of her power.

Grimoire - a magickal workbook with information on rituals, magickal properties of natural objects, and preparation of ritual tools. In other words, your book of shadows.

Handfasting - Unlike a marriage "until death do you part", a handfasting is traditionally for a year and a day. If both wish to terminate the relationship then a Handparting ceremony should happen. The Priestess and Priest of their coven can help them in terms of property settlement, etc but unless they also happen to be qualified lawyers, make sure someone looks over the paperwork. Respect must be given to all parties and consideration for any children involved must be shown.

Lady - a term of respect for a Priestess.

The Lady - the Goddess.

Lord - a term of respect for a Priest.

The Lord - the God.

Magic - slight of hand or illusions of the eyes (physical exercise as opposed to "psychic").

Magick- Term adopted by those who practise practical arts of manipulation through energy to differentiate between their actions and that of parlour tricks.

Megalith- a monument of multiple stones. A monolith is a single stone.

Neopagan - A term adopted by those who are not worshipping a single deity yet are not following what would be considered a formal Wiccan path. Most eclectics are neopagans.

Pagan - A person who lives in the country.

Pantheistic - the belief that the divine is everywhere in everything.

Passage, Rites of - an exercise of significant transition.

Quarters - the four major Sabbats (holidays or seasonal marks) of the year and also the four elementals used in circle.

Reincarnation- the belief of rebirth of the spirit or the process of repeated lives in the physical form, to allow the evolution of the soul. Despite the idea that all neopagans must believe in reincarnation, this is not the case. Most will accept the concept as plausible however, any advanced soul can recognise a first timer and many are called students in their current life for a reason.

Ritual - ceremony or festival.

Sabbats - Wiccan festivals that are a time of rejoicing and celebration. No work should be done except in emergencies). There are 8 celebrations of Wicca, mostly referred to as Sabbats.

Imbolc on February 2, Beltaine on May 1, Lughnasadh on August 1, and Samhain on October 31; Spring Equinox on or about March 21, Summer Solstice on or about June 21, Autumn Equinox on or about September 21 and Yule on or about December 22. The dates of the Solstices and Equinoxes vary each year by a three day margin due to the rotation of the earth and her orbit around the sun.

Summerland - a land where the soul goes for a period of rest before reincarnation. It's origins are with the Nordic traditions, not the Celtic.

Threefold and Tenfold Law - Refers to something happening three times over its original intentions. In Wicca, it is believed that if you do something with bad intentions, it will come back at you three times worse than you had intended for the original situation or person. There are some who believe that they are immune to Karma. I honestly think that the gods prefer such egotistical people. After all, when Justice comes their way, they inevitably are looking somewhere else. Secure in their egotism that nothing would happen to them.

Warlock- Wiccan folk DO NOT use this word for "Male Witch". It is an old English word meaning untrustworthy or oathbreaker. A male Witch is exactly that....a Witch.

Guardians of the Watchtowers- they are used to call and protect the Elementals, each having their own special attributes. In this case, not the magazine distributed by the Jehovah's Witnesses.

North - Earth- stable, solid, dependable - Feminine - Green; East - Air - thought, intellect - Masculine - Yellow; South - Fire - change, passion, willpower - Masculine - Red; West - Water - emotions, purification - Feminine - Blue;

They are both visible/physical as well as non-visible/spiritual. They are invoked during rituals as protectors of our Circle of Power.

Wicca - a contemporary use of beliefs that predates the idea of a single deity being responsible for all. Expresses reverence for Nature, uses Magick, and worships dual dieties - both the Goddess (Mother or Lady) and the God (Sun or Lord). A follower of Wicca is a Wiccan. Wicca has been referred to as meaning "wise ones" and/or "to turn, bend and shape". Wiccan is often termed the new name for Witches. There is however a significant difference in that Witchcraft is not written down whereas Wicca ( as per Gardner ) is.

Wiccaning- the act of parents, promising to rear their children in the Wiccan culture. It's another version of a baptism in that a child is given into the religious house of the parents and protectors volunteer to watch out for the education, both spiritual and otherwise, of the child.

Widdershins- counter-clockwise motion around a circle to disperse or tear down negative energy.

Few definitions are absolute. The English language is a constantly evolving thing. However, most of these will conform to the modern dictionaries. And a few of the older ones. There are some variations in this as opposed to other pages that I have seen and helped to create however, I try not to insult your intelligence and have removed most of the more redundant parts.