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WORD LIST HOME - DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
THE MYSTICAL AND MAGICAL
DIRECTORY OF MYSTIC WORD LISTS
Mystical and Magical - Home
SEE ALSO
Feature: Fate and Destiny in an Eternal World
Feature: A History of Time
Syzygy - The Alignment of the Universe
Cosmic Order of the Universe
The Sun, the Moon and the Star
Mystical and Magical - Home
- Mysterious Magic of the Mystical
- Supernatural Spirituality of the Occult
- Practicing the Art of Divination
SEE ALSO
Feature: Fate and Destiny in an Eternal World
Feature: A History of Time
Syzygy - The Alignment of the Universe
Cosmic Order of the Universe
The Sun, the Moon and the Star
WONDERS OF MAGIC and WICCA
ABOUT WICCA
See Also:
Sorcery and Magic and Witchcraft
Spellbound by the Witch’s Gaze
The Implements of the Craft
Sorcery and Magic and Witchcraft
Spellbound by the Witch’s Gaze
The Implements of the Craft
Wicca is a modern Pagan religion. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. Wicca draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th-century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practices.
The first recorded use of the word "Wicca" appears in 1962.. The term is derived from the Old English wicca [ˈwit.t͡ʃɑ] and wicce [ˈwit.t͡ʃe], the masculine and feminine terms for witch used in Anglo-Saxon England.
The first recorded use of the word "Wicca" appears in 1962.. The term is derived from the Old English wicca [ˈwit.t͡ʃɑ] and wicce [ˈwit.t͡ʃe], the masculine and feminine terms for witch used in Anglo-Saxon England.
- It is not known who precisely invented the term "Wicca" in reference to the religion. One thought has suggested Gardner's chief rival Charles Cardell, who was referring to it as the "Craft of the Wiccens" by 1958.
- Other names associated with Wicca are "Witchcraft" and "the Craft". Using the word "Witchcraft" in this context can cause confusion with other, non-religious forms of witchcraft and other religions whose practitioners also sometimes describe themselves as "Witches".
- Another term sometimes used as a synonym for "Wicca" is "Pagan Witchcraft" but there are other forms of Pagans who also practice magic and could also be described as "Pagan Witchcraft".
- Since the 1990s, some Wiccans began describing themselves as "Traditional Witches", although this term was also employed by practitioners of other magic traditions.
- Some academics have categorized Wicca as a form of nature religion, a term that is also embraced by many of its practitioners,
- The terms wizard and warlock are generally discouraged in the community.
- In Wicca, denominations are referred to as traditions, while non-Wiccans are often termed cowans..
KEY TERMS
WICCA: A modern Pagan religion with spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature. Some major identifying themes are:
WICCE: Synonymous with Wicca. In some circles, Wicce is used for women and Wicca is used for men.
WITCHCRAFT: The craft of the witch- magick, especially magick utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. This belief system also has nothing to do with Satanism.
COVEN: A group of thirteen or fewer witches that work together in an organized fashion for positive magickal endeavors or to perform religious ceremonies.
MAGICK/MAGIC: The projection of natural energies (such as personal power) to bring about needed change. Magic is the process of raising this energy, giving it purpose, and releasing it. Magic is also spelled with a "K" on the end, a designation created by Aleister Crowley in the 1900's to differentiate it from common stage magic.
ALCHEMY: A branch of High Magic developed in the Middle Ages which sought to magically and/or chemically turn base metals into gold.
ASTROLOGY: The study of and belief in the effects the movements and placements of celestial objects have on the lives and behavior of human beings.
BOOK OF SHADOWS: A witch's book of spells, rituals, magickal lore. Much akin to a magickal cookbook. Also known as a BOS.
DIVINATION: The magickal art of using tools and symbols to gather information from people, places, things and events of the past, present, and future.
HERBALISM: Art of using herbs to facilitate human needs both magically and medicinally.
OCCULT: Literal meaning is "hidden" and is broadly applied to a wide range of metaphysical topics which lie outside the accepted realm of mainstream theologies.
PAGAN/NEO-PAGAN: General term for followers of Wicca and other magickal, shamanistic, and polytheistic Earth-based religions. Also used to refer to pre-Christian religious and magickal systems.
PENTAGRAM: The basic interlaced five-pointed star, visualized with one point up. It represents the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. It is a symbol of power and protection.
REDE - Basic tenet of witchcraft. "An it harm none, do what thou will.”
- reverence for both the Goddess and God; acceptance of reincarnation and magic;
- ritual observance of astronomical and agricultural phenomena;
- the use of magical circles for ritual purposes.
WICCE: Synonymous with Wicca. In some circles, Wicce is used for women and Wicca is used for men.
WITCHCRAFT: The craft of the witch- magick, especially magick utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. This belief system also has nothing to do with Satanism.
- WITCH: A practitioner of folk magick, particularly that kind relating to herbs, stones, colors, wells, rivers, etc. It is used by some Wiccans to describe themselves. This term has nothing to do with Satanism.
COVEN: A group of thirteen or fewer witches that work together in an organized fashion for positive magickal endeavors or to perform religious ceremonies.
MAGICK/MAGIC: The projection of natural energies (such as personal power) to bring about needed change. Magic is the process of raising this energy, giving it purpose, and releasing it. Magic is also spelled with a "K" on the end, a designation created by Aleister Crowley in the 1900's to differentiate it from common stage magic.
ALCHEMY: A branch of High Magic developed in the Middle Ages which sought to magically and/or chemically turn base metals into gold.
ASTROLOGY: The study of and belief in the effects the movements and placements of celestial objects have on the lives and behavior of human beings.
BOOK OF SHADOWS: A witch's book of spells, rituals, magickal lore. Much akin to a magickal cookbook. Also known as a BOS.
DIVINATION: The magickal art of using tools and symbols to gather information from people, places, things and events of the past, present, and future.
HERBALISM: Art of using herbs to facilitate human needs both magically and medicinally.
OCCULT: Literal meaning is "hidden" and is broadly applied to a wide range of metaphysical topics which lie outside the accepted realm of mainstream theologies.
PAGAN/NEO-PAGAN: General term for followers of Wicca and other magickal, shamanistic, and polytheistic Earth-based religions. Also used to refer to pre-Christian religious and magickal systems.
PENTAGRAM: The basic interlaced five-pointed star, visualized with one point up. It represents the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. It is a symbol of power and protection.
REDE - Basic tenet of witchcraft. "An it harm none, do what thou will.”
WONDER OF WORDS
This glossary is intended to introduce obscure and beautiful words within the Wiccan community that describe various ideas and people, places and things. It is not meant to instruct on Wiccan ways. If you are interested in learning more about this religion please see the great resource, the Celtic Connection.
AMULET: A magically charged object which deflects specific, usually negative energies. A protective object.
ANKH: An Egyptian hieroglyphic widely used as a symbol of life, love, and reincarnation. It is a cross with a looped top.
ATHAME: A cleansed and consecrated ritual blade. Usually double edged and black handled. It is never used to cut anything on the physical plane. Pronounced several ways: Ah-THAM-ee ATH-ah-may ah-THAW-may.
AURA: The life-energy field which surrounds all living things.
BALEFIRE: A fire lit for magickal purposes, usually outdoors. They are traditional on Yule, Beltane, and Midsummer.
BANE: That which destroys life, which is poisonous, destructive, dangerous.
BESOM: A witch's broom.
BOLINE: A white-handled knife, used in magick and ritual for purposes such as cutting herbs or piercing a pomegranate.
CHAKRAS: Seven major energy vortexes found in the human body. Each is usually associated with a color. They are: crown - white; third-eye - purple; throat - blue; chest - pink or green; navel - yellow; abdomen - orange; groin - red. Smaller vortexes are located in the hands and feet as well.
CHALICE: A ritual tool. It represents the female principals of creation.
CHAPLET: A crown for the head usually made of flowers and worn at Beltane.
CONSECRATION: The act of blessing an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.
DEOSIL: Clockwise, the direction in which the shadow on a sundial moves as the Sun "moves" across the sky. Deosil is symbolic of life, positive magic and positive energies.
DIRK: Ritual knife of the Scottish tradition.
DOWSING: The divinatory art of using a pendulum or stick to find the actual location of a person, place, thing, or element.
DUALITY: The opposite of polarity. When used as a religious term, it separates two opposites such as good and evil and places those characteristics into two completely separate God-forms.
ELEMENTS: Usually: Earth, air, fire, water. The building blocks of the universe. Everything that exists contains one or more of these energies. Some include a fifth element- spirit or Akasha.
ESBAT: A gathering or ritual usually occurring on the Full Moon and dedicated to the Goddess in her lunar aspect.
GAEA/GAIA: Mother Earth.
GRIMOIRE: A magickal workbook containing ritual information, formulae, magickal properties of natural objects and preparation of ritual equipment. Often used interchangeably with Book of Shadows.
KARMA: The belief that one's thoughts and deeds can either be counted against them or added to their spiritual path across several life times.
MEGALITH: A huge stone monument or structure. Stonehenge is the best-known example of a megalith. TRILITHON: A stone arch made from two upright slabs with one lying atop these. They are featured in Stonehenge.
MENHIR: A huge stone probably erected by early peoples for religious, spiritual, or magickal reasons.
OGHAM: Celtic equivalent of the Teutonic runes. The ancient alphabet of the Celtic people.
PANTHEON: A collection or group of Gods and Goddesses in a particular religious or mythical structure.
POLARITY: The concept of equal, opposite energies. The Eastern Yin Yang is a perfect example. Yin is cold; yang is hot. Other examples: Goddess/God, night/day, Moon/Sun, birth/death, dark/light, psychic mind/unconscious mind. Universal balance.
RUNES: A set of symbols used both in divination and magickal work. There are several types will different origins- Scandinavian, Norse, Germanic.
SCRYING: A method of divination. To gaze at or into an object (a quartz crystal sphere, a pool of water, reflections, a candle flame) to still the conscious mind in order to contact the psychic mind. Scrying allows the scryer to become aware of events prior to their actual occurrence, as well as to perceive past or present events through other than the five senses.
SHILLELAGH: Magickal tool corresponding to the staff in other traditions. Usually made from blackthorn wood.
SIGIL: Magically oriented seal, sign, glyph, or other device used in a magickal working.
SPIRAL: Symbol of coming into being.
SUMBEL – In Norse Paganism, a communal ritual of celebration. At a sumbel, the horn is passed, toasts are made, and oaths are made before the Gods. A sumbel is a joyful affair that is nonetheless performed within sacred space.
SUMMERLAND: The Pagan Land of the Dead.
WIDDERSHINS: Counter-clockwise motion, usually used for negative magical purposes, or for dispersing negative energies or conditions such as disease.
YGGDRASIL: One of the best known Tree of Life symbols. It unites all existence from the Underworld, to the Physical world.
ANKH: An Egyptian hieroglyphic widely used as a symbol of life, love, and reincarnation. It is a cross with a looped top.
ATHAME: A cleansed and consecrated ritual blade. Usually double edged and black handled. It is never used to cut anything on the physical plane. Pronounced several ways: Ah-THAM-ee ATH-ah-may ah-THAW-may.
AURA: The life-energy field which surrounds all living things.
BALEFIRE: A fire lit for magickal purposes, usually outdoors. They are traditional on Yule, Beltane, and Midsummer.
BANE: That which destroys life, which is poisonous, destructive, dangerous.
BESOM: A witch's broom.
BOLINE: A white-handled knife, used in magick and ritual for purposes such as cutting herbs or piercing a pomegranate.
CHAKRAS: Seven major energy vortexes found in the human body. Each is usually associated with a color. They are: crown - white; third-eye - purple; throat - blue; chest - pink or green; navel - yellow; abdomen - orange; groin - red. Smaller vortexes are located in the hands and feet as well.
CHALICE: A ritual tool. It represents the female principals of creation.
CHAPLET: A crown for the head usually made of flowers and worn at Beltane.
CONSECRATION: The act of blessing an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.
DEOSIL: Clockwise, the direction in which the shadow on a sundial moves as the Sun "moves" across the sky. Deosil is symbolic of life, positive magic and positive energies.
DIRK: Ritual knife of the Scottish tradition.
DOWSING: The divinatory art of using a pendulum or stick to find the actual location of a person, place, thing, or element.
DUALITY: The opposite of polarity. When used as a religious term, it separates two opposites such as good and evil and places those characteristics into two completely separate God-forms.
ELEMENTS: Usually: Earth, air, fire, water. The building blocks of the universe. Everything that exists contains one or more of these energies. Some include a fifth element- spirit or Akasha.
- ELEMENTALS: Archetypical spirit beings associated with one of the four elements. Elementals are sometimes called Faeries.
ESBAT: A gathering or ritual usually occurring on the Full Moon and dedicated to the Goddess in her lunar aspect.
GAEA/GAIA: Mother Earth.
GRIMOIRE: A magickal workbook containing ritual information, formulae, magickal properties of natural objects and preparation of ritual equipment. Often used interchangeably with Book of Shadows.
KARMA: The belief that one's thoughts and deeds can either be counted against them or added to their spiritual path across several life times.
MEGALITH: A huge stone monument or structure. Stonehenge is the best-known example of a megalith. TRILITHON: A stone arch made from two upright slabs with one lying atop these. They are featured in Stonehenge.
MENHIR: A huge stone probably erected by early peoples for religious, spiritual, or magickal reasons.
OGHAM: Celtic equivalent of the Teutonic runes. The ancient alphabet of the Celtic people.
PANTHEON: A collection or group of Gods and Goddesses in a particular religious or mythical structure.
POLARITY: The concept of equal, opposite energies. The Eastern Yin Yang is a perfect example. Yin is cold; yang is hot. Other examples: Goddess/God, night/day, Moon/Sun, birth/death, dark/light, psychic mind/unconscious mind. Universal balance.
RUNES: A set of symbols used both in divination and magickal work. There are several types will different origins- Scandinavian, Norse, Germanic.
SCRYING: A method of divination. To gaze at or into an object (a quartz crystal sphere, a pool of water, reflections, a candle flame) to still the conscious mind in order to contact the psychic mind. Scrying allows the scryer to become aware of events prior to their actual occurrence, as well as to perceive past or present events through other than the five senses.
SHILLELAGH: Magickal tool corresponding to the staff in other traditions. Usually made from blackthorn wood.
SIGIL: Magically oriented seal, sign, glyph, or other device used in a magickal working.
SPIRAL: Symbol of coming into being.
SUMBEL – In Norse Paganism, a communal ritual of celebration. At a sumbel, the horn is passed, toasts are made, and oaths are made before the Gods. A sumbel is a joyful affair that is nonetheless performed within sacred space.
SUMMERLAND: The Pagan Land of the Dead.
WIDDERSHINS: Counter-clockwise motion, usually used for negative magical purposes, or for dispersing negative energies or conditions such as disease.
YGGDRASIL: One of the best known Tree of Life symbols. It unites all existence from the Underworld, to the Physical world.
TYPES OF WITCHES
AIR WITCH - has an affinity for inspiration, communication, and clarity.
ASTRONOMY WITCH - aligns practice with the stars and planets. May practice astrology.
CRYSTAL WITCH - works with stones and crystals and gemstones for healing, especially when working with chakras
DIVINATION WITCH - works with various forms of divination (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means). Uses tarot readings, palmistry, and tea leaf readings among others.
ECLECTIC WITCH - one who practices bits and pieces from all mystical vocations. One chooses the parts from various traditions to create a personalized practice.
FAERIE WITCHES - one who practices fae work which are natural based remedies
FIRE WITCH - focuses on the fire elements, utilizes candles in practice
FOREST WITCH - one who lives in the forest or bases the Craft in the woods; is familiar with nature, plants and animals.
GREEN WITCH - one who practices with natural, earth based herbal remedies
HEALER WITCH - one who seeks to heal. Uses remedies to help and assist others. Empathetic and spiritual.
HEDGE WITCH - one who performs spirit work and other world travels. Has a remedy for any malady. Recipes and rituals passed down through generations.
KITCHEN WITCH - crafty, home and hearth based; practices with food in cooking and baking
LUNAR WITCH - attuned to and honors the moon cycles and phases; works at night under the energy of the moonlight
MUSIC WITCH - deeply rooted in music; one who has a connection to sounds and uses them to enhance spells and rituals.
NOCTURNAL WITCH - very connected to the night and embraces darker energies. Communicates with spirits and deities. Most work is done after midnight. Also known as: SHADOW WITCH.
POP CULTURE WITCH - fictional; based in pop cultural fantasy
SEA WITCH - one who practices with water based remedies. Utilizes the natural products of the sea like driftwood, seashells, and salt water. May worship sea deities.
SECULAR WITCH - one who practices without assistance from the gods
SOLITARY WITCH - one who practices alone
STORM WITCH - one who combines his or her energy with the weather patterns. Collects the elements like rain water or snow for use in remedies and rituals.
TECHNO WITCH - one who practices with technology or electrical resources
TRADITIONAL WITCH - practices from a historical perspective. They study ancestry and folklore and honor the old ways. Can also be called HEREDITARY.
URBAN WITCH - one who is modernized
WATER WITCH - one with a deep affinity for emotion, balance, and history.
DIRECTORY OF MYSTIC WORD LISTS
Mystical and Magical - Home
Feature: Fate and Destiny in an Eternal World
Feature: A History of Time
Syzygy - The Alignment of the Universe
Cosmic Order of the Universe
The Sun, the Moon and the Star
Mystical and Magical - Home
- Mysterious Magic of the Mystical
- Wonders of Wicca
- Practitioners of Sorcery & Magic
- Spellbound by the Witch’s Gaze
- Paranormal Playground of the Psyche
- Spectacular Show of Superpowers
- Mythology and a Duality of Darkness
- Beware the Mythical Beasts
- Navigating the Underworld
- Supernatural Spirituality of the Occult
Feature: Fate and Destiny in an Eternal World
Feature: A History of Time
Syzygy - The Alignment of the Universe
Cosmic Order of the Universe
The Sun, the Moon and the Star
A BEAUTIFUL WORD ... a vocabulary site for logophiles, writers and word lovers that is part of
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Words are also posted on twitter under the hashtags #beautifulwords and #wordoftheday and shared visually on pinterest bulletin boards
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Original content © 2021 Copyright, Kairos
A SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS
Collection of Vocabulary Books, Sites and Resources
Series Homepage | View Sites | Download Books
Words are also posted on twitter under the hashtags #beautifulwords and #wordoftheday and shared visually on pinterest bulletin boards
ABOUT SITE | SITEMAPS | SEARCH | FEEDBACK
Content by Kairos ~ @kairosoflife
Homepage | Portfolio | Contact
Original content © 2021 Copyright, Kairos
