Witchcraft A-Z
Alchemy
Alchemy is the medieval forerunner of chemistry; an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and proto scientific tradition. Alchemists attempted to purify, mature, and perfect certain materials. Common aims were the transmutation of "base metals" (like lead) into "noble metals" (particularly gold); the creation of an elixir of immortality; and the creation of remedies able to cure any disease. The perfection of the human body and soul was thought to result from the alchemical magnum opus ("Great Work"). The concept of creating the philosophers' stone was variously connected with all of these projects.
Amulet
An object/charm often inscribed with a magic incantation or symbol to aid and protect the wearer.
Astral projection
Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used to describe an intentional out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an "astral body" through which consciousness can function separately from the physical body and travel throughout the astral plane. The idea of astral travel is ancient and occurs in multiple cultures. It is sometimes reported in association with dreams and forms of meditation. Some individuals have reported perceptions similar to descriptions of astral projection that were induced through various hallucinogenic and hypnotic means (including self-hypnosis).
Astrology
The study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world.
Athame
A ceremonial blade, generally double-edged and with a black handle. It is a ritual implement or magical tool among several used in ceremonial magic traditions, and by other neopagans.
Aura
An aura is thought to be a luminous body that surrounds your physical one. Ancient systems of medicine, such as Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, believe that this energy is expressed in seven layers. Each layer is said to correlate to a different element of your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Each layer surrounds your body in a net of energy.
Automatic writing
Automatic writing, historically known as spirit writing and also known as psychography, is a form of divination where the practitioner produces written words without consciously writing. The belief is that they are connecting with spirits, deities, or other supernatural entities and acting as a channel for said beings to communicate via writing. This intuitive writing practice is usually done in a trance-like or altered state of consciousness. Spirit writing, later called Fuji (planchette writing), has a long tradition in China, where messages from various deities and spirits were received by mediums since the Song dynasty. The spread of Chinese cultural techniques, such as printing and painting, introduced the influence of "spirit writing", practiced by Japanese Zen Ōbaku monks, who were said to communicate with an ancient Taoist sage credited with creation of the kung fu system. Parapsychologist William Fletcher Barrett wrote that "automatic messages may take place either by the writer passively holding a pencil on a sheet of paper, or by the planchette, or by a 'ouija board'." In spiritualism, spirits are claimed to take control of the hand of a medium to write messages, letters, and even entire books.
Baneful magic
Baneful magic is defined as any spell, ritual or “craft” meant to cause “harm”. Baneful magic is how many people often describe magic that is done in what's perceived as a negative manner. This can include, but is not limited to: magical workings that impact the free will of others, magic performed to bring about destruction or harm, such as cursing or hexing, magic invoking the spirit realm for a negative purpose, magical workings that are baneful; i.e., that restrict or eliminate the actions of other people. In some traditions, workings done with negative intent are referred to as “dark magic.” However, bear in mind that not all Pagan traditions divide magic into such simplistic categories as “good” or “bad”.
Banishing
Banishing refers to one or more rituals intended to remove non-physical influences ranging from spirits to negative influences. Although banishing rituals are often used as components of more complex ceremonies, they can also be performed by themselves.
Bealtaine
Bealtaine, or Beltane (anglicized), is a festival held on the first day of May, celebrating the beginning of summer. Bealtaine is first mentioned in a glossary attributed to Cormac, bishop of Cashel and king of Munster, who was killed in 908. Cormac describes how cattle were driven between two bonfires on Bealtaine as a magical means of protecting them from disease before they were led into summer pastures—a custom still observed in Ireland in the 19th century. Other festivities included Maypole dances and cutting of green boughs and flowers. As did other pre-Christian Celtic peoples, the Irish divided the year into two main seasons. Winter and the beginning of the year fell on November 1 (Irish: Samain) and midyear and summer on May 1 (Irish: Bealtaine). These two junctures were thought to be critical periods when the bounds between the human and supernatural worlds were temporarily erased; on May Eve witches and fairies were said to roam freely.The word Bealtaine is thought to have come from the name of the Celtic god Bel, and the Gaelic word tiene, “fire.”
Besom
A besom is a broom, typically a traditional style of a stick with bristles or broomcorn fastened to it. Besoms have existed in many cultures around the world for a very long time, all with different uses tied to folklore and folk magic. They are also used in Wicca and other neopagan practices as a ceremonial tool to cleanse and purify a space which will be used for ritual.
Binding
Typically, a magical binding is simply a spell or working that restrains someone metaphysically, preventing them from doing something. It is often used to keep the individual from causing harm to themselves or others.
Book of shadows
A Book of Shadows is a book containing religious text and instructions for magical rituals found within the Neopagan religion of Wicca. The most famous Book of Shadows was created by the pioneering Wiccan Gerald Gardner sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The Book of Shadows is also used by other Wiccan traditions, such as Alexandrian Wicca and Mohsianism, and with the rise of books teaching people how to begin following non-initiatory Wicca in the 1970s onward, the idea of the Book of Shadows was then further propagated amongst solitary practitioners unconnected to earlier, initiatory traditions.
Black magic
Black magic, also known as Dark Magic, has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes; or magic associated with the devil or other “evil spirits”. It is also sometimes referred to as the "left-hand path", (its right-hand path counterpart being benevolent white magic). In modern times, some find that the definition of black magic has been convoluted by people who define magic or ritualistic practices that they disapprove of as black magic.
Black mirror
Black mirrors, or scrying mirrors, are mirrors with dark surfaces that are used as tools in divination.
Brujeria
Brujeria is the Spanish word for witchcraft, and denotes specific types of witchcraft and occult religions within Latin America and Afro-Caribbean countries. Across the Afro-Latin diaspora, many forms of spiritual practices have emerged: Haitian Vodou, Cuban Santería, and Brazilian Candomblé and Umbanda. What sets the brujas and brujos of Brujeria apart from their European counterparts is the blend of religiosity and spirituality. The witches in Latin America's ‘magic’ are rooted in African magic, European spiritualism, and Taino practices, making them practice an integrated version of spirituality. Unlike many other Caribbean religions that derive from Africa, Brujería is not based on stable community, hierarchy, or membership. Instead, practices are more dependent on the ritual preferences of the actual participants. Because of the spontaneity of the spirits, it is impossible for institutionalized doctrines of worships to be enforced on followers and practitioners of Brujería.
Calling the quarters
Calling the Quarters, or Quarter Calling, is a ritual performed at the start of magical or spiritual work by many magical practitioners and is prescribed by several traditions including many types of Ceremonial Magic, particularly Golden Dawn and Wicca and its many offshoots. It is an evocation to elemental energies tied to the four cardinal directions of the compass meant to bring the energies into the magic circle to make them available for the practitioners’ use and to bolster the practitioners' own energy toward the protective strength of the Circle and any further work to be performed within it.
Candle magic
Candle magic is the act of using candles to perform spells and other magical workings. Often, specific colors, herbs, and oils are used.
Cardinal sign
The modality or mode of a given sign refers to its position in the season it is found in. Each of the four elements manifests in three modalities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Cardinal signs are the signs that start every season. In the Northern Hemisphere, Aries marks the beginning of spring, Cancer summer, Libra fall and Capricorn is the start of winter. Because of this, they’re referred to as the leaders, trendsetters and “idea people” of the zodiac, associated with key words such as: action, dynamic, initiative.
Cauldron
A cauldron is a large pot for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in religion, mythology, and folklore. In witchcraft, most often a cauldron is made of cast iron and is used to burn loose incense on a charcoal disc, to make black salt (used in banishing rituals), for mixing herbs, or to burn petitions (paper with words of power or wishes written on them).
Cauldron (Celtic chakra)
In the Celtic energy system known as the three cauldrons, cauldrons are defined as energy centers, much like the hindu chakras. There are three cauldrons, roughly relating to earth, sea, and sky – referring to the chthonic, oceanic, and celestial aspects, and the correlation with the three realms.
Carromancy
Carromancy, also known as ceromancy, is a form of divination involving wax. One of the most common methods of carromancy is to heat wax until molten, then to pour it directly into cold water. The shapes and movements of the wax as it cools and solidifies can then be read. Another method practiced is studying the burning of a candle, the movements of the flame and how the wax flows from the candle are then interpreted. Carromancy has roots in ancient Celtic times and later in Ancient Roman times. According to records from around 500 CE, the candle burned during a druid's vigil was poured into a bowl and then into a clear pool of cold water, once shapes were formed they were interpreted as signs of the future.
Cartomancy
Cartomancy is fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards, with the most popular form using tarot cards.
Centering
Centering is a method of channeling and balancing your energy before performing spellwork (it is typically done alongside grounding).
Ceremonial magic
Ceremonial magic (ritual magic, high magic or learned magic) encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories to aid the practitioner.
Chalice
A chalice is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning.
Chaos magic
Chaos magic is a contemporary magical practice that initially emerged in England in the 1970s as part of the wider neo-pagan and magical subculture. The founding figures of chaos magic believed that other occult traditions had become too religious in character. They attempted to strip away the symbolic, ritualistic, theological or otherwise ornamental aspects of these occult traditions, to leave behind a set of basic techniques that they believed to be the basis of magic. Chaos magic teaches that the essence of magic is that perceptions are conditioned by beliefs, and the world as we perceive can be changed by deliberately changing those beliefs and rejects the existence of absolute truth, and views all occult systems as arbitrary symbol-systems that are only effective because of the belief of the practitioner.
Charmstone
A charmstone (charm-stone) is a stone or mineral artifact of various types associated with various traditional cultures, including those of Scotland and the indigenous cultures of California and the American southwest. Typically they are elongated or cylindrical and may be perforated and/or grooved. They are thought to have been regarded as having some religious or magical function, including being talismans, amulets or charms.
Clairaudience
Clairaudience is the hearing of sounds, music, and voices not audible to normal hearing. The term clairaudience comes from French for “clear hearing.” In yoga, it is an astral sense, which is experienced when the fifth chakra, located at the throat, is activated.
Clairsentience
A form of extrasensory perception, clairsentience (“clear sensing”) is the receiving of tastes, smells, and sensations remotely. Clairsentience can also involve the mental receipt of thoughts, ideas, and emotions.
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is paranormal visions of objects, events, places and people that are not visible through normal sight. It is an extrasensory perception (ESP) that overlaps with telepathy and precognition (knowledge of the future). It is a factor in Mediumship and Retrocognition, and may come into play in some cases of apparitions. The term “clairvoyance” comes from the French for “clear seeing.” Individuals gifted with clairvoyance have, throughout history, been oracles, prophets, diviners, holy men and women, healers, and witches.
Cleaning magic
Cleaning magic can be put into two categories: physical cleaning and spiritual cleaning. Physical cleaning being the physical cleaning of your home with products, and spiritual cleaning being the dispelling of negativity in your space using energy-based practices and magical tools. Physical cleaning can be a magical practice with intent, for example sweeping away negativity and clutter, cleaning barriers like doors and windows, and dusting away literal and metaphorical cobwebs.
Color magic
Color magic is the use of the color spectrum and the intention of each color, as predisposed with folklore, religions, psychology, and others, to invoke its magical response.
Conjuration
In traditional and most contemporary usage it refers to the magical act of invoking spirits or using incantations or charms to cast magical spells. The word conjuration (from Latin conjure, conjurare, to "swear together") can be interpreted in several different ways: as an invocation or evocation (the latter in the sense of binding by a vow); as an exorcism; and as an act of producing effects by magical means. The term "conjuring" is also used as a general term for casting spells in some magical traditions, such as Hoodoo.
Cord cutting
Cord cutting refers to a ritual in which one's intent is to release their ties to another person, relationship, or situation in which they feel their energy is still tied to. It is often done with two candles that are joined together with cord or twine, then each candle is lit and as both burn, so does the physical and spiritual tether.
Cosmic witch
Cosmic witches are witches that focus on astrology and astronomy, and feel that their energy and power largely come from their ties to the cosmos. They often focus on spellwork that aligns with lunar cycles and planetary movements.
Coven
A coven is a group or community of witches who gather regularly for spellwork, religious, and/or social occasions. Covens may gather for training purposes, or to celebrate Sabbats or Esbats.
Crystal witch
Crystal witches are deeply connected to the vibration and power of crystals, gems, rocks, and stones, and they practice crystal magic to manifest, amplify, and attract energy.
Decoction
Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal-medicine systems. Decoction involves first drying the plant material; then mashing, slicing, or cutting the material to allow for maximum dissolution; and finally boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds and other various chemical substances. Decoction can be used to make tisanes, tinctures and similar solutions. The term is typically only used to describe boiled plant extracts, usually for medicinal or scientific purposes.
Demonology
Demonology is the study of demons or beliefs about demons, and the hierarchy of demons. They may be nonhuman, separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body.
Dianic Witchcraft/Dianic Wicca
Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft, is a Modern Pagan, goddess tradition, focused on female experience and empowerment. Leadership is by women, who may be ordained as priestesses, or in less formal groups that function as collectives. While some adherents identify as Wiccan, it differs from most traditions of Wicca in that only goddesses are honored (whereas most Wiccan traditions honor both female and male deities). While there is more than one tradition known as Dianic, the most widely known is the female-only variety, with the most prominent tradition founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest in the United States in the 1970s. It is notable for its worship of a single, monotheistic Great Goddess and a focus on egalitarian matriarchy. While the tradition is named after the Roman goddess Diana, Dianics worship goddesses from many cultures. Diana "is seen as representing a central mythic theme of woman-identified cosmology. She is the protector of women and of the wild, untamed spirit of nature”. The Dianic Wiccan belief and ritual structure is an eclectic combination of elements from British Traditional Wicca, Italian folk-magic as recorded by Charles Leland in Aradia, New Age beliefs, and folk magic and healing practices from a variety of different cultures.
Divination
The practice of finding answers, significance, and insight by using symbols, objects, and tools to interpret messages from the collective unconscious and/or spiritual beings, deities, or ancestors. Some common forms are cartomancy (ie tarot), scrying (pendulums, mirrors, crystal balls), pyromancy, runes, tasseomancy (tea leaf reading), numerology, and automatic writing.
Dowsing
Dowsing is the use of a forked piece of wood, a Y-shaped metal rod, or a pendulum, in an attempt to detect hidden substances such as water, minerals, treasure, archaeological remains, lost objects, and even dead bodies. The theory behind dowsing is that the lost object or hidden substance communicates with you through the dowsing tool, by making the user’s muscles twitch to direct the tool and find what they’re searching for. Dowsing as a form of divination is similar, but instead, uses a pendulum or other tool to receive energy/messages from divine spirits and/or ancestors in order to find lost objects, answer questions, and/or gain insight.
Drawing down the moon
Drawing down the Moon (also known as drawing down the Goddess) is a central ritual in many contemporary Wiccan traditions. During the ritual, a coven's High Priestess enters a trance and requests that the Goddess or Triple Goddess, symbolized by the Moon, enter her body and speak through her. The High Priestess may be aided by the High Priest, who invokes the spirit of the Goddess. During her trance, the Goddess is supposed to speak through the High Priestess. The name most likely comes from a depiction of two women and the moon on an ancient Greek vase, believed to date from the second century BCE.
Dream telepathy
The ability to telepathically communicate with another person through dreams.
Eclectic witch
Eclectic witchcraft is an all-purpose term applied to witchcraft traditions that don't fit into a specific category, often because they are a blend of magical beliefs and practices from different areas. Eclectic witches might use a combination of historical sources, information read online, some knowledge from a class they took, and their own personal experience, all rolled together to form one single, practical method of performing rituals and spells. In some cases, the word eclectic is used to distinguish a modified magical tradition from its original form, or to differentiate an uninitiated person who is practicing their own version of otherwise oathbound material.
Effigy
An effigy is an often life-size sculptural representation of a specific person, or a prototypical figure. In sympathetic magic an effigy is used to affect the environment of people, or occasionally people themselves. Other uses of effigies include burning effigies as part of a ritual to mark the change of the seasons, tomb and funeral effigies, and the Wicker Man (a large human shaped wicker statue used by Ancient Celts during fire festivals for sacrifice).
Elemental
An elemental is a mythic being that is described in occult and alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance (particularly elaborated in the 16th century works of Paracelsus). According to Paracelsus and his subsequent followers, there are four categories of elementals, which are gnomes (earth), undines (water), sylphs (air), and salamanders (fire).
Elemental magic
Elemental magic refers to the magic of the elements of nature: earth, air, fire, and water and the focus of the use of said elements in your craft. Spells will typically consist of using a single element most related to the goal of the spell.
Enchantment
See “Spell”
Energy work
The method of healing through cleansing practices that work with energy, spirits, and vibrations. Energy work is based on the idea that malalignment in the body and/or mind results from an imbalance or blockage in our body’s vital energy. Examples of energy work include: Reiki, somatic healing, meditation, smoke and crystal cleansing, Yoga, and Tai Chi.
Entity
A non-physical entity is an object that exists outside physical reality. Examples of entities include: spirits, ghosts, gods, angels, and demons.
Ergokinesis
The ability to influence the movement of energy, such as electricity, without direct interaction.
Esbat
An esbat is a coven meeting or gathering at a time other than one of the Sabbats within Wicca and other Wiccan-influenced forms of contemporary Paganism. The term esbat is derived from Old French s'esbattre (Modern French ébat), meaning to frolic and amuse oneself.
ESP
Extrasensory perception or ESP, also called sixth sense, is a paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities such as intuition, telepathy, psychometry, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience. Second sight is also a form of ESP, whereby a person perceives information, in the form of a vision, about future events before they happen (precognition), or about things or events at remote locations (remote viewing).
Esotericism
The hidden meanings and symbolism of various philosophical, historical, and religious texts, in contrast to exoteric (visible, external).
Evil eye
The evil eye is a supernatural belief in a curse, brought about by a malevolent glare, usually given to a person when one is unaware. The evil eye dates back about 5,000 years. This iconic symbol is present across various religions and cultures, but most significantly in the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths. The earliest known belief in the power of the evil eye predates ancient Roman and Greek times classical antiquity, there has been literature that mentions in the 6th century BC it appeared on Chalcidian drinking vessels, known as 'eye-cups', as a type of apotropaic magic. It is found in many cultures in the Mediterranean region, with such cultures often believing that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury, while others believe it to be a kind of supernatural force that casts or reflects a malevolent gaze back-upon those who wish harm upon others (especially innocents). Older iterations of the symbol were often made of ceramic or clay; however, following the production of glass beads in the Mediterranean region in approximately 1500 BC, evil eye beads were popularized with the Phoenicians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans. The concept and its significance vary widely among different cultures, but it is especially prominent in the Balkans, Mediterranean and West Asia. The idea appears multiple times in Jewish rabbinic literature. Attempts to ward off the curse of the evil eye have resulted in a number of talismans in many cultures. As a class, they are called "apotropaic" talismans, meaning that they turn away or turn back harm. Disks or balls, consisting of concentric blue and white circles (usually, from inside to outside, dark blue, light blue, white, and dark blue) representing an evil eye are common apotropaic talismans in West Asia and the Balkans, found on the prows of boats and elsewhere; in some forms of the folklore, the staring eyes are supposed to bend the malicious gaze back to the sorcerer.
Other popular amulets and talismans used to ward off the evil eye include the hamsa, while Italy (especially Southern Italy) employs a variety of other unique charms and gestures to defend against the evil eye, including the cornicello, the cimaruta, and the sign of the horns.
Evocation
Evocation is the act of calling forth or summoning, typically to you rather than in you (like invocation). You can evoke feelings and memories as well as deities, spirits, etc. Conjuration also refers to a summoning, though often by the use of a magical spell.
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.
Fae/fairy
A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin, but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian tradition, as deities in Pagan belief systems, as spirits of the dead, as prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. The label of fairy has at times applied only to specific magical creatures with human appearance, magical powers, and a penchant for trickery. According to some historians, fairies were adopted from and influenced by the peris of Persian mythology. Peris were angelic beings that were mentioned in antiquity in pre-Islamic Persia as early as the Achaemenid Empire. A peri was illustrated to be fair, beautiful, and extravagant nature spirits that were supported by wings. This may have influenced migratory Germanic and Eurasian settlers into Europe, or been transmitted during early exchanges. In Irish mythology, the Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of supernaturally-gifted people that are thought to represent the main deities of pre-Christian Ireland. Many of the Irish modern tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann refer to these beings as fairies, though in more ancient times they were regarded as goddesses and gods. The Tuatha Dé Danann were spoken of as having come from islands in the north of the world or, in other sources, from the sky. After being defeated in a series of battles with other otherworldly beings, and then by the ancestors of the current Irish people, they were said to have withdrawn to the sídhe (fairy mounds), where they lived on in popular imagination as "fairies".
Familiar
In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to records of the time, they could manifest as numerous forms, usually as an animal, but sometimes as a human or humanoid figure. In modern times a familiar is known as a magic-user’s spiritual helper manifested in animal form. For many, it takes on the appearance of a common household pet and many have reported the same spirit returning, moving from the body of the elder pet as it passes on, into the body of a younger pet who is brought into the household.
Feri tradition
The Feri Tradition is an initiatory tradition of modern Pagan witchcraft that was founded in California in the 1960s by the Americans Victor Henry Anderson and his wife Cora Anderson. It is described as an ecstatic tradition rather than a fertility tradition with a strong emphasis placed on sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism. The Feri Tradition has very diverse influences, such as Huna, Vodou, Faery lore, Kabbalah, Hoodoo, Tantra, and Gnosticism. Although not directly a Wiccan religion, it has been characterized as a form of Wicca, with its foundation being heavily inspired by the work of Gerald Gardner.
Fetish
A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a human-made object that has power over others. Essentially, fetishism is the attribution of inherent value, or powers, to an object. Initially, the Portuguese developed the concept of the fetish to refer to the objects used in religious practices by West African natives. The use of the concept in the study of religion derives from studies of traditional West African religious beliefs, as well as from Vodun, which in turn derives from those beliefs. Fetishes were commonly used in some Native American religions and practices as well. For example, the bear represented the shaman, the buffalo was the provider, the mountain lion was the warrior, and the wolf was the pathfinder the cause of the war.
Fixed signs
The modality or mode of a given sign refers to its position in the season it is found in. Each of the four elements manifests in three modalities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Fixed signs fall in the middle of every season. In the Northern hemisphere: Taurus is in the middle of Spring, Leo summer, Scorpio fall, and Aquarius winter. They are known as the “doers” of the zodiac, associated with keywords such as: hardworking, dedication, and inflexible.
Floralia
The Floralia was a festival in ancient Roman religious practice in honor of the goddess Flora, held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 in the Julian calendar. The festival included Ludi Florae, the "Games of Flora", which lasted for six days. The festival had a decadent, pleasure-seeking atmosphere. In contrast to many festivals which had a patrician (upper class) character, the games of Flora were plebeian (commoner) in nature. Flora is one of the most ancient goddesses of Roman religion and was one of fifteen deities to have her own state-supported high priest, the flamen Florialis. A goddess of flowers, vegetation, and fertility. Her altar at Rome was said to have been established by the Sabine king Titus Tatius during the semi-legendary Regal period. Members of the Religio Romano (or Roman Pagans) and others, still celebrate this holiday today.
Folk magic
The term folk magic encompasses a wide variety of diverse magical practices united only by the fact that they are the magical practices of the common folk, rather than the ceremonial magic that was commonly worked by the “learned elite”. Folk magic is generally of a practical nature, meant to address the common ills of the community: healing the sick, bringing love or luck, driving away evil forces, finding lost items, bringing good harvests, granting fertility, reading omens, etc.
Folk religion
In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized religion. Folk religion often occurs in small, local communities which do not adhere to the norms of large systems.
Fortune telling
Fortune telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination. The difference is that divination is the term used for predictions considered part of a religious or spiritual ritual, invoking and channeling deities or spirits, while the term fortune telling implies a less serious or formal setting where the emphasis is less on the ritual and more on the concept of suggestion, practical advisory or affirmation.
Full moon
The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. The moon itself has been a source of celebration and worship for centuries across many different cultures, with the majority of festivals occurring around the full moon. Cosmically speaking, the full Moon is the time of the month where energy peaks and then releases. Because of this, it is considered a great time for cleansing, releasing, nourishing, divination, and manifesting. A time to start over, much in the same way the Moon itself does in its cycle.
Ghost
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living. Descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike forms. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in spiritism as a séance. The belief in the existence of an afterlife, as well as manifestations of the spirits of the dead, is widespread, dating back to animism or ancestor worship in pre-literate cultures. Certain religious practices (funeral rites, exorcisms, and some practices of spiritualism and ritual magic) are specifically designed to rest the spirits of the dead. Ghosts are generally described as solitary, human-like essences and are believed to haunt particular locations, objects, or people they were associated with in life.
Gray magic
In some practices positive magic, which helps people, is termed "white" magic and negative magic, which is designed to harm, is termed "black" magic. There is an area between the two that is neither positive nor harmful; called "gray" magic. Gray magic, also called neutral magic, is magic that is not performed for specifically beneficial reasons, but is also not focused on completely hostile practices.
Gray witch
Gray witches are witches that straddle the divide between “white” and “black” magic, using whatever suits the situation. They feel comfortable using curses and hexes when the situation calls for it as they typically seek justice and the correction of unfair circumstances.
Green witch
Green witches have a strong connection to the earth and mother nature, it being their main focus and from where they draw their power. Their primary tools and ingredients are typically oils, flowers, and herbs, and usually specialize in healing and nurturing.
Grimoire
A grimoire is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, deities, and demons. In many cases, the books themselves are believed to be imbued with magical powers. Not to be confused with a book of shadows, which is considered less formal and more akin to a magical journal.
Hag stone
Hag stones can be any type of stone as long as they possess a natural hole through it. They have been called by many names over the centuries and across different cultures including witch stones, adder stones, snake eggs, hex stones, fairy stones, and more. Most are found in dry riverbeds or along the seashore. One of the reasons they are so sought after and valuable is because it’s common belief that magic cannot work on moving water, and since the holes in hag stones are made by the force of this element that the stones retain water’s beneficial influence. In effect, a hag stone is seen as an amazing protection amulet.
Handfasting
Handfasting is a traditional practice that may define an unofficiated wedding, a betrothal, or a temporary wedding. The phrase refers to the “making fast of” a pledge by the shaking or joining of hands. The terminology and practice are especially associated with Germanic peoples, including the English and Norse, as well as the Scottish Gaels. The term handfasting has been in use in Celtic neopaganism for wedding ceremonies from at least the late 1960s. Within neopaganism, a handfasting is seen as a magical contract, binding two individuals together as partners in life. Although the ceremony does vary by tradition, generally their hands are bound together with a cord (some traditions placing strict emphasis on colors and materials) by an officiant and words are spoken by the officiant and the two individuals sealing the spell. Although handfasting is traditionally between two people, some allow for handfasting between more than two individuals. There are no gender restrictions with regard to handfasting.
Hearth witch
Hearth witches are witches whose practices mainly revolve around magic in the home. They have similarities to green witches and kitchen witches, with a focus on using herbs for their magical properties while cooking, and caring for plants in the home. Hearth witchcraft is essentially a daily, living mindfulness practice to transform the mundane into the magical through homemaking activities like candle making, weaving, knitting, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and much more.
Heathen
A person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do. Also, a follower of Heathenry (see below).
Heathenry
Heathenry is a reconstructionist form of modern Paganism. It has been defined as "a broad contemporary Pagan new religious movement that is consciously inspired by the linguistically, culturally, and (in some definitions) ethnically 'Germanic' societies of Iron Age and early medieval Europe as they existed prior to Christianization", and as a "movement to revive and/or reinterpret for the present day the practices and worldviews of the pre-Christian cultures of northern Europe". Practitioners seek to revive these past belief systems by using surviving historical source materials like Old Norse texts associated with Iceland such as the Prose Edda and Poetic Edda, Old English texts such as Beowulf, and Middle High German texts such as the Nibelungenlied. Some Heathens also adopt ideas from the archaeological evidence of pre-Christian northern Europe and folklore from later periods in European history. Among many Heathens, this material is referred to as the "Lore" and studying it is an important part of their religion.
Hedge witch
The traditional hedge witch is someone who is a Seer, Shaman, and witch all in one. Historically, the term hedge witch was used for anyone who lived along the fringes of a village, behind the hedgerows. These were the solitary men and women who acted as Shamans and witches in daily life, such as in the home and hearth, but who also offered divination or healing services to those in need. Hedge witch has always had a type of double meaning, with most hedge witches focus being on working with the elements, nature, crafts, and herbalism and also things like hedge crossing, hedge riding, or hedge jumping which refer to the hedge witch venturing into another realm while keeping one foot in the physical world. Their practices are sometimes referred to as green craft, and are highly influenced by rural customs and folk magic. Similar to kitchen witchcraft, hedge witchery often focuses on the hearth and home as the center of magical activity, and the place where a hedge witch lives is designated as sacred space. Unlike kitchen magic, however, the focus of hedge witchcraft is on the interaction with the natural world, similar to a green witch but is not as solely focused on nature.
Hellenism
Hellenism in a religious context refers to the modern pluralistic religion practiced in Greece and around the world by several communities derived from the beliefs, mythology and rituals from antiquity through and up to today. It is a system of thought and spirituality with a shared culture and values, and common ritualistic, linguistic and literary tradition. More broadly, Hellenism centers itself around the worship of Hellenic (of or relating to ancient Greek history, culture, or art before the Hellenistic period) deities, namely the twelve Olympians.
Greeks that identify their religion and way of life with Hellenism are commonly referred to as (Ethnic Hellenes). Non-Greek devotees of the Greek gods who embody Hellenic ideals are commonly referred to as Hellenists. More generally, someone who worships the Greek gods but does not necessarily adhere to Hellenic ideals, ethos or ritual may be referred to as a "Hellenic" polytheist.
Hereditary witch
Hereditary witches are sometimes referred to as ancestral witches. Their path has been learned through guidance from their elders or family members. They often come from an ancestral and cultural line of witchcraft; they’re born into their practice.Their practice can be as unique and varied as their ancestral line and often incorporates folk magic, ancestors’ grimoires, oral history, and traditional spells and rituals
Hermeticism
Hermeticism is a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). These teachings are contained in the various writings attributed to Hermes (the Hermetica), which were produced between 300 BCE – 1200 CE.
Hex (curse)
A hex or curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. They vary from culture, practice, and religion, some believe they come from gods and spirits, some believe they can be done by any magic practitioner through ritual. To reverse or eliminate a curse is called "removal" or "breaking", as the spell has to be dispelled, and is often requiring elaborate rituals or prayers. They are sometimes referred to as jinxes, but commonly jinxes are considered less serious than curses or hexes.
Hoodoo
Hoodoo is a set of spiritual practices, traditions, and beliefs which were created and concealed from slaveholders by enslaved Africans in North America. Hoodoo evolved from various traditional African religions and practices, and in the American South, incorporated various elements of indigenous botanical knowledge. It is a syncretic spiritual system that combines traditional practices from central & west Africa, Haiti, Christianity, Islam (west African Muslims), and Spiritualism. Following the Great Migration of African-Americans, Hoodoo spread throughout the United States. Practitioners of Hoodoo are called rootworkers, conjure doctors, conjure man or conjure woman, root doctors, Hoodoo doctors, and swampers. To this day it remains a closed, initiatory practice.
Imbolc
Imbolc or Imbolg, is a Gaelic traditional festival. It marks the beginning of spring, and for Christians it is the feast day of Saint Brigid, Ireland's patroness saint. It is held on February 1, which is about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Historically, its traditions were widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with: Bealtaine, Lughnasadh and Samhain. Imbolc is mentioned in early Irish literature, and there is evidence suggesting it was also an important date in ancient times. It is believed that Imbolc was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid, and that it was Christianized as the feast day of Saint Brigid. The festivities on the feast of Saint Brigid did not begin to be recorded in detail until the early modern era. In recent centuries it was marked by the making of Brigid's crosses and a doll-like figure of Brigid (a Brídeóg) would be paraded from house-to-house by girls, sometimes accompanied by 'strawboys'. Brigid was said to visit one's home on the eve of the festival. To receive her blessings, people would make a bed for Brigid and leave her food and drink, and items of clothing would be left outside for her to bless. Brigid was also evoked to protect homes and livestock. Special feasts were had, holy wells were visited, and it was a time for divination. Imbolc or Imbolc-based festivals are held by some Neopagans. As there are many kinds of Neopaganism, their Imbolc celebrations can be very different despite the shared name. Some try to emulate the historic festival as much as possible. Other Neopagans base their celebrations on many sources, with historic accounts of Imbolc being only one of them. Celtic Reconstructionists strive to reconstruct ancient Celtic religion. Their religious practices are based on research and historical accounts, but may be modified slightly to suit modern life. They usually celebrate the festival when the first stirrings of spring are felt, or on the full moon nearest this. Many use traditional songs and rites from sources such as The Silver Bough and The Carmina Gadelica. Wiccans and Neo-Druids celebrate Imbolc as one of the eight Sabbats in their Wheel of the Year, following Midwinter and preceding Ostara.
Incantation
An incantation is a magical formula intended to trigger a magical effect on a person or objects. The formula can be spoken, sung or chanted. An incantation can also be performed during ceremonial rituals or prayers.
Incense
Incense is an aromatic natural material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. It is composed of aromatic plant materials, and often combined with essential oils. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be used as a simple deodorant or insect repellent. The forms taken by incense differ with the underlying culture, and have changed with advances in technology and increasing number of uses. Incense can generally be separated into two main types: "indirect-burning" and "direct-burning". Indirect-burning incense (or "non-combustible incense") is not capable of burning on its own, and requires a separate heat source (constant flame). Direct-burning incense (or "combustible incense") is lit directly by a flame and then fanned or blown out, leaving a glowing ember that smolders and releases a smoky fragrance. Direct-burning incense is either a paste formed around a bamboo stick, or a paste that is extruded into a stick or cone shape. Incense has been used for practical, mystical, and healing purposes by many different cultures for centuries. The Babylonians used incense while offering prayers to divining oracles, ancient Hindu scriptures speak of using incense for healing, ancient China used incense during ceremonial rites, and in 14th century Japan samurais would sometimes fan smoke onto their armor believing it granted them an aura of invincibility.
Invocation
Invocation is to call upon something, whether that be a deity, spirit, or other supernatural being/agent. Often, invocation and evocation are used synonymously, but they are not the same, as to evoke is to call forth (to draw a memory, feeling, something less tangible to you) and invoke is to call upon (to summon something or someone and draw their power or being into your power or being).
Kabbalah
Kabbalah is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It is a set of teachings meant to explain the relationship between the unchanging, eternal God and the mortal, finite universe. It forms the foundation of mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. Traditional practitioners believe its earliest origins pre-date world religions, forming the primordial blueprint for Creation's philosophies, religions, sciences, arts, and political systems. Historically, Kabbalah emerged from earlier forms of Jewish mysticism, in 12th- to 13th-century Spain and Southern France, and was reinterpreted during the Jewish mystical renaissance in 16th-century Ottoman Palestine. Kabbalah is not a closed practice, as it is not a religion on its own, rather a part of Judaism. However, Judaism is an initiatory practice.
Karma
Karma (in Sanskrit) means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called the principle of karma, wherein intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect). The concept of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions (particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism), as well as Taoism. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives, one's “saṃsāra”. This concept has also been adopted in Western popular culture, in which the events which happen after a person's actions may be considered natural consequences.
Knot magic
Knot magic has been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians and has been connected with witches since the Middle Ages. It is, as its name, magic that is performed and practiced by tying knots with intention. Knot magic can be found in lore and practice in Egypt, Celtic countries, Norse mythology, Buddhism, Greek mythology, and many more. Common magical knots are: witch’s ladder, joining knot, handfasting knot, Knot of Isis, and the Trinity knot.
Kitchen witch
A Kitchen Witch is a witch that spends most of their time and focus in the kitchen cooking up different spells. They combine their own energy with various ingredients, and cooking becomes a sacred ritual. They’re typically very nurturing witches and have a solid connection to mother nature, similar to Hearth and Green witches, but with their main focus being cooking/baking.
Lammas
Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon hlaf-mas, "loaf-mass"), also known as Loaf Mass Day, is a Christian holiday celebrated in some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere on August 1. The name originates from the word "loaf" in reference to bread and "Mass" in reference to the Eucharist. It is a festival in the liturgical calendar to mark the blessing of the First Fruits of harvest, with a loaf of bread being brought to the church for this purpose. Often, Lammas and Lughnasadh will be used interchangeably, but they are not the same holiday. Lughnasadh is an ancient Gaelic festival, whereas Lammas seems to originate in medieval times.
Levitation (transvection)
The ability to float or fly by mystical means.
Litha/Midsummer
Litha, or Midsummer, is a celebration of the season of summer usually held at a date around the summer solstice (June 20 - 25). It has pagan pre-Christian roots in Europe. The name “Litha” is traced back to an old Anglo-Saxon word for the month of June, and came into use as a Wiccan name for this Sabbat in the second half of the 20th century. However, many Pagans continue to use the more traditional “Midsummer”. Ancient pagans celebrated the Solstice with torchlight processions and giant bonfires to ritually strengthen the Sun. Another tradition found among European cultures was centered on the need for balance between the elements of fire and water; large wheels were set on fire and rolled downhill into creeks, rivers or lakes. This is also the traditional time for gathering wild herbs for medicine and magic, as most are fully grown by Midsummer and the power of this particular day will add to their benefits. For this reason, Litha is known as Gathering Day in Wales.
Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh (Lunasa in modern Irish) is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Traditionally it is held on August 1st, or about halfway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane. It corresponds to other European harvest festivals such as the Welsh Gŵyl Awst and the English Lammas (many neopagans will use Lammas and Lughnasadah interchangeably, but they are, in fact, separate holidays). Lughnasadh is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and has pagan origins. The festival itself is named after the god Lugh. It inspired great gatherings that included religious ceremonies, ritual athletic contests (most notably the Tailteann Games), feasting, matchmaking, and trading. Traditionally there were also visits to holy wells, an offering of the First Fruits, a feast of the new food and of bilberries, the sacrifice of a bull, and a ritual dance-play in which Lugh seizes the harvest for mankind and defeats the powers of blight. Many of the activities would have taken place on top of hills and mountains.
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned (in syzygy) with Earth between the other two, which can happen only on the night of a full moon when the Moon is near either lunar node. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly 2 hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only up to a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Also unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to view without any eye protection or special precautions, as they are dimmer than a normal full Moon. Within witchcraft, some believe this is an unfavorable time, that practitioners are without the protection of the moon and its powers. Others, from ancient Druids to neo-Pagans, believe the moon is going through an entire lunar cycle in one night, giving off even more power than ever.
Lunar magic (Moon magic)
Lunar (moon) magic is practicing magic with the use of lunar energy and moon cycles to empower your spells. Ancient cultures from all over the world have practiced their own version of moon magic for centuries, from moon dances (Indigenous Mexico) to an entire day of festivities (Purnima, Hindu). Each phase of the moon symbolizes something slightly different depending on the tradition.
Lunar witch
A lunar witch draws their powers and spells from moon cycles and lunar energy. The moon plays a significant role in most forms of witchcraft, however, lunar witches dedicate themselves to harnessing the moon’s magical powers, understanding the moon’s cycles and using each phase in their rituals.
Lupercalia
Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February 15. Although Valentine’s Day shares its name with a martyred Christian saint, some historians believe the holiday is actually an offshoot of Lupercalia. Unlike Valentine’s Day, however, Lupercalia was a bloody, violent and sexually charged celebration awash with animal sacrifice, random matchmaking and coupling in the hopes of purifying the city, and promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as dies Februatus, after the purification instruments called februa, the basis for the month named Februarius. The name Lupercalia was believed in antiquity to evince some connection with the Ancient Greek festival of the Arcadian Lykaia, a wolf festival, and the worship of Lycaean Pan, assumed to be a Greek equivalent to Faunus.
Mabon
Mabon is a pagan holiday, and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats celebrated during the year. Mabon celebrates the autumnal equinox, usually around September 21 - 23. The name Mabon was coined by Aidan Kelly around 1970 as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a god from Welsh mythology (son of the Earth Mother Goddess). Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three Pagan harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas / Lughnasadh and followed by Samhain. Mabon is known as the Second Harvest, the Fruit Harvest and the Great Feast of Thanksgiving. Celebrating Mabon includes picking apples (a common symbol of the second harvest), performing a ritual to restore balance and harmony (this holiday celebrates a day with equal light and day), and having a feast with family and friends.
Magic circle
A magic circle is a circle of space marked out by practitioners of some branches of ritual magic, with the intention to contain energy and form a sacred space and provide them a form of magical protection. It may be marked physically, drawn in a material like salt, flour, or chalk, or visualized (sometimes using an athame, wand, etc). The use of magic circles dates back to Ancient Sumeria, and is still commonly found in many modern ritual witchcraft practices (like Wicca).
Magick
Magick is a term popularized by Aleister Crowley (English occultist, ceremonial magician, founder of the religion of Thelema, and self-proclaimed prophet entrusted with guiding humanity into the Eon of Horus). There are records of this spelling in much earlier texts, however this was before standardized spelling, so it would seem Crowley was one of the first to intentionally use the term “magick”. Crowley described “magick” to include anything that moves a person closer to fulfilling their destiny, which he would call “One’s True Will”. Supposedly, he used the K because it is the 11th number in the alphabet and 11 was significant to him. Also, adding a letter to the end of magic made it a 6 letter word which represented a hexagon which features heavily in his writings. “Magick” is often used interchangeably with “magic”, some people believe they mean two different things, and others just see it as a way to differentiate between stage magic (for entertainment) and magic as it relates to the practice of witchcraft.
May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on May 1, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen (sometimes with a male companion), and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance. Bonfires are also part of the festival in some regions. Regional varieties and related traditions include Walpurgis Night in central and northern Europe, the Gaelic festival Beltane, the Welsh festival Calan Mai, and May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has also been associated with the ancient Roman festival Floralia.
Maypole
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place. The festivals may occur on May 1, although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer (20–26 June). In some cases the maypole is a permanent feature that is only utilized during the festival, although in other cases it is erected specifically for the purpose before being taken down again. The symbolism of the maypole has been continuously debated by folklorists for centuries. Primarily found within the nations of Germanic Europe and the neighboring areas which they have influenced, its origins remain unknown. It has often been speculated that the maypole originally had some importance in the Germanic paganism of Iron Age and early Medieval cultures, and that the tradition survived Christianisation, albeit losing any original meaning that it had. It has been a recorded practice in many parts of Europe throughout the Medieval and Early Modern periods, although it became less popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Historically, the dance is performed by pairs of boys and girls (or men and women) who stand alternately around the base of the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon. They weave in and around each other, boys going one way and girls going the other and the ribbons are woven together around the pole until they meet at the base. Today, the tradition is still observed in some parts of Europe and among European communities in the Americas.
Meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions. The earliest records of meditation (dhyana) are found in the Upanishads of Hindu philosophy, and meditation plays a salient role in the contemplative repertoire of Buddhism and Hinduism. It is often used in many different forms of modern witchcraft, as a way to clear the mind before casting spells (grounding and centering).
Medium
Mediums, or spirit mediums, are people that mediate communication between familiar spirits or spirits of the dead and living human beings. Mediums claim that they can listen to and relay messages from spirits, or that they can allow a spirit to control their body and speak through it directly or by using automatic writing or drawing. Spiritualists classify types of mediumship into two main categories: "mental" and "physical": Mental mediums purportedly "tune in" to the spirit world by listening, sensing, or seeing spirits or symbols. Physical mediums are believed to produce materialization of spirits, apports of objects, and other effects such as knocking, rapping, bell-ringing, etc. by using "ectoplasm" created from the cells of their bodies and those of séance attendees. During seances, mediums are said to go into trances, varying from light to deep, that permit spirits to control their minds. There are different types of mediumship or spirit channeling, including séance tables, trance, and ouija. Mediumship is associated with several religious-belief systems such as Shamanism, Vodun, Spiritualism, Spiritism, Candomblé, Voodoo, and Umbanda; although the practice is not solely non-secular.
Menstrual magic
Menstrual magic is using menstrual blood as a source of power and a tool/ingredient in spell crafting. Views on menstrual blood and its powers vary from culture to culture. Many believed it was toxic, and there was (is) a fear and shame surrounding menstruation. Whereas some would hold rituals and ceremonial events (especially for the first menstrual cycle), including (but not limited to) Egyptians, Indigenous Americans, and East Asian cultures. The Mesopotamian mother goddess Ninhursag was said to make men out of loam and her “blood of life.” She taught women to make loam dolls for use in a conception spell by painting them with their menstrual blood. Love potions are one of the more frequent uses for menstrual blood in folk mythology (including hoodoo). Some cultures believed menstrual blood might be utilized to ward off evil or protect land or livestock. In modern witchcraft, menstrual blood is sometimes used as a sort of amplification, a powerful ingredient that adds another layer of connection between you and your spell.
Mysticism
Mysticism is the belief that direct knowledge of spiritual truth can be attained through subjective experience (such as intuition or insight). Derived from the Greek word μύω múō, meaning "to close" or "to conceal", mysticism referred to the biblical, liturgical, spiritual, and contemplative dimensions of early and medieval Christianity. During the early modern period, the definition of mysticism grew to include a broad range of beliefs and ideologies related to "extraordinary experiences and states of mind”. Based on various definitions of mysticism, it can be found in many cultures and religious traditions, both in folk religion and organized religion. These traditions include practices to induce religious or mystical experiences, but also ethical standards and practices to enhance self-control and integrate the mystical experience into daily life. Some examples are: Shamanism, Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), Sufism (Islamic mysticism), and Transcendentalism.
Mutable signs
The modality or mode of a given sign refers to its position in the season it is found in. Each of the four elements manifests in three modalities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Mutable signs represent the end of each season. In the Northern hemisphere: Gemini marks the end of Spring, Virgo summer, Sagittarius fall, and Pisces winter. Known as the “finishers” of the zodiac, they are associated with keywords such as: adaptability, flexibility, resourcefulness.
Necromancy
Necromancy (sometimes referred to as “death magic”) is the practice of magic involving communication with the dead – either by summoning their spirits as apparitions, visions or raising them bodily – for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell future events, discover hidden knowledge, to bring someone back from the dead, or to use the dead as a weapon. Early necromancy was related to, and most likely evolved from, shamanism, which calls upon spirits such as the ghosts of ancestors. Classical necromancers addressed the dead in "a mixture of high-pitch squeaking and low droning", comparable to the trance-state of shamans. Necromancy was prevalent throughout antiquity with records of its practice in ancient Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, Rome, and China. In the present day, necromancy is more generally used as a term to describe manipulation of death and the dead, often facilitated through the use of ritual magic or some other kind of occult ceremony. Contemporary séances, channeling and Spiritualism verge on necromancy when supposedly invoked spirits are asked to reveal future events or secret information.
Neo Druidism
Druidism is a modern spiritual and/or religious movement that promotes the cultivation of honorable relationships with the physical landscapes, flora, fauna, and diverse peoples of the world, as well as with nature deities, and spirits of nature and place. Theological beliefs among modern Druids are diverse, there is no set belief system followed by all; however, all modern Druids venerate the divine essence of nature, and believe it is imbued with spirit and regard it as alive and dynamic. While there are significant interregional and intergroup variations in modern Druidry practice, Druids across the globe are unified by a core set of shared spiritual and devotional practices: meditation; prayer/conversation with deities and spirits; the use of extra-sensory methods of seeking wisdom and guidance; the use of nature-based spiritual frameworks to structure devotional practices and rituals; and a regular practice of nature connection and environmental stewardship work. Many Druids believe that the practices of the Iron Age druids should be revived and modified to meet current needs. In Ireland, some Druids have claimed that because the island was never conquered by the Roman Empire, the Iron Age druids survived here and their teachings were passed down hereditarily until modern times, at which modern Druids can reclaim them.
Neo Paganism
Neo Paganism, also known as Modern paganism, is a collective term for religious movements influenced by or derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern peoples. It has also been defined as "a collection of modern religious, spiritual, and magical traditions that are self-consciously inspired by the pre-Judaic, pre-Christian, and pre-Islamic belief systems of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East”. Although they share similarities, contemporary Pagan religious movements are diverse, and do not share a single set of beliefs, practices, or texts. Some of the most common paths of Neo Paganism are: Heathenry, Druidism, Unitarian Universalism, Reconstructionism, Wicca, modern witchcraft, Naturalism, and Hellenism.
New moon
In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. This marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle, and is seen as a great time for initiation, new beginnings, and setting intentions.
Numerology
Numerology (also known as arithmancy) is the study of an occult, divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value, via an alphanumeric system, of the letters in words and names. When numerology is applied to a person's name, it is a form of onomancy. It is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar to divinatory arts.
Occult/Occultism
The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing “other-worldly” phenomena such as magic, sorcery, mysticism, extra-sensory perception, and parapsychology. The term occult sciences was used in 16th-century Europe to refer to astrology, alchemy, and natural magic. Unlike older forms of esotericism, occultism does not reject "scientific progress or modernity". The term occultism came later, emerging in 19th-century France, it was associated with various French esoteric groups, and in 1875 was introduced into the English language by the esotericist Helena Blavatsky. By the 21st century the term was commonly used to refer to a range of esoteric currents that developed in the mid-19th century and their descendants, such as Spiritualism, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and New Age.
Ostara/Eostre
Ostara is the second of three spring festivals on the Wheel of the Year. Coming in between Imbolc and Beltane, this is a time for celebrating the balance between extremes that is found amid the seasons. It is also the spring (vernal) equinox, the moment of balance between light and dark. Ostara takes its name after the Germanic goddess, Eostre/Ostara, who was traditionally honored in the month of April with festivals to celebrate fertility, renewal and re-birth. It was from Eostre that the Christian celebration of Easter evolved. The name and holiday Ostara, is specific to Wicca and Wicca-inspired religions. However, many other Pagans celebrate the spring equinox. Typically, the Celtic peoples did not celebrate Ostara as a holiday, but they were in tune with the changing of the seasons and this was a time to celebrate planting and the new crop season.
Ouija/spirit board
The ouija, also known as a spirit board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words "yes", "no", occasionally "hello" and "goodbye", along with various symbols and graphics. It uses a planchette (small heart-shaped piece of wood or plastic) as a movable indicator to spell out messages during a séance. Participants place their fingers on the planchette, and it is moved about the board to spell out words. "Ouija" is a trademark of Hasbro, but is often used generically to refer to any talking board. One of the first mentions of the automatic writing method used is found in China around 1100 AD, in historical documents of the Song Dynasty. The method was known as fuji "planchette writing". The use of planchette writing as an ostensible means of necromancy and communion with the spirit-world continued, and, albeit under special rituals and supervisions, was a central practice of the Quanzhen School, until it was forbidden by the Qing Dynasty. Spiritualists in the United States reportedly used a talking board very similar to a modern Ouija board at their camps in Ohio in 1886 to enable faster communication with spirits. Following its commercial introduction by businessman Elijah Bond in July 1890, the Ouija board was regarded as an innocent parlor game in America, unrelated to the occult until American spiritualist Pearl Curran popularized its use as a divining tool during World War I.
Paganism
Paganism (from classical Latin pāgānus "rural") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism or ethnic religions other than Judaism. In the time of the Roman empire, individuals fell into the pagan class either because they were increasingly rural (“religion of the peasantry'') and provincial relative to the Christian population, or because they were not milites Christi (soldiers of Christ). Alternative terms in Christian texts were hellene, gentile, and heathen. Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Graeco-Roman religion and was regarded as an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian. During and after the Middle Ages, the term paganism was applied to any non-Christian religion, and the term presumed a belief in false god(s). In the 20th century, it came to be applied as a self-descriptor by practitioners of Modern Paganism, Neopagan movements and Polytheistic reconstructionists. Modern pagan traditions often incorporate beliefs or practices, such as nature worship, that are different from those in the largest world religions.
Palmistry
Palmistry, also known as palm reading, chiromancy, or chirology, is the practice of fortune-telling through the study of the palm. The practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Those who practice chiromancy are generally called palmists, hand readers, hand analysts, or chirologists. Palmistry is a practice common to many different places on the Eurasian landmass; it has been practiced in the cultures of Sumeria, Babylonia, Arabia, Canaan, Persia, India, Nepal, Tibet and China with roots in Hindu astrology (known in Sanskrit as jyotish), Chinese Yijing (I Ching), and Roma fortune tellers. From India, the art of palmistry spread to China, Tibet and to other countries in Europe.
Pantheon
A pantheon is the particular set of all gods of any individual polytheistic religion, mythology, or tradition. Some well-known historical polytheistic pantheons include the Sumerian gods and the Egyptian gods, and the classical-attested pantheon which includes the ancient Greek religion and Roman religion. Post-classical polytheistic religions include Norse Æsir and Vanir, the Yoruba Orisha, the Aztec gods, and many others. Today, most historical polytheistic religions are referred to as "mythology".
Pendulum
A pendulum is a tool that is used in scrying and/or dowsing to connect to your higher self, spirits, deities, ancestors, or 'source' by asking questions to help guide and clarify. The pendulum itself is simply a small object attached to the end of a string, and can be made out of wood, crystal, gemstone, glass, or metal. The use of a pendulum for dowsing is a modern practice, but the use of pendulums in religious rituals is an ancient practice.
Pentacle
A pentacle is a talisman that is used in magical evocation, and is usually made of parchment, paper, cloth, or metal, upon which a magical design is drawn. Protective symbols may also be included, a common one being the six-point form of the Seal of Solomon. The first documents to depict pentacles were 16th century grimoires called the Heptameron and the Key of Solomon. The Heptameron's pentacle is a hexagram that is embellished by patee crosses and letters, whereas the Key of Solomon's pentacles have a very broad variety of designs, only two of which are pentagrammic. That contrasts with the later popular definitions of pentacles from the 1900s, which state that pentacles are inherently pentagrammic. Gerald Gardner, known by some as the 'Father of Wicca', defined a pentacle as a "five-pointed star", intending to mean a pentagram and later defined a pentacle as a synonym of 'pentagram', although a pentagram has a much older history and pentacles were not always drawn the same. In modern times, pentacles are almost always depicted as a pentagram circumscribed by a circle.
Pentagram
A pentagram (sometimes known as a pentalpha, pentangle, or star pentagon) is the shape of a regular five-pointed star polygon. It is seen as a symbol with magical associations all around the world. Early pentagrams have been found on Sumerian pottery circa 3500 BCE, and the five-pointed star was at various times the symbol of Ishtar or Marduk. The pentagram was known to the ancient Greeks, with a depiction on a vase possibly dating back to the 7th century BC. Pythagoreanism originated in the 6th century BC and used the pentagram as a symbol of mutual recognition and of wellbeing. From around 300-150 BCE the pentagram stood as the symbol of Jerusalem, marked by the 5 Hebrew letters ירשלם spelling its name. The pentagram was used in ancient times as a Christian symbol for the five senses, or of the “five wounds of Christ”. By the mid-19th century, a further distinction had developed amongst occultists regarding the pentagram's orientation. According to them, a single point upward depicted spirit presiding over the four elements of matter, and was essentially "good". However, the influential writer Éliphas Lévi called it evil whenever the symbol appeared the other way up. Stating, "A reversed pentagram, with two points projecting upwards, is a symbol of evil and attracts sinister forces because it overturns the proper order of things and demonstrates the triumph of matter over spirit. It is the goat of lust attacking the heavens with its horns”, which in time, lead to the association of a “reversed” pentagram and Satanism. Based on Renaissance-era occultism, the pentagram found its way into the symbolism of modern occultists. Its major use is a continuation of the ancient Babylonian use of the pentagram as an apotropaic charm to protect against evil forces.
Poppet
In folk magic and witchcraft, a poppet is a doll (human-like figure) made to represent a person, for casting spells on that person or to aid that person through magic. They can be made from such materials as a carved root, grain or corn shafts, fruit, paper, wax, a potato, clay, wood, or most commonly cloth/fabric stuffed with herbs and magical items. Poppets are used as a form of sympathetic magic, with the intent that any actions performed upon the effigy will be transferred to the subject. When most people think of a poppet, they automatically think of the Voodoo doll portrayed in movies and television, typically with a negative or “black magic” connotation. However, the use of dolls in sympathetic magic goes back several millennia from varying cultures around the world from Ancient Egypt to Greece, and West Africa to Wales.
Precognition
Precognition (from the Latin prae- 'before', and cognitio 'acquiring knowledge'), is the psychic ability of seeing, or otherwise becoming directly aware of, events in the future. Precognition is to understand by any means what is likely to happen in the future. It is distinct from premonition, which is a vague feeling of some impending disaster. Related activities such as predictive prophecy have been practiced throughout history with precognitive dreams being the most widely reported occurrences of precognition.
Premonition
A premonition is a feeling that some event will happen, typically a forewarning of something unwelcome. It is different than precognition, as it is just a feeling rather than a vision or knowledge of future events.
Psychic
A psychic is a person who is able to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, such as psychokinesis or teleportation through use of mental abilities and/or extra sensory perception. Systems of divination and fortune-telling date back to ancient times. The most widely known system of early civilization fortune-telling was astrology as well as clairvoyance. Early psychics were typically called seers or prophets. Nowadays, psychics are much more mainstream and in a 2005 poll, 41% of US citizens believed in ESP and psychic abilities.
Examples of psychic abilities: Astral projection or mental projection, automatic writing, energy medicine (reiki), ergokinesis, levitation or transvection, mediumship or channeling, psychokinesis or telekinesis, pyrokinesis
Examples of ESP (extra sensory perception): Clairvoyance, divination, dowsing, dream telepathy, precognition, remote viewing, telesthesia or remote sensing, retrocognition or postcognition, telepathy
Psychokinesis (telekinesis)
The ability to influence a physical system without physical interaction, typically manifesting as being able to exert force, control objects and move matter with one's mind.
Psychometry (psychoscopy)
The ability to obtain information about a person or an object by touch. Also known as token-object reading, it is a form of extrasensory perception that uses touch to transfer energy from an object or person that is said to contain knowledge about the subject.
Pyrokinesis
The ability to control flames, fire, or heat using one's mind.
Quinquatria
In ancient Roman religion, the Quinquatria or Quinquatrus was a festival sacred to the Goddess Minerva, celebrated from the 19-23 of March. The older festivals were of Etruscan origin and celebrated the Spring Equinox. Some Roman scholars state that the Quinquatrus was celebrated for only one day, but others say that it was celebrated for five days, hence the name: on the first day no blood was shed, but that on the last four there were contests of gladiators. The first day was the festival proper, and that the following four were an expansion made perhaps in the time of Caesar to gratify the people. However, the ancient Roman religious calendars assign only one day to the festival.
Reconstructionism
Polytheistic reconstructionism (or simply Reconstructionism) is an approach to modern paganism that first emerged in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Reconstructionism attempts to re-establish genuine polytheistic religions in the modern world through a rediscovery of the rituals, practices and contextual worldviews of pre-Christian Pagan religions. This method stands in contrast with other neopagan syncretic movements like Wicca, and ecstatic/esoteric movements like Germanic mysticism or Theosophy. The use of the terms "Pagan" and "Neopagan" to refer to polytheistic reconstructionists is controversial. Even among the reconstructionist groups who see themselves as part of the broader, Pagan or Neopagan spectrum, they may refuse the terms and their associations with what they consider the more problematic aspects of that community, such as eclecticism, cultural appropriation or Wiccan-inspired ritual structures.
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing or energy medicine, and is a type of alternative medicine. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a "universal energy" is said to be transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient in order to encourage emotional or physical healing. Mikao Usui, known as the Father of Reiki, taught his system of reiki to more than 2,000 people during his lifetime. The first reiki clinic in the United States was started in 1970 by Hawayo Takata who was a student of one of Mikao Usui’s disciples (Chujiro Hayashi).
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen subject, by sensing with the mind. Typically a remote viewer is expected to give information about an object, event, person or location that is hidden from physical view and separated at some distance. In early occult and spiritualist literature, remote viewing was known as telesthesia and traveling clairvoyance. Rosemary Guiley (occult writer) described it as "seeing remote or hidden objects clairvoyantly with the inner eye, or in alleged out-of-body travel”.
Retrocognition (postcognition)
Retrocognition (also known as postcognition or hindsight), is the ability to obtain knowledge of a past event which could not have been learned or inferred by normal means.
Retrograde
A retrograde is technically an optical illusion that occurs when a planet's orbit aligns with ours in just the right way. Planets don’t actually reverse their orbit, it simply looks as though they’re slowing down and moving backward from Earth. In astrology, retrogrades are believed to signify a period of review, reassessment, and reimagining in the areas of life ruled by that planet. We usually have at least one planet retrograding at any given time, these planetary backspins happen in cycles, and those are different for each planet. Mercury retrogrades are one of the most notorious of them all due to the fact that they occur three to four times a year, more frequently than any other planet. In astrology, retrogrades are periods of reassessment. Things, situations, and people from the past can often reappear, and it’s considered a time to slow down and do some personal reflection.
Ritual
A ritual is the scripted performance of ceremonial action, usually for a perceived supernatural purpose. It is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community, but are a feature of all known human societies. They include not only the worship rites and sacraments of organized religions, but also rites of passage, atonement and purification rites, oaths of allegiance, dedication ceremonies, coronations and presidential inaugurations, marriages, funerals and more.
Runes
Runes are an ancient alphabet, with the first known Elder Futhark runic inscriptions dating back to 150 AD. They were used by the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples for centuries. Between the 8th and 10th centuries, Scandinavian countries started using an updated Younger Futhark alphabet, which can be found until as late as 1250 AD. It did fade out a bit and knowledge on how to read runes was almost lost until 1865 when Norwegian linguist and scholar Sophus Bugge deciphered the alphabet during his research on ancient Norse folklore and language. According to Norse lore, the runic alphabet was much more than just symbols. It is believed that Odin discovered the runes, making them a powerful form of communication between us and the gods. However, the history of rune casting is up for a bit of a debate. Some people believe that it is a modern Pagan practice, whereas others believe ancient Germanic and Scandinavian peoples used them for divination, and other forms of magic, like charms. Runes can be found on jewelry, weapons, tools, and much more. Roman politician and historian Tacitus wrote about possible rune casting by the Germanic peoples back in the 1st century, before actual runic inscriptions were ever found, stating: “They cut off a branch from a nut-bearing tree and slice it into strips these they mark with different signs and throw them at random onto a white cloth. Then the state's priest, if it is an official consultation, or the father of the family, in a private one, offers prayer to the gods and looking up towards heaven picks up three strips, one at a time, and, according to which sign they have previously been marked with, makes his interpretation”.
Sabbat/Wheel of the Year
The term “sabbat” refers to festivals within “The Wheel of the Year” that are celebrated by some Neopagans. The term comes from the Jewish “shabbat”, and is primarily used by Wiccans (although many neopagans use it to describe Pagan festivals). Sabbats are chief solar events (solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them. Different sects of modern Paganism also vary regarding the precise timing of each celebration, based on distinctions such as lunar phase and geographic hemisphere. In particular, the sabbats within the “Wheel of the Year” are as follows: Yule (winter solstice), Imbolc, Ostara (spring equinox), Beltane, Litha (summer solstice), Lammas (Christianized name and holiday for Lughnasadh), Mabon (autumn equinox), and Samhain. All sabbats within the “Wheel of the Year” are Pagan festivals, but the names and celebrations may differ from their traditional roots. Not all neopagans celebrate sabbats, as some celebrate specific Roman Pagan festivals or other cultural festivals that are not included as the modern “Wheel of the Year” is a mostly Wiccan creation that focuses heavily on Celtic fire festivals along with solstices and equinoxes.
Sachet
A sachet is a small cloth bag filled with herbs, stones, and/or other sacred items. Cultures worldwide have long incorporated sachets as part of their belief systems, whether to ward off evil, protect them while traveling or to attract positive elements into their lives. During the Chinese Warring States period a scented sachet (xiangbao) was an ornament worn on the body and used to absorb sweat, repel insects and ward off evils. In medieval Europe the sachet was known as a "plague-bag" and was generally worn around the neck, or dangling from the waist. It was believed that they provided protection against parasites and miasmata and contained sweet powders, aromatic calamus, benzoin, storax, galingale, and cloves. In the nineteenth century a sachet filled with hops was called a "Pulvinar Humuli" and used by George III of Great Britain and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg to help induce sleep. African Americans collected “sticks, stones, roots and bones” inside flannel bags and called them “mojo” or “gris gris”, which is still a common form of magic within the Hoodoo tradition. Indigenous Americans wore medicine bags filled with seeds, herbs, pine cones, grass, animal teeth or claws, horsehair, rocks, tobacco, beads, arrowheads, and bones as a practical measure and also as a way to protect and give spiritual power to the carrier.
Saining
Saining is a Scots word for blessing, protecting, or consecrating. Sain is cognate with the Irish and Scottish Gaelic seun and sian and the Old Irish sén meaning "a protective charm”. Traditional saining rites usually involve the use of water and smoke, accompanied by ritual gestures and spoken or sung poetry and prayers. Water that has been blessed in some fashion is sprinkled, or used for anointing. Fumigation is usually done with the smoke from large branches of burning juniper, either outdoors on a bonfire, or in a large vessel like a cauldron. While the ceremonial gestures can vary by spiritual or religious tradition, the prayers and poetry are usually traditional pieces in Gaelic. Saining can also refer to less formal customs like making religious signs to protect against evil, such as the sign of the cross. Saining is a common practice in more modern traditions based on Scottish folklore, such as blessing and protecting children and other family members. While many of the surviving saining prayers and charms are Christian in nature, other traditional pieces that focus on the spirits and powers of nature are used as part of Gaelic Polytheist ceremonies.
Salve
A salve is a medical ointment used to soothe the surface of the body. Salves are generally used to protect the skin against weather damage, to heal the skin, or to apply medicine intended to be absorbed through the skin. Because they are thicker, salves are typically easier to use than oils, more portable and less likely to spill and be wasted. They are usually made by combining an herbal infused oil and a thickener (historically fat was used, but beeswax and plant-based waxes are more common today).
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker-half" of the year. It is held on November 1 but with celebrations beginning on the evening of October 31, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals along with Imbolc, Beltaine and Lughnasadh. Historically it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man (where it is spelled Sauin). Samhain is believed to have Celtic pagan origins and some Neolithic passage tombs in Ireland are aligned with the sunrise at the time of Samhain. It is first mentioned in the earliest Irish literature, from the 9th century, and is associated with many important events in Irish mythology. The early literature says Samhain was marked by great gatherings and feasts and was when the ancient burial mounds were open, which were seen as portals to the Otherworld. It was when cattle were brought down from the summer pastures and when livestock were slaughtered. As at Beltaine, special bonfires were lit. These were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers and there were rituals involving them. Like Beltaine, Samhain was a liminal or threshold festival, when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld thinned, meaning the Aos Sí (the 'spirits' or 'fairies') could more easily come into our world. At Samhain, they were appeased with offerings of food and drink, to ensure the people and their livestock survived the winter. The souls of dead kin were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality, and a place was set at the table for them during a Samhain meal. Mumming and guising were part of the festival from at least the early modern era, whereby people went door-to-door in costume reciting verses in exchange for food. The costumes may have been a way of imitating, and disguising oneself from, the Aos Sí. Divination was also a big part of the festival and often involved nuts and apples. In the late 19th century John Rhys and James Frazer suggested it was the "Celtic New Year". Wiccans celebrate a variation of Samhain as one of their yearly Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. It is deemed by most Wiccans to be the most important of the four "greater Sabbats.” Samhain is seen by some Wiccans as a time to celebrate the lives of those who have died, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets and other loved ones who have died. In some rituals the spirits of the dead are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness, which is balanced at the opposite point of the wheel by the spring festival of Beltane, which Wiccans celebrate as a festival of light and fertility. Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans celebrate Samhain around November 1, but may adjust the date to suit their regional climate, such as when the first winter frost arrives. Their traditions include saining the home and lighting bonfires. Some follow the old tradition of building two bonfires, which celebrants and animals then pass between as a ritual of purification. It is a time when the dead are especially honored, though Celtic Reconstructionists make offerings at all times of year, Samhain is a time when more elaborate offerings are made to specific ancestors. This may involve making a small altar or shrine. They often have a meal, where a place for the dead is set at the table and they are invited to join. An untouched portion of food and drink is then left outside as an offering. Traditional tales may be told and traditional songs, poems and dances performed. A western-facing door or window may be opened and a candle left burning on the windowsill to guide the dead home. Divination for the coming year is often done, whether in all solemnity or as games. The more mystically inclined may also see this as a time for deeply communing with their deities, especially those seen as being particularly linked with this festival.
Sanctify
Sanctify means "to set apart for special use or purpose", that is, to make holy or sacred. Sometimes things (and people) are sanctified on a permanent basis, such as someone becoming a priest or the creation of a permanent shrine/temple, but often in modern magical traditions, things are sanctified on a temporary basis; like creating a sacred space or sanctifying objects for a specific ritual. Similar terms include charge and consecrate.
Santeria
Santería, also known as Regla de Ocha, Regla Lucumí, or Lucumí, is an African diasporic religion that developed in Cuba during the late 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional Yoruba religion of West Africa, the Roman Catholic form of Christianity, and Spiritism. There is no central authority in control of Santería and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as creyentes ("believers"). Santería is polytheistic and revolves around deities called orisha. Deriving their names and attributes from traditional Yoruba divinities, they are equated with Roman Catholic saints. Each human is believed to have a personal link to a particular orisha who influences their personality. Various myths are told about these orisha, who are regarded as subservient to Olodumare, a transcendent creator deity. Olodumare is believed to be the ultimate source of aché, a supernatural force permeating the universe that can be manipulated through ritual actions. Practitioners venerate the orisha at altars, either in the home or in the casa (temple), which is run by a santero (priest) or santera (priestess). Membership of the casa requires initiation. Offerings to the orisha include fruit, liquor, flowers and sacrificed animals. Offerings are also given to the spirits of the dead, with some practitioners identifying as spirit mediums. Healing rituals and the preparation of herbal remedies and talismans also play a prominent role. In the 1960s, growing emigration following the Cuban Revolution spread Santería abroad. The late 20th century saw growing links between Santería and related traditions in West Africa and the Americas, such as Haitian Vodou and Brazilian Candomblé. Since the late 20th century, some practitioners have emphasized a "Yorubization" process to remove Roman Catholic influences and create forms of Santería closer to traditional Yoruba religion. Practitioners of Santería are primarily found in Cuba's La Habana and Matanzas provinces, although communities exist across the island and abroad, especially among the Cuban diasporas of Mexico and the United States. The religion remains most common among working-class Afro-Cuban communities although is also practiced by individuals of other class and ethnic backgrounds.
Satanic witch/Luciferian
Satanic witches are witches that are a part of the religion of Satanism. As some witches practice witchcraft as a religion and worship one or multiple deities, those who identity as Satanic witches typically worship Satan or Lucifer. Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 1966. Religious Satanism does not exist in a single form, as there are multiple different religious Satanisms, each with different ideas about what being a Satanist entails. Luciferianism is a belief system that venerates the characteristics that are attributed to Lucifer. Luciferians usually revere Lucifer not as the devil, but as a destroyer, guardian, liberator, light bringer, and/or guiding spirit to darkness, or even as the true god, as opposed to Jehovah. One group of Luciferians- those of the Neo-Luciferian Church, are influenced by Gnosticism.
Saturnalia
Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honor of the god Saturn, held on December 17 of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to December 23. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike. A common custom was the election of a "King of the Saturnalia", who would give orders to people, which were to be followed and preside over the merrymaking. The gifts exchanged were usually gag gifts or small figurines made of wax or pottery known as sigillaria. Saturnalia held theological importance for some Romans, who saw it as a restoration of the ancient Golden Age, when the world was ruled by Saturn. Saturnalia may have influenced some of the customs associated with later celebrations in western Europe occurring in midwinter, particularly traditions associated with Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and Epiphany.
Scrying
Scrying, also known by various names such as "seeing" or "peeping", is the practice of looking into a suitable medium in the hope of detecting significant messages or visions. The objective might be personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or inspiration, but down the ages, scrying in various forms also has been a means of divination or fortune-telling. Scrying has been practiced in many cultures in the belief that it can reveal the past, present, or future. Some practitioners assert that visions that come when one stares into the media are from the subconscious or imagination, while others say that they come from gods, spirits, devils, or the psychic mind, depending on the culture and practice. The tools most commonly used in scrying are reflective, refractive, translucent, or luminescent surfaces or objects such as crystals, stones, or glass in various shapes such as crystal balls, mirrors, reflective black surfaces such as obsidian, water surfaces, fire, or smoke, but there is no special limitation on the preferences or prejudices of the scryer; some may stare into pitch dark, clear sky, clouds, shadows, or light patterns against walls, ceilings, or pond beds. Some prefer glowing coals or shimmering mirages.
Sea witch
Witches often feel a connection to different parts of the earth and nature. Sea witches have links with the ocean. They strongly connect with water and other elements found in the sea, and feel most powerful when working with elements of the sea. They use driftwood, shells, sand, and water into their spell work. in various spells and potions.
Seance
A seance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word seance comes from the French word for "session", from the Old French seoir, "to sit". In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma" ("a movie session"). In English, however, the word came to be used specifically for a meeting of people who are gathered to receive messages from ghosts or to listen to a spirit medium discourse with or relay messages from spirits. Some seances are done via mediumship/channeling and some use the aid of a spirit board/ouija board. They are common among certain religions, as well as occult religions.
Secular witchcraft
Secular witchcraft is the practice of witchcraft that is separate from any form of religion or worship. Secular witches have no desire, drive, or need to work with or worship deities. Some secular witches might be atheist. Others might deem things besides deities “holy”, much like the Druids and nature. Secular witches come from all walks of life and all belief systems. Some hold strict atheist beliefs, some might take a more agnostic approach to their practice, believing that deities might exist but it doesn’t matter to them. Some secular witches fully believe the existence of deities but choose not to involve them in their witchcraft, and some even are religious, but do not involve it within their practice of witchcraft.
Sex magic
Sex magic is any type of sexual activity used in magical, ritualistic or otherwise religious and spiritual pursuits. One practice of sex magic is using sexual arousal or orgasm with visualization of a desired result. A premise posited by sex magicians is the concept that sexual energy is a potent force that can be harnessed to transcend one's normally perceived reality.
Shaktism
Shaktism is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti (Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Shaktism is known for its various sub-traditions of Tantra, as well as a galaxy of goddesses with respective systems. The pantheon of goddesses in Shaktism grew after the decline of Buddhism in India, wherein Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya, a list of ten goddesses. The most common aspects of Devi found in Shaktism include Durga, Kali, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati and Tripurasundari. The Goddess-focused tradition is very popular in Northeastern India. Shaktism also emphasizes that intense love of deity is more important than simple obedience, thus showing the influence of Vaishnava idea where passionate relationship between Radha and Krishna is also the ideal relationship. These older ideas still influence modern Shaktism. In Shaktism, the Goddess is considered as the Shakti/Energy of Vishnu and Shiva respectively, and revered prominently in numerous Hindu temples and festivals.
Sigil
A sigil is a type of symbol used in magic. The term has usually referred to a type of pictorial signature of a deity or spirit. In modern usage, especially in the context of chaos magic, sigil refers to a symbolic representation of the practitioner's desired outcome.The use of symbols for magical or cultic purposes has been widespread since at least the Neolithic era. The term sigil derives from the Latin sigillum, meaning "seal”. In medieval magic, the term sigil was commonly used to refer to occult signs which represented various angels and demons which the practitioner might summon. In chaos magic, sigils are commonly created by writing an intention, then condensing the letters of the statement down to form a sort of monogram. The chaos magician then uses a focused meditative state to "launch" or "charge" the sigil, essentially bypassing the conscious mind to implant the desire in the unconscious. After charging the sigil, it is considered necessary to repress all memory of it, this is often done by using paper to write the sigil on and then burning the paper.
Singing bowl/Standing bell
A standing bell or resting bell is an inverted bell, supported from below with the rim uppermost. Such bells are normally bowl-shaped, and exist in a wide range of sizes, from a few centimeters to a meter in diameter. They are often played by striking, but some, known as singing bowls, may also be played by rotating a mallet around the outside rim to produce a sustained musical note. They are used for religious purposes, music making and meditation, as well as for relaxation and personal well-being. They have become popular with music therapists and sound healers, yoga and meditation practitioners. In the religious context, standing bells are primarily associated with Buddhist meditation and chanting, although they are also used in Taoist practices. In Chinese Buddhist temples the chanting of prayers may be punctuated by the striking of a qing, typically a hammered bronze bowl between 10 and 15 cm (3.9 and 5.9 in) in diameter. The qing is usually paired with a muyu (wood block). In Japanese temples, the rin is used along with a rei (a small hand bell), and two percussion instruments: an orugoru (a set of small gongs) and a kei (a stone or metal plate). In the West, singing bowls are sometimes used in alternative medicine, their modern popularity for that purpose perhaps deriving from the modal vibration studies known as Cymatics carried out by the physician Hans Jenny (1904–1972). They are also used in sound therapy and for personal spirituality by those who believe that the sound can work on the chakras
Smoke cleansing
Smoke cleansing—burning botanicals, resins, wood, etc. for health and/or spiritual purposes—is an ancient practice that is common in a wide variety of cultures and faiths around the world. Smoke cleansing can be a powerful, renewing, and healing practice for many people, particularly when they are embracing a form that resonates with their genuine self. Smoke cleansing—burning botanicals, resins, wood, etc. for health and/or spiritual purposes—is an ancient practice that is common in a wide variety of cultures and faiths around the world. Examples of ancient and modern smoke cleansing are: smudging (Indigenous America), havan samagri (India), saining (Celtic), smoking ceremonies (Aboriginal Australia), and kyphi cleansing (Egypt),
Smudging
Smudging, or other rites involving the burning of sacred herbs (e.g., white sage) or resins, is a ceremony practiced by some Indigenous peoples of the Americas. While it bears some resemblance to other ceremonies and rituals involving smoke from other cultures, notably those that use smoke for spiritual cleansing or blessing, the purposes and particulars of the ceremonies, and the substances used, can vary widely among tribes, bands and nations. In traditional communities, Elders maintain the protocols around these ceremonies and provide culturally specific guidance. The smudging ceremony has been appropriated by others outside of the Indigenous communities as part of New Age practices, which has also led to the over-harvesting of some of the plants used in ceremonies. The appropriation and the over-harvesting have both been protested by Indigenous people in the US and Canada. Traditionally, when gathering herbs for ceremonial use, care is taken to determine the time of day, month, or year when the herbs should be collected; for example, at dawn or evening, at certain phases of the moon, or according to yearly cycles. While sage is commonly associated with smudging and several Native American, First Nations, Inuit or Métis cultures may use forms of sage that are local to their region, the use of sage is neither universal, nor as widespread as many believe. Its use in regions that have not traditionally used sage for purification is largely a result of the Pan-Indian movement, rather than traditional practice. In some cases it may be in direct opposition to what is traditional for that region. Likewise, not all Native American or Indigenous Canadian cultures that burn herbs or resins for ceremony call this practice "smudging". While using various forms of scent and scented smoke (such as incense) in religious and spiritual rites is an element common to many different cultures worldwide, the details, reasons, desired effects, and spiritual meanings are usually unique to the specific cultures in question.
Solar magic/sun magic
Solar (sun) magic is practicing magic with the use of solar energy and sun phases to empower your spells. The sun has been a source of myth, magic and legend for thousands of years in many different cultures and religions around the world.
Solar witch
A solar witch draws their powers and spells from sun phases and solar energy. Their power and work focus heavily on light, sun symbolism, and sometimes fire.
Solitary witch
A solitary witch is one who works alone and rather than with a group of other witches. A solitary witch can follow one particular branch of witchcraft or a combination. Sometimes they might join a coven, but practice the majority of their spellwork alone.
Spell
A spell is a formula intended to induce magical effects on a person or object. Spells can include incantations (words/chants/songs), tools (athame, bells, incense), herbs, crystals, charms, and much more. They can be done ceremonially, with many steps, tools, and ingredients, and also be the simple act of lighting a candle and thinking intentions.
Spirit
In folk belief, spirit is the vital principle or animating essence within all living things. People have frequently conceived of spirit as a supernatural being, or non-physical entity; for example, a demon, ghost, fairy, or angel. The concepts of spirit and soul often overlap, and some systems propose that both survive bodily death. "Spirit" can have the sense of "ghost", i.e. a manifestation of the spirit of a deceased person. "Spirit" is also often used to refer to a person’s consciousness or personality.
Spirit board
See “Ouija/spirit board”
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the Late Modern Age, Spiritualism became most known as a social religious movement according to which the laws of nature and of God include "the continuity of consciousness after the transition of death" and "the possibility of communication between those living on Earth and those who have made the transition". The afterlife, or the "spirit world", is seen by spiritualists not as a static place, but as one in which spirits continue to evolve. These two beliefs lead spiritualists to a third belief: that spirits are capable of providing useful insight regarding moral and ethical issues, as well as about the nature of God. Some spiritualists will speak of a concept which they refer to as "spirit guides" (specific spirits, often contacted, who are relied upon for spiritual guidance). Spiritism, a branch of spiritualism developed by Allan Kardec and today practiced mostly in Continental Europe and Latin America, especially in Brazil, emphasizes reincarnation.
Spiritualism developed and reached its peak growth in membership from the 1840s to the 1920s, especially in English-speaking countries. By 1897, spiritualism was said to have more than eight million followers in the United States and Europe, mostly drawn from the middle and upper classes. Many prominent spiritualists were women, and like most spiritualists, supported causes such as the abolition of slavery and women's suffrage. Spiritualism is currently practiced primarily through various denominational spiritualist churches in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Stregheria
Stregheria is the root form of witchcraft originating in Southern Europe, but also includes Italian American witchcraft. Stregheria is sometimes referred to as La Vecchia Religione ("the Old Religion"). The word stregheria is an archaic Italian word for "witchcraft", the most used and modern Italian word being stregoneria. "Stregoneria Italiana" is a form of stregoneria that took hold of southern Europe before the Catholic church forced practitioners to conform, because of the church’s actions, there is little solid information on original Stregheria practices, though some of them can be found in Roman Catholic practices. Stregheria is rooted in folk magic having little if any relationship to other forms of Witchcraft. Most of the old religion is passed on through family lines (in this case the folk religion of ancient and medieval Italy). The modern movement originated in the 1970s with Italian-American Leo Martello, who claimed to belong to a "family tradition" of religious witchcraft in his 1973 book Witchcraft: The Old Religion. Some adherents of modern Stregheria celebrate the eight holidays of the neopagan Wheel of the Year, called "Treguendas", while others celebrate the Roman Catholic or the ancient Roman holidays. One unified practice among Streghe is "ancestor reverence through spirits known as Lares".
Sympathetic magic
Sympathetic magic, also known as imitative magic, is a type of magic based on imitation or correspondence. Imitation involves using effigies, fetishes or poppets to affect the environment of people, or occasionally people themselves. Correspondence is based on the idea that one can influence something based on its relationship or resemblance to another thing. Many popular beliefs regarding properties of plants, fruits and vegetables have evolved in the folk-medicine of different societies owing to sympathetic magic. This includes beliefs that certain herbs with yellow sap can cure jaundice, that walnuts could strengthen the brain because of the nuts' resemblance to the brain, and that red beet-juice is good for the blood. Many societies have been documented as believing that, instead of requiring an image of an individual, influence can be exerted using something that they have touched or used.
Talisman
A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed permanently in architecture. Talismans are closely linked with amulets, fulfilling many of the same roles, but a key difference is in their form and materiality, with talismans often taking the form of objects (eg., clothing, weaponry, or parchment) which are inscribed with magic texts. Talismans have been used in many civilizations throughout history, with connections to astrological, scientific, and religious practices; but the theory around preparation and use has changed in some cultures with more recent, new age, talismanic theory. Talismans are used for a wide array of functions, such as: the personal protection of the wearer, loved ones or belongings, aiding in fertility, and helping crop production.
Tarot
The tarot (first known as trionfi and later as tarocchi or tarocks) is a pack of playing cards, used from at least the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play card games such as Italian Tarocchini. Scholars have established that the early European cards were probably based on the Egyptian Mamluk deck which followed the invention of paper from Asia into Western Europe and was invented in or before the 14th century. By the late 1300's Europeans were producing their own cards, the earliest patterns being based on the Mamluk deck but with variations to the suit symbols and court cards. Merchants, diplomats, and sailors brought playing cards to Spanish and Italian ports from Islamic countries shortly before 1370. Card games spread quickly throughout Europe, and for many decades were associated in the popular mind with Islamic culture. They were often referred to as “Moorish” or “Saracen” cards, or with the mangled Arabic word naip, naibi, or nahipi. In the late 18th century, French occultists began to make claims about their history and meaning, leading to the emergence of custom decks for use in divination via tarot card reading and cartomancy which was popularized by the Romani peoples throughout many parts of Europe. In the occult tradition, tarot cards are referred to as 'arcana'; with the Fool and 21 trumps being termed the Major Arcana and the suit cards the Minor Arcana. In Europe, the Islamic suit symbols were modified into the Italian suits of swords, batons, cups, and coins. These suit symbols are still used for Marseille-style decks and are the basis for the suit symbols in Rider-Waite-Smith style decks. Court cards were redesigned to depict actual people, King, Queen, Knight and Page.
Tasseomancy
Tasseomancy (also known as tasseography, tassology, or tasseology) is a divination method that interprets patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments. It is theorized to have originated in China as far back as 2800 BC, and also has roots in Ancient India, with the use of coffee grounds and tea leaves. Modern tea leaf reading (using the sections and symbols we see today) began sometime in the 17th century, when tea was introduced in Europe. Tasseomancy followed the trade routes of tea and coffee, and was practiced by both Baltic and Slavic nations early on. It is closely related to the Romani people, who contributed heavily to the spread of the practice. Although loose leaf tea was initially a product for the upper class, once it became more readily available (thus afforable), rituals surrounding tea emerged. The Romani people continued to spread tea leaf readings throughout Europe, often going door-to-door to offer tea leaf reading services. By the mid-1800s, it was common for tea parlors to invite Romani readers to offer tea leaf readings to guests. In the U.S., tea parlors opened sometime in the 1800s, with tea becoming more popular over the years. After WWI, women in the U.S. began opening their own tea parlors, in which they would offer to read tea leaves.
Telepathy
Telepathy is the transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research. Forms of telepathy include: Latent telepathy: a transfer of information with an observable time-lag between transmission and reception. Retrocognitive, precognitive, and intuitive telepathy: the transfer of information about the past, future or present state of an individual's mind to another individual. Emotive telepathy, remote influence or emotional transfer: the transfer of kinesthetic sensations through altered states
Third Eye
The third eye (also called the mind's eye or inner eye) is a mystical invisible eye, usually depicted as located on the forehead, which provides perception beyond ordinary sight. In Indian spiritual traditions, the third eye refers to the ajna (or brow) chakra. The third eye refers to the gate that leads to the inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness. In spirituality, the third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment. The third eye is often associated with religious visions, clairvoyance, the ability to observe chakras and auras, precognition, and out-of-body experiences. People who are said to have the capacity to use their third eyes are sometimes known as seers. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is said to be located around the middle of the forehead, slightly above the junction of the eyebrows, representing the enlightenment one achieves through meditation. Hindus also place a "tilaka" between the eyebrows as a representation of the third eye which is also seen on expressions of Shiva. Buddhists regard the third eye as the "eye of consciousness", representing the vantage point from which enlightenment beyond one's physical sight is achieved, and use an urna to the same effect as Hindus.
Tincture
A tincture is typically an extract of plant material dissolved in ethanol (ethyl alcohol). All tinctures are extracts, but not all extracts are tinctures. Alcohol must be the solvent used to extract the herbal properties. If you are using vinegar, glycerine, only water, or any solvent other than alcohol, your preparation is an extract, but it is not a tincture. Any spirit may be used, but many herbalists prefer something neutral like vodka so the taste of the herb comes through.
They can be made with fresh or dried flowers, leaves, roots, barks, or berries. Tinctures have been used by shamans and folk practitioners for centuries.
Totem
A totem (from Ojibwe: doodem) is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While the word totem itself is an anglicisation of the Ojibwe term (and both the word and beliefs associated with it are part of the Ojibwe language and culture), belief in tutelary spirits and deities is not limited to the Ojibwe people. Similar concepts, under differing names and with variations in beliefs and practices, may be found in a number of cultures worldwide. The term has also been adopted, and at times redefined, by anthropologists and philosophers of different cultures. Contemporary neoshamanic and New Age practices not otherwise involved in the practice of a traditional, tribal religion have been known to use "totem" terminology for the personal identification with a tutelary spirit or spirit guide. However, this can be seen as cultural misappropriation.
Trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the directions of the person (if any) who has induced the trance. Trance states may occur involuntarily and unbidden. The term trance may be associated with hypnosis, meditation, magic, flow, prayer, and altered states of consciousness. Trance conditions include all the different states of mind, emotions, moods and daydreams that human beings experience. All activities which engage a human involve the filtering of information coming into sense modalities, and this influences brain functioning and consciousness. Therefore, trance may be understood as a way for the mind to change the way it filters information in order to provide more efficient use of the mind's resources. Trance states may also be accessed or induced by various modalities and may be a way of accessing the unconscious mind for the purposes of relaxation, healing, intuition and inspiration.
Uncrossing
Uncrossing is the process of removing a curse, hex, jinx, or any form of negative magic. It can be done as a ritual, by making a witch bottle or protection charm, or using uncrossing oil.
Voodoo (Vodun, Vodou)
Vodun (meaning spirit in the Fon, Gun and Ewe languages, pronounced [vodṹ] with a nasal high-tone u; also spelled Vodon, Vodoun, Vodou, Vudu, Voudou, Voodoo, etc.) is a religion practiced by the Aja, Ewe, and Fon peoples of Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Nigeria. Elements of the West African religion survived slavery and evolved into the current forms of religions with similar names that are found in the New World among the African diaspora in the Americas, such as Haitian Vodou; Louisiana Voodoo; Cuban Vodú; Dominican Vudú, Venezuelan Yuyu, and Brazilian Vodum (Candomblé Jejé and Tambor de Mina). Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The vodun are the center of religious life. Perceived similarities with Roman Catholic doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels allowed Vodun to appear compatible with Catholicism, and helped produce syncretic religions such as Haitian Vodou. Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, is an African diasporic religion which originated in Louisiana (southern United States). It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional religions of West Africa, the Roman Catholic form of Christianity, and Haitian Vodou. No central authority is in control of Louisiana Voodoo, which is organized through autonomous groups.There are four phases to a Voodoo ritual, all identifiable by the song being sung: preparation, invocation, possession, and farewell. Haitian Vodou is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and the Roman Catholic form of Christianity. There is no central authority in control of the religion and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Vodouists, Vodouisants, or Serviteurs. Vodou revolves around spirits known as lwa. Typically deriving their names and attributes from traditional West and Central African divinities, they are equated with Roman Catholic saints. Vodou developed among Afro-Haitian communities amid the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 19th centuries. Its structure arose from the blending of the traditional religions of those enslaved West and Central Africans, among them Yoruba, Fon, and Kongo, who had been brought to the island of Hispaniola. There, it absorbed influences from the culture of the French colonialists who controlled the colony of Saint-Domingue, most notably Roman Catholicism but also Freemasonry. Smaller Vodouist communities exist elsewhere, especially among the Haitian diaspora in the United States. Both in Haiti and abroad Vodou has spread beyond its Afro-Haitian origins and is practiced by individuals of various ethnicities.
Vulcanalia
The festival of Vulcan, the Vulcanalia, was celebrated on August 23 each year, when the summer heat placed crops and granaries most at risk of burning. During the festival, bonfires were created in honor of the god, into which live fish or small animals were thrown as a sacrifice, to be consumed in the place of humans. The Vulcanalia was part of the cycle of the four festivities of the second half of August (Consualia on August 21, Vulcanalia on 23, Opiconsivia on 25 and Vulturnalia on 27) related to the agrarian activities of that month and in symmetric correlation with those of the second half of July (Lucaria on July 19 and 21, Neptunalia on 23 and Furrinalia on 25). While the festivals of July dealt with untamed nature and waters at a time of danger caused by their relative deficiency, those of August were devoted to the results of human endeavor on nature with the storing of harvested grain and their relationship to human society and regality which at that time were at risk and required protection from the dangers of the excessive strength of the two elements of fire and wind reinforced by dryness. It is recorded that during the Vulcanalia people used to hang their clothes and fabrics under the sun. This habit might reflect a theological connection between Vulcan and the divinized Sun. Another custom observed on this day required that one should start working by the light of a candle, probably to propitiate a beneficial use of fire by the god.
Wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic. Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or scepters, which could have large ornamentation on the top. The Barsom used by Zoroastrian Magi is a bundle of twigs that was used during religious ceremonies. While the Barsom is not a wand itself, it was also used for divination purposes, and may be a form of prototypical wand from which later magical wands descend. The concept of magic wands was used by the ancient Greek writer Homer, in his epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. In all cases, Homer used the word rhabdos, which means 'rod'. In those books, Homer wrote that magic wands were used by three different gods, namely Hermes, Athena, and Circe. In The Iliad, Homer wrote that Hermes generally used his magic wand Caduceus to make people sleep and wake up. In The Odyssey, Homer wrote that Athena used her magic wand to make Odysseus old, and then young again, and that Circe used her magic wand to turn Odysseus's men into pigs. In modern times, wands are usually associated with stage magic or supernatural magic, but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge. A stick that is used for reaching, pointing, drawing in the dirt, and directing other people, is one of the earliest and simplest of tools.
Wands were introduced into the occult via the 13th-century Latin grimoire The Oathbound Book of Honorius. The wand idea from the Book of Honorius, along with various other ideas from that grimoire, were later incorporated into the 16th-century grimoire The Key of Solomon. Within Neopaganism, wands serve a similar purpose to athames (ritual daggers), though the two objects have their distinct uses: an athame is used to command, whereas a wand is seen as more gentle, and is used to invite or encourage.
Ward
Wards are a form of protective magic. A ward is any object – a statue, rock, crystal, protection jar, sachets, jewelry, good luck charm – that acts as a shield or protector. They are intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Wards are known across all cultures and religions, some examples are: charm bracelets, amulets, crosses, horseshoes, windchimes, nazar (eye), witch balls, and dream catchers.
Warlock
A common definition for warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft, with witch being the female counterpart. However, any gender can be a witch, and the term “warlock” is considered outdated. The most commonly accepted etymology derives warlock from the Old English wǣrloga, which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver". In early modern Scots, the word came to be used as the male equivalent of witch (which can be male or female, but has historically been used predominantly for females). The term may have become associated in Scotland with male witches due to the idea that they had made pacts with Auld Hornie (the devil) and thus had betrayed the Christian faith and broken their baptismal vows or oaths. From this use, the word passed into Romantic literature and ultimately 20th-century popular culture.
Waning moon
During the second half of a lunar month, when the amount of illumination on the Moon is decreasing, astronomers call this a “waning moon”. This starts at the Full Moon and ends at a New Moon. There are three phases when the moon is considered “waning”. The first is known as waning gibbous (99-51% of the moon is illuminated), then the third quarter (50% of the moon’s face is illuminated), followed by a waning crescent moon (49-1% of the moon’s surface is illuminated). The waxing phase concludes with a New Moon.
Waxing moon
During the first half of a lunar month, when the amount of illumination on the Moon is increasing, astronomers call this a “waxing moon”. This starts at the New Moon and ends at a Full Moon. There are three phases when the moon is considered “waxing”. The first is known as waxing crescent (1-49% of the moon is illuminated), then the first quarter (50% of the moon’s face is illuminated), followed by a waxing gibbous moon (51–99% of the moon’s surface is illuminated). The waxing phase concludes with a Full Moon.
Wheel of the Year
See “sabbat/wheel of the year”
Wicca
Wicca is a modern pagan religion. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner. Wicca draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th-century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practices. Wicca has no central authority figure. Its traditional core beliefs, principles, and practices were originally outlined in the 1940s and 1950s by Gardner and an early High Priestess, Doreen Valiente. The early practices were disseminated through published books and in secret written and oral teachings passed along to their initiates. There are many variations on the core structure, and the religion grows and evolves over time. It is divided into a number of diverse lineages, sects and denominations, referred to as traditions, each with its own organizational structure and level of centralisation. The most well known being: Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Eclectic, and Dianic. Wicca is typically duotheistic, worshiping and/or working with a Goddess and a God. These are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and the Horned God, respectively. These deities may be regarded in a henotheistic way, as having many different divine aspects which can in turn be identified with many diverse pagan deities from different historical pantheons. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as the "Great Goddess" and the "Great Horned God", with the adjective "great" connoting a deity that contains many other deities within their own nature. Some Wiccans refer to the goddess deity as the "Lady" and the god deity as the "Lord"; in this context, when "lord" and "lady" are used as adjectives, it is another way of referring to them as a divine figure. These two deities are sometimes viewed as facets of a greater pantheistic divinity, which is regarded as an impersonal force or process rather than a personal deity. While duotheism or bitheism is traditional in Wicca, broader Wiccan beliefs range from polytheism to pantheism or monism, even to Goddess monotheism. Wiccan celebrations encompass both the cycles of the Moon, known as Esbats and commonly associated with the Goddess (female deity), and the cycles of the Sun, seasonally based festivals known as Sabbats and commonly associated with the Horned God (male deity). An unattributed statement known as the Wiccan Rede is a popular expression of Wiccan morality, although it is not universally accepted by Wiccans. Wicca often involves the ritual practice of magic, though it is not always necessary.
Witch ball
A witch ball is a hollow sphere of glass. Historically, witch balls were hung in cottage windows in 17th and 18th century England to ward off evil spells, black magic, ill fortune and bad spirits. The witch ball originated among cultures where harmful magic and those who practiced it were feared. They are one of many folk practices involving objects for protecting the household. The word witch ball may be a corruption of watch ball because it was used to ward off, guard against, evil spirits. Witch balls appeared in America in the 19th century and larger, more opaque variations are often found in gardens under the name gazing ball. This name derives from their being used for divination and scrying where a person gazes into them dreamily to try to see future events or to see the answers to questions. There are several variations relating to the purpose of witch balls. According to folk tales, witch balls would entice evil spirits with their bright colors; the strands inside the ball would then capture the spirit and prevent it from escaping. Another variation contends that witch balls were used to avert the evil eye, by attracting the gaze of the eye and preventing harm to the house and its inhabitants. In the 17th century, witch balls and witch bottles were filled with holy water or salt. Balls containing salt were hung up in the chimney to keep the salt dry. Salt was a precious commodity, and breaking the ball or bottle was considered bad luck.
Witches bells
Witches bells are a handheld-size set of magical bells hung from a doorknob or a nail in the home. Witches mostly use these bells to ward off negativity in a home. Bells have been used for centuries for spiritual and mundane reasons. After 1000 AD, people made bells from iron, and according to European lore, iron scares off or, at the very least, agitates faeries. So much so that folks kept iron horseshoes above the doorway to ward off the fae and evil spirits and employed iron bells as protection in various ways. In addition, traditionally loud sounds, like those from bells or chimes, scare off ghosts and demonic entities. Witches bells are believed to have magical properties of protection, purification, joy, alarm and celebration.
Witch bottle
A witch bottle is a counter-magical item used as protection against evil spirits, magical attacks, “black witchcraft”, and harmful intentions. The origins of this tradition have been dated at least to the 16th century. Some of the earliest documented witch bottles consist of salt glazed stoneware jugs, later witch bottles were made from glass bottles, small glass vials, and a variety of other containers. Typically, a “white witch” or folk healer would prepare the witch's bottle. Historically, the witch's bottle contained the victim's urine, hair, blood, and/or nail clippings, as well as, rusty nails, thorns, pieces of glass, wood, bone, and red thread. Later witch bottles were filled with rosemary, needles and pins, and red wine. Historically and currently, the bottle is then buried at the farthest corner of the property, beneath the house hearth, or placed in an inconspicuous spot in the house. It is believed that after being buried, the bottle captures evil which is impaled on the pins and needles, drowned by the wine, and sent away by the rosemary. Sometimes sea water or earth are used instead. Other types of witch bottles may contain sand, stones, knotted threads, feathers, shells, herbs, flowers, salt, vinegar, oil, coins, or ashes. A similar magical device is the "lemon and pins" charm. Another variation is within the disposal of the bottle. Some witch's bottles were thrown into a fire and when they exploded, the spell was broken. The witch bottle was believed to be active as long as the bottle remained hidden and unbroken. People did go through a lot of trouble in hiding their witch bottles, those buried underneath fireplaces have been found only after the rest of the building has been torn down or otherwise disappeared.
Yule
Yule (also called Jul, Julblot, jól, jólablót, joulu, "Yule time" or "Yule season") is a festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples. The word Yule comes from Old English geol, which shares a history with the equivalent word from Old Norse, jól. Both these words referred to a midwinter festival centered around the winter solstice, which traditionally marked the halfway point of the winter season. After the solstice—the shortest day of the year—the days once again begin to grow longer, so it’s thought that Yule was a celebration of the reappearance of the Sun and the fertile land’s rebirth. The celebration of Yule is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. Ancient people were hunters and spent most of their time outdoors. The seasons and weather played a very important part in their lives. Customs and traditions associated with Yule vary widely. Most commonly, the celebration consisted of a hearty feast and general revelry, which included wassailing (caroling), drinking, and dancing. Scholars have connected the original celebrations of Yule to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht ("Mothers' Night"). Later departing from its pagan roots, Yule underwent Christianised reformulation, resulting in the term Christmastide. Some present-day Christmas customs and traditions such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others may have connections to older pagan Yule traditions. As contemporary pagan religions differ in both origin and practice, these representations of Yule can vary considerably despite the shared name. Some Heathens, for example, celebrate in a way as close as possible to how they believe ancient Germanic pagans observed the tradition, while others observe the holiday with rituals "assembled from different sources." Heathen celebrations of Yule can also include sharing a meal and gift giving. In most forms of Wicca, this holiday is celebrated at the winter solstice as the rebirth of the Great horned hunter god, who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun.
Yule log
The Yule log is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a winter tradition in regions of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, and subsequently North America. Like other traditions associated with Yule, the custom ultimately derives from Germanic paganism. In ancient Scandinavia the Yule log was lit to entice the Sun to return and was originally an entire tree. Families would bring the trunk of the Yule tree inside and stick the big end of it into the fireplace, where it would then feed the fire for 12 days until the end of Yule. Folk customs say that some families would save the ashes and keep them under their bed for protection from lightning and fire, and also use the ashes in the spring as they believed it was good for plant growth. In modern times, a yule log is typically a piece of wood about 12” - 16” long, with three holes for three candles, and decorated with plants and berries of the season (ivy, mistletoe, pine/spruce cones, holly, and dried berries/fruits).
Zodiac
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The paths of the Moon and visible planets are within the belt of the zodiac. In Western astrology, and formerly astronomy, the zodiac is divided into twelve signs, each occupying 30° of celestial longitude and roughly corresponding to the following star constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
