Dictionary of Wiccan Spells, Symbols, & Terminology

Adept: An individual, who through serious study and accomplishments, is considered highly proficient in a particular magical system. A person can be an adept at Egyptian magical practices, but not at all good at practical kitchen magic (or the other way around).

Akashic Records: Supposedly, it is a giant data base somewhere that can be accessed for information on such subjects as past lives, healing, and other magical/spiritual practices. This record system cannot be accessed by material equipment, such as a PC networking a larger computer. In this case, the mind of the psychic or witch accesses the data through Universal connections.

Altar: A special, flat surface set aside exclusively for magical workings or religious acknowledgement.

Amulet: Usually considered an object of protection which has been charged to deflect specific negative energies or thought forms. Amulets can be made of feathers, plants, beads, etc. The horseshoe and the four-leafed clover are two examples of amulets.

Ankh: An Egyptian hieroglyphic that is widely used as a symbol for life, love, and reincarnation. It is depicted as a cross with a looped top.

Arcana: The two halves of a Tarot deck. The Major Arcana consists of 22 trumps depicting dominant occurrences in our lives. The Minor Arcana consists of 56 suit cards (sometimes called the Lesser Arcana) which assist in fleshing out the trump situations, or indicate smaller occurrences in our lives. (See also Tarot Cards.)

Astral: Another dimension of reality. (Astral Plane)

Astral travel/projection: The process of separating your astral body from your physical one to accomplish travel in the astral plane.

Athame: A cleansed and consecrated unsharpened ceremonial knife used in ritual work by witches.

Balefire: In country settings its function was both magical and practical. Holidays at which you would most likely see this type of celebration are Beltane, Midsummer, Lughnasadh and Mabon, (all Fire Festivals.)

Bane: Another word for bad, evil, destructive.

Banish: To magically end something or exorcise unwanted entities. To rid or remove the presence of.

Beltane: Pronounced "bell-tane" or sometimes "Bell-tana." A Major Sabbat, also known as May Eve.

Bi-location: A type of astral projection used to travel in everyday reality by retaining the capability of being aware of your present surroundings. Synonymous terms are over-looking and mind-travel.

Bind: To magically restrain something or someone.

Blood of the Moon: A woman's menstrual blood. The Blood of the Moon can pack a powerful wallop for you. If you feel spacey, try grounding.

Boon: A favor, a blessing, something fervently wished for.

Book of Shadows: The collection of information in book form for a witch's reference. Much like a magical cookbook. The older term for this text is "grimoire."

Bolline: A curved, white-handled knife used for practical magical purposes such as cutting. For instance, the knife can be used to harvest herbs, cut a branch for a wand, inscribe candles, etc.

Burning Times: A reference to a historical time from around 1000 CE through the seventeenth century when it is said that over nine million people were tortured and burned by church and public officials on the assumption that they were the Christian version of Witches. Historians indicate the majority of people tortured and murdered were women and children.

Cabala: Also seen as Kabbala, Kabbalah and Qabala. An Ancient Hebrew magical system.

Call: Invoking Divine forces.

Censer: Usually a fire-proof dish or container (sometimes hangs on chains) used to burn powdered incense.

Chakras: Seven major energy vortexes found in the human body. Each is usually associated with a color. These vortexes are: Crown – white, Forehead (third eye position) – purple, Throat – blue, Chest (or Heart) – green or pink, Navel – yellow; Abdomen – orange, Groin – red. Smaller vortexes are also located in the hands and feet.

Charge, The: (The Charge of The Goddess) Written in modern form by Doreen Valiente, it is a story of the message from The Goddess to Her Children.

Channeling: A practice wherein you allow a discarnate entity to "borrow" your body to speak to others either through automatic writing or verbally. Topics normally involve distant prophecy, what the after-life is like, the structure of other dimensions, "words of wisdom that everybody really needs to know before it is too late", etc.

Charm: Can either be an amulet or a talisman which has been charmed by saying an incantation over it and instilling it with energy for a specific task.

Cone of Power: Psychic energy raised and focused by either an individual or a group mind (such as a coven or meditation gathering) to achieve a definite purpose.

Cleansing: The act of removing any negative energy, vibrations or images from an object or place by utilizing positive, psychic energy.

Consecration: The act of blessing an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.

Coven: A group of thirteen or fewer Witches who work together in an organized fashion for positive magical endeavors or to perform religious ceremonies.

Covenstead: The meeting place of the Witches, often a fixed building or place where the Witch can feel safe and at home.

Days of Power: Although usually referred to as Sabbats, there are other days throughout the year that can be considered days of power. These days can be triggered by astrological occurrences, your birthday, a woman's menstrual cycle (also known as the Blood of the Moon), or your dedication/initiation anniversary.

Dedication: Unlike the Initiation ceremony that brings one into an order, the dedication of a Witch is that process where the individual accepts the Craft as their path, and vows to study and to learn all that is necessary to reach adept-ship in a given tradition. In a dedication, you consciously prepare yourself to accept something new into your life and stick with it, regardless of the highs and lows this action may produce.

Deosil: (pronounced dee-owe-sill) Clockwise movement. Most rituals and ceremonies, even wiccan spells, call for deosil movement at some point in their construction.

Divination: The art of using magical tools and wicca (wiccan) symbols to gather information from the Collective Unconscious on the nature of people, places, things, and events in the past, present or future.

Dowsing: The art/science of using a pendulum or dowsing wands to find the actual location of a person, place, thing or element. Dowsing can also be used to answer yes or no questions.

Drawing Down the Moon: A ritual used during the Full Moon by Witches to empower themselves and unite their essence with a particular Deity, usually The Goddess.

Earth Magic: A practical form of magic wherein the powers and forces of The Goddess as Earth Mother are used to conduct magical workings or celebrations. Usually items associated with the Earth and Nature hold a particular significance in the ritual or spell.

Elder: Many Wiccan organizations have a group or board of Elders who oversee the operations of the church and its variety of functions. These people have usually gained their positions through a combination of their abilities, which may include education for the wicca beginner to become a wiccan, experience, magical adept-ship and counseling.

Elements: Usually counted as four - Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Many Witches add Spirit or Akasha to this category. Each element has a direction within a magic circle or working: East = Air; South = Fire; West = Water; North = Earth; Centre = Spirit or Akasha.

Enchantment: A magical object that must be kept absolutely secret and hidden from all human eyes and exudes a hidden aura. Enchantments must be charmed first. Gems and magical writing are good items to use for Enchantments.

Eostar: Spring Equinox, also known as Astara. March 21st.

Evocation: To call something out from within.

Familiar: An animal who has a spiritual bond with a Witch; often the family pet. Familiars can also be entities who are created to protect you and your home from the astral.

Fascination: A mental effort to control another animal or person's mind. It has been referred to as "mind-bending".

Gaea/Gaia: Originally a Greek Goddess, now meaning Earth Mother or Mother Earth. Environmental action groups use this term almost as much as Witches.

Green Man: Another name for The God, as in His kingdom of the forest.

Guardians: Ceremonial magicians use the Guardians of the Watchtowers or Guardians of the Four Quarters. Some Witches use them, too.

Handfasting: A Wiccan or Pagan marriage ceremony.

Handparting: A Wiccan or Pagan dissolution of the handfasting ceremony (as in a Wiccan divorce).

Imbolc: Pronounced "im-molk" A Major Sabbat. Also known as February Eve, or Candlemas.

Initiation: An experience that so transforms the individual that their concept of personal and worldly reality has been altered. A dedication ceremony should not be confused with an initiation.

Invocation: To bring something in from without.

Karma: The belief that one's thoughts and deeds can be either counted against them or added to their spiritual path during several lifetimes. Follows the law of cause and effect.

Left-hand Path: A term that points to people who feel they are justified in using magic for purposes that are not constructive, but destructive. Conversely, the right-hand path is considered positive in nature.

Lughnasadh: Pronounced "luna-sar". A Major Sabbat. August Eve. Also known as Lammas.

Mabon: Pronounced "may-bon". The Autumnal Equinox. September 21st.

Macrocosm: The world around us.

Magic (Magick): Either spelling.The wiccan art and science of focusing your will and emotions to effect change both in the world around you and the world within you. Magic is neither good nor evil, positive or negative. It is the use of the power that determines the path it will take.

Magic Circle (Magick Circle): Either spelling. A circular boundary, drawn in visionary blue or white flames or light that protects the Witch from outside forces while conducting ritual magic. One should never step outside the circle while performing a ritual unless the appropriate precautions have been taken to cut a door. Nor should anyone step in during a ritual, unless they are following a pathway made for them. The door is usually cut with the athame or wand. This circle should never be left hanging after your ritual is over. This means that is must be opened just as ceremoniously as it was constructed. The magic circle is considered the doorway between the worlds and allows us to move between the two. Some Witches draw the circle in the physical, either permanently on the floor or for temporary use with herbs, sand, salt, chalk, or a nine-foot cord. The circle is still cast with blue or white light by the High Priestess/Priest or individual designated to do so. In some covens, each person is in charge of a particular quarter and is responsible for preparing the area before the coven members arrive. This includes cleaning the area, cleansing, consecrating, and making sure all the necessary wiccan supplies have been transported to the location.

Magical Systems: Can refer to Traditions, denominations, sects, or pantheons. It is a basic set of guidelines relating to specific Gods and Goddesses or cultural traditions.

Microcosm: The world within us.

Midsummer: The Summer Solstice, a minor Sabbat. June 21st.

New Age: This term usually refers to mixing metaphysical practices with a structured religion.

Pagan/Neopagan: Follower of a Nature-based wiccan religion. The term "Neopagan" literally means "new Pagan". It seems to be a direct result of the New Age lingo.

Pantheon: A collection or groups of Gods and Goddesses in a particular religious or mythical structure. Examples: Greek pantheon, Roman pantheon, Egyptian pantheon, Teutonic pantheon, etc.

Pentacle: A circle surrounding a five-pointed, upright star (known as a pentagram). Worn as a symbol of a Witch's belief and used in magical workings and ceremonies. Each point on the star has a specific meaning: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Pentacles are never worn inverted in The Craft. Many Witches consider this a blasphemy of their faith.

Priestess: A female dedicated to both the service of her chosen deity(ies) and humankind. A High Priestess is the feminine leader of a coven or Wiccan organization and plays the role of Goddess in certain ceremonies. A solitary Witch can be a priestess by dedicating herself to a particular God or Goddess.

Priest: A male dedicated to both the service of his chosen deity(ies) and humankind. A High Priest is the male leader of a coven or Wiccan organization and plays the role of the God in certain ceremonies. A solitary male Witch can be a Priest by dedicating himself to a particular God or Goddess.

Reincarnation: The belief that one has lived before in another lifetime or lifetimes.

Ritual: A focused mental/physical ceremony to either honor or thank one's chosen pantheon, or to perform a specific magical working or act.

Runes: A set of symbols that are used both in divination and magical workings. There are several types of runes with different origins. A few are the Norse, Scandinavian and Germanic runes. Unlike the Tarot, they are an integral part of a magical system with its own pantheon, should you care to use it. They can function as an alphabet and are useful in vision questing, dream recall and controlling your environment.

Samhain: Pronounced "sow-wen". A Major Sabbat. The Witch's New Year. The start of the wiccan/pagan Wheel of the Year. Also known as "All Hallow's Eve", "Hallowe'en", and "November Eve."

Scrying: A divination method using specific tools such as a bowl of inked water, a mirror, crystal ball, etc., where the diviner "sees" either normal visual pictures, mental visual pictures, or information without any pictures at all.

Sigil: A magically-oriented seal, sign, glyph, or other device used in a magical working. The most powerful sigils are those that you create yourself. Sigils can be used on letters, packages, clothing, on paper tucked in your pocket, etc.

Skyfather: Assigning deification to the sky as a male entity. It compliments Earth Mother perfectly. Sky Father is also used by several Native North American Indian belief systems.

Skyclad: In some traditions, for example the Alexandrian, it is the act of celebrating or doing a magical working in the nude. There are many solitaries who prefer to work skyclad, feeling that the absence of clothing leaves their energy unhindered during the ceremony.

Spell: Extended mental and emotional energy spoken aloud, written, spoken to oneself, drawn or even danced. To work, it should be clear, concise, focused and emotional. The need must be present to bring any spell to a successful culmination.

Spiral: The symbol of "coming into being." A spiral dance celebrates the spiral symbolism.

Talisman: An object which has been magically charged in order to bring something to the bearer. Such an item could be a gemstone to win a court case, or a drawing to put in your pocket that will bring good luck. (Sometimes also known as a "lucky charm")

Tarot Cards: A set of 78 cards which carry pictures and symbols used to connect the diviner with the collective unconscious The cards can be used to determine the past, present and future of an event or person and can become powerful tools in magical workings and rituals. (Also see Arcana.)

Tarologist: One who is adept at the art and science of handling the Tarot.

Vision-Questing: Using astral projection, to accomplish a specific goal. Also called path-working.

Web-Weaving: Networking with other magical people through conversation, in writing, or by computer to gather information to mutually assist each party in their studies and life goals.

Wheel of the Year: One full cycle of the seasonal year, beginning with the Samhain celebration (The Witch's New Year.)

Widdershins: Counter-clockwise motion used in some magical workings or ceremonies.

Working (as in "magical working"): The process of using magic to reach a desired positive goal.

Yule: The Winter Solstice, a Minor Sabbat. December 21st.

Credit: Raymond Buckland, D.J. Conway, Tira Brandon-Evans, Silver Ravenwolf, Lilith Temple Society members, and Pagan Grove Society members. Bless 'em all.