AKASHA The spiritual 'ether', the fifth element which embraces the other four, earth, air, fire, and water. Usually envisaged as violet in colour.

AKASHIC RECORDS The 'Recordings' left in the Akasha by every event.

AMULET An object worn as a protective charm against evil.

ARADIA Daughter of the Goddess Diana, and a name for the Goddess used in many Wiccan traditions today.

ARIANRHOD Welsh Goddess name, meaning 'Silver Wheel'. Also Known as Caer Arianrhod (Castle Arianrhod), symbolic of the resting place of souls between incarnations.

ASPECTS Forms, facets, or personas of Deity. Kore/Persephone is an aspect of the Maiden and the Maiden is an aspect of the Goddess.

ATHAME A black handled, double edged dagger. Used to invoke and devoke the guardians of the watchtowers and cast the circle, if there is no sword. A tool of the "Element" of Fire.

AURA Colours produced by heat energy and electromagnetic energy that emanates from the bodies of all living things.

BELTANE One of the Ancient Celtic "Fire Festivals." on this night, the cattle were driven between two bonfires to protect them from disease. Couples wishing for fertility would "jump the fires" on Beltane night. Also the traditional Sabbat where the rule of the "Wheel of the Year" is returned to the Goddess. This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Maiden toMother.

BOOK OF SHADOWS Traditionally hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other materials deemed important to a Wytch or a coven. Each tradition has it's own standard version of the Book and each Wytch's book will be different as he or she adds to it with time from many different sources. Only another Witch can see your book of shadows. Also, traditionally, it may never leave your hands or possession until death, when it should be destroyed, or (in some traditions) returned to the coven to be disposed of.

BURNING TIMES A term used by some Wytches for the period of persecution in the Middle Ages and later. It is in fact a misnomer in some places, as Wytches were only burned in Scotland, and on the continent of Europe. In England and the U.S., they were hanged.

CANDLEMAS The festival held on Feb. 1. One of the 4 Celtic "Fire Festivals. Commemorates the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. Celebrates the first signs of Spring. Also called "Imbolc" (the old Celtic name). This is the seasonal change where the first signs of spring and the return of the sun are noted, i.e. the first sprouting of leaves, the sprouting of the Crocus flowers etc. In other words, it is the festival commemorating the successful passing of winter and the beginning of the agricultural year.This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden.

CARDINAL POINTS North, South, East, and West, marked in the Georgian Tradition by candles of green, red, yellow, and blue, respectively. The Circle is drawn to connect these four points.

CERNUNNOS The Celtic horned God.

CERRIDWEN A Welsh Goddess-name, often used to represent both the Mother and the Crone aspects.

CHALICE One of the tools of the Wytch. Placed on the altar to represent the element of Water.

CHARGE OF THE GODDESS The Traditional words of the Goddess to her followers, or "hidden children".

CIRCLE The area in which the magickal worship and spells takes place.

CONE OF POWER Power raised in the circle by the Wytches assembled, and sent out into the world to work magick, is usually visualized as being retained and built in the form of a "cone" prior to release.

COVEN An organized group of Wytches, led by a High priestess and/or a High Priest who meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The traditional membership is 13, but in fact most covens number considerably less.

COVENSTEAD Regular meeting place for a coven. Usually the home of the High Priestess or High Priest.

COWAN A non Wytch. Formerly used in a very derogatory manner. Still used in Masonic Ritual to indicate the non initiate and/or pretender to "real craft". Not often used today among most Wytches.

CROSS QUARTER DAYS The modern name for the Celtic Fire Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.

DEOSIL Sunwise. Traditional direction for working "building" magick. (eg: southern hemisphere = anti clockwise).

DIVINATION A magickal method of exploration or inquiry into a situation via such methods as Tarot cards, runestones, or scrying mirror.

DRAWING DOWN THE MOON Ritual invocation of the spirit of the Goddess into the body of the High Priestess by the High Priest.

ELEMENTAL A primitive non-human and non-material entity, of the nature of one of the four elements. Salamanders are fire elementals. Undines are water elementals. Gnomes are earth elementals. Sylphs are air elementals.

ELEMENTS Earth, air, fire, and water, plus spirit, which includes them all. These are regarded as realms or categories of nature (both material and non-material) and are not to be confused with the physicists table of elements.

EOSTRE, or Ostara.Spring or Vernal Equinox. Celebrated on the 21st of September in the southern hemisphere.

ESBAT Biweekly or monthly meeting of a coven. Traditionally held either on the full moon or the new moon. Other than the eight solar festivals or Grand Sabbat.

EXORCISM The expulsion, by psychic means of an unwelcome entity from a person or place which it is influencing or possessing.

FAMILIARS Either a Wytch's pet animal which has been trained to be a magickal helper, or an artificially created "elemental" which performs the same functions as the animal friend.

FIVEFOLD KISS The Wytch's ritual salute, with kisses; (1) on each foot, (2) on each knee, (3) above the pubic hair, (4) on each breast, and (5) on the lips- really 8 kisses in all. It is only used within the Circle, but the words that go with it are the origin of "Blessed Be."

GARDNERIANS Tradition of Witchcraft descended from the teachings of Gerald Gardner.

GNOMES An "entity" or "elemental" that dwells in the plane of Earth or is associated with the EARTH Element.

GREAT RITE The rite which is the main feature of the third degree initiation, and which is also laid down for certain festivals. It is sexual in nature, but may be 'actual' (and private to the couples concerned) or symbolic, as the participants wish.

HEXAGRAM A six pointed star, formed by two interlaced equilateral triangles. It signifies the Hermetic principle of "As above So below".

HALLOWS The name used by some traditions for Samhain, or Halloween.

HANDFASTING The wiccan equivalent of a wedding. It can be made legal if the Priestess and or Priest are registered as clergy with the local authorities, or it may only be considered binding within the coven.

HIGH PRIEST/ESS Technically speaking, a Wytch who has received the 3rd degree initiation. More usually, the male and female leaders of a coven.

IMBOLC Celtic name for Candlemas.

INVOCATION The ritual "calling-in" of an entity (or energies) higher than human, either for communication with the caller through a medium or by visible manifestation or else to enter into a human body as in the Drawing Down the Moon. In some traditions, a Prayer.

LAMMAS Feb 2nd Festival. The Old Celtic name for this festival is Lughnassadh. It is the Festival of the First Fruits, and is the first of the 3 harvests. This festival also marks the change of the Threefold Goddess energies from that of Mother to Crone.

LITHA Summer solstice, celebrated around Dec 22nd, for the birth of the Holly King.

MABON This Autumn Equinox festival on March 21 is for the death of the Oak King.

MAIDEN This term is the descriptive term used to describe the first of the aspects of the Threefold Goddess Energies (Maiden, Mother, and Crone). It is traditionally associated with the Waxing Moon, and the period from Imbolc (Candlemas) to Beltane (May eve) where the energies are those of initiating, beginning, and creation.

MEASURE The thread with which a first degree initiate's bodily measurements are ritually recorded as a symbol of his/her loyalty to the coven.

OLD RELIGION Another name for the Craft.

PAGANING Presentation of an infant to the Circle and to the Gods.

PENTACLE The five pointed star enclosed within a circle, which represents the earth element among the wytch's working tools.

PENTAGRAM The five-pointed star. With a single point uppermost represents the human being. The five points of the star represent the five elements. Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit. Some traditions of Wicca use the inverted pentagram to signify an initiate of the second degree.

PRECOGNITION Extrasensory perception of future events, usually through dreams; psychic awarness of the future.

PREMONITION A psychic sense of intuitive feeling about future events before they happen; presage.

SAMHAIN A greater Sabbat, celebrated on April 30. The start of the wytch's new year and winter.

SCRYING Any form of divination which involves gazing into or at something, (crystal ball, black mirror, or pool of ink etc.) to induce psychically perceived visual images.

SIGIL An occult seal or sign. (rhymes with 'vigil').

SKYCLAD The wytch's word for 'ritually naked.'

WATCH TOWERS The four cardinal points, regarded as the guardians of the Magick Circle.

WICCANING Same as Paganing.

WIDDERSHINS In a direction opposite to the path of the sun. (eg: southern hemisphere = clockwise).

YULE The Winter Solstice Sabbat. Celebrated on June 21. The theme is to welcome the new born sun.

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