| Terms and Definitions |
| Some of the words used on this site are common in the craft and may well crop up on other sites you look at and books you may read or have. They also have a particular meaning within the craft and I have tried to give that meaning here. Athame ~ Wiccan word for ritual knife usually black handled and double edged and blunt. You may have seen there are many different designs out there now (mine for instance is silver). A symbol of the God and Fire (though some take it as a symbol of air), South and Summer. Used for invoking and banishing energies or elements. The only thing an Athame should cut is air or possibly handfasting cake. Besom ~ The broomstick most witches are depicted riding. This is a traditional broomstick, used to symbolically cleanse the Sacred Spacee. Also signifies the leap from one "life" to the next at many handfastings, hence the term "jumping the broomstick", also symbol of fertility. A page giving the history of the Broomstick is also available on this site. Boline ~ A white handled Knife. This is the knife most wiccans'/ witches would use whenever any cutting is required. For instance carving runes into candles etc., Book of Shadows ~ A witches journal of their magical workings, thoughts, spells, etc., This is covered in detail on previous pages on this site. Chalice ~ A symbol of the Goddess. A cup or goblet made from glass, stone, wood or metal the design of which is down to individual taste. The chalice contains the wine used in the Rite of Wine and Cakes or in the Great Rite. Circle ~ This defines the Sacred Space for some Witches and Wiccans, created whenever and wherever it is needed. Casting the Circle is just one part of creating the sacred space. However, you may find this differs from one tradition to the next as some do not feel the need to cast the circle. Coven ~ A group of three or more witches and no more than thirteen. Some would say the number should be derived of six women, six men and the High Priestess, but this again may differ from one tradition to the next. The Coven is the family group of the Witches. Craft ~ One of the terms for Witchcraft, which has been rightly described as both an Art and a Craft. Deity ~ A Goddess or God. "Deities" being a generic term for all the Goddesses and Gods, wherever they come from. Deosil ~ Clockwise or Sunwise, usually protection. When setting up or working in the Sacred Space you should always move in this direction unless you are undoing something and then you move Widdershins. Divination ~ Tarot, Crystal Ball, Runes, etc., are all means of divination or the ability to uncover that which may remain hidden. The term scrying can also be applied and you may hear many witches refer to it as such. Traditionally scrying referes to the Crystal Ball, Dark Mirror, Cauldron, or Fire. Elements ~ Often used to refer to the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. However I believe in five elements and the fifth one is Spirit. The Elements are key to the craft and refer to energies around us as well as to ourselves, some witches' preferring to work with one particular Element and its Elementals in their workings. Elementals ~ Nature spirits such as Gnomes, Sylphs, Salamanders and Undines. Usually associated with the four directions and elements. Esbat ~ A non Sabbet meeting and as well as a term for New/ Full Moon meetings or workings of which there are 13 Moons in a year. Great Rite ~ The Wiccan symbolic union of the Goddess and the God. This is usually performed wth the Chalice (representing the womb of the Goddess) and the Athame (representing the phallus of the God). It can also be performed physically by working partners and also in some forms of initiation |
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