Cabala / Qaballa. See Kabbalah.
Calcite:
A magickal stone whose quality is that of balance of positive and negative energies
Camulus:
A Celtic "Mars" and war God, associated with clouds and storms. His magickal symbols are the
severed head and a very large sword.
Candles , Altar/Ritual:
The candles used in ritual. There are candles placed on or just inside the Magick Circle
and one or more placed on the altar. The candles' colours correspond with the elements that each cardinal direction is associated with. These vary by tradition, but most commonly are: North (Earth) - Green, East (Air) - Yellow, South (Fire) - Red, and West (Water) - Blue. The Altar Candle(s) also vary, usually depending upon the time of year, being either white, black or both. They represent the fifth element of "Akasha" or Spirit. The Altar Candles are often used to light the other candles around the Circle during the "Casting the Circle" ritual. In addition to these purposes, they also serve as practical lumination for rites and spellcraft done after or in the dark. See also "Casting".
Candle Magick:
A type of magick in which candles are charged for a specific purpose and then burned to
unleash the spell. Once a candle has been charged for a purpose, that purpose remains until is completely burnt out. Never perform candle magick on an 'active' - or 'partially burnt' - candle, for its energies are already unleashed, even if its only purpose thus far was to simply shed light. Certain colours are used for certain purposes, e.g., red - love, green - material wealth, etc.
Candomble:
A Brazilian Pagan Tradition with roots in 'Voodoo'. See Also "Santeria".
Cantrip
A spell cast by a witch. It is small, quick, and has minimal effects.
Carnelian:
A magickal stone whose qualities are that of sexuality, fire, power, and creativity.
Cartomancy:
Divination through the use of cards, especially Tarot Cards.
Casting Runes:
(1) Divination through the use of small objects which have been inscribed with runic letters.
(2) A method of focusing or firing a spell through the carving or writing of runes.
Catapsi:
An antipsi talent for the generation of strong fields of psychic static, frequently at such high intensity that all other psi fields within range are disrupted and/or drowned out, usually with the information content of those fields collapsing first.
Catharsis, Magical:
The release of magical potency at the climax of a ritual. It is usually accompanied by an emotional release, and in some forms of magic by physical climax. The catharsis of Greek tragedy was no more than a pale echo of the original magical catharsis of the Mysteries.
Cauldron:
A large kettle, pot, or dish of iron (usually blackened) or other heat-tolerant metal used for preparing
magick ointments, brews, philters, etc. Also sometimes used to burn 'balefires'.
Cauldron “Mystical”
A feminine symbol of the goddess, also of life, death, and rebirth. This is associated with Cerridwyn, a goddess who brewed a magickal cauldron from which a single drop was yielded each year. The consumer of her brew would be granted great wisdom. Today her cauldron survives not only in pagan ritual but also in the Christian concept of the Holy Grail.
Cause and Effect, Law of:
“If exactly the same actions are done under exactly the same conditions, they will usually be associated with exactly the same ‘results’.” Good luck with those “exactlies!”
Cellular Psychokinesis or CPK:
A subcategory of PK, involving the use of what is probably several different APK talents in order to psychically affect the structure and behaviour of living organisms, working primarily on the cellular level.
Celtic:
Traditions of Paganism of the Celts, being the Gauls and Britons. Irish, Highland Scottish, Manx, Cornish, Breton, and Welsh peoples of Central and Western Europe. e.g. 'Witta', 'Faery' or 'Faerie' traditions, and 'Druidism'.
Censer:
An item, usually of metal (brass), used for burning incense.
Centre or Center, The:
Point of intersection of various planes or modes of existence, including space and time, and which can be used for (at least subjective) transportation between them.
Centring:
An exercise or point of development in which one's mind is constantly tuned toward the concept of 'Oneness'.
Ceremonial Magic:
Schools or methods of magic which place their emphasis upon long and complex rituals, especially of the Medieval and later European traditions; often degenerates into ritualism.
Ceres:
The Roman Goddess of agriculture. The Greeks called her "Demeter".
Cernunnos - See "Kernunnos".
Cerridwyn - See "Kerridwen".
Chakras:
Several psychic centres of power associated with different parts of the human body in Tantric systems
of anatomy. The points of origin of magickal energy in the body. Depending on the system, there is anywhere from 5 - 10 chakras: the crown of the head, the middle of the forehead, the back of the throat, the middle of the chest, the pit of the stomach, the bowels and intestines, the genitals, and the palms of the
hands are the most common among these. There are some systems, however, that not only vary in number, but in location of the chakras as well.
Chalice:
Cup used in rituals and usually associated in western occultism with “element” of Water (though it
often contains more potent fluids). See also "Goblet".
Channeling:
The means by which innate human talents are carried (to others or objects). Energies, thoughts, images, etc., can all be 'sent' or channelled to another object or sentient being.
Chant:
A song or rhyme used to raise magickal energies.
Chanting:
The rhythmic repetition of sounds or words to induce an altered mental state and produce a magical effect.
Chaos Magic:
Magic based on the presumptions that the universe is uncertain and that natural laws are not everywhere and always constant.
Chaote
A Chaos magician not actively in practice.
Charge:
To charge is to imbue an item or person with magickal energy.
Chaste Moon:
The third full moon of the year.
Cheiromancy:
The metaphysical divinatory science of palm reading.
Chi
A Chinese term for the all-encompassing universal life force.
Circle, Magick:
A Magick Circle is a sacred, purified space in which ritual and magick are performed. Even many within the Craft have not been admitted into another's sacred space. Circles are to be respected at all times and clean. Most Circles found in Witchcraft are pentacles with the top of the star pointing north. Usually candles are in the four cardinal directions, North, South, East, West, and, varying slightly by tradition, the candles are coloured in correspondence with each directions' element; Earth, Fire, Air, & Water.
Circle of Stones:
A Magick Circle formed of stones, either man-made or (rarely) found naturally, usually set upright around the perimeter. Stonehenge is such a circle. This type of Magick Circle is more commonly used in Druidic, Celtic, Shamanic, and some Northern-European Traditions.
Circuit:
A pattern or connection between whole or partial metapatterns within the Switchboard; often may be
(or be associated with) an archetype, deity or other spirit.
Citrine:
A magickal stone whose qualities are that of thought, clarity, pattern and insight; of the mind.
Clairaudience:
ESP input as if it were normal hearing, without the medium of another mind.
Clairgustance:
ESP input as if it were normal tasting, without the medium of another mind.
Clairolfaction:
ESP input as if it were normal smelling, without the medium of another mind or of a cosmetics company.
Clair Senses:
General term for all the forms of ESP that start with the prefix “Clair-.”
Clairtangency:
ESP input as if it were normal touching, without the medium of another mind.
Clairvoyance:
ESP input as if it were normal seeing, without the medium of another mind; often used as a term
for clair senses, psychometry and/or precognition. See Remote Viewing. Classification:
Association of some phenomenon into a predetermined pattern or class of phenomena.
Cleansing
Purification through a ritual bath (often with a handful of sea salt thrown in) and through meditation to cleanse the psyche. Traditionally performed before every ritual.
Cleric:
A person who uses both passive and active talents and rites for both thaumaturgical and theurgical purposes, for personal and public benefit.
Cliodna:
A bird Goddess and a young aspect of the "Dark Goddess" or "Dark One". Her name means "shapely one", and she is the most beautiful woman ever seen when she takes human form. Her magickal symbol is an apple.
Cold Control:
The use of temperature control to freeze or thaw objects or beings.
Colour:
An interpretation of the ways in which photons hit your eyes; one way to see the difference between two
objects of identical size, shape, distance and illumination.
Colour Classifications:
Sets of associations between various colours and particular concepts, interests or acts.
Colour Magick:
Perhaps the simplest and most useful forms of magick, it utilizes colours and their traditional
representations to bring about desired effects.
Colour Therapy:
The use of colour to induce mental and emotional changes, usually for a therapeutic purpose
Compact:
A compact is a doctrine or constitution of rules and/or guidelines by which a coven or pagan study group operates.
Computer:
A network of electronic gates and memories that processes data; an unimaginative but very logical
problem solving machine; a magnificent slave and miserable ruler; a great tool and toy for any technologically oriented occultist.
Conditioning:
this psychological term in here because it is a pretty relative term in regards to Pagan, as well as all religious practices. Conditioning is the state of being that reflects the culmination of one's ancestry, upbringing, experience, personality, and culture. This is NOT the true self, but a collection of the valences and reactions that an individual wears as a way to manoeuvre in this world.
Cone of Power:
Term for the focusing of a group’s magical energies, visualized as a cone of psychic power based upon a ritual circle containing the participants (who are usually Neopagan or Feminist Witches). There is some confusion among various groups as to what exactly should be done with the energies at the moment of “firing.”
Conjuration:
Invoking by a Sacred name. The magickal practice of manifesting or bringing about Otherworldly
beings or spirits for certain magickal tasks; to summon these beings.
Conjure
To summon entities from the spirit realm into the physical plane
Conscious Mind:
A psychological term to denote the mind I am using to type this and you are using to read it.
The conscious mind is the mind you use when you are awake. The 'physical' mind.
Consciousness, Universal:
In Paganism, it is believed that as all physical things are one - all being composed of
the same thing (matter and energy), so it is that all things are part of one spiritual force - The Universal Consciousness.
Consecration:
To purify and make sacred, to devote to a certain purpose. All ritual and magickal tools are
consecrated. The Magick Circle is consecrated each time it is cast.
Consort:
In matters of the Gods and Goddesses, the Consort is the masculine element of given unions or pairs.
E.g. the God of Hunting is Consort to the Goddess of Fertility.
Contagion, Law of:
“Objects or beings in physical or psychic contact with each other continue to interact after spatial or temporal separation.”
Coracle:
A small boat covered with animal skins used by Celts and Goths for ritual practices to be held on the
seas.
Cord:
A 9-foot red cord of silk, nylon, wool or some case only natural fibre. It is used as a magickal 'battery' or
storage cell of energies by tying knots in them. Some traditions wear their cords as belts at rituals.
Cordemanon:
A young God of travel and knowledge. Also the ancient name of Stonehenge. His magickal symbols are Stone Circles and The Great Book of Knowledge. Also means 'one who teaches Gyddonic Pagan Tradition without distortion'.
Corn Dolly:
A figure, often human-shaped, created by plaiting dried wheat of other grains. Is represented the fertility of the Earth and the Goddess in early European agricultural rituals and is still used in Wicca. Corn Dollies aren't made from cobs or husks; corn originally referred to any grain other than maize and still does in most English-speaking countries except the United States
Correspondences
Materials used in magick, which relate to their specific goal. These can be herbs, stones, moon phases, colours, numbers, etc. An example would be mugwort used in a dream spell, as mugwort is a popular herb corresponding to dreams.
Coven:
A group of Witches, Wiccans or other Pagans. Tradition holds that a coven is made up of thirteen
Individuals, but is usually formed of any number of people who are comfortable together. The group is usually lead by a Priest, Priestess or both. The first law of working in a coven is "perfect love and perfect trust."
Covendom:
The territory of a coven, traditionally it is a three mile radius around the covenstead.
Covenstead:
The place where a coven meets and has its regular Circles and Rituals.
Coventina:
A Goddess of childbirth, renewal, and healing springs. Her magickal symbols are the womb and the
well, her well represents the womb of the earth.
Cowan
A slang term for a non-witch or non-pagan generally used as a derogatory word for a pagan who is considered a fake or a poser.
CPK: See Cellular Psychokinesis.
Craft, The:
(1) Old term used by Freemasons to refer to their activities and beliefs.
(2) Current term used by Neopagan, Feminist and some other modern Witches to refer to their activities and beliefs.
Critique:
A calm and unbiased evaluation of the structure and performance of a ritual, not usually done in
American occult groups thanks to internal politics and delicate egos.
Crone
A term of respect used for a witch who has passed menopause or who is over 50-56 years old.
Croning
A rite of passage into being a crone.
Cross, Celtic:
A circle with a 'plus sign' inside of it. It signifies the Celtic Trinity, but also carries other
significance to other traditions as well; the Norse Odinnic Traditions call it 'The Eye of Odin'.
Cross of Confusion
An ancient Roman symbol which questioned the validity of Christianity.
"Crossing the Bridge":
A Pagan term for the death of someone/something. It is also the name of a funeral ritual done by covens and solitaires to mark the passing of coven members and loved ones. Unlike most religious funerals, it is a time of rejoice rather than mourning, since pagans believe that the individual's experiences for this lifetime are complete.
Cross-Quarter Days:
The four most important Witch festivals of the year that fall exactly between the solstices and equinox's and thus form the figure of a cross on the wheel of the year. They cross the Quarter Days.
Crowley, Aleister:
An extremely dominant author of the occult and magick. His works in occult studies are seen very much as 'core' material. Without his research and dedication, especially where magick is concerned, we pagans would most assuredly be much further behind in our own studies.
Crystallomancy:
Divination through the use of (usually) spheres of quartz crystal, glass or plastic as focussing devices.
Cult:
Any secretive religious, magical, philosophical or therapeutic group of which the user of this term does
not approve. Technically, a cult is any religion other than Christianity, Judaism, and Islamic. But more acutely defined, a cult serves to the powers and purposes of its leader, not really caring for its other
members. Witchcraft is not a cult in this sense because it caters to the spiritual needs of each individual, and, moreover, there is no one witch that has more authority over another. See also "Degree System, The".
Cunningham, Scott:
A very important author of the modern pagan movement. His works have inspired many, many would-be pagans and helped them take their first steps upon the Pagan Path. His two most prestigious "beginner" books are "Wicca: A Practical Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" and it's companion, "Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner".
Cunning Man:
The solitary male Witch, who healed, gave advice, told fortunes, and dispensed charms to the inhabitants of rural villages in Europe.
Curse:
The use of magic to harm an object or being.
Cybernetics:
Comparative study of the autonomic control system formed by the brains and nervous systems of human and other animals, as well as electro-chemical-mechanical devices and communications systems.