| Pagan/Neo-Pagan - From Latin paganus a 'country dweller' or villager. Today it' a general term for followers of Wicca and other polytheistic, magic-embracing religions. Some prefer that Wicca are called neo-pagan and that pagan refer to practitioners of ancient polytheistic faiths in their more or less original form , such as Astaru, Odinism, etc... Pagans are not Satanists. The name used to describe various non-Christian people who base their religion on ancient traditions and pantheons of deities. A Witch is a Pagan (non-Christian believer), but a Pagan is not necessarily a Witch. Modern Pagan beliefs are sometimes called 'neo-pagan' because they are actually new versions of older beliefs. Not everyone bothers to make the distinction between Pagan and Neo-Pagan.
Pagandom - Part of the world inhabited primarily by pagans. Paganing - when a baby is presented in circle to the goddess and god and given a craft name which she /he will keep until about 13 and can choose their own in a coming of age ceremony Paganism - Any religion other than Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Generally categorized as an earth religion. Most are polytheistic (have more than one god or goddess). Literally means "country dweller". Pagan Standard time/PST - A silly 'inside' joke amongst Pagans, in reference to how Pagans often have difficulty being on time. Though meant with humor, some people see it as just one more negative stereotype. Paleo-Pagan One who can trace their religious history back to a pre-christian religion. Pallomancy - Divination with a pendulum. Palmistry - Divination and character interpretation by studying the lines and bumps on the palms and fingers. Pan - Greek; God of Nature and the Woods, Laughter and Passion. Also music and personal abandon. Invocation to Pan. Pantheists - Pantheists believe in and worship many Goddesses and Gods. Although Wiccan's call themselves pantheists they generally see that many Goddesses and Gods are but expressions of the one Goddess and God. Many Wiccan's believe that the Goddess and God are but two sides of a single all powerful deity. Pantheon - A collection or group of Gods and Goddesses in a particular religious or mythical structure, commonly regional i.e. the Greek Pantheon. Traditional groups of deities. Each pantheon is connected with an ancient culture and tradition. Pantheism - Belief in many deities who are really one because they are all merely aspects of the single creative life source. Parvati - Hindu Divine Mother, the embodiment of the total energy in the universe, Goddess of Power and Might Passion Over Ritual - A ritual that is observed when a loved one passes on. Past Life Regression - A technique used by hypnotists to lead a person in a trance which allows them to supposedly recall events from previous lives, when their soul was in a different physical body at another time period and place. Assuming belief in the human soul, this is actually very logical, and can be explained as simply a matter of helping the human mind connect to the soul mind and read the memories stored there. Act of using meditation or guided meditation to pass through the veil of linear time and perceive experiences encountered in a previous existence. Pathfinder - Spritual guide, help, or tool. Path Working - Using astral projection, bi-location, or dream time to accomplish a specific goal. Also called vision questing. Patriarch - A patriarch is a respected male figure, be he a god or a human. Pele - Hawai'ian volcano Goddess, Destroyer and Creatrix Patriarchal - Term used to apply to the world since the Matrifocal clans that worshipped Goddesses were supplanted by codified religions that honor all-male deity(s). Patron Deity - A particular Goddess or God you feel most comfortable working with. A deity that an individual feels most comfortable with or sees reflected in his or her own personality. The number of patrons one chooses to have is a matter of choice though most people choose one as their dominant spirit. Patrons hear prayers, provide guidance, aid with divination, offer blessings and other bounties on those who devote their lives to them. Pecti-Wita - The study and practice of the religion of the Picts, the pre-Celtic inhabitants of Northern Scotland, and is primarily a solitary practice. PectiWita is concerned with all aspects of prosperity, growth, abundance, creativity, and healing, and honors the Celtic Deities. They focus on a Oneness with nature and practical magick vs. religious rituals. They have a strong belief in natural remedies and Herbalism. The main tools in PectiWita are the Staff and the Athame or Dirk. PectiWitans use a "Keek-Stane" which is, in effect, a scrying stone or the equivalent of a crystal ball. Also known as Pictish Witchcraft, Wita, and Scottish Witchcraft. Pendulum - A divinatory device consisting of a string attached to a heavy object, such as a quartz crystal, root, or ring. The free end of the string is held in the hand, the elbows steadied against a flat surface, and a question is asked. The movement of the heavy object's swings determines the answer. It is a tool which contacts the psychic mind. Pentacle - A circle surrounding a five-pointed, upright star (pentagram). Worn as a symbol of Wiccan beliefs. It represents the five elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and at the top, Spirit. It is engraved or painted on a disk, plate of metal, ceramic, or wood and is placed on the Witchs altar, representative of the Earth Element. The inverted pentagram is used in some second degree intiations,to indicate a function of growth. Pentacle of Solomon - A round disk or circle inscribed with the five pointed star, circles, squares or crosses inscribed with the names of angels and demons or the Names of Power. The five points on the star pentacle represent God or man and the four elements of nature; the five senses; the five wounds inflicted on Christ on the cross; and the five points of man in the outstretched position. As an amulet the pentacle protects a mage against attack from demons or spirits; as a talisman, it enables him/her to conjure and command them. Also known as Magician's Pentacle. Pentagram - The five-pointed star, a familiar symbol of Paganism, occultism, and witchcraft. In America it is always portrayed with a single point upwards, because with two points upward, it is a symbols used by American Satanists. In Britain, two-points-upwards used to be the symbol of the Wiccan Second Degree; British Satanists have always used the inverted crucifix. But many British Wiccans are abandoning the two-points-upward Second Degree symbol as communication with American Pagans increases. The pentagram is a symbol of protection and is not evil. Persephone - Greek Goddess daughter of Demeter, queen of the dead, also a grain-Goddess Personal Power - That energy which sustains our bodies. It ultimately originates frm the Goddess and God (or rather, the power behind Them). We release personal power during stress, exercise, sex, conception, and childbirth. Magic is often a movement of personal power for a specific goal. Phantoms - Physical sensations that are perceived without any physical cause. Phantoms are psychic impressions that can manifest as any of the following: sights, sounds, smells, sensations, and tastes. They are thought to be psychic perceptions of the unconscious mind that are revealed only through subtle awareness on ones own body. Phases Of The Moon The stages fo the moons journey around the earth, one orbit (lunar cycle) takes just under a month. Pheonix - A mythological bird that consumed itself by fire every 500 years and recreated itself from the ashes as a newborn. Also known as Bennu, Fung-hwang, Fum-hwang, Ho-Ho, Kerkes. Philtre - A potion, especially for love. Phrenology - Character analysis by studying the shape and surface of the skull. |
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