Earth Goddess Charge

The 13 Principles of the Wiccan Belief

The 13 Principles of the Wiccan Belief

Written and compiled by George Knowles

It has been said many times, and I myself can be quoted saying “Wicca has no high authority, no single leader, no prophet and no bible to dictate its laws and beliefs”. Yet in America during 1973–74, an attempt was made to uniform and define the many differing beliefs across the many paths and traditions prevalent at that time. A short-lived alliance of contemporary witches was formed under the aegis of the ‘Council of American Witches’ spearheaded by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke.

Weschcke believed that a common set of principles and definitions encompassing the many paths and traditions in America, would ultimately help to dispel many of the myths about Witchcraft, and distinguish it from Satanism and other misconceptions in the eyes of the general public, and such as proliferated though the general press media.

As happened, some 73 or so representatives from the many paths and traditions convened in Minneapolis during the autumn of 1973. They formed the ‘Council of American Witches’ and Weschcke was nominated as chairman. Through his publishing company Weschcke published a newsletter called ‘Touchstone’ which the council used to collate information about their many differing beliefs.

After many difficulties and altercations, by April ’74 the council was able to unify a general set of principles loosely acceptable across the many traditions operating in America. Based on this, Weschcke then wrote and defined ‘The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief’.

The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief:

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called ‘supernatural’, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine – and that this same Creative Power lies in all people and functions through the interaction of the masculine and the feminine. We value neither above the other knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energy used in magical practice and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconsciousness, the Inner Planes etc – and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magical exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it – a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Wiccan Way.

8. Calling oneself ‘Witch’ does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seek to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and without harm to others and in harmony with nature.

9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as ‘Satan’ or ‘the Devil’ as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

Due to Weschcke's efforts these principles were later incorporated into the army's 'Chaplains handbook' for use in the U.S. Army. Shortly after this achievement the Council of American Witches disbanded, this due mainly to the difficulties inherent in reconciling differences among its many member traditions. The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief lived on however, and today many American Witches continue to endorse it. 

Lunar Phase Esbat Rituals

FULL MOON ESBAT RITUAL

1. Stand at the Altar with arms open and feet apart:

"Behold the Great Lady, who travels the sky the stars shine around Her and light up the night."

2. Pick up wand; open arms to the Full Moon (if possible) for the Drawing Down:

"Lovely Lady known by so many names, but known to me as (NAME), with the Lord (NAME) at your side; honour, and reverence I give to You and invite You to join with me on this, Your special night. Descend, my Lady, and speak with your child, (NAME)."

3. Set wand on Altar; listen for her guidance. 

4. Read from the selection of Recitations or improvise a spontaneous song, poem, etc.

5. Conduct any spell work, Drawing Down the Moon charging of water, consecrations, meditations, etc as created for this night or brought from the Spells, Rituals, or Meditations lists at this time.

6. When Esbat work is finished, raise open arms;

"You are the Mother of All. Maiden, Mother and Crone; You are at life's beginning and at its end. You dwell within us all for You are Life and Love, and thus do You make me Life and Love. Love is the Law and Love is the bond! So Mote It Be!'

PROCEED TO CAKES & WINE OF THE CIRCLE CASTING THEN TO OPENING THE CIRCLE

Trees

Trees are sanctuaries.
Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.

They preach... the ancient law of life.


 - author unknown

Esbat Ritual

OPENING

Have: Three Altar candles: one of each colour in the left-centre-right positions of Altar or candelabra:

Full Moon - Blue-White-Orange

New Moon - Green-White-Red

Dark Moon - Black-Purple-Black OR Black-White-Black

Blue Moon - Blue-White-Orange

Sidhe Moon - Pale tones of lavender or grey for outer candles, with the centre being a lighter-toned greyish white.

Incense - sandalwood, frankincense, Nightlady, Moon, Ritual, or one that is appropriate for any magickal workings.

Spell work materials - ready on Altar with appropriate working candle.

Begin Esbat: at the portion noted in the Basic Circle Casting* (for Full and New Moon Esbat) or in the Dark Power Circle Casting (for Dark Moon Esbat) as:

PERFORM RITUAL/CRAFT WORK

ESBAT BEGINS

1. Raise wand and open arms in greeting:

"I, (NAME), who am your child, stand between the worlds and call upon my Lady and my Lord to hold communion with me."

2. Clap 3 times or ring bell 3 times:

"'An it harm none, do what ye will.' Thus runs the Witch's Rede. Once more I affirm my joy of life and my love for the Lady and the Lord. I honour the Goddess and the God, (NAMES), for the favours and love they have bestowed upon me, and I ask their blessings upon me."

3. Set the blessed water from the Circle Casting on pentacle; point athame to it:

"Great Mother, bless this creature of Water and of Earth to your Service. May I always remember the cauldron waters of rebirth and the many forms and beings of the blessed Earth. Of Water and Earth am I."

4. Set down athame and raise the water bowl:

"Great Mother I honour you!"

5. Put water bowl on Altar; place censer on pentacle; point athame to it:

"Great Father bless this creature of Fire and of Air to your service. May I always remember the sacred fire that dances within every creation and may I always hear the voices of the Divine. Of Fire and Air am I."

6. Set down athame and raise the censer:

"Great Father I honour you!"

7. Put censer on Altar; raise beverage cup:

"Power and Grace; Beauty and Strength are in the Lady and the Lord both. Patience and Love; Wisdom and knowledge. I honour you Both!"

8. Pour a small libation of beverage into cauldron and take a sip from the cup.

PROCEED TO LUNAR PHASE ESBAT RITUALS

Craft Terms

CRAFT TERMS

Adept: The state acquired by an initiate into a group, particularly Ceremonial Magick, when material gain is no longer desired, and spiritual growth has come to such a degree that Nature is at one’s command.

Aesir: The level if the Teutonic magickal system working with the Gods and Goddesses of the Warrior and Ruler classes; political rather than the Nature deities of the Seidhr, or Green Level Witches.

Air: Elemental representing East; Sunrise; yellow/red; childhood; intellect; thought; mind; tarot suit of swords; victory; powers; conflict; conscious mind.

Amulet: A natural object that may be worn for protection, such as a rabbit’s foot, and is a variety of charm.

Androgyne: Both male and female, a hermaphrodite; symbol of the Divine all.

Animistic: Seeing all things as having a spirit or soul thus the Divine spirit (or the Power) resides in all things. Key phrase: everything is alive.

Asatru: “Loyal to the Aesir Gods” name for Odinists of the Teutonic tradition, opposite of Seidhr, who are practitioners of Nature focused Witchcraft.

Asgard: Realm of the Teutonic Gods divided into the worlds of the rulership, law making, and warrior deities of the Aesir, and the Nature deities of the Vanir.

Astral Plane: An energy level of existence that lies outside the physical and mental planes of reality; energy that is felt.

Astral Projection: Moving the spirit energy from the physical body through space and/or time to other locations while the body remains either asleep or in a trance; while the travel may be on the astral plane, it may also be manifested on the physical  plane so that other people might interact with an astral projection believing it to be a physical presence, thus someone being in two places at the same time.

Athame (a-tham’may): Symbol of Elemental Air; ritual double-edged knife of witchcraft, representative of the energy of the God and used t direct energy in magical work; not a cutting tool, with generally a black-handled knife, but any knife or knife-like object used to conduct energy for magick work may be an athame.

Aura: Energy field of multiple layers surrounding all things that may be seen visually or sensed psychically to be understood or manipulated in magick. Gaps or holes can lead to illness and can be healed through use of crystals, or other energy moving magicks as with the passing of the palms of a healer above the affected area

Banishing Magick: Type of magick that casts away something present and undesired – see Repelling and Exorcising Magicks.

Benediction: Closing of a ritual wherein blessings are given and received, and the peace of the Lady  and the Lord are acknowledged.

Besom (bes’sum): Broom used to sweep the Circle clear of negative and chaotic energies prior to casting.

Bindrune: A runic monogram of two to three rune symbols used as a sigil on a magickal object, with the last rune drawn being the one that binds the whole.

Black Mirror: Tool used for divination and dark aspect meditations using a mirror of black glass or backpainted in glossy black for shadowy reflection; also a name for objects used as mirrors, such as polished obsidian.

Blood Line Witches: Family Tradition or Hereditary Tradition Witches, whose practice has been learned from that which has been passed along within a family unit or extended family through multiple generations – not the same as Tradition Witches as used in the United States to refer to those Wiccan denominations dating from the 1940s with Gerald Gardner and various offshoots.

Blue Moon: Second Full Moon in a solar month; adding extra energy.

Bodily Energy Points: In Green Witchcraft, these are the base of the spine, abdomen, stomach, heart, throat, forehead and crown (top) of head, while the Elemental Energy points are the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Bolline (bo-leen’): Practical knife of Witchcraft used to cut with and inscribe objects; generally a white or brown-handled knife, but some witches may utilize only one knife for the work of both the athame and bolline.

Book of Shadows/BOS: The book or books in which correlations are written down and referenced in the creation of spells and other magicks, and in which the characteristics of a Witch’s practice are given. This book will contain a code of ethics, personal philosophy, spiritual insights, meditations, lunar and seasonal rituals, descriptions of tools, alphabets, recipes, rites of passage rituals, special days of observance, deity associations, and other details deemed necessary by the individual for practice of the Craft.

Broom Closet: A figurative way of describing whether a Witch prefers to keep Craft practice a secret or is more public about Craft activities. Therefore one is, presumably with besom in hand, either in or out of the broom closet.

Casting the Circle: Beginning of a ritual to create the Circle for magickal and spiritual work to be conducted inside. The one who casts the Circle draws up energy from the Earth and balances this within prior to releasing the energy to create a spherical field; this is done so as to avoid depleting internal energies.

Casting Cloth: The cloth marked with designs and laid out for a divination throw, usually for ogham fews, but sometimes used for runes or tarot.

Cauldron: Tool used to contain spell crafting materials, potions, brews, and represent the fruitful and regenerative powers of the Goddess.

Celts: Indo-Europeans who arrived in Ireland by way of Spain; people originally of Dravidic derivation from the Indus Valley who migrated across Europe.

Ceremonial Magick: Magick system created in the fourteenth-sixteenth centuries in Europe, and based on Paganism and the Hebrew magickal system of the Kabbalah. Dating from twelfth-century Europe placed in the medieval Christian world view.

Chakras: Energy centres in the body, usually stated as root/base (genital/anal area), sacral plexus (lower abdomen) solar plexus (navel), heart, throat, third eye, and crown, similar to the Bodily Energy Points. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet are also chakras similar to the Elemental Energy Points.

Charge: Directing energy into an object for a purpose; also used as a command.

Charged: Energised; imbued with Divine power as with blessed water.

Charms: Objects made and infused with magickal energy and carried or placed to achieve a goal (such as protection, money draw, draw love and friendship).

Circle: A ritual area created to contain raised energy that may be directed in spell work. The energy is raised through the Earth and blended within the Witch, then directed to form the boundaries of the circle. When the Circle is opened, the energy is returned into the Witch so that the borrowed energy is returned may be redirected into the Earth for dissipation by touching the ground with the palms of the hands. This energy field does not act like static cling, holding negative energies in place, but is always pure and clean, simply repelling negative or chaotic energies from entering the sacred space.

Cleansing: Relieving an object of chaotic and mixed energies, often absorbed while in a store or surrounded and touched by other people. Sea salt or spring water are good for immersing an object to clear out the extraneous energies; then toss out the water or salt into which the energies have been absorbed .

Comparative Magick: “This Represents That” spell method of Green Witchcraft in which a relationship is established between the spell-casting material and the object of the spell, so that one object acts in the stead of another (used in charms and growth spells, as when an energised seed is planted).

Cone of Power: Energy raised and concentrated within a Circle for magickal use, and released when at its height or peak for effective magick to take place.

Contagion Magic: Method in Wiccan subdivision of Sympathetic Magick when using in spell casting something that has been in contact with the subject of the spellwork.

Containment Magick: Type that shields or protects: keeping an area secure with positive energies inside, and negative energies held at bay; or placing a shield over the source of negative energies, thus keeping those energies confined in that area – (See Deflection and Reflection Magicks).

Correspondences: Correlations of magickal energy to items of Nature, colours, hours of the day, days of the week, symbols, alphabetic interpretations, lunar and solar phases, and other such meanings to be used in creating or interpreting magickal work (see Lists of Correspondences).

Cosmic Lemniscate: The symbol of Infinity, like a number 8 on its side, drawn in the air over the Altar during Circle Casting to signify standing between the worlds.

Coven: Assembly of Wiccan/Witchcraft practitioners, generally adhering to the standardised procedures of a particular Tradition or to those agreed upon by the membership, usually twelve in number, with one Priest or Priestess/High Priest or High Priestess to make a total of thirteen members although there may be two leaders, male and female.

Covenhome: The name of a Witch’s coven, such as, “Her covenhome is the Coven of the Sacred Wheel.”

Coven Name: Name bestowed on an initiate to a coven for “inner court” use.

Covenstead: Limited area (such as a 5-mile radius) for covens of the same Tradition or denomination so that there are not overlapping territories. As more people become interested in the Craft, this may cease to be practical.

Craft: Witchcraft; the Old Religion of Pagan Europe; Wicca.

Craft Name: A magick/spiritual name chosen by a Witch for working in the Craft, and may be used openly, in Pagan community settings, and in “outer court” Circles. This name may also be used as a Coven name, though many covens prefer to rename someone entering their circle.

Cross-Quarters: Sabbats of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh also known as the White or Greater Sabbats. Community bonfires were traditionally let on hilltops.

Cup: Symbol of Elemental Water; used in ritual to contain the beverage and to symbolise the receptive and fertile womb of the Goddess.

Curses: Contain malevolence to the sphere the generator of the negative energy.

Daoine Sidhe: The powerful folk or nobility of the Other People or Sidhe.

Dark Moon: Representative of the Goddess as the One Who Transforms in her aspect of Tomb or Womb, thus a time more suited for meditation or divination than for magickal work or spells.

Dark Power: Generally negative/chaos energies drawn from the Dark Aspects of the Goddess and God, but are transformative, highly creative, and innovative.

Deflection Magick: Type of magick used to defuse general malevolence and ill will of others by randomly dispersing and dissipating the negative energies (see Containment and Reflection Magicks).

Deosil: “Sunwise,” i.e. the course of the sun through the sky. In the Northern Hemisphere this is clockwise, in the Southern Hemisphere it is anti-clockwise.

Directive Magick: “This Affects that” spell method of Green Witchcraft in which energy of one object is moved to influence another. Energy may also be raised, focused, directed, and sent to accomplish a goal (most commonly used in all types of magick, often in connection with Lists of Correspondences).

Drawing Down the Moon: Ritual of drawing the energy of the Moon into water to be blessed; also a ritual of drawing the Goddess within the Practitioner for communion and prophecy.

Drawing Magick: Type of magick that brings something to the Practitioner, hence enticing and invoking an energy influence.

Dressing: Putting an appropriate oil on spell items such as candles as part of a ritual consecration to prepare the object to attract and direct the energy of a spell to accomplish a goal.

Earth: Elemental representing North; Midnight; green/black; old age; strength; stability; wisdom; tarot suit of pentacles; business; money.

Eke Name: A coven name or “inner court: name by which a practitioner of the Craft is known within a Circle.

Elemental Energy Points: Palms of the hands and soles of the feet; which in the Green Witchcraft Tradition sees the right hand as Fire, the left hand as Water, the left foot as Earth, and the right foot as Air – see Chakras.

Elementals: The energy archetypes of the Goddess and the God expressed as individual entities and powers embodying the four elements of Earth Air, Fire, and Water. As emanations of Divine Power, they are respected and worked with in the focusing of energy, not as simple energies or servants but as Powers. They are not, however, worshipped as the dictionary definition of elementalism. Water and Earth are often ascribed to the Goddess while Air and Fire are ascribed to the God. These categories reflect the images of Sn God (Lugh, Bel)/Sky God (An, Horus, Jupiter) and Moon Goddess (Hecate, Diana Bendidia)/ Earth Goddess (Freya, Ki, Hulda), but may also be interchanged: Earth God (Cernunnos Frey, Geb, Greenman, Horned God) and Sea God (Poseidon); Goddess of Creative Thought (Sophia) and Volcanic Fire (Pele).

Elysium Fields: Greek plan of ideal happiness and joy; paradise for the dead who lived virtuous lives without harming others, and thus corresponds as a land of repose within Underworld known in Witchcraft and Wicca as Summerland.

Eleusian Mysteries: Secret Greek rites honouring Demeter at the site of Eleusis each Spring during which initiations into the Mysteries of Demeter took place symbolising the annual death and resurrection of grain and vegetation; showing the relationship between th life cycles of the Earth and the people who are part of the Earth, so that all are seen as born from the seed to be reborn. It is known that any who passed through the rite were so transformed as to be changed utterly by the awareness of the immortality of the spirit; this resurrection motif is addressed through the rituals of the Sabbats.

Esbat (Es’bat): Lunar celebrations of Witches during the Full and New Moons; often used in conjunction with spell work.

Etheric Plane: An energy level of existence not on the physical plane, nor on the astral, but in between where it acts as a connecting passage; the Grey Path in Witchcraft.

Exorcising Magick: Type of magick that casts away negative energies preventing their return so positive energies may enter (see Banishing and Repelling).

Exorcism: Aiding spirits in death passage that may be lost confused, or unaware of their transition from physical to spirit form; dispersing negative energies to allow positive energies to enter.

Familiar: Witch’s animal or spirit helper in magickal work.

Fire: Elemental representing South; Noon; red/white; youth; energy; drive; passion; tarot suit of wands; ambition; career; creativity.

Frey: “Lord”; twin brother of Freya, and Vanir God of Green Level of Teutonic system, God of the Natural World, animals, land fertility eroticism, peace and well-being  .

Freya: “Lady”; twin sister of Frey and Vanir Goddess of Green level of Teutonic system who is able to travel to the levels of law and creation; Goddess of Nature magick cycles of Nature who taught magick (seidr) to Odin of the Aesir; associated with cats.

Full Moon: Lunar phase symbolising the Goddess in her aspect of Mother, Lady of Abundance and Compassion, time for magickal/spell workings involving completion protection containment fruition honouring energies and spirits and Drawing Down the Moon.

Fume: Dispensing smokey incense in an area to cleanse it, much like smudging.

Galster: Practice of Teutonic runic magick system.

Generator: Large crystal used to charge other crystals, so that by placing another stone or crystal being charged on a pentacle with the generator crystal on top of it, a consecration may be conducted. A close energy relationship is developed between Witch and stone by working often through this crystal.

Greater Sabbats: Those of the harvests in the mythic cycles of the Goddess and the God: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh; also called the White Sabbats or the Cross-Quarters on the Wheel of the Year.

Green Man: The God as Lord of the Wildwood, Lord of Nature, a revealer of mysteries and mentor to the occult student. His feast is in May and he is associated with the May King, Cernunnos, Jack O’ the Green, Robin of the Wood, the Summer Lord, and the Fool card of the Tarot. He is also related to such woodland/resurrection deities as Adonis, Attis, Dionysus, Tammuz, and Silvanus.

Green Sabbats: The Quarters or Lesser Sabbats of Winter and Summer Solstice and Spring and Fall Equinox, hence Yule and Litha; Ostara and Mabon.

Green Witchcraft: Both a generic term for Nature-based Witchcraft and name of a Witchcraft tradition based upon the foundational aspect of the Old Religion, grounded in Nature approaching the Craft through the Elementals, the Other People, and the Goddess and the God, using herbs, natural objects, and Earth energy in spell crafting. The Divine is seen as the Lady and the Lord of the Wildwood, primarily as the Earth Mother and Horned God symbolised by the Moon and Sun, but also in their many other natural (rather than political) aspects seeing the Craft as both animistic and pantheistic. The energies raised join internally with those if the Witch to be focused, directed, released and sent to accomplish a goal. It is seen as religion and spirituality, thus holding the word Witch to be honourable and spiritual, related to the Teutonic concept of seidhr.

Green Woman/Lady: Sylvan Goddess such as Flora often connected to Fairy or Elvin motifs such as with Greensleeves.

Grimoires (Grim’ores, sometimes called Grim-mor’es or Grim’-waws): Related to the word Grammar being books of magickal formulas created by Ceremonial Magicians between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries in Europe, containing elaborate rituals based on Paganism, the Hebrew Kabbalah of twelfth-century Europe and the medieval Christian world view, involving summoning/banishing spirits, demons, and angels of heaven and hell (many of whom were derived from the names of Pagan deities) to carry out tasks according to the magician’s will. The books contain names of power, lists of correspondences or correlations between objects and magickal powers seals and sigils, and other such information, for the working of magick by externally commanding these energies. The term has recently come into use for the Witch’s Book of Shadows.

Ground and Centre: Releasing internal static energies into the ground through the feet or hands, finding the calm centre within, drawing up strong Earth energies through the feet, pulling it up to entwine with the internal energies in balance as preparation for spell work. This is done to avoid depleting personal energy in Circle casting and spell work.

Grounding: Touching the Earth/floor with palms of hands after magickal work to drain off excess energy (avoid getting irritable, headachy, nervous, etc); releasing excess energy into the Earth upon completion of energy raising for Circle casting, ritual, meditation, spell work, and other magickal workings.

Hallowed: Holy; sacred.

Hallows: Sacred, holy, consecrated; a time when the veil between the worlds is thin and there is easy passage, hence the holy time of Halloween (Samhain) when all the worlds are connected, blessed, and holy during the instant of transference of the Dark God through the tomb of the Crone transformed into the womb of the Mother in preparation of being born at Yule.

Holey Stone: Stone or rock with a hole worn in it through the action of river or sea water, and a symbol of the regenerative power of the Goddess (yoni); Fairies may be seen by looking through the hole at Midsummer when standing beneath an elderflower tree (elderflowers dried make a flavourful additive to black tea).

Homeopathic Magick: Method in Wiccan subdivision of Sympathetic Magick in which correlations are used in spell work, such as green candle for money.

Immanence: The Divine is at hand and present in all things.

Inhabited: Companion or other spirit entity dwelling in a stone or crystal from time to time; may be contacted through that object.

Karma: Hindu idea of soul retribution by which actions in this life dictate the nature of the next reincarnation. Bears similarities to the Rule of Three.

Ken/Kenned/Kenning: All-encompassing sensation of “knowing” something with a certitude and acceptance that is mentally understood emotionally felt, and psychically sensed so that there is no doubt what is kenned, is; hence, instinctive insight.

The Lady and the Lord: The Goddess and the God of the Old Religion, hence, of Witchcraft; deities of Nature and the Universe through whom The Power emanates.

Lesser Sabbats: Those of the Solstices and Equinoxes: Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon; also called the Green Sabbats and the Quarters on the Wheel of the Year.

Libation: An offering to the Goddess and the God, usually the first draught of the ritual beverage and the portion of ritual food unless the rite designates otherwise; the offering is poured onto the ground or into a libation bowl to be later emptied onto the ground, or disposed of with the visualisation of it returning to the Earth.

Light Power: Generally positive/orderly energies drawn from the Light Aspects if the Goddess and the God.

List of Correspondences: Tables of showing a correlation between items and their magickal function as used in the practice of the Craft, such as between colours, herbs, days of the week, hours of the day, and a magickal intent; an example could be using a green candle and mint leaves on a Thursday at the third hour after sunset for a candle-burning money spell (see Tables of Correspondences).

Lord and Lady: Direct translation of many ancient names for the God and the Goddess of Power in the Old Religion, being of Nature and the Universe.

Lunar Eclipse: Emblem of the Goddess in her dark aspect as Crone, She Who is the Tomb and the Womb, hence, She Who Transforms.

Magick: Creating changes by raising, focusing directing, releasing, and sending energy.

Mannuz (Mah-nu’): The Self as part of the Universe and the Divine.

Mantra: Chant used for energy raising which may be individualised and secret.

Meditation: Quiet relaxation in which the mind-chatter is silenced so as to open an altered state of awareness wherein the conscious mind is subdued, allowing the subconscious functions of the mind to dominate; state of relaxation and accessibility.

Middleworld: The physical world in the Ogham system of divination and the Celtic world view; the starting place for divinations in which the Ogham fews move from the centre of the casting into other worlds and realms; contains four realms: Cath, the realm of challenge and conflict in the North; Blath the realm of prosperity and harvest in the East; Seis, the realm of harmony and contentment in the South; and Fis, the realm of learning and knowledge in the West.

Midhe: The centrepoint of the Ogham casting cloth, through which the reader rises to the Otherworld and descends to Underworld in the course of an Ogham divination, depending on the fews cast.

Moons: There are twelve Full Moons in a year beginning with the Moon at Yule (Oak; December), (Wolf January), (Storm; February), (Hare; March), (Seed; April), (Dryad; May), (Mead; June), (Herb; July), (Barley; August); (Harvest; September), (Hunter’s; October), (Snow; November), and occasionally a calendar year will have a thirteenth Moon, which is called the Blue Moon (the second Full Moon in a solar month); the term Blood is used when the Moon is red/russet coloured in any month, adding energy, power, and/or aggression to whatever is the normal name for the Moon – most common from August to October; while the Sidhe Moon is the second Dark Moon in a solar month.

Moon Phases: Waxing for beginnings and developing magicks (Maiden); Full for completions, honouring energies and spirits, and Drawing Down the Moon (Mother); Waning for banishings, purgings and exorcisms (Crone); and Dark/New for meditations and divinations (Hidden face of the Goddess/Goddess of Mysteries), although the New Moon may be celebrated as the last sliver of light of the Waning Moon, while the Dark Moon has no light.

Mystic Moon: The Dark Moon seen as the Hidden Face of the Goddess. May also be called the New Moon unless the term is associated with the last thin crescent of the Waning Moon as depicted in the Triple Goddess symbol.

Names of Power: Names chanted for power-raising; can be derived from Grimoires, with many being ancient deity names redefined as demons, angels, and Olympic spirits, or invented in a frenzy of energy raising (as with speaking in tongues).

New Moon: Lunar phase symbolising the Goddess in her aspect of Crone; Dark Lady, and Wisdom; as the last sliver before the Dark Moon it is a time for banishing and repelling magicks, otherwise it is a time for meditations, divinations, and Dark Power magicks.

Ogham: Old Celtic alphabet symbols named for trees/shrubs; used for magickal symbolism as sigils in sells and other magickal workings.

Old Religion: Shamanic and Nature-based religions of Pre-Christian Europe.

Opening the Circle: Ending of a ritual wherein the Circle is uncreated after all magickal and spiritual work has been concluded within. This draws the energy field back within the Practitioner who cast the Circle so it may be assimilated, with the excess energy drained off by touching the palms of the hands to the ground.

Otherworld: The world of the Other People: Elves (Sighe), the Fair Ones or Fairies; the immortal lands in the Ogham system of divination and the Celtic world view, consisting of four realms; Sen Magh, the Ancient Plain of age and wisdom, death, transformation, and immortality in the North; Magh Mell, the Delightful Plain of abundance, change, and evolution in the East; Magh Longanidh, the Wonderous Plan of happiness awakening, rebirth, and peace of the South; and Magh Argetnel the Silvery Plain of light inspiration, gentleness, eternity, and beauty in the West.

Oracle: Ancient locations where divinations took place and prophecies were uttered, generally by priestesses; also the prophecy itself.

Pagan: “Rustic”; religion of the country folk who retained the traditions of the Old Religion during the conversion of Europe to the New Religion; used in modern times without distinction to mean anyone who is not Christian, Jewish or Muslim, or who has no religion. This name is being reclaimed by Wiccans, Witches, Druids, Odinists, and other spiritual groups reviving the practices and beliefs of the Old Religion.

Pantheistic: All energies and matter are aspects of the Divine, thus the Divine is manifested in everything. Key phrase: everything is Divine.

Pentacle: Symbol of Elemental Earth; but may also be any object amulet, jewellery, or other type of adornment or charm constructed with a pentagram (five-pointed star in a circle); object of wood, tile, metal etc on which is drawn, carved, or engraved the encircled five-pointed star used on a Witch’s altar. Sometimes other symbols are included such as those for the Horned God, the Triple Goddess, planetary sigils, etc.

Pentagram: A drawing, inscription, or hand motion of a five-pointed star, usually within a circle with the points representing the four Elements and the Spirit, generally with Air and Fire on the left and right legs, Earth and Water on the left and right arms, Spirit at the top, and the Practitioner at the centre, although the latter two images may be reversed with the Practitioner at the top and Spirit at the centre particularly during spell work (note that the imagery of the Pentagram does not match that of the Elemental Energy Points of the body and also varies by Tradition).

Poppet: Doll figure used in magickal spell casting, usually stuffed with herbs or batting, and meant to be a helper or represent someone.

Power Hand: The hand a person favours, used in ritual context for the power found in the dominant hand.

The Power: The universal life-energies of the Divine expressed through the Elementals, the Deities, and such cosmic bodies as the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, planets, stars, comets, and meteors. One who feels these energies and can move them is said to “have the Power” and hence is a Witch.

Protection Magick: A type of Containment/Deflection/Reflection Magick.

Purgings and Releasings: Type of magick that are lesser exorcisms that cleanse and turn away negativity or impediments, absorb negativity to be buried for grounding, and dissipating negative energies.

Quarters: Sabbats of Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon, also known as the Green or Lesser Sabbats. Also the locations of the Elementals during Circle Casting and Opening.

Rade: “Ride” referring to the wild ride of the Hunter gathering the souls if the dead; passing of the Wild Hunt or the Rade is demonstrated by stormy weather and fast moving, roiling black clouds in the sky.

Reflection Magick: Type of magick that turns away negative energy, sending it back to the source; used in “return to sender” magicks (see Containment and Deflection Magicks).

Repelling Magick: Type of magick that casts away something that may be present or is approaching the Practitioner, hence banishing or exorcising an energy influence, with purgings and releasings being lesser exorcisms (see Banishing and Exorcising Magicks).

Retribution Magick: Type of magick that returns negative energy to the sender and seal it there, usually by the added energy of herbs.

Return-to-Sender Magick: Type of magick that sends intentionally harmful negativity back to its originating source.

Rituals: Magickal or devotional ceremonies in which energy is raised for Divine communion and/or for the conducting of magic as with spell work.

Runes: Old Teutonic and Norse alphabet symbols associated with magickal meanings and often used as sigils in spells and other magickal workings.

Sabbat (Sab’bat): Eight holy days of Witchcraft and Wicca, representing four solar and four agricultural celebrations. The solar ones are the Spring and Fall Equinoxes; and the Summer and Winter Solstices. The agricultural ones are the harvests of August (grains), October (root), the lambing time of February and the fullness of Spring in May. Some people reverse the Sabbats for the Southern Hemisphere to celebrate the appropriate seasonal changes, while others prefer to celebrate the dates as part of the European heritage.

Saint’s Days: Holy days on the Catholic calendar, most of which coincide with Pagan holidays since they are based upon these prior existing Pagan holy days. Since the populace honoured the days, the Pagan focus was changed by naming the days after a saint or martyr of the New Religion, some of whom never existed, others who were local Pagan deities addressed as living people who had converted, and others who were actual people named as saints by a formal process based on reports of miracles related to the individual.

Scrying: Psychic divination in which images are seen within a magickal tool such as a black mirror, crystal ball, water as well as in things of Nature such as clouds, smoke, birds in flight, and so forth. Anything that lends itself as an appropriate medium can be scryed, such as with obsidian.

Seals: Magickal diagrams using symbols, or using the numerical equivalents for names and planets in a square, perhaps with a sigil superimposed over it.

Seidhr: Teutonic word for the type of magickal practice of Witchcraft that is Green, or Nature-focused, hence, the Green Witch.

Shadowland: Underworld realm of repose for spiritswho have ended their incarnations in the Physical World, or Middleworld; tranquil dimply lit land ruled by the Lord of Shadows aspect of the God and by the Crone aspect of the Goddess; the world where spirits rest before moving into Summerland for revitalisation and onto the cauldron of rebirth – (see Underworld).

Sidhe (Shee): Fairy people of Ireland.

Sidhe Moon: Second Dark Moon in a solar month, propitious for connecting with Otherworld, working with the Daoine Sidhe, and adding psychic energy to magickal workings.

Sigils: Designs drawn or engraved for magickal power; may be a seal (from Planetary Spirit; planetary square; Olympic Spirit; Kabbalic) such as used in Ceremonial Magick, one created by the Practitioner (Triple Goddess; Crescent Moon, Solar Cross) or a design drawn from linking with a continuous line the letters of a key word as the alphabetical letters appear on a Witch’s Sigil Wheel or Square, and used as a focus in a magickal working.

Skyclad: Being naked in Wiccan ritual, literally “cald on ly in the sky.”

Smudging: Native American cleansing ritual in which a place or a person is cleansed and purified through smoke, usually generated by burning of sage or a sage, sweetgrass, lemongrass combination, although tobacco may also be used. Used by Witches in some types of Circle Casting, healings, and cleansing rituals (see Fume).

Solar Eclipse: Emblem of the God in his aspects of Dark Lord, Lord of Shadows, Death, Chaos, Resurrection, Hunter, and Leader of the Wild Hunt.

So Mote It Be!: “So Must It Be!” given as an emphatic statement of affirmation and finality in the working of a spell and in portions of Circle Casting and Opening, and other rituals. May be substituted with “It Is Done!”

Speaking in Tongues: Ecstatic speech during energy raising, in which the words are sounds that may be recognised as another language unknown to the speaker, or that express spiritual union directly without any language translation. This may occur during a Drawing Down the Moon ritual in which the participant is filled with the spirit of the Goddess, or a Drawing Down the Sun ritual in which the participant is filled with the spirit of the God.

Spells: Magick gathered and directed in ritual to achieve a goal, thus spells are the vehicles of magickal workings utilizing the movement of energy through the power of spoken word or formula, be it in a ritual, brew, charm, amulet, talisman, or crafted item created for magickal purpose, generating intent into manifestation.

Summerland: Underworld realm where the rested spirit may enjoy a paradise of light and joy, and where the spirit may remain or move on to rebirth; comparable to the Elysium Fields of the Greek worldview.

Symbols: Letters and designs used in Craft work and spells.

Symbolism: Meanings and interpretations for divination images and omens.

Sympathetic Magick: “This Is That” – spell method of Green Witchcraft in which the spellcasting material is seen as the actual object of the spell (poppets, sigils and seals; attraction spells). Note: the view of modern Wicca is that all magick is sympathetic magick since it uses correlations for spells knowing that all things are connected through energy, and this is subdivided into contagion (using something that has been in contact with the subject) and homeopathic (using only a correlation as with green for money).

Tables of Correspondences: Correlations between spell materials and energies to particular magickal objectives : colours herbs, incense, oils, crystals and stones, numbers, planets, days of the week, hours of the day, Moon phase, symbology of runes/Ogham, etc (see Lists of Correspondences).

Talisman: An object such as a ring or pendant, engraved with magickal symbols to bring good fortune, offer protection, ward misfortune, etc. It is a type of charm.

Tarot: Deck of seventy-eight cards, descended from those created in India carried into Northern Italy by Romany Gypsies, originally used in a game called Tarrochi in the fifteenth century and now used mainly in divination.

Traditions: Word used by Wiccan or Witchcraft denominations dating from the 1940s onward; with many requiring a chain of denominational initiation based on specific Tradition’s instruction – not the same as Family Tradition or Hereditary Tradition, which are passed along within a family unit or extended family through multiple generations, and whose members may also be called Bloodline Witches.

Transference Magick: “This Enters That” spell method of Green Witchcraft in which the negative/undesired energies within one object or person are moved into another receptacle, often a plant, animal, or stone (such as a braid of garlic or onion or using a grounding stone).

Triple Goddess and Triple God: Goddess as threefold Maiden, Mother and Crone; God as threefold Youth, Father, Sage with the interpretation for the God depending on the mythic symbology used in a Tradition.

Turning of the Wheel: Passage through the yearly cycle of eight Sabbats; hence, the passage of the year marked by the celebrations therein and the following of the myth of the God as the Oak King and Holly King, and the roles of the Goddess as Maiden, Mother and Crone through the course of the year.

Twelfth Night: Naming Day ritual time of January 6, twelve days after the departure of the Holly King on December 25 (can be moved to fit with the Southern Hemisphere Sabbats).

Twin Aspects of Magick: Purpose and method, with purpose being to draw desired energy, to repel undesired energy or to contain desired energy while warding off undesired energy; and with method being the way the energy is manipulated through either sympathetic comparative directive, or transference, or a combination of these to achieve a desired goal.

Vanir: Level of the Teutonic system addressing the deities of Nature; includes worship of Frey and Freya and the practice of natural magick, hence, the Green level.

Underworld: The world where initially go the spirits of the dead in the Ogham system of divination and the Celtic world view, having four realms: Tir Fe Thruinn, the Land Under the Waves of endings and transformation in the North; Tir Na n’Og, the Land of Youth of growth and fruition in the East; Tir Na Beo, the Land of Life of vitality and new beginnings in the South; and Tir Na Ban, the Land of the Lady of Love, cleansing, and joy. Also called Shadowland in Witchcraft and Wicca; with Tir Na n’Og being similar to Summerland.

Vitki: “Wise One” Teutonic name that became Wiccan, Witch.

Wand: Symbol of Elemental Fire; a tool for gathering and transferring energy in the performance of magick; may be made of a branch of wood, generally the length of the forearm, from a tree selected for the type of correlation of the wood to the main type of magick conducted: oak (God focused), hazel (Witch and Nature focuses), elder, and willow (Goddess focused) being popular choices; may also be of crystal or metal tubing filled with herbs crystals, etc, and all may be wrapped with copper wire or contain a copper rod within.

Waning Moon: Lunar phase of the Crone for magick work and spells involving diminishment, exorcisms, repellings, and banishings.

Water: Elemental representing West; Sunset blue/grey; maturity; emotion, psychic ability; intuition; the tarot suit of cups; love; feelings; subconscious mind.

Waxing Moon: Lunar phase of the Maiden for magick work and spells involving the initiatings, new beginnings, drawings and increases.

White Sabbats: The Cross-Quarters or Greater Sabbats of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh.

Wicca: Derived from “Wicce” (weech’chee – the medieval name for Witch) and used popularly to avoid the negative imagery; possibly related to the word for “Wise One” (Witta) or “To Know” (Witan).

Wiccan Rede: Originally called the Witches’ Rede, the long version is usually summed up in the admonition, “An’ it harm none, do as ye will”; Witches’ Law.

Widdershins: Teutonic word for anti-clockwise; reverse to the course of the Sun in the sky; Tuathal is the Gaelic form of the word. (In the Southern Hemisphere, Widdershins is clockwise).

Witchcraft: The “Craft of the Wise” Nature-based magickal religion and practice; the Old Religion of Pagan Europe derived from Anglo-Saxon councillors of the King, the Witta; or from Wicce, pronounced in Middle English as “Weetch’ee” meaning a clever/knowing wizard; or from wiccian, “weetch’ee-an” and wiccecrafte, “weetch’ee-craft’te” meaning to use sorcery; but also possibly from Witan, pronounced “weeitahn” and meaning “to know.”

Witch’s Ladder: A string knotted during a magickal ritual or spell, often with beads or feathers stuck in the knots and used as a charm.

Witch Queen/Witch King: Like a queen bee, a High Priestess who has two to five covens (depending on the Tradition) “hive” from her own/or a High Priest with the same track record. This was popularised in the 1960s by Alex and Maxine Sanders and their Alexandrian Tradition, not named after Alex, and supposedly derived from the Gardnerian Tradition, made famous by their student, Stewart Farrar (along with his wife Janet) in “What Witches Do” and The Witches Bible.” Todaym many covens are more likely to function as a group dynamic with the role of High Priestess and High Priest passed around to the inner court members, rather than to the inner court members, rather than as the personal possession of one or two people. Witchcraft does not require titles and ranks to work, and in rural areas Witches were more likely to be called Mother (first or last name) or Grandmother (first or last name); Father (first or last name) or Grandfather (first or last name) or with other such variations as Granny, Little Mother, Gaffer, Old Man (first or last name) and so forth.

Working Between the Worlds: Moving between planes of existence; between the physical world and other worlds (astral, etheric, spiritual, etc).

Working Name: Secret name used by the Witch in magickal and ritual practice, never revealed to anyone, it is a name chosen by the Witch until one is bestowed directly by the Goddess and God in a Dedication Ritual, or at such time as when the Practitioner is united with the Divine. For Solitary Practitioners, the Working Name and the Craft Name may be the same only if they do not use it among other people, as was often the case prior to the more public revival of the Old Religion since the 1960s.

Wyrd: Unknowable fate or destiny; cosmic influence; the blank in Runes or the unmarked line few in Ogham divination which indicates the answer is hidden and under the power of the Divine.

Yggdrasill: The Teutonic World Tree upon which Odin sacrificed himself to himself to gain the knowledge of Runes and rune magick, thus becoming King of the Gods. Comparable to the Celtic World Tree of intertwining roots and branches showing the continuity of spirit in life-death-rebirth.

Yoni: Vagina, or womb; elliptical symbol or round stone with a central hole is a Goddess symbol for giving birth to all life.