Here is a list of pagan and Wiccan terms and their meanings, which I will add to over time. Everything in all caps is defined in alphabetical order on the list.

ALTAR. Any flat surface or cloth that delineates sacred space.

AMULET. See also TALISMAN. An object CHARGED with protective powers.

ANIMISM. The belief that everything in the world including plants, animals, things, and inanimate objects all possess a spiritual essence or a soul.

ASPECT. A version or incarnation of a greater immaterial force such as a deity. For example, John Barleycorn is one aspect of the harvest god, which is himself an aspect of the God.

ASATRU. Pronounced Ow-sah-true, this is another word for Norse paganism. It is not a Wiccan word, but since I refer to it so much, it's good to define it here.

ATHAME. The ritual knife that is one of the four primary Gardnerian Wiccan ritual tools. It sits in the east quarter of the altar and represents the element of air. Traditionally it is double-edged but blunt and has a black handle. Its use is spiritual, to direct energy flows, and it never cuts anything on the physical plane.

ATTUNEMENT. When your mindset is brought into harmony with a purpose. This can be achieved through actions such as meditation or visualization. A coven might seek attunement with a ritual by chanting first.

AURA. The spiritual energy that surrounds all things in this world (see ANIMISM) and is sometimes visible to psychics as a halo of colored light.

BELL. The sound vibrations from ringing a bell can be used in cleansing. Also, some pagan traditions ring a bell to call the QUARTERS.

BESOM. The witch's broom, which is usually rounder than its flat modern counterpart.

BOLINE. A white-handled utility knife often shaped like a sickle to be used to cut anything on the physical plane such as herbs, candles, cords, et cetera. See ATHAME.

BOOK OF MIRRORS. The personal journal kept by a witch. See Book of Shadows Versus Book of Mirrors.

BOOK OF SHADOWS. The "how-to" manual put together by a witch as he or she learns the craft.

CAULDRON. See CHALICE. The cauldron is a vessel that represents the womb and the Goddess.

CENTERING. When you draw your consciousness inside your spiritual core, which many traditions say is located inside your heart or your abdomen. To center yourself is to find psychic strength and balance.

CEREMONIAL MAGIC. A form of sorcery dating back to the Renaissance that uses elaborate rituals and accessories to influence the ENERGY flows that permeate the universe. Wicca founder Gerald Gardner drew upon ceremonial magic traditions when designing the practices and protocols of Wicca.

CHALICE. One of the four primary Gardnerian Wiccan ritual tools. It sits in the west quarter of the altar and represents both the element of water and the womb of the Goddess. See CAULDRON.

CHARGING. Charging an object infuses it with psychic energy. For example, you can charge an object with protective energy, healing energy, or with energy to attract or repel certain influences.

CIRCLE. A magic circle is actually a sphere of protective energy that surrounds the practitioner. It protects you from distractions and contains the energy that you raise so that you may release it in a controlled manner. When you cast a circle, you create the sphere from energy drawn from your will and your surroundings and you direct it into place, usually with an ATHAME or WAND. Informally, a "circle" can refer to a COVEN.

CORRESPONDENCES are ingredients with strong symbolism that act as spell-enhancers because they reinforce the purpose of your spell. See What are Wiccan Correspondences.

COVEN is a group of witches that worship and practice witchcraft together.

CRONE is one of the three faces of the TRIPLE GODDESS. She is the powerful elder who has passed through the change of menopause, and has therefore transcended the birthing cycle. She rules the WANING and NEW MOON phases.

See also Wiccan Words A to C.
See also Wiccan Words D to H.
See also Wiccan Words I to P.
See also Wiccan Words Q to Z.

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