Neo-Pagan Witchcraft / Wicca 101 Glossary

Foreword

Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, and Pagan religions in general have undergone some startling changes and growth in the past few years. I used to laugh about the idea that Neo-Pagan expressions of spirituality would become the dominant set of religious practices in any society. Now, due to the rapid growth in the number of people involved in Neo-Pagan religions, led by the popularity of Wicca, I still laugh but only because such an impossible idea is being realized before my very eyes. Due to the rapid influx of newly identified Pagans, usually of Wiccan or (Neo-Pagan) Witchcraft traditions, many of us who can write have started doing so with an aim to share our spirituality with others who may need an introduction of sorts. The following is such a work. There is a key difference however. In this work I am attempting to clear up a lot of preconceptions and oft repeated stereotypes that even people in "the Craft" have. I also wish to demolish some of the stereotypes and unfounded assertions that many so-called occult writers have about Neo-Pagan Witchcraft; Wicca in particular. To start with I will list a glossary of sorts dealing with the most common terms. It is important that such common terms be defined as clearly as possible. Remember that not all will agree with everything I have to say, but I will present explanations that are generally agreed upon with the caveat that sometimes there is an exception or two.

In the history of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft (that is, Wicca and other Pagan Witchcraft traditions), three texts have been published which are absolutely essential reading for anyone who wants to form the most balanced outlook. The first was Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon (original ed. 1979; 4th ed. 2006) which contains a wealth of information regarding Gardner's 'revival' (most likely his creation) of Wicca, which is definitely the first version of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. The work also contains information on other forms of Neo-Paganism which contributed to the broader community at large. The second work is Ronald Hutton's Triumph of the Moon (1999) which is the most scholarly and detailed account of this phenomenon. Hutton's work proves beyond any reasonable doubt that Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is an absolutely modern creation and a lot of cherished assumptions held by both Wicca's supporters and detractors are laid to rest. The third work is Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca (Citadel Press, 2006). Isaac Bonewits has been working on this book for decades and he was one of the first American Neo-Pagans to challenge some of the assumptions and myths about Wicca that were being told and retold as fact by many who should have known better. He effectively demolished the "Old Religion" and "Burning Times" myths and was not well liked because of it way back in the halcyon days of the 1970's. His work is important in that it contains a concrete account of the creation of Wicca, the various strands of Witchcraft, definitions of Witchcraft terms, and common ritual structures. If you are stressed for money and can only afford one of these books, Isaac's is the one to buy and read. (Go to his site at Neopagan.net for it.)

Now keep in mind that this presentation is only one of many that you can find. You should also consult others out there to get as informed as you can. A good start in your research is the Wicca 101 info at the Wicca For The Rest Of Us website. To read my own personal 'obligatory anti-fluffy' rant, go over to Witchcraft Heresies, but I must warn you that it is very polemical.

I have written the glossary in a very personal manner, so any of my own biases and preferences should be obvious. Each definition does contain commonly agreed upon uses, however. Intelligent readers will be able to tell the difference between my own commentaries and the facts, as we have them today anyway. I have only listed what I feel are key terms that need my comments and definitions. I have tried to include all terms relevant to Neo-Pagan Witchcraft and even some terms that people assume have to do with it. Instead of emailing me angrily, look elsewhere if you don't find the term you are looking for. If you feel that I have missed an absolutely important term, contact me and I will investigate it with the intention of including it in future editions of this work.


Glossary of Commonly Used Terms

Altar
This is the central place, usually a low table, upon which ritual items and other significant things are placed. The altar is also the place where significant workings can take place during individual practice. Some covens/groups have their altar literally in the center of the circle. Other groups work with the altar in one of the quarters, the most favored being the East, and somewhat lessor, the North. The altar also contains objects that represent the God and the Goddess, in whatever forms significant to the idiosyncrasies of the group or individual. The altar can be temporary, which gets consecrated every time a circle is cast. Or it can be a more permanent structure which can gather and focus energy. This depends on the needs and habits of the group or individual. A note of etiquette: If you are ever invited into the home of another Neo-Pagan (or an adherent of any other religion for that matter), do not mess about with their altar or anything on it, no matter how prominently or beautifully it is displayed. (This 'messing about' includes touching or moving objects, or even simply sitting/standing in front of it, or staring at it, no matter how reverential you feel.) When in doubt, simply ask first. You wouldn't want someone going into your home and rummaging through your things, even if you did invite them inside for dinner or chatting. Use the same courtesy in return. Always assume that personal home altars are not public access worship spaces. This is simply common sense and good manners.

Athame
By now you know that this is the ritual knife. It is used for drawing the circle and certain symbols in the air - the element for which it represents. I bet you didn't know that the English pronounce the word "athaymee." It seems that Americans like to pronounce it "athamay" or "athaym." However it is pronounced, no one really knows just where the word comes from. Ronald Hutton makes a good case for it showing up in certain grimoires (some versions of the Key of Solomon) but tends toward it being a modern invention. Be wary of false etymologies of the word. Some people claim that you should not use this ritual tool to do any "mundane" activities. This is only good magical sense. However, you should feel free to use it to cut things during rituals or to prepare magical items. The athame 'traditionally' has a black handle and the blade is double edged. It is a personal working tool...i.e. people don't usually swap and share them. Most Wiccans have their own athames, but also note that some of the present day derivatives of Wicca do rituals without them at all.

Banishing
When ending or winding down a ritual, some people call this "devoking." The term refers to a sort of 'saying goodbye.' For other people the term 'banishing' runs the gamut from the simple sort of devoking that occurs at the end of a ritual, to a more forceful sort of getting rid of unwanted entities, whether in ritual or as a spell. The latter usage is more common with the Ceremonial Magic practitioners or other occultists. Banishing is a good practice to learn for mental and magical hygiene, at least in terms of grounding and centering exercises. The usual direction for this sort of thing, if motion is involved, is counter-clockwise. You may hear the phrase 'direction of banishing.' (In which case you should laugh at the person who just said it.)

Some people may call this "clearing," "cleansing," or "exorcising" when at the beginning of ritual, depending on the tradition and the fancy of the individual or group. I favor more concise terms such as these since "banishing" has been stretched these days, but it is the most familiar term you will encounter.

Book of Shadows
Gerald Gardner adapted this term to Wicca. Doreen Valiente in The Rebirth of Witchcraft says that he came across the term in an article that was discussing Hindu divination through shadows. Gardner liked the name and thereafter used it for what is now an important part of Wiccan practice. Outside of Wicca, an equivalent word used for the same thing is grimoire. These are basically texts in which magical practitioners would write their rituals and experiences, including any other related thoughts. For Wiccans, the BOS is a personal sort of 'journal' which includes rituals, practices, experiments, meditations, meaningful phrases, bits of advice, and things related to personal Wiccan practice. Many traditions also have more standardized Books of Shadows which are only revealed to oathbound initiates. The initiate is then allowed to copy this Book of Shadows and at some point will be encouraged to add to it. A personal BOS is your own possession and only you have the right to reveal portions of it (so long as it has no oathbound information). However, your coven or group's BOS is never to be revealed to anyone not oathbound to your coven or group.

You may wish to keep a distinction between the sort of daily notes you will make and the more formalized inscriptions you would add to your own BOS. This helps keep your BOS a distilled piece of work that only inspires a bit of reverence. Many Wiccans use regular notebooks and journals for the former and then later take the best writings or practices and add them to their BOS. Please also note that you can go back over and rewrite your BOS, even after you feel you have finished. It is really a work that is never finished. Gerald Gardner himself never stopped rewriting his own BOS. Also, when writing things into your BOS, don't feel like you need all the answers. It is perfectly okay to have questions or to not have things figured out. That's what the personal BOS is there for. At some point later in your life, you will read what you have written in the past and you will see how far you have come in your practice and understanding...this applies to everyone, no matter how long they have been Wiccan.

A note should be made about various versions of Books of Shadows that have been published. While you may wish to pick one or two of them up to get an idea of what some of them can look like, remember that as 'living' and constantly changing things, a tradition's or a coven's BOS, even if somehow published at some point, would never completely match what you can find in a store. Versions of Gardnerian Books of Shadows that have been circulating don't match any current Gardnerian coven's BOS simply because each one is a changing and constantly added to and re-edited work.

Another note for those who are new to this: Beware of people who try to convince you that you should use special inks, papers, or books to write your BOS. That is so much hogwash. The important thing is that you yourself develop a feeling of reverence and care for the special work, if you should be so inclined as to make a formalized BOS. A lot of silly superstitions have grown up around the Witch's BOS. Don't listen to any of them.

The Burning Times
The only reason I even put this definition here is because there are still some people out there that believe in this myth, lock stock and barrel. The Burning Times refers to the period of persecution in Early Modern Europe in which several thousand people were accused as witches and executed for imaginary crimes. Wiccans as a whole once believed that the persecutions were an attempt to destroy an earlier version of Wicca which was postulated to be a survival of pre-Christian Paganism. We know now that that is not the truth. Most of those executed for the imaginary crime of witchcraft were from a very devout Christian milieu and would probably be horrified at today's Neo-Pagans claiming them as their own. There are some notable exceptions, as in the case of Giordano Bruno, who was brash enough to suggest to a Pope that Christianity should be replaced with another religion (which would be a vaguely post-renaissance conception of classical paganism). Bruno paid for his heresy by being burned at the stake in 1600. Bruno was a Ceremonial Magician and was not a precursor to modern Wicca in any way, except via the inspiration of his standing up for his convictions. (Though he could have been smarter about who he talked with.)

With all of the turmoil and social upheaval going on in early modern Europe, the period when the Witch Hunts are said to have taken place, it would be hard to imagine that the execution of accused witches would have been noticed by anyone except those immediately concerned. During the same period, many more thousands of people were killed by warfare and by Christian sectarian fighting, not to mention various anti-Jewish pogroms and anti-heretic inquisitions. Early modern Europe does not seem to have been a nice place to live at all.

The fact that most of the victims of the Great Witch Hunts were women actually makes a slightly better case for feminists claiming the Burning Times than for any Neo-Pagans. But for Pagans looking for a time of persecution that rings true with their feelings, they need to look further back to the first few hundred years of Christianity, when classical forms of Paganism were destroyed by Christian zealots who had political and military power. Let's stop playing the victim game however, since it only sets us back and it could very well divert our attention from the much needed struggle for Neo-Pagans to be able to practice openly in today's world.

The Celts
It is a sad example of the tenacity of ignorance that some who call themselves Wiccans or (Neo-Pagan) Witches still consider their religion to be descended from the Celts. Many cite Robert Graves, who himself knew nothing of any Celtic cultures, as the source of these ideas. Citing Robert Graves for any historical information is not very smart since his work is largely poetic and has nothing to do with scholarship. (Robert Graves rejected both native Celtic cultural experts and scholars of Celtic history.) Wicca, outside of a few holiday names and some individuals adopting old Celtic pagan deities, has nothing to do with any Celtic culture, ancient or modern. Nor does it need to. Anyone who practices Wicca and claims it is a Celtic-based or Celtic-descended religion is lying. Anyone who calls what they do "Celtic Wicca" is simply ignorant of both Celtic cultures/beliefs and Wicca.

A common mistake many Wiccans make is to assume that the Celts are long gone. Thus Celtic cultural trappings and deities can be used willy-nilly. Another idea is that modern people who have nothing to do with Celtic cultures, but feel for whatever reason to be descended from the Celts can claim a Celtic identity. The problem with the first assertion comes from ignorance. There are Celtic people living in the modern world. There are six modern cultures and languages, all of them threatened. And as these people witness the slow murder of their cultures and lifestyles today, what does that make you look like when you claim to be Celtic or to be practicing a Celtic religion, when you are not? If you are not a member of a Celtic community nor speak a Celtic language, stop posturing as a Celt. Celtic identity is cultural and has nothing to do with bloodline, no matter how strongly Celtic your ancestors may have been.

With that out of the way. Here is an inkling of the truth. There are today just under one million speakers of all six Celtic languages (out of a combined population of 16.5 million). The six Celtic lands are Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, Man, and Cornwall. In each one of these places Celtic cultures are threatened by economic pressures, social oppression, and tourism. Remember that the next time you decide to "recharge" your pagan "roots" by visiting a Celtic land and imposing your values and language on the hard-pressed communities who now must cater to you to survive. Or remember it the next time you are tempted to lend yourself an air of authenticity or uniqueness by stealing facets and names from a people you really know nothing about.

Anyone who wishes to become informed on the subject of the Celts can find a plethora of information about them. You may wish to start with my polemical The Great Triple Spiral.

The Charge
The term originally comes from Free Masonry which, being one of the most long term enduring occult societies, unwittingly contributed much to modern groups. For most Wiccans today, 'the Charge' refers to the Charge of the Goddess, though there are many other charges used at different times. (And charges are usually the speeches or sayings people give when gods/goddesses have been invoked on them.) The modern Charge of the Goddess is largely the work of Doreen Valiente who rewrote Gardner's original version of it into one of the most powerful and evocative religious writings of any tradition. Gardner had written his original version based heavily off of material found in Charles Leland's Aradia: Gospel of the Witches and some phrases he borrowed from Aleister Crowley's The Book of the Law. Doreen Valiente wanted to revitalize the material. She kept much of the Leland material while expunging much of what can be traced to Crowley. The result was spectacular.

Today there are many versions of the Charge of the Goddess circulating among Neo-Pagan groups, most of which can be directly traced back to Doreen Valiente's work, despite the fact that some people falsely credit the work as being 'traditional.' The basic format is one in which someone announces the invocation and then another person, usually a High Priestess, speaks the Charge as the Goddess Herself. Anyone interested in reading the Charge of the Goddess can find it in Wiccan books. Even Starhawk's The Spiral Dance (which is about her own Neo-Pagan Witchcraft practices derived from Dianic and Feri traditions) contains a version of it. But it is really much more effective to hear it recited by an inspired person.

The Circle
This is the sacred space that is created before most important rituals. It can be traced on the ground, marked with cords or ribbons, or simply visualized by the participants. The circle is a 'container' of sorts which focuses the ritual energy. It is not known how old the practice of circle casting is, but Wicca absorbed the practice directly from ideas of the Ceremonial Magicians, particularly the Golden Dawn. The circle also represents the cyclical spiraling nature of life and of the seasonal precessions. Contrary to the perceptions of many people within the broader Neo-Pagan community, Wiccans do not have to cast a circle for each act of magic or for each act of reverencing the deity, since both magic and the divine are everywhere. The circle is mainly the symbolic representation of the way we garner a focus of energy in rituals that call for it. Regular practice of casting the circle and its attendant rites is also good magical/spiritual hygiene. But don't kid yourselves into thinking that Wiccans must cast a circle before everything magical/spiritual that they do.

The Cone of Power
One of my favorite parts of Wiccan ritual involves the raising of the cone of power. It is the reason why you may see a bunch of Witches running or dancing around in a circle and then suddenly drop to the ground. But then again, they could just be weird. Basically the cone of power is created when energy is drawn up through the body and circulated, or held in the circle to garner intensity, making a sort of spiral pattern to those who can see such things. At some point when the energy reaches its peak, it is launched out and immediately upwards towards whatever its intended goal is. (Such as a sick person needing healing energy.) The combined coven's energy merging together is seen as a sort of cone-like emanation to those who see such things. I personally can't say I have seen it visually, but that's because by the time the energy is launched, I'm at the point where I literally am not interested in seeing anything except for my visualized intention, though sometimes my vision is flooded with an electric blue. The feeling of launching the energy is akin to orgasm. Once the energy is released, most groups will drop to the ground and relax, letting any excess energy ground itself out through the earth.

Energy raising of this sort can also be accomplished by solitary practitioners. It is recommended that you try to find a mentor or at least someone who knows a trusted method, if only so you don't get discouraged easily if your first attempts produce nothing exciting. Please note, that while raising a cone of power can be pleasurable in and of itself, you should always do so with an intention in mind. Even if the intention is just celebratory or an act of worship. If you just want entertainment, go watch a movie. But, then again, who am I to tell you what to do with energy?

Coven
This is the most common term for a small group that practices Wicca. The coven is said to be the heart of Wicca. It functions as a sort of congregation and adopted family. Covens usually have between three to fifteen members. Any group larger than fifteen becomes unworkable due to most of the rituals in Wicca being developed and conceived of as small-group focused. Contrary to popular beliefs, coven based pagan witchcraft didn't exist until Gerald Gardner created Wicca, although many writers postulated that it had existed during the middle ages. The word 'coven' is not interchangeable with the word 'circle' for a couple of reasons. One: A circle refers to the sacred space in which most rituals take place. Two: A circle, when used to refer to a group, is used to describe any gathering and can be loose and informal with people of many traditions gathering...such as in the words "Drum Circle" or "Fire Circle." Some Pagan groups call themselves circles, and some Wiccan groups may hold 'circles' that are open. This is not the same thing as a coven meeting which is usually private and intimate.

Cowan
I have to say that I really dislike the word 'cowan.' Technically it refers to someone who is not initiated into Wicca. But I have heard it and read it used in disparaging ways to refer to non-Pagans much in the same way that some Jewish people use the word "goyim" to refer to non-Jews. As tolerant as all of us Neo-Pagans are supposed to be, do we really need special terms to describe other people? Can't we just call others what they themselves would like to be called? Besides all that, using a term like 'cowan' can lead to a gross simplification of the way one would view those who are not Wiccans specifically, or Pagans in general. And what about those who are Wiccan by religion but have not been initiated? What about those Pagans who are simply content to worship the gods and goddesses without joining any mystery traditions or specific traditions?

I myself have tried to check out the etymology of the word and it seems to have always been used disparagingly, as in "We are the insiders, the cool people, the Ones who Know...and you are just a filthy, ignorant cowan." This is more than enough justification to lay the use of this stupid word to rest. If you join a group that I am in and I catch you using it, you had better wash your mouth out with soap. Just saying.

The Craft
This is one of those words that is often bandied about contributing to the muddled thinking many have about Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. The term should never be used without a context since it means different things to everyone, if it can be said to mean anything at all. Many people use it as shorthand word for Witchcraft or as another term for Wicca. The word actually comes from Free Masonry, which makes a lot of sense considering the fact that practitioners of that system also call themselves 'Masons.' I am ambivalent about the term. Sometimes I use it out of blind linguistic habit picked up from other people. Sometimes I dislike using the term and wish that others who do so would be more specific.

Dedication
This can be a ritual where one starts a course of study with a coven for "a year and a day." This is so the candidate can get to know Wicca well enough to be able to make an informed decision on whether they wish to be initiated into the religion. Those who have been dedicated in this way are often referred to as "dedicants." Some solitaries may also do a similar ritual for themselves. Dedication also refers to a ritual whereby one makes a more-or-less specific commitment to one or more of the gods and goddesses. It can also refer to just a silent decision made between a practitioner and the gods and goddesses. Some people equate a solitary's dedication with self-initiation, but the two terms are best left to refer to different rituals/ceremonies. For most of us, dedication is the start of our growth in Wicca.

Eclectic Wicca /(Neo-Pagan) Witchcraft
The word eclectic usually means a collection of various or disparate influences. This entry is here because, technically, this sort of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is not a tradition. It refers to the practice of those who either don't have access to a tradition or who choose to not follow any specific tradition. There are some covens that are eclectic. There are even some traditions that are or were originally eclectic. Isaac Bonewits considers this form of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft to be the most "heterodox," whereas the Gardnerians, Alexandrians and other "British Traditionalists" are the most "orthodox." (See Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca.) In practice, however, this polarity is blurred. Contrary to the opinions of some "Traditionalists," being eclectic does not equate with fluffiness, even though fluffy-bunnies often hide behind the eclectic label.

Elementals
The various spirits/beings associated with particular elements - as the term suggests. To my knowledge, the concept of elemental beings springs forth from Western Ceremonial Magic and it is not important whether Wiccans believe they exist, though many do. Elementals can be naturally 'self-existing' entities, or they can also be creations of magic users. It is commonly thought that elementals are sentient beings who primarily live in etheric planes. The common names for them are Sylphs (air), Salamanders (fire), Undines (water), and Gnomes (earth). Despite what many spurious writers have claimed, elementals are not gods or goddesses, which are a separate class of beings altogether. Contrary to what many people may feel, it is important to study and note the differences.

The Elements
Depending on one's practice, there are four elements which make up spirit, or there are five elements including spirit. The four basic elements are earth, air, fire and water. They are essential to ritual and are commonly associated with the "quarters" and are symbolized by ritual items in the following way:
  • Earth - North; Salt, Pentacle
  • Air - East; Incense, Blade
  • Fire - South; Candle, Wand, Incense burner
  • Water - West; Cup/Chalice.
    Note that some Wiccans consider the blade (athame or sword) to be an item of fire and the wand to be an item of air. There are more associations and aspects but that should be a good enough start. To learn how they fit into Wiccan rituals, do some research or ask your Craft mentors/teachers. It is much more interesting and worthwhile to learn about the elements from discussions and ritual practice than from any other method.

    Feminism
    There used to be a lot of animosity between Wiccans and their feminist co-religionists, many of whom, to be fair, consider themselves Goddess worshippers more than Wiccans. Because of writers like Z Budapest, who is the most famous Dianic Witch, some have assumed that the whole of Wicca and Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is feminist. (Some people cite Starhawk, but compared to Z Budapest, Starhawk can be seen more as the middle ground between feminists and other Neo-Pagans.) Feminism is a social, political, and cultural movement. Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is a religion, not necessarily having anything to do with politics. I respect feminism and have been much influenced and illuminated by many of its writers. Feminists can be Wiccans and Wiccans can be a part of feminism. Since Wicca has a balanced and equal treatment of genders and all sexualities are welcome, I don't see the need for a feminist 'Craft. And while I respect the right of covens to be as feminist as they want to be, even to the point of excluding men, I don't feel they have the right to misrepresent our religion as something that is innately feminist. It isn't innately anything but what it is: Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. There are still a few people who believe that their 'womanhood' gives them the right to call themselves Witches. This is absurd. One's gender or sexuality doesn't give one the right to call oneself a member of any religion. What makes you a member is belief and practice.

    Fluffy-Bunnies, Fluffers, Wiccolytes, etc.
    No matter how many variations on these terms there are, they all can be defined thusly: A person who insists on misrepresenting Wicca or other Pagan traditions no matter how many others point out the errors of their ways. Fluffy-bunnies also tend toward a rosy picture of life based more on New Age types of metaphysical fantasies than actual ritual practices. Fluffers tend to adhere zealously to the likes of Silver Ravenwolf or Fiona Horne. Note that fluffers are not the same as newbies. A newbie is someone who is simply uninformed because they are new to the whole thing. A fluffer gets called fluffy no matter how long they have been around simply because of their ignorant attitudes. For more on what fluffies do and what they are about, see the article "Fluffy Bunnies" on the above mentioned Wicca For The Rest of Us website and Obsidian's Mirror for starters.

    Tendencies to look out for which can be signs of fluffiness include: slavish devotion to the opinions of writers who have proven to be spurious at best or fraudulent at worst; refusal to investigate any opinions that may counter their own; dogmatic attitudes about what they think Wicca, Witchcraft, or Neo-Paganism should be or is; exhibiting no signs of being touched by the divine or of having any ecstatic experiences; fearing, mistrusting or looking down on ecstatic experiences because they are "weird" or they don't seem "cool"; rabid anti-Christian sentiments even when an individual has no experience of persecution; claims about titles, elevations, initiations, or abilities that they refuse to verify; claiming to have been a Wiccan or some other Pagan since they were toddlers yet without having Pagan parents; and so on. I'll leave you with a quote from the "Fluffy Behavior 101" webpage by Freeman and Skydancer:
    "The distinction we make between newbie and fluffy is precisely in terms of how they respond to education. We encounter plenty of each kind. The uneducable will more likely flare up at anyone who presents the truth, because they have already committed to "it's anything I want it to be" as a guiding principle, whether we're talking about history, theology, the practice of magick, or whatever.

    Why do we make such a big deal about fluffies? We'd happily let it pass if they weren't so busy trying to impose their fluffy values on the rest of the community. The rabid fervor with which they attempt to impose their flippancy on others gives outsiders the impression that we're all stupid, incapable of critical thinking skills, and inconsistent. Quite frankly, we don't appreciate that, and we don't appreciate being told we need to behave in stupid, unthinking, and inconsistent ways. So while you are certainly entitled to believe whatever you wish, you don't have a right to force it on us; but we do have a right to call bullshit when we see it."

    The Fluffying Times
    This term describes the present day inundation of all forms of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft by the fluffy-bunnies and their favorite authors. It also refers to the forum trolling and flaming that occurs when any other Pagan challenges their fluffy ways. Fluffy bunnies may be into all peace-and-light, but ask them to verify some of their knowledge and watch them get nastier than the Inquisition.

    Despite the current rise of the fluffying times, accurate information about Wicca and Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is available and it is just as easy to find as the more spurious crappola. Serious and mirthy practitioners have published about as many websites as the fluffy media-whores. And many of us will still be around after the fluffy bunnies have moved on to the next big hyped thing.

    God and Goddess; The Lady and the Lord; Him and Her; etc.
    I don't know about the rest of you all, but the Wicca I was introduced to had an equal emphasis on both the Double-Aspected Horned God (actually "Antlered" in my group) and the Triple-Aspected Goddess ("Young Lady, Mature Lady, and Old Lady"). I myself preferred the Goddess for a while, but I chalk that up to my maleness as opposed to any feminist leanings. Thanks both to the rise of fluffy-bunnyism and to secrecy, it seems that these representations of divinity are today the least explained aspect of Wicca. (It's hard to get into theology when all everyone wants to do is to buy instant-witch spellbooks and dress up like sea-hags.) Please be forewarned that Wicca is a religion and that gods are a part of it. There is a lot of stupid arguing going on about whether or not the Wiccan duotheology is a modern invention or not. Why argue? Of course it is a modern invention, but so what? At some point back in time the Christian trinity was a new invention too. Other stupid arguments revolve around Wicca's supposed emphasis on its duotheology where all gods and goddesses are seen as aspects of the Lord and Lady. This is a fruitless argument too. People need to realize that the Lady and the Lord are a framework through which divinities are approached. They are not a be-all-end-all revelation of the "true nature" of any deity. Wicca's duotheology is simply one beautiful way of describing the divine. It in no way prevents Wiccans from being polytheists and recognizing the plethora of deities that exist. I do feel that if people are going to call themselves Wiccan then they need to work around this duotheological framework, no matter how many deities they worship, otherwise why bother calling oneself Wiccan? See separate entries for more info on the Lady and the Lord.

    Finally, if you are one of those people going around saying that the God and Goddess are beings of love and goodness, you need to check yourself. Since our spirituality is one of balance and we have no evil deities, why would we have good ones? The Lady and the Lord are the sunshine on your face as well as the thunderstorm that just flooded your basement. Like the humans you may know, any deity may be perceived by you as 'good' or 'bad,' but don't let these categories fool you. An all benevolent deity is not something to be found in most Pagan religions, modern or ancient. That idea is most favored in Christianity and its monotheist sister faiths. Also, those people going around only worshipping the Goddess and ignoring the God because of their assumed bad experiences with "patriarchal Christianity" are insulting both Wicca and Christianity. Why someone who calls themselves Wiccan would ignore the Wiccan God because of what the Christian God allegedly did is beyond me. Our God, like our Goddess, is not the same thing and bears no resemblance to Christian conceptions of divinity. So your assumed or real experiences with Christianity do not give you an excuse to 'cop-out' from an important part of Wicca. Remember people, it's "God and Goddess" together.

    Goddess Spirituality/Religion
    This refers to the religions and practices of those who worship a "Great Goddess" or goddesses but may or may not consider themselves Neo-Pagans. Usually this involves a Paganism heavily influenced by feminist writers, some of whom are, or were, adherents of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft traditions. Many Goddess worshippers call what they do "Witchcraft" and consider themselves "Witches." By definition some Goddess religions could fall under the term Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. But Goddess religion and spirituality is really a distinct movement. It is not Wicca. Starhawk can be said to be the most popular writer in the (Neo-Pagan) Witchcraft portion of Goddess spirituality movement. Consult her writings for a good example of something that is a derivative of Wicca but has gone off to become its own religion.

    Hereditary / Family Tradition Witchcraft
    First off, if you assume that everyone who claims to come from a family that has been practicing witchcraft for generations is lying, your assumptions will not be wrong. Since the announcement of Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft religion in the early 1950's, there has been a plethora of people and groups who, for one reason or another, claim to be practicing witchcraft that has been handed down through the centuries. All of the individuals and groups who claim so have never been able to support their claims, a good many of them being discredited. Most of these groups and people practice a witchcraft that is suspiciously close to modern Wicca and/or its derivatives. When Wiccans and many of the general public accepted the Murray thesis (about the "Old Religion" and the "Burning Times"), most of these "Hereditary Witches" claimed to be practicing a better form of Wicca. Now that the Murray thesis is largely discredited with most serious Wiccans not believing it, some of these same "Hereditary Witches" are claiming to be from what they call either "Traditional Witchcraft" or "Traditional Paganism." Both of these terms are mainly used in attempts to de-emphasize Gerald Gardner's role in creating Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. They usually never call themselves Wiccan anymore. Most Hereditaries use athames, cast circles, and use the four elements in their rituals; none of which can be definitively proven to have been used together in any pagan religion before the 20th century rise of Wicca.

    Secondly, there are some who believe that Witchcraft is in the blood line, so to speak. Since none of this can be verified in any meaningful way, treat anyone who claims to have Witchcraft in their blood as a liar. You can't have Witchcraft in your blood anymore than you could have Physics, Music, or Buddhist Meditation in your blood, even if your parents did one or more of these things. Now some people may be geniuses in such fields, as some people are geniuses in Witchcraft, either the Neo-Pagan religious variety, or the more mundane magical variety. But that has nothing to do with heredity, no matter what people want to believe.

    Both the occult and the Neo-Pagan worlds are full of such canards. But don't fret, other subcultural groups have them as well. I suppose that as Pagans have children and their children have children, then at some point some people will be able to claim that what they are doing is family tradition or hereditary.

    High and Low Magic
    High magic refers to much of what the Ceremonial Magic traditions and orders, such as the Golden Dawn or the O.T.O., were doing at the time Gerald Gardner founded Wicca in the 1950's. Practices and traditions associated with high magic include the Kabbalah, Alchemy, some of Astrology, Enochian Magic, and the various practices of illuminism. Much of what Aleister Crowley did could be considered high magic. Today, Ceremonial Magic is alive and well. It is worth one's while to at least read up on some of the various groups practicing it. The terms "Left Hand Path" and "Right Hand Path" incidentally come from Ceremonial Magicians who borrowed the concepts from Indian Tantra. It is commonly thought that the Left Hand Path refers to selfish or worldly magical practices whereas the Right Hand Path refers to enlightened or healing magical practices. Neither of these descriptions are correct, however. Left and Right Hand refer simply to one's focus in practice. Left is more inner-focused and self-oriented whereas Right is more world-oriented and other-focused. The practices of the movement known as Chaos Magic utilizes elements of both.

    Low Magic includes much that exists in folk, or sympathetic, magic such as spellcasting, incantations, herbalism, tarot-readings and scrying. Many people assume that these practices make up the sum of Wicca, but it usually merges some high magic practices with low magic. Wicca itself is its own system of religious practice that utilizes certain magical techniques. Unless you plan on getting into serious occult magical studies and practices, it is not necessary for you to use these terms, though it helps to know what they mean since Neo-Pagan writers still use them. Note that neither high or low versions of magic should be considered better than the other.

    The Horned/Antlered God
    The Horned God (or Antlered God) has ancient precedents such as the Hellenic Pan, or the Celtic Cernunnos, or even the English Herne the Hunter. However, the modern notion of the Horned God being a supreme god of surviving pagan witch religions is purely the work of Margaret Murray. For starters there were no survivals of pagan witch religions from ancient times. Wicca and Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, or Neo-Pagan anything, are modern religions. Secondly, among pre-Christian Pagans, some Gods were more revered than others but that was up to the individual adherent of that God's local or particular cult. The synthesis of nature/woodland Gods into the modern Wiccan concept of the Horned God took its final form in the latter 1950's. But remember that the Horned God can also be seen as a Sun God, or as a Vegetation God. He is also seen as the 'wild man.'

    "The hunter and the hunted" best describes Him. Not only does He slay for others' nourishment but He is slain Himself to provide that nourishment. In this is a stunning metaphor for the natural interrelationship of everything alive. He rules winter and the dark part of the year - when our ancestors had to hunt to survive. He represents natural male sexuality, virility, and spontaneity. Sometimes He is thought of as the Lord of the Forest or Lord of the Wild. He is all that is untamed by humanity. In His Sun God aspect He is seen as a magician, or a wise man, with the powers of healing and intellect. This also makes Him an artist and, together with His Horned aspects, a great shapeshifter with trickster elements. Interestingly, a very potent portrayal of His Lord of the Forest aspects occurs in the Japanese film "Princess Mononoke."

    It is still commonly asserted that because of the commonalities among horned gods across certain cultures, the Christians took the symbolism and perverted it to their idea of Satan. There is some merit to this line of reasoning, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves at this point in time. The Horned God as Wiccans see Him today contains elements of some of the earlier pre-Christian ideas, but it is still a modern concept. This mostly modern provenance does not invalidate the reverence and experience any Wiccans have with Him however. (It is perfectly fine to adhere to new or recent religious ideas. All ideas that are now considered old/ancient were new at some point.) Something's newness or ancientness says nothing about its profundity.

    Initiation
    This is the formal acceptance into a group/coven or tradition of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Many covens will not allow a person to participate or even attend rituals until initiation. Other groups may allow a limited participation during a person's dedicant phase (a type of 'novice' or 'candidate' phase). Upon initiation, one is usually given the title of Witch and Priest/ess. Initiation is thought of as a point of no return in terms of commitment. Though in practice, at all times in one's life, one is free to stop or to move on to other things. Because of this freedom and because many covens or groups usually look to find more steadfast people (when they are open to looking), covens will have the candidate pass through the dedicant phase ("a year and one day") first before initiating them.

    Some traditions accept and recognize self-initiation as valid. Others, such as Reclaiming, place no emphasis on any sort of initiation at all, allowing new members to fully participate. (In the latter case, initiation can still take place, but it is usually at the request of the person wanting the ritual and subsequently it is highly personalized.) Writers will get hung up trying to argue over the validity of self-initiation or initiation itself. The only hard and fast rule here is to do research, find, and study various traditions and/or whatever groups/covens you may get in touch with and see if you can practice with them. The point of initiation is that one has gone through, or is going through, profound spiritual change...a re-orientation of one's life.

    Invocation/Invoking
    Invocation is the opposite of 'banishing' or, as some prefer, 'devoking.' Many people use 'invoking' as a noun. It usually means calling upon and inviting powers and elementals to the circle and/or inviting gods and goddesses to come within the circle. Quarter calls are considered the most common form of invoking. But there are other forms such as the "Drawing Down the Moon" ritual. Some Neo-Pagans tend to think of invoking as "calling from within" or "inviting to come in" with the idea that the god or goddess being invoked can then come inside the one who invokes. But this is by no means the only way of approaching it.

    Magic
    All I have to say on this is that if you honestly believe that you should spell this word with a "k" and you are not referring to Crowley's Thelema, you need to kick your own ass 23 times. It should be very clear to anyone who reads whatever it is you have to write that your "magic" isn't referring to the stage variety. I don't know where the myth came from that misspelling the word could differentiate it from the common stage illusion-craft. Perhaps it came from the fact the modern occult writers sometimes like to misspell English words to give their writings an ancient feel. (You know "ancient" as in back in the days when no one knew how to spell English correctly). See other entries for various aspects of magic related to, or intersecting with, Neo-Pagan Witchcraft such as spellcasting, sorcery, high and low magic, etc.

    The Maiden, Mother, and Crone
    Also known as the Triple Goddess or the Triple Aspected Goddess, as I like to call Her. The idea of the Goddess, or of any Goddess for that matter, having the three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone is a Wiccan concept. It was first hinted at by Margaret Murray and further developed by Robert Graves in his poetic fiction, The White Goddess. But the idea has come into its fullest expression in Wicca. Some writers still make the mistake of assuming that because this Goddess is Triple-Aspected and many pre-Christian Pagan cultures had certain triple aspected goddesses then this means that the Wiccan Triple Goddess is really an ancient concept. A cursory study of any pre-Christian Pagan mythology will dispel that notion however. There were triple aspected Goddesses, such as in Irish Celtic tradition, but nowhere is there anything comparable to the Maiden, Mother and Crone. That this fact of the concept's modernity doesn't detract in any way from its beauty or potency is clear to anyone familiar with Wicca.

    Probably the most popular Goddess in Wicca is Diana, who is often seen through the Triple Aspects of Maiden, Protector, and Destroyer. Some people see Diana as the Maiden aspect of the Triple Goddess, with Selene (the moon Goddess) as the Mother and Hecate (old Goddess of Witchcraft) as the Crone. Some people say that these Goddesses are each aspects of one another. Although ancient myths are inconclusive on this, there is nothing wrong with modern adaptations and outlooks. Both religious ideas and conceptions of deities do change throughout history with newer developments eventually becoming established as valid, no matter what some purists like to claim. Some people have criticized the mixing of Hellenic and Roman deities such as Wiccans do when thinking of Diana, Selene, and Hecate together, but such things were normal in Classical Pagan times. Many polytheists in those times were avid followers of more than one deity-cult originating from more than one ethnic group. It was only natural that various mixings and mergers occurred. Such is the history of religions and spirituality, despite what some people would wish. On the other hand, I am NOT saying that blindly mixing and matching from ANY pantheon is a good practice. Those ancient people and many modern Wiccans have actually bothered to get to know their deities and such. Some of us (collectively, but not me personally) see various deities as aspects of a greater whole, but each aspect must still be related to and dealt with on its own terms. So tread carefully.

    The Maiden, Mother and Crone are said to correspond to the moon phases of waxing, full, and waning - with some Wiccans positing a fourth aspect "the Dark Goddess" for the dark (new) moon. Other Wiccans simply include the dark moon as part of the Crone aspect. This way of conceiving the Goddess is simply an approach and should never be dogmatically insisted upon as being the ultimate truth. No Goddess can ever be quite fully stuffed into the conceptual categories of human beings. Many Wiccans will match up certain Goddesses with each aspect of the Triple Goddess, others will simply approach divinity simply from the basic Wiccan framework. Both of these are fine, so long as we remain aware. The Triple Goddess is often represented by the three moon phases next to each other - waxing crescent as white, full as red, and waning crescent as black. Though some people may not use this fuller representation. The colors of white, red, and black together are mostly a modern convention, though they do exist together in some ancient Irish stories.

    The Maiden corresponds to further aspects, some of which include: beginnings, innocence, childhood, virginity, youthful courage, spring, independence, invoking, gaiety and laughter. The Mother likewise includes: protection, fertility, sexuality, fruition, realization, growth and motherhood. The Crone includes: change, death, wisdom, letting go, rebirth, banishing, and old age. One important thing to realize is that in this Triple Goddess concept, the full life cycle of women is viewed as worthy of respect. The Crone/Old Lady is seen as just as valid as the Maiden/Young Girl. Perhaps this underlies some of the reasons why Wicca became so popular among women.

    Neo-Paganism, Neopaganism, Paganism, etc.
    Neo-Paganism refers to the rise of revived or created modern Pagan religions, especially since the 1960's, which mostly take inspiration from what are seen as the positive aspects of pre-Christian Pagan practices and ideas. Neo-Pagan religions cannot be shown to have any direct descendents from the older pre-Christian religions but many of them do contain fragments of pagan-influenced practices that survived through the Christian period. The most visible and popular Neo-Pagan tendency is Wicca and its derivatives. There are many other Neo-Pagan religions such as Heathenry, Druidism, Asatru (Norse Paganism), Hellenism, the Church of All Worlds, and Discordianism. Neo-Paganism can be said to have some broad commonalities throughout all of its religious denominations: experiential knowledge; openness to magical/occult practices; polytheism often with some form of pantheism or "divine immanence"; blessed birth as opposed to original sin; sexuality and physical life being seen as sacred; no hard and fast separation between the spiritual and the material; tolerance for the co-existence of differing opinions and approaches to the divine.

    Neo-Paganism is the more precise term for what many Pagans call "Paganism." Among ourselves we know what we are talking about. The problem is that outside of the Pagan community the word "Pagan," like the word "Witch," tends to mean different things to different people, and there is often a negative connotation. Isaac Bonewits has solved this problem by coming up with prefixes so that writers and speakers can be precise if they choose. In addition to "Neo-Paganism," we have "Meso-Paganism, which can refer to early Wicca and many of the magical orders from before. Meso-Paganism is simply 'revived' or created Paganism that was yet not fully extricated from Judeo-Christian conceptions. "Paleo-Paganism" refers to the pre-Christian religions, and also those polytheistic faiths that survived among some peoples until the modern times. In light of these, Wicca can be considered Neo-Pagan.

    Neo-Pagan Witchcraft
    A more precise term covering Wicca and all of its derivative branches. Isaac Bonewits is the one who coined this term, at least as far as I know. See the definition of "Wicca" below for more. But you would really do well to read Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca. Included in this term are traditions such as Feri, Reclaiming, some Feminist Goddess-worship groupings and other paths which can be shown to have either Wiccan antecedents or influences but yet could be considered independent of Wicca in terms of practices and religious outlook. Despite this independence, some could argue that it would not be totally inaccurate to call such paths Wiccan. Obviously I disagree unless one is talking about origins, as paths like Feri are nowadays quite different from Wicca and could be accurately described as their own religions entirely.

    The New Age
    Strictly or even generally speaking, this term is not a Wiccan or Neo-Pagan term at all. I only include it to clear up some misconceptions that newcomers and others may have. Contrary to popular assumptions, Neo-Paganism - this includes various Wicca and Witchcraft strands - is not a New Age phenomena. Rather the proponents of the New Age 'movement' have merely tried to appropriate Neo-Pagans as their own. Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, the first major tendency of Neo-Paganism, emerged fully fledged in the 1950's. The New Age emerged in the latter 1970's. So to say that Neo-Pagans are part of the New Age movement is wildly ignorant. Anyone familiar with Neo-Pagan religions and practices can clearly see the marked differences between those and any of the New Age paths. The most fundamental difference is the Neo-Pagan emphasis on personal responsibility and individual sovereignty. Also, the New Age tends to abstract teachings from all religions and fit them into a universalist framework; whereas Neo-Pagans respect the various differences among religions and tend to avoid making universal statements about any of them. All paths may be equally valid, but we aren't rude enough to suggest that all religious practices are simply pointing to what we want them to be.

    Another difference is in the guru-hood status accorded to some of the New Age teachers. Neo-Pagans tend not to abdicate their own spiritual lives to the will of another person, no matter how wise that person is. Then there is the Neo-Pagan joke which goes "What's the difference between a New Age seminar and a Pagan class?" The answer is "About two decimal places," referring to the cost. I am opening up a huge can of worms here that would be too large for the scope of this present work. If you want to pursue this idea further, refer to the plethora of writings by Neo-Pagans about this very subject.

    The Occult
    The word occult simply means 'hidden.' It is a blanket term referring to all manner of magical knowledge, lore, and techniques that are largely hidden from the society at large. Everything from astrology to tarot to kabbalah to the I Ching to spellcasting is included under the term. Contrary to what many authors of popular Wicca books claim, not everyone who calls themselves a Witch - meaning a practitioner of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft - is interested in practicing occult systems. A good majority of them do so however. Neo-Pagan religions are more open towards occult systems than most other religious groupings, and Witches are free to pursue any system they are attracted to. A good many of them are encouraged to do so. But never assume that all other Neo-Pagans are interested in pursuing any occult systems. Some are just happy to worship their gods and delve into the mysteries.

    Some confusion comes from the fact that much of Wicca and its subsequent Neo-Pagan Witchcraft derivatives blend what could only be called magical practices with religious practices into a unique synthesis. Given this, a more strict definition of 'occult' could very well include Wicca and some other Neo-Pagan religions. But not every practitioner sees magic in the same way. Some would rather just raise energy and feel connected to the divine. Others explore magical knowledge and practice more deeply. So make sure you know what you are referring to when you use this word. And never assume when you meet other 'occultists' that they are doing the same thing you are, or that they have the same system of ethics you have. There are magical practitioners who have no allegiance to any religion. Likewise, there are people who do tarot readings or are psychics and call themselves witches. You should not assume that they are Neo-Pagan Witches unless they tell you so.

    The 'Old Religion' / The Murray Thesis
    Gerald Gardner and his co-conspirators like Doreen Valiente believed in the idea that 'revived' Wicca or Pagan Witchcraft was simply a fragmented survival of a Europe-wide pre-Christian religion. Thus they and others called Wicca "the Old Religion." This idea of a surviving paganism in the form of witchcraft came largely from the work of Margaret Murray (most notably her work The Witch-Cult In Western Europe published in 1921). Writers before Murray such as Sir James Frazer, J.J. Bachofen, Karl Pearson and Charles Leland, did much to contribute to the idea, so that by the time Murray came on the scene her thesis seemed to be an accurate distillation of what many were thinking. According to Murray's thesis and most other versions of the "Old Religion" myth there was an organized Pagan religion that survived widespread throughout Europe, despite hundreds of years of Christianity. Once the Church got wind of this threat, there was a vast persecution which wiped out most of these Pagans, driving the rest into hiding. Murray wrote about the Horned God of this witch cult being wrongly seen by the Christian Church as the Devil. She also claimed that the witchcraft cult was a joyous fertility religion in which members met for the eight great festivals (sabbats) and during special times every month (esbats). Much of the Wiccan foundation of the Horned God has roots in Murray's writings.

    Many writers went further, claiming that modern Pagan Witchcraft was the direct lineal descendent of a religion, or set of spiritual practices, that stretched back to before Paleolithic times (some 9000 to 14,000 years ago). This religion was almost universal and had a god of the hunt and a goddess of fertility. Christianity's advent did little to change anything for people in rural and wild areas and for a long time Christianity as an institution was all too happy to simply and slowly co-opt the traditions and holidays of the "Old Religion." Then, during a period of upheaval and threat to the Church, vast persecutions were launched against this surviving Old Religion, turning its god of the hunt into the Devil. Small groups and families hid the Old Religion and kept its practices going in secret until 1951 when the Witchcraft Laws were repealed in England and people like Gerald Gardner announced its existence to the world.

    The problem with the above myth is that it is not only wrong but it hopelessly simplifies pre-Christian Paganism, the processes of Christian expansion, and any local survivals of Pagan practices. Anyone familiar with either Classical Europe or the North Western Europe of the Celts and the Nordics knows that pre-Christian Paganism was a riot of complex and diverse religions, deity-cults, and practices. To say there was any massive organized Pagan religion anywhere is simply lying. Even the Celts, who can be shown to have had a culture-wide commonality of religious practices, had a myriad of gods and goddesses worshipped nowhere else outside of their individual localities. The myth also gives no credit to the creative geniuses who founded Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Many people today, both inside and outside of the Neo-Pagan subculture, are to some degree influenced by this myth, or something similar to it. Some people still believe that there was an actual Pagan survival being destroyed by the Church. Today, thankfully most Neo-Pagan Witches no longer adhere to the "Old Religion" idea. As a metaphor describing the 'rebirth' of Pagan religions in the West for the first time in hundreds of years, it can be an evocative term. But let's leave it at that. Regardless of Neo-Paganism's recent rebirth or creation, its inspiration is partly based on ancient ideas and practices. And even if some strain of pre-Christian Paganism had survived up till now, it would not be the same thing it was in the past. No religion ever is.

    That Wicca originally came with such a myth as its history is unsurprising as any student or expert in the field of Comparative Religion knows. Most religions contain such pseudo-histories and myths of continuity from ancient or pre-historical times. There is not one religion around today that does not also contain fragments and ideas adapted from earlier times. Such things are common in the evolution and development of religion itself. It is a credit to the majority of Wiccans that they recognize this and have contributed to more accurate accounts of the very (relatively speaking) short and modern history of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft.

    Otherkin / Therians
    Contrary to many people's assumptions, otherkin and therians don't necessarily have anything to do with Wicca. Wiccans are free to pursue otherkin studies and astral creatures to their heart's content, but such a pursuit has nothing to do with the practice of Wicca. A Wiccan, or any other Neo-Pagan, who pursues the otherkin idea is simply that. Someone who claims to be an otherkin, even if their claims turn out to be verifiable, is not necessarily a better or more authentic Wiccan. How many other ways would you have me state this?

    Now the idea of otherkin is that certain humans feel themselves for whatever reason to be astrally different creatures of non-human origin. The vast majority of those claiming to be otherkin are, of course, lying to themselves and others. This lying is easy enough for magical adepts to spot. But it isn't hard for non-occultists to catch the lies either. Like everything else in this life, use your head when dealing with people's claims. Just because you are Wiccan does not mean you have to put up with other people's fantasizing.

    Pantheism
    Pantheism is the perspective on the divine that sees Divinity as the totality of existence. Thus we are not only all divine, but we are all part of Divinity. This perspective can be finely interwoven with polytheism. Some monotheists are also pantheists in that they see everything as being God. Some older writings tend to conflate or confuse pantheism with polytheism since the two concepts were often present among (Paleo)Pagan cultures. Some Neo-Pagans make a further distinction between pantheism and panentheism, since pantheism tends toward an immanent description of the divine, whereas panentheism sees the divine as both immanent and transcendent simultaneously. Distinctions like these are only clear in writing however. In the practice and actual thoughts of Neo-Pagans, there is not much distinction.

    Pentacle
    This is really just a disk with a pentagram inscribed on it. Usually people have one of these on their altar. It is associated with the element of earth. I have heard some people also say that "pentacle" is the correct term for the five-pointed star that Wiccans and other Pagans wear as amulets. I only tend to agree with this since I am used to thinking of pentagrams as what I draw in the air during rituals and other operations. But when I hear others calling pentacle-amulets pentagrams, I really can't say I care enough to point out the distinction. What matters to me is that they know what to do.

    Pentagram
    The five pointed star as traced or drawn. It represents the four elements plus spirit or ether. Balance among and between them is implied. Depending on the starting point, when drawn for ritual, the pentagram is either banishing or invoking. (In Alexandrian Wicca, which is more influenced by Ceremonial Magic than other traditions, all of the eight different pentagrams for banishing and invoking elementals are used.) As a symbol to represent Wicca, it is most often drawn inside of a circle, which is commonly explained as the unity of all four elements plus spirit. Though in what I learned, the circle referred to our divinity within and without which unites us with our world. The circle can also refer to our common ritual space. Just saying.

    Polytheism
    This term refers to a theological conception of divinity which sees multiple gods and goddesses. Neo-Pagan religions could be considered polytheistic, Wicca and its derivatives are no exception. Some Neo-Pagans could be personally monotheists, worshipping or revering only one god or goddess. And this is fine, since polytheism can include monotheism, though the reverse can't be said to be true. Some Neo-Pagans are monotheist at times. Others are largely henotheistic, meaning that they focus on one of the gods or goddesses, but not excluding the existence of others. Certain historical pagan cultures had distinct pantheons specific to them, though Roman culture also focused on Greek deities. The most popular pantheons or culture groupings of deities among Neo-Pagans are Greek, Roman, and Celtic, with some Egyptian and Norse. Some Neo-Pagans are also exploring deities from Hindu mythology.

    Since there really is no set or determined "pantheon" in Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, it really is up to each individual or coven to decide which gods and goddesses to revere. Despite this freedom, one should never see any deity as interchangeable with any other. The mix and match approach is really a shallow way to approach one's religion and could very well be insulting to many gods and goddesses. Some gods and goddesses had or have religions or cults based on their reverence and worship. Choosing to align with and revere one of these deities does not necessarily mean you are an adherent of their particular cult or religion. Likewise with cultural pantheons, if you feel you must revere deities from differing cultures, take extreme care. Each deity should be approached like you would anyone else you may love - that is with respect and care. Deities are not simply accoutrements for you to use to mix and match and spice up your practice.

    Some Wiccans choose deities from Classical (Greco-Roman) and Celtic 'pantheons' simultaneously, and though this can work, keep in mind that many Celtic deities are nothing like their Classical cousins. Some Celtic deities may in fact be quite hostile towards Roman deities in particular. Though there is evidence that Roman and Celtic pantheons were mixed up a bit among the Gauls and the British Celts. When in doubt, do some research. Fitting in Cernunnos with Diana seems a little better than, say, fitting in Macha with Jupiter. As pointed out above, you actually have to get to know your gods and goddesses. It is okay to not call each one in every act of worship you do. And when you do invoke, try to keep it simple. There is no more power in invoking several gods then there is in invoking one of them. It is always a good idea to meditate on your gods and seek ways to know them better. So sometimes be still and get to know your gods.

    The Rede
    The Rede is simply a phrase of advice/admonishment. It is a challenge and an injunction to act wisely. There are many ways it is expressed, usually in pseudo-archaic language, but it boils down to "Do what you want so long as it harms no one." This does not mean one cannot defend oneself, or that one cannot ever harm if one is to be a good Wiccan. What it does mean is that we should take responsibility for our actions and take care to see that we are not adding to the suffering in this world. For more of my spiel on this topic, see the article I wrote.

    Many other Neo-Pagans, whether Witches or of other religions such as Druidism or Asatru, have made disparaging comments about Wicca based on a simple misunderstanding of what the Rede is supposed to mean. I should also add that many occultists, such as Chaos Magic practitioners, have likewise made similar statements. It would help those people to actually do some research into what Wicca really is before they make such assumptions. Reading the works of the more fluffy authors or speaking with confused newbies or fluffies who call themselves Wiccan does not constitute accurate research.

    Sabbats and Esbats
    The word sabbat refers to the major festivals of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. In the beginning (the early 1950's), the original sabbats were the old Celtic 'cross quarter' days of Halloween, February Eve, May Eve, and August Eve. As time passed and Gardner's original system was refined and developed into its various branches, the solstices and equinoxes were added. Eventually other names for the cross quarter days were adopted so that today we have the basic 'eight sabbats' of what is now called the Wheel of the Year: Samhain (Halloween), Yule (Winter Solstice), Imbolc (Feb. Eve), Eostara (Spring Equinox), Beltane (May Eve), Litha (Midsummer, Summer Solstice), Lughnasadh/Lammas (August Eve), and Mabon (Autumn Equinox). The Celtic days are referred to as the major sabbats, the other four being minor sabbats.

    The word esbat usually refers to the monthly meetings of small groups (covens) usually either on full moon nights, dark (new) moon nights, or both. Sometimes esbats are held at other times. Because of the fact that the word sabbat comes from the writings of the Inquisition as an invention of hysteria, many Wiccans and other Neo-Pagans are discontinuing the use of both the word sabbat and its sister word esbat. I can understand the logic behind that, but then why do some of them still insist on calling themselves 'Witches'?

    There is a lot of false etymology about both terms. My two cents are: esbat was originally a misreading or a dialect version of sabbat. The latter probably comes from the common English term "sabbath," as in the seventh day for rest. Perhaps there is some truth that witch-hunters calling witch gatherings 'sabbats' reflected the general anti-semitism that has marked European cultures for centuries.

    Shamanism
    It is unfortunate that some people have mixed Neo-Pagan Witchcraft and Shamanism, because as much as shamanism can elucidate what Wicca was aiming for, it can deceive. Shamanism, contrary to the market values of the New Age, is culturally specific and in order for one to receive shamanic training one must become adopted into a cultural group which has shamanic roles. I know that "shamanism" is also the latest buzzword for those instinctual magical/spiritual practices that are in evidence around the world, but using the word in this way is very deceptive. The word refers to practices of certain people in mostly hunter-gatherer cultures who went through ritual/psychic dismemberment and rebirth. This experience gave such people the ability to leave their bodies and travel to other worlds and planes, commune with spirits and ancestors, and heal those who were sick, or find lost souls and bring them home. Some East Asian societies still have surviving forms of this sort of spiritual specialist, but the word shaman should not be used as the blanket term for all sorts of these specialists.

    Wicca is not shamanic. Anyone who thinks otherwise is really deluded. There may be certain ritual practices that may seem like shamanic practices, but apparent similarities are just that. Wicca is a religion first of all. This makes it very different from Shamanism, which is really nothing but a blanket term for a series of techniques and phenomena exhibited by certain Siberian and Native American cultures. Shamanism is not a religion, nor is it a "world view" or any of the rest of the things that New Age writers have falsely ascribed to it. This very simple difference should be enough to convince anyone that Wicca is not shamanic. I am sure that some people who call what they do "Shamanic Wicca" or whatever will argue with me. But let me spell it out: Wicca may have some things that look like or may even be "shamanic," but that doesn't mean squat. Christianity has elements that could be called shamanic, too. And if Shamanism was, as some anthropologists say, the earliest version of human spiritualities, it should be no surprise that modern religions would have certain elements that seem shamanic.

    The only group or Tradition among Neo-Pagans that I have seen that even comes close to embodying "Shamanism" is the Feri Tradition started by Victor Anderson. But even then, I am reluctant to use the term because of its anthropological significance and because of the term's adoption by certain fluffy people and by the New Age.

    Skyclad
    This refers to participating in or working rituals in the nude. Some traditions, such as Gardnerian, practice almost exclusively skyclad. Most other traditions instead use special robes. Some Wiccans and Witches, solitary or in groups, practice in regular clothing. Despite the opinions of some writers, ritual nudity wasn't started by Gerald Gardner because he was a 'dirty old man.' Gardner had his reasons for adopting the practice when creating Wicca. The most commonly cited reasons are: energy is more effectively raised without clothing (magical effectiveness); the shedding of clothes is a part of the entrance into sacred space; when everyone is nude, there is equality (no rank or ego to be expressed through types of clothes). It is up to you to decide whether to agree. Ritual nudity has been practiced off and on by various groups and religions for centuries.

    Solitaries
    A solitary is (surprise!) a person who does not, for whatever reason, practice with a group. Solitaries were the minority of Neo-Pagan Witches for the first couple of decades or so since the 1950's. But nowadays (around 2005) it seems that solitaries are the vast majority of Neo-Pagan Witches, even those who call themselves Wiccan. In Gardnerian Wicca (the earliest version of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft), coven members still make up the majority of adherents since "one cannot be a witch alone." But there are some exceptions.

    Many older Wiccans have problems not with solitaries themselves but with the idea of self-initiation that many solitaries practice. Personally, I can see the merits to both sides of the argument around this. In my own experience I have found Wiccan groups are generally accepting of people who have self-initiated and who practice alone so long as they admit to it. In my opinion, solitaries now make up the majority of Wiccans simply because there aren't yet enough covens, either existing now or being formed, to handle the influx of newcomers. It should also be noted that there are Wiccan traditions, such as Seax Wicca, in which self-initiation is the usual entry into the practice.

    Sorcery
    I put this entry here because people often associate this word with witchcraft. It's time we come up with a concise workable definition of this term. Here goes: Sorcery is the art of manifesting your intentions. It is the practice of materializing thought-forms. It is the empty-handed practice of magic. Sorcery is connecting with the divine or infinite within and actualizing that. Some Neo-Pagan Witches have learned this art well, but the art is not necessarily connected with Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Sorcery is practiced by many people from all walks of life and from all religions. A sorcerer is one who is self-actualized and has the awareness/sensitivity to be able to summon up anything or any opportunity they need to accomplish whatever they set out to. A sorcerer is the sort of person who doesn't pray for rain when she needs to end a drought. She is the sort of person who prays "rain," and it starts raining. Sorcerers live their lives on purpose. Contrary to the dogmas and beliefs that surround the idea of sorcery, the only difficulty in practicing this art is the belief that it is difficult. That said, work smart not hard. If this is what you are looking for, you can learn to do this in many traditions. It doesn't necessarily have to be Neo-Pagan Witchcraft.

    Spellcasting, Spells, Spellcraft
    These terms refer to the (occult) magical art that most people are familiar with: Someone mutters an incantation and burns some herbs, waves their hand, and "zap!" what they wanted to happen starts to happen. Thanks to the mass media, popular misconceptions, and the dozens of fluffy books being published, most people assume that this is what Wicca or Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is all about. Unfortunately, in all of this it seems that some people have forgotten that Neo-Pagan Witchcraft is a collection of religious traditions. The spurious fluffy authors who write their "intro to Wicca(-lite)" books seem to always leave most of the deep aspects out, such as: polytheology, divine ecstasy, energy, awareness, ritual meanings, actual history (as opposed to pseudo-histories), etc.

    Casting spells does not make one a Wiccan anymore than it would make one a Buddhist or a Jew. Not practicing spellcraft doesn't make one any less of a Wiccan. However, the art of spellcraft is a serious occult system which can be learned by anyone interested, if they have the time and dedication. A lot of Neo-Pagan Witches learn spellcraft as an effective means of practice and change. But the vast majority of those will create their own spells. Reading a spell from a book of spells is considered sloppy practice, and contrary to the latest advertising spiel put out on the cover of one of those glossy new books, it is an art that takes as much talent as learning, say, painting. Also contrary to what many people assume, someone who has learned the art well tends to have a high accurate results rate. (Like any art, each individual has their own style and preferred methods.)

    The Threefold Law
    This would be more correctly called the Law of Return, but I know many Wiccans are stuck on traditional-sounding terms and the "threefold law" sounds like something old enough to be from a storybook. Contrary to what many fluffy writers have published, the Law of Return is not a moral code, nor is it an injunction. It is simply stating what physicists have developed complex calculations for. If you take from the world, you will end up putting something back. If you do something violent, you increase the chances of that being done to you. This is much like the original idea of karma in which every action creates more conditions which reinforce and/or multiply the chances for that action to occur again. Most people have assumed that karma is a moral underpinning, but like the Law of Return, it is simply a statement about how certain people have observed the world working. If you eat something, you will eventually give something back to the environment that is useful to some other life. You inhale oxygen and exhale carbon-dioxide. There are many ways to pursue this observation.

    An individual can choose to adapt the Law of Return into their own moral code, but keep in mind that doing good because you are getting good back is not very moral sounding. Likewise, you should seek to avoid causing harm because of the empathy for other beings you have developed and not simply to avoid the harm coming back to you in the future. But that's all I am going to say on the matter.

    It should be obvious to you all why I have chosen to call this "The Law of Return" as opposed to the Threefold Law. I never took the Threefold Law literally like some people who then make asinine statements about it either pro or con. I just prefer the more reciprocal sounding name of "Law of Return." This version more adequately reflects the balance that is at the heart of Wicca. The "Threefold Return," on the surface sounds like a runaway train. No versions of this Law should be taken at face value however. They should simply inspire you to reflect on your own life. Sure, you may be able to get away with running that red light tonight, but perhaps your action caused anxiety in another driver who then does something stupid which results in you being late for work tomorrow morning. Or perhaps you are not immediately affected but you have provoked anxiety and have added to the social level just that much and in some way it will affect you later on. Simply put, the Law of Return is the starting point for far sighted thinking.

    I won't say much about what this Law means magically because there is so much muddled pseudo-conceptual crap about magic out there now that it makes me sick. Just note that in magical practices, there is almost an exception for everything. I feel that a lot of Neo-Pagans, Wiccans in particular, have deliberately misrepresented magic because of their marked lack of experience with it. So I won't say anything about "not hexing" or about "interfering with other's lives" or any of that crappola. Not because I feel it unimportant, mind you. It's just that you have probably heard it all before. Magically the Law of Return is simple: You need energy or art to get the results you want, i.e. you want something, then make something in return. Put some beauty back in the world. If you pay attention to just these last few statements, you need not worry about the Law of Return at all.

    Traditional Witchcraft
    This term can refer to two things. The first would be Gardnerian Wiccan traditions and their close relatives like the Alexandrians. This is sometimes, and more correctly, known as "British Traditionalist" or "British Traditional Wicca." The second would be people who for whatever reason are claiming to be Witches or Pagans from groups that are older than any of the Neo-Pagan groups since Gardner's time. Such "traditional" groups almost always practice rituals that can be shown to have come from Gardner's Wicca or its derivatives since then. Most Traditional Witches would have us accept their claims on faith, but how do we trust people who can be shown to be lying? And why the need to lie? The Neo-Pagan Witches and Wiccans who recognize that their own religions are only decades old are still having profound experiences that are as valid, if not more so, than any religion that goes back in history for hundreds of years.

    I am not saying that there can't be any groups of traditional witches whose practices predate the Gardnerian 'revival.' But like unicorns and dragons, I have yet to actually see one of them in reality. And websites don't count as evidence.

    Traditions
    The word "tradition" usually refers to a distinctive 'denomination' of a Neo-Pagan religion, usually Wiccan. For instance, Gardnerian Wicca and Dianic Wicca are separate traditions, whereas Wicca as a whole and Asatru (Norse Paganism) are separate religions altogether. This is the usual way the word is used, though some writers apply the word tradition to each and every Neo-Pagan group in a looser fashion. The following are some of the more major traditions of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. I have not included every tradition, just some of the more formative and/or distinctive ones. Anyone interested in looking at a more in-depth list of either Neo-Pagan Witchcraft or Wiccan traditions, and of Pagan paths in general, should visit the Traditions page on the Witchvox website.
  • Gardnerian - Covens, groups and individuals whose initiations stretch back in succession to Gerald Gardner's first coven. The term can also refer to people who might not be initiated by a Gardnerian, but who identify with the tradition. Strict Gardnerians do say that one must be initiated, however. Gardnerianism has three degrees or elevations. The first gives one access to coven rituals and is such that one's status is recognized by Gardnerian covens everywhere. The second degree allows one to teach and initiate others. The third degree allows one to set up one's own coven and to initiate other Witches up to the third degree. These degrees reflect experience and in no way allow anyone to be anyone else's guru or master. Those who lead are simply those who take on the responsibility of teaching and organizing rituals. Beyond these three elevations it is up to one's own level of experience and demonstrable ritual skill and life wisdom. Gardnerians are the oldest documented tradition of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Gardnerians today still keep records of lineage and initiations. Gender polarity is still an important part of Gardnerian ritual. The coven remains the essential base of the tradition. Most rituals are done with coveners skyclad. Most other groups and traditions who do what they do and call it "Wicca" or "Witchcraft" use rituals and practices that originally came from Gardnerian Wicca, whether or not they'd like to admit it.
  • Alexandrian - Started by Alex and Maxine Sanders in the 1960's, this tradition mirrors the Gardnerian tradition in many ways. Alexandrians tend to use more of the old Ceremonial Magic influences in their rituals. There was a time when they claimed to be an older more traditional Witchcraft than Gardner's, but that idea has since been debunked. Initially there was a lot of hostility between the Alexandrian and the Gardnerian traditions but that largely disappeared by the early 1980's.
  • Dianic - The term "Dianic" once meant worshippers of Diana, but now the word almost exclusively refers to feminist Neo-Pagan Witchcraft traditions which exclude both the Horned God and men from their rituals. Some Dianics may worship Diana, but the vast majority of them worship the Goddess wherever She is found and no matter what She is called. There is some debate over whether or not they can be called Wiccan because of the latter's emphasis on balance between the sexes and the worship of both God and Goddess. But this is not the place for that argument. Dianics tend to be very creative and their rituals are more often then not improvised. They can be considered part of the broader feminist Goddess spirituality movement as much as they could be considered Pagan Witches. Z Budapest is credited with founding most of what is now thought of as Dianic back in the mid-1970's. The tradition has remained as popular as ever.
  • Feri - This term used to be spelled "Faery." It's founders, Victor and Cora Anderson, changed the spelling to Feri to distinguish the tradition from all of the other groups using the word "Faery" in their title. The Feri tradition is wildly variant from what people know of as Wicca. The tradition differs from Wicca in that it has developed its own correspondences for the pentagram, which is used as a meditative tool for illumination. Certain concepts, such as the "black heart of innocence" are unique to the tradition. Victor Anderson was a creative genius on par with Gerald Gardner in that he was knowledgeable in many paths (Vodou, Kabbalah, Wicca, Gaelic lore, Polynesian, etc.) and could synthesize them into something new. The Feri Tradition has given much training to Starhawk, who is probably the most famous Witch in America. The man known as Gwydion Pendderwen, responsible for writing many Pagan songs and poems some consider 'traditional.' was one of the Anderson's earliest initiates. Another former student of the Andersons, Francesca DiGrandes, has stayed relatively within the Feri fold, unlike Starhawk, and has started her own school based upon it. Feri is an initiation based tradition and much of the magical/spiritual work is of a nature that makes it dangerous to attempt without a mentor. Even with a mentor, the Feri Tradition is not easy or 'safe.' But as Victor Anderson said, "Everything worthwhile is dangerous." This sums up the Feri take on their own religion.
  • Seax Wica - Long before there were writers like Scott Cunningham giving rituals for solitary practitioners and self-initiations, there was Raymond Buckland's Seax-Wica. Buckland started out as a Gardnerian and moved to America to teach the tradition. At some point he developed his own practices and decided to write a new tradition. In 1974 Seax-Wica was born. There are some major differences between this tradition and the Gardnerians (and most other Wiccans). There are no secret rituals or practices. There are no oaths of secrecy that members must take. Things that are taught from elders can be changed by students. Unlike other Wiccan traditions there are no degrees or elevations. And the largest difference is the acceptance of self-initiation as a valid entrance into Wicca. Since the 70's, many other traditions of Wicca, such as the Alexandrians, have become accepting of self-initiation and solitary practice.

    Wand
    The wand is used to direct energy and some use it to invite powers or spirits. There are different types of wands used for different uses. You can ask experienced practitioners for more details on this if you should feel so inclined. Like the athame, the wand seems to be ubiquitous and sold everywhere. Though some Neo-Pagan Witches would frown upon it, you can buy your wand ready made. Some people (like myself) prefer to craft their own wands. If yours is store-bought, take care to make it your own before you work with it. It also doesn't matter how flashy it looks. Simple wands work just as well. Like the athame, this tool is usually personal...i.e. not shared or swapped about by different people. Some Neo-Pagan Witches may use their hands where you were taught to use your wand or athame. Despite this, usually the wand and athame are not interchangeable items, as even their elemental correspondences point out.

    The Wheel of the Year
    Despite what many wish to believe, the Wheel of the Year is not historical; it being a modern development along with the rest of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Like many other parts of Wicca, there are aspects of certain of the festival observances that hearken back to pre-Christian (Paleo) Pagan times, but there is no evidence of anything like the modern conception existing before modern times. What we can be certain of is that the Wheel was developed first among Wiccan groups back when Gerald Gardner was still alive. It then spread out and became ubiquitous among most other Neo-Pagan religions. Originally the cross quarter days (the old four Celtic festivals) were the major observances with the equinoxes and solstices annexed to the nearest full moon nights. At some point in the latter 1950's these 'minor sabbats' were added to the calendar independent of the moon nights. The most important aspect that reaches back to ancient times is the cyclical view of time that the Wheel engenders. This cyclical view can be seen in evidence among surviving knowledge about pre-Christian cultures.

    Keep in mind that what follows is nowhere near exhaustive. Here is the Wheel of the Year with the most common names:

  • Samhain (Halloween) - around November 1st. This is the Wiccan New Year's Day and the Feast of the Dead, or the Remembrance. It is the day of changes and reflection upon the previous year. Loved ones who have passed since the last Samhain are thanked for coming and goodbyes to them are said. More distantly deceased loved ones are remembered and invited to partake of the celebration. At this time, any thing a Wiccan feels needs to be banished from their lives (particularly dysfunctional habits or other things) can be let go of. Death and its remembrance start the year in Wiccan cosmology because death and change is necessary for rebirth and new life. It is not generally seen as a morbid time at all, though this also depends on the individual Wiccan's emotional make-up. In Wiccan mythology/theology, this is the time when the God dies.
  • Yule (Winter Solstice) - around December 22nd. This is also known as Midwinter. It is the time of the longest night (at least for us Northern Hemisphere inhabitants). It is seen as the light returning from the darkness; the hope that, no matter how harsh the coming winter will be, that warmth is promised to return. Life is celebrated with blessings and the exchange of gifts. In Wiccan theology this is the time when the God is born.
  • Imbolc (February Eve/Candlemas) - around February 1st. This is a festival of lights, since the days are clearly getting longer. The promise of spring is felt. The Goddess transforms from being the Mother who gave birth to the God into the Maiden of the coming spring. The earth is being prepared for its regeneration and growth. Some traditions have this as a time when the Crone of the harsh winter transforms into the Maiden. This holiday is also a purification time when everything that may block potential growth needs to be destroyed/transformed. Since the old day comes originally from Irish culture, some Wiccans honor the Goddess Brigit at this time since this was Her day.
  • Eostara (Spring Equinox) - around March 22nd. The Goddess and the God find each other according to some people. This day is the triumph of light over dark as the days will be longer than the nights from now until Autumn Equinox. This time is the celebration of fertility, conception, and rebirth as the earth continues to free itself from winter and certain plants start to blossom. In older times, some farmers used to start planting and plowing. Nowadays some Wiccans see this day as a time to start putting plans and actions into operation, even if the results will not be seen for months to come.
  • Beltane (May Day/Eve) - around May 1st. This is the second most important holiday after Samhain. It represents the start of summer and the beginnings of the riotous and joyous life that summer embodies. Many Wiccans also see this time as when the Goddess and the God become married. Beltane tends to be a popular time for Wiccans to handfast themselves. Many groups will dance around maypoles and light bonfires as part of their Beltane celebrations.
  • Litha (Midsummer) - around June 22nd. This is the old Midsummer. The word Litha is a modern adaptation. The God is celebrated as coming of age from being a young hunter to an older wise man, though this time is still the midway point of that transformation. Like Beltane, some people tend to light fires as part of their celebrations. My own group (which usually prefers to remain private) sees this day as the start of 'sunrise watching' season in which special rituals are done at various sunrises until Mabon.
  • Lughnasadh/Lammas (August Eve) - around August 1st. The first name refers to an old Celtic God, Lugh. The modern festival tends to have nothing to do with Him and the Irish lore surrounding the time. For Wiccans, the day is usually one of introspection since the God is aging and His impending death is felt to be nearing. It is also a time of early harvest and the start of preparations for the coming winter. The first hints of which can be seen in the lengthening nights and the cooler air. The hot sun is finally starting to relinquish, though there is still much summer left. The Goddess is starting to take on Her Crone aspect, though that doesn't become fuller for some time. This is also a thanksgiving day of sorts when we remember the work and sacrifices that have given us what we have and made us who we are.
  • Mabon (Autumn Equinox) - around September 22nd. This second harvest day is another day of thanksgiving. The God is clearly in decline as His aged aspect grows. Preparation is made for the coming Samhain and the winter that will follow. The darkness finally overtakes the light as the nights will now grow longer than the days. This is a time of celebration mixed with reflection about what has been fruitful and what has not been so fruitful in the past months. Mysteries are contemplated and explored.

    For more information about these days, their correspondences and what certain Wiccan traditions do to observe/celebrate them, you must either do some research or find people with whom you can celebrate with. In time not only does the celebration of the days and their attendant rituals become more profound as the years pass, but the days also take on individual significance for each Wiccan. In Wicca, these festival days are thought of as starting at sundown. Thus Samhain actually starts on the evening of October 31st and so on. This follows an ancient custom which can be seen in evidence even in non-Pagan holidays such as Christmas with its Christmas Eve - traditionally the start of Christmas was at sundown on December 24th.

    Wicca
    This is the most generic term for Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, formerly known as the witch cult, and called "modern pagan witchcraft" by Ronald Hutton. Those who consider themselves Wiccan make up the majority of Neo-Pagan Witches, and a majority of other Neo-Pagans as well. Gerald Gardner first called his new pagan witchcraft religion "Wica" in 1954 (Witchcraft Today). The word acquired its more familiar spelling of "Wicca" by the 1960's. Wicca is the old English word for a male "witch" (a female witch was a 'wicce'), and it is from this word that the modern form "witch" derives (the old English double 'cc' being pronounced like the 'ch' of modern English; the modern term 'Wicca' being now pronounced universally as "Wicka," which is a happily convenient distinction separating it from the older word.)

    Wicca now refers to a modern (Neo) Pagan religious system with many branches and traditions, all of which can be traced back to Gerald Gardner's innovations and the inspiration of an imagined pagan survival 'witch cult' by writers like Margaret Murray. Certain common core practices that identify Wicca include: Duotheology of a God and Goddess; the circle as a temporary sacred space; four elements in quarter calls around the circle; belief in and/or operation of magic; personal polytheology; monthly rituals based on moon cycles; small group worship and ritual; initiation and progressive mysteries; personal and group introspection; spiritual maturation from ritual experience; and so on. Note: Though Wiccans are open to magic and tend to believe in it, not all Wiccans actively practice magic. Some are perfectly content to deal with the profound spiritual and celebratory aspects of their rituals without ever getting into using 'occult' magic.

    Wicca is in a period of explosive growth right now, which is amazing considering it is not a proselytizing religion. This growth is a sure sign of the present day marketing of books and other paraphernalia, much of which is watered-down Wicca-lite or spurious. It is said that there are now up to 1 million Wiccans in North America alone. (Check with the more credible Neo-Pagan info websites for up to date numbers.) Of these 1 million, it is hard to determine how many are really practicing and how many are just using it as an identity crutch. Despite what many people believe, Wicca is not simply a free-for-all for everyone to simply make up what they wish. There is an amount of flexibility in all Wiccan traditions, from the most 'conservative' (in no way a political term) to the most 'eclectic.' But there is a certain continuity that needs to be learned and respected. Those who make the assertion "there is no one definition of Wicca" are copping out at best and deluded at worst. There is much more to Wicca than simply wearing a pentacle necklace, reading books, and then making up one's own religion. Making up your own religion or tradition is fine, just don't call it Wicca if it has nothing to do with Wiccan beliefs, rituals, or other Wiccans.

    Witch
    This word means something different to different groups of people. (See the Witchcraft entry below for examples of this.) When you are initiated or become dedicated (or dedicate/initiate yourself) into Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, the word "Witch" becomes a title you are given or choose to adopt. (Both males and females are called Witches, by the way.) But remember that neither Wicca, nor any other derivative of Wicca, has the copyright on this term. The vast majority of people in this world (who speak English anyway) just assume that a witch is someone who practices sorcery and may or may not do so maliciously. Some non-Pagans may believe that witches practice a nature religion and were once persecuted by the Church. But this latter idea comes from the promotion of Wicca's self-image to segments of academia and the media. (Not a bad thing at all.) However, do not assume that other people who identify themselves as witches are Wiccan or Neo-Pagan, unless of course they tell you so. Never assume that calling yourself a Witch among others who are not Wiccan or Neo-Pagan will gain you any understanding. My advice: There is no reason why you must reveal your religion to anyone who doesn't know you. But if you must identify your religious affiliations to non-Pagans, use some of the more neutral terms like "natural religion" or even "Neo-Pagan." Leave off using the word "Witch" unless you are around people who know what you mean. To all others you can rightly say "None of your business." But trust me, the topic of your personal religion or beliefs need never come up among people you don't know well.

    Witchcraft
    This is another one of those words that means something different to everyone. Isaac Bonewits is one of the only writers I know of who has adequately solved the definition problem of this term. (Refer to his website.) Now to Neo-Pagan Witches the word refers to their religion. To most other people the word refers to operational magic, or the belief in it. To many Christians the word refers to evil magic and devil worship. To some feminists it simply refers to a woman regaining her self-control and personal sovereignty. To Starhawk and others, it refers to modern Goddess religions. Never assume that other people will know what you mean when you say "Witchcraft" unless you explain your definition to them carefully.

    It took me a long time to come to some sort of clarity in my own usage of this term. For a while, I used Witchcraft (with a capital 'W') to refer to the Neo-Pagan religion, reserving witchcraft (with a small 'w') to refer to operative magic in the more generally accepted common usage. Nowadays, after thinking about Isaac Bonewits' definitions, I have decided to follow his conventions since they lead to the most accuracy in understanding. Where I used to write Witchcraft (capital 'W'), I now write and call it Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, unless I am speaking with others who will know what I mean by the former.

    The Witches' Pyramid
    Otherwise known as the Four Powers of the Witch or the Four Powers of the Magus. This actually comes from Western Ceremonial Magic, but similar ideas exist in other traditions such as Tantra. The Witches' Pyramid consists of the phrase "To know, to dare, to will," and "to be silent."

    Knowledge and learning has a respected place in Wicca (or at least it used to before the rise of Fluffy Bunnies). This "knowing" not only includes literacy (in history, comparative studies, and myths) but also personal experience with the gods and experience with rituals. Contrary to what many people newer to Wicca assume, elders should be respected for their experience, otherwise there is a danger that Wicca will continue to fall prey to shallowness. Likewise, elders should respect newer Wiccans who have demonstrated an ability and thirst for knowing.

    Daring is self-explanatory and works well in conjunction only with knowledge. Facing the mysteries and the parts or aspects of life that are inexplicable is part and parcel of being daring. Wiccans best apply this daring to themselves first. One should not shrink back from responsibilities and one should not avoid doing things simply because they make one afraid. Being daring also means to hold up one's head high but not in a false sense. Consider the implications of this.

    One needs Will in order to achieve things. You cannot accomplish something without first believing (or agreeing with yourself) that you can accomplish it. Anything that may contradict this belief (or agreement) must be confronted and dealt with, not avoided in some neurotic denial mechanism. This will also means getting over any past hurts or baggage or habits that may be dragging you down or holding you back.

    Being silent is something many people who today call themselves "Witches" would do well to practice. There may be good reasons to be silent about one's religious or spiritual affiliations which go from a continuum of fear of persecution on up to the simple fact that telling everyone you meet that you are a Witch or Wiccan approaches a sort of perverse evangelism. There is no need to wear your religion on your sleeve. With regards to practicing magic, being silent is a useful aid as it protects against interference. It is also useful in that being silent keeps you from doing things out of hubris. (This is similar to the Buddhist ideal that good things should be done without regard to how anyone may or may not praise you.) Silence also includes not bragging about one's experience or even magical attainments. This includes all of you internet mages who like to threaten others with your abilities, etc. It is very helpful to remain silent, even when you do know somethings or two about certain fields. Remember the proverb "Those who speak much know little."

    "Witta"
    This term was invented by the author Edain McCoy as the title of her book Witta: An Irish Pagan Tradition. I have included it here only because, for some reason, people keep asking me about it. The information in McCoy's book is watered-down Wicca mixed with some very poorly researched and invented "Irish customs" and beliefs. The best example that proves that "Witta" is a canard is when the author claims that the term "Witta" is the Irish Gaelic word, or equivalent, of Wicca. ("Witta" is most likely an old Germanic word that means "wise one.") Irish Gaelic culture has nothing of the sort. And, as an Irish-speaker, I can assure you that there is no word "Witta" or any equivalent in the language. The word doesn't even sound like an Irish Gaelic word. (How would we spell it natively anyway? As Bhiota or Bhoi-ta? This would be nonsense.) Had McCoy even learned about the Irish language, she would know that Gaelic rarely uses "w," except in modern words borrowed from English. The double "tt" is never used at all. Her trying to pass the word "Witta" off as an Irish Gaelic word is simply disrespectful of both Irish Gaelic culture and Wicca. The rest of her book is filled with so many fraudulent claims and historical/cultural inaccuracies as to render the whole work useless. Her claims about the native Celtic institution of professionals known as the Druids are particularly baseless and offensive. Don't let me catch you using the word "Witta." For more information on this and other canards that claim to be Celtic, refer to the article "When is a Celt not a Celt" by Joanna Hautin-Mayer. ( www.cyberwitch.com/wychwood/Library/whenIsACeltNotACelt.htm )


    Afterword

    I know that the above wasn't as exciting as reading the latest spellbook put out by Fiona Horne or $ilver Ravenwolf, but if you want to have a sure footing or a good grounding as an INDIVIDUAL in Wicca, you do know that you have to research, read, practice, and think for yourself. God and Goddess didn't call you to become a wiccolyte clone. They called you to be YOU. Now, what are YOU going to do about it?

    Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the above terms and their meanings before going any further. Contrary to what many writers have written, I feel that it is essential that anyone newly interested in Neo-Pagan Witchcraft get a good grasp of the religion and of its wide modern developments before making any commitment to practicing. Beware of those who will try to manipulate your seeking or who will try to get you to accept what they have to teach at face value. Also beware of those books which are based on misconceptions and filled with spurious ideas. There is no "instant-witch" miracle incantation, despite what some have claimed. Respect yourself and the path you are interested in. Take your time before making any decisions. I hope that in some small way, this glossary helps in that process.

    As part of this whole "Wicca 101" thing, in the future I will post some suggestions for those of you who are new to Neo-Pagan Witchcraft. These suggestions will be more in depth introductions to various concepts and practices. You will be able to use them as boosts to your own practice, or as steps to making your own practice. But before any of that, I suggest again that if you really want to learn you should read as much as you can, starting with the citations listed above. Try to find elders or teachers who can help guide you along. And remember that anything I say is not the final word. As I have hinted at above, it is YOUR practice and YOUR choice.

    -Irreverend Hugh, KSC

    The following are excellent sources for anyone wishing to learn further:
  • Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca by Isaac Bonewits (Citadel Press, 2006)
  • Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler (4th ed. 2006)
  • The Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton (1999)
  • Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age by Vivian Crowley (1st ed. 1989)
  • The Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente (1989)
  • The Witch's Voice (website)
  • Neopagan.net (website)
  • Wicca For The Rest Of Us (website)

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