Category: Miscellaneous Pagan

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Besom

From moonlitpriestess.com

A magickally charged broom generally used to sweep away negative energies. Sometimes used for home protection by placing above a door or window. Also used in fertility rituals for its association as a phallic symbol. In Handfastings, the besom serves as a sort of designator between one phase of life and another; couples will step or leap from their lives as individuals into their new lives as married couples.

From Spells8.com

A broom made of twigs tied around a stick. Used in cleansing rituals and to invite beneficial energies to a space.

Witch’s Broom Consecration

The most common use of brooms is to sweep away negative energies, thereby cleansing and purifying the space.

Learn how to consecrate your broom before you hang it over the door on inside a room for protection against negative energies, and find a printable page in PDF to add to your Witch’s Grimoire.

Witch hunt

From witchipedia.com

A witch hunt is a scapegoating exercise involving a systematic search for individuals that represent an unpopular, unaccepted or inconvenient social or philosophical position for the purpose of persecuting them. Witch hunts are often carried out by people in power as a means to cement their power by weeding out threats or perceived disloyalty. A defining characteristic of a witch hunt is the use of propaganda to demonize the targeted population. Another is the tendency to declare guilt and rush to judgment with scanty or fabricated evidence, as the punishment takes priority over justice. I.e. Finding someone to punish is more important than finding the guilty party. The crime for which the punishment is deemed necessary may be exaggerated or fabricated and often takes place in secret, thus excusing the lack of evidence. Those lacking power and closer to the targeted population may participate in the witch hunt in the hope of achieving the goodwill of the powerful or simply as a means of self-preservation.

The term witch hunt is now a metaphorical term that derives from the literal witch hunts of the 1400-1700s in Europe and Colonial America; an era known as the burning times among modern Witches. During this period, several incidences occurred involving arrests and executions of sometimes quite large numbers of people for the charge of witchcraft on scant evidence. Most people jailed and executed during this period were certainly not witches and it is difficult to say if any actually were. Court records reveal “spectral” evidence and confessions under torture, leaving most convictions in question. But witches were a popular scapegoat when things went wrong, a belief encouraged by some religious organizations of the time in order to create a perceived enemy of God and the Church to blame “evil” doings on, thus cementing the power of the church and local clergy and anyone who decided to wear the mantle of religion in order to wield power.

Any misfortune could be blamed on a witch and then it was just a matter of deciding who got to be the witch. Some peasants might point out a “witch” in order to turn attention away from their own families in an act of self-preservation, but doing so might also be to their benefit, giving them some power and influence with local magistrates and sometimes even winning them some or all of the “witch’s” property. Thus, anyone who was inconvenient; perhaps not fully self-sufficient, or perhaps someone privy to a dark secret, or perhaps someone who liked to gossip or who was not as friendly or respectful as one would like, or whose dog kept getting into your chickens or who had a nicer bit of land than you presented a convenient target for their neighbors to report to the witch hunter. False accusations were rarely prosecuted.

While literal witch hunts do still take place today, they are generally limited to Africa and the Middle East. This is probably because most people in the West don’t believe in Witchcraft anymore and simply chuckle patronizingly at people who claim to be Witches. Metaphorical witch hunts, however, remain common in the West.

The term witch hunt entered the vernacular in the metaphorical sense in reference to McCarthy’s feverish search for Communist sympathizers and traitors in the US in the 1940s and 50s and Stalin’s feverish search for disloyalty in 1930s and 1940s in Russia.

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Words are

Asperger

Asperge

From moonlitpriestess.com

Asperger

A bundle of fresh herbs or other object used to sprinkle consecrated water around the circle to purify the space; also, the person using the herb bundle.

From Spells8.com

Asperge

To cleanse and purify a space. This is usually done by spraying water around a room or using an herbal bundle to cleanse the space.

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Animism 

From moonlitpriestess.com

The belief that all objects have a spirit.

Animist: a person who believes all objects have a spirit.

From Spells8.com

The belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence or soul.

ALCHEMY REDISCOVERED AND RESTORED By Archibald Cockren

From sacred-texts.com

Title Page
Contents
The Smaragdine Tables of Hermes Trismegistus
Foreword, By Sir Dudley Borron Myers

 

Part I: Historical

Chapter I. Beginnings of Alchemy
Chapter II. Early European Alchemists
Chapter III: The Story of Nicholas Flamel
Chapter IV: Basil Valentine
Chapter V: Paracelsus
Chapter IV: Alchemy in The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
Chapter VII: English Alchemists
Chapter VIII: the Comte De St. Germain

Part II: Theoretical

Chapter I: The Seed of Metals
Chapter II: The Spirit of Mercury
Chapter III: The Quintessence (I)
The Quintessence. (II)
Chapter IV: The Quintessence in Daily Life

Part III

Chapter I: The Medicine From Metals
Chapter II: Practical
Conclusion

‘AUREUS,’ Or The Golden Tractate

Section I
Section II
Section III
Section IV
Section V
Section VI
Section VII

The Book of the Revelation of Hermes

The Book of the Revelation of Hermes

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Words are:

Akasha

Akashic Records

From moonlitpriestess.com

Spirit; the fifth element; omnipresent spiritual power permeating the universe; the energy out of which the elements are formed. Generally associated with the life force.

Location on the astral plane containing all souls’ knowledge past, present, and future. Some practitioners access to review past lives, heal ancestral curses/wounds, and other magickal purposes, generally of a fact-finding or healing nature.

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Book of Shadows (BoS)

From moonlitpriestess.com

The spellbook, journal, diary, grimoire, and/or ritual guide used by an individual witch or coven. “Shadows” is used to mean past as in past experience and knowledge, like a permanent reminder of where you’ve been and can always return to. Generally includes spells, rituals, correspondences, etc. and may also include poems and other useful information.

From Spells8.com

Personal notebook kept by a practitioner of magick to record their work. This would include spellwork, rituals, personal wisdom, dreams, and observations. Start your own Book of Shadows with these printable dividers for a Book of Shadows binder.

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Astral Plane

From moonlitpriestess.com

Realm believed to be beyond space and time; considered by some as an alternative dimension running alongside the physical realm we currently inhabit where beings (including ourselves) can travel and interact in spirit or astrally; sometimes visited to perform magick that can affect change on the physical plane.

From Spells8.com

The multi dimensional plane within the astral realm where one can travel using their astral body.

7500 years old ancient goddess relic discovered in Israel

Cover picture for the article

During an excavation in Eilat, Israel, archaeologists found an extremely ancient idol. It is believed to represent an important Semitic goddess.

In Eilat, situated in the south of Israel, archaeologists have discovered an idol dating back several thousand years. Carved from a tree trunk, this artefact is believed to be an object designed in honour of Asherah, the goddess who was the wife of the creator god Yahweh, as reported by Arkeonews.

Asherah, a symbol of fertility

According to Geo, before turning to monotheism, the Hebrew people were polytheistic, meaning that they worshipped a multitude of gods. In ancient times, they idolised Asherah, a goddess who is said to have been the mother of 70 other divine entities. She was given various names and functions. Asherah is also known as Ashratum or Baalat and is sometimes associated with the supreme god El or Baal. Her name is also mentioned in the Bible. A symbol of fertility, it is represented as a female figure, a tree or a pole. In Eilat, archaeologists have (re)discovered a 30 cm relic carved from a trunk.

An ancient archaeological site

The Red Sea is definitely rich in artefacts. Just after the Blemmyes Tomb found in Egypt, this relic is another great archaeological find. The site where the relic was found has been excavated by scientists since 1978. According to Arkeonews, it contained 11 simple tombs and 20 burial mounds. The site adds that:

The presence of the juniper trunk clearly shows that the site was reserved for the worship of goddesses, and it is probably the oldest Asherah idol found in the region (it has been carbon-dated to 4540 BC).

This article is translated from Gentside FR.

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Summerland

From moonlitpriestess.com

Term originating from the Theosophical Society; the place where the soul goes between incarnations; believed by some to refer to Sumeria where many beliefs and traditions may have originated. Some descriptions are similar to Christian beliefs of Heaven, where we meet with our loved ones who died before us, only the Summerland is more of a stop along the way in a much longer journey rather than a permanent place.

From Spells8.com

 A place beyond the material plane, similar to an afterlife, where souls go between incarnations.

What Happens When we Die?

People have tried to understand what happens after death since the dawn of time. Discover the concept of Summerland, and what Wiccans and other neopagans believe we go when we die.

 

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Athame 

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Athame 

(a-tha-may or ath-a-mey): Wiccan ritual knife; a double-edged knife (usually dull) used for directing energy. A tool representing the God and rarely used for cutting in Wicca.

From Spells8.com

Athame

A double-edged knife with a black handle, usually used in ceremonial magick and traditional Wiccan practices. It is associated with masculine energy as well as the elements of fire and air.

Athame: Do’s and Don’ts

The athame is the Witch’s ceremonial blade. Its traditional physical form among many British Traditional Witchcraft lines is that of a cross-shaped, double-edged, black-handled dagger.

In this blog post, we explore 5 do’s and 3 don’ts of the athame in regular Wiccan/Neopagan practice

Pagan and Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Familiar

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Familiar

A witch’s pet that has the ability to communicate–usually telepathically–with its owner. More specifically, the familiar is an assistant or partner in magickal and spiritual workings. Traditionally, familiars were spirits who took animal form; however, many Witches today will refer to any of their flesh-and-blood animal loved ones as their familiars regardless of the traditional meaning of the term.

From Spells8.com

Familiar

An entity that has a spiritual bond with a Witch on a higher plane, sometimes said to shape-shift into a physical being such as a companion animal.

Familiars and a Pet

Familiars and a Pet…NOT the same thing. Nor should you want your beloved pet to be your Familiar. For a modern witch to lay claim to a Familiar spirit, the animal must have made a pact with the witch.

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word Is:

Sacred Space

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Sacred Space:

as the name suggests, any space which is considered sacred or religiously/spiritually special; typically set aside for specific religious, spiritual, or magickal workings. Can be used to refer to permanent structures, such as churches, or temporary such as a clearing in the woods used for a ritual. The rite of casting a magickal circle is often used to turn a space into sacred space.

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

Today’s Word is

Altar

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Altar:

a surface, usually flat, that is set aside for magickal workings and/or communing with spirits; sometimes used as a focus for power. Some traditions use multiple altars devoted to specific purposes.

From Spells8.com

Altar –

A sacred space of devotional or ritual work. This space is usually a table, shelf, or corner where offerings are presented to spirits and where one may perform rituals or spell work.

May 25 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1720 The Ship “Le Grand St Antoine” reaches Marseille, bringing Europe’s last major plague outbreak. Kills around 100,000.

1810 In the May Revolution, citizens of Buenos Aires expel the Spanish Viceroy Cisneros during Semana de Mayo

1914 British House of Commons passes the Irish Home Rule Bill

1961 JFK announces US goal of putting a man on the Moon before the end of decade

2020 Video of African American George Floyd‘s arrest and murder while restrained in Minneapolis police custody shows he was pinned to the ground by police officer Derek Chauvin’s knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, ignites widespread condemnation and nationwide protests

2021 US CDC says half of all US adults are now fully vaccinated, with 61% having had their first shot

Today’s Historical Events

1085 Alfonso VI of León and Castile captures the Muslim taifa of Toledo

1241 1st attack on Jewish community of Frankfurt am Main, Germany

1420 Henry the Navigator is appointed governor of the Order of Christ

1521 Edict of Worms outlaws Martin Luther and his followers

1522 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V returns to Spain

1571 Pope Pius V forms The Holy League to fight the Ottomans with other Catholic maritime states including Spain, Venice, Naples and Sicily

1632 Albrecht von Wallenstein recaptures Prague on Saksen

1659 Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England, earning the nickname “Tumbledown Dick” as a result of his abrupt fall from power

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1932 Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in ‘Mickey’s Revue’ by Walt Disney

1943 Agnes Moorehead appears in “Sorry, Wrong Number” on the radio program “Suspense”, her most successful appearance

1953 1st non-commercial educational television station – Houston, Texas

1964 16th Emmy Awards: “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, Dick Van Dyke & Mary Tyler Moore win

1964 Frank Gilroy’s dramatic play “The Subject Was Roses”, starring Jack Albertson and Martin Sheen, opens at Royale Theatre, NYC; runs for 832 performances; wins Pulitzer Prize, and 2 Tony Awards

1966 “Au Hasard Balthazar”, French film directed by Robert Bresson, starring Anne Wiazemsky and François Lafarge, is released

1969 “Midnight Cowboy” directed by John Schlesinger and starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1970)

1973 26th Cannes Film Festival: “The Hireling” directed by Alan Bridges and “Scarecrow” directed by Jerry Schatzberg jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1878 W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” premieres in London, their first international success

1887 Gas lamp at Paris Opera catches fire; 200 die

1934 Béla Bartók’s “Cantata Profana – The Nine Enchanted Stags” premieres in London, England, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Wireless Chorus conducted by Aylmer Buesst

1957 “Shinbone Alley” closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 49 performances

1962 Isley Brothers release “Twist & Shout”

1963 “Hot Spot” closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 43 performances

1965 Dave Davies of The Kinks knocked unconscious in an on stage scuffle with drummer Mick Avory at Cardiff’s Capital Theatre

1967 John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelically painted Rolls Royce

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1868 Australian Aboriginal Cricket tour of England begins v Surrey Gentlemen

1876 4th Preakness: G. Barbee aboard Shirley wins in 2:44.75

1895 20th Preakness: Fred Taral aboard Belmar wins in 1:50.5

1899 33rd Belmont: R. Clawson aboard Jean Beraud wins in 2:23

1900 Retired London fire master Eyre Massey Shaw aged 70 reputedly becomes oldest gold medalist in Olympics for sailing (disputed)

1904 38th Belmont: George Odom aboard Delhi wins in 2:06.6

1906 After 20 straight wins, Boston Pilgrims lose to Chicago White Sox 3-0

1919 Casey Stengel releases a sparrow from under his baseball cap

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Alchemy

An art-science hybrid that ultimately led to chemistry; concerned with the transmutation of matter, often involved attempts to convert base metals into gold or create a universal elixir.

May 24 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1595 Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library

1738 John Wesley is converted, launching the Methodist movement; celebrated annually by Methodists as Aldersgate Day

1844 Samuel Morse taps out “What hath God wrought” in the world’s first telegraph message

1941 German battleship Bismarck sinks the British battle cruiser HMS Hood; 1,416 die, 3 survive

1988 Section 28 passed as law by Parliament in the United Kingdom prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality. Repealed 2001/2004

Today’s Historical Events

1086 Abbott Dauferio/Desiderius becomes Pope Victor III

1153 Malcolm IV becomes King of Scots

1218 The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt

1276 Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral

1300 King Philip IV occupies Flanders, Earl Gwijde captured

1370 Hanzesteden signs peace treaty with Danish king Waldemar IV

1487 Imposter Lambert Simnel ceremony crowned as King Edward VI in Dublin

1595 Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1895 Henry Irving becomes the first actor to receive a knighthood

1963 Barbra Streisand performs “Happy Days Are Here Again” at White House Press Correspondents Dinner, and meets US President John F. Kennedy

1964 The Beatles’ 4th appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, features an interview and pre-recorded performance of “You Can’t Do That”

1966 Jerry Herman’s musical “Mame”, starring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur, opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 1508 performances, wins 3 Tony Awards

1974 “The Dean Martin Show” last airs on NBC-TV

1974 27th Cannes Film Festival: “The Conversation” directed by Francis Ford Coppola wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1979 32nd Cannes Film Festival: “Apocalypse Now” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and “Die Biechtrommel” directed by Volker Schlondorff jointly awarded the Palme d’Or

1988 Porntip Nakhirunkanok, 19, of Thailand, crowned 37th Miss Universe

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1873 Leo Delibes’ opera “Le Roi l’a Dit” (“The King Has Spoken”) premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris

1873 Alexandra Palace opens on Queen Victoria‘s 54th birthday with a grand celebration including concerts, recitals and fireworks

1933 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s Preludes premieres in Moscow

1948 Benjamin Britten‘s “Beggar’s Opera” premieres at Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England

1956 1st Eurovision Song Contest: Lys Assia for Switzerland wins singing “Refrain” in Lugano

1958 “New Girl in Town” closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 432 performances

1968 Mick Jagger & Marianne Faithfull arrested for drug possession in England

1969 Beatles’ “Get Back” single goes #1 and stays #1 for 5 weeks

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1877 5th Preakness: C Holloway aboard Cloverbrook wins in 2:45.5

1879 7th Preakness: L Hughes aboard Harold wins in 2:40.5

1900 34th Belmont: Nash Turner aboard Ildrim wins in 2:21¼

1905 39th Belmont: Eugene Hildebrand aboard Tanya wins in 2:08

1918 Cleveland Indians Stan Coveleski sets club record for most innings pitched (19) as the Indians beat the Yankees 3-2

1926 Paavo Nurmi runs world record 3000 m (8:25.4)

1928 Record 12 future Hall of Famers take the field, as Yanks beat A’s 9-7

1929 Detroit Tigers beats Chicago White Sox, 6-5, in 21 innings

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Aisling

a dream vision

May 23 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1618 Second Defenestration of Prague: Two Catholic Lords Regent and their secretary are thrown out of a window and amazingly are not seriously injured by the 70 foot (21m) fall. Triggers the Thirty Years’ War.

1785 Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

1813 South American independence leader Simón Bolívar enters Mérida, leading the invasion of Venezuela, and is proclaimed El Libertador (“The Liberator”)

1949 Federal Republic of [West] Germany created out of the American, British and French occupation zones

1958 Mao Zedong starts the “Great Leap Forward” movement in China

1998 The Good Friday Agreement is accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland with 75% voting yes.

Today’s Historical Events

1040 Battle of Dandanaqan: Tughril‘s Seljuk army defeats Ghaznavid force, near Merv (present-day Turkmenistan), brings about the fall of the Ghaznavid Empire

1059 Henri I crowns his son King Philip I (called the Amorous) of France

1275 King Edward I of England orders cessation of persecution of French Jews

1420 Jews of Syria and Austria expelled

1421 Jews of Austria imprisoned & expelled

1430 Joan of Arc is captured at Compiegne and sold to the English

1493 King Charles VIII & Maximilian I of Austria sign Peace of Senlis

1536 Pope Paul III installs Portuguese inquisition

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1922 Walt Disney incorporates his 1st film company Laugh-O-Gram Films

1953 WHIZ TV channel 18 in Zanesville, OH (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1960 WGTV TV channel 8 in Athens-Atlanta, GA (PBS) begins broadcasting

1960 WRCA radio changes call letters back to WNBC (NYC)

1962 15th Cannes Film Festival: “Keeper of Promises” directed by Anselmo Duarte wins the Palme d’Or

1963 NBC purchases 1963 AFL championship game TV rights for $926,000

1963 16th Cannes Film Festival: “The Leopard” directed by Luchino Visconti wins the Palme d’Or

1969 BBC orders 13 episodes of Monty Python‘s Flying Circus

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1921 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake’s musical “Shuffle Along” premieres on Broadway at Daly’s 63rd Street Theatre, New York City [1]

1922 Comedic play “Abie’s Irish Rose” premieres at Fulton Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,327 performances (longest run at the time)

1939 Dmitri Shostakovich appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad

1959 “Party with Comden & Green” closes at John Golden NYC after 44 performances

1960 “Finian’s Rainbow” opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 12 performances

1960 “Got A Girl” by The Four Preps hits #24

1968 Beatles open 2nd Apple Boutique at 161 New Kings Road, London

1969 The Who release rock opera “Tommy”

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1873 1st Preakness Stakes: G. Barbee aboard Survivor wins in 2:43 at Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland

1883 9th Kentucky Derby: William Donohue aboard Leonatus wins in 2:43

1884 12th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Knight of Ellerslie wins in 2:39.5

1901 35th Belmont: H Spencer aboard Commando wins in 2:21

1922 Future World Heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney suffers his only professional defeat in 15-round unanimous points decision against Harry Greb at Madison Square Garden, NY

1926 Chicago Cub’s Hack Wilson is 1st to hit a home run off Wrigley Field scoreboard

1932 Australian cyclist Hubert Opperman sets paced world records 1,384km in 24 hours, and 1,609km (1,000 miles) in 28 hours, 55 minutes, 39 seconds at Melbourne Motordrome

1941 In his 20th World Heavyweight Boxing title defence Joe Louis knocks out Buddy Baer in round 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Acolyte:

a novice; person in training or apprenticeship.

May’s flower full moon will blossom in the sky this weekend

May’s full moon, known as the flower moon, will blossom in the sky on Sunday night into Monday.

The moon will reach its peak at 12:15 a.m. ET on Monday, May 16, so it will appear at its roundest the evening of May 15, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The flower moon is named after the flowers that blossom this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, The Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

The lunar event is also known as the full corn planting moon because May marks the end of winter’s frost, which allows farmers to plant their seeds.

The Abernaki people from Maine also reference the planting season by calling this full moon the field maker moon, according to Western Washington University. The Winnebago people in the Great Lakes region call it “hoeing-corn moon,” according to the university.

Vesak, a sacred day for Buddhists, corresponds with May’s full moon, according to the United Nations. The birth of Gautama Buddha, the moment he attained enlightenment and his death all took place on days of Vesak, according to the organization.

Stargazers will be in for a treat as the flower moon transforms into a scarlet color during the total lunar eclipse happening at the same time. A total lunar eclipse is when the sun and …

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How to Incorporate Wicca into Everyday Life

A Daily Wiccan routine doesn’t have to be much different from that of anyone else. Magic is simply working with the energies for channeling an intention, and the fact is that we can all practice Magic, and in fact we do it without realizing it. For example, while health experts agree that we shouldn’t take a shower every day¹ , many of us still do it as a ritual act of self-love. By setting a few minutes to consciously take care of our body, we let the water wash away any physical or emotional damage from the day, re-energizing our heart and soul 🛀

If you have ever been surprised by your own thoughts and realizations under a warm shower, then you have already experimented a ritual of Magic. Incorporating Magic into our daily lives feels just the same: A cleansing exercise for the spirit.

Daily Wiccan Practices

You probably already have some daily rituals or personal superstitions, so try combining these ideas with your usual routine in different ways until you find your preferred way to be a Wiccan:

  • When you wake up, greet the day by …

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Making Room for all Genders in Paganism

Making Room for all Genders in Paganism

Author: Maggi Setti

In this age of women’s liberation, we still find a deep wound surrounding gender differences in our culture. How is gender expressed differently in the pagan community? Is there still a use for gender specific ritual spaces? Many of these questions are ongoing with many answers, but it is high time that we see these issues with new eyes as we approach a second generation of Pagan feminists, both male, female, and spectrum of gender identification in between.

At a public class I taught a couple weeks ago on developing energetic and psychic skills, I was surprised that that there was an equal number of male and female attendants. For Wicca, this is a rarity, as you will find the vast majority of Wiccans are women. The easy explanation for this is that women are more hurt by the patriarchal approach of mainstream religions and need the feminine divine more acutely than men.

In a personal conversation, a male Wiccan offered the idea that there are more women than men interested and involved in spirituality and religion in general. He used the example that most church functions, other than the priesthood itself, are run by women and often women are dragging their husbands to church rather than the men being self-motivated in attending. I think that if this premise is true, that women as a group are more spiritually focused than men in mainstream religions as well as Pagan denominations. We can infer that this phenomenon comes from at least two influences as follows.

1. Men are discouraged from being in touch with their soft emotions. It’s hard to be in touch with the greater picture and how one fits in to that greater whole, and at the same time, this suppresses much of one’s internal reality as well.
2. Much of adherence to the Christian religion, as it is currently expressed, depends on guilt and fear. There is more room for men to assert themselves, their ideas, opinions and what they want on other people in their lives. While this may be lopsided, it also allows for a greater development on one’s power and ego especially for men as a group more so than women. Women are more likely to struggle with fear and guilt, and feeling powerless, are therefore more susceptible to the disempowerment and subversion of the religions tenants.

Both of my points above would support that it is not the nature of women or men that make women more spiritually focused, but another example of how our culture is unhealthy and imbalanced. Unfortunately how the pagan community during the past 40 years has approached this is by creating overblown false egos for women and small-scale fiefdoms that breed infighting, confusion, and mistrust. I saw this in Sunday school as a kid, in the choir in high school, and still see it.

Women’s empowerment and healing the gap between the genders is not about the segregation of the sexes anymore though. It’s about building healthy egos, empowerment, self-esteem and ending the war of the sexes. Women’s only spaces were intended to be safe havens in which women felt supported rather than competing with other women. These spaces were meant as healing spaces to use ritual as a forum to connect with the feminine divine within each woman there, as well as the feminine divine of the group, the culture, and the Great Goddess Herself. Therefore these spaces are not about reliving the pain and hurt of what has been wrong with the system, but to encourage alchemical change within individuals so that they can build new paradigms of how they approach and express gender, but power, sexuality, self-expression, and self-worth.

All of this is about self-love and acceptance. Not acceptance that makes excuses for maladaptive behavior that is permissive our faults, but rather an acceptance to be gentle with ourselves so that we can motivate change, growth, and healing. “I love my body as uniquely my own. I am not flawed. I am as I should be.” Affirmations such as these help to let go of the cultural myth of the perfect feminine, youthful woman that does not exist.

Please note that I am referencing cultural expectations. Our culture oversimplifies definitions of qualities into white and black categories. If you can’t label someone, force him or her to go into a category until you are comfortable that you have him or her pegged. Much of the path of the witch embraces the grays of twilight and dawn and the myriad of shades of gray within continuum of many things. Where we fall on the continuum for many things including how we express gender, sexuality, our relationships, our connection to the Gods, will be different for all of us.

As Pagans we embrace our differences and still are able to work together, to manifest a new humanity. We need to be very cognizant of embracing each individual’s true expression of himself or herself: whether it be the gender labels they use for themselves in this case, or other expressions of self.

We can’t just look at women though. Women are not the only ones that have suffered from the imbalance of this “war of the sexes.” At Fall Frolic in Milford PA, I’ll be teaching a women’s empowerment class and leading a women’s only ritual. I’ve suggested to the organizers of Fall Frolic that we also run a men’s ritual at the same time. In fact, these rituals can do real magick upon the higher planes to interact in a spiritually fertilizing and polarizing way in order to heal the gender schism of the group mind of humanity. In my opinion, this magickal healing is the next step for building bridges for healthy intragender relationships.

How do we interest men in a way that retains their sense of strength, self-worth, respect, and power? How do we incorporate men into a religion that includes sparkly purple fairy glitter and witch Barbie? (Not my personal taste, but still an active stereotype) . How do we rebuild the archetype of the warrior for both men and women, working, fighting for a cause, and protecting their tribe?

I hope that there are Pagan men interested and willing to forge the way for answering these questions. We need all genders working together and creating new ways of relating to one another so that we can create a balanced future for our religion, our children, and our culture.