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.
The multi dimensional plane within the astral realm where one can travel using their astral body.
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.
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.
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.
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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
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.
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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.
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.
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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!
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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
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
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
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
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
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.
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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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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a dream vision
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.
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
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
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”
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
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.
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a novice; person in training or apprenticeship.
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.
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 …
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.
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:
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.
A to Z – A Wiccan Glossary
AKASHA: the spiritual ether (or Aether); the omnipresent fifth occult element which embraces the other four-earth, air, fire, and water; and from which they stem. This is the realm of “pattern” or causality, from which the realm the normally thought of “five senses manifests. Some define it is the “other” of the “two worlds” that the witch or magician walks between.
ARADIA: Daughter of the Goddess Diana, and a name for the Goddess used by Italian Witches or Strega, commonly used in many Wiccan traditions today.
ASPECTING: Any advanced magickal activity in which a practitioner manifests a particular aspect of the Goddess or God, in thought, feelings, behavior, appearance, etc.; Often as a direct result of a “Drawing Down”. Often a minor variation of this phenomena occurs with the selection of a “Magical Name”, of Craft Name.
ASPECTS: Forms, facets, or personas of Deity: for example, Brighid, Iseult,Eos, and Kore are all aspects of the Maiden, and the Maiden is an aspect of the Goddess
ATHAME: black handled, double edged dagger. Principally used to cast and dissolve the circle, for which purposes it is interchangeable with the magic sword. A tool of the “Element” of Fire in the Georgian Tradition and some others.
BELTANE: May Eve festival. One of the Ancient Celtic “Fire Festivals.” on this night, the cattle were driven between two bonfires to protect them from disease. Couples wishing for fertility would ” jump the fires” on Beltane night. Also the traditional Sabbath where the rule of the “Wheel of the Year” is returned to the Goddess. This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Maiden to Mother.
BOOK OF SHADOWS: Traditionally hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other materials deemed important to a Witch or a coven. Each tradition has it’s own standard version of the Book and each Witch’s book will be different as he or she adds to it with time from many different sources. Only another Witch can see your book of shadows. Also, traditionally, it may never leave your hands or possession until death, when it should be destroyed, or (in some traditions) returned to the coven to be disposed of.
BURNING TIMES: a term used by some Witches for the period of persecution in the Middle Ages and later. It is in fact a misnomer in some places, as Witches were only burned in Scotland, and on the continent of Europe. In England and the U.S., they were hanged.
CANDLEMAS: Festival held on Feb. 1. One of the 4 Celtic “Fire Festivals. Commemorates the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. Celebrates the first signs of Spring. Also called “Imbolc” (the old Celtic name). This is the seasonal change where the first signs of spring and the return of the sun are noted, i.e. the first sprouting of leaves, the sprouting of the Crocus flowers etc. In other words, it is the festival commemorating the successful passing of winter and the beginning of the agricultural year.This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden.
CARDINAL POINTS: North, South, East, and West, marked in the Georgian Tradition by candles of green, red, yellow, and blue, respectively. The Circle is drawn to connect these four points.
CHALICE: one of the tools of the Witch. Placed on the altar to represent the element of Water.
CHARGE OF THE GODDESS: The Traditional words of the Goddess to her followers, or “hidden children”. Normally declaimed by the HPS at every coven Circle.
CIRCLE: the area in which the magickal worship and spells takes place. Can also be used to designate a particular group of Witches or Pagans such as “Silver Acorn Circle”.
CONE OF POWER: power raised in the circle by the Witches assembled, and sent out into the world to work magick, is usually visualized as being retained and built in the form of a “cone” prior to release.
COVEN: an organized group of Witches, led by a High priestess and/or a High Priest who meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The traditional membership is 13, but in fact most covens number considerably less. 3 is the minimum in the Georgian Tradition. In Middle English, “Covin” a group of confederates; In Old French “Covine” a band or group with a single purpose; Latin “Com”-together, “Venire”-to come or move.
COVENSTEAD: regular meeting place for a coven. Usually the home of the High Priestess or High Priest.
COWAN: a non-Witch. Formerly used in a very derogatory manner. Still used in Masonic Ritual to indicate the non initiate and/or pretender to “real craft”. Not often used today among most Witches.
COYOTE ENERGY: trickster energies. Named for the American Indian Trickster, Coyote, who tricks man into learning what he needs to learn. Applies to one who constantly jokes and clowns. Also applies to the concept of “Holy Fool” in many traditions.
CROSS QUARTER DAYS: The modern name for the Celtic Fire Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.
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Abracadabra- A word from the Jewish mystical tradition of Qabala. Its root is the name of the Gnostic deity Abraxas, meaning “hurt me not”. It is said to possess magickal powers, especially of protection from illness.
Adept- An individual who through serious study and accomplishments is highly prficient in a praticluar magickal way.
Aeromancy- Divination by the stars.
Aisling– Ireland: Dream or Vision. In the many Irish tales having this title, the person who dreams sees a speir-bhean or vision-woman from the Otherworlds, pronounced “ash-leen”.
Aka- The cord between the astral body and the physical body, most likely this concept is derived from the biblical reference to a “silver cord” connected the body and the soul
Akashic Records- Edward Cayce’s concept which states that somewhere there is a universal hall of data about past lives, magic, healing, and spirituality. It does not exist on the physical plane but rather on a more psychic level. Some believe it can be accessed on the astral plane, others feel it can only be accessed through a visualization journey in the mind.
Alba– The Isle of Skye; Scotland
Alchemist- One who practices alchemy.
Alchemy- A form of high magick which stems from the middle ages noted by the attempts of alchemists to make lead turn into gold.
Alexandrian Tradition– A form of Garderian Wiccan practice developed by Alex and Maxine Sanders in Britain in the 1960s.
Alignment- Synchronization of mental and spiritual vibrations with a god, goddess, or astronomical body. Often the complete balance and centering of the chakras is called an alignment.
Altar- A small working area and shrine many pagans maintain, where they perform most of their ritual and spell work.
Amulet- An object charged with personal energies through ritual or meditation often used to ward off a certain force or person.
Aradia- The Italian goddess Diana’s daughter, said to be the origin of all witches. The book “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches” was written by Leland about Aradia and the practice of witchcraft
Arcana– The two halves of the tarot deck.The major arcana consists of 22 cards showing dominant occurrences in our lives.The minor arcana consists of 56 suit cards (commonly called the lesser arcana) that assists the major arcana cards,or shows smaller influences in our lives.
Archetype- Symbolic imagery seen in visions, dreams, meditation, and mind quests. Used to interpret the meaning of the vision thereby betting understanding and communicating with the subconscious.
Arthurian Tradition- A Welsh tradition of paganism based on the lore of King Arthur (the “Once and Future King”), Merlin the Magician, and Guinevere.
Asatru- Modern worship of the old Norse gods.
Aspecting- An advanced magical practice which is seen most commonly in a coven as opposed to solitary. The practitioner attempts to manifest an aspect of the Goddess or the God. This is seen in the pagan ritual of Drawing Down the Moon as well as in other pagan religions such as Vodou, where the priest often allows the deity to speak through his or her body.
Asperger- A bundle of fresh herbs either carrying dew or dowsed with spring water, used to sprinkle the water during ritual purification.
Astral– Another dimension of reality.
Astrology- The practice of revealing the future by interpreting the arrangement of stars and planets in relation to astrological theory and the zodiac.
Athame– A Wiccan ritual knife. Generally double edged with a black handle, but not always. This knife is seldom used for physical cutting, if at all, and need not be sharp. It is *never* used to draw blood and Wicca do not draw blood or use blood in ritual. Its primary use is as an energy directing device, much like the wand, though with different common uses. compare: Boline, Wand
Attune- To bring different psyches into harmony.
DEOSIL: clockwise, or sunwise. Traditional direction for working “building” magick.
DRAWING DOWN THE MOON: Ritual invocation of the spirit of the Goddess into the body of the High Priestess by the High Priest.
ELEMENTS: Earth, air, fire, and water, plus spirit, which includes them all. These are regarded as realms or categories of nature (both material and non-material) and are not to be confused with the physicists table of elements, which the modern witch, of course, accepts.
ESBAT: weekly or biweekly meeting of a coven. Traditionally held either on the full moon or the new moon.
FAMILIARS: Either a Witch’s pet animal which has been trained to be a magickal helper, or an artificially created “elemental” which performs the same functions as the animal friend.
FIVEFOLD KISS, FIVEFOLD SALUTE: The Witches’ ritual salute, with kisses; (1) on each foot, (2) on each knee, (3) above the pubic hair, (4) on each breast, and (5) on the lips-really 8 kisses in all. It is only used within the Circle, but the words that go with it are the origin of “Blessed Be.”
GNOMES: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Earth or is associated with the EARTH Element.
GREAT RITE: The rite which is the main feature of the third degree initiation, and which is also laid down for certain festivals. It is sexual in nature, but may be `actual’ (and private to the couples concerned) or symbolic, as the participants wish.
HALLOWS: name used by some traditions for Samhain, or Halloween
HANDFASTING: Wiccan equivalent of a wedding. It can be made legal if the Priestess and/or Priest are registered as clergy with the local authorities, or it may only be considered binding within the coven.
LAMMAS: August 1st. Witch Festival. The Old Celtic name for this festival is Lughnassadh. It is the Festival of the First Fruits, and is the first of the 3 harvests. This festival also marks the change of the Threefold Goddess energies from that of Mother to Crone.
PENTAGRAM: The five-pointed star. With a single point uppermost, it represents the human being. Inverted, with two points uppermost, it can have Satanist associations; but not necessarily. Some traditions of Wicca use the inverted pentagram to signify an initiate of the second degree.
QUARTERS: The North, East, South, and West parts of a magickal circle or other ritual area. (See also “Watchtowers”)
SABBAT: one of the Eight festivals or high holy days of Wicca.
SALAMANDER: an entity that dwells in the realm of Fire.
SAMHAIN: The festival of remembrance for the dead, held on the eve of Nov. 1st. It is the last of the three harvests. This festival also marks the transition of rulership of the “Wheel of the Year from that of the Goddess to that of the God.
SCRYING: divination, usually using such methods as crystal gazing, or divination via incense smoke, or water as opposed to tarot or other manipulative means.
SYLPH: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Air or is associated with the AIR Element.
UNDINE: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Water or is associated with the WATER Element.
WARLOCK: a term coined in the Burning Times . It was used to denote a traitor to the Craft, or one who had betrayed the followers of the Old Religion. It’s origin is Scottish. Because of the negative connotations, it is not used by most Wiccans today.
WICCA: the name most modern day Witches use for the Craft. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Wicce, meaning to bend or to shape. This is the root word from which we get wicker.
WIDDERSHINS: counter clock wise. Used for “tearing down” OR BANISHING magick.
WHITE HANDLED KNIFE: the working knife of a Witch. It is used to carve candles, and for fashioning the other tools. Traditionally, it can only be used in a circle.
A very interesting article about the Moon’s surface and interior many, many millions of years ago.
National Unicorn Day on April 9 is a day to celebrate the most popular mythical creature ever. Why? Because if we don’t take time out to celebrate a beautiful, horned, rainbow–printed mythical creature then we’re most definitely missing a trick. The unicorn is a symbol of happiness, fantasy, and wonder. It’s an icon of color, of childlike splendor and magic. They often make appearances on birthday cakes and children’s clothing, and let’s be honest quite a lot of us adults still dig them too. National Unicorn Day is your chance to express some unicorn love, so show some color and delve into the magnificence of unicorns with us!
We celebrate the myth and magic of unicorns on National Unicorn Day, which takes place on April 9 every year.
The unicorn is known as a creature of legend, one with a single large, spiraled and pointy horn which projects from its forehead. They were spotted in early Mesopotamian artwork and were often noted in myths and stories deriving from China, Greece, and India. In Greek mythology writers strongly believed that unicorns were running wild in a faraway distant realm. That distant realm was India and Greek physician Ctesias quoted in his book ‘‘On the Nature of Animals’’ that he believed India produced a one-horned horse. Some argued that he wasn’t seeing a unicorn, but instead was citing the Indian Rhinoceros. In Iran, unicorns were said to be found in Persepolis and the Hebrew Bible describes an animal called the ‘‘re’em’’ which some believe to be the unicorn.
The unicorn has always been depicted as a symbol of grace and purity, with its horn said to hold the power to cleanse poisonous water and to heal sickness. In medieval times, they would sell the tusks of the Narwhal whale and advertise it as a Unicorn horn.
The Celts, Romans, and Persians also described a white magical horse with a single horn. The creature was said to represent …
APR. 1: Dark Mother Day –honoring Black Annis, Kali;
Fool’s Day—honoring the God of Chaos Energy.
Day of Venus: Goddess of Love and the Hunt
APR. 5: Roman Day of Fortuna: Goddess of Fate
APR. 7: Feast of Blajini—offerings made to the Other People/Sidhe or Faeries “Kindly Ones”.
APR. 7-8: Feast of Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana) – who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives.
APR. 8: Day of Mooncakes—honoring the Moon Goddess.
APR. 15: – Feast of Tellus Mater (Roman)
– Festival of Ba’ast, Feast of Bast (Egyptian cat goddess)
APR. 16: – St. Padarn’s Day (Celtic)
– Feast of St. George (Byzantine)
APR. 15-17: Feast of the Seas – Honoring God-Goddess as Olokun-Yemaya (Yoruba/Santeria) and Okeanos-Tethys (Old Greek).
APR. 22: Earth Day – Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth
– Festival of Isthar (Babylonian)
– Feast of the Divine Couple (Japanese)
– Feast of Elaphebolia (Greek)
– Odin’s Day – Norse festival.
APR. 23: Festival of the Greenman—honoring the God of the Forest and vegetation.
APR. 25: – Spring Festivals – Dedicated to Herne, Pan, Horned God.
– Roman Robligalia – Corn Mothers (Ceres and Demeter) and Harvest.
APR. 25: Spring Festival – dedicated to the Horned God and Corn Mother.
APR. 28: Celebrated April 28 – May 3: Festival of Flora: remembrance of those who passed into the Underworld.
APR. 30: May Eve—Walpurgis Night; annual gathering of Witches and covens. Beltane Begins at Sundown (Celtic, Wiccan) Old Norse Feast.
APR. 30 – MAY 2: – Beltane – Celtic festival marking the arrival of summer in ancient times, celebrating Blodeuwedd (Goddess of Flowers) and Llew (Oak King, God of the Waxing Sun).
– Old Norse Feast – Celebrating Nanna (Goddess of Flowers), true love of Baldur (God of Light).
– Feast of Sacred Marriage – Honoring Goddess-God as Inanna & Dumuzi , Ishtar & Tammuz (Old Sumerian), Isis & Osiris (Egyptian), Oshun & Shango (Yoruba/Santeria).
For those of you who are not sure of either where your chakras are or how to clear and balance them Lady Beltane does Chakra clearings and balancing for a donation of $30.00 USD if done through a head-to-toe picture of the person or with the picture while connecting to the person via a Skype video call for $40.00 USD. She can also do an aura cleansing and repair for an additional $10.00 to $15.00 depending on what she sees in the persons aura in a second session with the person.
Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, Crown – India’s Chakra Symbols
For those of you who are familiar with what chakras are and want some extra information on clearing and opening them I recommend reading this good article from SunSigns.org. Lady Beltane uses this website daily to bring you the birthday horoscope. She has wondered on their take of angel numbers (see today’s post on this topic), chakra clearing and balancing so took the time today to listen to the videos and read their information about these topics. In her opinion they are worth sharing with all of our WOTC community…
The 7 Chakras are most essential for the well-being of a person. But they are of no use if they are blocked.
If you wish to know if your chakra is open or closed, take the free chakra test to know more.
Here are few tips to open or balance each of the seven chakras.
First of all, close your eyes and position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After that, you should concentrate on the Root Chakra, which is positioned between the anus and the genital organs. Along with this, you should start chanting the word LAM.
Additionally, what you can also do is to occasionally contract your muscles that lie between your anus and genital organs. Contract these muscles inward while inhaling, and contract them outward while exhaling. This in turn, stimulates the Root Chakra, and gives you inner physical strength. (Get more meditation tips).
To open the Sacral Chakra, you should sit down on the floor and place your hands on your lap, with the palm upwards, so that they lie on top of each other. Your left hand should be placed underneath, and its palm should touch the back of the fingers of the right hand. The tips of the left and right hand thumb fingers should touch gently.
In this position, you should concentrate on trying to open up the Sacral Chakra, which lies on the sacral bone on your lower back. Along with this, you should start chanting the word VAM.
In order to open the Solar Plexus Chakra or Navel Chakra, you should start by placing your hands before your stomach, in the region slightly below your solar plexus. After this, you should let all your fingers join at the top, and all of them should be pointing away from yourself. Then, you should cross your thumbs. All this time, it is important to keep your fingers perfectly straight.
In this position, start concentrating on the Navel Chakra, which is located on the spinal region, a little above the navel. Along with this, you should start chanting the word RAM.
In the first instance of opening the Heart chakra, start the whole process by sitting cross-legged, preferably on the floor. Position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After this, place your left hand on your left knee, and your right hand should be placed in front of the lower region of your breastbone, which is just above the solar plexus.
In this position, start concentrating on the Heart Chakra, which is located at the heart region, at the centre of the chest. Along with this, you should start chanting the word YAM.
If you feel the Throat Chakra is closed and wish to open it, you should position your hands so that your fingers stay crossed on the inner part of your palms, without the thumbs. At this point of time, allow your thumbs to touch at the top, and slowly pull them slightly upwards.
In this position, you should start concentrating on the Throat Chakra, which is located at the base of a person’s throat. Along with this, you should start chanting the word HAM.
If you want to open up the Third Eye Chakra, you should start by sitting down and placing your hands before the lower part of your chest. Your middle fingers should be straight and the tips should touch each other at the top, with them pointing slightly forward. The other fingers should be bent and preferably touch the upper two phalanges. The thumbs should point towards yourself and touch at the tips.
In this position, you should start concentrating on the Third Eye Chakra, which is located slightly above the eyebrows. Along with this, you can either chant the word OM or AUM.
To open the Crown Chakra, start the whole process by placing your hands before your stomach. You should then let the ring fingers of both your hands point upwards, and their tips will touch each other. After that, you should cross the rest of your fingers, with the left thumb placed underneath the right one.
In this position, you should concentrate on the Crown Chakra, which is located at the top of your head. Along with this, you should start chanting the word NG.
Balancing Root Chakra
Balancing Sacral Chakra
Balancing Solar Plexus Chakra
Balancing Heart Chakra
Balancing Throat Chakra
Balancing Third Eye Chakra
Balancing Crown Chakra
Pagans are often urged to connect with the energy of the plants around them. But how do you do that?
First, get in touch with the plants around you — really in touch. Make it a point to feel the leaves of shrubs at your front door or put your hand on the nearest tree. Calm your mind and ask yourself what you are sensing. Some people describe feeling a low vibration, especially in trees. When you pay attention, you may feel a slight tingle in your arms.
You can also sit near a plant that seem attractive to you as you burn incense of frankincense, rose, and mugwort. All these herbs will help raise your psychic awareness as you extend your mind to the plants on your patio or in your garden. This is something that requires persistence. If you practice, you will soon open your mind to an energy that you can call on to help your magickal work or just to rejuvenate yourself in times of stress.
By J D Hortwort in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2022 
Page 81
When a person begins to awaken to their true self and divine potential, spiritual or psychic gifts will begin to emerge and develop.
Here is some information about the different kinds of ‘Clairs’ that describe some of these abilities and a few tips to help you practice.
‘Clair’ is from the French language and means ‘clear’. There are a number of ‘Clairs’ that we all have the ability to use.
Clairvoyance
The term we all recognise the most is clairvoyance. ‘Voyance’ means ‘vision’, so clairvoyance means clear vision.
A psychic vision is a term used to describe the way that those who are clairvoyant receive messages from Spirit. It usually begins with very short periods of ‘seeing’ things.
It is possible you may be able to see a ‘picture’ and the more you develop this gift the more detailed the vision will be and the length of time you will ‘see’ it will also increase.
Clairaudience
Clairaudience means clear hearing.
Clairaudience may start when you are very young or during meditation. You may hear a voice speaking to you, or you may hear other sounds, such as music. Spirit plays me songs all the time!
This may be your guides or other…
Witches Of The Craft® 
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