Witchcraft uses a lot of words you might not have heard before; here’s a breakdown of some of the most common!
Basics
Intent: The goal or desire; the will for something to come into being.
Visualisation: A technique used in magical workings in which the witch pictures the desired effect within their mind’s eye.
Manifestation: The process of a desired intent being brought into reality.
Charging: The act of filling an object with energy.
Cleansing: A magical working with the intent of removing all lingering energies from an object, place or person, be those energies negative or positive.
Grounding: A magical technique in which the individual removes excess unwanted energy (often by ‘pushing’ it into the ground while sitting down) and aligns themselves with the energy of the earth.
Banishing: A magical working with the intent of sending something away, removing an individual from your life or cutting out negative acts and behaviours.
Warding: A magical working in which the individual creates ‘Wards’. Wards are barriers of energy which deny any unwanted entity entrance to the place warded. Wards can also be placed upon oneself to prevent a magical attack.
Deity: A supreme being. Often represented by Gods and Goddesses though not limited to these terms.
Tools, Objects & Symbology
Grimoire: A personal magical inventory of beliefs, spells, ingredients and anything else deemed essential to a witches path.
Altar: A sacred space in which to enact magical workings, meditation and worship.
Wand: A pointed object used to direct energy.
Priapic Wand: A phallus-shaped wand.
Athame: A knife used in ritual to cut out a sacred space and to direct energy. Typically you will never use this to cut solid objects.
Book Of Shadows: A personal magical inventory of beliefs, spells, ingredients and anything else deemed essential to a Wiccan’s path.
Boline: A knife, often but not always a sickle, used for the cutting of ingredients, inscribing of candles and carving of wood.
Besom: A broomstick used to cleanse an area.
Cauldron: A metal pot used for spellwork. (Boiling, mixing, stirring).
Chalice: A goblet, cup or class containing ritual drink. Typically containing offerings.
Dark Mirror: A black piece of glass or reflective material used for scrying.
Pentagram: A five-pointed star widely used amongst many Pagan religions.
Pentacle: A pentagram with a circle around it, typically worn as a necklace for protection.
Inversed Pentagram: A symbol relating to Satanic practises and beliefs.
Septagram: A seven-sided star, usually used in reference to workings with the Fae.
Triquetra: An ancient Celtic symbol which has lost its initial meanings which is today adopted by Pagans of varying paths to mean different things. In Christianity referred to as the trinity knot and believed to represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. A secular way of viewing this is that it represents life, death and rebirth. In Wicca believed to represent the triple Goddess.
Amulet: An object that has innate magical properties used as a necklace.
Charm: An object that has been given magical properties.
Talisman: An object that has been created with the intention of having a specific magical property
Hag Stone: A stone with a hole worn naturally worn through it in which the other side is visible. Thought to be used to see the ‘unseen’ and often the Fae.
Poppet: An object designed to take on the likeness of an individual upon which spells are used. A taglock is used to bind the person to the poppet.
Taglock: The personal effect of an individual that can be used in spellwork as a link to that target.
Festivities, Holidays & Events
Wheel Of The Year: A name used to refer to the cycle of the eight holidays observed in Wicca; synonymously used to describe the turn of the seasons.
Solstice: Two points in the year in which the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky. The longest and shortest days of the year.
Esbat: A meeting upon the full moon.
Sabbat: Used to refer to any of the eight holidays observed by Wiccans and others.
Skyclad: To be naked. Believed to promote a greater connection to nature during ritual and worship.
Equinox: The time in which day and night are of equal length as the sun crosses the celestial equator.
Coven: A meeting of witches with the intent to perform magic or worship as a group.
Circle: A temporary space marked out by a magical practitioner that is capable of containing, enhancing and binding magical energy.
Further Reading
Mage: Another term for a magical practitioner.
Aether: The fifth element after Earth, Air, Fire and Water meaning Spirit, Energy, Life Essense & Soul.
Abjuration: Practices of magic relating to the protection of oneself through the suppression of spells cast by other magic practitioners.
Conjuration: Practices of magic relating to bringing desired effects into reality.
Divination: Practices of magic relating to gathering further insight on desired topics, including knowledge of the past and the future.
Enchantment: Practices of magic relating to enacting influence over the minds and decisions of others.
Evocation: Practices of magic relating to working with raw, sometimes uncontrollable forces of power.
Animism: The belief that all things are alive or have a soul.
Glamour: Practices of magic pertaining to achieving desired intent via altering, enhancing or changing one’s appearance.
Blasting: A magical working with the intent of causing infertility and ill health, in both people and crops.
Sigil: A magical symbol created by the individual, usually constructed by breaking down a word or sentence and using the letters.
Seal: A magical symbol. Often used to finalise a working.
Elemental (Noun): A force, being, entity or representation of an element given form and sometimes rudimentary conscious thought, though not in a way thought to be understood correctly by humankind.
Elemental (Adjective): Pertaining to any workings regarding the elements
Witchcraft Types
Secular: The practice of witchcraft at its core. Devoid of any influence from religion or spirituality.
Atheistic: The practice of witchcraft from an Athiest perspective.
Elemental: The practice of witchcraft in which the individual utilises the power of the Elements as their primary source of energy and spell structure. E.g Water Witch, Fire Witch, etc.
Wiccan: Belonging to Wicca, a relatively new nature-based religion born in the 1940′s/50′s in which Witchcraft is expressed as the main form of worship for the God and Goddess.
Traditional: Witchcraft that predates the rebirth in popularity of Witchcraft during the 20th Century.
Hedge: A solitary practitioner who utilises herbs in their practice. Once used exclusively for witches who follow the practice of ‘Hedge Riding’ this term has opened out to encompass those following the archetype of the ‘village witch’ providing salves and potions.
Stregheria: A form of Italian witchcraft, often centred around the worship of Leyland’s version of Aradia and Diana (though the term can also be used for other forms of Italian witchcraft).
Christian: The practice of witchcraft from a Christian perspective.
Witchling / Baby Witch: Terms used to describe new practitioners.
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