Welcome to our glossary of occult terms. Here you will find terms often used in the Pagan, Heathen, magical and occult communities that may confuse a newcomer. If you don't see the term you are looking for here, Ask a Witch!
Adept - One who has studied and mastered (and continues to study) a magical system is often referred to as an adept. Some organizations have formal guidelines for conferring this title upon a member.
Amulet - An amulet is an object that is carried or worn on a person or placed in a location in order to draw specific energy or luck toward that person or location.
Asperge - Asperging is a form of ritual purification involving the sprinkling of liquid on the item, person or area to be purified.
Athame - An athame is a double-bladed ritual knife. Its purpose is strictly symbolic. The blade is usually strait and dull. It represents the male aspect of divinity and can be used to cast and cut a circle as well as to direct energy in much the same way as a wand.
Besom - A besom is a ceremonial broom. It is used to clear an area of negativity, to establish sacred space and for blessing and protecting the home. It is also used in marriage and other ceremonies to symbolize the end of one thing and the beginning of another.
Boline - A boline is a functional ceremonial blade. It is usually kept sharp only on one side of the blade, which is often curved. You will sometimes see a hand scythe or small sickle called a boline. The boline is used for cutting herbs, carving and inscribing words into candles and other things.
Book of Shadows - A Book of Shadows or Grimoire is a witch's diary. It is where he or she records spells, recipes and thoughts. Books of Shadows may be passed down through generations and contain messages of wisdom. Some covens or circles have a Book of Shadows that the whole group shares.
Cauldron - The cauldron is a symbol of rebirth, the hearth, of abundance and of well being. Ancient Celtic tales tell of cauldrons that that no one ever went away from hungry and cauldrons that, when the dead were thrown into them, would bring the dead back to life. These days, cauldrons represent the female aspect of divinity, the womb, and are used thusly in conjunction with rods, wands, swords and athames (depending on their size and the tradition) in symbolic representation of The Great Rite.
Christmas - In pre-Christian Europe, winter was a dark, and scary time. Many people didn’t survive it, especially among the peasantry. The earth was barren, no crops would grow and hungry predators were a constant danger to livestock and humans alike if they ventured forth in search of a bit of grazing land or game. Tree worship was very common among these tribes, and this time of year, few were around to be revered. Evergreen plants, however, remained green throughout the cold months reminding the people that life did indeed go on. Many people sought their blessings to help ensure their own survival throughout the winter. Offerings were placed at the base of these trees and hung upon their limbs to ensure their good will. Sprigs of holly and evergreen branches were brought into the house in hopes that their power of survival would be transferred to the family, or perhaps to offer hospitality to the spirits.
Decoction - Decoction is a method of extraction of herbal constituents from stems, roots, barks and rhizomes through boiling. The hard plant parts are covered with water, brought to a boil for about 10 minutes and then cooled and strained.
Delphic Maxims - The Delphic Maxims are inscribed at Delphi and are said to have been delivered by Apollo Himself. The Maxims are suggestions for pious living, not quite commandments, really strong recommendations. According to legend, they were written down by The Seven Sages who are usually identified as: Solon of Athens, Chilon of Sparta, Thales of Miletus, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Lindos, Pittacus of Mitylene and Periander of Corinth.
Dualism - Dualism is the belief in the existence of two opposing divine (or semi-divine) forces.
Duotheism - Duotheism is the belief in two Gods whether they are two complimentary Gods working together or two competitive Gods, as in a creator and a destroyer.
See also Dualism
earth based spirituality - Earth-based spirituality is a spiritual and religious worldview that puts the Earth in the center of the spiritual practice. Some of these paths view the Earth as divine and may refer to the Earth as their Mother Goddess. In this case the Earth may be the primary or only deity, or She may be part of a larger family of deities.
Gaia Hypothesis - The Gaia Hypothesis is an ecological theory named for Gaia, the Greek Earth Mother Goddess. It was first scientifically formulated by Dr. James Lovelock, a scientist for NASA who was engaged in studies relating to the search for life on Mars and it was initially published in journal articles in the 70s and popularized by his 1979 book Gaia: A new look at life on Earth
Heathen - The etymology of the word Heathen comes from a Gothic word meaning "person of the Heath" or "dwelling in the Heath" and is similar to the Latin word paganus from which we get Pagan. It evolved to refer to anyone who had not been converted to Christianity and was often used as an insult to mean that someone is barbarous, uncivilized, undisciplined and is often used as a synonym for Pagan as both words have been used in translations of the Bible in place of the word "Gentile".
What is Heathenry? - The word Heathenry is used in two ways. The first is to designate a specific polytheistic reconstructionist path based on aboriginal Germanic tradition. The second is to refer to any polytheistic reconstructinist path based on aboriginal traditions from Western Europe including the British Isles, Scandinavia and mainland Germany. These include Odinism, Asatru, Forn Sior and, sometimes, certain forms of Druidry.
Infusion - An infusion is water or oil in which plants have been steeped. Most often the liquid is hot or boiling when it is poured over the herbs. The herbs are then allowed to steep until the desired strength of flavor is acheived.
What is Magick? - The word magic comes to us from the Latin magicus and the Greek magikos which in turn came from the the Persian Magi or Magians which was applied to Zoroastrian astrologer priests.
