Welcome to the Witchipedia's glossary of occult terms. Here you will find terms often used in the Pagan, Heathen, magical and occult communities that may confuse a newcomer. This encyclopedia of magical terminology is a wonderful place to get started if you don't know where to start in the Witchipedia. If you don't see the term you are looking for here, feel free to bring your question to the community in our forums!
Pantheon - The Pantheon is a temple in Rome dedicated to all the Gods of the Roman people. In modern usage the word Pantheon has come to describe the family of Gods itself. For example the Greek Pantheon consists of the twelve Olympians and various Titans and Chthonic deities associated with ancient Greek religion. The Celtic Pantheon consists of various Gods associated with Celtic Lore and so on.
Polytheism - Polytheism is any religious doctrine that embraces the idea of more than one God.
Poppet - More commonly known as the Voodoo Doll, poppets can be used for various sympathetic magic spells. Poppets can be made out of wax, cloth, plant material, clay or paper mache. It's always best to make them out of something burnable so they can be destroyed when you are done with them. Poppets can be used for curses and spells to control the will of another, but most often they are used in healing and love spells.
Poultice - A poultice is a moist, often warm, preparation of stuff, often herbs or grains, spread over a piece of cloth and placed over an inflamed area to affect relief and/or healing.
Psychopomp - The word psychopomp literally means "guide of souls". It derives from the Greek psychopompos or ψυχοπομπός
Sachet - A sachet is a small cloth bag that is either stitched or tied closed at the top and contains herbs, crystals or other small items carefully selected by a magical practitioner to bring about a desired change in the area the sachet is kept or for the person who carries it. For example, a sachet stuffed with items to draw money may be kept in a cash register. A sachet designed to protect against harm while travelling may be hung from a rear view mirror. A sachet to protect against theft may be tucked into a purse. Or a sachet to bring good luck may be carried in someone's pocket when they visit the casino.
Scourge - The scourge is a ceremonial whip. It may be used during ritual to demonstrate humility before the Gods, but more often it is used as a tool to aid in achieving altered states of consciousness.
scrying mirror - A scrying mirror is usually (but not always) a black reflective surface, rather than a silvery one. As its name would suggest, a scrying mirror is used for scrying. It is used as a focal point for meditative scrying and sometimes just for meditation. Sometimes the practitioner will see images in the mirror itself, but most often the mirror aids the practitioner into settling into a meditative state and answers and images come to the practitioner's mind aided by the relaxed state.
Smudging - Smudging involves burning of herbs to release their aromatic scent in order to purify an object, person or area.
Staff - The staff represents the masculine aspect and is associated with air or fire depending on the tradition. It is used to direct energy, to establish sacred space, to tap out hypnotic rhythms and for leaning on.
syncretic religion - See also Syncretism, MesoPaganism, NeoPaganism
Syncretism - See also Syncretic Religion
Talisman - A talisman is an object worn, carried or placed in a location with the intention of warding off negative energy, evil spirits, disease or bad luck.
Ward - A ward is a protection or guardian. It may be a spell, an amulet, a symbol or some other physical or energy object.
Well Dressing - Well dressing is an ancient Celtic custom that continues in the remote regions of England, particularly Derbyshire and Staffordshire. It may be that remoteness of these regions helped preserve these traditions by making it difficult for invaders to reach them. The tradition of well dressing likely began as a sacrificial act to thank the spirit of the well or perhaps a God or Gods for providing the community with water throughout the year, or perhaps just to celebrate the fact that it was there.
What Is Witchcraft? - Witchcraft is the magical manipulation of energy to bring about change. The energy used by a witch may be environmental, from herbs, stones and other natural objects, or it may come from the witch herself or it may be channeled through the witch from a God or Goddess or from the Earth or Universe at large. Witches are best known for casting spells which tends to incorporate all of these methods in a ritualistic practice. However, one need not engage in ritual or cast a spells to perform magical acts or to be a witch.
Wheel of the Year - The Wheel of the Year is the cycle of seasons as celebrated by several groups of NeoPagans particularly Wiccans and some of those groups who have Celtic roots. The Wheel of the Year is made up of 8 observances, known among Wiccans as Sabbats. Although they vary by tradition, the Wheel of the Year Sabbats are Yule or Midwinter, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer or Litha, Lammas or Lughnassadh, Mabon, and Samhain.
Zodiac - The zodiac refers to the constellations that ring the apparent path the sun takes throughout the year. As the sun passes through the location of each constellation we say that the sun is in the house their associated signs of the zodiac.
