Ever hear some things? Not sure what they mean? Check out this mini witches dictionary with a few of the most basic witchcraft terminology!
Altar: a place to do and practise Magickal things like spells and rituals or meditation. Also used for inspiration and honouring the deceased
Astral projection: projecting your spirit out of your body in order to be somewhere else. Often done by dreaming, can be very dangerous *only to be practiced by experienced witches
Athame: a Magickal tool/object in the shape of a knife or sword, not used for real harm, only symbolic
Balefire: a fire that has been lit/made for Magickal purposes like spells, rituals etc.
Besom: a witches broom used to banish negativity and negative energy
Book of shadows: also known as a grimoire that contains spells, rituals and anything else that is important to the witch who owns it
Call: a term used that means the same as invoking
Cauldron: represents the goddess when doing spells and rituals and is often filled with water or flowers
Cleansing: removing negative energy from yourself, others or spaces you are in
Coven: a group of at least 3 witches who get together and practise spells and rituals and celebrate sabbats or Esbats together
Covenstead: the meeting place of which a coven will meet
Divination: to be able to see into the future using psychic powers or tools and other methods such as scrying, tarot cards etc.
Elements: the 5 elements of the world. Air, fire, water,earth and spirit
Esbat: a gathering/celebration of witches that is not on a sabbat
Familiar: an animal that is connected and used by a witch in their witchcraft, the animal is thought to have Magickal abilities and a strong bond with the witch
Handfasting: a pagan wedding! Time for celebration!!!!
HPS and HP: short for high priestess of a coven (hps) and high priest of a coven (hp)
Intent: a goal/purpose of a spell/ritual/Magickal working
Patron deity: a specific deity you feel a connection with and prefer to use in your magick
Pentacle: a five pointed star representing the elements and is enclosed in a circle and is a symbol for protection on witches and Wiccans that is used a lot
Pentagram: a 5 pointed star much like a pentacle except not enclose in a circle, despite popular belief the pentagram is not a symbol of satanism
Runes: ancient symbols from an ancient Nordic alphabet often used in witchcraft
Sabbat: 8 festivals in the wicca/pagan/witchcraft community that happen every year and are a time for celebration and honouring
Scry: look deeply/gaze into an object in order to see a Magickal effect, when being used it is called “scrying”
Sigil: a magick symbol placed on an object as a seal and needs to be charged in order for the power to manifest
Samhain: probably the bigger sabbat celebration in the calendar marking the pagan/witchcraft and wicca community’s new year. The best time for divination work and contacting the deceased as the vein is very thin that night between the spirit world and the human world, so it is also appreciated to celebrate the dead on this night, also know as “Halloween” and is celebrated on the 31st of October - 2nd of November
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