The Magickal Lexicon - a collection of words and phrases associated with the Craft and their meanings. Of course, different traditions of the Craft have different terminology - this list is by no means complete, and should be taken as merely a list of several commonly used terms. Please remember this is purely my interpretation of these terms and is by no means the definitive meaning of any word. I will be adding more as needed - if there is something missing, please email me and let me know !

Athame - a ceremonial blade used symbolically in rituals. Generally not used for physical cutting, but for things such as "carving sacred space".

Bind - to restrain or contain by use of magick.

Bolline - the couterpart to the athame. Bollines are used for physical cutting of items used in ritual, such as herbs.

Coven - a group of Wiccans who perform magick and rituals together. Usually led by a High Priest or Priestess. Coven members are generally very close, a sort of magickal family.

Doesil - a rather archiac term meaning clockwise. Used in the Wiccan Rede and may be used in rituals.

Elements - the building blocks of our physical world : Air, Water, Fire and Earth.

Familiar - something like an animal spirit guide. Familiars are animals who have a spiritual bond with a witch ( perhaps a pet..)

Magick - (Look - Wiccans don't know how to spell !) Magick is a combination of natural energies, will, and focus. It is a powerful energizing force used to help achieve goals. Vague enough ? By the way - some Wiccans spell magick with a "k" at the end to differentiate it from sleight-of-hand or David Copperfield style magic.

Pantheon - a grouping of gods and/or goddesses. Examples include Greek pantheon, Celtic pantheon, Norse pantheon.

Pentacle - a highly misunderstood symbol. A pentacle is a five pointed star enclosed in a circle. The points of the star symbolize the four elements (see above) and the spirit. It has no demonic or Satanic meaning, as witches do not subscribe to theories of devils or Satan.

Ritual - a focused and planned ceremony to use a particular magick, celebrate a Sabbat, or simply honor a god or goddess of one's chosen pantheon.

Skyclad - simply put, naked. Some Wiccans perform rituals skyclad in order to be unfettered by mundane things such as clothing, or to be in a more 'natural' state to enhance their magick.

Solitary - a Wiccan who by choice or by chance performs their magick alone.

Webweaving - a witchy word for 'networking' or making contacts. Much webweaving can be done via the internet in these times. I consider webweaving essential to those new to the Wiccan path, for it gives the opportunity to interact with and learn from others of like minds.

Widdershins - a rather archiac term meaning counterclockwise. Used in the Wiccan Rede and may be used in rituals.

Book Of Shadows - a journal, spellbook, and book of lore kept by a witch. There is no "Master Book of Shadows" - each book is created and maintained by each individual witch.

Calling The Quarters - part of Casting A Circle; calling the quarters is addressing the 4 elements and asking for their help, protection, and presence in your Circle.

So Mote It Be - a declaration meaning "let it be as I have said" or "so may it be".

The Burning Times - a period of history when witches and other practictioners of pagan religions were hunted, tortured and killed in the multitudes because of their beliefs, and because of paranoia. Click here for more on this important time.

The Law of Three - also known as The Three-Fold Law. This is a basic tenet of Wicca - one of the few 'rules' that exist within Wicca. Basically a cautionary statement, the Law of Three states that whatever you do, shall return to you three-fold. The implication is that if ones does something unkind or cruel, they shall receive in return something three times as unkind or cruel. If one does kind acts, they shall receive kindness back three-fold.

Wheel Of The Year - a full calendar year. As the year progresses, the wheel 'turns'. The wheel is divided into portions by Sabbats and Esbats. Different traditions divide their year different - some into quarters, some into eighths, some into fifths, and I'm sure there are more variations out there.