Glossary of terms

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See also: Wiccan/Pagan New Age Dictionary

P

PANTHEON: A Collection or group of Gods and Goddesses in a particular religious or mythical structure. Example are: Greek pantheon, Roman pantheon, Egyptian pantheon, Teutonic pantheon, etc.

PENTACLE: A circle surrounding a five-pointed, upright star (known as a pentagram). Worn as a symbol of a Witch's belief and used in magickal workings and ceremonies. Each point on the star has a specific meaning: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Pentacles are never worn inverted in the Craft. Witches consider this blasphemy of their faith. However, an inverted pentagram is used in some second degree initiations, not to indicate evil, but to fulfill a function of growth.

PRIESTESS: A female dedicated to both the service of her chosen deity(ies) and humankind. a High Priestess is the feminine leader of a coven or Wiccan organization and plays the role of Goddess in certain ceremonies. A solitary Witch can be a Priestess by dedicating herself to a particular God or Goddess.

PRIEST: A male dedicated to both the service of his chosen deity(ies) and humankind. a High Priest is the male leader of a coven or Wiccan organization and plays the role of the God in certain ceremonies.
 

(NOTE) Neither male nor female has dominion over the other in the Craft. The High Priest and High Priestess in a coven environment should work as a balanced team. On occasion they draw the energy of the God and Goddess respective to their sex in order to further a positive magickal working or celebrate a holiday. These people must be skilled in magick and ceremony, but they also need maturity, wisdom and a great deal of humility. They are required to be diplomatic and merciful when the situation demands. Their job is not an easy one. You will hear reference to the Great Rite, wherein the High Priest and High Priestess magickally draw the energy of the God and Goddess through sexual interaction, either simulated or real. However, if intercourse actually takes place, it is almost always done in privacy, out of sight of the other coven members. In the 1970s sexual intercourse among coven members was prominent in some traditions. In the 1990s with the threat of the AIDS virus and society's shift to more conservative views on sexuality, actual intercourse is not as widely practiced. Sex magick is NOT a requirement for any individual to practice Witchcraft.

PROJECTIVE ENERGY: That which is electrical, forward-moving, active. Projective energy is protective. See also Reciptive Energy.

RECEPTIVE ENERGY: The opposite of Projective Energy; magnetic, soothing, attracting energy often used for meditation, promoting love, calm and quiet.

REINCARNATION: The belief that one has lived before in another lifetime. 

RITUAL: A focused mental/physical ceremony to either honor or thank one's chosen pantheon, or to perform a specific magickal working or act. 

RUNES: A set of symbols that are used both in divination and magickal workings. There are several types of runes with different origins. A few are the Norse, Scandinavian and Germanic runes. Unlike the Tarot, they are an integral part of the magickal system with its own pantheon, should you care to use it. They can function as an alphabet and are useful in vision questing, dream recall and controlling your environment. 
 
 

SIGIL: A magickally oriented seal, sign, glyph, or other device used in a magickal working. The most powerful sigils are those that you create yourself. Sigils can be used on letters, packages, clothing, on paper tucked in your pocket, etc.

SKYFATHER: Assigning deification to the sky as a male entity. Although shamanistic in its origin, it compliments Earth Mother perfectly. Skyfather is also used by several Native American belief systems. 

SKYCLAD: In some traditions, for example the Alexandrian, it is the act of celebrating or doing a magickal working in the nude. This should not be misconstrued with sexual contact. There are many solitaries that prefer to work skyclad, feeling that he absence of clothing leaves their energy unhindered during the ceremony.

SPELL: Extended mental and emotional energy spoken aloud, written, spoken to oneself, drawn or even danced. To work, it should be clear, concise, focused and emotional. The need must be present to bring any spell to a successful culmination.

SPIRAL: The sacred spiral plays an important part in magickal workings. It is the symbol of "coming into being." A spiral dance celebrates the spiral symbolism.

TAROT CARDS: A set of 78 cards which carry pictures and symbols used to connect the diviner with the collective unconscious. On one knows the specific origin of the cards, and there are many beautiful decks now on the market. Although the Rider/Waite deck is well known. Silver prefers the Witches' Tarot or the Robin Wood Deck. The cards can be used to determine the past, present and future of an event or person and can become powerful tools in magickal workings and rituals.

TAROLOGIST: One who is adept at the art and science of handling the Tarot.