Some witchy Definitions

[phoenixrising79]

Here are some definitions that pertain to witchcraft, and the occult world. This is certainly not a complete list, and we will be adding to this as we come across them. Enjoy!

[phoenixrising79]

Definitions

Occult
Occluded or hidden/secret; the study of secret or hidden knowledge. Secret societies include the Rosicrucians and certain fraternal orders.

Earth Religion
a religion whose main tenet is that the worshipper is in harmony with the Earth and with all life. Such religions oppose the idea that the world is a resource to be subdued and exploited.

Pagan
a practitioner of an Earth Religion; from the Latin paganus, a country dweller.

Neo-Paganism
a modern Earth Religion which borrows and adapts from the best of pre-Christian Pagan religions, sometimes with additions from contemporary religious thinkers.

Witchcraft
a magical religion with many diverse traditions derived from various cultural sources around which covens and individual practitioners base their practices. Modern Witchcraft traditions include: Alexandrian
Celtic
Circle
Dianic
Faery
Gardnerian
Georgian
Isian
NECTW
NROOGD
Reclaiming
Shamanic
1734
and others.



The Craft
another name for Witchcraft.

Coven
a congregation of Witches, usually limited to 13 members or less.

Witch
one who worships the Goddess, and sometimes also Her Consort, the God; practices magic; and considers her/himself to be following the spiritual path of Witchcraft.

Magic
a conscious direction of will to accomplish a goal.

Sabbat
one of the eight seasonal festivals equally spaced during the year, celebrated by individuals and covens of Witches.

Esbat
monthly meeting of a coven, usually held at full moon. There are about 13 full moons each year. Some groups also meet at the dark of the moon.

[phoenixrising79]

I should also add that the term "Wicca" was not invented until the early to mid 1900's. It was invented by Gerald Gardener as a New Age version of witchcraft. The main difference between Wicca and witchcraft is that witchcraft embraces both the "good" and the "bad" equally. Witchcraft also sees magic as neither good nor bad, but instead shades of grey. What makes a spell "good" or "bad" is what you intend to do. Wicca is sometimes referred to as "white witchcraft" it focuses on only "white magic" but a true adept would recognize that good and bad are really the same thing, what it really comes down to is perception...