Welcome, Seeker. This is the school glossary: the working words of the craft, A to Z, each one defined in plain language the way I would explain it at my own table. When a book or a lesson uses a word you do not know yet, look it up here and carry on. Nobody is born knowing these words. Everybody learns them one at a time.
Tap a letter to jump straight to it.
A dedicated surface or space where a practitioner keeps ritual tools, candles, images, and offerings. An altar is a working place for spells, prayer, and seasonal observance, arranged in whatever way suits the person's path and home.
An object carried or worn for protection or luck, often a stone, pendant, or small pouch. Practitioners usually choose or charge an amulet for a specific purpose, such as safety while traveling or calm in difficult situations.
Deceased family members and forebears whom many practitioners honor, remember, and sometimes call on for guidance. Ancestor work can include photographs, offerings, and quiet conversation at an altar, and it appears in many cultures and traditions.
To apply a small amount of oil, water, or another substance to a person, candle, or tool, usually with intention. Anointing marks something as blessed or prepared, and it is a common step in candle magic and ritual.
The study of how the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets are understood to reflect patterns in life and personality. Many witches plan workings by moon sign or planetary day, using astrology as a timing guide.
A ritual knife, traditionally double edged with a black handle, used to direct energy rather than to cut physical objects. In Wiccan practice the athame represents the element of air or fire, depending on the tradition.
A large outdoor fire lit for ritual or celebration, especially at festivals such as Beltane. Balefires are associated with protection, purification, and the turning of the seasons, and in older custom people passed between two fires for blessing.
To send away unwanted energy, habits, influences, or presences from a person or place. Banishing work is often done with smoke, salt, sound, or spoken words, and many practitioners time it to the waning Moon.
A fire festival held on or near May 1, one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. Beltane celebrates fertility, blossoming, and the height of spring, often with flowers, maypoles, and outdoor fires.
A traditional broom made of twigs bound to a handle, used in ritual to sweep a space clean of stagnant energy before work begins. The sweeping is symbolic rather than practical, clearing the way for a fresh start.
To restrain or limit the actions of a person, habit, or harmful influence through magical means. Binding is usually aimed at stopping harm rather than causing it, and practitioners treat it as serious work to consider carefully.
Words, gestures, or actions that call goodwill, protection, or sacred favor onto a person, place, or object. Blessings range from a formal ritual to a simple spoken wish, and nearly every path includes some form of them.
A practical ritual knife, often with a white or light colored handle, used for actual cutting in magical work. Practitioners use a bolline to harvest herbs, carve candles, cut cords, and prepare materials for spells.
A personal book in which a practitioner records spells, rituals, correspondences, and experiences. In Wiccan practice the term is traditional for a coven or personal grimoire, and today many witches keep one in any form they like.
A simple ritual sharing of food and drink, part of many Wiccan ceremonies. The cakes and ale, or wine or juice, are blessed and shared among participants to ground energy and celebrate the gifts of the earth.
A form of spellwork that uses a burning candle as its focus, often with color, carving, oils, and written intentions chosen for the goal. It is popular with beginners because it is simple, inexpensive, and easy to learn.
The practice of creating a defined, protected ritual space, usually visualized as a sphere or ring of energy around the working area. Casting a circle marks the boundary between everyday space and sacred space for the rite.
A heavy, usually iron pot long associated with witchcraft, used for burning incense or small fires, mixing herbs, and holding water for scrying. In myth and modern practice alike, the cauldron symbolizes transformation, abundance, and rebirth.
A heat safe container, often on a chain or stand, used for burning loose incense during ritual. The rising smoke is used to cleanse a space, carry prayers, and represent the combined elements of fire and air.
The practice of gathering your attention and energy into a calm, balanced point within yourself, often paired with grounding. Practitioners usually center before ritual or spellwork so they begin steady, focused, and present rather than scattered.
A ceremonial cup or goblet used to hold water, wine, or another drink during ritual. In Wiccan practice the chalice represents the element of water and the Goddess, and it is paired symbolically with the athame.
A word, phrase, or short verse repeated rhythmically, often many times, to focus the mind and raise energy during a working. Chants can be spoken softly, sung, or whispered, alone or by a whole group together.
To fill an object, such as a crystal, candle, or tool, with energy and a specific intention. A charged item is then used or carried for that purpose, and many practitioners charge items by moonlight or sunlight.
A small object, bag, or spoken verse prepared to carry a magical intention, usually for luck, protection, or love. The word can describe the item itself, the words spoken over it, or a simple spell.
The removal of heavy, stagnant, or unwanted energy from a person, object, or space. Common methods include smoke, salt, sound, water, and visualization, and cleansing is a regular first step before consecrating tools or beginning ritual.
In Wiccan practice, energy raised by a group through chanting, dancing, or drumming, visualized as rising into a cone above the circle. At its peak the energy is released toward the goal of the working.
To set something apart and make it sacred or fit for magical use, usually through cleansing, blessing, and intention. Practitioners consecrate tools, altars, and spaces when they first dedicate them to their practice.
An item, color, herb, stone, day, or symbol traditionally linked with a particular energy or purpose. Practitioners use tables of correspondences to choose fitting ingredients for a spell, such as rosemary for remembrance or Tuesday for courage.
A small, organized group of witches who meet regularly to celebrate, learn, and work magic together. In Wiccan practice a coven is led by a high priestess and high priest, though many modern covens are informal.
A common name for witchcraft itself, used warmly by many practitioners to describe their practice and community. The term became popular through Wicca and modern pagan writing, and it simply means the craft of the witch.
The third aspect of the Goddess in Wiccan tradition, pictured as a wise elder woman associated with the waning Moon, endings, and hard earned knowledge. The Crone represents experience, rest, and the courage to let go.
A natural mineral or stone used in magical work for its traditional associations, such as amethyst for calm or citrine for prosperity. Practitioners carry, place, or hold crystals during meditation, healing work, and spellcraft.
A formal commitment in which a person devotes themselves to a path, deity, or course of study for a set time or permanently. In Wiccan covens, dedication often comes before initiation and may last a year and a day.
A god, goddess, or divine being honored in religious or magical practice. Many witches work with deities from particular pantheons, while others understand deity as a single divine source, nature itself, or a personal guiding presence.
A Gaelic word meaning clockwise or sunwise, used in Wiccan practice for the direction of movement when casting a circle or stirring. Moving deosil is associated with building, blessing, and inviting energy in the Northern Hemisphere.
The practice of seeking insight or guidance about a question through tools or signs, such as tarot cards, runes, pendulums, or scrying. Practitioners treat readings as counsel to consider, not as fixed fortunes that cannot change.
A central Wiccan ritual in which a priestess invites the Goddess, in her Moon aspect, to be present through her. Participants experience the Goddess as speaking and blessing the circle, and it is considered a profound rite.
The four classical building blocks of the magical worldview: earth, air, fire, and water, with spirit sometimes counted as a fifth. Each element carries qualities and correspondences, and most workings call on one or more of them.
The unseen force practitioners sense, raise, direct, and release during magical work, sometimes described as a flow, warmth, or tingling. Learning to notice and shape energy through breath, focus, and visualization is a foundation skill in most paths.
One of two days each year, in March and September, when day and night are nearly equal in length. The equinoxes are sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, marking balance and the turning toward light or darkness.
In Wiccan practice, a ritual gathering held at the full Moon, or sometimes at other Moon phases, separate from the eight sabbats. Esbats are working meetings, used for spellcraft, healing, divination, and honoring the Moon.
The practice of calling a spirit, deity, or energy to come and be present outside or beside the practitioner, often into a defined space. It is usually contrasted with invocation, where the presence is invited within.
An animal or spirit companion believed to assist a witch in magical work, traditionally a cat, toad, or other creature. Today the word often describes a beloved pet felt to be a partner in the practitioner's spiritual life.
The male divine honored in many pagan paths, pictured in Wiccan tradition as a horned god of nature and the wildwood. Practitioners understand the God in many ways, from a literal being to a symbol of nature.
The female divine honored in many pagan paths, often understood as the source of life, the Moon, and the turning seasons. In Wiccan tradition she is frequently pictured in three aspects: Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
A book of magic containing spells, rituals, invocations, and instructions, traditionally kept by a practitioner or passed down through a tradition. The word comes from old books of ceremonial magic, and modern grimoires range from handwritten to printed.
The practice of releasing excess energy and reconnecting with the steady support of the earth, often by visualizing roots or simply touching the ground. Practitioners ground before and after workings to stay calm, clear, and balanced.
A ceremony joining two people in partnership or marriage, named for the cords that loosely bind their hands. Handfastings are common in modern pagan weddings and may join a couple for a year and a day or for life.
Work aimed at restoring balance and wellbeing in body, mind, or spirit, using methods such as energy work, herbs, prayer, and ritual. Practitioners treat magical healing as a companion to medical care, never a replacement for it.
A practitioner who works mostly alone, often with herbs, kitchen magic, and folklore, and who is said to ride the hedge between the everyday world and the spirit world. Hedge witchery values practicality, self reliance, and local tradition.
A plant used in magic and traditional remedies for its associations and properties, fresh, dried, or as an oil or tea. Practitioners choose herbs by correspondence, such as lavender for peace or rosemary for protection and memory.
A spell cast to cause trouble, discomfort, or misfortune for someone, stronger in intent than a simple binding. Many traditions discourage hexing and teach careful thought about consequences, while others accept it as justified protection or justice.
In a Wiccan coven, the male leader who shares responsibility for teaching, ritual, and the care of the group with the high priestess. The role is one of service and experience rather than rank over others.
In a Wiccan coven, the female leader who leads ritual, teaches, and represents the Goddess within the circle. She shares responsibility for the group with the high priest, and the role is earned through training and initiation.
A sabbat held on February 1 or 2, among the eight festivals of the Wheel of the Year. It marks the first stirrings of spring, honors the goddess Brigid, and is linked with candles, cleansing, and beginnings.
Words spoken or chanted as the active part of a spell, chosen and repeated to focus intention and raise energy. An incantation can be a traditional verse, a rhyme, or plain words spoken with conviction.
Aromatic material, such as resin, wood, herbs, or blended powder, burned so its smoke scents and marks a space. Incense is used to cleanse, to offer, and to help shift the mind into ritual awareness.
A formal rite that marks acceptance into a tradition, coven, or new level of practice, often involving vows, teaching, and symbolic rebirth. Some practitioners also self initiate, dedicating themselves through a solitary rite of their own making.
The clear purpose held in mind during a spell or ritual, stated as plainly as possible, such as protection for a home. Practitioners teach that intention focuses energy, and that clear intention matters more than elaborate tools.
The practice of calling a deity, spirit, or energy to be present, often inviting that presence to fill the practitioner or the ritual space. Invocations are usually spoken as formal, respectful addresses at the start of a rite.
A sabbat held on August 1, also called Lughnasadh, among the eight festivals of the Wheel of the Year. Lammas celebrates the first grain harvest, with bread, gratitude, and reflection on what the year's work has produced.
An offering of drink, such as water, milk, wine, or ale, poured onto the earth or into a bowl for deities, ancestors, or spirits. Libations are among the oldest and simplest forms of offering in many cultures.
The summer solstice sabbat, held on or near June 21, the longest day of the year. Litha celebrates the Sun at its peak, with themes of strength, abundance, and the first turning toward the darker half of the year.
Having to do with the Moon and its cycle of phases, from new to full and back again. Many practitioners plan workings by the Moon, beginning things as it waxes and releasing or banishing as it wanes.
The autumn equinox sabbat, held on or near September 21, when day and night stand equal. Mabon is a harvest thanksgiving, honoring balance, gratitude, and the stored gifts of the earth before winter arrives.
A spelling of magic with a k, popularized by the occultist Aleister Crowley, used by many practitioners to set real magical practice apart from stage tricks and entertainment. The spelling is a personal preference, and both forms appear widely.
The first aspect of the Goddess in Wiccan tradition, pictured as a young woman associated with the waxing Moon, beginnings, and fresh possibility. As a ritual role, a maiden may also assist the high priestess in some covens.
The practice of quieting and focusing the mind, through breath, imagery, or simple stillness. Meditation builds the concentration that spellwork and divination depend on, and many practitioners treat it as the foundation skill of the whole craft.
The changing shapes of the Moon through its monthly cycle: new, waxing, full, and waning, with quarter moons between. Each phase carries traditional associations, and many practitioners time beginnings, growth, gratitude, and release to match them.
The second aspect of the Goddess in Wiccan tradition, pictured as a woman in her fullness, associated with the full Moon, fertility, and abundance. The Mother represents nourishment, creativity, and the height of the growing season.
A spirit believed to live in or guard a part of the natural world, such as a tree, stream, hill, or garden. Many witches greet nature spirits with respect and leave small offerings rather than treating nature as empty scenery.
Divination or magic worked with the spirits of the dead, an old practice found in many cultures. In modern witchcraft it is a specialist path, approached carefully and with respect, and most beginners meet the word first in books.
The phase when the Moon is dark and not visible in the night sky. Witches often treat it as a time for beginnings, setting intentions, and planting the seeds of plans that will grow as the Moon brightens again.
A divination system that reads meaning in numbers, such as birth dates and names reduced to single digits. Each number carries qualities, and practitioners use them to understand personality, timing, and the patterns running through a life.
A word meaning hidden or secret, used for the whole family of magical and mystical subjects, from ritual and astrology to alchemy and divination. Bookshops once shelved witchcraft under occult, and the word still carries that meaning today.
A gift left for a deity, spirit, ancestor, or the land itself, often food, drink, flowers, or incense. Offerings express thanks and good manners in spiritual work, and they are usually left respectfully and cleared away with care later.
An early Irish alphabet of twenty letters, each named for a tree or plant, carved in lines along a central stem. Modern practitioners use ogham as a divination set, drawing staves or cards much like runes for guidance.
In magical work, an oil is a scented blend, often herbs steeped in a carrier oil, used to anoint candles, tools, doorways, or the skin. Different blends are made for purposes such as protection, love, prosperity, or calm.
A sign or event noticed in the everyday world and read as carrying a message, such as a change in weather or an animal crossing your path. Witches learn to note omens calmly and weigh them rather than fear them.
A source of guidance received through divination, or the tool used to receive it, such as an oracle card deck. Oracle decks differ from tarot in having no fixed structure, so each deck follows its own theme and system.
The sabbat of the spring equinox, around March 20 in the northern hemisphere, when day and night stand equal. It is a festival of renewal, seeds, eggs, and new growth, and many witches bless gardens and begin fresh projects then.
A broad word for people who follow earth centered or pre Christian religions, including many witches, Druids, and Heathens. It is an umbrella term rather than one single faith, and most pagans honor nature as sacred in some form.
Divination by reading the lines, mounts, and shape of the hand, also called chiromancy. Practitioners say the hand shows character and tendencies rather than a fixed fate, so a reading is guidance to consider, not a sentence handed down.
The full family of gods and goddesses belonging to one culture or tradition, such as the Greek, Norse, or Egyptian pantheons. A witch may honor one pantheon, work with a single deity, or blend devotion in a personal way.
A guided visualization journey, usually led by a recorded voice or a written script, that walks the mind through symbolic places to meet guides or explore the inner world. It is a form of meditation used for insight and healing.
A small weight hung from a chain or cord, held still so its swings can answer questions. Practitioners first establish which swing means yes, no, and unclear for them, and use it for gentle divination and finding lost objects.
A five pointed star enclosed in a circle, worn as jewelry or placed on an altar as a symbol of protection and the elements. On the altar it is often a flat disc used for blessing and consecrating items.
A five pointed star drawn with one unbroken line, without the surrounding circle that makes it a pentacle. In modern witchcraft its points are linked with earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, and it is a sign of the craft.
A small doll made to represent a person in spellwork, traditionally stuffed with herbs and personal links. Poppets are used most often for healing, comfort, and protection, despite the frightening dolls of film and folklore.
A magical liquid preparation, such as an herbal brew, bath blend, or floor wash, made with a set intention. Most modern potions are external or symbolic rather than drinks, and wise practitioners check an herb is safe before using it.
Any working meant to keep a person, home, or object safe from harm and unwanted influence. Protection is often the first magic a beginner learns, using tools as simple as salt, a candle, a prayer, or a firmly locked door.
Relating to sensing beyond the ordinary five senses, such as intuition, dreams that prove meaningful, or feeling the mood of a room. Many witches describe psychic skill simply as trained attention, something that grows steadier with regular practice.
One of the four directions, north, east, south, and west, honored in ritual as guardians of the circle. Calling the quarters means inviting each direction and its element to witness and protect the work, then thanking and releasing them afterward.
A common family of crystals, clear quartz being the best known, used in healing layouts, grids, and as an all purpose amplifier of intention. Different varieties, such as rose quartz and amethyst, carry their own traditional associations.
A piece of guiding counsel in Wiccan practice, best known for its closing advice that no harm be done. It is guidance for conscience rather than a law, and witches outside Wicca may or may not choose to follow it.
The belief that the soul is reborn into a new life after death, learning across many lifetimes. Many witches and pagans hold some form of this belief, often joined with a restful in between place called the Summerland.
A set of planned actions done with intention, usually in a set order, to mark a purpose, a season, or a request. Rituals can be formal and scripted or simple as lighting one candle with a sincere heart.
A bath taken with intention, using salts, herbs, or oils, to cleanse the spirit as well as the body. Witches take ritual baths before important workings, after hard days, or simply to restore a clear and steady mood.
Letters of old Germanic and Norse alphabets, especially the twenty four of the Elder Futhark, each carrying a name and a meaning. Carved on wood or stone, they are drawn like cards for divination and used in charms.
One of the eight seasonal festivals of the Wheel of the Year, marking solstices, equinoxes, and the turning points between them. Sabbats celebrate the changing land and light, and many witches observe them with food, fire, and simple ritual.
A place set apart for spiritual work, whether a permanent altar corner or a room prepared for one ritual. Making sacred space usually means cleaning, quieting, and blessing the area so ordinary worries are left at the door.
A mineral long used for cleansing and protection in folk magic across many cultures. Witches sprinkle salt at thresholds, add it to baths, and set a small dish of it on the altar to stand for the element of earth.
The sabbat on October 31, often called the witches new year, honoring the dead and the ancestors. It is a time for remembrance, photographs and candles on the altar, and respect for the thinning veil between the worlds.
Divination by gazing into a surface such as a mirror, a bowl of water, a crystal ball, or a flame until impressions arise. Scrying takes patience and a relaxed mind, and images are usually symbolic rather than plain pictures.
The honest inner work of facing the parts of yourself you hide, deny, or dislike, often through journaling and meditation. Borrowed from psychology and adapted by modern witches, it is slow healing work, not a spell, and deserves gentleness.
A symbol created to hold one intention, often by combining the letters of a written wish into a single drawn design. The maker charges the sigil, then forgets its exact meaning so the wish can work without fussing.
A word meaning clothed in the sky, used in some Wiccan traditions for working ritual without clothing. It is a matter of tradition and personal comfort only, entirely optional, and most modern witches wear whatever feels right to them.
A term borrowed from the smoke ceremonies of some Indigenous North American peoples, whose practices are closed to outsiders. It is commonly used loosely for any smoke cleansing with herbs, though many practitioners now say smoke cleansing instead.
Relating to the Sun, its cycles, and its energy of growth, success, health, and clear sight. Solar work is timed by noon, Sundays, or the summer festivals, and often uses gold candles and herbs such as bay and sunflower.
A witch who practices alone rather than in a coven or group. Solitary practice is the most common path today, supported by books and courses, and it can be joined with community whenever the witch wishes more company.
A focused act of magic, using words, objects, and intention to bring about a change. Spells are usually small and practical, asking for help with healing, protection, work, or love, and they pair best with ordinary real world effort.
A small bottle or jar filled with herbs, crystals, salt, and a written intention, sealed and kept or buried to hold a spell. Spell jars are a modern favorite for protection, sweetening a situation, or steadying the home.
A word with two common uses: the unseen essence or soul within living things, and a being without a body, such as an ancestor or a land spirit. Witches usually make clear which meaning they intend when they speak.
An object made or chosen to carry a helpful quality toward its owner, such as luck, courage, or success. A talisman is charged and consecrated for its purpose, and many people carry one daily as a small stone or charm.
A deck of seventy eight cards, with twenty two major arcana and fifty six minor arcana, used for divination and reflection. Each card carries traditional imagery and meaning, and readers blend book learning with intuition in every reading.
Divination by reading the shapes left by loose tea leaves in a cup after the tea is drunk, also called tasseography. The reader turns the cup, studies the patterns near the rim and handle, and tells the story they suggest.
A teaching in Wiccan practice that whatever energy a person sends out returns to them three times over. It is a reminder to act with care, similar to ideas of karma, and not every witch or tradition accepts it.
An established line or style of witchcraft with its own customs, teachings, and ways of working, such as Gardnerian Wicca or a folk family tradition. Traditions pass their craft from teacher to student, while solitaries often build an eclectic path.
A shifted state of awareness, quieter and more focused than ordinary waking thought, reached through drumming, chanting, breath, or dance. Witches use trance for journeying, divination, and deep ritual, and return from it slowly with food and grounding.
In Wiccan practice, the Goddess honored in three forms, Maiden, Mother, and Crone, matching the waxing, full, and waning Moon. She stands for the cycles of a life and of nature, and she is often shown as three moons joined.
In myth, the realm of the dead and of deep hidden things below the earth, visited by heroes and gods in many old stories. Modern witches meet it in journey work as a symbol of ancestors, rest, and buried wisdom.
A figure of speech for the boundary between the everyday world and the world of spirits. Witches say the veil thins at Samhain and Beltane, meaning ancestors and spirits feel closer and communication with them seems easier then.
The practice of picturing something clearly in the mind, such as light around the body or a goal already achieved. Visualization is the engine inside most spellwork, and like a muscle it grows stronger and steadier with daily use.
A handheld tool, traditionally of wood, used to direct energy, cast a circle, or invite blessing. A wand is associated with air in some traditions and fire in others, and many witches make their own from a fallen branch.
The two weeks when the visible Moon shrinks from full toward dark. Waning moon work turns to release, banishing bad habits, clearing clutter, and quiet rest, letting go of what is finished so the next cycle can begin clean.
A protective guard set on a home, a threshold, or a person, usually by intention, symbols, or objects placed with care. Warding is quiet maintenance magic, renewed from time to time like checking the locks on your doors.
An old word for a male witch, from a term that once meant oath breaker, which is why most men in the craft simply call themselves witches. You will meet warlock in older books and in plenty of films.
The two weeks when the visible Moon grows from dark toward full. Waxing moon work turns to building, drawing things in, and steady effort, such as blessing a new project or working for growth in health, work, or love.
The yearly cycle of eight sabbats followed in Wiccan and much modern pagan practice, turning through solstices, equinoxes, and the festivals between. It frames the year as a story of birth, growth, harvest, and rest in the land.
A modern pagan religion, taking shape in England in the middle of the last century, that honors a Goddess and often a God, and celebrates the Wheel of the Year. Many witches are Wiccan, though many are not.
An old word for moving counterclockwise, against the course of the Sun. In ritual, widdershins movement is used for closing a circle, undoing, or banishing, the mirror of deosil, the clockwise direction used for building and blessing.
A person who practices witchcraft, of any gender, background, or age. The word carried fear for centuries, and many people today reclaim it with pride as the name of a skilled, thoughtful practitioner of a nature honoring craft.
The practice of magic, ritual, divination, and herbal and folk skills, usually rooted in respect for nature and the unseen world. Witchcraft is a craft rather than a religion, though for many people the two are woven closely together.
The sabbat of the winter solstice, around December 21 in the northern hemisphere, the longest night of the year. Yule honors the returning light with evergreens, candles, feasting, and gifts, and many Christmas customs grew beside its older roots.
The band of twelve signs used in astrology, Aries through Pisces, each with its own element, planet, and character. Witches use the zodiac to time workings, understand birth charts, and match herbs, stones, and days to their purposes.
THE WITCHERY SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT
Blessed be.