The word abracadabra is known universally as the "magic word" of stage conjurers. What little is known is that it is a word of ancient origin, used by genuine magicians from about the third century.

The word abracadabra is derived from a Aramaic phrase (Avarah K'Davarah) meaning, "I will create as I speak." (Harry Potter fans might recognize this spelling; however, it is not a curse.) It has appeared in Kabbalistic and Gnostic texts alike.

The substance of spirit.

A table or other elevated surface on which offerings are made to various deities. Some form of altar is common to most religions.

A charm that can be made out of several things known to have magical energies and is worn on your person usually around your neck in most cases. There are several types of amulets each carries a different magical property such as protection, health, prosperity, success, love, lust, insight, courage, etc.

Ancient Egyptian symbol of fertility, life and immortality. Also known as an Ansata cross, it is a visual representation of a sandal strap. The lower cross represents the masculine aspect of divinity; the top loop, the feminine. The Ankh is considered to have meaning in Ritual magick and in Wiccan/Neopagan traditions.

Astral travel is known as the “Out of Body Experience”. It is the semi rare ability where your “spirit” or “Astral self” leaves your physical body and journeys to other astral planes, dimensions, or places. Some people experience astral travel without knowing it while they sleep when their body is in a more “relaxed state” and the subconscious takes over our “conscious” minds. It takes lots of practice to gain control of the ability to travel in the astral planes. When you do gain control over astral travel you can will yourself you be in two places at once (meaning you can physically be in one place and still have conscious control over your physical self (see, hear, and feel what is going on around you in your physical body) and your astral self or spirit can be somewhere else which is the part of you that isn’t made of physical substance and you can see what is happening in both places. Sometimes communicate from both places at once.)

This is the non physical part of you, your spirit or soul. Everyone has a spirit matter in them that usually takes the form of your true self or your physical body.

Now I have never read about the subject but I know from personal experience that astral summoning is possible. This is the ability for someone else to summon or will your astral self to them. This can happen when someone strongly wills you there with them or calls you subconsciously and your astral self responds without your consent from your conscious mind. If you don’t know what it is happening it can be quite an experience it is like being two places at once.

The ancient art of divining by carefully calculating and following the paths of the stars and planets. It is a very difficult but very accurate form of divination. In legends the centaurs (creatures half human half horse) where masters of astrology.

Pronunciation: ah-thah-may • (noun)

An athame is a knife with a double sided blade used in most wiccan/pagan rituals. Some prefer athames with a black handle but the color and decoration is really up to the person. Some like to personalize their athame with runes, and symbols engraved into the handle or blade. Some like to bless their athames with the 5 elements; earth, air, fire, water and spirit before using in rituals, circle casting, or ceremonies.

Pronunciation: Ah-toom • (noun)

In Egyptian and in Alexandrian Hermetic writings, Atum is the supreme deity, or the unknowable God, who travels across the sky in the aten, or sun disk.

An avatar is a reincarnation of a deity in human form.

An augur was one of a Roman priestly class, a diviner chiefly concerned with interpreting the songs and flight patterns of birds to determine the success of Roman political and military undertakings. (the augur was also known as an 'auspex,' from which we get the word 'auspice.') The practice was inherited by the Romans from the Etruscans.

The augur's tool was a wooden wand, often with a curled end, called a littus (or, lituus). Echoes of this ceremonial tool can be seen in the crozier carried by officials of the Roman Catholic Church. (Early images of Jesus sometimes depict him withan augur's wand)

The most progressive sign of the zodiac Aquarius rule by the planet Uranus planet of rebellion and the element water. (Jan. 20^th-Feb. 18^th)

An aura is energy sometimes visible around a person, place, or thing. Often times auras can be seen in different colors and hold different meanings. For example if you see a black aura around a person it could mean usually one of two things death, or a drastic change that is about to take place to the person or has recently taken place with that person. A black aura can also mean negative energy, usually if that is the case you can sense the bad feeling as well hovering around that person or place or thing.

B’s

A besom is a special broom, used to sweep away evil and negative energies. Although they aren’t really used for flying over the moon, in old customs druids and pagans used besoms for “broom hopping” an old type of marriage ceremony mostly performed on the night of Beltane. It is also said that when a besom or broom falls a visitor is coming (also meaning sometimes a spiritual visitor) most times this means more of a warning that the visitor isn’t a pleasant house guest.

A bezoar is a stone found in the digestive system of animals usually a goat. It has also has been rumored that bezoars could be found in the heads of toads. They were once used for an antidote for most poisons (some of you might of heard of it from the famous Harry Potter tales.)

Real magic is neither black nor white. It is both because nature is both. Magic becomes black or white/negative or positive, good or evil depending on the one the energy or magic is coming from. “Black magic” is negative energy directed in a spell from a person wishing someone or something harm or to force someone or something to do their negative bidding, or to basically force another to go against their own will.

The book of shadows or (B.O.S) is a record or dairy a witch keeps from the day she first enters into the craft and fills it with all the knowledge and experiences she has through out her life, spells, rituals, and other very useful information. If she or he trains another in the family usually they pass down their B.O.S. to the newer witch to read and record what they will in their own B.O.S. and so on. At least that is the tradition I have started in my family. Everyone is different, some never show their Book Of Shadows some witches never keep one. Some keep one large book that spells and rituals are added into through out their family line (kind of like in the T.V. series Charmed, but in these cases the spells etc. are real.) and they have inside it a family tree that is added onto as well (like what you find in some old Christen Bibles.) Everyone is different and every B.O.S. is different and full of lots of different information.

These were the darkest times in all history for both witches and people of all types of religions and backgrounds, and histories. No one was safe through out these hard times (may they be over for all time) Commonly known as the time of the witch hunts and when many were accused of witchcraft most of whom did not practice it some were burned at the stake, others tortured in ways well I’d rather not go into. Basically it was a time of blood and lies and massacre. If you want more information contact me and I’ll refer some sites and books I don’t have the stomach to write on it myself.

A pagan/druid/wiccan holiday celebrated on the 1^st of May at sundown. It is mostly known as the celebration of sex (not the sick porno gang-banging nastiness) but the beauty of sex and reproduction of life. In old times Beltane fires would be lit and a maiden (who was normally a virgin) would be chosen and she would play the spring maiden and another (the stag) would be chosen to play the god or Cerunnos. This couple would invoke the deities into their bodies and make love in hope to create life, a child conceived of the magical union. It was said that a child conceived in such a union would have great gifts of the craft.

A type of divination based on the manipulation of specific plants and trees.

I won’t go into how this is done. It is a common “Awaking spell” done to voo-doo dolls in black magic.

Some people do this before they use their tools for the first time, others like to bless their tools before each use. There is several ways and little rituals to bless your ritual tools, one of the easiest and probably most used that I know of is blessing them by the elements; earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.

See Black Magick

Banishing someone is a spell that is not to be taken lightly. Every spell can hold different outcomes, so when banishing anyone or anything from a person to a common ghoul or astral creature use caution and BECAREFUL. Banishing is just, a spell to banish a person or thing. It could be to get rid of that person or thing permanently or temporally.

Bindings are tricky. It can be done to “bind a person or thing to you” or to “bind” or prevent a person from doing something (for example causing harm to themselves or others.) It is always wise to use extreme CAUTION when doing a binding spell because they can always backfire. Marriage rituals like hand fasting or broom hopping is also a kind of binding spell it is the binding of two souls for an amount of time, sometimes for always meaning in this life and the next and so on. These do work so be careful and always, always think out a spell before doing it!!

Water used for cleansing (such as cleansing one’s house of negative energies) made usually at the full moon with water and sea salt under the light of the ripened moon and blessed by the goddess.

C’s

Capricorn is the tenth constellation in the zodiac, with the element earth. It is the zodiac sign for those born December 22^nd-Janurary 19^th.

The Chalice is tool used in Pagan or Wiccan ritual magick ceremonies, the chalice represents the water element, receptivity, feminine energy, and form. It represents the Goddess of feminine principal in a number of rituals. It is related to the suite of cups in the Tarot deck, and the watery signs of the zodiac.

This is generally when the god or goddess is invoked or summoned to bless an object or person. Sometime in ritual magic a priest or priestess will call or (invoke) the god or goddess into themselves to do this.

The Cherubim were originally the ancient protectors of the Mesopotamian Tree of Life. They were often depicted supporting the thrones of deities and kings.

They are closely related to (and often identical to) the sphinx.

In the Judeeo-Christian tradition, they are the four vast, winged creatures described in the visions of Ezekiel, each winged creature bearing four faces: a lion, a bull, eagle, and human head.

In later Christian tradition, the four Cherubim (tetramorphs) are associated with the four evangelists of the New Testament.

The chubby baby angels we commonly refer to as "cherubs" are in fact "putti," and are carry-overs from Roman paganism.

In Kabbalah, the second Sphere (sephira) of divine emanation. Chokmah (Hebrew, wisdom) is one of the three 'supernal' or unmanifest sephira. Chokma rules over the sphere of the zodiac (or the planet Uranus, depending on the system).

The crocodile occasionaly pictured on the first tarot trump is Choronzon, in the guise of Ammit, the "eater of souls" of Egyptian mythology. To the prepared, Choronzon is the beneficient destroyer of the ego, to the unprepared, a force of dispersion or annihlation.

Some see Choronzon as an independent entity (or group of entities- Legion) who opposes (Detailed descriptions of Choronzon can be found in Casaubon's A true and faithful relation, and in Crowley's The Vision and the Voice.)

Casting the circle is done by most witches in both rituals and spell casting as a means to keep out negativity. It is usually done with a ritual tool known as an atheme or a sword most always it is double bladed. The circle is symbolic for life, the cycle of all creation, for the oneness of all things.

Being clairvoyant basically means that you have the gift or ability to divine. In one way or another you are able to see things in a way that others usually can not for example you see things before they occur by dreams, tarot, or another form of divination, or that sometimes you can simply make predictions or have premonitions that come true. This goes for both the past, present and future there are hundreds of different types one can divine or be clairvoyant.

The Cone of Power refers to energy raised during a Wiccan ritual; the enrgy is said to resemle a cone before being released for its intended purpose. A ritual designed to create directed enrgy is referred to as "raising the cone of power."

Cords were often used in different types of magick for different spells and purposes. Often special knots were made into these cords for wishes, hand fasting ceremonies (marriages), bindings, or other spells. Typically as long as the knot would hold the spell would stay intact but of the knots all unfold then the spell was good as never told.

As heavenly bodies were thought to influence earthly sphere, things that correspond symbolicaly to those bodies or energies will share that influence.

For example, a ruby, which is symbolic of the energies of the planet Saturn, corresponds to Saturn, and takes its place in magick used to obtain Saturnian influences.

The word coven derives from an old French word, couvenant meaning "to agree," from the same root as convent and convene. Used specifically to denote groups of witches in the seventeenth century.

A modern Wiccan magical group is also referred to as a coven. It is usually comprised of thirteen members, including a Priest and Priestess.

The original meaning of Cowan described a stone mason who worked without having served an apprenticeship. In later times, it was used by Freemasons to denote a non-initiate who poses as a Mason, or simply a non-initiate.

In Wiccan/Neopagan parlance, a sometimes derogatory term meaning nonbeliever or scoffer. (although "muggle" seems to be fast overtaking this term in common usage) It does not mean "traitor" as is sometimes averred.

Some like angels classify demons into different groups, which is what has been done in older times mainly by christens or those of the catholic faith. The simplest way to describe or define a demon is as an entity with very negative purposes. Demons feed upon fear, and negativity, and destruction. Demons commonly use manipulation as a key form to attain these things from living things capable of emotions. Demons are extremely dangerous beings and although without a physical body of matter they can not cause you death or harm directly but they can use the process of possession (inhabiting another body) to cause physical harm or even death to the person they inhabit or others who come in contact with that person. Demons are sometimes mistaken with poltergeists a nasty ghost or elemental being, however there are differences. Demons are far more deadly to encounter than a malicious poltergeist. They can come in many shapes or forms, mostly they are elemental spirits themselves once human who haven’t moved onto the next level of existence who have fed on a great deal of hate, and negative energy becoming a powerful and much feared supernatural being. Sometimes though rare you can encounter demons that have evolved from other species or entities.

The phrase "Dark Night of the Soul" is derived from the works of the Spanish mystic and poet, St. John of the Cross. In Western mystical thought, it refers to the arduous process of purifying the soul of worldly attachments in preparation for illumination. +

Deosil is an archaic phrase, meaning "in the direction of the sun." Its current use refers to a clockwise perambulation in Wiccan and Neopagan rituals.

There are hundreds of different types of divination. Divination can be extremely hard to some and a second nature to others. Basically it is the art or ability of telling the past, present, or future about something, someone, or something. Some types or methods of divination are tarot reading, tea leaf reading, scrying, touching objects or people for premonitions, rune reading, astrology, palmistry etc.

Djinn are often disruptive, but can sometimes be of service to mankind. The Djinn shunned daylight and were responsible for disease and insanity. Unlike other devilish creatures, however, the Djinn are creatures of free will, even having a chance at redemption through Islam. The three classes of Djinn are:

In Middle Eastern magical practice, Djinn are invoked much like the spirits of the Goetia in Western magick.

The word "genie" is a corruption of Djinn. Both 'Djinn' and 'Genius' probably share a common root. Djinn are said to avoid salt and steel, and to be afraid of the sound of singing.

Drawing down the moon is an old ritual used in both pagan and wiccan faiths. It is basically the act of invoking the goddess through the moon, done of nights when the moon is full. Using a chalice filled with water or blessed water you raise your cup to the moon and say your own rites of passage or words and when you hold the moon whole in the depths of your chalice or cup you complete your spell or ritual by drinking of the moon or goddess. Sometimes this is also done on a new moon, everyone has a different method of doing this but the concept is the same.

In Jewish folklore, a dybbuk is a wandering spirit, the soul of a dead person who may attempt to forcibly inhabit another body.

A person who practices the art of druidism or paganism which were the ways of the goddess before the ways of the catholic or christens came to pass.

J’s

Jupiter

In Kemetic religion, Ma'at is the principal of universal justice, a concept similar to Karma in eastern religions. Ma'at is personified as a Goddess, but is not strictly a deity.

Mabon also generally known as the Fall or Autumn Equinox is celebrated September 23^rd, but sometimes the actual day varies from a day or two around the 23^rd. The actual Autumn Equinox occurs when the sun journeying south bound crosses the equator and we experience a time when day and night are equally measured in time. Hence it is often symbolized as a time of great balance, it is usually after the Autumn Equinox that we have to set our clocks back (Autumn-fall back, Spring-spring ahead) because during the spring and summer time months the hours of the day have been longer than the hours of the night, with winter around the corner the time difference in day and night reverses making the hours of night and darkness increase over how many hours of daylight we receive.

It’s also time to finish harvesting, and start storing away the bounty of your garden for those long winter months.

In Roman mythology, the Maenads were the mad female followers of Dionysus/Bacchus. Believed to be nymphs frenzied by the influence of Dionysus/Bacchus, they represent dangerous, unrestrained sexuality.

There are really two types of magic, illusion which isn’t true magic but just tricks done by smoke and mirrors and true magic that comes from with in a person. Real magic the type that comes from with in resides in everyone at different levels. Magic comes from energy which is what we are basically made of, human beings are like huge living batteries we take in and send out several amounts of energy a day it’s like breathing air we do it without even realizing it. Magic is the ability to manipulate the energy we send out, and direct that energy to a certain location to attain a certain goal or outcome.

The kamea is a grid of numbers that represents one of the seven planets and is used to discover the names and seals of the planetary seals, intelligences and spirits. The number of squares on the grid is determined by the number of the Sephira governing the planet- nine for the moon, three for Saturn, etc. The numbers in the square must be arranged (using increasingly difficult methods) so that each row or column adds to the same sum. The seal of each planet is created by drawing figures which touch on each square of the seal. The seals of the spirits and intelligences of the seals are traced according to the gematric value of their names. (i.e., aleph=1, and so on; the name Agiel would be traced as 1,3,10, 3 0n the Saturn Square)

Divination preformed by the tossing of stones.

In Kabbalistic cosmology, Malkuth is the tenth and final Sphere (sephira) of divine emanation. The word Malkuth means kingdom, or throne, and is the plane of material existence.

Divination preformed using weather patterns.

Divination preformed by studying the movement and appearance of rodents.

Written in Damascus in 730 A.D. by the "Mad Arab" Abdul Alhazred, it's the most evil of the black magick Grimoires. Its use has propelled the unwitting into violence, insanity, and death. Just looking inside without proper precautions can render a person insane....right? Hardly.

The Necronomicon, or "Book of Dead Names," is pure invention. It was originally conceived as a literary device by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, as background for his story The Hound. In the fictional history he later created, the Necronomicon was the product of an Arab poet, Abdul Alhazred, who worshipped extra-terrestrial deities named "Yog-Sothoth" and "Cthulhu."

The nephilim (meaning fallen ones) were angels whom after seeing the evolution of human’s became intrigued with the human woman, and discovering the joy and pleasures of a sexual union with these women they were banned from heaven. Those fallen angels that did fall in love with these human women stayed upon earth teaching the women magic and the ways of the earth and mated with them, also creating a mixed hybrid of offspring called nephilim.

Divination preformed by studying cloud shapes and movements.

Nidstang means, literally, "curse pole." The nidstang (sometimes called a "Nithing Pole," or "niding pole") is an ancient Scandinavian custom of formal cursing or hexing. A wooden pole or stake was inscribed with the intended consequence and erected with a ceremony. A horse's head and hide or carcass was placed atop the pole in the facing in the direction one wished to send the curse. Today, the nidstang is more likely to be virtual- an internet curse accompanied by a virtual horse's head (I'm sure the horses are relieved).

Notariqon (Notarikon) is a Kabbalistic methodology, and involves looking for deeper meanings in words or phrases by expanding them into sentences, or reducing phrases to acronyms. A well known example of Notarikon is the word amen, a compaction of the phrase "Adonai Melekh Na'amon," "Lord, faithful King." Pronounced No-tar-ik-kon • (noun)

The Goddess Nuit (Nut, etc.) Nut (noot) is the Egyptian Goddess of the sky, representing the fullness of the cosmos. She is usually depicted nude, a body made of stars, arching over the world.

In Egyptian mythology, Nut swallowed the sun every evening, and gave birth to it every morning. She was the mother of the deities Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys. Her name is the root of the word "night" in a number of tongues. In the Thelemic faith, Nut is Nuit, the personification of infinite space, the goddess who revealed herself to Aleister Crowley in 1904.

Obeah means sorcery, and refers to a number of folk magick traditions both within specific faiths, or practiced as a separate tradition combining aspects of African traditional religion with western ritual magick.

Usually the term “occult” refers to a supernatural practice or witchcraft, but an occult can be any group of people gathered together for a certain purpose, faith, or goal that the members strongly believe in. An occult isn’t always dangerous to join but as any group you should always know the terms of membership and what it stands for being for agreeing to join.

The Celtic Ogham alphabet dates from the fourth century. The alphabet is named for Ogmos, the Celtic god of knowledge and communication. Ogmos was associated with the Gaulish Ogmios and the Greek Hermes.

The ogham alphabet has twenty letters, each named for a different tree sacred to the Celtic Druids. Each letter is made up of one to five straight or angled lines incised on a straight base line. Because the number of letters, and the number of lines that make up each letter, some scholars have theorized that the ogham may have originated as a system of hand signs. Examples of Ogham writing have been found all over the British Isles, and even as far away as Spain and Portugal. All surviving examples exist as stone carvings, usually on tombstones and road markers.

Although it is commonly used by modern Druids and other NeoPagans as a divination system, there is no real relationship between modern and historical divination systems. When used as a divination method, the letters are usually notched into straight twigs and used much like runes.

Usually around March 2oth Ostara is the Spring Equinox when the days start to become longer and the first real buds of spring start to bloom.

It is the celebration of spring and winter’s end, of re-birth and life taking form after the harsh months of winter have finally come to an end.

It is the goddess in her maiden form young and beautiful renewed from her rule as the crone.

In my family Ostara is the “time of training” for those old enough to begin their journey in the craft. We also celebrate by making a small feast of all our spring time favorites lemonade, sandwiches, chips and we have a picnic outside under the clear sky before we start working on re-planting our garden and asking the goddess to bless it.