Glossary for C
A term of dating that means the Common Era. Used by scientists, scholars, and Pagans as a more appropriate alternative to the religious A.D., Latin for “Year of our Lord.”
Cabala...is a system of mysticism with its origins in Judaism, stemming in part from the "chariot" visions of first-century mystics, in part from Gnosticism and Neoplatonism, in part from the theological speculations of medieval Spanish Jews, and in part from later thinkers. For many centuries, cabala was the accepted form of mysticism and theology within Judaism, but for the most part it has now fallen out of favor in religious contexts. Nevertheless, many rabbis and Jewish scholars still take an interest in it. As a philosophy and as a way of looking at God and the universe, it survives in yet wider quarters. Especially in the form developed by Christian enthusiasts in the Italian Renaissance and by 19th-century Christian and pagan occultists, cabalism retains vast importance as the key to mystical thinking outside of the mainstream and to the practice of ceremonial magic.
Also See: Kabbalah, Qabalah, Qabala
A large enclosure with a curtain in the front. Usually, they were big enough to hold a chair and a table. During a séance, a medium would be bound and secured within the cabinet, often tied to a chair or post. Objects such as tambourines and bells would be placed on the table. With the curtain closed spirits would supposedly “come through” the medium in some way to play the instruments, move things around, cause lights to flash, etc. Some magic entertainers have been able to simulate this as part of their show.
Perhaps the most famous use of a cabinet was a variation made by Houdini in an attempt to catch the medium known as “Margery” in fraud. He put her in a box with holes for her head and arms in order to control her. Houdini claimed he proved her to be a fake, but his assistant later admitted to planting false evidence on her by Houdini’s instructions.
A fashioned talisman that usually has a convex shape on one side and which is flat on the other, although any fashioning that does not involve faceting or tumbling is often considered to be making a cabochon. They are often of oval shape, but irregular shapes are common.
A type of evil spirit, cacodemons were capable of shapeshifting. In Enochian magick there are 1,024 cacodemons who do the work that creates the universe. They are the negative counterpart of agathodemons.
Cadent houses in the birth chart (3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th) are said to be less forceful; planets placed in these houses may operate on a more mental or detached level.
(A winged wand entwined by two serpents.) Symbol of Mercury, messenger of the gods, the wand represents power, the snakes represent wisdom, and the wings represent diligence. Also, the wand represents earth, the wings represent air, and the serpents represent fire and water.
A human-made pile of rocks. They may be very simple or quite elaborate and often are made in the form of a cone. In modern times they are used to mark such things as a path or the top of a mountain. In ancient times they may have marked burial sites, astrological sites, or as aids for hunting.
Cakes and Wine
A small “feast” marking the end to many Wiccan and Pagan rituals. The food of the feats consists of “cake” (usually a form of bread) and wine or wine substitute. Sometimes, instead of wine, some groups will use ale.
A term for a summoning, sometimes used to indicate the summoning of a spirit as part of an invocation or evocation.
When testing for ESP using such things as guessing which playing card an investigator is holding, each response to a question such as “What card am I holding?” is known as a “call.”
Calling the Quarters
Usually performed near the start of a ritual, the practice of evoking protective entities, deities, or powers that correspond to the specific energies of the cardinal directions as determined by the beliefs of the tradition being followed.
Pre-Hellenic goddess who was the personification of the force of instinct. In Greece, she became associated with being an eternally virginal nymph of Artemis. When Artemis discovers that she was seduced and impregnated by Zeus, she turns Callisto into a bear and puts her in the stars as the constellation, Ursa Major.
Calypso Moon Language
I am rather at a loss to give definition to this. Culling calls it a quasi-Enochian Language. Researching, I find that Calypso is a West Indian musical style influenced by jazz; it’s also a small species of orchid (Calypso borealis), having a flower variegated with purple, pink, and yellow that grows in cold, bog-like localities in the northern part of the United States. It is also the name of a tiny moon of the planet Saturn, discovered in 1980, and in 1983 named for the goddess Calypso who detained Odysseus for seven years in Homer’s Odyssey. And, finally, it is a fashion in which women tie a knot in their shirt and exposes her waist. There is some indication that it closely resembles modern Greek.
Acronym for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This is the currently popular term to describe all non-allopathic forms of healing, ranging from the laying on of hands and acupuncture to Reiki and hypnotherapy.
An officer of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In a full temple, this officer is present on the dais when the temple is open for Neophytes. The purpose of this officer (the name is Latin for “chancellor”) is to keep records. When this office is held by a woman, she is called the Cancellaria.
The best quality of Cancer is the ability to nurture the self and others. The worst quality is holding on to things too tightly, or smothering. A key phrase is "I feel.” The Cancer personality is family- and home-oriented. The emotional well-being of the home environment is key to Cancer's emotional balance, which is even-tempered when it flows. When opposed, the Cancerian temperament can display other water characteristics, like freezing or flood stage emotions.
Never let the emotional side of Cancer fool you into thinking you are not leaders – this sign provides leadership in the feeling arena and can be influential in all areas where subjective feelings are important.
The Cancerian mind will often ask "how does this feel?" before deciding what action to take. You are true to your belief system and may be difficult to steer into any activity you cannot support on the "gut" level. This attention to inner feelings puts you in a good position in industries that appeal to the mass market, as you don't lose sight of individual preferences in the pursuit of the big picture.
Cancer is a water sign. Water takes the shape of the vessel that contains it, and water runs downhill. The Cancer temperament will go with the flow when that is convenient, and can be quite happy if the vocational, relationship, or recreational container suits the individual. Sometimes you surprise people, though, when you resist going a certain direction "on principle." Stick to those principles, as you set you apart from people who either don't seem to know what you really believe, or are not able to hold your ground in the face of opposition.
Generally you respond to others in a caring or nurturing context. You may consider what will help move a process along, or you decide what people should wear or eat, based on your needs, not yours. At the same time you can be a skillful manager, helping others to map out a clear, well-defined process for your activities. You are good at keeping projects on track – you know how to find the strongest current in the river, and then keep your craft headed into that current.
Key Phrase: I FEEL
Cancer is expressed through feeling, and can be purely emotional. It embodies the qualities of protection and tenderness, and shows a high degree of sensitivity. As the Cardinal Water sign of the zodiac, Cancer initiates emotions, both in the self and others. Like its symbol, the Crab, Cancer can be indirect and defensive, and may even show a tendency toward manipulation and passive-aggression. The most patriotic of the signs, Cancer will defend home and country, and has a soft spot for mothers. Sensitive, sympathetic, and intuitive, this is the sign associated with mothering and lunar energy. When carried to an extreme, it can be smothering, moody, and suspicious. Where Cancer is found in your chart, there is receptivity and a need to be emotionally connected.
“The use of candles in magic dates back many centuries, but the specific system of magic in which colored, anointed candles are the primary tools is a relatively recent innovation, developed in the nineteenth century out of Catholic devotional practices using candles of various kinds. The southern United States, with its rich heritage of hoodoo magic and African tradition, seems to be the homeland of candle magic, with New Orleans probably the original place of invention.
“The basic practices of candle magic involve a detailed color symbolism in which red candles represent sexual desire, green stand for money, white for spirituality and healing, black for cursing and banishing, and so forth. Candles used in magic are “dressed” or anointed with specific oils, which are typically rubbed onto the candle from the middle out to both ends. A candle magic working may simply involve lighting one or more candles and reciting a charm while it burns; it may also involve rearranging candles on an altar to represent the rearrangement in the world that the working is intended to bring about.
“Originally, candle magic was mostly practiced among Southern folk magicians of various kinds, but in recent decades it has spread far more widely. Many Witches and Pagans in the current Pagan revival movements make use of it, as do a great many occultists who simply picked up a book on the subject and found it to their liking.”
A preparatory OBE exercise helpful in developing concentration skills required to induce and guide the experience.
A Pagan festival traditionally celebrated on the second of February, also known as Imbolc, Lupercus, etc. Dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility and the Horned God, it was anciently known as a feast for the god Pan. Often seen as a celebration of change and of removing of the old to make way for the new.
Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian syncretic religion that, like Santería and Vodou, has its roots in the ancient religion of Ifá and is also influenced by European spiritualist practices and indigenous folk wisdom along with Christianity. The worship and service to the Orixás (deities) and to the Egungun (ancestors) are the core beliefs, along with the practice of rituals to enhance every aspect of life and divination to communicate with the Orixás.
A Scottish term meaning a magick spell, especially as used by Witches. It may also be a minor spell and possibly mischievous. It has been used in novels and role-playing games (RPGs) with varying definitions.
Divination through the interpretation of smoke.
Divination by smoke, also known as Libanomancy and Thurifumia, involves observation of smoke as it rises from a fire. While you can add your own complexities, generally smoke that rises straight up the answer is positive, if it instead hangs heavily over the fire, the answer is negative. Another method it to watch the smoke from extinguished candles. If smoke moves to the right, the answer is positive, if to the left it is negative.
The best quality of Capricorn is diplomacy. The worst quality is deceitfulness. A key phrase is “I utilize.” To understand Capricorn, one must understand that there is not much difference between diplomacy and deceit. Capricorns tend to be honest and conscientious in your dealings with other people, but you may learn through experience to not say everything you know. You have the capacity to take the practical path to a material goal and leave the precise truth to someone else. That said, Capricorns are responsible, self-disciplined individuals who can be very patient in the pursuit of your goals, and you generally act on a well-defined sense of moral right and wrong. You recognize and accept duty as a part of life.
Thoughtful and methodical, Capricorns are the masters of synthesis. You are methodical and organized in your thinking. Persistence is a quality that you cultivate. You find power in self-control and mental concentration.
By temperament Capricorns are cautious. You are subtle about how you gather the information you need, and you are subtle about how you apply your efforts to any task. You make good managers because of your excellent sense of organization, but you can brood or be overly exacting in what you expect. You are able to adapt situations to your own needs. You tend to be somewhat conventional in dress and demeanor.
Capricorns are able to take advantage of circumstances. You are mentally prepared to take action when the time is right, and you are efficient in your actions. You can appear unsympathetic to the needs of others, yet you faithfully fulfill what you see as your duty. While you sometimes seem rigid or selfish in your behavior, you are capable of self-sacrifice and are not unjust in your actions. Going back to the key phrase, “I utilize,” it is helpful to remember that Capricorns make skillful use of the people and situations around you, and you are generally not concerned about the popularity of your actions.
Key Phrase: I USE
The most ambitious sign of the zodiac, Capricorn is focused, cautious, and sensible. As the Cardinal Earth sign of the zodiac, Capricorn knows how to make the best use of the material, physical plane. The patience and discipline seen in Capricorn can help to provide a stable foundation for growth. But Capricorn can also resist change and become controlling, inhibited, and rigid. Symbolized by the Goat, Capricorn prefers the sure-footed path toward ascension, and will stand firm for a long time rather than back down. When hurt, Capricorn can be melancholy; when uncertain, driven by fears. Sometimes thought of as miserly, Capricorn rather prefers to be responsible and frugal, making the best use of all resources. Through its connection with the energy of Saturn, Capricorn desires to be the quintessential authoritarian. Where you see Capricorn in your chart, you find a need for structure and conscientious effort.
Captain of Your Own Ship
The personal "commandment" that each person should take full authority and responsibility of his or her being. Without question, it involves more than the modern perceptions of democratic government and capitalism for it also makes demands upon both to provide each individual with certain basics of education, the rule of law, security of person, health, public services, etc.
In geomantic divination, a figure of two dots above three vertically aligned single dots. The phrase itself is Latin for “head of the dragon.” In a divination it is positive for beginnings. It also enhances things, such as being favorable for favorable figures, and unfavorable for unfavorable ones.
In geomantic divination, a figure of one dot above two sets of two dots above one dot. The phrase itself is Latin for “tail of the dragon.” In a divination it is unlucky for most things, except when having to do with security.
A basic form of ESP testing. It uses a deck of cards (such as regular playing cards or Zener cards) and repeated rounds of testing. This technique can be used to test for precognition, by having the subject guess a card before it is revealed, telepathy, by having the subject guess a card being looked at by the tester, etc.
Assertive, ambitious, impatient. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
Also known as the “cardinal directions,” they are the North, South, East, and West. Many magickal rituals are directed toward one of the cardinal points, and some rituals have work done at each point. In mathematics, points dividing the cardinal points, such as the northeast, southwest, etc., are known as “ordinal points,” but in magickal traditions they are frequently called “cross-quarter points.”
Carnelian is a translucent orange-red stone. It is a cryptocrystalline quartz, composed of silica. It is found in India and South America.
In ancient times carnelian was thought to still the blood and soften anger. It is a gem of the Earth, a symbol of the strength and beauty of our planet. It is good for people who are absent minded, confused, or unfocused. It strengthens the voice and helps one become more eloquent and charitable. Carnelian carries the stories and records of our Earth and can be used to see into the past. This stone symbolizes good luck and contentment.
This gem does good things to the body just by wearing it, as it feeds energy molecules directly through the skin, just as one can breathe in prana by inhaling air. Carnelian is one of the few gems that harmonizes effectively with the elements of fire and earth today. It helps cleanse the liver if you hold the stone over the liver and massage the area.
A type of divination, also know as ceromancy, that uses melted wax. Traditionally, the wax would be melted in a cup or bowl, and then poured into a container of cold water, causing it to solidify. The shapes it takes, along with the movements in the water, would then be interpreted.
Divination with cards, such as the Tarot.
Divination by reading patterns on the feet; similar to palmistry.
Also known as Caryatis. In ancient Greece, a walnut tree goddess.
Case, Paul Foster
Founder of the Builders of the Adytum (BOTA), an esoteric teaching center in Los Angeles also known for mail order teachings. He was a former member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the author of The Tarot, A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages, and a book of Tarot card meditations, The Book of Tokens. Both books were recommended by author Louis T. Culling.
Lord of Saturn and the sign of Capricorn. He is also Ruler of the Seventh Heaven. He helps people understand patience and encourages them to overcome longstanding obstacles and problems. He provides serenity and teaches temperance. Cassiel is associated with karma, and helps people understand the law of cause and effect. Because of his association with Saturn, Cassiel works slowly. As it takes Saturn four years to orbit the Sun, Cassiel can take up to years resolve a problem. Fortunately, Raphael is willing to talk with Cassiel to speed the process up.
According to ancient Greek mythology, Castalia was a nymph whom Apollo turned into a fountain at Delphi, home of the famous Oracle. Those who drank her waters would receive artistic (especially poetic) inspiration.
A form of divination where small objects such as stones, twigs, runes, I Ching stalks, coins, etc. are tossed onto the ground or onto some flat surface and the results are interpreted.
Casting the Circle
The practice of using a ritual to spiritual build a magick circle (as opposed to the physical movement of objects into the area) for use in magickal rituals and religious rites. Some say it is the activating of the spiritual aspects of a Wiccan or Pagan Temple.
The technical name is chatoyancy. This is caused by the dispersion of light due to tiny parallel “needles” within a crystal.
A state wherein the body, or parts of the body, shows rigidity, and is not effected by exterior stimuli. Often used by hypnotists to determine the level of hypnotic trance. A common example it to have a hypnotized person hold their arm out straight. They will keep it extended and resist having it pushed down until given a suggestion to move it.
Scientific theory that some of the earth’s landforms were shaped by major catastrophes, such as very large floods, in the distant past.
Divination by gazing in a mirror (such as a black scrying mirror).
Divination with mirrors. There are two basic forms: One uses mirrors made from special metals associated with planetary lore, and the other special gazing mirrors used somewhat like crystal balls.
Consulting a reflective mirror means to focus on the question or matter of concern, asking specific questions if possible, and then letting yourself slide into a light trance to find the answers.
A form of divination that uses vessels of metals, especially brass because of its supposed anti-demonic qualities. A fluid would be poured into the vessel and the diviner, perhaps in a trance, looks into the fluid and has prophetic visions.
In geomantic divination, a figure of three vertically aligned dots above two dots. The word itself is Latin for “acquiring.” In a divination it means positive endings and can help out with losses. It’s generally considered a negative sign.
The cauldron is a large metal vessel, usually made of iron. It is seen to be symbolic of the Goddess. Fires may be lit within it, or the cauldron may be filled with water and flowers. Despite popular misconceptions, brews are rarely created in the cauldron.
An ancient Tantric concept adopted by Theosophy and brought into contemporary occult thought. There are supposedly multiple bodies or sheaths that make up a person (anciently there were 5, but the Theosophists made this 7). The causal body is the highest, most ethereal body. It is a veil for the true soul.
This principle states that equal benefit comes from action towards a goal and inaction away from it. The causes of our success are both to be found in efforts to move forward and from the absence of efforts to move backwards.
Like the other five planes of the three lower levels, there is “substance” as well as “laws” relating to its specific nature. The Causal shares the third level with the Mental Plane—which likewise has its unique substance, but the two share the characteristic of five dimensions (in contrast to the familiar three of the Physical and Etheric Planes of the first and lowest level).
Divination by throwing an object in the fire and determining “yes” or “no” based on whether or not the object burned.
Divination by Fire, also known as Pyromancy. Fire is the most potent of the natural elements because it causes change, and is directly linked with the Sun, and hence with the earth and growing plants. Yet, fire can also lead to disasters. Fire Gazing involves a light and spontaneous trance during which images and symbols may be seen in the fire. Fire Reading, in contrast, is more direct. After the fire has been lit, stir it, and:
An all male occult society in Italy. Linked to the Luperci.
The Sleep-Learning program, also called Celestial Learning, is based on the premise that bodies of knowledge presently unavailable to conscious awareness exist in the astral realm and can be acquired through spontaneous out-of-body travel during sleep. The program recognizes individual differences in rates of learning and the possibility of accelerating learning through out-of-body interactions during sleep with advanced learning specialists.
Celestial Learning emphasizes two critical conditions related to out-of-body learning during sleep:
The study found that students actively engaged in a variety of learning situations experienced a rapid improvement in the rate of learning as well as retention through Celestial Learning. The program, rather than directly inducing our-of-body travel, simply established the pre-sleep conditions conducive to spontaneous travel.
Located on the surface of the cell, they receive messages or signals from the environment or field and communicate that information to the cell which in turn, triggers a corresponding response within the cell.
(pronounced Kelt) - The ethnic group ancestral to the Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish (of Cornwall), Breton, and Manx, and a high percentage of the French, Belgian and Swiss people. Celtic (pronounced either Kel-tik or Sel-tik) and Celtophile are derivatives of this word.
Of or relating to the Celtic people and languages.
Also See: Celt
A ten-card Tarot spread developed in the 1890s by a member or associate of the Golden Dawn. Taught to first-level initiates of the Golden Dawn and widely used after publication by Arthur E. Waite in his Pictorial Key to the Tarot.
Card 1. The main question on your mind Card 2. A challenge within the situation Card 3. The foundation of the question, subconscious issues Card 4. The recent past Card 5. Conscious goals, what you think you can achieve Card 6. The near future Card 6. What you are bringing to the situation Card 8. How others affect the situation Card 9. Your hopes and fears Card 10. The outcome
A cross (sometimes with equal arms, sometimes where the horizontal bar is shorter and above the center of the vertical bar) with a circle around the intersection of the horizontal and vertical bars.
A divination deck that combines Celtic astrology with the Ogham (or Celtic alphabet) and tree symbolism alongside Celtic festivals.
Those Witches who either try to remake ancient Celtic Religion or claim they are a continuation of that ancient religion. Some Celtic Witchcraft traditions include Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Welsh, and Algard.
To spread the odor of incense in an area by carrying or waving the incense itself, by using a fan to disburse the smoke, or by swinging a censer that holds the smoking incense. Also, the passing of a person or object through incense smoke, usually to purify that person or object.
An incense burner. Traditionally, a censer is a metal container, filled with incense, that is swung on the end of a chain.
Censorship in Religion
All organized religions experience a program of codification in which certain practices and literature are approved by a controlling body while other practices, books, myth and lore are disapproved and sometimes officially banned. Initially, much of this had political motivation—to bring the "faithful" under a single roof and to eliminate deviancy and competition to Roman rule in the case of early Christianity.
Until the middle of the 20th century, certain books were listed as "sinful" for Catholics to read, and such banning was not limited to books with sexual themes although that was the common interpretation.
Only in recent years has there been widespread opportunity to explore alternatives in Christianity, and—to a lesser extent—in Islam and Judaism. In some cases, it has been archaeological finds that brought old ideas into new perspectives. For Christians, the primary findings have related to Gnosticism and Neoplatonism.
A term meaning to bring your focus and attention back to the center of yourself. This is useful to eliminate disturbing issues that prevent you from focusing on the purpose of what you are doing: your work, your meditation, or your magick. One method of doing this is by grounding.
In European magical traditions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, a method of using the eyes to prevent another magician from gaining control of one’s mind and will. To use the central gaze, the magician focuses his or her eyes intently on a point between the attacker’s eyebrows, at the location of the “third eye” center. The crucial point lies in not allowing oneself to meet the attacker’s gaze directly, even for a moment; concentration must be maintained on the chosen point.
Divination by means of a donkey’s head.
A form of divining the name of a person guilty of a crime. The head of an ass is broiled. When the guilty person’s name is called out, the ass’ jaws move.
In Greek mythology, this daughter of Nyx (the night) and sister to the fates was the goddess of violent death.
Name for a malevolent ghost.
Divination by observing weather phenomena.
A condition where the supply of oxygen to the brain is reduced. It has numerous causes, ranging from choking or smoke inhalation to shock or trauma. In mild cases, symptoms include difficulty in learning tasks and reduced short term memory. If it continues it can cause sensory distortions and hallucinations. This has been pointed to as a cause of some near-death experiences. However, it cannot explain the similarity of some of these experiences among people of all ages and cultures. Complete lack of oxygen going to the brain, known as cerebral anoxia, will cause irreversible brain damage within four to six minutes.
Ceremonial Magick is one of the most complicated systems of spiritual attainment in the world. It is a mixture of Jewish, Christian, and ancient Egyptian philosophy mixed with ancient Indian and Chaldean ideas spiced with a hint of earlier Paganism. This is mixed with the ceremonial aspects of Catholicism and Masonry. It usually heavily involves the study of the Kabbalah, the mysticism of the world put into Jewish and Judeo-Christian terms.
The object of ceremonial magick is to stimulate the senses, to power-up the emotions, and to firmly conceptualize the purpose of the operation—which is to create a transcending experience to unite Personality with the Divine Self. To this end, rituals, symbols, clothing, colors, incenses, sound, dramatic invocations and sacraments are selected in accordance with established "correspondences" of one thing to another to transport the magician towards a mystical reality.
Although Ceres is just one of thousands of known asteroids, in astrology it is often treated as a minor planet. The asteroid is named after the Roman harvest goddess and is a version of the Greek Demeter. Keywords used in astrological interpretation of Ceres include: abandonment, agriculture, anger, compassion, domesticating, ecological, fertility, foster parenting, governess, menopause, mother, nanny, nurturing, animal husbandry, and survival.
A Welsh mother goddess.
The Greek name for ancient Celtic god Uindos, son of Noudons, who is featured in a group of great epic tales and romances called the Fenian cycle. Most famous incarnation is as Finn Mac Cumhail.
Also See: Finn Mac Cumhail, Uindos
Divination by analyzing patterns in melted wax dripped on a flat surface.
Divination with melted wax. Slowly pour the wax into cold water and look for images and symbols as the wax hardens in the water.
An expression composed of two Sanskrit words: chakra, meaning circle, and puja, meaning ritual. Thus, a Chakra Puja is a ritual practiced by a group ("circle") of people. In the West, there are public Chakra Pujas that are open to the public, and more private Chakra Pujas intended for people initated into a particular Tantric tradition.
A chakra is a spinning vortex of energy created within ourselves by the interpenetration of consciousness and the physical body. Through this combination, chakras become centers of activity for the reception, assimilation, and transmission of life energies. Uniting the chakras is what we experience as the "self."
The word chakra comes from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "disk" and originated within the philosophy of the ancient yoga systems of India.
Also See: Chakra
Wheel of light or spinning disc. The energetic organ located at various plexuses throughout the body and work to revitalize the physical body and the energy field.
Also See: Chakra
Pronounced “Chak-rah” with a hard “ch” as in the word “chalk” or “Kahk-rah,” these are power centers in the aura related to organs or glands in the body. The chakras are not in the body per se; they are actually whirls, vorteces, circles, or lotuses that psychics can see in the aura.
Also See: Chakra
Sanskrit. "Wheel, Vortex, or Whirlpool." Psychic centers located in the aura functioning through the etheric body that exchange particular energies between the physical body and the personality, and the higher sources of energy associated with the planets, the Solar System, and the cosmos. They are interfaces between Mind and Body.
There are seven traditional "master" chakras and dozens of minor ones located in such places as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, joints of arms and legs, and just about any place traditionally adorned with jewelry.
Chakras are "vortexes," whirling centers of energy associated with particular areas of the body. In the Hindu tradition, muladhara is located at the base of the spine and is the source of kundalini and the power used in sex magic. Svadhisthna is located at the sacrum. Muladhara and Svadhisthna are linked to the physical body. Manipura is located at the solar plexus. Muladhara, Svadhisthna, and Manipura are together associated as the Personality, and their energies can be projected through the solar plexus in such psychic phenomena as rapping, ectoplasm, and the creation of familiars. Manipura is linked to the lower astral body. Anahata is located at the heart and is associated with group consciousness. Vishuddha is located at the throat and is associated with clairvoyance.
Anahata and Ajna are linked to the higher astral body. Ajna is located at the brow and is associated with clairvoyance. Sahasrara is located at the crown and is associated with spiritual consciousness. Anahata, Vishuddha, and Sahasrara are together associated as the spiritual self.
The master, or major, chakras are as follows. While we are listing some correspondences to planets, colors, and the Kabbalistic sephiroth, there is considerable debate about these and the correlations cannot be specific because the chakras and the sephiroth involve two different systems. Likewise, although not listed, there are differences between both these systems and those of Oriental martial arts and healing systems.
The following chart is a simplification of the primary chakra system:
1 These are the most commonly assigned colors, but authorities differ.
2 These are the most commonly assigned locations, but authorities differ. Instead of the Solar Plexus, Theosophists identify it with the Spleen, others with the navel.
3 Commonly, this is given as two, but it is really two "wings" of 48 each.
4 Most commonly, it is identified as a thousand-petaled lotus. The crown chakra has 960 spokes plus another 12 in its center, which is gleaming white with gold at its core.
5 Between anus and perineum.
6 Again, there are disagreements among authorities. Remember that there is no direct physical connection between the etheric chakras and the physical body.
Wheels of Life: A User'ss Guide to the Chakra System, by Anodea Judith
Also See: Chakra
Disk or wheel. Chakras are energetic centers in the body that can be used as a kind of inner roadmap in Tantric practice. Dr. Mumford defines a chakra as, "a whirling vortex of energy, the meeting point between the body and the mind."
Also See: Chakra
A person living in the area of ancient Babylon (modern Iraq) associated with the Sumerian city of Ur, which was eventually ruled by the Chaldees (the biblical “Ur of the Chaldees”). Chaldea was associated with magic, and by the seventeenth century in Europe, any person who was an astrologer, diviner, or magician was generically known as a “Chaldean.”
A small book of ideas and philosophical concepts supposedly revealing the Chaldean mysteries. The authorship is attributed to Zoroaster, but this is questionable.
A large goblet, frequently stemmed, used to hold wine in religious rituals. Also used to represent the element of Water in magickal rites.
Chalice of Power
(or Camael, Camiel, Kemuel) (“He Who Sees God”) The head of the Choir of Dominions and is one of the seven great archangels. He can be called upon for any matters involving tolerance, understanding, forgiveness, and love. Chamuel is also one of the ten Kabbalistic archangels. He rights wrongs, soothes troubled minds, and provides justice. Chamuel is Ruler of Mars. You should call on Chamuel whenever you need additional strength, or are in conflict with someone else. Chamuel provides courage, persistence, and determination.
The occurrence and development of events without any obvious design; random, unpredictable influences on events that cannot be anticipated by normal means.
Sanskrit name of the Moon.
Literally the “point of the moon;” however, in the Tantric “twilight language,” it means “moon juice.” The moon is symbolic of the spiritualized woman. The moon juice is the lubricating fluid created by a woman in preparation for spiritual sexual intercourse with her partner (maithuna).
In Tibetan spirituality, a ritual bell.
There is always change. In Self-Empowerment, instead of letting life happen to you, you can make life happen your way. But you have "to take charge” and "state your intentions." There is recent scientific evidence showing that change in your own thoughts make changes in your brain’s circuitry.
In Celtic and Irish lore, a fairy given to a family in exchange for a human child.
A person who allows a spirit to speak through them. This involves the (usually) willing participation of the channeler who temporarily allows a spirit to “possess” their body. A spirit medium may or may not be a channeler. Also known as a “trance medium” (and incorrectly a “transmedium”).
Also See: trance medium, transmedium
A technique of communicating with a non-physical entity. The channeler or trance medium allows a non-physical entity (usual a spirit) to inhabit or take over their body to they can more easily share information, guidance, etc.
Receiving information from a discarnate entity or a higher spiritual being. It may also refer to communication with an aspect of one’s own subconscious mind. It is similar to, but not necessarily the same as, the spirit communication of mediumship. In both, however, one person serves as bridge between a spirit or spiritual intelligence and people of ordinary consciousness. In spirit communication, the medium is more often unaware of the communication; in channeling of spiritual intelligence, the channeler is more often aware and sometimes a participant.
Automatic Writing is a form of Channeling in which a person, sometimes in trance, writes or even keyboards messages generally believed to originate with spiritual beings, or with aspects of the subconscious mind.
Suggested Reading –
The process of repeating sounds, words, or phrases. This can be done melodically or simply rhythmically. The goal is to induce an altered state of consciousness that may be used for magickal purposes.
The repletion of words or short phrases in a vibrating voice that stirs psychic energy and may induce trance.
Suggested Reading: Andrews, Ted: Sacred Sounds: Magic & Healing Through Words & Music
The act of vocalizing and usually repeating a chant.
(Pronounced "kay-oh-ist) Term for a practitioner of Chaos magick. Such a person could also be referred to as a "Chaote."
Divination by things seen in the air. Also known as Aeromancy.
The disorganized, primal, state from which creation emerges. Chaos Theory is a field of mathematics with applications in various sciences, including physics and magick, concerning the level at which small changes can produce major, generally unpredictable, results—the so-called “Butterfly Effect.” In Quantum Theory and in Magickal Theory, intention applied at sub-atomic levels can create desired change.
A term coined by Peter Carroll in 1978 in his book Liber Null (published in the US in combination with another work as Liber Null and Psychonaut) to describe a system of magick that its practitioners (who usually call themselves Chaoists or Chaotes) consider to be radically different from previous forms of magick. Important concepts in this tradition include the power of belief (expressed as “fake it until you make it”), the Gnostic state (being extremely focused) as necessary for most magick, and extreme eclecticism including the use of any belief system (even ones that are known to be entirely fictional) for the working of magickal rituals. Carroll, with Ray Sherwin, founded the Magical Pact of the Illuminates of Thanateros (IOT), which is an important force in the very loosely organized Chaos Magic movement.
(Pronounced “kay-oat”) A term that describes a person who practices Chaos magick.
Divination to determine a person’s character.
The process of infusing some object with magickal power for a specific purpose. For example, a ring, pendant, or belt can be charged to protect the person who wears them.
Charge of the Goddess
An inspirational and instructional recitation and instruction repeated by the High Priestess manifesting the Goddess in some Pagan rituals. It was derived from sources both ancient and modern, especially from the works of Aleister Crowley and the book Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches by Charles Godfrey Leland. The earliest version was compiled by Gerald Gardner, arguable the founder of modern Wicca, but the more popular versions, both in prose and verse, were created from Gardner’s work by Doreen Valiente. Several variations have appeared over the years.
To infuse an object with magical power.
A large cup (or small bowl) that contains sanctified (or exorcised) water. Usually located on the main Altar. It is carried around an area to asperge the Circle and coven members. Also called the water bowl.
One of the trumps of the Major Arcana of the tarot. Numbered VII. In the system of Eliphas Levi, it corresponds to the Hebrew letter Zayin. In the system of the Golden Dawn, The Chariot corresponds to the Hebrew letter Cheth and the astrological sign of Cancer.
Qabalistic Description. The 7th Key, the 18th Path. Child of the Powers of the Waters, Lord of the Triumph of Light. This Path connects Binah (Understanding) to Geburah (Severity), the descent of Spirit into the lower manifest universe. The Chariot, having conquered the lower planes, is the first path to cross the Abyss from the lower Sephiroth. Cheth means a fence or enclosure, which is the Chariot itself enabling its driver, the Higher Self, to rise above limitation through the balance of opposites.
Card Description. Here we have a symbol of the spirit of man controlling the lower principles, soul and body, and thus passing triumphantly through the astral plane, rising above the clouds of illusion and penetrating to the higher spheres.
The colors amber, silver-grey, blue-grey, and the deep blue violet of the night sky elucidate this symbol. It is the sublimation of the Psyche.
Interpretation. Triumph, victory, health. Success, although sometimes not stable and enduring.
Psychological Value This Arcanum may be used to master episodes of manic delusions, and uncontrollable fantasies. It helps you find a balanced, centered path, so that you may discover a personal expression for your spirituality. Thanks to this Arcanum, you can work on every aspect of your unconscious, and bring to light those elements that have been buried deep inside. It fosters gentleness and benevolence. This Arcanum is useful for assisting the Magus who wants to make spells, and it can also be used to resolve fantasies that get out of control. (According the Divine Tarot of Aurum Solis - Divinity: Poseidon; Greek Letter: Psi.)
The young charioteer is in command of his physical and emotional drives, symbolized by the two opposing forces that pull the Chariot.
(1874–1932) Writer and novelist who achieved fame for collecting reports of paranormal phenomena in works such as The Book of the Damned.
(1850—1935) Famed French physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in 1913 for his work on understanding acute allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis. Richet also studied Spiritualism, investigated mediums, and became the president of the UK's famed Society for Psychical Research (in 1905). He believed that there was a physical explanation for mediumistic phenomena, rather than adhering to the idea that the phenomena were caused by spirits. He believed that some of the phenomena were caused by the medium's "sixth sense" (the ability to perceive non-physical "vibrations"), not spirits. Other phenomena, he believed, were caused by the medium projecting a material substance from their bodies. He called this substance "ectoplasm," a term that is still widely used.
An object imbued with some type of energy for magical purposes. See “talisman.”
Term that comes from the same root as charisma and chant. A magick spell, particularly one that makes you more attractive to another person as in, “She charmed me.” Also, an object that has been magickally charged. Another term for a talisman or amulet.
Divination by interpreting writing found on papers.
In ancient Greek mythology, Charybdis was a beautiful naiad, the daughter of Poseidon and Gaia. She sided with her father against Zeus who turned her into a horrible sea monster. Later she was seen not as a monster per se, but as the goddess of terrifying oceanic whirlpools.
Kabbalist (Turkish 16th–17th Century). A leading disciple of Isaac Luria, Vital experienced many fantastic visions and personal revelations. Elijah and other righteous men of the past appeared to him. He performed healings, exorcisms, dowsing for water, and at one point declared himself the Messiah. He also believed he had undergone multiple incarnations and, for example, had the soul of R[abbi] Akiba.
Check and Verify
A vital procedure in all astral training because astral consciousness includes the faculties of imagination and dreaming and untrained they lead to fantasy and even delusion. Variations of the phrase include “test and verify” and “trust, but verify.”
A Sanskrit term generally accepted to mean "student." It originally meant "servant," indicating the idea that a student is meant to serve his or her teacher in order to pay for (exchange energy for) the teacher's spiritual training.
The Greek Hera was sometimes seen as a triple goddess. Chera is her third aspect, the old wise
Singular form of “cherubim.” From the Hebrew “kerub.” A generic term for a celestial being, often shown in art as being a winged, chubby, young child.
The second-highest rank of angels in Dionysius’ hierarchy. They are God’s record keepers and reflect his wisdom and divine intelligence. They pay careful attention to all the details.
The fourth Sephirah of the cabalistic Tree of Life, the middle Sephirah on the Pillar of Mercy. The term is a Hebrew word meaning "Mercy." It represents the archetype of the number 4, the merciful aspect of the Godhead. It corresponds to the divine name El, the archangel Tzadqiel, the angelic choir called Chashmalim, and Tzedek, or heavenly Sphere of Jupiter.
In Chokmah is the Radix of blue and thence is there a blue colour pure and primitive, and glistening with a spiritual Light which is reflected unto Chesed. And the Sphere of its Operation is called Tzedek or justice and it fashioneth the images of material things, bestowing peace and mercy; and it ruleth the sphere of the action of the planet Jupiter. And Al is the title of a God strong and mighty, ruling in Glory, Magnificence and Grace. And the Archangel of Chesed is Tzadkiel, the prince of Mercy and Beneficence, and the Name of the Order of Angels is Chashmalim Brilliant Ones, who are also called the Order of Dominions or Dominations. The Sephira Chesed is also called Gedulah or Magnificence and Glory.
The eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Ch or H. Represents the number 8. The fourth of the twelve "single letters." A Hebrew word meaning "fence" or "enclosure." Corresponds to Cancer, the 18th Path (between Binah and Geburah), and Tarot trump VII The Chariot.
A Sanskrit term meaning a "copy" or "shadow," it is the astral image or astral body of a person.
This energy consists of static electricity, infrasound, infrared radiation, and magnetic fields. Chi is a complex form of energy that manifests itself in your vitality, your spirit, and your life.
Vital life force often referred to as energy. A term commonly used in acupuncture referring to the energetic flow within the meridians.
Energy or life force. Also known as Ki or Prana.
The Chinese name for vital energy, comparable to the Hindu Prana.
The Qabalistic Part of the Soul that represents the creative impulse and divine will. The Chiah is attributed to Chokmah.
Part of the soul located in Chokmah. It is Divine Will, the source of action.
Also described as Oriental or Asian Medicine, Chinese Therapies is a term used to describe a wide assortment of practices for sound body, mind, and spirit. These include herbal remedies, acupuncture, acupressure and massage, energywork such as Chi Gung, and martial arts.
The lines of the hand are what give palmists the most material for interpretation and analysis. The interpretation of the palm lines is called chiromancy.
Chiron is an asteroid traveling in orbit between Saturn and Uranus. Although research on its effect on natal charts is not yet complete, it is believed to represent a key or doorway, healing, ecology, and a bridge between traditional and modern methods.
In your birth chart, Chiron represents your deeper sense of purpose, and adds a subtle yet powerful drive to achieve a connection to higher values. Chiron may also indicate areas of vulnerability or emotional wounding which need special attention. Authorities have not yet determined Chiron’s influence is so well-established that many astrologers include it along with the Sun, Moon, and planets in their basic natal chart analyses.
A Sanskrit word referring to an energy path that is tinier than the more famous paths known as nadis. Chitrinis are said to actually be inside of the nadis.
Literally a “young green shoot,” it is a title or name of the goddess Demeter.
In Tibetan spirituality Chöd is the name for a rite of magical self-sacrifice.
The second Sephirah of the cabalistic Tree of Life, the topmost Sephirah on the Pillar of Mercy. The term is a Hebrew word meaning "Widsom." It represents the archetype of the number 2, the masculine aspect of the Godhead. It corresponds to the divine name Yah, the archangel Raziel, the angelic choir called Ophanim (Wheels) and the Mazloth, or heavenly Sphere of the Zodiac.
In Chokmah is a cloud-like grey which containeth various colours and is mixed with them, like a transparent pearl-hued mist, yet radiating withal, as if behind it there was a brilliant glory. And the Sphere of its influence is in Masloth, the Starry Heaven, wherein it disposeth the forms of things. And Yah is the Divine Ideal Wisdom, and its Archangel is Ratziel, the Prince or Princes of the knowledge of hidden and concealed things, and the name of its Order of Angels is Auphanim, the Wheels or the Whirling Forces which are also called the Order of Kerubim.
Choronzon's number is 9, also the number of Man. But Choronzon is also a "demon" within the Enochian writings of Dr. John Dee, likewise within Crowley’s system where Choronzon is "the Dweller in the Abyss," believed to be the obstacle between the adept and enlightenment. But Choronzon is also the name of the demon that guards the Abyss on the Tree of Life—separating the lower from the higher. It’s that Abyss that we must cross to fulfill our spiritual destiny. That demon is the obstacle between the adept and enlightenment. If met with proper preparation by the magician, his function is to destroy the ego, allowing the magician to cross the Abyss. We all must confront our demon.
The demon is also our Shadow, the lower self of the subconsciousness with our fears and repressions.
Also known as the C∴C∴, it appears to have been a magical group active in Chicago as early as 1931 and at least as recently as 1979. Exactly what it was, or is, is confusing and probably of no pertinence to our study here. According to the occult scholar P. R. Koenig, in 1933 a small group of homosexual men split off from C. F. Russell's original group in order to practice Crowley’s XI°. It was led in recent history by Michael P. Bertiaux teaching Haitian Voodoo and O∴T∴O∴ magic.
Unfortunately, the study of Western magical philosophy is often obscured by the number of secret orders cast on Masonic models that claim to teach true magic. At least in some instances these are successful business operations and in some other cases provide opportunities to indulge the vanities of members who adore dressing in expensive robes and addressing each other by their secret names. Most of their magical teachings of value were derived from the serious work of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Aurum Solis. These teachings were long ago made available in book form. Experience demonstrates that the study and practice of magic is as suitable to the solitary person as to group membership.
A religious tradition based on the book Science & Health with Key to Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (derived from the works of Phineas P. Quimby) and the Bible. Although it has a full theology, most people are familiar with it through their belief that illness is the result of fear, ignorance, or sin, and if you eliminate those factors through prayer, the illness will cease. Followers of Christian Science tend to prefer this healing system before the use of drugs or surgery, but unlike some religious sects, it is not required.
Greek for "Christ," meaning the anointed one. Similar to the Hebrew translated as "Messiah." Mystically, we each have a divine inner core (sometimes called "Christ Immanent") that we can manifest.
A time traveler.
A golden yellow variety of peridot. It supposedly can help prevent fever and madness.
Although having a name similar to Chrysolite, Chrysoprase is completely different. It is a form of chalcedony (considered by some to be the most valuable form of this stone), a member of the quartz family. It is generally a translucent bluish-green or apple-green. It is claimed to improve vision and bring joy.
Divination by looking into a reflective or transparent object such as a crystal or various shapes of glass. Although crystal balls are now popular for this, in the past a piece of beryl, in reddish or pale green shades, was often used.
From the Greek chthon, earth. Refers to spirits or deities of the underworld or the souls of the dead.
Deities, spirits, or anything connected or related to the Underworld. It is derived from the Greek word khthonios which means “of the earth.” Some of the oldest beliefs retained within Wicca/Witchcraft originate from the Neolithic period during which we find many chthonic elements apparent in the primitive religions of this era.
A consecrated Witch’s cord, traditionally either nine feet long or based on measurements of the Witch’s body. It can be used to lay out a circle of ritual and may be worn around the waist to represent the initiation level of the Witch. It may also have knots made in it at certain points, again representing the measure of the Witch and/or to hold magical power.
A collection of loose papers that are the original source of the Golden Dawn ritual and magical system, and which played a complex and still uncertain role in the founding of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
A code set up by a person that he or she intends to use to prove that they are actually communicating after their death.
Natural cycles of arousal and sleep.
The magic circle is drawn in the astral world about the Magus and the place where the ritual is worked. It forms a division between the magical place and the ordinary world, setting the interior space apart. This allows the region inside the circle to hold a heightened charge of magical potency, and because it is a pure space devoted to worship and magic, it permits the manifestation of spiritual Intelligences that could not be readily perceived in the ordinary environment. The circle also acts as a barrier that protects the Magus from the intrusion of discordant, chaotic forces that seek to disrupt communications with higher spiritual beings, or even to harm the Magus in emotional and physical ways.
The circle is always inscribed from the inside, ideally from the center, in a sunwise direction, and visualized as a glowing or flaming band of light that sustains itself in the air at the level of the heart. Often a corresponding physical circle of the same radius is marked on the floor of the chamber beforehand; but the magic circle does not actually exist until it is made in the astral by a deliberate act of will. For convenience, the circle is made of a size great enough to enclose the ritual place. A single ritualist, if working without an altar in a confined space, might project a circle of six feet in diameter. With an altar at the center, the circle might be nine feet in diameter to permit movement around the altar. Since the circle is drawn in the astral, it can be made larger than the actual physical chamber.
Whatever its size, the circle should always be large enough to comfortably hold all who work within it. Because the circle is magically real, even though immaterial, it must never be casually broken. It is extended from the heart center of the Magus clockwise from the point of the right index finger, or the point of the wand, sword, or knife. It should be reabsorbed at the end of the ritual in through the left index finger, or magical instrument held in the left hand, by retracing it widdershins——against the course of the Sun. It must never be stepped through, although this is a common mistake among occultists. To disregard the substantiality of the circle is to weaken it, and so render it a less useful tool.
Another name for a group of people having a séance.
A temporary boundary within which a séance or magical operation may take place. The theory is that is becomes a kind of psychic container for the energies used in the operation and a barrier to unwanted energies from outside.
The Magick Circle—whether drawn physically or in the imagination—is the "container" of magickal operations. The "Opening" and the "Closing" of the Temple—or of the Circle—is an operation that is both magickal and psychological. The rituals of Opening and Closing are various but all are simple projections of energy guided by will power with the express intent to provide a barrier against exterior forces while establishing the Circle (or Lodge) as container of the magickal energies
Circle of Bluestone
Small ring carved from Preseli Bluestone, the substance from which the Inner Ring of Stonehenge is made. It is used with Touchstones on the equinoxes and solstices to unify talismans—combining their power with all other talismans.
Circle of Protection
A magickal circle wherein magick workers are protected from unwanted entities and energies.
Circle of Protection
A circle of people, often holding hands, at a séance.
Circle of Protection
Part of the popular game Magic: The Gathering, which protects you from certain types of damage.
A concept based on the idea of an electrical circuit, which must be complete for a device on the circuit to function. That is, there must be a source of electrical energy, the device to be powered, and then a ground, usually associated with or near the source. This is translated to psychic or magickal energy, where some hold that there must also be a completed circuit to be effective. Thus, when you are sending healing energy to someone, you are the source, the person to be healed is the “device,” and then you receive energy back from that person which needs to be “grounded.” If you block the return—that is, if the circuit is incomplete and you get nothing back—the healing will not be effective. If you do not ground the energy you receive, the working may be effective, but you become the ground, resulting in the absorption, by you, of the negative charge on the energy from the person you were healing. Healers who do not know how to “ground” the energy often end up exhibiting the symptoms of the person they heal. See Also Grounding.
Circulation of the Body of Light
A ritual developed from the Middle Pillar Ritual wherein you move spiritual energy throughout and around your body.
To walk in a circle. In temples of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, this was a clockwise circling of the temple. It was said to represent the rise of Light. In the Golden Dawn’s inner order, the circumambulation of the temple by initiates would create energy in the form of a cone or vortex. This may be the source of the Pagan/Wiccan concept of a “Cone of Power,” although the influence may have gone the other way. A reverse circumambulation, going anti-clockwise, was symbolic of the fading Light.
A term most often used by ceremonial magicians describing moving within a magickal circle either as part of a ritual or as a way of raising magickal energy.
A person whose gender, as defined at birth, anatomy, and self-identification all match. Compare with transgendered.
City of Pyramids
The destination of the Adept crossing the Abyss. The City of Pyramids is located in Binah.
One of several psychic abilities, this is the description of supranormal auditory talents, allowing a person to hear beyond the normal purview of the ears. Sometimes used to hear a message from a spirit.
The psychic ability to hear things inaudible to most people, such as the voices of spirits, sometimes sounds of inanimate objects such as crystals, minerals, artifacts, etc.
One of several psychic abilities, this is a description of general supranormal feelings. That is, a person with this ability can sense or feel something beyond the normal purview of the physical senses. Sometimes described as a “knowing” of some information.
A person with the psychic ability of being able to sense, feel or know information (including knowledge, smells, tastes, etc.) without the use of the physical senses.
One of several psychic abilities, this is the description of supranormal visual talents, allowing a person to see beyond the normal purview of the eyes. Such visual ability may allow a person to see past or future events or present events which were not physically observed. Also the ability to see non-physical things such as spirits.
Sometimes called “ESP,” the psychic ability to perceive things invisible to most people, such as auras, various health indicators, spirits, as well as things at a distance in space or time. It includes skrying.
"As part of the unfoldment of the human intellect into omniscience, the development occurs at a certain stage of human evolution of fully-conscious, positive clairvoyance. This implies an extension, which can be hastened by means of self-training, of the normal range of visual response to include both physical rays beyond the violet and, beyond them again, the light of the superphysical worlds…It is important to differentiate between the passive psychism of the medium, and even the extrasensory perception (ESP of parapsychology), and the positive clairvoyance of the student of occultism. This later, completely under the control of the will and used in full waking consciousness, is the instrument of research…to enter and explore the Kingdom of the Gods."
Hodson, Geoffrey: The Kingdom of the Gods, 1953, Theosophical Pub. House, Madras, India. (Page 9)
Suggested Reading –
Slate & Weschcke: Psychic Empowerment for Everyone
Although generally used to mean any sort of psychic ability to know, see, hear things from afar, in the future or past, on the spiritual planes, etc., among Spiritualists it is specifically used to mean some form of psychic sight. It can occur to a person either as subjective clairvoyance or objective clairvoyance, and may be challenging for a person having this experience to discriminate between the two. Further, the difference between the two can be viewed as a continuum rather than as an either/or type of experience.
A person with the power of clairvoyance. A mental medium.
(“Clear-seeing”) A person who can obtain information through “seeing” things that others do not.
A person who obtains information through “seeing” things, usually via spirit communications, that others do not.
A rare phenomenon in which clairvoyant information is revealed in reverse form. Examples are reversed numbers and spellings.
An amulet made from an animal’s claw provides the wearer with protection according to the strength of the animal. A tiger’s claw amulet will be more powerful than one made from a badger’s claw, for instance. A bear-claw amulet is believed to help women during childbirth.
A term used to describe the removal of forms of negativity. This can be done spiritually (as in the performance of a banishing ritual) or physically (as in covering an area with salt and then sweeping the purifying salt away).
The process of driving evil or negativity from a person, thing, or area. Witches and magickal practitioners clear an area before performing magick. Similar to a banishing, but often does not use a formal ritual.
Clearing a Bad Psychic Atmosphere
There are many advanced magical techniques, but there are also simple folk practices. Here are a few:
Divination by observing the significance of random things people say.
Divination by observing a string-suspended key, similar to the pendulum.
Divination by means of a key suspended from a thread held between thumb and forefinger—actually a pendulum—lowered into a glass jar. After a question is asked, the key will knock against the glass—one knock for yes, two for no.
A beautiful Greecian water goddess who was the daughter of the river god, Asopos, and the river goddess Melope.
Divination by throwing runes, dice, or something similar.
Divination by the casting of lots, also called sortilege, or throwing dice. Actually the common flipping of a coin is a simple variation. An early form of dice was made from actual knucklebones of certain animals. Later forms were made of clay, ivory wood, and plastic. A single dye has six faces, and each face of the dye has from one to six dots. In dice divination, three dice of the same size are shaken between your hands or in a cup while thinking of your question or problem, and the number of dots shown on the dice landing face up is interpreted.
The term “clinical,” often seen in advertising, simply means something has been done with people rather than by other means, such as in a test tube. Clinical hypnosis (or clinical hypnotherapy) generally refers to the practice of hypnosis and suggestion to help people change or eliminate unwanted behaviors. Clinical hypnosis is usually performed in an office (a “clinic”) designed for this function.
In UFO lore, contact between human and alien beings. There is much to suggest that these may not be physical beings but perhaps projections of the Unconscious.
Others have proposed further types of close encounters:
A set of cards used in ESP testing such as Zener cards. A subject tries to determine or “guesses” the symbol on card being viewed by a tester or predicts the next card and each card appears a fixed number of times. Statistical analysis of tests run using a closed deck uses different protocols than testing using an open deck. (See “Open Deck.”)
The end of a ritual. At the beginning or opening, the magick circle was formed. During the closing, the circle is taken down, returning the space to its normal level of sacredness. If people have dedicated temple space, they may choose to close or end the ritual but allow the sacred space to remain as charged by the ritual.
Clothing for Rituals
The G∴B∴G∴ calls for simplicity. The requirement is only that the ritual clothing be different from one’s customary clothing. While fancy ceremonial robes would fulfill this requirement, they would be contradictory to the G∴B∴G∴ emphasis on the Great Work in contrast to the accessories. A simple garment cut from cloth with holes for neck and arms could be sufficient, as could an inexpensive bath robe or night shirt.
In some Wiccan circles the choice is "skyclad—nakedness—so that all are equal before the gods and nothing is in the way of the body’s natural energy. The observation can be made that nakedness does not make us equal since we are very conscious of our physical appearance—slim, fat, tall, sort, hairy, etc.—a distraction from the Magick.
During the process of divination using a crystal ball, before visions appear the interior of the crystal becomes hazy, misty, and unclear. This is known as “clouding.”
Here's the realization: we have all along been unconscious co-creators, and now we have the growing realization that we must be conscious co-creators, broadly aware of our own transgressions of natural law, or else the human experiment will end in failure.
Louis T. Culling wrote: "Let the cynic or quibbler, who would think that this is an avoidance of realism, a kidding of one's self, practice the opposite of these trances! He would then get a well-deserved dose of his own medicine." What we build in our consciousness shapes outer reality.
Culling, Louis T. & Weschcke, Carl Llewellyn: The Complete Magick Curriculum of the Secret Order G∴B∴G∴, Llewellyn, 2010.
A cluster of nerves residing at the base of the spine.
The tailbone. The coccyx is comprised of the three to five vertebrae below the sacrum, at the very base of the spine.
The name, meaning "River of Wailing," of one of the five rivers in Greek mythology that surround Hades. The other four rivers are the Acheron ("River of Woe"), the Lethe ("River of Forgetfulness"), the Pyriphlegethon ("The Fiery River"), and the Styx ("The Hateful River").
In Postmodern magick, a set of filters through which we deal with any aspect of life. We have a set of codes for money, health, sex, learning, etc. The group of codes that allows us to live in the “real world” is called a “semiotic web.” Magick allows us to change our codes.
Coffee Grounds Reading
A variation of Tasseography (also known as Tasseomancy, and sometimes Tassology), which encompasses Tea Leaf Reading. While the "technology" is somewhat different than for tea leaves, the basic principles are similar.
Cognitive Functions Perspective
Inducing physical relaxation through intervention into the mental functions related to relaxation. Common examples are the use of visualization and suggestion to induce a peaceful, relaxed state.
(CBT) Any number of processes including hypnotherapy, in which cognitive therapy (psychotherapy) and behavioral therapy are combined. The objective is that by making positive changes in the emotional state (feelings, beliefs, etc.), it will generate positive behavioral outcomes.
A seeming simultaneous happening.
A technique used primarily by fake psychics and false mediums to deceive people. The basic principle of cold reading is that people can be pumped for information and then made to believe that this data was received supernaturally. This is combined with people’s almost egocentric tendency to find serious meaning in general statements. Most people help the “miracle” along by tending to read deeper into something than is justified.
The ninth letter of the Ogham tree alphabet, representing the letter C and meaning "hazel."
Hazel is associated with salmon in Celtic lore.... Coll represents creativity, poetry, divination, and mediation.
An apparition seen by more than one person simultaneously.
The combining of clairvoyant faculties of two or more persons to gather clairvoyant information.
In the writings of psychologist Carl Jung and his followers, the deepest stratum of the unconscious that contains material relating not to the individual but to humanity as a whole. The most important presences in the collective unconscious are the archetypes. According to Jungian theory, these are reflections of primal instincts, and also the patterns on which gods and other mythic entities are based. Contacting the archetypal patterns of the collective unconscious in a conscious and balanced way is an important part of the process of individual, the goal of Jungian psychological work.
A concept from the theories of psychologist Carl Jung, the function of the Personal Consciousness that bridges to the collective racial, cultural, mythic, even planetary memories and the world of archetypes of the Universal Consciousness, making them available to the Psyche mainly through the Sub-Conscious Mind.
The memories of all of humanity, perhaps of more than human, and inclusive of the archetypes. The contents of the collective unconscious seem to progress from individual memories to universal memories as the person grows in his or her spiritual development and integration of the whole being. There is some suggestion that this progression also moves from individual memories through various groups or small collectives—family, tribe, race, and nation—so the character of each level is reflected in consciousness until the individual progresses to join in group consciousness with all humanity. This would seem to account for some of the variations of the universal archetypes each person encounters in life.
The name for the experience of several people simultaneously observing a visual image such as an apparition.
Color Ray of Influence
Every mineral reflects some portion of the natural color spectrum. These reflections connect the crystal energy and earth power of the mineral to the human mind. These are the Color Rays of Influence.
The idea that colors have certain practical or mystical meanings. This concept is often used in candle magick and stone magick. It can also be used in artistic works where the artist wishes to communicate an idea without using words.
The idea that colors can have an effect on healing. Techniques can include visualization, breathwork, colored lights, etc. Different systems have either very simple and generalized ideas of how colors have an effect (i.e., red increases energy) to certain shades of color having very specific effects on organs, organic systems, or illness.
Color Wheel of Influence
Shows the cycles of human life and the cycles of the Earth combined within the color spectrum. It matches human activities, desires, and life events to the cycles of the Earth and depicts the appropriate color ray of influence for a talisman.
Composite Strategy for Telepathy
A two-component strategy for activating telepathic sending and receiving.
A technique used in hypnosis that consists of repeating suggestions while a person is in trance. Compounding may be done by using the same words or in different ways. The goal of compounding is to encourage the acceptance of the suggestions.
A cloth or similar material soaked in some form of liquid, often infused with herbs or other medicines, and applied to the body for healing. In its simplest form it is be used to apply pressure, heat, or cold to an affected area or wound, as when stopping bleeding.
A desire to do something that is so strong most people cannot prevent themselves from doing it. Even if it is against their conscious desires, they will still do the action. Usually requires outside assistance to overcome.
Cone of Power
Expression primarily used in Pagan traditions signifying a visualized cone with the point up and the edge of the cone matching the ritual circle used for containing magickal energy that is raised in a ritual before being directed to its goal. May be used by an individual or group. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn this was described as a “vortex of energy” and was built up via circumambulation.
Cone of Power
Also known as a "silver cone." A cone is commonly visualized as an extension of the Magick Circle to function as a container of inner strength and purpose and as a barrier against external disturbance. In Witchcraft, it is used to reach to the target of the magical operation.
The natural ability of the mind to create imagined situations—false memories—to fill in gaps in the real memory that have been caused by physical trauma to the brain or psychic trauma to the mind. If a person is hypnotized and the hypnotist is not trained in procedures to help regain objective memories (known as forensic hypnosis), the subject may create false memories to fill in gaps or simply to please the hypnotist. False memories that were confabulated during hypnosis sessions led by non-professional hypnotists were one of the causes of the so-called “Satanic Panic” of the last quarter of the 20th century.
A hypnotic induction where the hypnotist tells confusing stories that are impossible to logically follow. Eventually, the person being hypnotized gives up trying to follow them and simply listens to them. This can be seen by certain physiological signs. At this point the hypnotist suggests relaxation and hypnotic trance, and the person follows the directions.
A term used by the G∴B∴G∴ to describe intercourse used in sex magick.
In geomantic divination, a figure of two dots above one dot above another single dot above two dots. The word itself is Latin for “conjunction.” In a divination it is rather neutral, amplifying other factors of the reading.
(0 degrees)–Planets that are together in the zodiac. Indicates prominence of the two energies.
Conjunction occurs when bodies are 0 degrees apart. The influence of the conjunction is variable, depending upon the nature of the two bodies or points involved. It indicates a unification and intensification of planetary energies.
Originally a practice that may have included such things as chanting and physical motions with the purpose of evoking a spirit. Now often used as a generic term for “magic.”
The exact definition of this term is “to make something appear as if by magic.” Some practitioners of natural magick refer to their practices as conjuring. Today, the term is mostly used to mean using tricks to imitate real magic. It was popularized in England where, in order to make sure performers would not be mistaken for real magicians during a time when the practice of real magic was against the law, many entertaining performers referred to themselves as jugglers or conjurors. Today it is common to use “magic” to indicate performers and “magick” to indicate the creation of willed changes through uncommon methods.
That half of human consciousness that operates during waking hours.
That part of the mind that gives us awareness of ourselves and things outside of ourselves.
Consciousness During Ritual
Within a ritual, you are in a state of light trance, and you do not want anything to startle or jar you back into full objective consciousness until the ritual is over. The Ritual must work up without interruption to an absorbed seeking of inspiration from the Holy Guardian Angel.
Acts and/or words used to make a person, place, or thing sacred. Once a consecration is complete, the person, item, or place so consecrated is ready to take part in a magical ritual.
The process of dedicating a person, place, or thing to a spiritual path or entity, usually a deity. Often follows a cleansing (or banishing or purification).
The philosophical theory that concepts of what are and are not real must be agreed upon (not by a test or statement, but by “consensus,” a general agreement) by a group or culture. That is, if enough people believe some concept is “real,” whether it is or not, the cultural view is that it is real. An example of this is the concept that at one time it was believed by most Western Europeans that the Earth was flat. Maps and expeditions were made based on this belief. In reality, the Earth is not flat. In fact, the belief that most people during the Middle Ages and before believed that the Earth was flat may, in itself, be a form of consensus reality. There is now a belief that educated and influential people knew the Earth was spherical, and the wide spread popularity of the flat Earth myth actually developed only in the 19th century due to the popularity of Washington Irving’s book, The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, a novel that claimed most thought the world was flat until Columbus.
The concept that the physical world, as we perceive it, is an illusion—an illusion so powerful that it we accept it as “real” and in our endeavors to understand this reality we have given it still greater “hardness” through our accumulation of history, myth, fable, and statements of physical laws. All of this has been limited to the perceptions of physical senses and rejection of the non-physical.
Part of a religious ritual where the wafer and wine metaphorically become the body and blood of Jesus. Usually found as part of some Protestant rites. In the Roman Catholic Mass ritual, believers feel the wafer and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus. This is known as transubstantiation.
Contact Mind Reading
A technique, traditionally used in the beginning of training for the development of telepathy, where one person reads the mind of another while lightly touching the other person (usually holding the hand or an arm). Also known as muscle reading or Hellstromism, after the performer Hellstrom who demonstrated this in public shows. To develop true mind reading, first learn contact mind reading, then, instead of touching the person, connect with the person through a hard objects such as a yardstick or broom handle. Once that is perfected, replace the hard object with a soft one such as a handkerchief. When that is perfected, eliminated the physical contact, but look at the person’s eyes. Finally, perform tests without looking at the person.
A generalized term for non-physical forces or entities with whom communication of some sort is established. Often, these contacts will be the first communication a person has when going into trance. Contacts may have information or guidance for the person communicating with them.
Focusing your attention on something. The second step in true meditation.
Continuum of Attentiveness
A phenomenon characterizing the liberated discarnate state, in which command of past experiences exists on a need-to-know basis.
Continuum of Awareness
A phenomenon characterizing the typical incarnate state of constricted memory.
A group of random people who are given a test, the results of which give a baseline range or “norms” as part of clinical experimental protocols. A subject would then be tested and the results of his or her tests would be compared to the norms.
Meditation exercise designed to shape the future by generating images of desired developments or outcomes.
After the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, those Jews who remained in Spain and pretended to convert to Christianity but still practiced Judaism—and often mystical Judaism in the form of the Kabalah—in secret.
An odd suggestion given by a hypnotist to a person the hypnotist is trying to lead into trance to see if that person will follow the suggestion, thus proving to the hypnotist that the person is actually in trance. Later, if the person doubts he or she was hypnotized, the hypnotist can remind him or her of how they followed the suggestion.
A derogatory term applied to a Solitary Witch or a self-formed coven of Wiccans who base their magick not on thorough training, but on simply following any popular book of spells. They may simply collect the materials for the spell that are listed in the book and then follow the instructions, going so far as to read the book during the casting of the spell. This is similar to following a recipe from a cookbook, which is the source of this term.
Abbreviation for “Circle of Protection.”
A sweet gum excreted by certain trees used as an incense by some Pagans and ceremonial magicians.
A rope or string used as a badge of rank in some Wiccan traditions. The color of the cord indicates the Degree of the Witch within the tradition. In some systems this is also known as the “measure."
A rope used to measure or make measurements in certain magickal spells.
The use of ropes that are knotted in a certain manner in order to focus and release power.
In Europe and among some Pagans, any cereal grains such as wheat, barley, rye, etc., but excluding maize. Curiously, in the US it refers to maize and excludes other grains.
See Crop Circle.
A simple figure made by weaving wheat stalk together to form a symbolic figure that is symbolic of fertility and the harvest-oriented aspects of the Goddess. In most English-speaking countries, the term “corn” refers to any grain except maize. In the US, however, corn only refers to one grain: maize. Corn dollies are not made from the husks or cobs of maize.
A ritual popular among Western Christians that commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and the presence of the body (corpus) of Jesus in the Eucharist. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, it is a yearly ritual that consecrates the Vault of the Adepti used for Inner Order rituals.
A method of assigning meaning and interdependent connections to the various aspects of the visible and invisible worlds wherein each color, sound, metal, plant, animal, organs of the human body, or anything in the material world, is said to have its origin in the invisible through specific energetic signatures. Astrology plays a significant role in assigning and deciding correspondences.
The Kabbalah, using the symbolic system of the Tree of Life and numerological associations provided through the Hebrew language, Astrology, and Natural Science, identifies a wide range of correspondences between subjects, planets, herbs, plants, metals, crystals, colors, animals, angels, deities, etc. that allow substitutions of one thing for another, or that augment understanding about one thing by knowledge of another of corresponding value.
Mostly the applications of correspondences are divided into Magical, Medical, Numerical, and Tarot usages.
Divination by sieve suspended by shears or tongs, or by threads from the fingers. People would be named and the movement of the sieve would be interpreted.
The full realization of personal growth potentials related to past-life experiences.
The comprehensive records of the cosmos, which include our personal archives.
A phrase coined by Richard Bucke to describe his own experience of unity with the universal consciousness of the cosmos. Bucke believed this to be the goal of human evolution.
Cosmic Gateway to Power
A Procedure leading to self-empowerment through astral projection facilitated by a framed sheet of clear glass.
Each individual’s unique spiritual or cosmic makeup, which remains unchanged from lifetime to lifetime. Also known as a Spiritual Genotype.
The soul’s unique spiritual identity that exists in perpetuity.
Raised awareness of the cosmic scheme of our existence, accompanied by increased knowledge of our higher self. See Cosmic Actualization.
The universal language of the spirit realm.
Cosmic Life Force
The energizing foundation of all reality, both tangible and intangible.
Used by a small group of astrologers, Cosmobiology and its principal tool, midpoints, was developed in Germany in the 1920s. Cosmobiologists do not use houses or traditional aspects. Instead, they read charts with the midpoints, or the halfway point between any two planets. The theory is that the midpoint is the place where the energies of both planets unite. The midpoint is also considered a sensitive point in predictive astrology. Cosmobiologists use midpoint “trees,” a listing of the midpoints for an individual chart, and not the contacts made by other planets, which result in what they call “planetary pictures.”
A way of explaining the universe and its processes. The word can be used in both scientific and religious contexts.
In theosophy, a term meaning the greater universe—including spiritual planes—and not just the observable physical universe.
Cosmos Wide Web
Modeled after the World Wide Web (WWW) of the Internet, the CWW recognizes existence of the Akashic Records imagined as “infinite-sized and capable data banks and servers, accurately accessed through a speed-of-light fast astral search engine using an imaginary keyboard and large monitor to call up and see those records we desire.
In 1917, in Cottingly, England, two young girls claimed that they not only played with fairies in their yard, but took photographs of them. People such as Sir Author Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, investigated the girls and the photos and proclaimed that the girls were honest and the photos were real. One of the girls, late in her life, finally admitted that the photos were fakes, and one investigator actually discovered the source of the images: double-exposed photos using cut outs from a children’s book. The movie Fairy Tale—A True Story, directed by Charles Sturridge and released in 1997, was based on these events.
Thracian goddess also known as Kotys, she was a goddess of sexuality similar to Dionysus. A riotous festival in her honor was called the Cotyttia, and her followers where known as the baptai, implying a part of what was required to follow her, a baptism. Her worship extended from Thrace to Italy and Sicily.
See Emile Coue.
Council of Ancyra
Also known as the Synod of Ancyra, this was a meeting of Christian elders held in Ancyra in the Roman province of Galatia (modern Ankara, Turkey) in 314 C.E. It’s important because it was the first meeting after the end of Roman persecution of Christianity with the overthrowing of Maximinus the previous year. Among the things they ordered were punishments for those who worshiped (freely or due to force) with Pagans, that clergy should not be vegetarians, that if you’re under 20 years old and have sex with animals you can be admitted to the church, people who commit adultery are not completely accepted in a church for seven years, and women (nothing about men) who perform abortions or make drugs for abortion must serve ten years of penance. It also states that if you perform divinations, follow Pagan traditions, or do magick you must suffer five years of penance.
A suggestion given to a hypnotized person to overcome or “counter” a current belief. Counter-suggestions may even be used to replace deep core beliefs.
A second divination performed to check the correctness of the first one; sort of like a second opinion in medical practices.
The Page, Knight, Queen, and King of each suit of the Tarot. Some decks may use other names, such as Princes and Princesses, for certain court cards.
A group of practitioners of Witchcraft. Traditionally composed of thirteen or fewer people, some covens are as small as two or three while others are much larger in number.
Covenant of the Goddess
Formed in 1975, Covenant of the Goddess is a group of covens and individuals linked to provide communication, as well as legal standing, to the members.
The area around the physical location of a coven (the covenstead). This is traditionally one league [most commonly equal to three miles, but it has been different historically and in different locales] in all directions.
In Wicca, the meeting place of a coven.
Also See: coven
Term used by Witches and Wiccans to mean someone who is an outsider; not of the Craft. Similar to the term “Muggle” used in the Harry Potter novels.
A shorter version of Witchcraft and used instead of that term or Wicca. It is also used by Freemasons to describe their fraternity without publicly naming it.
Also See: Craft, The, The Craft
A generic term for rules set up by covens. There are two basic types of such rules. The first are for behavior among coven member. These include practices within a circle (for example, how to behave) and outside a circle (for example, which member is responsible for certain activities such as calling the members to a meeting). The second type describes what members should do during times of trouble and persecution for the protection of the coven and its members.
Crazy Lace Agate
Crazy lace agate, also known as Mexican agate, is an attractive, white, opaque stone, patterned like a beautiful, multicolored paisley cloth. It is a cryptocrystalline quartz, found in Mexico.
In ancient times, this agate was worn to placate the gods, and to give courage. It will sharpen your sight, help the eyes, illuminate your mind, allow you to be more eloquent and give vitality. It keeps the wearer well-balanced and serious. Lace agate strengthens the Sun in its wearer, and improves the ego and self-esteem. It gives you a feeling of consolation despite the hardships of life. It has been considered symbolical of the third eye, and the symbol of the spiritual love of good. It helps to banish fear. It is a good general healing stone.
A mythic story used to explain the formation and existence of the phenomenal world.
Creative visualization involves the fashioning of an image in the conscious mind and the charging (and constant recharging) of that image by the enormous psychic energy of the unconscious.
A process of using visualizations to affect your unconscious. This will have an effect on the Astral Plane leading to changes on the physical plane.
The appearance and phase of the moon when it is between new and full. Often the image of a partial moon is used as the sign of the High Priestess or of a degree level among some covens.
The largest Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was the center of the Minoan civilization that thrived between about 2600 b.c.e. and 1454 b.c.e. Although it has been ruled by Christians and Moslems, previously it is believed to have been one of the few European civilizations known to have had a period of primarily goddess worship. Cretan Goddess statues show the Her wearing a full skirt and a vest that is open exposing Her breasts. She is shown holding a snake in each hand. Reproductions of this image are popular among many Neo-Pagans.
An apparition seen on (or just before or after) the anniversary of their death.
Term describing types of divination by grain. One method is to observe the appearance of cakes made for ritual consumption, especially cakes made of barley. It also is a term for looking at the dough for such cakes, looking for signs indicating future events. Some also relate this to the practice of tossing grain on the carcasses of animal sacrifices and looking for divinatory patterns in the way the grain falls.
The part of the mind that under normal conditions critically analyzes all information that is received by the mind through the senses (and via self-talk). In hypnosis, the Critical Factor is bypassed, allowing the client to accept suggestions that are within the client’s moral compass.
The careful observation and remembrance of details making their later organization and analysis possible. It is an essential feature of astral and magickal training.
Baking a single symbolic object into one of many food items—cakes, pancakes, cookies, muffins, rolls, etc. The person who is served that piece containing the charm determines his or her future according to traditional meanings:
Also spelled "Crithomancy."
Name of a temple that was an offshoot of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Anglican clergymen.
Also see Dolmen.
Divination in onions.
One of the three aspects of the triple goddess, the Crone has the image of an elderly woman. Also, an honored elder in some Pagan traditions. The image of a Witch found in many folk tales is actually that of the Crone. The age is necessary to show the wisdom she has acquired. Physical malformations such as the stooped stance and the infamous nose wart indicate the work she has done for the community as well as her skill as a healer.
A ritual marking a woman’s movement from representing the “mother” aspect of the triple goddess to that of the “crone,” respected for he knowledge and experience.
Sometimes associated with, but not limited to, UFO lore in which 1) often crudely formed "amateur" geometric patterns are found in agricultural fields of such crops as grass, corn, wheat, etc. 2) Finely detailed and "professional" complex geometric patterns in the midst of field crops. In both instances, these large scale "drawings" happen at night. In most of the "amateur" class examples, pranksters have admitted to dragging wood beams to break down the crops. In the case of the "professional" class examples, no human explanations have been uncovered. Theories range from alien communications to unusual natural gravitational or electromagnetic effects. Until understood, the phenomena remains classed as paranormal.
Some sort of message from non-physical entities such as spirits.
In most covens, the process leading to membership and initiation requires a period of study and practice, often a year and a day. Sometimes, to honor leaders of different covens or help establish friendly bonds between them, initiations will be given without such training. That is, a Witch of tradition 1 initiates into that tradition a Witch from tradition 2. In turn, the Witch from tradition 2 initiates into that tradition the Witch from tradition 1. Theologically, this allows covens to work with the specific deities of the other coven. It also allows a High Priest or High Priestess to officiate at another coven. This can be valuable if the person regularly working in this role becomes ill, leaves the coven, or dies.
Cross of Confusion
Supposedly an ancient Roman symbol which questioned the validity of Christianity. It consists of an equal-armed (solar) cross, however the four bars of the cross do not meet at the center. Instead, there is a dot in the middle. The decending bar is replaced by a sickle, giving the appearance of an inverted question mark. Popularized in recent times as a symbol used by the band Blue Oyster Cult.
Cross Quarter Days
The Pagan Wheel of the Year consists of eight major holidays, or Sabbats. Four of these are distinctly solar in nature: the two equinoxes, when the amount of daylight and night time are equal, and the solstices, the time of either the longest day or night. Dividing the time between a solstice and an equinox is a cross quarter day, also known as a fire Sabbat as they feature bonfires. They are commonly named Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.
A crossing spell is the name for a folk magick rite that puts a curse or cross (in the form of an “X”) on a person
Crossing the Bridge
A Wiccan rite of passage performed at the death of a loved one. Corresponds to the concept of a funeral. Different Wiccan groups have various Crossing the Bridge rituals, ranging from focusing on a spiral dance—representing the spiral of life—to a re-enactment of the famous goddess descending to the underworld and returning. Will often include a celebratory aspect with feasting, drinking, storytelling, and dance in honor of the deceased.
The intersection of two roads, such a location is sometimes a locus of paranormal activity. This may be related to the ancient worship of the Greek goddess Hekate. Besides being the goddess of the home, of newborns, and of Witches, she was also considered the goddess of the crossing of three roads. Often, a small pile of stones at such sites would mark the location of her worship. By the end of the sixteenth century, such worship was downplayed and the location of three roads (tri via) resulted in a word, trivial, meaning ordinary, commonplace, or vulgar. In the early 1900s, Trivialities was the title of a book by L.P. Smith which popularized the term as meaning “things of little consequence.”
Also See: crossroad
Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was the foremost ceremonial magician of the first half of the 20th century. He was born in Leamington, England, on October 12, 1875, the son of fanatical Plymouth Brethren. His mother called him the Beast of Revelation, whose number is 666, and Crowley embraced this identification. He attended Cambridge and began to study occultism. He was an accomplished chess player, mountain climber, and poet. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In 1903, he married Rose Kelly. In 1904, while on an extended honeymoon with Rose in Cairo, he received The Book of the Law from a "praeternatural" entity calling himself Aiwass. This book identified Crowley as the Logos of a New Aeon, and Crowley spent the rest of his life trying to spread the new religion. He died in a rooming house in Hastings on December 1, 1947.
Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was one of the most controversial figures in recent Western occultism. He inherited a considerable fortune, and died a pauper. He had great intellectual genius and wasted a lot on shocking the world as he knew it with occasional bizarre antics and lifestyle. He was trained in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later formed his own Order of the Silver Star and then took over the O∴T∴O∴ (Ordo Templi Orientis). He was a prolific and capable writer of magick technology, and is best known for his transcription of The Book of the Law received from a spirit named Aiwass proclaiming Crowley as the Beast 666 in the Book of Revelations and announcing a New Aeon of terror and advancement for the world. His magickal books and his Thoth Tarot Deck are worth study.
One of the power centers found in spiritual traditions with a source in the Indian subcontinent. The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara in Sanskrit) is physically associated with the central chest area. When this chakra is overcharged or undercharged with spiritual energy, it implies that you are dealing with issues of spirituality and direct communication with the Divine. When appropriately charged it is said to indicate that you have freed yourself from those attachments in life that lead to disappointment and unhappiness. When the Kundalini energy rises and fully excites this chakra, it releases (or triggers the release) of a substance known as “amrita,” a special fluid that is supposed to grant immortality. It is symbolized by a lotus flower that has twenty circular sets of fifty petals, each, totaling one thousand petals.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) Correspondences
Alchemical Planet: Mercury, Uranus
1 Inner teacher
Suggested Reading: Dale: The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy
A term used by some Spiritualists to describe all aspects of mental mediumship. This is where there are no physical phenomena produced; however, the medium is able to bring forth messages to the sitters. The term was coined by Charles Richet.
Supposed original thoughts that are actually the recall of forgotten memories. These may be mistaken as paranormal revelatons and may explain some past-life memories.
The search for and scientific study of animals whose existence is mythic or unproven, ranging from the sheep with the Golden Fleece to Bigfoot and "Nessie" (the Loch Ness Monster).
A crystal is a solid material with a regular internal arrangement of atoms. Because of this orderly composition, it may form the smooth external surfaces called faces that allow us to see into the crystal when it is clear. Most all stones are made in part of silica. The presence of this silica is what gives crystals their luminosity and crystal clearness. Crystal is brittle—as we are—and as such is a reflection of ourselves. As we shatter our being, it is seen to be rigid and crystalline in structure. Crystals are described as being clear, milky, having rainbow prisms within, or having fractures visible along their length.
A sphere made of a crystal, typically quartz. The fewer occlusions and imperfections it has increases its value. Often used as a focal point for concentration with a purpose of divination.
A round ball of quartz crystal or glass used as focal point in skrying. Gazing at the ball, one enters into a trance-like state where dream like scenes and symbols are seen and interpreted. Similar aids are the Magic Mirror, a pool of black ink, a piece of obsidian.
Also known as Crystallomancy, a technique typically using a crystal ball to engage and liberate the mind's psychic powers while promoting a state of general self-empowerment. Crystal gazing opens the channels of the mind and permits the free expression of multiple inner faculties.
Crystal Gazing Focal Shift Technique
A meditational technique generating an empowered mental state conducive not only to increased psychic awareness but personal insight as well.
Crystal Gazing Focusing Procedure
A program to stimulate psychic faculties and awareness expansion using a crystal ball.
See Crystal Ball.
A technique that uses an out-of-body session to re-experience past-life origins of traumas that have resulted in negative effects in you current life and liberating yourself from their impact.
Crystalline Sphere Technique
A psychotherapy technique designed to explore past-life influences and extinguish fears associated with unresolved past-life trauma.
Divination with a Crystal Ball.
Crystals and Gems
A crystal is a solid material with a regular internal arrangement of atoms. Because of this orderly composition, it may form the smooth external surfaces called faces that allow us to see into the crystal when it is clear. Most all stones are made in part of silica. The presence of this silica is what gives crystals their luminosity and crystal clearness. Crystal is brittle—as we are—and as such is a reflection of ourselves. As we shatter our being, it is seen to be rigid and crystalline in structure. Crystals are described as being clear, milky, having rainbow prisms within, or having fractures visible along their length.
Crystals and Gems
Types of stones given value by their beauty of color, clarity, and shape. The term is usually attributed to those stones of color that are not clear quartz by those who use such stones for mental, physical, or spiritual healing and attunement. Each gem is associated with various qualities or powers determined by historical attributions (amethyst, for example, is said to prevent drunkenness), color magic, or modern research and experimentation.
Cube of Space
A model, found in the Sepher Yetzirah, of how the invisible energies expressed by the Hebrew alphabet interact with one another to create the invisible worlds.
(koo-khullin) - The great epic hero of old Ulster stories such as the "Cattle Raid of Cooley." He was the incarnation or manifestation of the Celtic high god of Lugus (Lugh or Llew).
From the Latin cultus, meaning “care, cultivation, worship” by way of the French culte. In English it was originally used in the 17th century to mean “worship” or “a particular form of worship.” It referred to the homage paid to a deity. Thus, Christianity, Judaism, Protestantism, Islam, etc. are all cults by the original meaning of the term. It went out of use in the 18th century, but was revived in the middle of the 19th century as a descriptive term of ancient or primitive forms of worship. Thus, Shamanism, Druidism, and Paganism are cults according to the 19th century definition. In recent years the term has come to mean a group, frequently relatively small in number, that is perceived as spreading false teachings, taking advantage of members or outsiders, and/or is “evil.” In this sense it is sometimes used as an epithet by members of one group—usually larger in number and having a longer historical existence—against those of a group that the first one doesn’t like. Thus, to some sects of Christians, Pagans, Satanists, the Seventh Day Adventists, and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) are types of cults.
In the early 19th century, the term also started to be used to describe extreme devotion to a person or thing. Today this is popularized in the expression, “cult of personality.” That is, some people regard a leader or product with misplaced or excessive admiration, ignoring or denying any facts that would show this admiration to be misplaced.
The use or outright adoption of concepts, beliefs, practices, etc. taken from one culture—usually a minority culture—by another, usually dominant culture. While this is a common and natural occurance in the evolution of cultures and societies, in some instances the appropriation is partial (to fit in with preconceived notions of the dominant society) and even incorrect, leading persons in the minority society to consider it theft and a destruction of their beliefs and practices. Thus, in many instances cultural appropriation is considered a negative practice.
Named after Stuart Cumberland (born Charles Garner, 1857–1922) who astounded European audiences with the appearance of true mind reading abilities. He appears to have used Contact Mind Reading.
Derived from early pictographic writing, cuneiform consists of wedge-shaped marks that, when placed together, form words. Cuneiform was written by pressing the ends of prepared reeds into soft clay tablets and cylinders. It was in wide use in Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria.
A form of oral sex in which the clitoris and labia are stimulated with the mouth and tongue.
Common term for the container in rituals that hold consecrated water or wine. In ceremonial magick orders, this tends to be in the form of a stemmed goblet or chalice. It is also the tool or “weapon” used by magickians to represent and manifest the magickal element of Water.
The shape of upper lip, a reference to the Roman God of love, an implicit recognition of the erotic appeal of that body part.
The shape of upper lip, a reference to the Roman God of love, an implicit recognition of the erotic appeal of that body part.
One of the four suits of the Tarot, corresponding to the modern Hearts and to the clergy of medieval society. In the system of the Golden Dawn, corresponds to the element of Water and the first Heh of Tetragrammaton.
Also See: Coupes, Chalices
Pronounced “kur-ahn-dehr-rah,” it is Spanish for “female healer.”
Pronounced “kur-ahn-dehr-ro,” it is Spanish for “healer,” it differs from doctor or nurse (in Spanish, doctor or enfermera) in that it refers to a person who uses alternative healing methods, including herbal methods and magic for healing. In some ways, Curandero also means a “good Witch.”
A type of alchemical container. In sex magick, the vagina.
A spell or ritual—or the result of the spell or ritual—used to harm someone or punish the person. It may be transferable to the family of the cursed person. A curse may also cause a building, location, or object to bring “bad luck” to an owner or renter.
A dividing line between signs or houses in a chart.
The theory expressed by Fritz Leiber in his novel, Conjure Wife –
"The way nails sometimes insist on bending when you hammer, as if they were trying to. Or the way machinery refuses to work. Matter’s funny stuff. In large aggregates, it obeys natural law, but when you get down to the individual atom or electron, it’s largely a matter of chance or whine."
Leiber, Fritz: Conjure Wife, 1968, Award Books, Universal Publishing & Distribution Co., New York
See Cosmos Wide Web.
The "new" Astral Plane. The role of the Internet as a search engine duplicates the memory resources of the Akashic Records; the instant transfer of communications via e-mail duplicates Mental Telepathy; the Social Networking tools duplicates the Astral Body as a kind of magic mirror; the role-playing Avatar duplicates the projected Body of Light.
The expanding use of the Internet blends with similar functions on the Astral Plane to a degree that trains the user to function more directly, more consciously, in the subconscious mind and overcoming the barriers that previously existed.
In Theosophy, the concept (also known as the "Law of Cycles") that nature repeats everywhere. However, it is not an exact repetition, as with each new cycle there is a modification of the previous cycle.
Divination by means of letters and numbers painted on a turning wheel of fortune.