Witchcraft typically employs a variety of tools and accoutrements in the practices and rituals. Often these are common tools or items used in a rather more specific, symbolic or magickal way.
Similarly, there are many commonly used words which have particular significance in the practice of witchcraft, either historically or currently, many of which have been corrupted or stereotyped over time.
ALTAR:
Typically a piece of furniture, such as a table or chest, upon which a practitioner places several symbolic and functional items for the purpose of worshiping, casting spells, saying chants, etc. It can consist of any table. It can be round or square, wood or stone, solid or hollow; the important thing is that it is used solely as an altar and not for any other purpose.
AMULET:
An object intended to bring good luck and/or protection it its owner, or any object believed to hold magickal properties that can protect against bad luck, illness or evil. Potential amulets include gems, crystals, simple stones, statues, coins, drawings, diagrams, pendants, rings, plants, animals, even words. They are often worn as a necklace or pendant about the neck, but they can be worn anywhere.
ATHAME:
Ceremonial double-edged dagger, one of several tools used in rituals. The athames primary use is for ritual and magickal purposes only, to direct energy during a ceremony. It is never to be used as a mundane knife or cutting tool. The athame is the first of the four elemental tools and represents, in most traditions, the element Fire. It may be used to cast circles by tracing their circumference, to "cut" or re-seal a door in a ritual circle, to charge and concecrate objects, and banish negative energies.
BELL:
A commonly used ritual tool for invocation and banishment. The bell drives away negativity and keeps evil spirits at bay because evil spirits cannot tolerate the sounds of a clear high pitched bell. It is often used to invoke the Goddess or sounded at the four quarters to call forth spirits.
BLACK MAGICK:
A form of dark magick or sorcery that draws on malevolent powers and may be used for dark purposes or malevolent acts that deliberately cause harm in some way. Black magick is often times associated with Satanism and the "Left Hand Path" belief system, which values the advancement and preservation of the self and the pursuit of temporal and terrestrial goals.
BOLINE:
Ritual knife that, unlike the athame, is used for cutting chords, wands and herbs, carving candles, or other mundane uses and is the practical knife of the craft.
BOOK OF SHADOWS:
A collection of magickal texts. It is the workbook of practitioners of magick and contains the core rituals and guidelines, magickal practices, doctrine and laws, ethics and philosophy of the tradition, invocations, herbal and healing lore, spells, runes, symbols, poems and chants, or any other valuable information pertaining to the craft. It is considered a sacred and important tool and item of power of the witch and contains all of her magickal knowledge. It should be consecrated along with all the other magickal tools.
CANDLES:
Consecrated candles are frequently used on the altar to represent the presence of the God and Goddess and in the four corners of a ritual to represent the presence of the four elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Candles are burned at all ceremonies and the lighting and extinguishing of candles mark the opening and closing of a ritual. Candles are frequently used for magickal meditative purposes, in healing rituals, to help increase a spells' power, or to influence a particular power.
COULDRON:
In general it is a large metal pot or kettle for cooking or boiling over an open fire. It can be placed in a sacred or ritual circle and used to burn items during a ritual, to hold the ingredients necessary for a spell or incantation, for scrying in water, as a container for making brews and potions, or to provide a vessel in which transmutation, germination and transformation may occur.
CHALICE:
Essentially just a cup or goblet intended to hold a drink but religiously it is intended for use during a ceremony or ritual. It is the second of the four elemental tools and represents the element Water.
CINGULUM:
A cord often worn about the waist by adherents of some traditions. Used as a belt to symbolize initiation and rank and may be worn at rituals.
COVEN:
A gathering or community of witches; a group of believers who gather together for ceremonies or worship.
CRYSTALS:
A mineral capable of receiving, storing, transmitting, or amplifying vibrational energy and is often used as a tool for healing, prophecy or communication. Different crystals are associated with different elements and are believed to have different powers, magickal properties and attributes.
CURSE:
Any kind of adversity thought to be inflicted by a supernatural power, such as a spell, prayer, magick, a god or spirit, or of a natural force. It can be considered to be any spell which causes lasting harm through an outside source, by written enchantment, artifacts or the use of a verbal incantation.
ESBAT:
A ritual observance of the full moon. The time when the main magickal work is done along with any administrative and business discussions and the initiation of new members.
FAMILIAR:
An animal shapped spirit or minor demon believed to serve a witch as domestic servant, spy and companion, in addition to helping to bewitch enemies or divine information. The spirit or demon is believed to possess magickal powers.
GRIMOIRE:
A textbook of magick, typically giving instructions for invoking angels or demons, performing divination's and gaining magickal powers. They often contain astrological correspondences, lists of angels and demons, directions on casting charms and spells, mixing medicines, summoning unearthly entities, and making talismans.
INCENSE:
A substance that releases fragrant smoke when burned and is employed in many religious ceremonies and spiritual purificatory rites, as well as for its aesthetic values. It is believed to create a magickal atmosphere that is appropriate for the invocation of deities and spirits, and burning the incense is believed to release the large amount of energy stored within natural incense, which can be used for magickal purposes.
MAGICK:
A method of controlling the natural world through supernatural means. The science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with the will.
PENTACLE:
A type of amulet or talisman used in traditional magickal evocations. Employed as a magickal tool to summon certain energies or command spirits. Normally the center piece of the altar on which objects are to be consecrated or charged. It is the third of the four elemental tools and represents the element Earth. A pentacle is generally a disc made of parchment, paper, metal, stone, clay, or wood, on which the symbol of a spirit or energy being evoked is drawn.
POTION:
A consumable medicine or poison believed to possess magickal properties. It is a concoction made by a witch and used to heal, bewitch, or poison people.
RITUAL CIRCLE:
A magick circle marked out by practitioners of ritual magick either to contain energy and form a sacred space, or as a form of magickal protection, or both.
SABBATS:
The eight festivals spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the annual cycle of the Earths' seasons known as the Wheel of the Year.
SYMBOLS:
Among other uses, they may be worn as amulets or charms or used to decorate altars or ritual circles.
WAND:
A thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, ivory or metal, generally with ceremonial or magickal associations. It is traditionally made from the wood of a sacred tree such as willow, elder, oak, apple, peach, hazel or cherry.
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