While this certainly isn't the most extensive Glossary of Terms, I wanted to make sure I included Terms that are not typically found in your average Pagan collection of definitions. I hope this list is helpful for you in some way, and that you find this information interesting. I will be adding terms to this page over time as I feel they are needed so check in again to learn something new. Use the menu to the right to jump to a section faster.

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Adept - one who is considered highly proficient within a magickal system through serious study and accomplishments.

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Aether - the material that fills the universe above the terrestrial sphere. Physicists hypothisized that Aether percolates through space creating a medium through which light can travel, but no evidence was found to support this theory. The word Aether in Greek means fresh air or clear sky and was thought to be the essence that the gods breathed filling the space where they lived. Aether was mentioned by Plato when speaking about air and also by Aristotle in his system of classic elements as the fifth element.

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Alchemy - a branch of High Magic developed in the Middle Ages whit the intention of magically and/or chemically turning base metals into gold. A practice of combining elements of metallurgy, and other sciences with mysticism and religion for many purposes, including the creation of gold and the finding of a panacea that could cure all disease. (It has since become known in more modern times in terms of Internal Alchemy which is the ability to transmute one's experiences into a higher consciousness or the healing of self.)

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Almadel - in medieval magick, the Almadel was a wax talisman inscribed with the names of spirits

and/or deities and their sigils for magickal works. Being made of wax, it could be thrown in fire or a

hot pot for melting, and to destroy it's secret information. The Almadel is still used in some traditions

of ceremonial magick today. It is typically held up as a platform with 4 pillars under (one under each

corner of the Almadel) with taper candles placed in the pillars around the Almadel:

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Anima Mundi - A cosmological concept of a world soul or governing force in the universe that allows divine thought to be manifested in laws affecting matter. According to mystic Marsilio Ficino, the world soul is omnipresent but cooperating star deamons assist in uniting spirit and matter. Philosophically, the world soul was midway between spirit and matter, a dimension of energy and vitality for the world below.

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Animal Bezoar - a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system (usually the stomach), though it can occur in other locations. A pseudobezoar is an indigestible object introduced intentionally into the digestive system. There are several varieties of bezoar, some of which have inorganic constituents and others organic. Bezoar stones were seen as valuable commodities, sometimes with magical healing properties, as in the old English case Chandelor v Lopus. (Wikipedia)

Types of bezoar include:
Lactobezoar: a mass of undigested milk, most commonly found in pre-term infants on highly concentrated formula.

Trichobezoar: a mass of hair.
Phytobezoar: a mass of undigested food particles usually from fruits and vegetables such as celery, citrus fruits, coconut, pumpkins, grape skins, prunes, raisins, and most notably persimmons (bezoars resulting from persimmons are called diospyrobezoars).
Pharmacobezoar: a mass of medications such as extended release medicines or bulk-forming laxatives.

It is known that these strange object have medicinal and healing powers, but it is also believed that these objects can be used in magick for specific purposes depending on what animal the bezoar came from. It was suggested that they are a direct link to the animal's spirit.

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Ankh - also known as Crux Ansata which is latin meaning "cross with a handle". It has also been called the key of life, and the key of the Nile. There is much debate on the symbol's origin, though one theory states that it was the Goddess Isis's belt buckle. It is a hieroglyph that reads "life". Many Egyptian Gods/desses are depicted holding the ankh, perhaps in reference to their power over it.... to give life, or take it. It is even hypothesized that the Ankh is a reference to one's ability to ascend to the higher planes at will, showing control over life and death in this manner.

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Animism - the belief that all things, animate and inanimate, have a soul.

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Apo Leo - among the Kahunas of Hawaii, is a specific form of sorcery in which a victim is suddenly unable to speak. The God Uli and Goddess Hiiaka believed to be responsible for causing these types of magickal conditions.

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Apparition - the appearance of someone living or dead in conditions that cannot be accounted for by a physical cause. Though apparitions are often thought of as ghosts, the term is alao used in occult literature to describe human forms tha appear to another person as the result of astral projection or clairvoyance.

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Archetype - refers to symbols or images that represent the emotions or knowledge of the subconscious mind. Images within a tarot card are symbols or messages for a recipient, these images are the archetypes or mirrors of subconscious emotions. Archetypal visions have been regarded by mystics as personal revelations from an external divine source.

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Asatru - a form of Germanic neopaganism which is centered around the worship of traditional Germanic deities.

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Ascended Master - believed to be spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans, but who have undergone a series of spiritual transformations originally called initiations.Both "Mahatmas" and "Ascended Master" are terms used in the Ascended Master Teachings. Ascended Master is based on the Theosophical concept of the Mahatma or Master of the Ancient Wisdom. However, "Mahatmas" and "Ascended Masters" are believed by some to differ in certain respects.The Ascended Master Teachings refer to the Sixth Initiation as Ascension, and having undergone the Sixth initiation the Ascended master is thereby capable of dwelling on the 6th dimension.

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Ashipu - a Babylonian priest/sorcerer who performed magick ceremonies to counteract evil spells and control nature. They also returned sick people back to health by exorcising evil spirits.

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Asperger - a bundle of rolled up Herbs used to sprinkle water in a purification. Sometimes metal rods are used, and some also use their athame or wand.

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Atavism - the concept that a primeval force related to an earlier stage of one's evolution can reappear after many generations. Austin Osman Spare, an English Occultist, practiced a technique called atavism resurgence in order to manifest animal aspects of his personality that he believed had derived from his previous incarnations. The word Atavism is used in the medical field also to describe birth mutations such as tails, webbed toes, third nipples, and hoofed feet on humans.

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Axis Mundi - Also called the Axis of the world, the Axis Munid  symbolizes the World Tree which spans the different worlds allowing the magician transport between planes of reality. This concept is found within shamanism as well as other world mythologies.

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Baaheamaequa - a vision among the Crow Indians which bestows a power enabling the shaman to perform healings and act as healer to the community.

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Baka - an evil spirit or demon in voodoo most often taking the form of an animal

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Battérie Maconnique - In Voodoo, the Battérie Maconnique is a rhythmic beat produced by clapping or drumming. In magickal ceremonies the Battérie Maconnique is said to represent a rapping on the door which leads to the loa realm.

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Black Moon - The second dark moon (new moon) within a calendar month is a black moon. In working magic, a black moon is thought to be a time of enormous magical power in the spiritual world. Spellwork at this time is especially powerful. I find that there is debate on the definition of a black moon. It's not an idea I have seen in many books, but I tend to lean toward this definition of a black moon. See the entry for black moon on Wikipedia for more ideas on this.

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Bell, Book, & Candle - Much unlike one of my favorite movies ever, it is a Ceremonial Excommunication performed by a priest. During the Ceremony, the priest reads a malidiction, tolls a bell for the "dead" excommunicated, and extinguishes a candle to signify their removal from the sight of God.

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Blood of the Moon - refers to a woman's menstrual cycle that falls during a full or new moon. She is believed to be much more powerful during that time, and menstrual blood is believed to be the most powerful ingredient to spells of love, lust, fertility, and sex as well as health and abundance.

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Cartomancy - the art of divination by use of cards, whether regular playing cards or tarot cards. In the 18th, 19th, and 20th century fortune telling using playing cards was popular, and still continues today.

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Cairn - a stack of stones often used as a landmarks. "Cairn" comes from a Scottish Gaelic word, they can be found all over the world, and even in entire artificial hills, in complexity from loose, conical rock piles to delicately balanced sculptures and elaborate feats of megalithic engineering. Today, some stack cairns in prayer and meditation, and it is suggested that they are still used as landmarks today.

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Channeling - a spiritual practice in which someone opens their mind to communications from another stream of consciousness than their own whether a disembodied being, spirit guide, or other entity.

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Churingas - oval stones or pieces of wood inscribed with sacred markings among the Austrailian Aboriginies. They were linked to animal totems, and were not to be seen by women or uninitiated men.

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Clavicle - from the Latin 'clavis' meaning Key, is explained as a mystical key to unlocking an occult secret. An example of the clavicle from occult literature and grimoires would include the medieval grimoire known as "The Key of Solomon" (Clavicula Solimonis).

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Covenstead - the place chosen by the coven to meet regularly for Ritual. It is a permanent location for celebrations and meetings. It can be a room, a coven member's home, a rented space, or a building. The covenstead can also serve as storage for ritual items and materials so that members do not have to carry things from home to rituals. The covenstead is usually ritually dedicated and consecrated as the coven's sacred meeting place.

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Dakini - In Tibet, a witch or terrifying female demon that appears to a magician during his ritual. The term Dakini is sometimes used in India as a general term for Earth Mother Deities as well.

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Decoction - a method of extraction by boiling, of dissolved chemicals, from herbal or plant material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes. Decoction involves first mashing, and then boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances. Decoction can be used to make tisanes, teas, coffees, tinctures and similar solutions. The process can also be applied to meats and vegetables to prepare bouillon or stock.

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Dei Lucrii - local or personal gods of profit worshipped and evoked by ancient Romans to ensure lucrative business ventures. The god Mercury eventually took over their function.

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Distillation - the process of purification of material used in alchemy to extract the "volatile spirit" from "impure" substances through heat. Vaporization (known as sublimation) is followed by cooling and condensation believed to draw out the pure essence of the material.

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Djinn - the plural for Genii, also Genn, Jinni, Genie, or Jinn. They are daemon or spirits of Arabian tradition, thought of as a higher order of being than humans and formed of "more subtle" matter. According to Islamic belief, the genii ruled the earth before the creation of Adam and were regarded as an intermediate race of spirit beings between angels and humans. They were believed to have special architectural skills, and according to the Qur'an, were employed by Solomon to assist in erecting his magnificent temple. They are believed to be the origin of our modern Demon, and this is hardly the extent of what they are.

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Dowsing - a form of divination used to locate water, metals, and ot that are out of sight, usually below the ground, by the use of a tree branch or metal forked rod. Also known as "water witching", dowsing has been around for about 7,000 years. A person who uses this form of divination is called a Dowser, and dowsing may also be done with a pendulum.

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Effigy- an object used to represent a specific person. You may also know them as poppets, wangas, and voodoo dolls though each of these terms may mean something different for the person being represented. Effigies are used in magick and spells with the intent that whatever is done with the object will also be done to the person (good or bad). A photo can also be used as an effigy.

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Esotericism - dirives from a Greek word esôterikós which means "pertaining to the innermost" or "belonging to an inner circle". Esotericism signifies the holding of esoteric beliefs or ideas accepted and perpetuated by a small group of those specially initiated. Esotericism can include such things as Astrology, Alchemy, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, Christian Mysticism, Numerology, Kabbalah, Theosophy, Spiritualism, Scientology, and many other subjects.

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Farine Guine - powdered ash, used in voodoo to produce vevers on the ground which invoke the loa.

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Fire Water - sometimes mentioned in discussions on offerings to spirits commonly in voodoo, hoodoo, and other witchcraft traditions. Fire water is usually a blessed alchoholic beverage resembling water (clear). Sometimes Rum or Vodka is offered along with tobacco and foods to spirits who are being petitioned for a specific reason.

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First Blood Rite - used to refer to the coming of age rite of passage for young girls who have come upon their first menstrual cycle. It is a celebration of a girls journey from childhood into womanhood.

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Fort - In Voodoo, the Fort is one who is highly skilled in ritual procedures and therefor has the strength to command the Loa.

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Gad - a protective tattoo in voodoo given during magickal initiation, acting as a charm against evil forces.

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Gemantria - a Hebrew numerical science which consists of adding up the numerical value of a word and comparing it to other words with the same value

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Hag Stone - also known as Witch Stones, Fairy Stones, Holy Stones and Eye Stones, are stones with naturally formed holes running clean through them. These holes are usually formed by centuries of wave action. It is this association with running water (which itself is said to negate the effect of evil) that is believed by many people to be the source of the Hag Stone’s reputation for guarding their owner against ill-fortune and the Evil Eye.

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Hand of Glory - Much to many folk's surprise, this was once an actual practice. It was an amulet used in black magick, made from the severed right hand of an executed murderer, ideally cut from the corpse while the body still hung on the gallows. The hand was squeezed of blood, pickled, and dried. The hand was fitted with candles between (or inside) the fingers. It was believed to "freeze people in their track", and was therefor used as protection against thieves. I would imagine that one of these (provided it was authentic) would be viewed as extremely valuable today, since murderers are no longer hanged like they once were.

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Henosis - described as a Mystical "Oneness" with that which is fundamental to one's reality. It is the union, or unity with characteristics shared by all within the Collective Consciousness.

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Journey of the Soul -also known as "Soul Retrieval", it is a journey undertaken by the shaman to retrieve the soul of a person who has been bewitched or inflicted with disease. In other circumstances it is on to communicate with the gods. The journey occurs durring a trance state with the aid of drumming and the ingestion of psychedelic sacramental plants.

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Kachina - ancestral spirits and gods of the clouds, among the Hopi Indians of the Northwestern U.S. They are impersonated by masked dancers during ritual ceremonies that relate to the fertility of crops in February. Kachina ancestor spirits are also represented by ornately carved and colored dolls.

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Kahuna - a Hawaiian Shaman. The term is also used to describe a "master" or expert in a particular feild. A Kahuna lapaau laau specializes in herbal medicine, a kahuna hoonoho specializes in trance mediumship, and kahuna hoonohonoho specializes in sorcery.

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Kamigakari - a Shinto term for divine spirit possession, the entry of a spiritual being into a human body.

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Kobold - a gnome or spirit that haunts houses or underground mines, according to German Folklore. They are generally invisible, causing mischief without detection.

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Kundalini - an energy described as a serpent coiled up at the base of the spine. It is said to lay dormant, and released by practices such as yoga or guided meditations and that its awakening brings about spiritual bliss and enlightenment. Experiencing a Kundalini Awakening can be quite intense, and is similar to what one experiences under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. It is often forgotten that the human brain produces a sufficient amount of THC and DMT to trigger these experiences naturally, though they deplete over time, possibly as a result of diet and certainly not enough contemplation *wink*

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Macumba - a form of magickal religion and spirit worship practiced in Brazil. Related to Haitian Voodoo, Macumba is an umbrella term for a variety of practices which are by no means identical. It encompasses African animism and the worship of Yoruba deities; blends Spiritism with folk belief; and also takes in elements of christianity correlationg christian saints with a African deities. A believer or devotee of Macumba is called a Macumbeiro.

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Malleus Maleficarum - "Hammer of the Witches " in English; "Der Hexenhammer" in German) is a treatise on the prosecution of witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer, a German Catholic clergyman. The book was first published in Speyer, Germany in 1487. Jacob Sprenger is also often attributed as an author, but some scholars now believe that he became associated with the Malleus Maleficarum largely as a result of Kramer's wish to lend his book as much official authority as possible.

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Namampathy - the practice of healing through sounds and music such as healing mantras, singing bowls, drumming, chanting, etc. It is believed that certain tones can have an effect on the physical body.

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Omen- a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future. Sometimes called a portent or presage, it signifies the advent of change. While the change can be either good or bad, it is often expressed as something "ominous" in a foreboding sense. Omens are mostly seen within nature.

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Ouroboros - in Gnosticism and alchemy, it is a symbol depicting a snake swallowing its tail. It symbolizes the never ending cycles of life and death that permeate all of existence, the fusion of opposites, and the transcendence of duality.

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Poultice - a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. It can be used on wounds such as cuts. It can also be a porous solid filled with solvent used to remove stains from porous stone such as marble or granite.

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Prana - a sanskrit word meaning breath or life force. It is described as being specific vital fluid or energy in the body. It is also used to denote the principle underlying life itself.

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Psychopomp - from the Greek meaning "Guide of Soul". It was used for the god Hermes in his role as a guide for the dead in the Underworld. It is generally used to describe spirits and Gods/desses who guide the spirit to the underworld, but has also been used to describe the shaman in his role during the "Journey of the Soul" ceremony.

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Sahu - in ancient Egyptian magick, Sahu is the highest of the 5 human bodies sometimes known as the "spiritual body". It is through the sahu that the magician perceives the transcendental gods and undergoes spiritual transformation.

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Sihir - a Turkish word which translates to magick, sorcery, witchcraft, charm, incantation, conjuration, or spell. Sihir is also an Arabic that translates to black magick or sorcery, and is used in the Quran referring to the "pact" between magician and Satan. The best known reference to magic in Islam is the Sura Al-Falaq (meaning dawn or daybreak), which is a prayer to ward off black magic.

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Sortilege - a form of divination by casting lots. It is used in various forms such as drawing straws from a cluster, picking a card from the pack, throwing dice/bones, or opening a book and taking the first passage one notices as an oracle (bibliomancy).

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Stang - a tool sometimes used in traditional witchcraft in place pf the staff, wand, or athame. It is a wooden 2 or 3 pronged stick resembling a trident and dates back to the early Roman Empire.

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Swanassu - Among the Gitksan Indians of Canadian northwest, the Swanassu is a shaman or medicine man. Another term, Halaait, is used to describe a shaman who performs healing ceremonies in which patients are treated in a group.

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Syncretism - the merging of religious ideas and traditions. Examples include the Greco-Egyptian deity Serapis who is a Hellenistic form of Osiris, and the Roman and Gnostic deities Mithra and Abraxas, both of whom have Persian antecedents.

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Syzygy - the "yoking together" of 2 celestial bodies, whether in opposition or conjunction. The term is often used to describe a relationship between a planet and the sun.

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Taurobolium - a ritual associated with Cybele and Mithra in the Roman Empire. It was a rebirth ceremony where neophytes were 'baptized' in the blood of the sacred bull. The blood was regarded as a symbol of life force which bestowed special powers of of mystical renewal.

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Tetragrammaton - in Greek means "four-lettered". In Judaism and Jewish Mysticism, the sacred four-lettered name of God, rendered variously as IHVH, JHVH, YHWH, or YHVH. The name has recently been transcribed as Yahweh, but the name itself is never uttered, sometimes not even written down. It is sometimes replaced by the word Adonai meaning Lord. The Tetragrammaton is often used in ceremonial magic, and each of the letters can be considered as corresponding to one of the Four Worlds of the Kabbalah. Thus, each of the four letters making the name of God are associated with one of the points of the pentagram, with the exception of the top point, which is named shin. The pentagram thus forms a new name for God: YHShVH.

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Thaumaturgy - a Greek word that translates to "wonderworker" (a Thaumaturgist). It is the capability of a magician to work miracles. It is also viewed as magick done for practical reasons such as to obtain things like healing or money, and what some would consider "personal gain".

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Transmogrification - the act of changing the physical properties and appearance of an object or being through magickal means. This can mean through a spell, or through a kinetic power.

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Virgin's Milk - In Alchemy, Virgin's Milk is the pure whit tincture created by the albedo and which could transform base metals into silver. It is also a term used to refer to the mercurial water or "water of life": the white philosophical mercury known as Mercurius.

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Taglock - a magical link to an individual. For example, in poppet magic, you would use a taglock inside the doll to identify the person to be targeted by the spell such as a photo, personal object, or part of them like hair, etc. Witches also use taglocks in protection magick for themselves by including a part of themselves like hair, nail clippings, blood, or urine.

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Theurgy - the practice of rituals, sometimes seen as magical in nature, performed with the intention of invoking the action or evoking the presence of one or more gods, especially with the goal of uniting with the divine, achieving henosis, and perfecting oneself.

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Uncrossing - a term used to describe a removal of a curse or "crossed conditions" one has be put under by someone else. It is a term most used within the Hoodoo Tradition but has come to be common within other traditions as well. "Crossed Conditions" can include bad luck, jinxes, curses, illness, and other types of negative energy that is attached to someone causing them to see only difficulties in one specific area of their life. Uncrossing can remove that negative energy. The Uncrossing can be done by the individual who has been "crossed", or by a knowledgeable root worker/witch.

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Velada - Among the Mazatec Indians of Mexico, the Velada is a healing ceremony involving the use of psilocybe mushrooms. Both the patient and female shaman take the psychadelic mushroom so that both may hear the healing words which are revealed from the spirit world. The shaman, meanwhile, goes on a spirit journey to learn the cause of the sickness, and to seek healing power from the gods.

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Verser - the act of pouring drops of water, coffee, or liquor on the ground as an offering to the loa in voodoo.

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Vision Quest - a ritual quest for a guardian spirit undertaken by a young male or female in the Native American religion. A vision quest may take several days and nights, when the young person goes to an isolated area where the spirit guide is more likely to appear.

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Wireenum - among the Aborigines of western New South Wales, is a medicine man or shaman who derives his powers from his contact with the great god Baiame.

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Yoni - a stylized representation of the female genitalia symbolizing the feminine principle. It's counterpart is the Lingham which represents the phallus.

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Zoanthropy - the belief that a person can or has shifted into an animal form. It is like Lycanthropy, but in Lycanthropy the animal is a wolf where as in Zoanthropy it can be any animal.
This term is also used to describe a mental illness, where the patient believes they have turned into an animal.

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