A Popular Dictionary of Paganism

Joanne Pearson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781136867859
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Ethnic Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

This dictionary provides a readily available collection of source material for a subject which has recently become of considerable public and academic interest. It provides a point of reference for key words and concepts which have previously been available only in short glossaries, footnotes, or within a body of text. It deals with concepts shared by all Pagans, and also with those concepts unique to a particular Pagan tradition.

A Popular Dictionary of Paganism

A

AA See Argenteum Astrum.

Abra-Melin Magic The Sacred Book of Abramelin the Mage was claimed to have been written in three volumes in 1458 by Abraham the Jew, who travelled to Egypt in search of teachers of secret traditions and became a pupil of Abramelin in Arachi. He collected his knowledge in this book, which was translated into French around 1700 and became part of a manuscript in the Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal in Paris. This was the version read by Eliphas Lévi and translated by S. L. MacGregor Mathers. Its central principle is that the material world is created by evil spirits directed by angels, and claims that all humans have an angel and a demon in attendance. It instructs the magician on the magical operations necessary for contacting their Holy Guardian Angel, lists angels and demons who can be invoked for specific purposes, and contains magic squares which can be used for invisibility, flight, command of spirits, necromancy, and shapeshifting. Aleister Crowley was fascinated by this book and spent a long time preparing to perform the Abramelin magic, for which purpose he bought Boleskine Lodge near Loch Ness.

adept A person who is considered to be highly proficient in a particular body of occult lore and practices.

Adler, Margot Grand-daughter of psychologist Alfred Adler, Margot Adler compiled one of the first substantial surveys of paganism, published in 1979, and revised and expanded in 1986, as Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. She is an initiate of Gardnerian Wicca, having become interested in witchcraft through her lifelong interest in Greek mythology.

Æ See Russell, George.

Aesir In Norse mythology, the chief race of deities including the pantheon of sky gods and goddesses, such as the chief god Odin, Frigga, Thor and Baldur. The Aesir live in the realm of Asgard, and war against their enemies the frost giants. See also Asatrú; Asatrú Free Assembly; Vanir.

Aether In Greek myth, Aether is the son of Nyx (night) and Erebus (darkness). His name means ‘brightness’, and personifies the upper air where the light was thought to be brighter and clearer than in the air immediately surrounding the earth. In modern Wicca and Paganism, aether is regarded as the fifth element of spirit, which is not of the mundane world but exists rather as that ‘brighter and clearer air’ of Greek mythology. Spirit leads the four mundane elements of earth, water, fire and air. It is also used sometimes as an alternative name for the astral realm, and is sometimes called quintessence.

AFA See Asatrú Free Assembly.

Agrippa, Henricus Cornelius (1486–1539) Born in the German town of Cologne to a family of minor nobility (von Nettesheim), Cornelius Agrippa (as he called himself) spent his life studying magic, Greek philosophy, Jewish Kabbalah, and the works of Hermes Trismegistus, although an ambivalence between Christian and pagan teachings pervaded his life. Agrippa is most famed for his Three Books of Occult Philosophy, an encyclopaedia of Renaissance magic the complete version of which was published in Cologne in 1532, and which was plagiarised by Francis Barrett in The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer in 1801. He also wrote a treatise on The nobility of the female sex and the superiority of women over men in 1509 (published in 1532), dedicated to Princess Margaret, daughter of Maximilian I and governor of the Netherlands, Burgundy and Charolais. A seeker of truth, Agrippa was horrified by the accusation of witchcraft against a peasant woman of Vuoypy, near Metz, and defended her legal rights, sending a letter to the judge overseeing her trial which argued against the ‘torturing of harmless women’. As a result of his intervention, the inquisitor was removed from the case, the accused woman granted absolution, and her accusers fined one hundred franks for unjust accusation.

air Lightest of the four classical elements of nature that form the basis of life (earth, water, fire, air). Often symbolised by the colours blue or yellow and associated with the Greek east wind Eurus, youth, morning, spring, insight, intellect, the athame, and the zodiac signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Along with fire, air is considered to be a masculine element.

Alban The ancient name for Scotland.

Alban Arthuan (‘the light of Arthur’) Druidic name for the Winter Solstice.

Alban Eiler (‘the light of the Earth’) Druidic name for the Spring Equinox.

Alban Elued (‘light of the Water’) Druidic name for the Autumn Equinox.

Alban Heruin (‘light of the shore’) Druidic name for the Summer Solstice.

Albion The ancient name for England.

alchemy An ancient mixture of chemistry and spirituality the purpose of which was to find the philosopher’s stone or elixir of life which would grant immortality. The word is derived from the old name of Egypt, Khem, and the practice grew largely from Gnostic texts on metallurgy dating from the second century, and later from texts which came to light via the Arab world whence the Corpus Hermeticum arrived in Europe in the late fifteenth century. It was immensely popular in Christian Europe between 1400 and 1700, with eminent scientists such as Boyle and Newton committed to its quest. Jung did much to revive interest in alchemy in the twentieth century, and in Paganism it tends to be regarded as an analogy of the search for the true self, for the grail, symbolised in previous eras by the attempt to transmute base metal into gold.

Alexandrian Wicca Type of Wicca named after Alex Sanders, who founded his own style in the late 1960s. Alexandrian Wiccans are those whose initiatory lines descend from Alex and Maxine Sanders. It remains one of the main forms of Wicca practised today, particularly in Britain. Many Wiccan practices are in fact a synthesis of the Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wicca, and an increasing number of Wiccans are initiated jointly or separately into both traditions, thus tracing their lineage back to both Gardner and Sanders. The differences between the two traditions have been played down, and the similarities and synthesis emphasised to such an extent that some Wiccans claim that there is no difference between them, whilst others retain a ‘pure’ Gardnerian or Alexandrian practice. Alexandrian Wicca differs from Gardnerian in its emphasis on ceremonial magic, the addition of a formal admission of novices through a neophyte ritual to the three degree system, and second and third degrees being given together, though this is no longer always the case.

Alpha et Omega Occult magical Order and splinter group of the Golden Dawn after its collapse in 1903. Its members included J. W. Brodie-Innes, its leader, and Moina Mathers, and it aimed to preserve the original Golden Dawn concepts. Its demise, along with the other splinter groups, including the Stella Matutina, was heralded by the publication by Israel Regardie of the Golden Dawn rituals.

Amen-Ra Temple Edinburgh lodge of the Golden Dawn, led by J. W. Brodie-Innes until forced out by MacGregor Mathers.

Amergin, song of An ancient Celtic calendar alphabet found in Irish and Welsh, said to have been chanted by the chief bard of the Milesian invaders as he stepped onto Irish soil in 1268 BCE. It was restored by Robert Graves in The White Goddess (1948) and is very popular in Wiccan and Pagan circles.

American Tradition A form of Wicca created in 1971 by the founders of the Pagan Way, combining knowledge from various traditions. It was intended to make Wicca more accessible by removing the restrictions enforced by Gardnerian oaths of secrecy.

amulet A protective charm usually worn around the neck or placed in the home, such as an ankh, scarab, udjat eye, charm bracelet or rune. It is distinct from talismans, which are worn to bring benefit rather than protection.

ancestors Regarded as important in some Pagan religions, particularly those in North America influenced by Native American Indian spirituality and Mexican traditions, the ancestors are honoured and worshipped at certain times of the year, particularly Samhain (Hallowe’en) when the dead are remembered.

Ancient Druid Order Organisation founded in London by John Toland in 1717, which influenced the development of other druid orders during the nineteenth century. Its leaders include George Watson McGregor Reid, elected in 1908, who led a successful campaign for the right to worship at Stonehenge. The Druid Order and the British Order of the Universal Bond (London Druid Group) derived from the ADO, and a splinter group under Ross Nichols in 1964 became the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD).

Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) Modern North American organisation based in California, claiming Rosicrucian origins and offering teaching through correspondence courses.

Ancient Order of Druids A non-religious order founded by Henry Hurle in the 1780s as a benevolent society, now an international organisation with various splinter groups.

Anderson, Victor Founder of the Faery Tradition of Wicca, along with his wife, Cora, and Gwyddion Penderwenn.

angels Spiritual messengers who act as intermediaries between humans and God. Ranked in legions, angels are usually considered ‘good’ and demons ‘bad’. Occultists such as Emmanuel Swedenborg and Rudolf Steiner claimed to communicate with angels, and the Enochian magic of Dr John Dee and Sir Edward Kelly is based on what they claimed to be Angelic language. The angelic stone, which they used for scrying, was given to them by the angels Raphael and Gabriel.

anima Jung’s term for the female side of the male personality.

animals Certain animals have long been associated with Paganism and witchcraft, including hares, cats, toads, ravens and crows, owls, and dogs.

animism The belief that everything is imbued with spirit, including rocks, hills, streams etc. not just animals and humans.

animus Jung’s term for the male side of the female personality.

ankh Or Key of Life, shown as a looped cross, is the primary symbol of the Egyptian mysteries, meaning ‘life or living’. It is a symbol of the Nile and its delta, and of the union of the male (staff) and female (loop) principles, a representation of life itself, eternally renewing. The symbol can be seen in the hands of many depictions of Egyptian gods and goddesses, representing the unity of spirit and matter which cannot be separated – divinity is shown forth in life – and is particularly associated with Isis [Aset], who is herself associated with the life-giving waters of the Nile. The ankh is worn as jewellery by many Pagans and occultists today.

Annwn Welsh name for the underworld, as found in the Mabinogion.

anointing A practice of smearing the body with flying ointment or anointing oils. Anointing is sometimes performed as a rite of purification in Wicca at the beginning of rituals, where the body is marked with the symbol of the initiate’s degree with fingers dipped in aromatic oil. This is also performed at initiations, where the initiate is anointed in the sign of their degree with oil, wine and lips as an act of consecration.

Anubis Egyptian god of mummification and protector of tombs, usually depicted as a jackal or as a man with the head of a jackal. He was believed to lead the souls of the dead to their judgement in the underworld.

AO See Alpha et Omega.

AOD See Ancient Order of Druids.

Aphrodite Greek goddess of love and beauty, born of the sea foam, equivalent of Roman Venus and Assyrian Astarte. Believed to teach the value of things, including self-worth.

Apollo Greek god associated with the sun, poetry, music, archery, prophecy, medicine and pastoral life. Orderly and rational.

Apuleius, Lucius Writer of the classical story The Transformations of Lucius, otherwise known as The Golden Ass, dating from the end of the 2nd century CE, and popular during the Renaissance and in modern Paganism due to its description of the rites of Isis and initiation into these rites.

Aquarian Age A variant on the concept of the ‘New Age’, representing the belief that we are moving from the age of Pisces into the age of Aquarius following the precession of the equinoxes. This age, according to adherents, will usher in the characteristics associated with the sun sign Aquarius – freedom, individuality, equality, brotherhood.

Aradia Daughter of the goddess Diana and her brother Lucifer, sent down to earth to teach Diana’s magic to witches; goddess of the witches; particularly influential in modern Wicca due to Charles Godfrey Leland’s Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches (1899). Also known as Herodias.

archetypal image Specific personal and cultural expression of an archetype.

archetype An image or blueprint from earliest times present in the collective unconscious of the human race, providing a form for the ways in which we apprehend the world. In themselves, irrepresentable but expressed as archetypal images. Some Pagans regard deities as archetypes. See also Jung, C. G.

Argenteum Astrum (Order of the Silver Star) An esoteric magical order founded by Aleister Crowley in 1907 after receiving the text of Liber al vel Legis, the Book of the Law, from the spirit Aiwass. Crowley thought this to be the framework for a new religion which would replace Christianity. Its journal The Equinox published many of the Golden Dawn’s secret rituals between 1909 and 1913.

Arianrhod Welsh goddess of the Spiral Castle (Caer Arianrhod), thought to exist beyond the Northern Lights or the Pole Star, where souls rest between incarnations.

Artemis Greek goddess of nature and the moon, mistress of the beasts, twin sister of Apollo.

Arthur Mythical king of Britain around whom many legends have been woven. Most important in modern Paganism is the idea that Arthur was the last pagan king of Britain before it became completely Christianised, and his reign is therefore seen as a golden age, albeit one of struggle. See also Glastonbury; Morgan le Fey.

Asatrú (‘trust in the Aesir’) Icelandic term used by Heathens to denote their affinity to the Aesir sky-gods of Norse mythology, and also generally applied to Heathenism, particularly in North America. Practitioners follow the pre-Christian Pagan traditions of Northern Europe, centred around two distinctive groups of Norse divinities, the Aesir sky gods (such as the chief god Odin, Frigga, Thor and Baldur) and the Vanir earth gods (such as Frey and Freya). Asatrú is more male-oriented than some Pagan religions, but Asatrú groups are led by both men and women and both officiate in religious ceremonies. Women played an important role in Norse-Germanic religion as Volvas and Seidkonas, the priestess-practitioners of magic and divination, and the work of a number of women and men on these roles and the myths of Northern Goddesses is leading Odinism into a less male-oriented future. Asatrú was revived in the twentieth century and in 1973 was recognised as an official state religion along with Christianity in Iceland, with the right to conduct legally binding weddings and child namings etc. See also Hammarens Ordens Sallskap; Odinic Rite; Ring of Troth; Rune Gild-UK.

Asatrú Free Assembly American organisation founded by Stephen McNallen in 1972, which tended to keep itself apart from Paganism. Until 1987, it published a quarterly journal, The Runestone, and held an annual festival called The Althing, but the presence of racist and National Socialist adherents caused the assembly to be disbanded. It was succeeded by the Asatrú Alliance and the Ring of Troth.

Asgard In Scandinavian mythology, the middle realm of the universe in which dwell the gods.

Ashcroft-Nowicki, Dolores Well-known and highly respected occultist from Jersey, Director of Studies for the Servants of the Light School of Occult Science which trains people in the Western Mysteries, and author of many publications including The Ritual Magic Workbook: A Practical Course of Self-Initiation (1986).

Association of Solitary Hedgewitches (ASH) Contact organisation established in 1994 as a result of the burgeoning interest in hedgewitchcraft. Solitary Hedgewitches can use the association to make contact with each other in order to share experiences and ideas.

Astarte Canaanite version of Ishtar, Astarte was chief goddess of Tyre and Sidon. A fertility goddess, she was merged with Asherat and Anat, and with the Egyptian goddess Hathor. Her cult was served by priestesses and spread in the UK as far as London, Carlisle and Northumberland under the Roman occupation. Associated with the planet Venus.

astral plane A concept from ancient times, important in B...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• THE DICTIONARY
• M
• Select Bibliography