REINCARNATION: The belief that we live more than one lifetime. Specific beliefs vary widely - some feel we are always the same sex, others that we must experience all thing in order to become balanced and whole. Some believe that it is a system of reward and punishment depending on how you do in your current incarnation, some feel that we reincarnate to get a full spectrum of human experience, some believe we do not always come back in human form. There is no dogma in Wicca.

RITUAL: A ceremony used for the celebration of holidays, magick workings, initiation, etc. Can be spontaneous or scripted. During a typical ritual, the Circle is cast, elements are recognised and welcomed, the Gods & Goddesses are invited to join and lend their power to our work. Magick may be performed, a celebration of a moon or holiday or event may occur. A form of thanksgiving may take place (see CAKES AND ALE). Finally, the Circle is closed.

RUNESTONES: A system of divination where ancient Teutonic figures or pictographs assigned certain meanings. Runes were the written alphabet of the Norse people. As well as divination, Runestones can be used for magick. You simply reverse the process. Instead of letting them fall where they will to predict the future, you place them exactly where you want them to create the future you want.

SABBAT: Our Eight Great Rituals. These are times of celebration as we mark the turning of the Wheel Of The Year. There are four solar rituals: Midsummer (Summer Solstice), Autumn Equinox, Yule (Winter Solstice), and the Spring Equinox. These are essentially male / God rituals where we celebrate the phases of the Sun. There are also the four seasonal dates: Imbolg (Feb. 2nd. the beginning of spring), Bealtaine (April 30th. the beginning of summer), Lughnasadh (July 31st. the beginning of autumn) and Samhain (Oct. 31st. the beginning of winter). If these dates seem a little early, perhaps its an indication of how our climate has changed since ancient times. These four dates are essentially female / Goddess rituals where we celebrate the changes felt here on Mother Earth as she turns her face towards, or away from, our every present, ever loving Sungod. 

SATANISM: Is a perverted form of Christianity. It is necessary to believe in the Christian pantheon, including Satan, in order to practice Satanism. Satanists worship the Devil, recite the Lord's prayer backwards and perform a rite they call the Black Mass, a parody of the Christian mass.  Satanism is usually an excuse for indulging in vices such as perverted sexual acts, drug and alcohol abuse, and murder (in extreme cases). A famous example of a Satanic cult was the prestigious Hellfire Club, to which such people as Benjamin Franklin, Oscar Wilde's wife, and Aleister Crowley (among others) belonged to. It is important to realise that Wicca and Satanism are not the same thing. They are not even close! Wicca is an ancient, pre-Christian religion dedicated to fertility and nature, love and balance. The Wiccan Rede: "An' it harm none, do what ye will", prohibits a Witch from taking part in anything that may harm any thing, living or non-living, including themselves. The confusion arises, at least in part, because many Satanists like to call themselves "witches", a title to which they have no right.

SCRYING: A system of divination where you look into a fire, candle flame, black mirror or crystal ball. The idea is to de-focus your physical eyes and alloy your inner vision to come through. Sometimes scrying involves trace, a form of self hypnosis. 

SPELL: Our word for a prayer, where we send our thoughts, desires and thanksgiving into the oneness of the Godhead, in order to obtain a desired end. One might meditate on sending healing light/energy to a sick or injured friend; one might create a pouch filled with certain herbs and embroidered with a rune of protection. It is against the Wiccan Law to use spells in a harmful or manipulative fashion. Anybody doing so is, by definition, no Wiccan.

TOTEM: An animal from which a lesson is learned by symbolism. A Pagan may wear a symbol of a totem animal, or practice magick using Totem energy. Animal totems are deeply symbolic and contain many messages, some personal to the recipient (example: Bear or Eagle for strength, Tortoise for patience).

TAROT CARDS: (pronounced: Ta-RO) A system of divination similar to Runestones where the symbols are printed on special cards depicting situations and states of being. The Tarot symbolism is much richer and more complex that that of the runes, being derived from many different sources and cultures.

TRADITION: The particular path of spirituality followed by a practitioner. Examples: Gardnerian (and its offshoot Alexandrian), Egyptian (Fellowship of Isis), Norse (Asatru), Greek, Celtic, Faerie.

WAND: A rod of varying material (wood, stone, metal, etc.) which is used to focus the direction of energy.

WHITE HANDLED KNIFE: (sometimes called the Boleen or Burrin). Most Wiccans use two magical knives, The Athame and the White Handled Knife.  The use of the athame is purely symbolic while the White Handled Knife is used for all cutting and candle engraving operations.

WHITE MAGICK: Magick that is worked for good purposes, through harmless acts and methods. Witches use white magick.

WICCA: A modern form of worship with roots in ancient expressions of the reverence of Nature. Gerald Gardner is said to be the father of modern Wicca.  We believe that The Great Spirit is presented in all beings and things. The ultimate creative force represents itself in both masculine and feminine aspects, so is often symbolised as God and Goddess.
The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the Moon (Maiden, Mother, and Crone), and the Horned God of the animals and of Death and Rebirth. We practice magick for positive purposes: spiritual development, healing, guidance and safety. Our rituals are practiced outdoors whenever practical. We have no Holy Book, or any equivalent of the Christian Bible. Ours is an ancient tradition, from the days before writing. Individuals have access to the Divine and do not require an intermediary. EVERY initiate of the Craft, whether self-dedicated, or dedicated by a High Priest or High Priestess, is considered to be a Priest or Priestess in their own right. We strive to live in harmony with nature and the Earth, we shall not exploit them. Wicca is a valid religion but it is not the only one. We do not try to convert people to our religion claiming that it is for everyone. We believe that people should be FREE to choose the religion that right for them.  We say that "all paths lead to the centre". We are all different and it is our difference that make us special.

WIDDERSHINS (sometimes called Tuathail): Anti-clockwise, against the sun. Widdershins movement is never used in circle except for a few, very specialised purposes such as in the Samhain Sabbat, when we honour our dead. Opposite: DEOSIL.