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Vocabulary Used
In Wicca
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Altar |
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An area or surface
built or designed exclusively for magickal or religous workings and
ritual.
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Amulet
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A natural object, often of stone or
fossil used as a protection device to the holder.
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Ankh
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(Angk)
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The most famous Egyptian hieroglyphic,
the Ankh symbolizes life, love and reincarnation. It is often worn
around the neck and is shaped like a cross with a loop on top.
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Arcana
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Half of a tarot deck which is divided
into two aracanas: the major arcana consisting of the 22 trumps of
importance and the lesser arcana of 56 suit cards that help to divinate
the trump cards to a lesser degree.
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Astrology
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The belief and study of the effects of
the movements and placements of planets and other heavenly bodies have
on the lives and behavior of human beings. Please see our
Astrology section.
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Athame
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(AH-tha-may)
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The ritual knife often associated with
the element of air and the direction of east, thought some traditions
attribute it to fire and the south. The handle is traditionally black
or of natural wood. Please see our
tools page.
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Balefire
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A synonymous word of 'Bonfire', a
balefire is a communal bonfire of the sabbats, most notably used at
Beltane, Litha and Lughnassadh.
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Bane
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A negative force or energy. Another
word for bad, negative, or in opposition.
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Banish
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The removal of negative energy or
force. To rid the presence of unwanted entities.
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Bealtaine
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(Bee-Al-tin-aye)
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The old Irish word for 'Beltain'.
Please see our
Sabbats page.
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Beltain
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(Bell-tain)
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A grand sabbat also known as Walpurgis
night, May eve, Roodmas, celebrates the symbolic union and mating of the
goddess and the god. Often celebrated April 30 or May 1, the true
occurrence is more often May 5-7th. A time of fertility and growth. A
very important day to most Pagan paths. Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Besom
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(Beh-som)
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A witches broom used to sweep a sacred
area and in effect, purify the sacred space. Legend comes from early
fertility rites where besoms were 'ridden' over crops to enhance the
coming bounty. Please see our
Besom page.
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Bind
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Restraining one's self or someone,
using magick.
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Bolline
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(Bowl-in)
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A curved knife, often white hilted,
used for the magickal gathering of herbs and other natural reagents.
Where as the athame is a religious knife, the bolline is it's practical
working sister. Please see our
tools page. |
Book of Shadows
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A witches book of reference where all
magickal date, information, times, aspects, formulas and spells are
enscribed. One of the most important tools as recorded happenings
cannot be forgotten. Also known as a grimoire. Please see our
tools page. |
The Burning Times
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A reference of time between
approximately 1500 B.C.E. and the 1600's where many millions of people
were murdered by the Christian church simply because they were
'non-believers'. Their possessions and assets seized at death, the
Christian church often profited on the killings of witches. Vast
information can be found in our
Burning Times section.
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Cauldron
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Often replaced by the cup or chalice in
ritual, this tool is used for making brews or magickal potions. Its
symbolizes the womb of the Goddess. Please see our
tools page. |
Celtic
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(Kel-tik)
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Of or for the old subfamily of the
Indo-European language family comprised of the peoples of England,
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and some teutonic lands.
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Censer
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A ritual tool used for
burning incense during spellwork or ritual. Please see
our
tools page.
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Chalice
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A ritual tool used in libation, this
feminine principle tool represents the element water and the west.
Please see our
tools page. |
Chakra
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One of the seven major energy centers
in the human body. These are at the third eye, head, throat, chest,
navel, abdomen and groin.
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Circle
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Sacred space where all magickal rituals
and workings are performed. The circle not only protects the
practitioner from outside energies but contains the working energies
within. Please see our
Ritual page.
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Consecration
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Blessing an object (usually a ritual
tool) to purify it and empowering it with positive energy. Please see
our
Ritual page. |
Coven
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(Kuhv-en)
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A group of witches who work and rite
together utilizing the greater empowerment of the sum of its members, as
opposed to the power of those members added individually. Containing
both male and female members, traditionally a coven has 13 members but
may contain any number of members.
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Dedication
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The acceptance of the craft (of any
way), as one's path and religion, followed by intense study to gain the
necessary knowledge and preparation to be adept at this tradition.
Please see our
Ritual page. |
Deity
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Synonymous with a god, goddess or
godhead.
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Deosil
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(Jesh-il)
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The working act usually in ritual or
song of moving or dancing in a clockwise motion. This is used for
positive works and is also known as "Sunwise".
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Divination
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Any method used to foretell or inform
of the future. Many popular forms include Astrology, Runes, Tarot, tea
leaves, the pendulum, scrying, meditation and many more. A common
practice in one form or another with Pagans of any path. Please see our
divination page.
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Dowsing
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A divination method using a pendulum or
stick to answer questions similar to the popular "Ouija" board. Some
forms of this include water finding where a dowser uses a forked stick
or the like to find water underground.
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Drawing down
the moon
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Used primarily during an esbat to draw
down the powers of the moon into a female witch. Very powerful when a
sabbat and esbat conjuct. Please see our
Ritual page. |
Drawing down
the sun
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Used to draw down the powers of the
sun into a male witch. Very powerful on the Equinoxes and Solstices.
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Element
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The primary elements are earth, air,
fire, water and spirit. Each of these 5 represents a point on the
pentagram. The elements and their directions are extremely important
in Pagan ritual. Please see our
Ritual page. |
Esbat
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(Es-bat)
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From the french word, esbattre, meaning
to frolic, the esbat is the powerful ritual time of the full moon.
There are 13 esbats in a year, all known by moon names. Please see our
Moon page.
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Evocation
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The act of summoning the presence of
spirits, dieties or elementals to your sacred space.
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Familiar
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Most commonly an animal, a familiar is
a witch's working helper. Often advantageous to ritual, they can also
become a liability and much thought should be given to taking a
familiar.
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God
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The aspect of a masculine deity..
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Goddess
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The aspect of a feminine deity.
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Handfasting
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A Pagan or Wiccan marriage ceremony
which traditionally takes place at a specified period of time depending
on one's tradition.
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Herbalism
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The magickal and medicinal art of using
herbs for the practitioner's use or benefit.
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Imbolc
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(Im-Bolc)
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Observed on February 2nd, Imbolc is the
early spring sabbat which honors the virgin goddess as the young bride
of the returning sun god.
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Initiation
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The tranformation of ones ideals and
values into the ideals and values of a particular path. Please note one
can be in dedication but is not yet initiated whilst an initiated is
always in dedication.
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Invocation
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The drawing of an aspect of a diety
into one's self using magickal ritual.
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Karma
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Karma follows the law of cause an
effect. It is the belief that what one's actions do in this life, will
carry over to the next life and lives to come.
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Libation
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Drink or sometimes food, given to a
deity, or spirit during magickal ritual.
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Litha
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(Lith-ah)
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Also known as Midsummer, Litha is the
summer solstice which honors the sun god at his peak power. Please see
our
Sabbats page. |
Lughnassadh
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(Loo-nuh-sa)
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The Pagan first harvest, or harvest of
corn. Lughnassadh usually falls on August 1st. It is the first of the
harvests. Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Mabon
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(May-bun)
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The Pagan Thanksgiving, or second
harvest. Mabon falls on the autumnal equinox, when the light of the
year shifts toward darkness. It is a traditional time for feasting.
Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Magick
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Aleister Crowley said it best: "Magick
is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity to will"
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Neo-Pagan
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Applies to the various movements
incepted since the 1950's, when the British anti-witchcraft laws were
finally repealed.
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Ostara
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(Oh-star-ah)
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Observed at the vernal equinox, Ostara
represents life and balance. Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Pagan
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(Pay-gun)
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One who follows or practices an
earth-based or nature religion.
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Pagan Rede
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Summed up as "An ye harm none, do what
thou will". Please see our
Wicca section for more information.
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Pendulum
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A divination device consisting of a
string attached to a heavy object such as a crystal or the like.
Questions are divined by noting the motion of the pendulum during
divination. Please see our
tools page. |
Pentacle
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A pentagram surrounded by a circle and
fashioned usually into a pendant. The pentacle is used in some covens
to represent the element of earth.
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Pentagram
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Always seen with the apex (point)
upwards, the pentagram is the five pointed star symbolizing western
Paganism. It represents the elements of earth, air, fire, water and
spirit and also creative principle over all creation.
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Polytheism
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The belief in the existence of multiple
deites or godheads, as opposed to monotheism, where only a single god or
godhead is revered.
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Reincarnation
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The belief that we all return, after
death, to the earth in the form of another human body. A result of a
major Pagan principle that energy never dies.
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Ritual
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A mental ceremony using a prescribed
set of rites and tools to perform magickal acts or workings.
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Runes
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Both an alphabet and a divination tool,
runes are a set of symbols used similiarly to tarot, although they can
be used in a much broader spectrum of divination. Please see our
divination page. |
Sabbat
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(Sabb-at)
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One of the days of Power. These are
comprised of the eight solar festivals that celebrate the wheel of the
year. Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Samhain
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(Sow-in)
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October 31, is the grand sabbat marking
the beginning of winter and the Celtic new year. It is also a time
strongly believed where the veil between the living and the dead is at
its thinnest. Please see our
Samhain page.
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Scrying
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A form of divination using mirror and
bowls where the user "sees" images, pictures of thoughts themselves.
Please see our
divination page. |
Sidhe
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(Shee)
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The name generally applied to all the
faery races of Ireland and Scotland.
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Skyclad
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Nudity in ritual is said to be done "skyclad".
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Solitary
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The practicing lone witch who worships
without a coven.
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Spell
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A specific ritual designed to change
one condition or thing. Also known as spinning, weaving, casting and
spellcraft. Please see our
Ritual page. |
Talisman
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An object empowered to protect its
wearer. Note this differs from the amulet as it is empowered, not
naturally protective as is the amulet.
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Tarot
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(Tair-oh)
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Divination using a set of 78 tarot
cards which are laid out in such a fashion that the diviner interprets
them to answer the question at hand. Please see our
divination page. |
Triple Goddess
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The 3 aspects of the mother goddess in
one, maiden, mother and crone. A symbol widely found throughout the
civilized world. The representation of the triple goddess is the
waxing, full and waning moon. )O(
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Wheel of the Year
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The never ending seasonal shift
throughout the 8 sabbats or days of power. In Pagan mythos, the
goddess turns the wheel bringing everything to season. Please see our
Sabbats page. |
Wicca
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(Wik-uh)
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Wicca represents an ancient religion of
love for life and nature. Wicca is easily one of the most irrepressible
religions in the world because it stimulates the intellect, promotes a
simple, practical way of life and, most importantly, is emotionally
satisfying. Brought into the public eye in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner
after the repeal of British anti-witchcraft laws, Wicca is now a strong,
healthy and popular religion and movement. Please see our
Wicca section for more information. |
Widdershins
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(Widd-er-shins)
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The working act usually in ritual or
song of moving or dancing in a counter-clockwise motion. This is used
for banishing or negative works. This is the opposite of deosil.
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Witch
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A general word for Pagans worlwide
although traditionally those of Anglo-Celtic, Celtic or Teutonic
tradtions.
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Yule
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(Yool)
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The winter solstice and the shortest
day of the year, Yule is when the goddess gives birth to the god. This
is also the Norse New Year.
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