Witchcraft today: an encyclopedia of Wiccan and neopagan traditions

424 Pages·1999·2.74 MB·English

by  James R. Lewis

Witchcraft Today

Witchcraft Today
An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and
Neopagan Traditions
James R. Lewis
Santa Barbara, California
Denver, Colorado
Oxford, England
Copyright © 1999 by James R. Lewis
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a re-
trieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechani-
cal, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quo-
tations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lewis, James R.
Witchcraft today : an encyclopedia of Wiccan and neopagan
traditions / James R. Lewis.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-57607-134-0 (alk. paper)
1. Witchcraft—Encyclopedias. 2. Neopaganism—Encyclopedias.
3. Magic—Encyclopedias. I. Title.
BF1571.L49 1999
299—dc21 99-40345
CIP
05 04 03 02 01 00 99 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ABC-CLIO, Inc.
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
This book is printed on acid-free paper .
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Contents
Preface, ix
Introduction, xi
WITCHCRAFT TODAY:
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WICCAN
AND NEOPAGAN TRADITIONS
Abramelin, 1 Bibliomancy, 31
Adept, 1 Binah, 31
African Religions, 2 Binding, 32
Air, 6 Blessed Be, 32
Alexandrian Tradition, 6 Blue Star Tradition, 33
American Tradition, 7 Bolline, 34
Amulet, 8 Book of Shadows, 35
Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rosae Brigid, 35
Crucis (AMORC), 12 Broom, 36
Ankh, 13 Burning Times, 37
Anointing Oil, 14 Cabala, 41
Aradia, 14 Cakes and Wine, 43
Asatru, 16 California Gardnerian (CalGard)
Aspecting, 17 Tradition, 43
Aspergillum, 18 Candles, 44
Astral Plane, 18 Candomblé, 45
Astral Projection, 19 Cast, 47
Astrology, 20 Cauldron, 48
Athame, 22 Celtic Tradition, 48
Aura, 23 Censer, 49
Aurum Solis, 25 Cernunnos, 49
Bale-Fire, 27 Cerridwen, 50
Baltic Tradition, 27 Chakras, 50
Baphomet, 28 “Charge of the Goddess,” 52
Bells, 29 Charms, 52
Beltane, 29 Chesed, 53
v
CONTENTS
Chokhmah, 54 Flying, 109
Church and School of Wicca, 54 Fortune-Telling, 110
Church of All Worlds, 55 Fraternitas Rosae Crucis, 110
Church of Circle Wicca, 57 Freemasonry, 113
Circle, Magic, 58 Gaia, 115
Co-Masonry, 60 Garter, Order of the, 117
Cone of Power, 60 Gateway Circle, 117
Conjure, 61 Gematria, 118
Cords, 62 Genie, 118
Correspondences, 62 Ghosts, 119
Coven, 63 Gnomes, 122
Covenant of the Goddess, 65 Gnosticism, 122
Covenstead, 66 Goddess(es), 123
Cowan, 67 Grail, 124
Craft, The, 67 Graves, Robert, 125
Craft Laws, 67 Great Rite, 128
Craft Name, 68 Green Man, 128
Crone, 68 Grimoire, 129
Cross-Quarter Days, 70 Gris-gris, 130
Cup, 70 Grounding, 130
Curses, 71 Grove, 131
Degrees, 73 Guardians, 131
Demons, 74 Handfasting, 133
Deosil, 77 Healing, 135
Diana, 77 Hecate, 136
Dianic Wicca/Goddess Religion, 79 Heresy, Heretic, 137
Divination, 80 Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Dowsing, 82 (and its offshoots), 138
Drawing Down the Moon, 82 Herne the Hunter, 142
Druids, 84 Hex, 142
Earth (element), 87 Hex Signs, 143
Elders, 87 Hieros Gamos, 143
Elementals, 88 High Priest(ess), 144
Elements, 89 Hiving Off, 144
Enochian Magic, 90 Hocus Pocus, 145
Eostar, 92 Hod, 145
Equinox, 92 Holly King, 145
Esbat, 92 Horned God, 146
Evocation and Invocation, 93 Horseshoe, 148
Exorcism, 93 Hypnosis, 148
Extrasensory Perception (ESP), 96 I Ching, 153
Fairies, 99 Ifa, 153
Fairy Tradition, 102 Incantation, 154
Familiars, 104 Incense, 154
Family Tradition, 105 Incubus and Succubus, 156
Festivals, 105 Initiation, 157
Fetch, 107 Inner Planes, 158
Fetish, 107 Isis, 159
Fire, 107 Jewelry and Degrees of Initiation, 161
Fivefold Kiss, 108 Jewish Wicca, Jewish Pagans, 162
vi
CONTENTS
Karma, 165 Oracle, 214
Keepers of the Ancient Mysteries (KAM) Ordo Templi Orientis (and its offshoots),
Tradition, 167 215
Kether, 168 Orishas, 222
Knife, White, 169 Pagan Academic Networking, 223
Knot Magic, 169 Pagan Way, 224
Kundalini, 169 Palmistry, 226
Levi, Eliphas, 171 Parapsychology, 227
Levitation, 171 Pendulum, 229
Leys, 173 Pentagram, 229
Libation, 173 Philtre, 230
Lilith, 174 Polarity, 230
Lineage, 175 Possession, 231
Litha, 175 Power Doctor, 234
Lithomancy, 177 Power Spots, 234
Love Spells, 177 Powwowing, 236
Lughnasad, 177 Quarter Days, 237
Lycanthropy, 178 Quarters, 237
Mabon, 181 Queen, 238
Macumba, 181 Radical Faeries, 241
Magic, 183 Reclaiming Tradition, 241
Magus, 184 Reincarnation, 243
Maiden, 185 Rings, 244
Malkuth, 185 Rite, Ritual, 245
Man in Black, 185 Runes, 246
Mathers, Samuel Liddell, 186 Sabbats, 249
May Pole, 188 Sacrifice, 251
McFarland Dianic Tradition, 188 Salamanders, 252
Meditation, 189 Salem Witches, 253
Meet, 189 Salt, 255
Moon, 189 Samhain, 255
Murray, Margaret, 191 Sanctuaries and Temples, 256
Music, Pagan, 191 Santeria, 257
Mysteries, 194 Satanism, 260
Mythology, 195 Scourge, 263
Names of Power, 199 Scrying, 264
Necromancy, 199 Seal of Solomon (hexagram), 264
Nemeton, 201 1734 Tradition, 265
Netzach, 202 Sex and Sex Magic, 266
New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Shamanism, 267
Golden Dawn, 202 Shapeshifting, 269
New Thought Movement, 203 Sidhe, 270
Norse Neopagans, 207 Sigil, 270
North, Dolores, 208 Skyclad, 271
Numerology, 209 Solitary, 272
Oak King, 211 Solstices, 272
Odinists, 211 Sorcery, 273
Ointments, 212 Spells, 274
Old (name), 213 Spirit, 274
Oneiromancy, 213 Spiritism, 275
vii
CONTENTS
Spiritualism, 277 Trees, 291
Summerland, 279 Undines, 293
Susan B. Anthony Coven, 279 Ursa Maior, 293
Sword, 280 Vodun, 295
Sylphs, 281 Wand, 299
Talismans, 283 Watchtowers, 299
Tantra, 284 Water, 299
Tarot, 285 Wheel of the Year, 300
Tasseomancy, 285 Wicca, 301
Theology/Thealogy, 286 Wiccan Rede, 303
Theosophy, 286 Wiccaning, 304
Thirteen, 287 Wild Hunt, 304
Threefold Law of Return, 288 Withershins, 304
Tiferet, 288 Women’s Spirituality Movement, 305
Tools, Witches’, 288 Work, Working, 308
Tradition, 290 Yesod, 311
Tree Calendar, 290 Yule, 311
Resources, 313
Appendix A: Chronology, 329
Appendix B: Documents, 339
Index, 353
viii
Preface
To the average citizen of North America or Europe, the word witch brings to
mind images of ugly, evil, old women dressed in black who ride around on
broomsticks and eat little children. Regarded as remnants of the superstitious
folklore of our ancestors, these once-feared figures rarely intrude into con-
temporary consciousness except in such trivialized forms as Hallowe’en cos-
tumes and characters out of horror movies.
It may thus come as a surprise to find groups of otherwise ordinary people
who not only refer to themselves as Witches but who also demand that they
be treated seriously as members of a religion—on a par with Jews, Methodists,
Catholics, and the like. This unusual state of affairs has come about as the re-
sult of a mid-twentieth-century movement that arose with the explicit goal of
reviving the ancient Pagan religions of pre-Christian Europe as serious mod-
ern religious options. Because many members of this “Neopagan” movement
view the Witch hunts of Europe as efforts by the Christian Church to destroy
all remnants of the old Pagan religions, they also refer to themselves as
“Witches.”
Witchcraft is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. In the
United States alone, it is conservatively estimated that adherents number
300,000, not including members of related movements, such as certain
strands of the women’s spirituality movement. Yet, with occasional excep-
tions, Witches are rarely in the news and do not tend to otherwise attract
public attention. This low visibility is at least in part because modern Neopa-
ganism is a decentralized movement whose organized groups do not generally
possess large church buildings or temples and that therefore remains mostly
invisible on the religious landscape.
This book offers a concise overview of this fascinating movement. The
Introduction explains the origins and structure of Neopaganism, and the core
of the book is an A-to-Z encyclopedia of Neopagan concepts, holidays, ritu-
als, spirit beings, and so forth. Following the main text are a detailed re-
sources section and two appendixes containing a timeline of events and some
key documents.
This book grew out of a project I originally undertook with Aidan A.
Kelly. I would like to acknowledge the pervasive influence of Kelly’s scholar-
ship on this volume, especially in the introductory essay and in the more
ix
PREFACE
historical entries. I would also like to thank Cynthia Eller for her excellent
entry on the women’s spirituality movement; my partner and wife, Evelyn,
for her multifaceted support; the Frosts for introducing me to Neopaganism;
and Todd Hallman, my editor at ABC-CLIO, who bore up well at several
stressful junctures in the project. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude
to the many Neopagans who have generously shared their wisdom with me
over the past dozen years and who contributed to my understanding of mod-
ern Witchcraft.
x