AVATAR: an advanced soul, who chooses to return to a physical body, in order to teach less evolved souls. Ex.: Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, & Zoraster.

AWD GOGGIE: A Nursery Bogie (one used to scare young children) A protector of fruit most often found in woods and orchards.

BACULUM: Witches rod, staff, wand or "broomstick" used in divination and certain fertility spells.

BALEFIRE: a ritual fire built for a outdoor Sabbat Festival. The Balefire is used for magickal purposes and is traditionally lit on Yule, Beltaine & Midsummer. BANE / BANEFUL: that which destroys life. Poisonous, dangerous, destructive. BANISH: the magickal act of driving away evil or negativity. A strong purification, sometimes associated with the removal of `spirits'.

BARD: An ancient teacher who taught by the use of poems and song.

BARDIEN: Welsh plural for Bards.

BARDIC TRADITION: A tradition derived from Celtic Druidism (see Druids)

BARROW: an elvin or Celtic burial mound often used by covens for Sabbats.

BAUCHAN: (Buckwan) A less friendly type of brownie. One of the few types who will not leave when seen by the human residents of his home. They mostly stay around just to play tricks, but can be very helpful when the proper mood strikes (i.e. - Callum mor Macintosh had a love/hate relationship with his Baucan companion. The love side must have been stronger because when Callum moved to the states his Bauchan came before him & cleared his plot of land for him.)

BEASTIE: a term for the little house spirits that beg for attention by stealing your keys and driving your cat crazy! Can be overly protective, and helpful though really mischievious if you don't acknowledge them from time to time. There is no way to command their loyality or bonding with you; however, earnest `willing' and `calling' for such will generally bring one to you. Negative magick and exercises on YOUR part, will drive one away. 1) one's pets. 2) small house entities or spirits.

BCE: BeforeCommonEra is the nonreligeous equivalent of BC.

BELL:: 1) An altar tool, symbol of the Goddess and rung during ritual to invoke Her. Also rung to ward off negative or evil and to evoke good energies.

2) to signal the beginning and/or end of a spell. Can symbolize the motion of the Elements and its swinging to and fro, represent the extremes of good and evil; positive and negative.

BELTANE: the festival celebrated on April 30th or May 1st. It celebrates the maturity of the God to manhood and the union of the God and Goddess, and her fertility. Also the traditional Sabbath where the rule of the "Wheel of the Year" is returned to the Goddess. Also called May Day, the old English May Pole tradition was of a phallic symbol, marking the return of vitality, passion and consumated hopes. One of the Ancient Celtic "Fire Festivals." on this night, the cattle were driven between two bonfires to protect them from disease. Couples wishing for fertility would " jump the fires" on Beltane night. This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Maiden to Mother Pronounced b' YALt'n. Also see NOSWYL MAI.

BESOM: broom, usually the round type. Symbol of the Element Water.

BEYOND THE VEIL: is a term pertaining to those things beyond our `normal' 5 senses, such as angels, fairies, ghosts, etc. & things like channeling.

BIDDY: 1) a `doll' made from the last sheaf from the last harvest....SEE CORN DOLLY.

2) the little 4" doll was made from material scraps. BIGOTRY: willful ignorance.

BIND: To cast a spell upon, also to practice ligature.

BIORHYTHM / CIRCADIAN RHYTHM: this is the study of 3 physical, intellectual, & emotional vibrations or components, that start when we are born or at conception; OPINIONS VARY. These then are tracked to predict high & low days in a person's life. More simply put - these are our INTERNAL CLOCKs, doing things like changing our temperature & blood pressure throughout the day... PHYSICAL: state of the body, strength, vigor, pain, etc.

INTELLECTUAL: state of the mind, logical thinking, problem solving ability, etc.

EMOTIONAL: state of personality, happy, irritated, angry, sad, elated, etc.

BIRTHSTONE OR SUNSTONE: the crystal assigned to one's birth month, representing the Sun aspect. A natal stone.

BLESSED BE: a traditional greeting among Witches. Pronounced as three syllables.

BOGGART: Another Brownie type Faerie quite akin to a poltergeist. A Yorshire family had a Boggart that lived in their cupboard & caused so much mischief that they felt they were forced to move to get away from it. That is until everything was packed up & ready to go & the boggart popped out of the butterchurn & revealed that he was coming with them.

BOLLINE: a white handled knife, single edged to reflect it's working nature, and used in ritual purposes of cutting herbs, or engraving candles, etc. It is a working tool as opposed the magickal Athame. The white is to tell it apart from the black handle. Sometimes pictured as a miniature scythe, a curved bladed tool; a magickal sickle, used to cut herbs and mistletoe.

BOOK OF SHADOWS: (1) a compendium of Witch rituals, spells, training techniques, procedures, guidelines, and other materials important to a Witch and/or coven. There are many types of these books in existence, a large number of them have been published even though most witches consider the contents a secret. (2) a Wiccan book of rituals, spells and other magickal lore. Best when handwritten. This is a very personal item, some say it should be destroyed at the `passing over' of its owner, preferably by their Coven or Circle members. (3)Traditionally hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other materials deemed important to a Witch or a coven. Each tradition has it's own standard version of the Book and each Witch's book will be different as he or she adds to it with time from many different sources. Only another Witch can see your book of shadows. Also, traditionally, it may never leave your hands or possession until death, when it should be destroyed, or (in some traditions) returned to the coven to be disposed of.

BOOK, MIRROR: a diary record of personal magickal events.

BOUQUET: in perfumery, a blend of natural or synthetic scents which produce a specific odor.

BRAZIER: a thurible or incense burner. Usually ceramic or metal and often designed to be suspended or swung by a chain; usually ornate. The Brazier is often partly filled with sand so that incense sticks may be inserted or charcoal briquettes placed inside to burn. Catholics call this a Censer.

BREED: is a mis-spelling of the phonetic sounding `Bride', another name for Brigid, etc. and refers to the Goddess as well as the holiday of Imbolc, Candlemas, etc...Feb. 1st. See GWYL FAIR

BREW: see infusion.

BRIGID: also see Candlemas, a Sabbat Festival customarily held on February 2 eve. Also see GWYL FAIR:

BRITISH TRADITION: This tradition of Wicca actually has two sub divisions: 1. Any of the old traditions closely related to the Gardnerian Craft but excluding family traditions and other British traditions dissimilar to Gardnerian Wicca. 2.) Any of the old British traditions, including the old family and Bardic traditions. BROWNIE: The most famous of the house sprites. A Brownie will stick around & finish extra cleaning as long as he gets food for his labor. The food must never be directly offered to the Brownie & one must never try to see him. The breaking of either of these taboos will cause the Brownie to become angry & leave. A well treated Brownie can be incredibly helpful, & faithful to no end. He will often punish the servants, call for a midwife or doctor when one is needed, & some have loved their human companion so much that they are said to have immigrated to America with them. The best place to leave food for a Brownie is on a warm hearth.

BURIN: an engraving tool, often made with wooden handle carved by user and a sharpened nail.

BURNING TIMES, THE: this refers to the period of history called the `Middle Ages", when an arguable number of persons were put to death, suposedly for witchcraft. Burning was hardly the only manner of death, & witchcraft hardly the only reason. The Christian Church, during this time stamped out religious practices they didn't understand, & added a great deal of wealth to their coffers; as did landowners greedy of their neighbors. This was a term used by some Witches for the period of persecution in the Middle Ages and later. It is in fact a misnomer in some places, as Witches were only burned in Scotland, and on the continent of Europe. In England and the U.S., they were hanged.

CABALA (ALSO SPELLED KABBALAH or QABBALAH): collection of Jewish theological and philosophical learning commonly used as the basis for the Western Ceremonial Magickal Tradition.

CABOCHON: a cut and polished stone, with one rough face.