Author: A Solitary Pagan

New Orleans Voodoo is known for several unique characteristics, such as Voodoo dolls, gris gris, and zombies. The use of Voodoo dolls in New Orleans reportedly peaked during the reign of the infamous Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Voodoo dolls are created as gris gris (pronounced gree gree), a form of talismanic magick. The word gris means grey, denoting that which lies between bla...

also known as Creole Voodoo, originated from the ancestral religions of the African Diaspora, and is one of many incarnations of African-based religions rooted in the West African Dahomean Vodou tradition and the Central African traditions found in Haitian Vodou. It became syncretized with the Catholic religion as a result of the massive forced migrations and displacements of the slave trade. Slav...

I left this one for last, as it is a word very rarely used in the Magickal community. This old term of insult comes from Old English waer-loga: “traitor” or “liar.” It once described a Witch who betrayed others to the Witch hunters, and it is often used erroneously by Mundanes to refer to male Witches. Today, some Wiccans may use the term for an initiated Witch who turns against the Craft.

A man or woman dedicated to the service of the Gods—often concentrating on a single manifestation or aspect (such as a Priest of Apollo, or a Priestess of Aphrodite). They may also serve a community of worshippers. Priestly tasks can include maintenance of temples and altars, administering of sacraments, conducting and presiding over rites and rituals, pastoral counseling, etc. They may also serve...

Paganism (meaning “of the country”) is a collection of diverse spiritual paths which are rooted in or inspired by indigenous (native) and Classical (ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, etc.) traditions worldwide. Paganism is often referred to as “The Old Religion” meaning preChristian. Pagans believe in the interconnectedness of all life, animism (everything is alive), pantheism (everything is Divine)...

In Medieval Europe and Britain,“Cunning Women” were often called Wicce—an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “shaper”—from which we get our term “Witch.” This word, in turn, comes from Middle High German wicken (“to conjure”). Modern Witches include both men and women, and much of their magick is directed towards healing, of people and the Earth. Many Witches also practice divination and magickal techniques...

“Cunning” comes from the Old Norse cunna (“to know”) and the Old English kenning (“wise”). This term was applied to the resident magicians and healers of small English towns and villages ever since the late Middle Ages. They were also called wise man or woman, Wizard, conjurer, sorcerer, charmer, blesser, peller (“expeller”), white Witch, and recently, hedge Witch. Like traditional tribal Shamans,...

The spiritual leaders in traditional tribal cultures are the Shamans, or medicine men and women, who are both gifted and learned in talents and skills of divination, herbalism, hypnosis, psychic work, and sorcery. In some places, these may be called “Witch Doctors.” They are the village teachers, magicians, spirit guides, healers, and midwives. In particular, the Shaman uses altered states of cons...

From the earliest beginnings in ancientGreece, Philosophers have sought to understand theunderlying principles and nature of “life, the universe, and everything.” They seek to apply wisdom,knowledge, and reason to every aspect of life andsociety, and they are particularly known for beinggreat teachers. Since philosophy includes metaphysics (the nature of reality and the origins of everything), Wiz...

Prophets are usually divinely inspired preachers, who often speak on behalf of the Gods and Goddesses themselves. They are great teachers, known for compelling religious visions and revelations—often completely transforming their societies. Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are considered the great Prophets of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Someone who conjures up the spirits of the dead to speak with them and learn hidden knowledge and secret information, and to foretell the future. Today people who do this are usually called Mediums or Channels. Necromancy is a form of divination

This term dates from the 14th century and means “one who sees.” A Seer is a person credited with extraordinary moral and spiritual insight, who predicts events or developments. The term may be used for anyone who practices divination (magickal techniques for finding lost information or predicting the future) especially by concentrating on a glass or crystal globe (scrying). Other words for Seer ar...