Pentacle: Five-pointed star surrounded by a circle.Representative of how the universe is connected, focusing on the five elements — Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit.

Diety: God/Goddess worshipped through ritual and praise.Most Wiccans worship a god and goddess, often referred to as Spirit. The male and female dualities balance each other out, creating a gender-neutral deity.

The Wiccan Rede: One of the basic tenets of Wicca.”An it harm none, do what thou will.” Much like the ‘Golden Rule’ of mainstream society, the Rede is a guideline for behavior in everything from spell-casting to camping.

Magic(k):Intent is the key issue of magickal practice. Be it negative or positive, the repercussions will return threefold. Therefore, a practitioner must always be aware of his or her core intent in spell-casting and divination. The alternate spelling is used to denote the difference between Hollywood-esque, fictional magic, and the religious practice.

Tarot Cards

Divination tool commonly used by practitioners of pagan religions.A deck of 78 cards, consisting of a major and minor arcana. The minor arcana has four suits of 14 cards each while the major arcana has 22 cards total. They are used together in various formations to determine the outcome of future events and ask advice.

Wiccan Holidays

Yule (December 22nd)Celebrated on the Winter Solstice, it is the day of the year with the least daylight. The return of sunlight is anticipated as the days grow longer following Yule. This time of year has been associated with the birth of a divine king–or Sun God–by the Goddess long before the advent of Christianity.

Imbolc (February 2nd)Associated with the new growth and coming of Spring, Imbolc is a lesser holiday set on celebrating the Goddess as she nurtures her new son.

Ostara (March 21st)Also known as the Spring Equinox, Ostara celebrates the continuation of Spring. The days and nights are of equal length, and the Young God continues to grow.

Beltane (May 1st)May Day is an important time for fertility rituals. The land is ripe for planting as the God expresses his love for the Goddess, who in turn smiles upon the earth.

Litha (June 21st)The Summer Solstice is shown as a time of warmth and joy. Crops and animals are growing well and it is a time for celebration. Lammas (August 1st)Lammas is also known as the Festival of Lights. Falling between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox, it is the first of three harvest holidays which prepare for the coming winter.

Mabon (September 21st)At the Autumn Equinox the days and nights are once again equal, and the weather is turning cooler. Crops are ready for harvest, and it is a time to give thanks for the Goddess’ bounty.

Samhain (October 31st)The Witches’ New Year. A time for reflection, Samhain is an opportunity to reconnect with ancestors past. The death of the God makes it a solemn time, but the knowledge that He will be reborn in the Goddess remains, as the circle of life therefore endures.

Spellcasting

Magic(k) has for centuries terrified and seduced entire populations. Thousands died during the ill-fated European witch hunts, which carried on to the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Many indigenous cultures believe witches control environmental phenomena, such as crop success or failure, as well as human disease. In Wicca, spellcasting, or the use of magick, is done in a ritual format. An altar is erected paying homage to the God and Goddess, and herbs or stones specific to the ritual are used. A spell is written pertaining to the ritual subject, and is incanted at the altar. A protection spell, for instance, might involve the color white, carnelian stone and holly leaves. A love spell may use pink candles, rose quartz and lavender. Energy is raised in the form of a circle by chanting, drumming or meditating and the ritual is carried out. The circle is then closed, and the energy grounded.

Source: www.witchvox.com