Glossary Part 2

Allegory
An allegory is a fictional work or artistic expression that has an important symbolic meaning that parallels the literal interpretation.

Archetype
According to Jung "archetypes", or primordial images, make up the collective unconscious (see definition later in this glossary).They correspond to experiences such as confronting death or choosing a life partner and manifest symbolically in religions, myths, fairy tales, and fantasies. A goddess or a god can be considered as a kind of archetype, as can many images within the Tarot.

Charge of the Goddess
The Charge of the Goddess was written by Doreen Valiente. It is a poem, originally found in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows and used widely throughout Wicca.

Christianity
Christianity is a major monotheist world religion that believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the saviour of humanity.

Collective Unconscious
Jung believed that on a deep level all humans are connected. The collective unconscious contains elements of our race’s experiences throughout history, it is the place where inhabit the "archetypes". It is thought by some scientists that a collective unconscious may exist in some other mammals.

Demi-god
A being that is half divine.

Elemental forces
Fire, Water, Air and Earth

Equinox
The equinox is a twenty four hour period in spring and autumn when day and night are approximately the same everywhere on Earth. They happen on or around the 21st of March and the 21st of September.

Greater and Lesser Sabbats
The Greater and Lesser Sabbats constitute the annular cycle of Wiccan festivities.
The Greater Sabbats, also known as the Cross Quarter days, are:
Imbolg (variant spellings include Immolg or Imbolc), 2nd Feb
Beltane (variant spellings include Beltaine or Bealtaine), May Eve
Lughnasdh, August Eve
Samhain, November Eve
The Lesser Sabbats are the:
Mid-winter solstice or Yule
Vernal (or spring) equinox or Eostre or Ostara
Mid-summer solstice or Litha
Autumnal equinox or Mabon

Immanent
In Wicca immanent is a term applied to deity, which is believed to exist in all things throughout the whole of creation.

Judaism
Judaism is the religious culture of the Jews and is one of the oldest religions on Earth.

Karma
Karma is a Sanskrit word that means "actions". It is widely believed in Wicca that what one does comes back with equal force. Right actions equal right experiences. Karma exists on all levels of creation and is one of the principles behind nature. It is often referred to as "perfect balance" and can be personified as a powerful goddess.

Pantheists
Pantheists believe that the God/dess and the material world are one. They see that the God/dess is present in all things.

Pantheon
A pantheon is all the goddesses and gods in the religion or mythology of a particular culture.

Patriarch
A patriarch is a respected male figure, be he a god or a human.

Psyche
The psyche can be considered to be the whole of the human mind on all levels, conscious and unconscious.

Solstice
The Solstices are the longest and shortest days of the year. They happen on or around the 21st of June and the 21st of December.

Transcendent
In Wicca deity is referred to as transcendent as it is generally considered to be unknowable completely. It may be as well that deity exists outside our Universe as well as within it.

Yang
Yang is the light, positive and masculine principle in Chinese philosophy

Yin
Yin is the dark, negative, feminine principle in Chinese philosophy.