Witchcraft Glossary C!

Witchcraft Glossary give discussions to myth and ritual,alchemistry and other relatives,witchcraft and witchery!Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. Historically, it was widely believed that witchcraft involved the use of these powers to inflict harm upon members of a community or their property.

Veils
Since the mid 20th century, the term witchcraft has sometimes been used to distinguish between bad witchcraft and good witchcraft, with the latter often involving healing. The concept of witchcraft as harmful is normally treated as a cultural ideology, a means of explaining human misfortune by blaming it either on a supernatural entity or a known person in the community. A witch (from Old English wicce f. / wicca m.) is a practitioner of witchcraft.

Thoth
The "witch-cult hypothesis", a controversial theory that European witchcraft was a suppressed pagan religion, was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since the mid-20th century, Witchcraft has become the self-designation of a branch of neopaganism, especially in the Wicca tradition following Gerald Gardner, who claimed a religious tradition of Witchcraft with pre-Christian roots.

Contagious Magic:the evil magic is transferred to a person by contact with an unclean or somehow poisoned object,for instance water1,the effects of evil magic are also transferred by food..2
creativity and imagination:Creativity and imagination is a most important element of spellcasting,reference some new and original ways by correspondence charts,you can use your imagination to conjure up your own unique herbal spells and charms.3
Chaplet:A wreath or garland of flowers and herbal foliage worn on the head.These chaplets traditionally symbolized victory or joy.They are popular adornments for Olympic athletes and,of course,brides.Today,they may be employed during ceremonies and special rituals,dedications,initiations,or handfastings,or at sabbat celebrations.
Charm:A rhyming series of words(a simple spell) used for a specific magical purpose.
Charm Bag:Similar to a sachet,a charm bag is a small cloth bag filled with aromatic herbs,charged crystals,and other magical ingredients.Charm bags may be carried for any magical purpose:health,safe travel,protection,to increase your confidence,and so on.
Cold Hardiness Zone:The cold hardiness zone is designed to help gardeners predict where a particular plant will thrive in a specific area.The plant hardiness zone map divides the United States and Canada into eleven zones,and is based on the average minimum winter temperature of an area.
Cultivar:A cultivar is a variant of a plant that has particular characteristics,such as leaf or flower variation.This new variant is developed and maintained under cultivation.The name of the cultivar is printed in roman type,within single quotation marks,and is capitalized.An example is this popular and hearty variety of lavender:Lavandula x angustifiolia 'Munstead.'Munstead is the name of the cultivar.
Cunning Man:An old term,traditionally meaning a male practitioner of magic and natural or holistic healing.
Candles and Candle Holders:Candles are tools utilized in herb magic.A burning spell candle is actually a physical symbol of your spell.So long as the candle burns,your spell is working.Plus,the element of fire is the element of transformation,so use this transformative power to your advantage.The following list of candle colors will help you link your herb magic togethor.Adding the enchantment of candles to your herb magic bumps up the volume of your spell.You can choose whatever type of candle you prefer,such as tapers,votives,mini spell candles,or tealight.By matching the color of the candle to your intention,you add the power of light,color,and fire to your herb magic.Be sure to burn your candles in a safe place and in the appropriate holder to avoid accidents.Here is a list of candle colors and their magical meanings.
Candle Colors and Magic:Candle Colors and Maigc:

Pink:Affection,friendship,warm fuzzies,children's magic.
Red:Love,passion,courage,the element of fire,the Mother Goddess.
Orange:Energy,vitality,harvest,intensity.
Yellow:Creativity,communication,knowledge,the element of air.
Green:Prosperity,health,gardening,herbalism,faery magic,the earth element,the Green Man(God of Nature).
Blue:Peace,hope,healing,the element of water.
Purple:Psychic powers,spirituality,to increase personal power,faery magic.
Brown:Homes,pets,garden magic.
Black:For protection,for breaking hexes,to banish illness and negativity,the Crone Goddess.
White:All-purpose color,peace,calm,hope,the Maiden Goddess.
Gray:Binding,neutrality,invisibility spells and glamours.
Silver:The Goddess,women's mysteries,the moon.
Gold:The god,success,wealth,fame,the sun.
Chili Pepper:Chili pepper(Capsicum ssp.),also known as red pepper,is a popular cooking herb found in the spice racks of most homes.The chili corresponds to the planet Mars and the element of fire.Capsicums were first brought to Europe from Mexico after Columbus's travel.These plants are annuals and grow into small bushy plants,hearing their fruits in the summer months.In your herb magic,you may use either the dried pepper flakes or the whole chili,whichever you prefer.
When handling whole chilies,please be sure to keep your hands away from your face,especially your eyes.Hot chili peppers can cause skin irritation and make your eyes burn badly.I have found old herbal spells that call for tying togethor two chili peppers with a scarlet ribbon and tucking them beneath your pillow to keep your lover faithful---not a good idea.Instead,I'd tuck the peppers under the bed(as long as your pets won't nibble on them) or hang the ribbon-bound chilies in the bedroom,but well away from the bed.
For a safer alternative,try working with dried red pepper flakes.Add red pepper flakes to passion-enhancing sachets and charms,or sprinkle a bit onto an unlit spell candle to bring some passion back to your love life.Try this next spicy candle spell and see if you can add a little heat to your love life.4
Columbine:The columbine(Aquilegia vulgaris),like so many other herbs,is associated with the planet Venus and the element of water.This shady garden perennial is simple to grow and will hybridize easily with other colors and varieties of columbines.I planted a yellow and red columbine next to a purple one in my garden,and the new color variations they gave produced are wonderful.
  Historically,columbine carries the reputation of attracting love.Some antique herbal spells call for carrying the seeds on your person to achieve this result.I strongly advise against working with the seeds of the columbine,as they are toxic.The seeds contain hydrocyanic acid.Let's just avoid the whole problem;for safety's sake,I suggest working with the lovely multicolored blossoms instead.
  Interestingly,this flower is associated with several birds.the botanical name for columbine,Aquilegia,is taken from the Latin word for eagle.This is due to the "spurs" of the flowers that somewhat resemble the talons of an eagle.An old Anglo-Saxon name for columbine is culverwort,which translates to "pigeon plant."Other plant folklore links this flowering herb to the dove,which was a sacred bird to the Greco-Roman goddess of love,Aphrodite/Venus.
Columbine Spell for Romance:If you'd like to bring a touch of herbal romance into your life,try working with the columbine blossoms.Refer to the list of colors in the section "Candle Colors and Magic",and match the color of the blossoms to your intent.Arrange the blossoms in a small vase,and set them in a place of prominence where you are sure to see them every day.Or,just leave the plants growing in the garden and work with them right where they are.
  Columbine,colorful flower of love,
  Speed my request on the wings of a dove.
  Send to me romance,and one who will love me best.
  May the goddess of love smile upon my request.
  If you worked with columbine flowers in a vase,keep them until they start to fade.Then return them neatly to nature by adding them to a compost pile.5
Catnip(Nepeta cataria):Also known as Catnep,Catmint.A Druid sacred herb,chewed by warriors for fierceness in battle.Large dried leaves are powerful markers in magical books.Give to your cat to create a psychic bond with it.6
Cedar(Cedrus libani):Also known as Tree of Life,Arbor Vitae,Yellow Cedar.A Druid sacred tree.Ancient Celts on the mainland used cedar oil to preserve the heads of enemies taken in battle.To draw Earth energy and ground yourself,place the palms of your hands against the ends of the leaves.7
Celandine:Celandine(chelidonum majus).Also known as Tetterwort,Swallow herb,Figwort,Pilewort.To prevent unlawful imprisonment,wear a red flannel bag filled with the herb next to the skin.Replace the herb every three days.8
Chamomile:Chamomile(Anthemis nobilis).Also known as Wild Chamomile,Roman Chamomile,Ground Apple.Roman Chamomile smells like fresh apples and is the most enjoyable to use.A tea made of two teaspoons of the herb steeped for five minutes in a cup of boiling water is a gentle sleep-inducer.It can be burned or added to prosperity bags to increase money.9 Chamomile(Anthemis noblis or Matricaria chamomilla).Also known as Roman Chamomile,Dog Fennel,Ground Apple.Roman chamomile is the best,smelling like fresh apples when cut or picked.Added to incenses,it draws prosperity,calmness.Grown around the house or in the garden it reverses spells cast against you.14

Chamomile(chamaemelum):Compositae Asteraceae,Chamomil.nobile,Anthemis nobilis(Roman Chamomile).Mat forming evergreen perennial with aromatic,finely divided leaves up to 2 inches long.Long stalked,solitary flowers with yellow discs and creamy white ray florets appearing in summer,6-8 ins.Containing only four species this genus is native to Europe and Mediterranean regions.

The monks of the middle ages first noted the remarkable properties of bright Chamomile and they noted with amazement how ailing or sickly plants often recovered fully when this wonderful,long stalked daisy was planted near them.But Chamomile's properties were known to man for thousands of years before the Middle Ages and this plant,it seems,has always been held in high esteem.

In the 9th century,the Anglo Saxons added Chamomile to their ritual baths in order to attract love.Chamomile is listed in one of their poems,Lacnunga,as one of the nine sacred herbs given to mankind by Woden.It was thought that dried Chamomile,sprinkled around property,could remove curses and bad spells and its association with luck led to gamblers washing their hands with it to ensure winnings.

The ancient Egyptians revered Chamomile and dedicated the daisy to their gods.Garlands created from Chamomile's flowers were draped over statues of Egyptian deities in King Tut's tomb and powdered flowers were sprinkled into the mummy of Ramesis the 2nd to act as an insecticide.

The name Chamomile comes from the Greek chamaimelon,which means "apple on the ground" and refers to the strong apple scent of the foliage when trodden upon.Chamomile's association with tea was popularised by Beatrix Potter but there is no doubt that Chamomile has been a favourite drink since before the Chinese made the first ever cup of tea in 2737BC!

In May 1950,two brothers from Tolland,Denmark,discovered a body,2,400 years old,in a peat bog.Scientists revealed that his last meal was a soup made from vegetables and seeds,some cultivated and some wild,as well as barley,linseed,knotweed,bristle-grass and Chamomile.Tollund man's body is kept in the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark.

The value of Chamomile as a medicinal herb is widely known and she is also popular for beauty purposes.Chamomile's flowers brighten,lighten and condition blonde hair.In summer they gathered for oil,or dried for use in infusions,dermatological creams,and are lovely for pot pourri and herb pillows.Burned alone,Chamomile will help induce sleep and tired eyes can be soothed by washing them in Chamomile tea.

To many,Chamomile symbolises sleep,meditation,money,purification and luck.To your garden,chamomile,the plant's physician,and her beautiful little daisies,will bring protection.18
Cherry Wild(Prunus serotina):Also known as Black Cherry,Chokecherry.A Druid sacred tree.Chips of the wood or bark were burned at Celtic festivals.10
Cherry,Peach,Pomegranate,Apricot,all fruits of sexuality,the vulva,beauty and love.Persephone ate of the pomegranate---symbol of death and transformation---on her sojourn in the underworld.Pomegranates ripen in the fall season and are excellent ritual fruits for Kore and Hecate's holy days.20
Club Moss:ClubMoss(Lycopodium clavatum).Also known as Wolf Claw,Staghorn.A Druid sacred herb.Among the Celts,only a priest or priestess could gather club moss;it had to be cut with a silver dagger.The plants and the spores(collected in July and August) were used for blessings and protection.11A favorite of the gods,this plant and its spores give great blessings and protection.15
Comfrey:Comfrey(Symphytum officinale).Also known as Slippery Root,Knitbone,Blackwort.Teas,tinctures and compresses of comfrey leaves or roots speed the healing of cuts,rashes and broken bones.To ensure the safety of your luggage while traveling,tuck a piece of root into each bag.12
Comfrey and golden seal are all-round cleansing herbs,used for removing infection and killing bacteria.Golden seal is a powerful being and must be used very conservatively.comfrey is famous for her healing properties.As a tea she cleanses the entire system,the blood,tissues,and organs.She also speeds up the healing of broken bones.As a poultice she is used to draw infection out of wounds,blisters,etc.These herbs fight off evil,in other words,and can be used for protection and healing spells.Every witch or herablist usually has plenty of comfrey around.22
Centaury:Centaury(Erythraea centaurium).Also known as Century,Bitter Herb,Feverwort.It is said that snakes will not go where it is planted.Added to incenses it repels negative spirits.13
Chernobyl and polyn:(wormwood,Artemisia vulgaris).A specific against witches and water-sprites(rusalki) and fevers.This plant was gathered on St John's Eve and woven into a wreath(a practice also in medieval Western Europe)--if you looked through this at the Kupala bonfire you would be preserved from headache and sore eyes for the whole year.Cows washed with an infusion of this herb would give more milk.The herb itself had apotropaeic powers against the Devil and lightning in Belorussia.Its most magical quality(recorded in Russia,the Ukraine and Belorussia) was that,if you had acquired the gift of understanding what animals and plants are saying by eating serpents' flesh (an apparently ubiquitour belief at least as old as Pliny) you would immediately lose this gift when you ate the herb or drank an infusion of it.So powerful was this effect that even the name of the herb would nullify spells cast with the help of the Queen of Serpents.Rogovich quotes a story from the Starodub region in which a girl gathering mushrooms found herself in a cavern of serpents;the Queen of Serpents gave her the power of knowing the language and properties of plants.16
Carnation:Carnation:a perennial species of pink native to the Mediterranean leaves tufted,flowers with spreading,slightly frilly petals.Wild carnations have pink,strongly scented flowers.Ornamental hybrids and garden cultivars are various colours,and may have multiple petals. Associated with January,dedicated to Jupiter by the Greeks,few flowers have attained such a high distinction as the Carnation.Loved by the ancients for its divine perfume,the Carnation was given place of honour "to deck the crowns of pleasure," hence the origin of the name.

In old Saxon the spelling means "coronation."Owing to the spice giving properties,the Carnation was in earlier times,used to impart flavour to wine and ale.The wine presented to brides after the wedding ceremony was always especially flavoured with Carnation and was worn by betrothed lovers to mark their mutual engagement.

In Italy,the Carnation is a favourite,where it represents Ardent Love.The flower is also dedicated to St.Peter and his day(June 29th,)is known as the Day of the Carnations.An Italian legend,referring to the Carnation,tells the story of Margherita,who loved a brave and chivalrous knight name Orlando.Their marriage was already fixed when Orlando was called to do battle.On taking his leave from her,Orlando begged her to give him the white Carnation she wore.Margherita put the Carnation in a silken bag,and after she had fastened it on him,the brave knight gave her one last embrace.A year later,a horseman brought Margherita the sad news of Orlando's death and returned the silken bag to her.Now the only thing remaining of her precious love,Margherita treasured the little silken bag.On opening it one day,she noticed that the once white Carnation had a deep crimson hue,dyed by her lover's blood,but also some tiny seeds.These she planted,and soon, to her joy,some tiny shoots appeared which later developed into a strong Carnation with tightly rolled up buds.But the day the flowers opened,Margherita's loving care was rewarded with wonder,for each flower was quite different from the original,it's centre was marked by a deep crimson stain,like the blood which had stained Orlando's withered blossom.To Margherita,this was confirmation of their true and faithful love.Thereafter,she tended the precious flowers,never marrying,and when she died,she left the Carnation as a legacy to her sisters,with instructions never to give one of its blooms to anyone except their one true love.The plant became a family heirloom with every daughter born into the family being given at birth a vase containing the white and crimson Carnation.If a girl in the house never married,the plant would wither and die.

Carnation is still very much a favourite flower of gardeners today and popularly used as a wedding flower and for bouquets and garlands.Many of this flower's species are grown for their summer fragrances.17
Cleopatra's Incense(fatal fragrance):Cleopatra was said to have used a "fatal fragrance" which made men powerless to combat her wiles.It is thought that this was nothing more than a fragrant incense which,when burned in the right setting was conducive to peace and quiet or to romance.

History has recorded that her chambers were filled with beautiful odors,where rare incenses burned all the time and that is was her custom to anoint her body with fragrant oils so that those who might enter her chambers would believe that they were near a beautiful flower.If these are the facts,it is no wonder that Mark Anthony was drawn to her exotic chambers to become enslaved by her physical charms.The fatal fascination which Cleopatra held over men was as old as mysterious as Sphynx.

An incense such as Cleopatra might have used is the formula which follows:

Winter's Bark.....................16 ounces
Sandalwood......................24 ounces
Orris Root............................8 ounces
Patchouly Leaves...............8 ounces
Myrrh.....................................8 ounces
Olibanum Tears.................8 ounces
Wood Base..........................8 ounces
Saltpeter...............................2 ounces
Light Pink Coloring.............2 ounces

The above herbs,leaves,bark and resins are ground togethor into a powder and burned.Some people like to take a small piece of charcoal and light it and sprinkle the power thereom.The odor of this incense is exotic in its fragrance.One book to which we have had access list this as "Cleopatra's Incense".today we know that incense is soothing and quieting to some peoples' nerves.We know,too,that each perfumes has a personality all its own and may be alluring,seductive,exotic,sensuous,carefree,etc.Used intelligently it can "create a mood or an atmosphere".19
Corn:Corn:sacred to Kore and the Corn Mother.Kore represents the fate of the grain as she descends into the underworld and rises up again in the spring.All grains can be used in rituals celebrating Kore.21
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Reference:
1: see p.37.part 1,witchcraft and magic in ancient mesopotamia,by Marie-Louise Thomsen,under title "Contagious Magic",from Witchcraft and Magic in Europe:Biblical and Pagan Societies,by Frederick H.Cryer,Marie-Louise Thomsen,edited by Bengt Ankarloo and Stuart Clark.Published by University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia,ISBN:0-8122-1785-3,www.upenn.edu/pennpress.
"The sourceresses poured their witchcraft in(dirty) water over me"(prayer to the god Nabù,STT I no.65 line 41);"(The witches) washed me with dirty water,they anointed me with a salve made of evil herbs"(Maqlû I 105-6,see Meier,1937:11).
2: Ibid.see p.37.there is an example in the diagnostic handbook:"If the patient,while he is talking,once and again interrupts himself(?):this man has been given bewitched food to eat in order to get maštaqtu(a physical deficiency)"(Labat,1951:176-7,line 5),and another in Maqlû:"The witches gave me bewitched food to eat,gave me bewitched water to drink"(Maqlû I 103-4,see Meier,1937:11)
3 see p.18.chapter one,What is Herb Magic?,unde title "The Elements of Spellwork",from Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-Earth Enchantments,By Ellen Dugan Published by Llewellyn Worldwide, 2006,ISBN 0738708372, 9780738708379
4 Ibid,see p.48~49.
5 Ibid,see p.70~71.chapter three,"Herb Magic for Love and Happiness".
6 see p.133~146,chapter 10,Spell work,under title "herb magic",from Celtic Magic,by D.J. Conway,Published by Llewellyn Worldwide,1990,ISBN 0875421369,9780875421360.
78910:11:12: Ibid.,p.136~137.
13: see p.166~167,under title "Spellwork",from Norse Magic,D. J. Conway.Published by Llewellyn Worldwide,1990.ISBN 875421377, 9780875421377
1415 Ibid.see.p.167.
16: See p.272.3.Herbs and Roots,under title "The Bathhouse at Midnight",from The bathhouse at midnight: an historical survey of magic and divination in Russia,by William Francis Ryan,Published by Penn State Press,1999,ISBN 0271019670, 9780271019673.
17: See p.21~23.from Mythical Flower Stories,By Marilyn Reid,Published by Lulu.com, 2007.ISBN 1847535216,9781847535214
18: Ibid.see p.23~27.
19: See.p 15~16,chapter II,Herb Magic of the Greeks and Romans,from The Magic of Herbs,by Henri Gamache,published by Health Research Books,1972;ISBN 0787303410,
20: See p.293.chaper "Cycle 11.Plant Magic",from Ariadne's Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic,By Shekhinah Mountainwater.Edition: illustrated.Published by The Crossing Press, 1991.ISBN 0895944758, 9780895944757
21: Ibid.see p.293.
22: Ibid.see p.291.

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♣ last edit date:15th,Nov.2010.

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