Tungusik
(Siberian)
ShamanCunning
Manness (often aided by certain sacred medicine
plants) to control psychic phenomena and
travel to and from the spirit realm. The
term originates with Siberian shamans,
and specifically refers to Tibetan, Si-
berian, Mongolian, Inuit, and others.
Cunning Man/Woman: “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, these country “White
Witches” possess magickal healing
powers and provide cures, remedies,
charms, spells, and divination—usually for a mod-
est fee. Most were old people, who claimed their
title by heredity or through supernatural encoun-
ters.
Witch: 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 di-
rected towards heal-
ing, of people and
the Earth. Many
Witches also practice
divination and magickal
techniques for the evolution of
consciousness.
Wicca: Wicca is a modern subset
of traditional Witchcraft em-
phasizing its aspect as a Pa-
gan mystery religion. Wiccan
rites—held at the full (and
sometimes dark) Moons and
the Solstices, Equinoxes and
Cross Quarters—celebrate
an annual God and peren-
nial (“ever-living”) Goddess
through the phases of the Moon and the cycle of
the seasons. Wiccan ethical principles temper per-
sonal freedom with personal responsibility. The
Wiccan Rede (“counsel”) states: “As it harms none,
do as you will.”
Pagan: Paganism (meaning “of the country”) is a col-
lection 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 “TheOld Religion”—meaning pre-
Christian. Pagans believe in the
interconnectedness of all life, ani-
mism (everything is alive), panthe-
ism (everything is Divine), polythe-
ism (there are many gods and spir-
its), and immanent divinity (divin-
ity is within ev-
eryone—ex-
pressed by some
as “Thou art
God/dess”). Pa-
gans value diver-
sity, good works, liv-
ing lightly on the
Earth, individual freedom, personal
responsibility, and equality between
men and women. Many (but not all)
magickal folk identify their spiritual
practice as “Pagan.”
Priest/Priestess: 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 in-
clude maintenance of temples and altars, adminis-
tering of sacraments, conducting and presiding over
rites and rituals, pastoral counseling, etc. They may
also serve as a direct channel for the spirit and voice
of their chosen Deities.
Warlock: 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.Lesson 4. Rules of Wizardry
(The following comes mostly from Julie Epona)With every new thing you have learned in Life
there has been a set of Rules. In Kindergarten you
learned to share and not to push. In soccer or baseball
you learned the rules of the game; the boundaries and
how to keep score. In math you have learned how to
manipulate numbers and in your language classes you
have learned the rules of spelling and punctuation.
In Magick and Wizardry there are also Rules. Some
will be quite obvious, like the result of successfully
crossing home-plate. Other rules will be more difficult
to understand and apply, like the rules of commas and
“i before e.” Rest assured that with experience will
come greater understanding.
One final note before we begin discussing these
rules. You must clearly understand the difference be-Course One: Wizardry 5
Corrected pages 3rd printing.1.p65 7 6/10/2004, 2:59 PM