Wicca A to Z. Gerina Dunwich

from others are performed in conjunction with counter magick.

      The use of countercharms and counterspells is ancient in origin and is known to Witches, magicians, and Shamans in all cultures.

      COVEN A group of Witches, also known as a “circle” and traditionally (though not necessarily) thirteen in number, who gather together to work magick and perform ceremonies at Sabbats and Esbats. A covener is a woman or man who is a member of a coven, and a covenstead is the place where a coven holds its regular meetings, which can be either indoors or out in nature.

      COWAN Among Witches, any individual who is not a follower of the Old Religion or of any Pagan spiritual path. This word is used by Witches in much the same manner as the word “gentile” is used by Jews when referring to someone who is not of the Jewish faith.

      THE CRAFT A term used for Witchcraft, Wicca, or the Craft of the Wise; the Old Religion; the practice of folk magick. See also WICCA, WITCHCRAFT.

      CREATRIX (or CREATRESS) A name for any female deity who is believed to have given birth to the cosmos, to other goddesses and gods, and to mankind. The belief in a creator goddess is shared by many Wiccans and Neo-Pagans of various spiritual paths; however, the concept of God as being a woman is far from being a newly-invented idea. In fact the ancient pre-Christian religions of many cultures from around the world attributed the creation of the universe and all living things to a Mother Goddess. For example, Nammu was a Mesopotamian creatrix who was said to have made the human race out of molded clay. From circa 3000 B.C. to circa A.D. 400 the Egyptian goddess Nut was worshipped as a creator goddess, as was Neith (“who emerged from the primeval ocean to create the world.”) The Aztec’s version of a creator goddess was a toadlike deity called Tlaltecuhtli, while the Babylonian creation myth centered around the primordial goddess Tiamat. The Japanese (Shinto) goddess Izanami-No-Kami, the Mayan goddess Ix Zacal Nok, and the Nigerian goddess Oduduwa are all said to have given birth to the world.

      CRONE The third aspect of the Triple Goddess. She corresponds to the waning and dark phases of the moon, and is usually depicted in works of art as an aged, haglike woman, often quite terrifying in Her appearance. To Wiccans, the Crone (who is also known as the Dark Goddess) represents maturity, wisdom, spiritual peace, a time of endings that lead to new beginnings, and death that brings forth new life.

      In various cultures, many different crone goddesses have been worshipped as the third aspect of a divine feminine trinity; however, in Neo-Paganism and the Craft of Wicca, the most popular goddess who represents the Crone is the Greek lunar goddess Hecate. See also MAIDEN, MOTHER, and TRIPLE GODDESS.

      CROSS The cross is one of the oldest of mystical symbols, and in Encyclopoedia Heraldica, there are over 385 different varieties listed. In Christianity, the cross is an important symbol of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. However, the symbol of the cross is actually not of Christian origin, as many believe. It was widely used by Pagan cultures in pre-Christian times as both a religious symbol and magickal tool, and did not become a symbol of the Christian tradition until about the fifth century. When worn as an amulet, the cross protects the wearer from the dark forces of evil, jinx, and bad luck. Crosses are used in many Voodoo rituals and Hoodoo spells, and they are often worn as protective amulets by spiritual healers and Tarot card readers to dispel negative influences. For best results, a cross should be made out of gold and anointed once a day with either myrrh oil or holy water.

      CRYSTAL BALL A sphere of crystal or glass used for scrying—an ancient method of divination popular among many Wiccans, especially on the night of Samhain. Crystal balls come in all sizes and colors, and the images seen within them may be either actual or symbolic and relate to either the past, present, or future. The crystal ball is the focus for the scryers psychic perception and does not, in itself, cause the visions to materialize. The art and practice of divination by gazing into a crystal ball is known as crystalomancy.

      CURSE In black magick and sorcery, a deliberate concentration of destructive negative energy, often accompanied by the evocation of evil spirits or demons, and intended to harm a particular person, thing, or place; an imprecation.

      Most modern Witches and those who follow the path of Wicca do not dabble in curses for such malevolent magick violates the Wiccan Rede and causes the rebounding of bad karma, which many Wiccans believe is threefold or greater. There are certain instances, however, when a special type of curse known as a “binding” is necessary and is almost always done to stop an evil or misguided individual from continuing to do harm (either magickally or by some other means) upon others.

      A small number of Witches feel that cursing is acceptable when warranted, such as in the case of avenging a serious crime which has gone unpunished or making even the score with one who has worked black magick to cause severe harm to the Witch or her loved ones. However, most in the Craft today feel that cursing is unethical and self-destructive no matter how or for what reason it is performed, and many do not even feel that bindings are an acceptable practice.

      Outside of Wicca, in many other cultures around the world where magick or Shamanism is practiced, justified cursing is not regarded as being unethical or subject to karmic consequences, and a person supposedly skilled in the magickal arts who could not, or would not, cast a curse to stop criminals or enemies from doing harm would be considered totally useless to society. See also BINDING.