gnosis

en-noun

gnosis (countable and uncountable, plural gnoses)

From Ancient Greek γνῶσις (gnôsis, “knowledge”).

der

(occult) An altered state of awareness in which the will is magically effective.


AA

en:Alcoholics Anonymous
en:Anna's Archive
en:The AA

In Magic in Theory and Practice, Crowley explains his other Order, the Silver Star (Argentinum Astrum), which certainly does have such a degree. The AA is a totally secret occult organization in which any member should know only the person who initiated him or her and those whom he or she has initiated.

1999, James R. Lewis, Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 219:


guide

→ Hindi: गाइड (gāiḍ)

→ Japanese: ガイド (gaido)

→ Korean: 가이드 (gaideu)

→ Norwegian: guide

→ Swedish: guide

→ Urdu: گائیڈ (gāeḍ)

c. 1325–75. From Middle English guide, from the Old French guide, from Old Occitan guida, from guidar, from Frankish *wītan (“to show the way, lead”), from Proto-Germanic *wītaną (“to see, know; go, depart”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, know”). Cognate with Old English wītan (“to see, take heed to, watch after, guard, keep”). Related also to English wit.

cog

The familiars of the magicians, on the other hand, were not in all cases evil, and often may have approximated the "guides" with whom present-day spiritualists are well acquainted.

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 75:

(occult) A spirit believed to speak through a medium.


left-handed

From Middle English left handyd, lyfthonded, equivalent to left + handed.

On the other hand, nearly all magic tends in time to the left-handed path; as being a devious means of attaining desires unobtainable by ordinary methods.

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 23:

(occult, of magic) Performed with the intention of doing harm or in transgression against convention or taboo; following the left-hand path


rack

en-verb

rack (third-person singular simple present racks, present participle racking, simple past and past participle racked)

racks (present singular third-person)
racking (participle present)
racked (participle past)
racked (past)
rack (infinitive)
rack (first-person present singular)
racked (first-person past singular)
rack (present second-person singular)
rackest (archaic present second-person singular)
racked (past second-person singular)
rackedst (archaic past second-person singular)
racks (present singular third-person)
racketh (archaic present singular third-person)
racked (past singular third-person)
rack (plural present)
racked (past plural)
rack (present subjunctive)
racked (past subjunctive)
rack (imperative present)
racking (participle present)
racked (participle past)

From Old English reċċan (“to stretch out, extend”).

inh

Foꝛ when we heare one racke the name of God,/Abiure the ſcriptures, and his Sauiour Chꝛiſt...

1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature B2, recto:

(obsolete, occult) To alternately concatenate two words to magical effect.


grimoire

/ˈɡɹɪmˌwɑːɹ/

Borrowed from French grimoire, a variant of grammaire, from Old French gramaire (“grammar; grimoire; conjurer, magician”), from Latin grammatica (“grammar; philology”), from grammaticus (“relating to grammar, grammatical”), from Ancient Greek γρᾰμμᾰτῐκός (grămmătĭkós, “knowing one's letters; concerned with textual criticism”), from γράμμα (grámma, “that which is drawn or written; letter; book, writing”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix added to noun stems to form adjectives). γράμμα is derived from γρᾰ́φω (grắphō, “to cut into, scratch; to draw, paint; to write”, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- (“to carve”)) + -μᾰ (-mă, suffix added to verbal stems forming neuter nouns denoting the result of, a particular instance of, or the object of an action). The English word is a doublet of glamour, glamoury, gramarye, and grammar.

refn

Pope Honorius III (allegedly) (1760 [actually 1810?]) Grimoire du Pape Honorius, avec un Recueil des Plus Rares Secrets [Grimoire of Pope Honorius, with a Collection of the Rarest Secrets], Rome [actually Paris?]: [s.n.], →OCLC.

af

ultimately from Proto-Indo-European <i class="Latn mention" lang="ine-pro">*gerbʰ-</i> (“to carve”)

doublet

There is something exceedingly unpleasant in being obliged to answer "No," to a traveller's "Pray, Sir, were you ever abroad?" and to sit mum-chance all the time that he is running over the "grimoire" of outlandish technicalities. For my own part, I am convinced that man is, par excellence, a travelling animal; [...]

1821, “M.” [pseudonym], “The Traveller”, in The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, volume II (Original Papers), number XII, London: Henry Colburn and Co. […], →OCLC, page 544:

One day, a curate of the neighbourhood of Bayeux, who kept up a constant intercourse with the devil, left his grimoire thoughtlessly on the table. His domestic, a lad who was very curious, had long sought an opportunity to open the mysterious book. [...] Scarcely had he pronounced a certain word, which presented itself accidentally to his eyes, when the devil suddenly made his appearance in the form of a great black man, with red eyes, and a terrible mouth. [...] The poor man was nearly dead with fright, and promised readily that he would never again read in the grimoire.

1835 August, “Contes Populaires, Préjugés, Patois, Proverbes, Noms de Lieux, de l’Arrondisement de Bayeux, recueillis et publiés par Frédéric Pluquet. Deuxième Edition, 8vo. Rouen. Londres, Pickering. [book review]”, in The Gentleman’s Magazine, volume IV (New Series), London: William Pickering; John Bowyer Nichols and Son, →OCLC, page 159, column 2:

The Kabalah for Paracelsus, when it is not something quite fantastic and unimaginable, is a species of practical magic, and here we shall do well to remember that the adept of Hohenheim flourished at a period when, as we have seen, the spurious literature of clavicles and grimoires was fast multiplying.

1902, Arthur Edward Waite, “Book VII: Some Christian Students of the Kabalah”, in The Doctrine and Literature of the Kabalah, London: The Theosophical Publishing Society, →OCLC, page 353:

There is extant among the old Grimoires a prayer attributed to the St. Cyprian of legend, who is possibly the holy Bishop of Carthage: its obscure and figurative expressions may have given credit to the idea that prior to his conversion he was addicted to the deadly practices of Black Magic.

1922, Éliphas Lévi [pseudonym; Alphonse Louis Constant], “Legends”, in Arthur Edward Waite, transl., A History of Magic: Including a Clear and Precise Exposition of Its Procedure, Its Rites and Its Mysteries … Translated, with a Preface and Notes, 2nd edition, London: William Rider & Son, Limited, […], →OCLC, page 203:

Nevertheless, to generations of writers after Independence, the printed word was a kind of magic, the grimoire that would bring about liberation.

1976, Jean Franco, “Preface”, in César Vallejo: The Dialectics of Poetry and Silence, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page viii:

In this conjuration you are calling the spirit and helping the seer to further attune to the spirit so she can see it through the magic mirror. The name of the spirit you are evoking is left blank. Fill it in from one of the spirits listed later in this book or from one of the grimoires.

1994, Donald Michael Kraig, “The Conjuration”, in The Truth about Evocation of Spirits (Llewellyn’s Vanguard Series), St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications, →ISBN, page 36:

If writing was so important to grimoire magic, what was the effect of the print revolution from the late fifteenth century onwards? [...] While print drained power from the grimoire in terms of its magical integrity, it also empowered it through growing access and social influence. Furthermore, print did not usurp the role of manuscript; the magic latent in the words contained in print grimoires could be reactivated through transcription.

2009, Owen Davies, “Introduction”, in Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 5:

One well-known grimoire is called The Grand Grimoire, sometimes called The Red Dragon. This book was published sometime between the early 1500s and the 1700s (historians are not sure exactly when). It describes many frightful demons, including their names, habits, and powers. [...] A grimoire called the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum offers similar help. Published around 1583, this book lists 68 demons. It explains the rituals that summon each entity, and also pinpoints the best hours to perform these rituals.

2011, Kris Hirschmann, “Associating with Demons”, in Demons (Monsters and Mythical Creatures), San Diego, Calif.: ReferencePoint Press, →ISBN, page 46:

(occult) A book of instructions in the use of alchemy or magic, especially one containing spells for summoning demons.


magister

Borrowed from Latin magister (“a master, chief, head, superior, director, teacher, etc.”), from magis (“more or great”) + -ter. Doublet of maestro, master, and meister.

bor

The magnificent Magisters and Magistras, profound Priests and Priestesses, wondrous Witches and Warlocks, astounding Agents, and the ever-inspiring loyal cohort that makes up the Citizenry of our Infernal Empire—you are an aristocracy of achievers, many of whom are cherished friends, and cannot know how very much you each mean to me.

2007, Peter H. Gilmore, The Satanic Scriptures, Scapegoat Publishing, →ISBN, page vi:

If only the Magistra and Magister of the Rite are present, then just the Magister shall drink of simulate if fake (ie theatrical) blood is used.

2009, Michael W. Ford, Luciferian Witchcraft – The Book of The Serpent: The Grimoire of The Serpent, 2nd edition, Succubus Publishing, →ISBN, page 308:

Just as there are tools and symbols that are specific to the Magistra, the stang is a tool used to represent the Horned God and should be used by the Magister only.

2015, Amaranthus, Feasting from the Black Cauldron, Lulu, →ISBN:

Fourth Degrees migrate, Magistras & Magisters administering.

2019, WLLM, Hokkus Satanus, Satan Wants Haikus!, Lee John Press, →ISBN, page 45:

My heartfelt appreciation to all of the Church of Satan Magisters, Magistras, Witches, Priests, Priestesses and members who contributed in words and deeds,[…].

2022, Robert Johnson, “Acknowledgments”, in The Satanic Warlock, 2nd edition, →ISBN:

(occult, witchcraft, Church of Satan) The chief male celebrant of an occult ritual.


magistra

Meditation has an important part in many witchcraft ceremonies, at least in the coven of which I am the Magistra or leader.

1989, Lois Bourne, Conversations with a Witch, Robert Hale, published 2014, →ISBN:

(occult, witchcraft, Church of Satan) A female magister.


witching hour

/ˈwɪt͡ʃɪŋ ˌaʊə/

/ˈwɪt͡ʃɪŋ ˌaʊ(ə)ɹ/

From witching (“of or pertaining to witchcraft or sorcery, or to witches or sorcerers”, adjective) + hour. Sense 1 (“midnight”) was popularized by the reference to the “witching time of night” in the play Hamlet (written c. 1599–1602; published 1603) by the English playwright William Shakespeare (1564–1616): see the quotation.

compound

"Do you know what three a.m. is?" […] "It's called the witching hour. It's the reverse of the holy hour—three p.m.—when Jesus died on the cross.[…]"

2008 July 22, Claudia Mair Burney, chapter 4, in The Exorsistah, New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books, →ISBN, page 42:

The witching hour is three a.m., in mockery of the Trinity and a perversion of the hour of his death.

2009 September 22, Rick Yancey, “The Devil’s Manger”, in The Monstrumologist, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster BFYR, →ISBN, page 349:

By the way, the hour between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. is also known as the witching hour because it's thought that paranormal forces are at their strongest during that time.

2020 April 27, Pamela Humphrey, “Momma at Costco (Wind Chime Breaks)”, in My Sister’s Walk with God: The True Stories of a Prophetic Intercessor, Murrells Inlet, S.C.: Covenant Books, →ISBN:

(occult, less common) The hour between 3:00 and 3:59 a.m., associated with demons.


fascinum

Here are some brides of ten compelled to seat themselves on the fascinum, the virile ivory in the temples of classical scholarship.

Today people use a four-leaf clover, the pompom from a European sailor’s hat, the fascinum (winged phallus, some of which were found in the ruins of Pompeii and seemed to have done little good there), and so on.

1988, Leonard R. N. Ashley, The Amazing World of Superstition, Prophecy, Luck, Magic & Witchcraft, Random House Value Publishing, →ISBN, page 107, →ISBN:

(historical, occult) An ivory phallus used in certain ancient erotic rites.


magick

en-noun

magick (countable and uncountable, plural magicks)

(fantasy or occult) Actual magic or sorcery in fiction or in e.g. Wicca, neopaganism or modern witchcraft, as opposed to illusion or stage magic.


magick

(fantasy or occult) Relating to actual magic or sorcery in fiction or in e.g. Wicca, neopaganism or modern witchcraft, as opposed to illusion or stage magic.


heptangle

(occult) A seven-pointed star with the construction lines retained.


Taphthartharath

uder

Hebrew תפתרתרת

2080 Taphthartharath The spirit of Mercury תפתרתרת

1533, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy:

Somewhere in the universe on some subtle invisible plane, is an intelligence named Taphthartharath, for example, who is as real a being in his own way as one's own tailor is in his, […]

1968, Israel Regardie, The Tree of Life, Samuel Weiser, Inc., page 73:

(occult, philosophy) Mercury's spirit, executing the malevolent influences of the planet.


subtle body

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-subtle body.wav

Translation of सूक्ष्म शरीर (sūkṣma-śarīra) or सूक्ष्म देह (sūkṣma-deha).

(occult, parapsychology) The embodiment of the soul or mind; part of the bodymind of the human being in syncretic, esoteric philosophy.

(occult, theosophy) Those parts of the septenary, the 'seven principles of man' which constitute each human being, contrasted with the gross body, the physical human body.


egregore

egregores (plural)
egregor (alternative)

From French égrégore (“spirit of a group”), from the Ancient Greek substantive of ἐγρήγορος (egrḗgoros, “wakeful”) meaning watcher, angel in the Book of Enoch.

In magical esoteric circles an egregore is commonly understood to be a magical psychic entity consciously or unconsciously created by a couple or a group as an encapsulation and merger of their collective aspirations and ideals.

2013, Anaiya Sophia, Sacred Sexual Union: The Alchemy of Love, Power, and Wisdom:

(occult) An autonomous psychic entity that is composed of, and influences, the thoughts of a group of people.


Akashic Records

(esoterism, occult) Mythological records or archives, in a spiritual plane, containing information about everything that ever happened.

Arquivos Acásicos

spiritual records about everything that ever happened


A∴A∴

Aside from OTO, the most influential Thelemic organization historically is A∴A∴. Unlike OTO, A∴A∴ work is traditionally solitary. Therefore, it is common for Thelemites to combine A∴A∴ affiliation with membership in a fraternal[…]

2019 October 14, Manon Hedenborg White, The Eloquent Blood: The Goddess Babalon and the Construction of Femininities in Western Esotericism, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 196:

The symbols, rites, and initiatory degrees of the A∴A∴ order closely mimicked those of the Golden Dawn, but blended into the magic mix was Thelema, a religion invented by Crowley.

2021 July 20, Richard Zenith, Pessoa: A Biography, Liveright Publishing, →ISBN:

(occult) A Thelemic spiritual organization founded in 1907 by British occultists Aleister Crowley and George Cecil Jones.


demonifugic

This refers to a demonifugic talisman endorsed in the Shangqing tradition. See Robinet, Taoist Meditation, p. 32.

1998, Stephen Eskildsen, Asceticism in Early Taoist Religion, fn. 36, page 200:

Among the flora and fauna mentioned in the older sections of the Classic of the Mountains and the Seas, thirty-nine species are mentioned as having medicinal (primarily demonifugic) value and twenty-nine were worn on the body for protection against demons.

2004, Richard Von Glahn, The Sinister Way: The Divine and the Demonic in Chinese Religious Culture, page 109:

(occult, often Chinese mysticism) Of, relating to, or resembling a demonifuge.