Lexicon of Paganism, Mystery Religions, And Magical Creatures
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Glossary of Terms R - S
Red
Caps: This is a well known creature in the legends of England and
Scotland. It is also known as a Bloody Cap or Red Comb. The cap is red because
the creature used it to catch the blood of victims. They lived in holes
on battlegrounds wherever human blood had been spilled, and will continue
to bludgeon people to death for their blood on dark nights if an unfortunate
person were to cross the old battlefield.
Remora: This is a creature that goes back thousands of
years. It is a fish known as the remora, even today, but in ancient times,
it was believed to have the power to stop ships. Remora comes from the Latin
word for “delay.” It attaches itself to a ship or to sharks
with a suction cup so that it can feed on scraps. It is also known as the
Mora and Echeneis. It was supposedly strong enough to halt ships with more
force than an anchor, even though it was still a tiny fish. It was believed
that Marc Anthony’s warships were stopped by remoras in the Battle
of Actium, making him lose the battle.
Runester: One skilled in runes; usually a wizard or bard
will also be a runester or a vikti with empowerment in lore and divination.
Runesters were consulted before doing anything by the Norse.
Salamanders: Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, expounded
on the salamander and how it cannot be burned, and actually puts out fire
by crawling through it. It was believed it could do this because it was
a cold animal. It was also believed that if it crawled up a tree, it infected
the fruit and anyone who ate the fruit would die.These are the elemental
spirits of fire that the Wizard can invoke for his use. Usually a wizard
will have an affinity for one or more of the elements, and will invoke those
beings who easily respond to his will most often. The physician Paracelsus
used Salamanders and their fiery powers in his healing to cure fever and
the classic medieval description of a Salamander is usually the one Paracelsus
gives in his works. Aristotle expounded upon the Salamander and how it cannot
be burned. Certain Salamanders actually can put out fires by crawling through
it with their cool bodies. It was believed by some that the speckled carnelian
salamander would poison the fruit of any tree it climbed upon and those
who ate of the tree's fruit would die of a consumptive fever or other heat
related illnesses, such as swelling and brain anuerisms.
Salt Peter: An important alchemical and magical element
of the triad mercury, sulfur, salt used to help create the philosopher's
stone, as well in operations of higher and lower magic, such as augmentation
of a protective circle or to bind a spirit within a given zone of space.
In herbal medicine it is used for its cleansing and preserving properties,
and resuscitate those who have sunstroke or dehydration.
Scarabs: Scarabs are dung beetles who roll dung balls and
lay their eggs within them. Scarabs also symbolized immortality, emerging
form that which was discarded.
Scissormen: Demon possessed men with scissors for hands
that would cut of the thumbs of naughty boys and girls during the night.
They originate in wives' tales from London, England.
Selkies and Merrows: The Selkies are known in Britain as seal people
of the northern islands. They can assume the form of beautiful humans, but
can only remain on land for short periods of time and must return to their
form as seals. To kill one of them means that a terrible storm will come.
Merrows are from Ireland and are the same as Selkies, but the women are
said to be beautiful while the men are ugly. They all have special magic
hats, and if a human steals their hat, they cannot return to the sea.
Signing: Magical signs or gestures, made with motions of the hands, to trace
various magical symbols in the air around an object or person to be affected
by their power.
Sirius: This was one of several stars crucial to Egyptian
religion. Sirius is one of the brightest stars in the sky and held great
magical significance for the ancient world. Sirius is referred to as the
“Dog Star” and is within the constellation known as the Great
Dog. Seirios, in the Greek language, means “burning.” Sirius
is the brightest star in the sky, and had great significance in the magical
world. It was central to the religions of Egypt as well, representing Isis.
Most magic originated in Egypt and moved outward. Egyptians set their calendars
to Sirius. The first day of summer was New Year’s Day in Egypt. It
forecast the annual flooding of the Nile Rive, which was absolutely necessary
for the agricultural efforts of farmers. The long hot summer is referred
to as “dog days” because Sirius rising just before the sun on
the first day of summer announces their arrival. Sirius was also considered
the home of the dead, so temples were built to align with its path across
the sky. The openings in the Great Pyramid are meant to help the soul gain
access to Sirius.
Skald: This is the term for a poet who composes highly
formal, originally magical verse in the Norse tradition.
Sphinx: An Egyptian magical creature which has the head
of a god or pharaoh and the body of a lion. It represents the akhu,
the sense of "I" which is aware of divinity, yet still has functions
and connections to the lower worlds. It also represents the divinity of
this structure as well, serving as a guardian to the “Pyramid”
apex of higher consciousness as self awareness becomes truly divine. The
sphinx can have wings as well, yet always will have a god's head such as
the goat head of Khnum or the face of a Pharaoh along with its lion body.
The most famous Sphinx is the Guardian of the Giza Pyramid Complex. The
sphinx originated in Egyptian mythology. It was a very important creature.
Thousands of smaller Sphinxes were found around Egypt. It is a symbol of
mystery. In Greece, the version they had was sent by Hera to punish a king
who kidnapped a young man. The Greek sphinx asked travelers a riddle as
they passed. The traveler was allowed to retreat without answering if he
or she chose, but if he or she answered incorrectly, death was the punishment.
Oedipus finally answered the riddle correctly, and when he did, the sphinx
killed herself. The riddle was: What animal goes on four feet in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening? The answer was “Man creeps
on hands and knees in childhood, walks upright in adulthood, and in old
age uses a cane.”
Sorceress and Sorcerer: in the Western connotation of Sorcerer,
this is a female or male Magus or Wizard who uses their powers for evil
or mercenary means. They will usually have binding deals with demons and
the dark lords. Often sorcery is mixed into necromancy and elemental magic.
In the East, Sorcerer or Sorceress doesn't necessarily carry a negative
connotation like it does in the West, although the western Sorcerer occasionally
will be good, only exceedingly powerful and therefore frightful to those
who do not understand magic or their own personal divinity.
Stadhagaldr: Posture magic using Runes and Talismans in
invocatory rituals to attain specific ends.
Stonehenge: A Druid temple of the Ancient world found in Britain.
Sulfur: An important alchemical ingredient of the triad,
mercury-sulfur-salt which is used to purify the alchemical vase and help
create the philosopher' stone. Relates to the inert lower realm forces of
nature.
Sylphs: Air elementals similar to faerie except completely
controlled by their elemental affiliation and the guiding will of the Wizard
who invokes them; equivalent to fire's salamanders.