Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

ABADDON

The god Apollo was the solar god of the heaven during the day, and the Lord of Death in the at night. The latter form became the Jewish Apollyon, Spirit of the Pit (Revelation 9:11). Apollo-Python was the serpent deity in the Pit of the Delphi Oracle who inspired the seeress with mystic vapors from his nether world. Abaton was the Greek word for Pit, which the Hebrews changed to Abaddon, which later became synonymous with the Christian hell.

Abaton, also called mundus or earth-womb, was a real pit, regularly placed under or in pagan temples. Those entering it wished to "incubate" or sleep there overnight in magical imitation of the incubatory sleep of the womb. Novice priests endured longer periods of incubation to pantomime the experiences of death, burial, and rebirth from Mother Earth. Once initiated in this manner, they sought to gain the skill of oneiromancy.

Assyrian priests derived similar powers after a journey in the Pit. They then put on the priestly coat of many colours, signifying communion with the Goddess under her oneiromantic name of Nanshe. The identical burial-and-resurrection ritual is found in the lives of many ancient sages. One was the Pythagorean philosopher Thales of Miletus, said to be one of the Seven Wise Men of the ancient world, who acquired his intellectual skills through communion with the Goddess of Wisdom in an abaton.

see also: KABBALAH

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc

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