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

IMP

A more popular name for this entity is genie. Historically the imp was thought to be a small daimon kept in a bottle or ring. When released or awaken the entity is said to have served its master in magical, alchemical, or healing purposes. Supposedly there are both good and bad imps. Magicians evoke them in rituals of ceremonial magick and command them with incantations, words and names of power.

The alchemist Paracelsus (1493-1541) was thought to have kept an imp trapped in the crystal pommel of his sword. Artwork shows that the pommel was labeled with the word Zoyh, which was thought to be the name of the imp; but apparently it was not, but a reference to azoth, the alchemists' vital Mercury.

During the trails of the witch-hunts in the Middle Ages imps became confused with familiars and both terms were used interchangeably in the trails.

Supposedly witches sent imps to do evil deeds against innocence people, in return the witches allowed the imps to suckle their blood through their fingers or protuberances on their bodies. The witch-hunters thus searched witches' bodies for evidence of warts, discoloured skin and unnatural lumps that could have served as teats or paps.

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