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Gematria:

 Considered part of the "literal qabalah", gematria is the technique of converting names or words into numbers in order to find meaning in their mathematical relationships, working from the premise that words or phrases which add up to the same number are somehow related. This technique can be viewed as a form of meditation, since the aim is not so much to discover the "true" meanings of words but rather to discern as many patterns and connections as possible.
Gematria was originally practiced with the Hebrew language, but the approach can be applied to any set of letters. The practice of gematria formed the early beginnings of numerology. (See Temurah; Literal Qabalah (article).)

Ghost:

  From the Old High German word geist, meaning spirit. Usually used to refer to the manifestation of a dead human. Many systems describe the soul as made of differing parts or layers. The "lower" or outer parts are responsible for daily habits, memories, and verbal thought. Indeed, the word "habit" comes from the Egyptian words for parts of the soul, khabit, meaning "something doubled".
   When the body dies, the higher part of the soul (the atma, or "true self") continues its existence and spiritual journey while the lower parts usually disintegrate. Sometimes, however, these "shells" are inhabited by an elemental or other spiritual entity. It could be said that a ghost remains where it is and does what it does out of habit.
   Most ghosts are not malevolent and generally disintegrate and fade away over a period of time unless provided with additional energy by some circumstance.
   Some spiritualists claim that many ghosts are not aware that they have died. By many accounts, all that is required to banish such entities is to kindly but firmly tell them that their bodies have passed on and the rest of them can leave any time it is ready, thank you. Considering the fragmentary and nonconscious nature of such beings, this is not very difficult to believe. (See Kama-Rupa; Qlippoth; Shell.)

God:

  The Supreme Being. God is consistently said to be sexless (or both sexes) and without attribute, being within and without, apart from and a part of all things. Hence the prohibition in many religions against idolatry since any image which can be made is not the true image of God. The word "God" is also used to mean a deity of masculine aspect. (See Adonai; Deity; Iao; Tao; Tetragrammaton)

Goddess:

  A deity of feminine aspect.
   Many Neopagans and practitioners of modern Witchcraft now use the word "Goddess" to refer to the Supreme Being. Some do this in an attempt to mend the estrangement of flesh and spirit, of humanity and nature, which many believe to be a result of patriarchal, dualistic, hierarchical Western world views. Of course, like the word "God", "Goddess" means different things to different people. (See Deity)

Godhead:

  Devine Nature or Essence. The source of all emanation and manifestation, of which all deities are but aspects or facets. Godness. The atma of Vedantic philosophy.

Updated August 27th, 1998