Pagan Dictionary

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Z

ZEN BUDDHISM (Japanese, zen: "meditation"): Japanese Buddhism which is differentiated from other Buddhist sects by its strong emphasis on the concept that all things are one.

ZEND-AVESTA: The sacred text of Zoroastrianism.

ZEPHYR: In early Greek myth, Zephyrus was a cruel, vengeful god of the west wind who delighted in stirring up deadly storms at sea. In later Greek myth, he personified the fragrant wind wafting over the Elysian fields, where the blessed enjoyed the afterlife. The meaning of zephyr has evolved over the centuries to include:

The breeze from the West as the personification of Zephyrus;
Any light, gentle breeze;
Anything insubstantial, light, or fleeting;
Lightweight fabrics or clothes.

ZETETIC: Discovering through the process of asking questions.

ZODIAC:

The belt in the heavens extending for eight degrees on either side of the path of the sun and including the paths of the moon and the principal planets. It is divided into twelve equal parts, called signs that each named after a different constellation; 
A figure or diagram plotting the positions of the sun, moon and planets used for divining purposes, especially in astrology;
Sometimes used to refer to a circle or circuit;
A girdle (belt), more commonly abbreviated to zod.
ZOMBIE: A Vodoun creature, a dead person brought back to life. Originally, Zombi was the python God whose spirit can enter and empower a corpse.

ZOOMANCY: Divination by interpreting the appearance and behavior of animals. Synonymous with one of the definitions of augury.

ZOROASTRIANISM: The religion of the Persians before their conversion to Islam. According to tradition, it was founded by Zoroaster in the 6th or 7th century BCE. Its principles, contained in the Zend-Avesta, include belief in an afterlife and the continuous struggle of the universal spirit of good, Ormazd, with the universal spirit of evil, Ahriman.

ZYGOMANCY: Divination by using weights, the original form of Bibliomancy (being weighed against the Bible) is a form of zygomancy.