The Glossary & Reflections | LaviniaJonesHealing

Glossary: Because Words Matter

Language shapes how we see the world and how the world sees us. It’s personal, powerful, and sometimes wildly subjective. The words I use on this site aren’t just letters thrown together—they reflect my perspective, my values, and the way I make sense of this beautiful, complicated world.

In this glossary, you’ll find some of the key terms, ideas, and phrases I rely on to share my thoughts and experiences. If you ever wonder what I really mean when I talk about a particular concept, you can find my take on it right here.

I see language as a living, breathing thing—like an ever-evolving conversation between people. So, as I grow, learn, and explore, the definitions in this glossary might shift and expand too.

That’s half the fun!

For a deeper dive, check out my articles, blog posts, and random musings linked below.

Hopefully, this glossary helps us get on the same page—even if your definitions or worldviews look a little different from mine.

Magick is Real

Magick is the art of aligning intention with action to create transformation. It is a force woven into existence, accessible through ritual, will, and presence.

Think of a morning ritual where you anoint yourself with oil and set an intention for the day, shifting your energy and influencing the way events unfold.

Personal Power and Autonomy Matter

Each person has an innate power to shape their life and spiritual path. True autonomy means standing in your own truth, making choices free from imposed narratives.

Think of choosing to break away from a spiritual system that no longer serves you and crafting your own practice rooted in what resonates with your soul.

Free Will is Sacred

No one can dictate your spiritual or personal journey. Your choices are yours alone, and with them comes responsibility.
Think about deciding to honour your ancestors in your own way, rather than following a prescribed method, because you feel called to a more personal connection.

Healing is Both Ancestral and Personal

Healing does not begin and end with you. It extends to the generations before and after, rewriting patterns and reclaiming lost wisdom.
Feel into recognising a repeating trauma pattern in your family and choosing to consciously break the cycle through therapy, ritual, or spiritual work.

The Divine is Relational

Your connection to the sacred is uniquely yours, unfolding through direct experience, conversation, and deep listening.
Imagine sitting in stillness, sensing a presence greater than yourself, and understanding that divinity is speaking to you in the quiet.

Sacred Work is Everyday Work

Spirituality is not confined to ceremonies or specific spaces—it is in how you move, speak, and exist in the world.
Think about cooking a meal with reverence, seeing it as an offering of nourishment and love rather than just a mundane task.

Ritual is a Gateway

Ritual is an act of intention that opens the door to transformation, deepens connection, and aligns energy. It's a living practice, not performance.
Think about lighting a candle each night as an act of remembrance, anchoring yourself in the presence of ancestors, guides, or spirit. What happened? What was transformed in that moment?

Is it a Ritual or a Ceremony?

(For me) Ceremony feels like (and is) an acknowledgement, whereas Ritual feels like (and is) a transformation. A Ceremony can house a ritual and also doesn't have to. Ritual is technology and/or medicine.

Sovereignty & The Sacred

You are the authority of your own spirit. Your relationship with the Divine is yours alone, shaped by your own wisdom and experiences.

Liberation

Liberation is the process of reclaiming one’s power, breaking free from imposed narratives, and stepping into full spiritual and personal autonomy. It's an act of both defiance and deep self-honouring.
Think about choosing to unlearn beliefs that were conditioned into you—whether by religion, society, or family—and embracing a spiritual practice that aligns with your soul’s truth.

Here are some more of the way I think about Liberation:

Spiritual Liberation → Freeing oneself from dogma or restrictive spiritual systems, recognising that the Divine is within and around you, not something external to be sought.
Ancestral Liberation → Healing inherited wounds, breaking cycles of generational trauma, and reclaiming the wisdom and power that colonisation, oppression, or history tried to erase.
Personal Liberation → Making choices that honour your truth, no longer living by fear, guilt, or external expectations.

Divine/Spirit

On this website, I use terms like "Divine," "Spirit," or "Creator" to describe the Sacred Essence. While these words provide a way to connect and communicate, for me personally, this Essence is nameless and boundless. I use these terms to resonate with your understanding, while acknowledging that everyone's relationship with this essence may have its own unique name and meaning. You might use The Most High, Goddess, or God, or Great Mother, knowing that these words could never capture the fullness of what we feel and know to be true.

Reclamation

Reclamation is the act of taking back what was lost, stolen, suppressed, or erased—whether it’s personal power, ancestral wisdom, cultural traditions, or spiritual sovereignty. It’s a conscious and intentional process of returning to your authentic self, unbinding from imposed narratives, and restoring what rightfully belongs to you.

This can look like:

Spiritual Reclamation – Freeing yourself from religious or spiritual structures that deny personal sovereignty and rebuilding a direct, personal connection to the Divine, Spirit, or your Creator.
Ancestral Reclamation – Honouring, healing, and integrating the wisdom and practices of your ancestors, especially those severed by colonialism, forced assimilation, or historical trauma.
Personal Power Reclamation – Recognising where power has been given away—through conditioning, trauma, or external control—and calling it back and standing fully in your agency.