Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear friends,

That time of the year is rolling around again, one of the most important festivals and one of my favorite times to celebrate-Beltane. I look forward to it every year and each year try to find new ways to celebrate it and experience it with my family and friends.

Beltane has always been considered the greatest fertility festival of the year and has traditionally been celebrated on April 30th. In the past, men and women gathered in the towns and villages and celebrated with food, drink, and bonfires. Many then separated and practiced their own, erm, fertility rites during the late night hours, returning the next morning. With that aside, it was a celebration that young and old could enjoy, even if they didn’t participate in the pleasures of the flesh.

Houses were decorated with green branches which were then brought inside on May 2st, or “May Day” as it is sometimes called. Remember the Loreena McKennit song that came out awhile back called “The Mummer’s Dance?” “We’ve been rambling all the night and some parts of the day/Now returning back again we bring a garland gay.” Well, folks, Loreena didn’t write that song, as beautiful as it may be. It’s actually a very old folk song that commemorated the Beltane rituals.

That’s actually happened a lot over the years-a popular artist taking an old folk song, rearranging some of the lyrics, and making it their own. But that’s neither here nor there and I like Loreena so I won’t pick on her.

During the day, the men and women would go to houses, knock on doors, and welcome the coming of spring to those who answered. That is also part of the folk song as well: “A garland gay we bring you here/And at your door we stand/Here’s a sprout, well budded out/The work of our Lord’s hand.” I actually remember being a child and folk dancing to this song. It was a lot faster then and we always danced it with sprouts of greenery. At the end of the dance, we would take the sprouts and hand them out to people in the audience, much in the same way that the villagers would do many years ago. I have often wondered if the very Christian college that we sometimes performed at really understood what that song was all about.

They would also tie rowan branches to the tails of cows so that they wouldn’t become bewitched. Cows are easily lead astray and Beltane was a time when the fairies came out to play so one had to be very careful during the first few days of May.

The Maypole was a very big part of the Beltane festivals and can still be found today in some places. So what does it mean? Red and white flowers were wound around the pole in garlands in order to symbolize the milk and blood and mysteries of the Goddess. It was a fertility symbol, which is kind of easy to see when you think about its phallic shape. We also did the Maypole dance in school and I am almost certain that the higher-ups had no idea what it really meant.

Today, you can have your own Beltane ritual. Invite friends and family members over-witches and non-witches alike. Celebrate the coming of spring and decorate your altar with flowers, green garlands, and seeds. Cook lots of food for everyone, especially the sweet kind because faeries love honeyed bread and this is a celebration for them, too. Red, green, and white candles are nice to burn at your altar, as is sandalwood incense. Create your own maypole for the little ones and try to hold the festivities outside if you can.

If you’re making a bonfire, or bonfires as it may be, then do be careful. While this time of the year is usually pretty wet in most parts of the country, you want to be cautious of dry areas. While being spontaneous is nice, forest fires are not.

Just remember not to get caught by the fairies or else you could get trapped in the fairy world for a year and one day! Of course, some people might not have an issue with that, but for others it could be a little bit of a hindrance.

When it comes to fertility rites, well, I’m afraid I can’t help you there. You’re on your own. There are some good fertility rituals available and this is an excellent time of year to put them to use. For the physical aspect of it, all I say is to be cautious and practical when it comes to these things. This might be a magickal time, but common sense must till prevail, too.

Happy Beltane and happy spring to everyone!

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear friends,

You probably already know that the different phases of the moon correspond with different energies. You are probably already aware, too, that the moons can be divided into four elemental types: earth, air, fire, and water. Now, let’s break that down even further and talk about the specific astrological signs that full moons can fall under and what they mean…

Aries: Aries is associated with initiation, energy, and strength. During this moon, rituals focused on letting go of bad habits, self-destructive habits, aggression, and anger can be very beneficial. Aries loves action and has a lot of motivation.

Taurus: Taurus tends to like all things associated with home. This includes stability, fertility, money, love, and property in general. An earth sign, Taurus likes to be creative, but also places a lot of emphasis on laying down foundations, too. Sowing seeds, making practical plans, fertility rituals, and money spells are all good things to do when the full moon is in Taurus.

Gemini: Those feisty twins can be exasperating at times, but you can get a lot accomplished under the Gemini moon. This is a good time to communicate and share ideas. Considered a learning moon, it’s also a good time to clear the air, travel, try to get your ideas across, and make contact with others.

Cancer: A water moon, you can expect feelings to run high when the moon is in Cancer. It’s important to guard yourself during this time and not to let other people’s negative energies rub off on you. It’s also important not to give in to depression and to ruffle other’s feathers. You might want to focus on family, fertility, and your home environment. This is also a good time for divination and love spells.

Leo: A Leo moon is a theatrical one. If you have known a Leo then you have probably already figured out that they love to be the center of attention and that people like to flock to them. With that in mind, you want to think big under this moon. Use the large amount of energy to perform big rituals, complete large projects, and to remind you of your own uniqueness.

Virgo: Virgo is a quiet moon so you might want to keep things a little low during this time. This is a good time for organizing, clearing up emotional and physical clutter, purifying your thoughts and the bad energy around you, and banishing toxins. It’s also a good time for working through the bad stuff that can bog us down and keep us feeling low.

Libra: Libra is a refined moon and enjoys some of the better things in life such as listening to music, dancing, writing, painting, and gathering with people. This is a good time to gather with others who practice witchcraft and to perform a group ritual. If you’re a solitary practitioner, then you might want to focus on creating something artistic.

Scorpio: One of the most passionate signs in the universe, the Scorpio represents battles, courage, power, and sexuality. Put on your armor and perform spells and rituals that need just a little extra energy added to them. Some people are actually afraid of the moon in Scorpio and there does sometimes seem to be extra violence during this time period. Instead of being afraid, however, focus on how you can use this powerful energy to your advantage and do try to watch your temper.

Sagittarius: The moon in Sagittarius often signifies the beginning of great ideas. It’s a good time to start a long journey, start studying, or begin a new direction in your life. It’s also a good time to talk about your beliefs and to philosophize with other like-minded (or non like-minded) people.

Capricorn: Capricorn is a serious sign, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a sense of humor. Throw out things that no longer have any significance to you, focus on your career and aspirations, and start making plans.

Aquarius: You might find that people are most understanding during this moon so it could be a great time to clear up misunderstandings. It’s also a good time for starting things so you might want to try moving around a little bit. Ritual work focused on letting go of petty problems, building up networks and friendships, and finding support can be useful during this time.

Pisces: As a water sign, the moon in Pisces can often feel like a dreamy time. This is the best time to focus on psychic abilities, clairvoyance, dreams, and love. You might be very sensitive at this time, but rather than let yourself fall into tears or depression, use it to gain an understanding of the world around you. Rituals focused on love, communicating with the dead, and remembrance can be beneficial. It’s also a great time to read the runes, break out the Tarot cards, and write down your dreams to analyze later.

Of course, other factors can influence your feelings and what’s going on at the time of the moon, but hopefully this will give you a little bit of an understanding of what to expect in each phase. Always be aware that the moon is over you and there for you, even when it’s hard to see at times.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear friends,

We talk a lot about the moon and even plan rituals and spells on certain nights, depending on the face of the moon. But what does it mean and why do we do it?

The full and new moons are very powerful times when it comes to magick. They are also times for both beginnings and for endings. Although the world used to pay a lot more attention to the moon at one time, today witches still use the moon and its phases to help create balance.

The full moon is a time for illuminating and celebrating. It’s also a time for revelations. During the time of the full moon, the sun is opposite of the moon which symbolizes a division of energy. Many people find that the past comes back during this phase so it’s a good time to reflect on things that might not be bringing you the peace that you wish to find.

Moonlight is considered to be the most magickal light of all and when you have a full moon, the light is at its brightest. Moonlight has been said to be able to heal and soothe. Full moons are the most powerful when they happen within 2 degrees of any planet that you have in your natal chart. I know some witches who like to sleep outside and bathe in the moonlight, but this isn’t possible for me-unless I go camping. Not that I am opposed to the idea, however.

The dark moon is a phase of the moon that is often misunderstood. Some people fear it and think that it brings negative energies and power. Maybe it’s the word “dark” in it…More than likely, it’s because the dark moon represents sexuality, fertility, and the occult which makes a lot of people squirm. Traditionally, women started menstruating at this time of the moon, beginning their course.

The dark moon is a good time for binding spells, as well as a good time to release yourself from your own binds. If you want to bury the hatchet, get rid of any unhealthy ties, and free yourself from compulsions or habits then this is also a good time to do this in.

Then, of course, we have the new moon. The new moon happens when the sun and moon are in the same position. Since the sun blocks the moon from view, it’s not visible. When it comes to witchcraft, the new moon is the time when many rituals are performed.

Some people believe that whatever you are doing when you first sight the new mono is the right thing to do. The new moon often signifies hope, new beginnings, and even new projects. It’s a good time to start things. From this point until the full moon, it’s a great time to put things into action and to cultivate movement.

To really understand the phases of the moon, it helps to know about the astrological sign that the moon is in. This can really help you harness the energy and use it to your advantage. There are essentially 4 types of moons and these all correspond with the different elements: earth, fire, air, and water.

The earth moons are those that fall under Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Earth moons concern security, stability, structure, organization, and pragmatism. They’re more about solid, tangible things than with thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

The fire moons; Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, are optimistic, enthusiastic, and love change. Since they have lots of energy, they can also be tempestuous and impulsive. It’s been said, too, that they are a little on the self-centered side.

Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are the air moons. These signs like to analyze feelings and thoughts and they are very connected to communication, talking, movement, expression, and objectivity.

Water moons include Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer. The water moons are often considered to be the most magickal of the moons, but they can be disorienting as well. Flighty, sometimes fickle, and emotional, this is a time of sensitivity and awareness. Fertility spells and love rituals are usually very productive when performed under a water moon.

Understanding the different phases of the moon, as well as the astrological signs that it can fall under, can really help you when performing spells and rituals. Just remember that everything works together as one and that you shouldn’t take any aspect of the natural world for granted. By performing a ritual at the right time, you have a better chance of achieving the outcome that you wish for. Of course, it’s not always possible to wait for the “right time” and in that case, we do what we can, when we can.

You might have heard that it’s better to be in the country than in the city-that the city lights can moot the power of the moon. Well, there might be a little truth to that in that sometimes the moon can be hard to see for the smog and the glare, but remember that it’s always there-whether you can see it or not. There is some comfort in that.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

I sometimes feel as though I am the last person to hear about things. I don’t know how popular this story has been over the past couple of months, but apparently Christine O’Donnell, a Republican candidate for Senate in Delaware, talked about experimenting in witchcraft when she was young.

Of course, I was intrigued about this and decided to do a little bit of research on it. I wanted to know exactly what she had claimed to do during this time period and what other people were saying about it.

Well, as you can imagine (and as you probably already know) a lot of people were not very pleased about this. However, not only did there seem to be a lot of confusion regarding what she actually did when she “experimented” but there even seemed to be some confusion on her part as to what, exactly, witchcraft actually was.

I find this happens a lot. Mostly, it happens with people who latch onto a very small part of the Craft and fail to educate themselves any further. Or else they take one thing that they like about it and neglect the rest. For example, sometimes a person will dabble in witchcraft because they want to “make things happen” (ie, casting spells) yet they disregard the fact that they shouldn’t cause ill will to others or else it will be repeated unto them.

While many witches blame the youthful generation for making these mistakes, I have also come across many adults that have done the same. Today, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that being “Goth” or “Wiccan” or even “Emo” to an extent is a popular choice for “alternative teens” but there are still a lot of adults that decide to become witches later on in life and are just as misinformed as those teens that read “Twilight” and are seduced by the romantic imagery of the “darkness” in its subject matter.

Ironically, a lot of witches that I know are some of the happiest, most well-adjusted people that I have encountered.

At any rate, back to Ms. O’Donnell. So what did she do in her past when she was experimenting in witchcraft?

Apparently, she simply went on a date with a witch. That’s right. That’s where the hoopla began. Of course, that should have put an end to the argument right away, but of course it didn’t. Throughout the interview that she had with Bill Mahr on this subject matter, she used “witchcraft” and “satanic” interchangeably. This is a common misconception amongst those not familiar with the Craft so I wasn’t terribly surprised. Still, it just reinforced my suspicion that she had limited interactions in the Wiccan, or even Pagan, communities.

Let’s face it-how often do we find ourselves explaining to people that we do not worship the devil? I don’t know about you, but I find myself doing it a lot.

She also talked about blood and a satanic altar which was a little confusing. While there is some speculation that she might be making the entire thing up, I choose not to go there. Instead, I rather suspect that if she did witness such a thing she was either a) confused by what she was seeing or b) with a person who was confused about what they were doing. Occasionally, a candle will fall over on my altar and melt. That usually leaves a big mess and while I try to clean it up right away, well, I am human. I could just imagine a red candle melting and looking like a pool of blood. I am merely speculating, of course.

I try not to let too many things that I read affect me, but there was one statement that I took some offense to. She stated that in high school she hung out with “questionable folks” like others did. She was alluding to this date that showed her the altar and blood. I don’t like being called “questionable”, even though I do question the fact that this guy was indeed a practicing witch.

Calling a person’s character “questionable” due to their religious preference is insulting, regardless of the religion that they practice. It’s also a generality and I try to stay away from those. While there might be some basic generalities in terms of beliefs, people are all individuals and each has their own morals and principles which can be very separate from the religious beliefs that they adhere to.

In witchcraft, we try to illuminate the human condition as well as to restore our connection with nature and the Divine. We believe that all life is sacred and that we should all work together to try to better ourselves and our fellow people.

The idea of Satan is a very Jeudo-Christian concept so for it to be involved in real witchcraft is rare. Is there evil in the world? In a sense. But I think that’s best left to an entirely separate blog entry!

I hope that you are safe and happy and content and that you surround yourselves with love and understanding.

Brightest Blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”