Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear friends,

I often get asked whether or not witches believe in reincarnation. This is a touchy subject because depending on who you ask, the answer can vary. I’m afraid that I don’t have a clear answer, or a clear opinion, but I do have some thoughts on the matter.

Some wiccans believe that reincarnation is integral to their beliefs and in fact is part of the wheel of life-that you are born, you live, you die, you’re reborn. Of course, it might not always be as simple as that.

There are logical problems to reincarnation that I have considered, the largest one being the population. In the beginning, there weren’t many people on this planet at all. Now, there are billions. So where did all of the extra people come from? I’ve heard it said that they might have come from other planets, trees, animals, and other living organisms that are not human. While I suppose that’s plausible, since we’re all made out of energy, I don’t always feel like that’s a complete answer.

I’ve also heard that we don’t always come back as one person, but that sometimes our spirits are divided into 2 or 3 entities and come back in several different bodies. I really struggle with this one because the thought of that makes me feel as though I am incomplete and I really don’t like the idea of splitting myself up.

Of course, there is always the Summerland. Summerland is a world that resembles the Christian idea of Heaven in that it’s paradise that can’t be found on Earth. Everyone gets to go to Summerland unless they have to stay behind because they are wandering or lost.

The interesting thing about Summerland is that it might be different for everyone who goes. (This always reminds me of the film and book “What Dreams May Come” in that the afterlife is a conglomerate f books you’ve read, movies you’ve seen, fantasies you’ve had, and memories that you cling to.)

Once in Summerland, it’s possible to be reunited with people that have gone before you. It’s also a time of rest and a time for you to look over the people that you left behind to ensure that they are watched and taken care of.

As far as where we go from Summerland, that’s difficult to say. I rather like the idea of all of us starting out there and then gradually being reborn and making our way down to Earth. This would help explain the numbers problem.

So how long would we stay there? I think it would depend on the life we had before we went. If it was a considerably tough one, filled with hardships, then we might need time to rest and rejuvenate ourselves. Or perhaps we wish to spend more time with our loved ones there. On the other hand, if we feel as though we have a path that needs to be followed immediately then perhaps we don’t spend much time at all.

It’s difficult for me to deny the fact that there are people that I have met with whom I have an instant connection to. Could they be a kindred spirit, or someone that I knew and loved in a past life? These are things that I enjoy thinking about, although actually dissecting the thoughts and analyzing them almost takes the magic out of them.

So do we keep reincarnating forever? I don’t think so. I believe that there does come a point when one has reached a certain stage of “enlightenment” (for lack of a better word) and has learned everything that they can from living in the physical world.

There is a woman that I know and care about very deeply and she has been told many times that she is on her last go-round. She’s not an old woman by any means, nor is she on death’s door. I do have a sense of sadness when I am around her, however, and I constantly find myself mourning her even though she is still here. So I definitely feel as though when she does depart, it will be a long, long time before I see her again.

On the other hand, there are adults I know who have such a child-like innocence about them that I often wonder if they’re not in their first, or at least one of their first, incarnations.

Sometimes, I wonder what my Summerland will look like. I picture a place full of flowers, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, valleys, and sparkling lakes. I see castles off in the distance, wild horses galloping through the grass, and puppies frolicking at my feet. Of course, the temperature will always be a balmy 75 degrees.

Oh, and if there’s a picturesque Main Street with nice little shops, a good bookstore, and at least one bakery I wouldn’t mind, either.

I would want to see my children and my loved ones whenever I wanted to, but would also understand if their Summerland didn’t always overlap with mine.

So I ask you, dear friends, what type of Summerland do you imagine yourself in?

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear friends,

One of the most sought after spells and rituals has to do with love: finding love, keeping love, and having a person return your love. Do these really work and are there any drawbacks to them?

Whether or not love spells actually work is debatable. I tend to lean on the “no” side as far as feelings go. I really don’t think you can make someone feel something that they do not. On the other hand, I do think that you can help a person out if they are on the fence, or create opportunities for the person to get to know you better and to see you when they previously couldn’t.

One of the biggest drawbacks in making a person try to love you is that eventually, they’re going to figure out what happened. Now, I don’t mean that they’re going to one day wake up and realize that you put a spell on them, but other things can happen.

For one thing, if you try to make someone love you by using spellwork, then they’re never really going to love you for you. They’re simply going to be infatuated with you due to reasons that they don’t understand. And that’s not really love.

So maybe you’re okay with that. Perhaps you imagine that as long as you have them in your life it doesn’t matter to you why they’re there. Well, that might be okay for awhile, but is that always going to be enough? And exactly how long can that spell last?

Eventually, the person that you put the spell on is going to get disillusioned and upset and might even come to resent you because they don’t understand why they’re with you. This can only lead to heartache and disaster.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t help things along from time to time.

If there is someone that you have your eye on but they don’t even seem to notice that you exist then you might want to try a simple spell that doesn’t necessarily make them love you, but does open up the lines of communication in order for them to get to know you better. That, in turn, might lead to love if the situation is right.

You might also do a ritual that creates the right atmosphere for love to find you. I remember when I was younger I really wanted someone to spend time with that I could love. I meditated on it and thought about it and really tried to put myself out there. It just wasn’t happening, however. Finally, I did a ritual that opened my heart up to love and friendship. Within a couple of weeks I had met someone.

Sometimes, the spells that you do on yourself are far more powerful than the ones that you can do on other people.

Keep in mind, too, that sometimes love spells can backfire. You might try to make someone love you who turns out to be a real frog. And then where will you be? You’ll be stuck with a lovelorn fool who doesn’t even understand why they are in love with you in the first place.

I think about times when I was very young and how I would be so in love with one person and think that if I could just have them my life would be perfect. Had there been a magic potion to buy, I would have bought a caseload. Now, I look back on those people and I thank the stars that I chose a different path. (Or that they chose one.) Sometimes, what we want isn’t necessarily what we need and it’s really difficult to tell that when we’re actually in the situation.

Binding spells, which are really a kind of love spell, can be very, very tricky. Binding someone to you for any reason almost never has the effects that we think they’re going to have. As a matter of fact, they are often disastrous.

Some people try love spells on partners who are going astray or at least thinking about it. Again, trying to control someone is almost useless. Helping them see the situation that they are considering for what it is, however, might be more helpful. People really have to choose their own paths, although sometimes a little clarity can help them choose the right one.

We spend a lot of time trying to “fix” other people when we should really start inwards. I know that’s hard to do, but it’s the only real way that we can hope to be happy. It’s difficult to count on other people changing, but we can always have control over who we are and what we do. People are very fickle with fickle emotions and fickle ideas. The only person that we really have a handful of control over is ourselves.

I do hope that your life is filled with love and magick.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear friends,

We love to celebrate in our house and there’s nothing quite like getting everyone together for food, drink, camaraderie, and merriment. Sometimes, we are merely celebrating birthdays while other times we are celebrating the changing of the seasons. There is always a reason to celebrate.

So what are some of the festivals of the year that fall in the Wiccan calendar?

Samhain – October 31st

The rest of the world might know it as “Halloween”, but to use, Samhain is a time to bring in the New Year, according to the Celtic calendar. This is a great time to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. It’s also a good time to do any remembrance rituals, pay respects to those who have gone on, and even try to receive or send messages to those who are residing in the other realm.

Traditionally, fires were lit during this time in order to help souls reach the Otherworld. Some people still make bonfires today for this festival. In addition, masks were worn to scare off evil spirits and cakes and other treats were left at crossroads for the good spirits.

Samhain could also be thought of as the end of harvest so a lot of emphasis is placed on food. Depending on where you live, you might go ahead and pick the rest of your vegetables in your garden at this time. If you live in a colder climate, of course, you may have already done this.

Yule-December 21st

This is the shortest day of the year and is typically when the holiday season starts for us. (Although with little ones in the house, let’s be honest, by this point we’ve probably been decorating for weeks.) Many traditions that are used today for Christmas were started by the Druids and other groups found throughout Europe. Mistletoe, Yule logs, Christmas trees, holly and ivy, and even caroling all got their start here.

There isn’t one particular way to celebrate Yule, although there are some common denominators, such as the Yule log, that many people share. This is a good time to get together with your loved ones and spend time together. While there are many solitary rituals to choose from, this is also a fantastic time to do some group rituals that even involve children. Decorating a wreath, burning the log, and hanging up evergreen boughs are all nice ways to do things together.

Imbolc/Candlemas- February 1st

The good news is that for us, we don’t have to wait too long after the winter holidays to start celebrating again! Candlemas is a very fun festival that centers around light. Symbolically, it is known for new sprouts trying to break through the winter snow and ice. It also means “purity”, which is another way to look at light.

Some very famous items are associated with Imbolc, including Brigit and the Rowan tree- a very powerful source of energy.

Eaostre/Spring Equinox- March 21st

Eaostre was the Goddess of the dawn and of the spring. Christianity’s “Easter” is also celebrated around this time, another clue that many Christian holidays are offshoot of traditional Pagan celebrations. Easter eggs, coloring eggs, and even the Easter Bunny can all be traced back to Pagan rituals so you don’t have to give these up if you still want to use them in your celebrations.

During this festival, we celebrate new beginnings. New plants are growing, new animals are being born, and new fires are being lit. It’s a fresh and pure time of the year and hopefully the weather will start turning a little warmer.

On your altar, you might want to consider using pastel colors, lots of flowers, and other signs of spring time.

Beltane/May Eve-April 30th
This is by far one of my favorite festivals. Beltane has always been a magickal time for me and I feel a lot of power during these celebrations. And why not? It’s very nearly a celebration of sexuality and womanhood.

Beltane was traditionally known as a fertility festival. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is going to conceive on this particular holiday, but you can still celebrate without the rituals actually leading to conception.

In the old days, crosses were tied to cows’ tails so that they wouldn’t become bewitched, greenery and fruit were left at houses as decorations, and fairs were even held.

Midsummer-June 21st

Another extremely magickal time of the year, Midsummer is always a fun festival because the weather is usually pretty good so doing rituals outside is possible. This is the longest day of the year and also the midpoint of the year.

Lammas- August 1st

Although Lammas might not be as celebrated as some of the other festivals, some people use it to celebrate the first harvest. It’s possible, however, that you’ve already had a harvest depending on where you live and when your crops come in.

Autumn Equinox- September 21st

This is the end of the witch’s year and a perfect time to celebrate your harvest. Although summer is now over, there are still things to look forward to. The leaves are changing, the weather is changing, and even attitudes change as the year draws to a close. Hopefully, there will only be good things ahead.

I hope you have an enjoyable year of festivals, however you may choose to celebrate.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”