Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

The Tarot is an ancient tool for divination and personal discovery. A lot of Wiccans use it as part of their journey on this path. I’ve found Tarot to be an interesting side study to my study of witchcraft. In my experience, it has been the most profound form of divination that I’ve used.

The origin of Tarot cards is a bit of a mystery. A lot of authors have theorized the history throughout the years. Aleister Crowley, the famous occult author, believed that the Tarot could be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians. However, the first concrete appearance of the Tarot was in 1392. The cards first appeared as instructional tools for young people, and used for gambling. It is not known how or why they started to be used for divination purposes.

If you want to start studying the Tarot, the first decision you have to make is to choose a Tarot deck to work with. There are literally hundreds of Tarot card choices. One of the most popular decks is the Rider-Waite deck. It makes a good beginner deck, and I’ve used a variation on the Rider-Waite deck for years. Golden Dawn mystic Arthur Edward Waite conceived this deck and instructed artist Pamela Coleman Smith in their creation. The artwork and symbology are clear and easy to understand, yet still beautiful to look at.

Some other good choices for beginner decks are the Hanson-Roberts deck, the Robin Wood deck and the Aquarian deck. All three are very nicely illustrated and have easy symbology to read.

After working with a basic deck for a while, you can look into a ‘specialty’ deck that is centered on a particular theme. I’ve experimented with a few of these.

The Herbal Tarot uses illustrations of herbs on each card, and has similar graphical elements to the Rider Waite deck. Each card has a specific herb. This deck helped improve my knowledge of herbal correspondences. The deck works well for readings that deal with health and healings.

The Thoth Tarot Deck was invented by Aleister Crowley and illustrated by Frieda Harris. The cards are very rich symbolically and include references to the Qabballah, Egyptian mythology and numerology. There are a few substitutions to the normal tarot pattern. There are Disks instead of Pentacles, and he uses Princesses instead of Pages. This is a difficult deck to read as it has many layers in symbology.

The Voyager Tarot is absolutely beautiful. It is made up of collages, and contains both ancient and modern images and symbols. The numbered cards include keywords printed on them. This deck is much attuned to the subconscious and the suits are changed. The Swords are Crystals and the Pentacles are Worlds. The standard court cards are replaced with Man, Woman, Child and Sage. The Voyager Tarot is a very modern tarot deck, which some may not be comfortable with. If you appreciate modern art though, you’ll like this deck. This should definitely be a second or third tarot deck purchase since the symbology is very rich and somewhat hard to interpret for beginners.

Currently, my favorite deck is a little gem called the Tarot of the Cat People. The deck is perfect for anyone with an interest in cats and/or sci-fi worlds. The deck is set in a world inhabited by Cat People, and representations of these people appear on every card in the deck. They are beautifully drawn and I’ve found that readings with this deck are profound and insightful.

Of course, your experience with these decks may be different than mine. Most people who begin studying the tarot collect several decks to try them out. You can find Tarot reviews online, and pictures of decks. Go with a deck that speaks to you and seems to call your name. There is a whole world of Tarot to explore, and I encourage you to make it part of your walk on this path.

Love And Light,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

I still play with dolls, but it’s not what you think! The use of poppets has long been part of my magickal practice. If you’re not using these powerful tools, this article may have you wanting to get sewing immediately!

Poppets have been used for centuries as a form of sympathetic magick, and are similar to voodoo dolls. Even though they are now associated with voodoo, poppets come out of Western European traditions. These small figures can be used in many ways and are powerful allies in healing, energizing and attracting spells.

Usually a poppet is made out of cloth, but I’ve experimented through the years and made some out of clay, wood and wax. It is filled with herbs that match the purpose of the spell along with a few personal items that create a personal bond between oneself and the item.

How does a poppet work? For example, Let’s say you have a person that you need to banish from your life. You make a poppet from black cloth (a color of banishment), and fill it with rue, birch and garlic (or one of those three). After charging the doll with the person’s name, you could bind the doll’s hands to stop the person from meddling in the affairs of others. For a finishing touch, you can toss the doll in the river to take it far away from you. This symbolizes the person being taken out of your life.

Of course, not all poppets are for banishment. You can also make poppets to heal yourself and others. In this case, you’ll use green fabric, and fill the poppet with rosemary, juniper and saffron. If you or someone you know is experiencing pain, you can place pins in the area that is causing pain. Slowly remove the pins to relieve the pain and heal the person represented by the poppet.

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like it to be. You can make your poppet as part of your ritual, or construct it prior to casting your circle. You can even make it days in advance and use it when the time is right. The more work you put into your poppet, the more you will be connected to it.

Before you begin constructing your poppet, decide what its purpose will be. Remember that poppets are constructed to represent people. Who is this poppet for? Do you have someone that you need to keep out of your life? Is there someone who spreads gossip? Does a friend need help securing a new job? Do you want to make a poppet to protect your home or your car?

After that, you’ll want to select your fabric. While the type of fabric doesn’t matter, the color does. Refer to your color correspondence chart for an appropriate color for your work. You can also choose patterns that fit your purpose, like a heart print for a love poppet. You can find inexpensive fabric from Wal-mart or a craft store.

Your poppet should be shaped in a person, with two arms, two legs and a head. It doesn’t have to be a perfect shape, just representative of a person. You can use a gingerbread man cookie cutter as a template for your work. A poppet doesn’t have to be huge’the cookie cutter shape is perfect. It’s just the right size to add herbs and other elements inside.

Cut out your fabric and then sew around the edge. You’ll need some straight pins to hold the two sides of the poppet together. With a little practice, this simple sewing isn’t too hard.

After the poppet is almost complete, turn it right side out, so most of the seam is on the inside. Stuff the poppet with the right herbs for your purpose. Also, add a picture or something else representing the person that the poppet will stand for. This will link your poppet to that individual. If you are making a poppet of yourself, you can use your skin, hair or nails. Sew the final inch or two on your poppet.

You can draw a face on your poppet if you like to make it more personal. Tell the poppet who it is, and bestow it with a name.

Now your poppet is ready for your purposes. Bind it, pin it, bury it, bless it, and let the magick begin.

Brightest Blessing,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

Candles are powerful magickal tools, but to use them effectively, you don’t always have to do a full-blown ritual. Candle exercises can strengthen your concentration in meditation and also open up a doorway into astral projection and other experiences. The following exercises need nothing more than a small candle and a dark room. You can use different colored candles depending on the purpose of the exercise. For clarity and vision, which these exercises increase, I normally use a purple candle dressed with special psychic blend oil.

Just as with all meditations and exercises I explain, make sure to pick a time and place where you will not be disturbed. I’ve found that a good time of the day is right before sunrise. The house is normally quiet and very dark. It’s also a harkening to Druid teachings that say that dawn and dusk are the two times of the day when the other-worlds are easily reached from our world. However, don’t let this suggestion stop you from doing the exercises when you can.

To begin, make sure the room you are in is free of drafts from windows, air conditioners or doors. You need to sit comfortably with the candle placed 12 to 18 inches in front of you.

This first exercise will help with concentration, focus and breathing. It will connect you to the element of Fire. In your quiet place, light your candle. There should be very little movement to the flame. Begin by breathing slowly through your nose, and as far out as you can. Use a circular breath, which means that you don’t pause between the in breath and the out breath. After several of these deep breaths, focus your eyes on the flame. Continue to breathe while concentrating on the flame. As you breathe in, visualize the flame growing larger, and then shrinking as you breathe out. It may take a while for your breath to connect with the flame, but soon the candle should be growing and shrinking as you visualize.

The next exercise is to bend the flame. This increases your energy flow and teaches you how to control that flow. This is a good exercise to learn if you are interested in Energy Work or any type of Healing. Meditate on the flame for a few minutes and establish a connection with it. Slowly, place your left hand four inches from the side of the flame. Will the flame to bend in that direction and draw the flame’s energy to your palm. I’ve found that cupping your hand sometimes helps with this step. This may take up to a minute, and once you’ve achieved this, remove your left hand and cup your right hand on the other side of the flame. Repeat as many times as you like.

The next exercise further gets you in touch with the power of the other elements. First, use Wind. While looking at the strong and steady flame, visualize a breeze flowing in from your left side. Feel the breeze on your skin and pay attention to how the flame reacts. Calm the breeze from your left, and imagine a breeze coming in from the right. Then rotate the breeze to come in from the back, and then the front. Will the candle flame to respond accordingly. The influence of water can be visualized by conjuring up the image of a rainy cloud dowsing the flame down to nothing. Try this same exercise with the element of Earth by visualizing damp dirt falling over the flame and making it smaller.

Remember, these exercises may take some time to master. The importance is on focusing your visualization. Eventually, your will and the strength of your power will adjust the candle flame for your physical eyes. Have fun with these and practice as often as you like.

Love And Light,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

Being a witch is so much more than the cauldrons, broomstick and potions that popular culture has made it out to be. As the oldest religion, it represents freedom of spiritual growth and personal enlightenment. A witch is on a continual path of spiritual growth, self-journey and improvement. That is why I frequently refer to my faith as a path, because it is just that. There is no one set destination. The events, circumstances and choices you make influence this path.

One of the choices is the energy that you send out into the world. It truly is the only thing that you have control over. It is important to monitor how you approach others and how you approach the universe, both in attitude and in action. You truly reap what you sow and your opportunities and experiences are a result of what you put out into the world. I often say that our destiny is directly determined by our choice; the choices we make each day when we wake up.

Of course, this is easier said than done. There are times in everyone’s life where they don’t feel like being positive. It is difficult to be positive 100% of the time because we all experience strain, stress and negative situations. You can’t control how other people are going to interact with you, and not all of those interactions will be positive.

Since you can’t change other people, you can only change how energy flows from you in the form of words and thoughts. If you send out positive energy and show love and compassion to those around you, they will see you as a loving and compassionate person. Your positive actions and energy will influence them and guide them to treating others with the same kindness. The same goes for the opposite: negative energies sent out will result in a negative response from the world.

Witchcraft helps us better direct these energies toward our desires. When we desire to have beauty, love and kindness around us, our actions and magick can create that for us. That is why the emphasis on magick should be giving, loving and gentle. The kind of magick that manipulates, deceives and cheats people is possible, but you have to remember that you will reap what you sow. The threefold rule will return the negative energy back to you in greater quantities.

Always maintain a positive outlook, and understand that your life is a result of the energy you put forth. If you find yourself having trouble being happy, try the following spell to lighten your mood.

Gather three orange candles and dress them with vanilla oil (or another love oil). You will also need marjoram and lavender to place on your altar. Begin your ritual as you normally would. Place the herbs and candles at the center of your altar. Light the candles and then visualize all of the things in your life that cause you stress and anxiety. Identify what is keeping you from being happy. Visualize it all melting away under the flame of the candles, and leaving only peace and happiness in your life. Take deep breaths, holding the herbs in front of your nose, and feeling yourself fill with peace and love.

Start to sprinkle the herbs around your altar, and chant: Happiness and joy come into my life, away with the stress, anger, and strife. I am happy; I am free, no more negativity. After you’ve distributed the herbs, speak out loud all of the things, people and places that make you happy. Then repeat the chant at least three times. Let the candles burn away and leave the herbs on your altar for at least a week.

Remember, your destiny is determined from within. When you take steps to make yourself happy and treat the universe with love, kindness and respect, you will receive it back to you. Your choices shape your circumstances. Act accordingly.

Brightest Blessing,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”