Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

While some ritual tools can last a lifetime, there are some that you may at some point find need to be retired. Perhaps your favorite goblet has developed a crack, or your crystal ball has a mar in it. Maybe you simply feel that your tool has lost some of it’s power, and is tired from a lifetime of magickal service. When it comes time to retire your ritual tools, there are certain steps that should be taken to ensure that your tools end their service in the proper and respectful way.

If you are extremely attached to your ritual tool, but feel it is simply not safe to use it anymore either because it is lacking in power or has become fragile, you can of course simply put the tool away in a safe place where it can live out the rest of it’s life in a peaceful place. You should of course cleanse the item before storage, but once the item is cleansed you can then store it in a cabinet, drawer or storage chest. If you desire you can absolutely put the tools on display for others to admire, but be careful allowing anyone to handle the tool if it is delicate and damaged.

Some people may consider the magick of sharing when retiring their ritual tools. Maybe the tools is simply something you were once fond of, but no longer enjoy. Perhaps you feel the tool still has a great deal of power to it, but it no longer speaks to you. In these cases, you may decide to share the tools and pass them onto others to use in their magick. Just because one tool may not work for you, does not mean it will not work for someone else. There are many ways that you can share your tools with others, and possibly even gain some new tools for yourself as well.

Tool swapping is very popular between witches. Maybe your friend has a robe that she no longer wants, but you absolutely adore it. At the same time, she is fond of the crystal wand you have but never use. Swapping these tools is a great way to enjoy the magick of sharing, retire your ritual tool, and gain a new tool all at the same time! You may also consider donating the tools to new witches that are just getting started and have yet to establish a good set of working tools, or to a teaching coven or group that teaches beginners how to properly use such tools.

In some cases, you may feel as though the tool just simply needs to be disposed of. This can often happen when a tool has somehow absorbed too many negative energies and cannot be thoroughly cleansed and restored with positive energy. There are different ways that you can respectfully and effectively dispose of the tools to let the energies be placed back into the universe and taken care of properly. In my personal opinion, the two best ways to do this are by burial or by fire. If you choose to bury the item, you must make sure that the tool you are burying will not harm the environment in any way. Next, you will need to make sure that the tool is buried in a location where it will not be disturbed or found.

If you choose to destroy by fire, make sure it is done in a safe manner and that the item will not release dangerous smoke toxins, explode, or anything else of that nature. All of these retirement methods should be performed with the proper ceremonies, with a circle of protection in place and your sincerest thanks for the service the tool has provided for you.

After a time, retiring your ritual tools is inevitable. Otherwise, you may end up with a house full of old ritual tools that are not used, and may be causing your home to harbor negative energy. By using these methods you can easily prevent this from occurring, and help to retire your tools in a manner that is worthy for them.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

Witches use ink for a wide variety of tasks. From writing in their Book of Shadows to inscribing papers for spells, ink is a common tool that many people rarely think about. For thousands of years, ink was viewed by the people as magickal and mysterious. The ability to permanently inscribe words and symbols in such an easy manner was viewed as wonderous, a task performed by those alchemists and magicians skilled in creating the ink.

As ink become more easily made, it naturally became more commonly used. Modern people rarely consider the manufacturing of ink though. We are too used to just simply picking up a pen and being able to write. But creating your own magickal ink for your personal use is not only very rewarding, it can add a great deal of power to your spells and rituals as well.

Ink can be made from a number of different ingredients. In ancient times, inks were made from strong plant pigments or even blood. Some of the following ink recipes I am going to share with you are similar to these ancient pigments, with use of more modern ingredients to help the ink function properly.

The important ingredients in any ink are carriers and colorants. Vinegars and alcohols make the best carriers, as they also work as a preservative that keeps the ink dark and rich even after a long period of time. Alcohol is also very fast drying, so you don’t have to worry about the ink smudging while you are writing.

Dragon’s Blood Ink

15 oz. Denatured alcohol
1 oz. Dragon’s blood resin powder
1 oz. Gum arabic

Dragon’s blood resin powder is a powder that is derived from the Dragon tree, which adds color to your ink. Gum arabic is also a resin which is a binding material to bind all of the ingredients together. Pour the alcohol into a large, dark colored bottle. Slowly pour in the dragon’s blood resin, slowly turning the bottle to give it time to dissolve. Next add the gum arabic, place a lid on the bottle and shake well to blend the ingredients together. Leave the mixture set for one week, then strain through muslin or cheesecloth. Place the strained liquid back into a dark bottle, and store in a cool, dark location.

Walnut Ink

12-15 black walnuts in hulls
Water
Denatured alcohol

It is important to gather the walnuts when the hulls are turning a dark shade of brown. Using a medium-size saucepan, put the walnuts in the pan and cover with water until the nuts are just covered. Simmer the walnuts over low/medium heat until the husks fall off on their own. Remove the nuts from the pot, leaving the husks behind. Raise the stove temperature and bring the liquid to a boil until it is very dark brown and beings to thicken. Strain the liquid through a very fine colander and allow to slightly cool. Slowly pour in your denatured alcohol until the mixture thins just a little, and reaches your desired darkness for your ink. Allow to finish cooling, and then store in a dark bottle that should be kept in a cool place.

Making your own ink is not only a fun project, but helps to add more power to your spells and rituals. This type of ink is intended to be used with a dip pen or a quill which can take some time getting used to using, but with practice you will get the hang of it eventually. There are many other ink recipes that you can make too, so if you find that you enjoy making your own ink you may want to consider trying other recipes. Some inks can add different levels of magick to your work, so you can experiment and mix and match to find those inks that are best for you.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

Throughout the years I have had the pleasure of meeting an enormous variety of people. In fact, I absolutely relish meeting new people as it gives me an opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn new things. But in my years of meeting new people, particularly those that claim to share in my faith, I have also learned that it is wise to practice a certain level of caution when trying to connect with some Wiccan or Pagan groups.

There is a reason for this post, and this is not something that is merely coming out of the blue. I also must state from the get-go that I hope my post does not sound extremely harsh or judgmental. But recent personal events in my life have led me to share a warning with you my friends, so that you do not fall victim to the same problems that someone very close to me has recently experienced.

In many instances, when a person first starts to explore Wicca or other forms of Paganism, they are often solitary practitioners. As Paganism is not as wide spread of a faith as other religions, it is really a rarity to find others of the same beliefs as you in your area. Believers are often widely spread, and if there is a group of those that are like-minded, they often congregate without a lot of fuss and flair and are quite private in their gatherings.

Generally however, one can find such groups either by word of mouth or by searching for other believers that are in their area on the Internet. I do not want to sound like I am discouraging such practices, because I do in fact believe these resources can be extremely valuable in helping you to connect with others that share some of the same beliefs as you. I do however feel as though it is a moral obligation for me to warn you to take care and practice safety if you chose to meet with some of these groups.

Unfortunately, there are many people out there that form these groups that have ulterior motives that can ultimately lead to a great deal of troubles for you. Some are nothing more than scams seeking to take money, while others with more devious motives may be trying to form their own small “cult.” Sadly, thanks to Hollywood, some people have the wrong idea about what being a witch or being Pagan really is, and they base their beliefs on what Hollywood has taught them rather than researching valid and factual information.

I urge to take caution when contacting and meeting with these groups, and use proper safety as you would with meeting anyone new from the Internet. If possible, try to research the group before meeting to determine if they have recently been in any type of legal trouble. Always tell a friend or family member when you are going to meet them and where the meeting is going to take place so that someone always knows where you are. Never, ever agree to sign any type of contract or document without having it fully read over by an attorney, so that you do not legally bind yourself to any type of action.

I realize that such statements may seem out of character for me, but I feel this is very important news to share. While I do firmly believe that we should always look for the good in a person and be accepting of others beliefs, that does not negate the fact that we should stay use good judgment and practice safety first. I am in no way trying to sound like a fear monger, but I do believe strongly in sharing my feelings with those that I care about and do not want to see harmed, including all of you who are my dear friends.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

In previous posts, I have made reference to inscribing or anointing candles. I wanted to take the opportunity to share with you all the benefits of this practice, and the proper way to perform these tasks. Inscribing and/or anointing candles for use in your spells and rituals can be a wonderful way to add power to your magick, and is a very simple thing to do.

Any candle that you plan on using in a ritual should of course be properly cleansed and charged before use. It is not a very wise idea to just remove the candle right from it’s package and immediately place it on your altar to use. Any negative energy from those that previously handled the candle during manufacture or packaging can be left behind, and it is best to get rid of those energies before you use them in a spell.

A simple and easy way to cleanse your newly bought candles that will not cause them any damage is to just immerse them for a few moments in a strong saltwater bath. Wipe the candles dry thoroughly before lighting them. This is usually the safest way to cleanse the candles without any worry of them melting or becoming damaged.

You will usually want to inscribe your candle before it is anointed, as anointing with oil will of course make the candle a little slippery and more difficult to inscribe. The symbols that you use for your inscription are completely up to you, but should be symbols that are representative of the type of spell that you are performing. You may chose to use your preferred type of ritual writing using a certain dialect or symbol. Or you can simply use regular English. For instance, if you are performing some type of love spell, you may prefer to use symbols that are representative of love, or you can use initials or names. (Of course, this is just an example as you should never really perform a love spell that is focused on one particular person.)

To inscribe your candle you will need something with a sharp point that will easily be able to scratch through the surface of the candle. I have a very small ritual knife that fits easily in my hand that I use, but you can use anything that will work. Even a pin or the tip of a paperclip will work well, just make sure it is an item that you can hold firmly and easily control.

Once you have inscribed your candles, you will be able to anoint them for use in your spell or ritual. As with the symbols that you use, you will want to use an anointing oil that represents the outcome you desire for the spell that you will be performing. Following the love example for the symbols, you would use an oil that is known for love and attraction such as rose essential oil for the anointing.

Place the oil into a small shallow dish. You will not need a lot, and there is no need to waste oil. Just a few drops will do. Holding the candle in one hand, dip one or two fingers into the oil. Starting at the base of the candle, run your finger up towards the wick in once swipe to coat that section of the candle with oil. Turn the candle a degree, and repeat. Continue doing this until the entire candle is coated with the anointing oil. While you are anointing the candle, focus on the outcome which you desire, which will help to make the candle more potent for your intentions and make the spell much more powerful.

And that’s all there is to it. Inscribing and anointing a candle is very easy to do and will add an enormous amount of potency to your ritual. You can perform this on any candles that you will be using, regardless of the spell you are performing.

Brightest Blessings,

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