Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

Everyone can use a little luck now and again, and witches are no exception. Fortunately, one of our greatest abilities is being able to create a little bit of luck for ourselves, by way of spells, rituals or even the favored lucky charm.

There are certain seemingly ordinary objects that throughout history have become known for being “lucky.” Some of these you may already be familiar with, such as the four-leaf clover or the rabbit’s foot. Others you may find as a real surprise. Today I’m going to share with you some of these common, and uncommon, lucky charms and discuss how you can use them to your advantage in spells and in creating amulets.

The Rabbit Foot

Long held in high regard as a lucky charm, the rabbit food works well for providing the owner with a quick escape from danger they face. In spell work, a rabbits foot can be used to aid in protection spells to help keep a person from danger. As an amulet, the foot can be carried on the person or included in an amulet bag.

I will be honest and state however, using a rabbit’s foot as a lucky charm means that harm must have come to the animal for the foot to have been taken. As such, I personally would recommend using a different object as your lucky charm that will provide you with the same protection.

The Four-Leaf Clover

Who among us hasn’t spent years as a child seeking out this sought after lucky charm? This rare, hard to find little leaf is known for attracting luck to the owner. For spell work, use it in attraction spells or basic luck spells. As an amulet, you can carry the leaf in a locket, or even have it made into jewelry to carry luck with you always.

The Horseshoe

Another popular lucky charm is the horseshoe. Nailing a horseshoe over your door is said to bring prosperity and good fortune to those that pass beneath and reside within the home. In spell work, place the horseshoe upon the alter when performing prosperity or money spells. As an amulet for protection, nail the horseshoe over your main doorway to your home, or one over each entryway if you prefer.

A Key

A simple key can be a powerful lucky charm. Wearing a key is known to help promote knowledge and understanding. The best way to use a key as a lucky charm is to perform a spell seeking knowledge, and anoint and the consecrate the key as a magickal tool. Wear the key on your body, such as a necklace, to experience the full benefits that it has to offer.

Heather

Heather is a plant that is known for being very lucky at making your money “grow.” It works very well in money spells to help attract money to you. As an amulet, place a piece of heather into your purse or wallet and leave it there to help make your money grow.

Snakes, Spiders and Ladybugs

It may not be hard for you to believe that a Ladybug is considered a lucky animal, but snakes and spiders! Believe it or not, snakes and spiders are very lucky creatures. As eight is signified as the number of abundance in magick, the eight-legged spider is known for being lucky in assisting with abundance of what you desire. The spider, due to it’s ability to shed and renew it’s skin is seen as a lucky charm that is beneficial for transformation and healing.

I would never recommend capturing one of these beautiful creatures to use in your spell work or charm, but you can still capture the essence of the creature by depiction. Drawing the symbol onto a stone that can be carried with you is an exceptional way to make an amulet or to use in a spell. However, in spells and rituals for healing or for transformation, you can find a piece of shed snake skin to use in your spells that will be very powerful, and cause no harm to the animal.

These are just a few of the objects that are considered to be lucky that work well when used in magick. As each charm works to provide the owner with different kinds of luck, using multiple charms in spell works or amulets can be quite beneficial. Most of these objects are very easy to find, so you should have no problem creating a lucky charm for yourself, or as a gift for a loved one. Just make sure that any item that you take and use, you provide adequate thanks for and cherish as you should.

And…good luck!

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

Recently I had a discussion with a fellow follower of the craft that was expressing concern at the fact that she was not having any success with any type of magick she was trying. Even simple meditation seemed to be out of her reach, and she could not determine what the cause was. She had tried basic grounding rituals, various forms of meditation and spells to help with her concentration, but nothing was working for her.

I recalled her mentioning a few months prior that she had not been feeling well and needed to schedule an appointment with her healer. I asked what had come of that appointment, and what the healer had said. Imagine my shock when my friend informed me that she had never “found the time” to visit with her physician, even though months had gone by. She was still feeling ill, and had days of lethargy that were so severe she could barely get out of bed. What’s even more amazing, is that of all the spells and rituals she had tried, not a single one was for a healing or a cleansing!

People seem to take their health for granted. If they are rarely ill, when they do start to feel poorly they may often ignore the signs their body is giving them assuming that it will just “work itself out.” While this certainly can happen, signs of illness are a signal from our body that something is not right. These signs may very well go away, but the problem that caused the sign in the first place may still be lying in wait. Sadly, some people do not recognize the importance of being healthy.

Being in good health provides more than just longevity. In the case of my friend, it has seriously caused damage to her ability to perform simple spells and rituals. When you are ill, even the basic tasks of divining, such as reading Tarot, can become difficult and prove to be unsuccessful and inaccurate.

When you are not in good health, all of your bodies functions slow in their performance. Energies become dulled, which can affect your daily tasks including any magick you attempt. If left unchecked, it can even become very difficult to perform the cleansing and healing spells that your body and mind needs, which make the situation even worse.

Having said that, I feel it is very important for me to stress that when you begin to feel poorly, a cleansing or healing spell does not, and should not take the place of seeking medical attention from your physician or certified healer. The Gods have gifted these people with the talent of healing, and that is what they are they for. Your health is also a gift, and should be treated as such. Dying yourself medical treatment or making excuses for not seeking such treatment is a huge injustice to your body, and a dishonor to the Gods that have granted you the gift of life and health.

I wanted to take this opportunity and share this experience with my friend with all of you, to stress the importance of good health. While we witches can perform many amazing tasks, we should not be so egotistical that we believe we do not need to seek treatment from others. Remember, pride comes before the fall. Do not be so proud that you believe you can heal yourself, or that you are too powerful to require healing, or you could be setting yourself for a large and nasty fall.

Honor your body and your health as you honor the Earth and the Creators that have granted us with all that we have. If you are ill or have been feeling poorly, I urge you to find the time and make an appointment with your healer and physician. There are few things more important than your health, so doesn’t it deserve your complete attention and dedication?

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

I recently had the honor of attending a dear friend’s baby’s naming ceremony. It had been awhile since I had been to one of these beautiful celebrations, and I thought I’d take a moment to address this time-honored tradition that is held so near and dear by many of us.

Baby naming ceremonies—also commonly referred to as sainings or Wiccanings—are generally not held until after the last remnants of the umbilical cord have dropped off of the child. This symbolizes the moment that the baby becomes an independent individual, no longer symbolically tied to the mother. Though most states require parents to name their child before leaving the hospital, the naming ceremony is seen as the moment that the baby “officially” takes a name and is presented to friends, family and the community. The child is placed under the protection of those in attendance, and many Wiccans choose a guardian or guardians for their child during the ceremony. It is important to note, however, that these are only guardians in a spiritual sense, not legal ones.

Holding the naming ceremony outside in the presence of nature is generally preferred, though if the climate or weather will not permit this it is perfectly acceptable to hold the ceremony indoors. Generally, you would want to perform a smudging if the area is a rented or unfamiliar space. A temporary altar containing representations of the God and Goddess, as well as magickal tools, blessing oil, a cup of wine and a cup of milk should be set up in the area designated for the ceremony. The roles of High Priestess and High Priest are assumed by the parents in most naming ceremonies. They will typically take the time to bind themselves to the new baby through an oath, signifying the beginning of the ceremony.

After the ceremony has begun, a circle will be opened and the corners will be called in whatever manner you are most comfortable with and used to. The God and Goddess are called upon to join in the naming ceremony, and this is typically done by the parent of the opposite sex of the child. The parents will turn to the guests at this point and swear an oath of what it means to be a parent and will then turn to the chosen guardian or guardians (if there are any) to have them announce themselves to the God and Goddess as the child’s protectors.

Once the deities have been called in to the ceremony, the baby is generally placed on the altar and a pentagram or other spiritual symbol is traced on the child’s forehead with the blessing oil while calling upon the God and Goddess to watch over the child and offer their blessing. A drop of milk will be placed upon the baby’s lips while wishing the child good health, good fortune and love. A pentagram or other chosen spiritual symbol will then be traced on the baby’s chest with the blessing oil. This is the point where the child’s name is announced to the God and Goddess, and their blessing is invoked once more. A cup of wine is then passed among the guests in the circle, each one taking a sip and offering their well wishes and blessings. The parents will generally walk the child around the circle to stop with each guest with the wine. The ceremony is typically drawn to a close with the parents holding the baby up to the sky to present the new child to the deities. The circle is then closed when everyone is ready.

As with most things in our craft, there is no right or wrong way to hold a baby naming ceremony if you choose to have one for your child. I have been to rather formal and traditional ceremonies, as well as those that are very loose and casual and may appear to be just a simple party or celebration to an onlooker. Bringing a child into the world is the single greatest gift of life most of us will ever have the privilege of experiencing. The creation of life from two loving souls is a beautiful and precious thing and should always be honored—in whatever fashion feels most comfortable and right to the parents.

To any of you out there who are expecting or have recently experienced the wonder and joy of a new baby, may your child always be richly blessed and deeply loved.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

It seems we often forget the power that music can hold over us. I am sure all of you can easily think of one particular song or musical piece that draws out deep emotion or takes you back to an especially powerful moment in your memory. The use of music in our rituals, spellwork and Sabbat celebrations can bring us an amazing amount of power and peace. And besides that, it’s fun! Music works to draw our conscious selves into harmony with our unconscious, helping us to concentrate, focus and open our minds to the enormous possibilities that constantly surround us.

I know many of us are embarrassed or self-conscious about our voices, bodies and dancing ability—or lack thereof. Just having music playing in the background, or even in our ears with the aid of an MP3 player or CD player, can do wonders for enhancing our rites and rituals. Part of the alluring power of music comes through letting go of our inhibitions and singing and dancing our hearts out. I wouldn’t suggest bringing anything into your rituals or spellwork that is going to make you drastically uncomfortable. The most beautiful thing about our craft is the ability to personalize it and do what feels right to us as individuals without worrying that how we choose to practice is wrong or bad in some fashion.

Your voice and your body are your gifts and using them to give thanks to the earth, the God and the Goddess can be a very beautiful and empowering thing. When dancing, singing or making music you are presenting yourself only to the deities you are paying tribute to, and they certainly aren’t going to be judgmental. I personally love using music in my own rituals, and I am sure that if you cast your worries, inhibitions about what others may think and your own self-conscious thoughts aside you’ll be very glad you did.

It’s not much of a surprise that music should have such influence and power over our rites. Since the beginning of time humans have created music from any available element in nature, and, at it’s core, music is often simply a representation or symbolism of the sounds occurring naturally in the world around us. The sounds of the swirling breeze, crashing waves, singing birds, roaring thunder, crackling fire and even the thunks of our own footsteps upon the earth can be heard in all different types of music. Shamans have long used steady, powerful drum beats to induce spiritual trance, and music has been used throughout history to calm and soothe man and beast alike.

Certain instruments have a tendency to invoke specific types of power. Drums, xylophones, and shakers are all percussion instruments that are dominated by the earth. Even banging rocks together, drumming your fingers into the earth or clapping your hands can be used as a form of musical instrument. Percussion instruments are often used in rituals and spellwork pertaining to fertility, money and prosperity. The earth’s energy itself can be drawn up through a powerful drum beat as well.

Bells are often used to break up negative energy or signal the beginning or end of a ritual. A small bell worn about your neck can help lighten your mood and lift your spirits as the vibrations of sound work their energy through you. Stringed instruments are often seen as symbols of the God and are often played to eliminate the presence of fear. The strong strumming of a guitar may aid you in visualizing yourself as courageous and self-assured, helping you to draw in the God’s fearlessness and protection.

Many witches choose to use prerecorded classical or modern music in their workings. I know of several groups and covens that have traditional songs which are used for different rites and rituals as well. If you are a solitary practitioner all that matters is that you choose a song or songs that speak to you on a personal level. So go dance, sing and give thanks for the gifts you have within you!

Brightest Blessings,

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