Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

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”