Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

I’d like to share today’s post with a short personal story. Somewhat of a humorous prelude to the message I would like to share with you all today.

Earlier this week I was working in my yard, beginning to get my plants ready for the coming winter months. In one section of my yard, I have a beautiful, small shrub. This shrub has been there for years and being a hardy little plant, it has never required any real care from me. With the exception of raking some leaves from it’s base a few times a year, I’ve never really done much more to tend to the plant.

However, while raking in that general area the other day I noticed that a section of the shrub had died off and the branches needed to be pruned. So I went to grab my trusty pruning saw and shears, deciding that after I removed the dead branch I would shape the bush a little. Now let me tell you my friends. I have admired this little shrub many, many times over the years. I have touched it, examined it, etc. It is uniquely colored and beautiful…a true masterpiece of Gaia’s art.
But do you know what else this little shrub is my friends? It is painful! Yes, painful. Imagine my shock when I reached down to snip a branch away and had to quickly pull back a stinging, bleeding hand because that beautiful little plant had unleashed it’s prickly fury upon me. You see, unbeknownst to me (though as I said I have examined this plant on multiple occasions) beneath each little leaf on the plant there is a very sharp little thorn just waiting to attack those that attempt to violate it. The wonders of Gaia can not only be beautiful, but dangerous or even deadly as well.

After my little adventure with the shrub (I did manage to carefully get it pruned) I started thinking about the dark side of Mother Nature and how it can affect us in our lives and magick. Yes, it is true that our Mother Earth has provided so much for us that can benefit our lives, health and magick. But it is also true that there are plants, animals and other forces of nature that can be very dangerous and should be approached with caution.

Plants are a very important part of our magickal spells and are also used in traditional, holistic medicine for healing. I cannot stress to you enough how important it is when using plants for anything at all, that you know exactly what plant you are using and how to use it. Many plants can easily be mistaken for one another, and some may be safe when used in one manner but deadly when used in another. Even if you purchase specific plant species to grow yourself for use in magick or healing, it can be dangerous to consume or apply these herbs to your skin if they are not grown properly. Plants that have been contaminated by chemicals or even animal urine or feces can have extremely negative side effects on the body. If you are unsure of whether a plant is safe for use or not, do not take a chance. Do not use it. Instead, purchase the plant from a quality supplier that guarantees safe, organic products.

This level of safety should extend to all items you obtain from nature. Use care and safety when burning woods or plant materials, as some plants can create fumes that can make you very sick. Some plants or wood pieces can even create a topical allergic reaction in some individuals. If you know that you are going to prefer harvesting your own natural materials from nature, I urge you to take the time to properly study plant life so that you can properly identify a plant and understand it’s dangers as well as it’s benefits. Mother Nature is a loving, caring mother that has provided us with everything we need to survive. But you must also always remember, she has a dark side as well that can be dangerous or deadly to those that do not take heed.

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