Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,
Many practicing Wiccans were not born into Wicca, but are converts. Some came to it early and life and some much later. Some found out about Wicca on their own and others were drawn to it through friends or family members who were practicing.

So is it possible for newbies to make mistakes? Well, it is my belief that practicing is a personal thing and what’s right for you might not be right for someone else and vice versa. Still, there are some common things that you should keep in mind that might make rituals, spells, and other things easier, more productive, and even more pleasant in some instances. Plus, there are terms and names that everyone should be familiar with-if for no other reason than it’s nice to be informed. An informed witch is a happy witch.

Some newbies, and even those who have been practicing for some time, have difficulty finding out information about Wiccan and even claim that there isn’t “much” out there. The fact is, information does exist, but you have to be active in your pursuit of it. Fifteen years ago it might have been difficult to find relevant information that was unbiased and useful, but now it’s even easier-thanks to the Internet. (After all, you found me!)

Of course, it can sometimes be frustrating to separate the useful information from the unhelpful information, but there is some good stuff out there. If you have difficulty finding websites then don’t limit yourself. Also check out blogs, webrings, groups, and other informational writings on the ‘Net.

In your local bookstore and library you might not always find books on the Occult under “Religion” but with some careful searching you might stumble across them in other random places, such as “Philosophy,” “Paranormal”, “New Age,” “Self-Help,” “History,” and even “Culture.” It’s going to take some sleuthing on your part in some places, but they are out there…

Some people also believe that they must have all of the right equipment in order to perform rituals or spells. Although the right herbs, stones, candles, and scents can be very helpful in your rituals, and in a perfect world you would be able to have everything you need at all times, it doesn’t always work this way. In fact, you’re not always going to be able to find the right candle color, the right herbs, or the right stones when you need them.

I look at it this way: certain things have a certain amount of power. However, to a certain extent we also give those things power as well. A good majority of the power rests inside of us. Use that wisely. Channeling your own power and energy and using that in your spell or ritual can be just as useful as using the right stone or incense.

Of course, if you want to be prepared then I suggest that you stock up on things when you can. There is a candle outlet store close to me and whenever I visit it, I buy as many candles as I can in a variety of colors. I am constantly buying candles because I never know what I might need. I grow my own herb garden because I was having difficulty finding some of the less popular herbs, and I tend to hoard incense as well because I go through it quickly.

Another tip that I have learned has to do with stones. You might not have this trouble, but sometimes I do. Have you ever purchased several stones and then, once you got home, promptly forgotten which one is which? This happens to me frequently.

I have discovered that using small paper sandwich bags , placing the stones in them, and then marking the names of the stones on the bag is a great way of remembering which stone is which. Yet again, in a perfect world I would remember, but in an imperfect world I have responsibilities and grocery lists and other things that cloud up my mind and sometimes those things are just plain hard to tell apart!

Many beginners have a little skewed expectations when it comes to spells, too. A glamour spell is not going to give you a smaller rear end, unfortunately. While you might eventually learn to astral project if you so desire, I’m afraid that the broom standing in the corner of your kitchen will have to used for its intended purpose-to sweep up dirt. Be a little bit realistic about these things.

Lastly, you don’t want to jump into Wicca thinking that you are automatically going to become a High Priestess or High Priest. Much as in the same way that preachers and ministers and rabbis have to have a lot of schooling, go through a lot of soul searching, and make personal sacrifices, the same can be said about the High Priest/ess. It is not a decision to take lightly and it comes with a lot of responsibilities.

Everyone makes mistakes! However, everyone must choose their own path as well. I hope that your path is filled with love and light and that you continue to find the answers that you seek.

Brightest Blessings,

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