Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear friends,

I thought I would talk a little bit about history today. Most major religions have historical texts that give followers an idea of their background and history but because Wicca is so new in terms of using a specific term and because even if we do practice in groups we’re still a fairly unorganized religion, we don’t really have one major text to read about our past in. Instead, we have to more or less gather bits and pieces here and there. So this is my “Cliff Notes” version of witchcraft…

Witchcraft is older than Christianity and every other patriarchal religion. It is also separate and independent of them. As you are probably already aware, most of the Christian festivals and holidays that are celebrated stem from Pagan and Wiccan traditions in an attempt to replace the Goddess with the Christian God. So why did this happen in the first place?

I’m not here to get on a soapbox about anything, but a lot of was done in order to take power, both political and spiritual, away from women. It’s interesting to note that in horticultural societies, women often enjoyed just as much power as men. It wasn’t until we went agricultural that men really started to gain the upper hand and a lot of that had to do with the fact that because women breastfed their children, they were tied to the home more.

In the beginning, it made sense to worship a higher being and to perform rituals and spells in order to encourage the environment to adapt to your needs. Think of it this way…if you lived a thousand years ago (or even 200 years ago) and had to depend on the climate, weather, and natural world for your well being, wouldn’t YOU try to appease it? Because women gave birth and are the creators of human life, worshipping a Goddess made even more sense. Some might refer to her as “Mother Earth” and that’s not far off from the idea of a Goddess.

Although we often trace our roots back to the British Isles, it’s important to remember that many of those beliefs stemmed from the Chaldeans and Egyptians. Traders and scholars passed information along from India, the Middle East, and Europe. As a result, traditions meshed and changed and grew over time.

Throughout the years, witchcraft has received a stigma. In the beginning, it was considered evil because that was a good way to convert people to Christianity. Later on, there was a very real fear of those that dallied with the occult. People always seem to be afraid of that which they cannot explain.

Somewhere along the way, witchcraft became synonymous with Satanism. Remember the Salem witch trials? It’s important to keep in mind that Satanism has nothing to do with real witchcraft. In fact, it can be argued that Satanism, with its “Black Mass,” is a corruption of Catholicism. Witchcraft, on the other hand, doesn’t follow Christianity-although Christianity takes a lot from witchcraft and paganism.

There is a lot of research that proves that at one time women were celebrated and worshipped. Take a look at the goddesses of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythologies and even the Mystery Cults of Egypt and Greece.

As I said earlier, although we all share common beliefs, not all of us practice in the same way. I know many Wiccans who are stout feminists and only worship the Goddess and do not recognize a male figure. I know some Wiccans who do not consider themselves feminists and still don’t recognize a male figure. On the other hand, I know some Wiccans who recognize a Goddess as well as a God. Some of the Wiccans I know really identity with the Persephone and Demeter legend and recognize the triple Goddess-the maiden, the mother, and the crone. Others do not.

Regardless of the different beliefs, we can all pretty much agree that Wicca is a celebration of life and that witchcraft is tied very closely to the natural world.

Witchcraft enjoyed a surge in the 1960s and 1970s as feminism rose to power and more and more women started looking at a less patriarchal and more natural way of celebrating their spirituality. There also seems to be surges here and there amongst teenagers who sometimes get witchcraft confused with the romanticism and mystical aspects of vampirism, psychic powers, and the paranormal.

While you won’t get hung in public anymore for practicing witchcraft and it is somewhat more accepted these days, there still seems to be a stigma attached to it. Unfortunately, although it’s not necessarily an evil stigma, it does seem to be a foolish one. I encounter a lot of people who simply dismiss my beliefs as a “phase” and something that I will grow out of.

In terms of worldwide religions, Wicca is still not as respected as other organized forms. However, in most countries we do have a certain amount of religious freedom, at least by law, and for that I am grateful.

I urge you to read up as much as you can about your chosen path. A knowledgeable witch is an informed witch.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear friends,

I was in a store recently and overheard a couple of teenage girls (okay, they could have been pre-teen-it’s really hard to tell these days) talking about some of their trials and tribulations. At my age, they sounded petty. I resisted the urge to laugh, however, because I remember being 14, 15, 16 years old and thinking that it was simply the end of the world if the guy that I liked didn’t like me back or if my best friend and I were squabbling.

I have a dear friend whose child has a lot of health issues. Although she seeks the best medical care for her, she also uses a lot of healing rituals, homeopathic remedies, and other forms of “alternative” medicine to treat her child, too, proving that ancient and modern can work well together. The other day she was complaining about parents who act as though it’s the end of the world when their child has the flu or a cold, especially since her child has so many problems that aren’t that fixable.

I have been thinking about that a lot. I even meditated on it. What I have concluded, and granted I might be wrong, is that one person’s “worst” might not be the same as another person’s “worst” but that doesn’t mean that it’s still not bad. For a parent who has had a child pass away, the absolutely worst thing that has ever happened to them is the death of their child. But for a parent whose child was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, the worst thing for them is that their child might have seizures for the rest of their life. Now, the parent with the child’s death might argue that at least the epileptic child is still alive, but that really is like comparing apples to oranges in a sense. Our perception is usually limited by what we experience, no matter how open minded we are.

Thinking back about my teenagers that I saw at the store, even though their problems seem trivial to me-to them they were very real! In order for us to be accepting of other people, and to feel empathy and sympathy for them, we have to realize that while our experiences might vary, pain is always going to be real.

I wish I had known that when I was a lot younger. I think it would have made me a better person back then. That lead me to thinking about other things that I have learned over the years and how they have shaped me into becoming the person that I am on the pathway to being.

I can see that…

… no matter how much we wish to steer clear of drama, sometimes it will find us and thus it becomes necessary to deal with. It’s better to deal with it then so that it has few chances of returning then to bury your head and try to avoid it. Negative energy has a way of lingering.

… no matter how long you’ve known someone, at some point you will probably realize that until you’ve actually walked in their shoes, you can probably never really understand where they are coming from. We are made up of many things.

…regardless as to how much you might love your children, family, and friends, at some point in their lives they might have to choose another path, other priorities, and possibly even another family. We all have our own paths to walk and the best that you can do is offer your love and support.

…although we are aware of our flaws and attempt to work on them, there will always be those who will point them out to us in an ostensibly intimidating effort to hold us down. Remember that change is scary-not just for you, but for others as well. If you start to shift out of the “box” that others have even unconsciously placed you in, they might begin to put effort into getting you back into it. Try not to let others label you or identify you as something that’s not healthy for you. Do as much self-work as you desire, transform as you want, and be true to yourself.

…not everyone in your life is always meant to be in it. Sometimes, people are only around for short periods of time and that’s okay. Vacancies can open up new possibilities.

… occasionally, you will have a rare moment of hindsight that exposes some relationships in their accurate nature. You might be surprised that the casual friend you thought you had was actually a true confidante. Or that a close friend that you had for years wasn’t healthy for you. Life is full of surprises.

… forgiveness is not just for the other person, but for you as well. You are only responsible for your actions, not the actions of others.

… no matter how much time passes, you don’t miss your departed loved ones any less. Time heals, but it doesn’t take away.

… Life/Creator/Universe/Goddess/Natural Law has a way of bringing you what you need right when you need it.

… you absolutely cannot “make” anyone do anything. Our children included! All we can truly do is guide them, support them, love them and give them choices.

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

Dear friends,

That time of the year is rolling around again, one of the most important festivals and one of my favorite times to celebrate-Beltane. I look forward to it every year and each year try to find new ways to celebrate it and experience it with my family and friends.

Beltane has always been considered the greatest fertility festival of the year and has traditionally been celebrated on April 30th. In the past, men and women gathered in the towns and villages and celebrated with food, drink, and bonfires. Many then separated and practiced their own, erm, fertility rites during the late night hours, returning the next morning. With that aside, it was a celebration that young and old could enjoy, even if they didn’t participate in the pleasures of the flesh.

Houses were decorated with green branches which were then brought inside on May 2st, or “May Day” as it is sometimes called. Remember the Loreena McKennit song that came out awhile back called “The Mummer’s Dance?” “We’ve been rambling all the night and some parts of the day/Now returning back again we bring a garland gay.” Well, folks, Loreena didn’t write that song, as beautiful as it may be. It’s actually a very old folk song that commemorated the Beltane rituals.

That’s actually happened a lot over the years-a popular artist taking an old folk song, rearranging some of the lyrics, and making it their own. But that’s neither here nor there and I like Loreena so I won’t pick on her.

During the day, the men and women would go to houses, knock on doors, and welcome the coming of spring to those who answered. That is also part of the folk song as well: “A garland gay we bring you here/And at your door we stand/Here’s a sprout, well budded out/The work of our Lord’s hand.” I actually remember being a child and folk dancing to this song. It was a lot faster then and we always danced it with sprouts of greenery. At the end of the dance, we would take the sprouts and hand them out to people in the audience, much in the same way that the villagers would do many years ago. I have often wondered if the very Christian college that we sometimes performed at really understood what that song was all about.

They would also tie rowan branches to the tails of cows so that they wouldn’t become bewitched. Cows are easily lead astray and Beltane was a time when the fairies came out to play so one had to be very careful during the first few days of May.

The Maypole was a very big part of the Beltane festivals and can still be found today in some places. So what does it mean? Red and white flowers were wound around the pole in garlands in order to symbolize the milk and blood and mysteries of the Goddess. It was a fertility symbol, which is kind of easy to see when you think about its phallic shape. We also did the Maypole dance in school and I am almost certain that the higher-ups had no idea what it really meant.

Today, you can have your own Beltane ritual. Invite friends and family members over-witches and non-witches alike. Celebrate the coming of spring and decorate your altar with flowers, green garlands, and seeds. Cook lots of food for everyone, especially the sweet kind because faeries love honeyed bread and this is a celebration for them, too. Red, green, and white candles are nice to burn at your altar, as is sandalwood incense. Create your own maypole for the little ones and try to hold the festivities outside if you can.

If you’re making a bonfire, or bonfires as it may be, then do be careful. While this time of the year is usually pretty wet in most parts of the country, you want to be cautious of dry areas. While being spontaneous is nice, forest fires are not.

Just remember not to get caught by the fairies or else you could get trapped in the fairy world for a year and one day! Of course, some people might not have an issue with that, but for others it could be a little bit of a hindrance.

When it comes to fertility rites, well, I’m afraid I can’t help you there. You’re on your own. There are some good fertility rituals available and this is an excellent time of year to put them to use. For the physical aspect of it, all I say is to be cautious and practical when it comes to these things. This might be a magickal time, but common sense must till prevail, too.

Happy Beltane and happy spring to everyone!

Brightest blessings,

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

Dear friends,

You probably already know that the different phases of the moon correspond with different energies. You are probably already aware, too, that the moons can be divided into four elemental types: earth, air, fire, and water. Now, let’s break that down even further and talk about the specific astrological signs that full moons can fall under and what they mean…

Aries: Aries is associated with initiation, energy, and strength. During this moon, rituals focused on letting go of bad habits, self-destructive habits, aggression, and anger can be very beneficial. Aries loves action and has a lot of motivation.

Taurus: Taurus tends to like all things associated with home. This includes stability, fertility, money, love, and property in general. An earth sign, Taurus likes to be creative, but also places a lot of emphasis on laying down foundations, too. Sowing seeds, making practical plans, fertility rituals, and money spells are all good things to do when the full moon is in Taurus.

Gemini: Those feisty twins can be exasperating at times, but you can get a lot accomplished under the Gemini moon. This is a good time to communicate and share ideas. Considered a learning moon, it’s also a good time to clear the air, travel, try to get your ideas across, and make contact with others.

Cancer: A water moon, you can expect feelings to run high when the moon is in Cancer. It’s important to guard yourself during this time and not to let other people’s negative energies rub off on you. It’s also important not to give in to depression and to ruffle other’s feathers. You might want to focus on family, fertility, and your home environment. This is also a good time for divination and love spells.

Leo: A Leo moon is a theatrical one. If you have known a Leo then you have probably already figured out that they love to be the center of attention and that people like to flock to them. With that in mind, you want to think big under this moon. Use the large amount of energy to perform big rituals, complete large projects, and to remind you of your own uniqueness.

Virgo: Virgo is a quiet moon so you might want to keep things a little low during this time. This is a good time for organizing, clearing up emotional and physical clutter, purifying your thoughts and the bad energy around you, and banishing toxins. It’s also a good time for working through the bad stuff that can bog us down and keep us feeling low.

Libra: Libra is a refined moon and enjoys some of the better things in life such as listening to music, dancing, writing, painting, and gathering with people. This is a good time to gather with others who practice witchcraft and to perform a group ritual. If you’re a solitary practitioner, then you might want to focus on creating something artistic.

Scorpio: One of the most passionate signs in the universe, the Scorpio represents battles, courage, power, and sexuality. Put on your armor and perform spells and rituals that need just a little extra energy added to them. Some people are actually afraid of the moon in Scorpio and there does sometimes seem to be extra violence during this time period. Instead of being afraid, however, focus on how you can use this powerful energy to your advantage and do try to watch your temper.

Sagittarius: The moon in Sagittarius often signifies the beginning of great ideas. It’s a good time to start a long journey, start studying, or begin a new direction in your life. It’s also a good time to talk about your beliefs and to philosophize with other like-minded (or non like-minded) people.

Capricorn: Capricorn is a serious sign, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a sense of humor. Throw out things that no longer have any significance to you, focus on your career and aspirations, and start making plans.

Aquarius: You might find that people are most understanding during this moon so it could be a great time to clear up misunderstandings. It’s also a good time for starting things so you might want to try moving around a little bit. Ritual work focused on letting go of petty problems, building up networks and friendships, and finding support can be useful during this time.

Pisces: As a water sign, the moon in Pisces can often feel like a dreamy time. This is the best time to focus on psychic abilities, clairvoyance, dreams, and love. You might be very sensitive at this time, but rather than let yourself fall into tears or depression, use it to gain an understanding of the world around you. Rituals focused on love, communicating with the dead, and remembrance can be beneficial. It’s also a great time to read the runes, break out the Tarot cards, and write down your dreams to analyze later.

Of course, other factors can influence your feelings and what’s going on at the time of the moon, but hopefully this will give you a little bit of an understanding of what to expect in each phase. Always be aware that the moon is over you and there for you, even when it’s hard to see at times.

Brightest blessings,

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