Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

If you start researching Wicca and looking into Paganism, you might notice that there are several different branches of Paganism. While there are common themes within each one, it’s helpful to learn about different traditions. You may find one that speaks to you more than another, and your Spirit Guides are giving you a nudge in the right direction. The following few messages will be exploring different Pagan traditions. I feel this is an important part of learning about this spiritual path, and hopefully it will enrich your experience as a Wiccan.

The Gardnerian tradition takes its name from Gerald B. Gardner. He reinvented the ancient, ancestral religion that existed in Pre-Christian Europe. He started the first neo-Pagan coven in secrecy in Britain during the middle of last century. After the 1951 changes in the laws that once made witchcraft illegal, Neo-Paganism exploded onto the world scene especially in Great Britain and other English speaking countries. Raymond Buckland brought Gardnerian Wicca to North America.

The core beliefs of Gardnerian Wicca focus on balance, and duality of the God and Goddess in equal partnership. They acknowledge the reality of Life and Death as part of the necessary cycles of life. In order for Life to exist, there must be Death. For example, if nothing ever died we would be up to our ears in houseflies in no time flat. Humans are meant to cooperate and compete and to love and hate. Balance is the overall goal, and because of that, everything in Gardnerian magick is arranged in balance of male and female.

Gardnerian believers preserve the work of Gerald Gardner, but also incorporate creativity and expansion. Ritual is important in this tradition but fellowship is most important. The Gardnerian covens are autonomous, with each coven having its own unique personality. If you are looking for a Gardnerian coven, keep this in mind. If you don’t have anything in common with one group, then you can easily try another Gardnerian coven. The coven is run like a family, and the process of joining a coven is more like a courtship than an interview. Gardnerians practice a formal initiation which signifies that the initiate and the coven want to make their relationship formal. Initiation is not offered lightly, and a coven looks for honest seekers to join.

Each and every Gardnerian Wiccan that is initiated is a Priest or Priestess in their own right. This is a commonality between many Pagan religions. There are no intermediaries; each individual has a direct relationship with the Gods.
There are no ministers, no pastors and no former clergy. The High Priestess and High Priest of each coven are in an advising role, more than a dictating role. They act as confidants and counselors, and are the first among equals. They are normally experienced in the Craft and can help guide conveners in their own spiritual path.

Gardnerian is a path that states only a Witch can make a Witch; there is no self-initiation in this tradition. Only a Gardnerian can initiate a Gardnerian, and the tradition has record of the lineages dating back to Gardner himself.

Like other traditions, Gardnerian Wicca is a mystery tradition with oaths of secrecy. This means that the Book of Shadows, customs and rituals are not open to the public. This is to honor Paganism heritage as a secretive religion.

If you are interested in Gardnerian Wicca, you can look for a local group or read the works of Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and Raymond Buckland. These people have provided the foundational texts for the development of the Gardnerian tradition, and their practices and beliefs.

Love And Light,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

When people enter this path, there are certain subjects that they learn about. There is a body of knowledge, often called Wicca 101 that is very vast and includes a lot of the basics of Wicca. A lot of teachers, me included, hold classes in Wicca 101 to let newcomers explore the different subjects that are involved in this path. This often includes basic theology (understanding the God and Goddess), how to perform rituals, how to create sacred space, correspondences and spellwork.

There comes a point, however, in every Wiccans life where they reach a stopping point. The information in Wicca 101 is important, but limited. If you’ve been studying Wicca for any length of time, you probably have felt this break in your learning. You know there is more you should know, but may not know where to go after Wicca 101.

If you’ve gotten through basic Wiccan books and are craving something more, don’t worry. There is plenty to learn. I’m still learning even three decades later. The best advice I can give for moving beyond Wicca 101 is to look to a few “advanced” Wicca books. Progressive Witchcraft by Janet Ferrar and Gavin Bone is a good “just beyond basic” book that I recommend to those looking to take the next step in their Wicca studies. It does include some introductory material but has a deeper view and fresh perspective on many Wicca 101 topics. There is also a book called Advanced Witchcraft by Edain McCoy. This book is relatively new but has good reviews.

Unfortunately, there is not much out there as far as advanced Wicca books go. There is a specific reason for this. There really is no clear definition for Advanced Wicca. Once a person knows the basics of Wicca, it is up to them to choose where to take their spiritual path. I’ve always likened it to the process of general education classes and major classes in college. Everyone goes through general education classes; they cover the basics of study and introduce the college student to a wide variety of subjects. After some time studying the basics, a student will choose to specialize in a subject. From there on out their classes will be focused and specific to their interests.

The study of Wicca beyond the Wicca 101 phase is much like choosing a magickal major. It is entirely up to you to choose what to learn after you’ve mastered the basics. Some people are more drawn to one aspect of this path than another. I have a friend who is obsessed with crystals and gems. She focuses her time an attention on attuning herself with the vibration of different stones and learning about their magickal correspondences. Another of my friends is a master herbalist. He has a truly magickal green thumb and grows herbs for our whole group.

If you’ve reached the end of studying the basics of Wicca, it’s time for you to take your study in a direction that interests you the most. Ask yourself what you’d like to learn about next, and then look for books on that subject matter. There are a wide variety of subjects that will help you along your spiritual path; candle magick, meditation, astral projection, mythology, spellwork, etc.

One of the best parts of this spiritual path is the freedom; it allows you to research and learn the topics that interest you. There are a lot of things that can improve your understanding of magick and your walk on this path. There is a lot to learn beyond Wicca 101, and the choice of what you learn is up to you. Enjoy it and embrace lifelong learning!

Brightest Blessing,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

The Tarot is an ancient tool for divination and personal discovery. A lot of Wiccans use it as part of their journey on this path. I’ve found Tarot to be an interesting side study to my study of witchcraft. In my experience, it has been the most profound form of divination that I’ve used.

The origin of Tarot cards is a bit of a mystery. A lot of authors have theorized the history throughout the years. Aleister Crowley, the famous occult author, believed that the Tarot could be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians. However, the first concrete appearance of the Tarot was in 1392. The cards first appeared as instructional tools for young people, and used for gambling. It is not known how or why they started to be used for divination purposes.

If you want to start studying the Tarot, the first decision you have to make is to choose a Tarot deck to work with. There are literally hundreds of Tarot card choices. One of the most popular decks is the Rider-Waite deck. It makes a good beginner deck, and I’ve used a variation on the Rider-Waite deck for years. Golden Dawn mystic Arthur Edward Waite conceived this deck and instructed artist Pamela Coleman Smith in their creation. The artwork and symbology are clear and easy to understand, yet still beautiful to look at.

Some other good choices for beginner decks are the Hanson-Roberts deck, the Robin Wood deck and the Aquarian deck. All three are very nicely illustrated and have easy symbology to read.

After working with a basic deck for a while, you can look into a ‘specialty’ deck that is centered on a particular theme. I’ve experimented with a few of these.

The Herbal Tarot uses illustrations of herbs on each card, and has similar graphical elements to the Rider Waite deck. Each card has a specific herb. This deck helped improve my knowledge of herbal correspondences. The deck works well for readings that deal with health and healings.

The Thoth Tarot Deck was invented by Aleister Crowley and illustrated by Frieda Harris. The cards are very rich symbolically and include references to the Qabballah, Egyptian mythology and numerology. There are a few substitutions to the normal tarot pattern. There are Disks instead of Pentacles, and he uses Princesses instead of Pages. This is a difficult deck to read as it has many layers in symbology.

The Voyager Tarot is absolutely beautiful. It is made up of collages, and contains both ancient and modern images and symbols. The numbered cards include keywords printed on them. This deck is much attuned to the subconscious and the suits are changed. The Swords are Crystals and the Pentacles are Worlds. The standard court cards are replaced with Man, Woman, Child and Sage. The Voyager Tarot is a very modern tarot deck, which some may not be comfortable with. If you appreciate modern art though, you’ll like this deck. This should definitely be a second or third tarot deck purchase since the symbology is very rich and somewhat hard to interpret for beginners.

Currently, my favorite deck is a little gem called the Tarot of the Cat People. The deck is perfect for anyone with an interest in cats and/or sci-fi worlds. The deck is set in a world inhabited by Cat People, and representations of these people appear on every card in the deck. They are beautifully drawn and I’ve found that readings with this deck are profound and insightful.

Of course, your experience with these decks may be different than mine. Most people who begin studying the tarot collect several decks to try them out. You can find Tarot reviews online, and pictures of decks. Go with a deck that speaks to you and seems to call your name. There is a whole world of Tarot to explore, and I encourage you to make it part of your walk on this path.

Love And Light,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear Friends,

I still play with dolls, but it’s not what you think! The use of poppets has long been part of my magickal practice. If you’re not using these powerful tools, this article may have you wanting to get sewing immediately!

Poppets have been used for centuries as a form of sympathetic magick, and are similar to voodoo dolls. Even though they are now associated with voodoo, poppets come out of Western European traditions. These small figures can be used in many ways and are powerful allies in healing, energizing and attracting spells.

Usually a poppet is made out of cloth, but I’ve experimented through the years and made some out of clay, wood and wax. It is filled with herbs that match the purpose of the spell along with a few personal items that create a personal bond between oneself and the item.

How does a poppet work? For example, Let’s say you have a person that you need to banish from your life. You make a poppet from black cloth (a color of banishment), and fill it with rue, birch and garlic (or one of those three). After charging the doll with the person’s name, you could bind the doll’s hands to stop the person from meddling in the affairs of others. For a finishing touch, you can toss the doll in the river to take it far away from you. This symbolizes the person being taken out of your life.

Of course, not all poppets are for banishment. You can also make poppets to heal yourself and others. In this case, you’ll use green fabric, and fill the poppet with rosemary, juniper and saffron. If you or someone you know is experiencing pain, you can place pins in the area that is causing pain. Slowly remove the pins to relieve the pain and heal the person represented by the poppet.

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like it to be. You can make your poppet as part of your ritual, or construct it prior to casting your circle. You can even make it days in advance and use it when the time is right. The more work you put into your poppet, the more you will be connected to it.

Before you begin constructing your poppet, decide what its purpose will be. Remember that poppets are constructed to represent people. Who is this poppet for? Do you have someone that you need to keep out of your life? Is there someone who spreads gossip? Does a friend need help securing a new job? Do you want to make a poppet to protect your home or your car?

After that, you’ll want to select your fabric. While the type of fabric doesn’t matter, the color does. Refer to your color correspondence chart for an appropriate color for your work. You can also choose patterns that fit your purpose, like a heart print for a love poppet. You can find inexpensive fabric from Wal-mart or a craft store.

Your poppet should be shaped in a person, with two arms, two legs and a head. It doesn’t have to be a perfect shape, just representative of a person. You can use a gingerbread man cookie cutter as a template for your work. A poppet doesn’t have to be huge’the cookie cutter shape is perfect. It’s just the right size to add herbs and other elements inside.

Cut out your fabric and then sew around the edge. You’ll need some straight pins to hold the two sides of the poppet together. With a little practice, this simple sewing isn’t too hard.

After the poppet is almost complete, turn it right side out, so most of the seam is on the inside. Stuff the poppet with the right herbs for your purpose. Also, add a picture or something else representing the person that the poppet will stand for. This will link your poppet to that individual. If you are making a poppet of yourself, you can use your skin, hair or nails. Sew the final inch or two on your poppet.

You can draw a face on your poppet if you like to make it more personal. Tell the poppet who it is, and bestow it with a name.

Now your poppet is ready for your purposes. Bind it, pin it, bury it, bless it, and let the magick begin.

Brightest Blessing,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”