Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

Nothing clears up a bad day for me faster than a good grounding and centering exercise. If you’ve ever felt out of sorts or disconnected to the world around you, you might want to try making grounding and centering a part of your daily life. A lot of folks think that the technique is simply for starting a ritual, but it can be used at anytime that you need to “clear” yourself from the stresses of your day.

I’ve found that a lot of people underestimate the power of grounding and centering. It is one of the first things that I teach newcomers to the path, and some dismiss it as a baby step into practicing magick. I’ve made the same mistake myself in the past, however, I quickly learned different. To me, grounding and centering (along with a few other energy techniques) are the cornerstone to working with energy effectively. A lot of people think of it as boring and simplistic and they just want to get on to the “fun stuff.” However, what they fail to see is that until grounding and centering is mastered, none of the “fun stuff” will be any “fun.”

So let’s take another look at grounding and centering through this perspective. Let’s look at the techniques as essentials rather than simplicities. The most basic energy work technique is centering. To relate to what centering means in energy work, thing about the expression “center of balance.” It describes a point at which the weight of something is equally distributed. There is a definite center of balance in your body, and its in a different location for everyone. It depends on how you are made. There is also an energetic, yet invisible, center of balance to your body. It may be located near your physical center.

It’s a bit difficult to describe exactly what your energetic center should feel like. When you are off our physical bodies center of balance, you know immediately. But the energetic center of balance works differently. When you are “off balance” energetically, you feel frazzled and stressed. To re-center yourself, you need to sink down into your energy center and become aware of how the energy in your body flows. When I practice centering, I always feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. I feel like I am settling down into myself and becoming comfortable.

Centering is the first technique that you must master because it helps you learn to focus your own personal energy and still yourself. If you aren’t focused later in your spell work, you spells won’t have the power they need. Centering is, fortunately, very easy to practice and should become part of your everyday life. It only takes a few minutes and can be done anywhere…I practice centering in the shower. Once you’ve mastered this technique you can reach this state whenever you need to.

After developing the ability to center quickly and effortlessly, you should begin to perfect the technique of grounding. The process starts by sitting down on the ground and letting the energy drain out of the bottom of your spine. To help you ground yourself, visualize roots sprouting from you deep into the ground to carry away the excess energy. Just like electrical systems use ground wire to dump excess energy, you need a technique to get rid of the excess energy that has built up inside your system.

Grounding has two major purposes. It allows you to rid yourself of any excess energy (stresses!) before you take part in a ritual, or even go on with the rest of your day. It also allows any excess energy that was raised during spell work to re-enter the earth. Grounding on a daily basis can help you clear yourself of anything that you are energetically carrying with you. This can include stress, frustration, depression and angry feelings.

As you practice, grounding and centering will become a part of your life. They are tools that you can use anytime to manage your personal energy. As you begin to develop mastery over these tools, your magickal energy will become stronger and more precise. And the techniques can really save on stress-related eating!!

Until next time, try to center instead of reaching for the chocolate,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring "Resident Witch In Charge"

Click here to download this issue and send it to your friends!

Click here to download Rose’s “Is Witchcraft It’s Own Religion?” interview and special quiz!

Click here to listen to the interview on a special page! (without having to download it)

 

Dear Friends,

This week I have another very special interview (and quiz) for you – and a very important topic (and one you really need to think about for yourself). 

This week Ash interviews Robyn again, and poses the question – “Is Witchcraft It’s Own Religion”.

The interview is about 7 minutes long – and I agree with most of what Robyn says, but I want to give you my own thoughts in this newsletter.

First, let me say, that the subject of religion is a very personal thing… and it isn’t necessary for you to look at “Witchcraft” as a religion.  You can focus specifically on tapping into the Magick energies within you, and not worry about all of the religious aspects of a specific path in Witchcraft.

You see, there are over 9000 different religions in the world… and no single person has the time to go explore all of them.

I believe it all boils down to “feeling” what is right for you.  I know that sounds vague, but let me explain….

I have visited various places of worship from Catholic churches to Buddhist temples.  I never felt completely comfortable in any of these places, and I never knew why.

I discovered later, that it doesn’t matter why… and that the only thing that matters is that I find something to believe in that touches my soul – and who I am (and aspire to be) as a person….

…that’s about the same time my Grandmother introduced me to one of the oldest religions on the planet (some people argue it is THE oldest).

From the moment she began to show me the power in nature, and how it could make me feel – and the energies I could use to create miracles in my life and others – I feel in love with it.

Yes, I practice Witchcraft as a religion.  I worship nature, and the God and Goddess… and other deities as well.

Does that mean you have to?  No, of course not.  You can still use the power of your natural Magick energies – while still practicing Christianity if you’d like.

What I am saying is whatever religious path you  decide to follow – make sure it connects with your heart and soul.  Don’t worry about what anybody else thinks of your choices… if the practices “touch” you, jump in with both feet.

And may the world smile on you, my dear friends – no matter what you choose.
One more order of business before I bid you a “Weekend filled with Magick”….

Ash and I need to do some more interviews, so it may be a little while before a new one is posted… until then, you will continue to get my Friday Rant blog postings… we’ll always be in touch!

There are still copies left of my Mastering The Magick Of Witchcraft Home Academy, and it will walk you step by step through the process of briniging focus to the Magick energy waiting inside of you.  A Magickal journey of miracles await you…

http://www.masteringmagickwitchcraft.com/secret/

Until next week…

Brightest Blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge

P.S.  If you have a friend or family member that could benefit from these lessons,
please send the lessons to them.  You can either email the lessons to them, or just
tell them by using this special webpage:

http://www.rose-ariadne.com/tell/tell.cgi

P.P.S. If you want my limited edition life’s work, go here for ordering information – I don’t believe anything like this has ever been done :

http://www.masteringmagickwitchcraft.com/

Dear Friends,

The old saying “the pen is mightier than the sword” is extremely true in Wicca and Witchcraft. Writing rituals can be a powerful addition to your magickal life, however they are sometimes difficult to master. If you’re practicing along or just getting started on your path, you may have found that resources on the subject are few and far between. A lot of Wicca 101 books pay the technique lip service, but often don’t add any practical advice.

If you do a little searching, you can find ritual outlines and scripts that can help you develop your own personal style. Rituals that you write are much more powerful and personal than generic ones. It may sound like a frightening idea to the beginner. I was scared too. I was so worried that I would screw something up or make a mistake. I had no idea how to construct my rituals, or if I was doing the right thing. And when I did try to write my own rituals I felt like I was checking my notes constantly and wasn’t deeply immersed in the ritual. Can you relate?

First and foremost, I must emphasize that there is no wrong way or right way to write a ritual. The most important part in any ritual is intention, and the Goddess can hear you clearly when you speak from your heart. If you make a mistake, you aren’t going to get hit by lightening or anything! Believe me, if that happened, myself and lots of others on the path wouldn’t be here to tell you about it.

Its important to remember that writing a good ritual is going to take practice, which means, unfortunately, lots of mistakes along the way. It’s all part of the process. Do not be afraid to experiment with your rituals. Once you master the technique, it will do your practice a lot of good.

There is a basic format of ritual creation that is followed. The beginning step is to analyze what the ritual is for. Do you want to raise energy? Is this a ritual to mark a holiday or a special occasion? Deciding what type of ritual you will do effect the type of tools and elements you will use in your ritual. Focus your ritual on one or two intentions to keep the length of the ritual down. While its good to spend time in ritual, you may get unfocused if you try to draw it out too long or add too many spells or chants.

Next, think about who will be attending your ritual. What will the size of the group be? You’ll want to organize the ritual in such a way so that there is a good balance between the leader’s role and group participation. Also think about the location your ritual will take place. Will there be enough room for everyone to move comfortably, or do you need to plan a ritual that does not require much movement? Your surroundings will determine the style of the ritual. Outdoor rituals have a different flavor and feeling than indoor ones.

If you are planning a solitary ritual, you’ll also want to think about space. Will you have enough room to lie out your altar and tools? If you are planning a ritual in a small room, you’ll want to add a section toward the beginning of your ritual where you clear the space, both physically and energetically. If you live with roommates, also remember to magickly block yourself from interruptions, and plan the ritual for a time that you’ll know you’ll have privacy.

After considering the space and size of the group involved, its time to get out your pen (or keyboard) and begin formulating your ritual. Most rituals follow a basic format that can be adapted for any purpose. Before the ritual begins, you cleanse and purify the space, gather your materials and set up your altar. Then you’ll call the quarters, call the God and Goddess, cast the circle, perform your spells, send out the built up energy to do your work, thank the quarters and deities, and then close the circle.

Each step can be customized to the purpose of your ritual. You’ll want to gather tools that will help your magickal working for the evening, and set up your altar with colors and elements that correspond to your work. Many people have a standard call for the elements and deities and a casting spell that they use each time. If you’ve been using one from a book for a while, it might be enjoyable to write your own. Do this well in advance of the ritual. If you come up with something that truly speaks to you, try it in a few rituals and edit it as you need to. Anything you can do to personalize your ritual will allow you to put more power and energy into your spell work.

Above all, have fun! There is nothing that you write or say that is “wrong.” It’s all part of an exploratory process. As you develop your own rituals and writing style, your magick will reach a deeper level.

So pick up your pen and write freely!

Until next time,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring "Resident Witch In Charge"

Click here to download this issue and send it to your friends!

Click here to download Rose’s “Where Does The Power Of Magick Come From?” interview and special quiz! 

Click here to listen to the interview on a special page! (without having to download it)

Dear Friends,

Finally, life is somewhat back to normal after my travels abroad.  I learned much, and had many wonderful experiences… from exploring Buddhist temples, to long hikes through nature, to seeing true 3rd world poverty (and lending a helping had) – it was a Magickal experience…

It is good to be home, not only because I enjoy  writing these newsletters for all of you, but also because the comforts of home are very special.  Dorothy said it in the Wizard of Oz, and it is very true. 

There is no place like home.

Anyway, on with our journey together.  This weeks interview is my friend Tatania and Ash talking about where the power of Magick comes from.

I know I’ve spoken about this before, but Tatania gives a slightly different spin on this (even talking about “sub atomic” particles).  Don’t’ worry, it is very easy to understand where she is going with it.

Just remember that Magick is energy.  It is the energy of your emotions, your deepest feelings and desires… all fueled by your belief in your life, and the goals you have.

There is Magick energy in every smile, every frown, every glance from that special someone across the room… and in nature… Magick energy in every gust of wind through the trees, every moonbeam, and every ray of sunshine….

My friends, our world is alive with Magick during every moment in time.  And it is all so precious… and we all of the power to tap into it – to pull back the curtain of things you can only “see”, and find the world of Magick.

You’ve all known, since early on, that there are things in this world that defy scientific explanation… they defy common “reason” and logic.  Some brush these things off as only “coincidence” – but they are so wrong. 

Magick is all around you!  The secret is knowing how to reach out and touch it, and use it to create wonder in your life.  First you learn to crawl, then you learn to walk… next, you learn to run… and finallyl, you learn to fly!

Emotion, belief, and focused intent.  This is where your power comes from – the power of Magick within you.

It is so good to be back with you all… and I ask one simple favor of you.

Choose somebody you deeply care about…preferably over the weekend.  Walk up to them, and give them a big hug that they don’t expect.  And tell them you love them.

That is the easiest way I know to cast a Magick spell… the rest is “easy”, and it all flows naturally from there.

Enjoy the wonderful interview, and don’t forget to answer the Quiz questions also on the blog.

I’ll be sending you another newsletter and interview next week – until then keep on believing in yourself, and in Magick.  No matter your situation – whether you are happy or sad – you are special, and things will only get better, as long as you believe.

Love And Light Always, My Dear Friends,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge

P.S.  If you have a friend or family member that could benefit from these lessons,
please send the lessons to them.  You can either email the lessons to them, or just
tell them by using this special webpage:

http://www.rose-ariadne.com/tell/tell.cgi

P.P.S. If you want my limited edition life’s work, go here for ordering information – I don’t believe anything like this has ever been done :

http://www.masteringmagickwitchcraft.com/