Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

It doesn’t seem like that long ago that we were celebrating the summer solstice, and now the winter solstice will be upon us before we know it. So what is the winter solstice, why do we celebrate it, and how can we celebrate it?

The winter solstice has actually been celebrated around the world for thousands of years in one form or another. It’s also known as “Yule” which comes from the Norse word “Jul” that means “wheel. That’s a good way to look at it, since the winter solstice is a celebration of light and the start of the solar year.

Of course, most Western culture celebrate this time of year as Christmas, but that doesn’t mean that Christmas is solely rooted in Christianity. There are some Pagan influences there as well.

Many people don’t realize that December 25th was celebrated as a holiday of sorts before it was designated as the birth of Christ. In fact, Emperor Aurelian established the date as the birth of the Invincible Sun as part of the winter solstice celebrations that were held in the Roman Empire. Not long after that, the Christian church also used this date as the birth of Christ. This was in AD 273. In AD 336, the Roman celebration was Christianized and the two celebrations merged, more or less.

Many people also don’t realize that the date of January 6th, which is known in Christianity as the date of Epiphany, originally was the winter solstice date celebrated by the Egyptians.

In our house, we celebrate a lot of the traditions that are more commonly associated with Christianity. Some people find this confusing, as we don’t follow other Christian traditions. The reason that we do this is because a lot of the traditions that are carried out on Christmas truly have pagan roots and were not born in Christianity.

We celebrate Yule at our house and our celebrations last for more than just one day. As a matter of fact, we celebrate for about a week! We exchange gifts, but we don’t limit them to Christmas Day. One of our favorite traditions is to unwrap presents on the night of the 24th. We do this after our Yule Log ritual and we open the gifts by candlelight. The nighttime and candles give our home a magical feeling that is sometimes more atmospheric than unwrapping gifts by the glaring light of morning.

We have opened gifts on the morning of the 25th, but we have sometimes found that the day almost seems less special. If we get up early and open our gifts then we spend the rest of the day apart, playing with our new items in separate rooms of the house. By opening our gifts in the evening, however, we have the opportunity to look forward the evening all day. We cook and decorate and eat dinner together and then light our Yule Log. It makes the day a little more festive.

Red, green, and white are traditional Druidic holiday colors and are still used to decorate for Christmas today. We decorate our house with these colors in order to prepare for the winter solstice, too. We hang holly and ivy throughout our home and place evergreen branches around our doorframes. All the member of our family also help in making a wreath. We place pinecones and holly in it and hang it on the front door in order to symbolize the wheel of the year and the continuity of life.

Santa Claus is still welcomed in our home, but we recognize him as being a multi-cultural figure with an interesting background. He has facets of the Celtic god of the dying year (the Holly king), the Russian winter god (Grandfather Ice), the Norse sky god who rode in the sky in a chariot driven by goats (Thor), the Norse land spirit that gave children gifts (Tomte) and other figures from the past.

On solstice eve, we do a small ritual in which we honor the new solar year. It’s a simple ritual were we meditate in darkness and then light candles to welcome the sun’s rebirth. While many people celebrate the birth of the Son, we celebrate the birth of the Sun.

This year, the winter solstice will fall on December 21, 6:38 P.M. EST. We will celebrate on the 20th, as well as on the 21st. Then, we will celebrate Yule on the 24th and 25th. As you can see, our household is a place of merriment during December! Throughout the rest of the month we try to spend time with friends and family and show our appreciation for their love and support. It really s a wonderful time of the year, regardless as to how you celebrate it.

Here is hoping that your winter solstice is filled with love, wonderment, ad magic.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

It is that time of the year again; time to prepare the gardens for winter and put away our outside furniture for the upcoming cold months. I am looking at my herbs and feeling proud of the fact that they did so well this past summer. I have a little window unit that I will plant some in so that I can keep them inside and keep them growing throughout the colder months. I will go ahead and pick the ones that are growing outside, however, and dry them out and use them while I still can.

My sage is looking particularly bushy and healthy and I might be proudest of it the most. It almost got taken over by my blackberry bush so it fought a hard battle this summer.

Speaking of sage, this is an excellent time to talk about a smudging ceremony.

Smudging is simply a way to get rid of some of the bad energy that can hang around a place or a person. Negative thoughts, bad feelings, and even bad spirits can hang around a person and these can all be detrimental to both their spiritual and physical health. Negative energy can also surround a place or even an item.

As far as people are concerned, in the past one ceremony that was performed included burning certain herbs and then taking that smoke from those herbs and rubbing it onto the person in question. This was called “smudging” and we still do it today, although not necessarily in that manner. (Though you CAN do it like that.)

Sage is probably the most commonly used herb for this ceremony, although sweetgrass and cedar are used as well.

There are many different kinds of sage, but most of them can still be used in smudging. In smudging ceremonies, sage is burned to drive out spirits that aren’t up to any good. It also keeps spirits out during the ceremony. The sage can help repel negative influences and feelings, too.

If you want to use sage then you can either grow your own, which is very easy, or you can purchase a bundle at a health food store. Don’t head to the spice rack in your kitchen and get down a jar of it-it’s not quite the same thing. If you are using your own, make sure it has completely dried before you use it or else it won’t smoke the way you want it to.

You should then find a ceramic or metal dish to place the sage in. I put sand at the bottom of my dish first. Place the sage in the dish and light it with a match. You don’t want the whole thing to burn up, but you do want to give the flames a little bit of time to settle in. I usually let mine burn for about 15 seconds or so. Then, blow out the flames. You should have a pretty good smoke going at this point.

If you are trying to drive the negative energy out of a house then you can walk around with your dish to the rooms that you want to focus on. Make sure that you visit all four corners of the room. If it is a person that you wish to cleanse, then making a scooping shape with your hand and gathering up some of the smoke and running it down the person is one of the best ways to do this.

Be careful with the container, as it can get hot. This is particularly true if you use metal and you let the sage burn too long. You might want to place a towel or oven mit under it as you carry it. You don’t want to directly breathe the smoke in, either.

Sweetgrass is interesting because many people choose to burn it after the sage, or cedar if you are using it, as burned out.

You can tie the sweetgrass together in a cloth or string, or you can braid it together, as you would long hair. To burn it, you shave little bits of it over hot coals. You can also light the end of it and wave it around so that the smoke flies through the air.

Sweetgrass helps bring in the good spirits after the bad ones have been driven out. It also helps bring in the positive energy and positive feelings. As you are burning your sweetgrass, it helps to meditate or chant so that the smoke is carried to the places where it needs to go.

When I am finished with the herbs, I usually try to light a light gray candle. If I have been smudging a house then I do my best to place a light gray candle in each room. The color helps repel negative forces and helps neutralize a situation.

The trick to smudging is to go into it with good intentions and an open heart. Your own energy will work with the herbs in order to create the outcomes that you are looking for. Although the sweetgrass can be difficult to find, it is a good idea to bring in positive energy after you have sent out the bad stuff. This will help create a balance.

For now, I am sending positive vibes and energy your way, dear friend.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

Drawing down the moon is one of the most important rituals in Wicca, as well as in pagan traditions. So what is it, why do we do it, and how do we do it?

Drawing down the moon is typically considered to be a group ritual and is often done in covens. However, if you are a solitary witch you don’t have to be excluded from this beautiful ritual. You can do it on your own, too. When it is performed in a goup, the high priestess goes into a trance and along with the help of the high priest, invokes the Goddess into her. Since the Goddess is characterized by the moon, and in essence you are drawing the Goddess into yourself, the term is referred to as “drawing down the moon.”

Witches in ancient times were thought to be able to control the moon and that is how this ceremony first got started. In other times, a popular tract stated that: “If I command the moon, it will come down; and if I wish to withhold the day, the night will linger over my head; and again, if I wish to embark on the sea, I need no ship, and if I wish to fly through the air, I am free of my weight.”

Today, you can simply use your own words during this ceremony. Although some people do use the Charge of the Goddess, others have poems that they like to recite, or simply be spontaneous in their address.

During the ceremony, altered states of conscious can exist and the ceremonial energy that is raised can be astounding. Words that emanate from the high priestess, or the one that has drawn the Goddess into her, are listened to with seriousness as they can inspiring and moving. Even the other women in the ceremony can benefit from this energy and connect with the power.

When the ritual is practiced, it is usually within a circle. The circle is raised by psychic power and is known as raising the “cone of power.” When the power has been raised, either through chanting, dancing, singing, or music, then it can be focused or directed towards a purpose or destination.

The energy can be so great that some people claim to be able to feel it days after the ritual has been completed.

If you don’t belong to a coven then you can still perform the ritual as a solitary one, although it might take on different aspects. Solitary Wiccans still perform the ritual within a circle, but it’s one that they have cast themselves and not one that has been cast by a group. That doesn’t make it less powerful, of course.

It is more powerful when performed under a full moon. In fact, you can gather a lot of energy if you perform it outside. However, if you live in close proximity to a lot of neighbors who might look out their window and think that you’re up to something no good, then you might want to keep it indoors.

When performed on my own, I am lucky enough to be able to use my backyard. After casting my circle, I move my body into the Goddess position, with my feet apart at shoulder width and my arms up and open in a “V” shape. Facing towards the full moon, you can begin by welcoming the Goddess into you. There are many things that you can say to encourage this, but a popular one is: “Goddess of the Moon, You have been known by many names in many lands in many times. You are universal and constant. In the dark of night, You shine down upon us and bathe us in Your light and love. I ask You, O Divine One, to honor me by joining with me, and allowing me to feel Your presence within my heart.”

It’s not uncommon to cry or laugh or to do both when you feel the Goddess move into you. In fact, I sometimes alternate between the two and do both several times. You may have visions during this time, or you may find that some things suddenly become clearer to you. This might even continue on once you have finished. After all, the energy is very potent.

When I feel that I am finished I end the ritual with the words: “I look down upon the sands of the desert, I crash the tides upon the shore, I shine on the mighty trees of the forests, and watch with joy as Life continues every cycle. Be true to Me, honoring that which I have created, and I shall be true to you in return. With harm to none, so it shall be.”

I then use some time to meditate on what I just did and felt and then I close my circle.

It’s a very powerful ritual and whether you perform it in a group or on your own you should be prepared for intense emotions. You also have to go into it with an open heart and without any fear. You are opening yourself up to powerful emotions and energy and it’s important that you be ready for them.

Here is hoping that your days ahead are filled with love and happiness.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

It occurs to me that many of you might have found me because you are new to Wicca and want to learn more about it or you’re considering adopting it as your faith and you have questions. Keeping this in mind, I would like to take a few steps back and talk to the “beginners” who might just now be starting out in their discoveries.

You might find that different people approach Wicca in different ways. While there are some basic beliefs that most of us follow, it’s also important to remember that Wicca is actually a very personal form of religion and therefore can differ from person to person.

You may have already thought at some point that going to church every Sunday doesn’t necessarily make you a Christian the same way that simply eating Kosher food doesn’t automatically make you Jewish. Similarly, going through an initiation ritual doesn’t make you Wiccan. Of course, there’s a lot more to it.

It’s very important that you believe in what you’re doing and that you have faith in it. If you don’t, then you’re simply going through the actions and the lack of conviction will make the actions meaningless. This is important to remember later on when you are performing rituals or spells. You can use all of the right candle colors, herbs, oils, and stones but these are just “things” if you don’t go into it with some conviction.

Choosing to go down this path is an important decision and you should take it seriously. It helps to keep a journal and to write down your reactions, thoughts, and feelings about things that you read or learn. Think about why you think Witchcraft is right for you. Consider your fears as well as your aspirations. These are your private thoughts so not only is it okay to be honest, but it’s also necessary. There are no right or wrong answers or feelings.

Once you have decided that this is indeed the path that you want to go down then you usually perform a Dedication ritual. This is up to you to design and implement and you should do it in a way that is significant to you. In effect, you are committing yourself to the Craft and deciding to live your life in balance with the elements and with nature.

Some people believe that Witchcraft is a way to control the elements to their advantage. This is not the case. Instead, it’s about working with the elements and trying to achieve a balance with them, as well as within yourself using your own energy. The Witch’s Rede is “An it harm none” and this is important to remember. It’s kind of like the Golden Rule.

You may choose to practice on your own or you might want to join a coven in order to practice with other like-minded people. Most covens require that you “train”, more or less, for a year and one day before they will admit you. You can also count on covens being fairly selective. You might find that the coven isn’t right for you and if you decide on this then it’s okay to look elsewhere. You never have to stay someplace that isn’t comfortable for you.

When it comes to rituals and spells, you will find that while some things are pretty set in stone, others aren’t. For instance, candle colors have certain meanings as well as herbs and essential oils. They usually have more than one meaning and can be used in a variety of spells and rituals. However, the words that you chant or meditate on and the order that you use the items can vary and should be personal to you.

I know some witches that like using gems and other stones. Even though there are some that I use from time to time, I have to admit that sometimes I have difficulty remembering what each stone is and it’s not always effective for me to use them. I feel a much greater energy from candles and aromas so I like to use herbs and oils more.

With children in the house, I also find that sometimes convenience rules over the preferred times of conducting rituals. I would love to be able to set aside a couple of hours in the evening, especially on certain days of the moon’s cycle, to perform specific rituals but it can be difficult when you have children to care for so I have to improvise and sometimes perform them earlier or later than what I would like to. Learning to adapt is important.

Lastly, you want to make sure that you read and learn as much as possible. There are lots of good books and websites out there that can provide you with lots of great information. The more knowledge you have, the more likely you are to make good, informed decisions.

I will leave you with a word of caution, though. If you come across something that you’re not comfortable with then you might want to do additional research on the topic. While there is a lot of good information out there, there are also some inaccuracies as well.

I wish you well on your spiritual path and hope that you find the answers that you seek.

Brightest Blessings,

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