Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

Other organized religions have definite goals and benchmarks along the way. Take, for example, Catholicism. There is a very formal path that one follows, including baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage etc. However, with our “unorganized” pagan religion, the goals are sometimes not as clear. This can be especially true if you are engaging in a solitary Wiccan practice. One of the great things about Paganism is that the “rules” are not clear. But for those of us who have come from a religion with rules and regulations, this may be an uneasy feeling.I’ve found comfort in a list of 13 goals that Scott Cunningham provided in his landmark “Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner.” I’ve outlined the goals here, and the comments are my own.

The first goal is to “know thyself.” While other religions focus on knowing deity and knowing things outside yourself (such as rules), Wicca is intensely personal. I’ve found most Pagans to be extremely well-balanced and self-aware individuals. Our own bodies and minds are a conduit for the power of the God and Goddess, so we need to know ourselves in order to empower ourselves. Knowing yourself also means acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses. None of us are perfect, but if we know ourselves well, we can become the best that we can be.

You also need to “know your craft”. An important part of being a Witch is having mastery over witchcraft and all that it entails. I cannot emphasize enough that this is not something you pick up over night, or even during the course of a year! Studying the craft and getting to know it intimately is a lifelong pursuit. Also, knowing your craft is not something you can do by simply reading about it. If this were true, any 13 year old with a library card and inspiration from watching ‘the Craft’ could be a powerful Witch. Witchcraft is something that you learn about and then you LIVE. You become in tune with magickal cycle of the world around you, and you get to know how you personally use that power.

This leads into the next goal of Witches, which is to learn. Learn, learn and learn some more. Let me tell you, I’ve been at this for a loooooong time, and there are still things that I learn each and everyday. For me, this goal applies not only to witchcraft specific topics but about anything else that interests me. When you learn, you exercise your brain, deepen your spirit and grow to enjoy life more fully.

As a witch, you must also apply your knowledge with wisdom. Knowledge alone is not enough. don’t accept everything you read at face value. Apply your own personal wisdom to it and check it against what you know to be right. Everyone has differences in opinions, and what may be true for someone else is not necessarily true for you. It is true that knowledge is power. But wisdom is the guidance that controls that power and allows you to use it with guidance.

The next goal is to achieve balance. This is a spiritual pursuit of many religions around the world, and for a good reason. We are meant to be balanced. We are of nature and nature is inherently balanced. If you look at things from a broad enough perspective everything is in balance. Winter’s chill is followed by the warmth of spring, and so on. When you apply this to your own life, you need to pay attention to where the energy of your life goes. Your life cannot be all about one thing and one pursuit. While it is fine to be driven, you also need to take time to honor the other parts of your life. My religion is a large part of my life, but I don’t spend 24 hours a day teaching Wiccan principles. I see movies, I walk my dogs, I have fun with my family, etc.

In my next message, I’ll cover the remaining 13 principles. Until then, think about how you can bring these 5 into your life more completely.
Brightest Blessing,

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