Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

Throughout the years I have had the pleasure of meeting an enormous variety of people. In fact, I absolutely relish meeting new people as it gives me an opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn new things. But in my years of meeting new people, particularly those that claim to share in my faith, I have also learned that it is wise to practice a certain level of caution when trying to connect with some Wiccan or Pagan groups.

There is a reason for this post, and this is not something that is merely coming out of the blue. I also must state from the get-go that I hope my post does not sound extremely harsh or judgmental. But recent personal events in my life have led me to share a warning with you my friends, so that you do not fall victim to the same problems that someone very close to me has recently experienced.

In many instances, when a person first starts to explore Wicca or other forms of Paganism, they are often solitary practitioners. As Paganism is not as wide spread of a faith as other religions, it is really a rarity to find others of the same beliefs as you in your area. Believers are often widely spread, and if there is a group of those that are like-minded, they often congregate without a lot of fuss and flair and are quite private in their gatherings.

Generally however, one can find such groups either by word of mouth or by searching for other believers that are in their area on the Internet. I do not want to sound like I am discouraging such practices, because I do in fact believe these resources can be extremely valuable in helping you to connect with others that share some of the same beliefs as you. I do however feel as though it is a moral obligation for me to warn you to take care and practice safety if you chose to meet with some of these groups.

Unfortunately, there are many people out there that form these groups that have ulterior motives that can ultimately lead to a great deal of troubles for you. Some are nothing more than scams seeking to take money, while others with more devious motives may be trying to form their own small “cult.” Sadly, thanks to Hollywood, some people have the wrong idea about what being a witch or being Pagan really is, and they base their beliefs on what Hollywood has taught them rather than researching valid and factual information.

I urge to take caution when contacting and meeting with these groups, and use proper safety as you would with meeting anyone new from the Internet. If possible, try to research the group before meeting to determine if they have recently been in any type of legal trouble. Always tell a friend or family member when you are going to meet them and where the meeting is going to take place so that someone always knows where you are. Never, ever agree to sign any type of contract or document without having it fully read over by an attorney, so that you do not legally bind yourself to any type of action.

I realize that such statements may seem out of character for me, but I feel this is very important news to share. While I do firmly believe that we should always look for the good in a person and be accepting of others beliefs, that does not negate the fact that we should stay use good judgment and practice safety first. I am in no way trying to sound like a fear monger, but I do believe strongly in sharing my feelings with those that I care about and do not want to see harmed, including all of you who are my dear friends.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

In previous posts, I have made reference to inscribing or anointing candles. I wanted to take the opportunity to share with you all the benefits of this practice, and the proper way to perform these tasks. Inscribing and/or anointing candles for use in your spells and rituals can be a wonderful way to add power to your magick, and is a very simple thing to do.

Any candle that you plan on using in a ritual should of course be properly cleansed and charged before use. It is not a very wise idea to just remove the candle right from it’s package and immediately place it on your altar to use. Any negative energy from those that previously handled the candle during manufacture or packaging can be left behind, and it is best to get rid of those energies before you use them in a spell.

A simple and easy way to cleanse your newly bought candles that will not cause them any damage is to just immerse them for a few moments in a strong saltwater bath. Wipe the candles dry thoroughly before lighting them. This is usually the safest way to cleanse the candles without any worry of them melting or becoming damaged.

You will usually want to inscribe your candle before it is anointed, as anointing with oil will of course make the candle a little slippery and more difficult to inscribe. The symbols that you use for your inscription are completely up to you, but should be symbols that are representative of the type of spell that you are performing. You may chose to use your preferred type of ritual writing using a certain dialect or symbol. Or you can simply use regular English. For instance, if you are performing some type of love spell, you may prefer to use symbols that are representative of love, or you can use initials or names. (Of course, this is just an example as you should never really perform a love spell that is focused on one particular person.)

To inscribe your candle you will need something with a sharp point that will easily be able to scratch through the surface of the candle. I have a very small ritual knife that fits easily in my hand that I use, but you can use anything that will work. Even a pin or the tip of a paperclip will work well, just make sure it is an item that you can hold firmly and easily control.

Once you have inscribed your candles, you will be able to anoint them for use in your spell or ritual. As with the symbols that you use, you will want to use an anointing oil that represents the outcome you desire for the spell that you will be performing. Following the love example for the symbols, you would use an oil that is known for love and attraction such as rose essential oil for the anointing.

Place the oil into a small shallow dish. You will not need a lot, and there is no need to waste oil. Just a few drops will do. Holding the candle in one hand, dip one or two fingers into the oil. Starting at the base of the candle, run your finger up towards the wick in once swipe to coat that section of the candle with oil. Turn the candle a degree, and repeat. Continue doing this until the entire candle is coated with the anointing oil. While you are anointing the candle, focus on the outcome which you desire, which will help to make the candle more potent for your intentions and make the spell much more powerful.

And that’s all there is to it. Inscribing and anointing a candle is very easy to do and will add an enormous amount of potency to your ritual. You can perform this on any candles that you will be using, regardless of the spell you are performing.

Brightest Blessings,

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

Dear Friends,

Even if you have no prior experience with astrology, chances are at some point you have heard people make reference to two people’s astrological signs being compatible or incompatible. Some people find astrological sign compatibility to be purely amusing, while others take it very seriously and would never consider a romantic relationship with a person if their signs were not agreeable.

This is a topic that I have been asked my opinion on many times, and one that I actually have strong feelings about. I myself use astrology routinely to determine when the timing is favorable for performing certain tasks. And yes, occasionally I have consulted the charts to determine relationship compatibility for myself and others. But do I feel that you should not enter into a romantic relationship with another individual just because the stars say it is not ideal?

Absolutely not.

Often times, people view astrology as the end all, be all in their choices. They feel as though because the stars say it is so, than it must be so. But as a true witch should understand, things are not always black and white. There are absolutely shades of gray that need to be considered as well. Each individual has the opportunity to make their own choice, regardless of whether the stars say otherwise.

For instance, have you ever taken the time to read a personality profile for your astrological sign. Many times, there is a good portion of that profile that is spot-on and defines you to a “T.” But usually, there is some information in there that when you read it, makes you say “Oh I’m not like that,” or “That’s not me.” Every single person has their own unique traits. Each of us is an individual. While I wholeheartedly believe that there is an enormous amount of truth and accuracy to astrological personality traits, our free will defines who we are, and affects the final outcome of our life.

So it is with our relationships. I myself am a prime example of how astrology can be incorrect in determining relationship compatibility not only in romantic relationships, but in friend and familial relationships as well. All of the people that are closest to me are born under signs that astrology deems to be incompatible with my own. Had I consulted with the charts and said to myself “Oh, I won’t be compatible with this person,” and avoided the relationship with that in mind, I would have denied myself the joy and pleasure of truly wonderful, loving relationships that have completely changed my life.

I say all of this to you my friends, to stress this one simple point. You are your own person, with your own free will. Nothing in this universe, not even the stars themselves, have complete control over your life. You are the captain at the helm, and it is up to you to make the choices that you feel are best for you.

Astrology is a truly awesome and amazing science to learn. There are many, many benefits to learning even simple astrology and it can be a powerful tool when used properly. But you should never let it control your life, especially when it comes to developing relationships with another person. The stars may say it won’t work, but the heart has other plans in mind. Now remember, I’m not saying there are times the stars aren’t right, but they can be wrong too.
The greatest gift we can ever receive is love. When your heart speaks to you, listen to it, regardless of what anyone tries to tell you.

Brightest Blessings,

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