Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

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/

Dear Friends,

On my daily travels, I see lots of “Jesus loves you” bumper stickers and the like. While it makes me happy to see other expressing their faith so freely, it also makes me reflect on the cultural limitations that prevent me from expressing my own faith so freely. Oh, I’ve been out of “the broom closet” for years…but it wasn’t without a lot of personal struggle.

It takes a lot of courage to live your faith, and especially live this faith in a world that doesn’t quite understand what witchcraft is, and what it isn’t. Don’t worry if you’re not able to express your faith on the outside yet. It does take courage and time.

Living your faith is much more than wearing a pentacle or putting a “My Goddess Gave Birth to Your God” bumper sticker on your car. It’s about being true to you, on every level. It’s a high order, for sure, but with a little practice it can be done.

Before you can live your faith though, you need to understand yourself. You need to listen to your body and respect your needs; whether they be physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. In Wicca, more so than any other religion, your body is your temple. When you cast a spell, you use the entirety of your being and your being must be in good condition. Eat good foods, get rest when you need it and pay attention to how your physical body feels.

Also, pay attention to your dreams. They are the most powerful tool that you have for understanding yourself, and unlocking what your motivations are. Start a dream journal and try to remember and interpret as many dreams as you can. Slowly you will begin to unlock much more about yourself than you previously knew. It can be a fascinating and fun process!

There will be days when you don’t understand yourself. It happens to the best of us. There are days when you feel profoundly “unconnected” to yourself and vibrant world around you. These are days when you can’t remember your phone number, let alone your dreams. And barely have time to stop by the drive through on the way home.

I’m sure you’ve had days like this. How clear is your purpose on these days? Do you feel like yourself or like someone who is barely trying to get by in life? On these days it is important to spend some time refocusing yourself. A simple grounding and centering meditation will do the trick. It will work to refocus your energy and reconnect you to yourself and your purpose.

Being true to yourself also includes being true to your spirituality. Above all else, understand what you are doing in your practice of magick. Don’t just follow spells out of a book blindly (or even my advice!) If something doesn’t ring true for you, don’t do it. Part of the beauty of this faith is that it is so personal. There is no rulebook to follow, and the guidelines that exist are merely suggestions for you to adapt and absorb in your own ways.

Respect your beliefs by understanding why you believe them. And once you understand them, don’t let go of them. Hold to what you believe. If you’ve done personal exploration and understand your own views, its much more difficult for anyone else to convince you otherwise.

Above all, remember that living your faith is a daily process. Some days it will be easier than others, but over time you will begin to live your beliefs on the inside and outside. And that, my friend, is a beautiful way to live!

Blessings to you as you discover yourself,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring "Resident Witch In Charge"