Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear friends,

I was taking inventory of some of my belongings recently and decided that I really need to de-clutter. I love the idea of being very Spartan and not being tied to my belongings. On the other hand, I do love my stuff, too. It’s a constant battle.

The idea of “things”, however, got me to thinking about the different items and “props” that many people use in Wicca and witchcraft. There are some people that have lots and lots of items that they use on a regular, if not daily, basis. There are other people who prefer not to use props and find that they seem to hold them down. There are some, too, that only use special items for special rituals.

While each practitioner is different in the way that they practice, there are a few things that are fairly common to beginners and advanced witches alike. So what are they and what are they used for? (And most of all, do you have to spend a lot of money on them?)

Your altar:
You will probably do the majority of your spellwork and rituals around your altar so therefore you might find that you devote the most time on it. Your altar is generally stationary and doesn’t move around a lot so you can afford to keep quite a few things around it.

The altar itself doesn’t have to be fancy. I knew someone who used one of those cheap TV stands as their altar. It functioned because the shelf underneath, where you would place the VCR, acted as a good storage facility, and since it was on wheels it was also mobile. You might want to have one built or it could be a special piece of furniture. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it shouldn’t double AS a TV stand, either.

I always keep a selection of candles at my altar and re-stock up on them whenever I can. I keep my candles in a pretty box that stores nicely. You might wish to do the same. Your altar candle is your most important candle but you might want to keep a back-up one as well, just in case yours happens to burn out.

In another box, I keep my selection of gemstones and crystals. I found these really nice little satchets that hold the stones well. Some people have a lot of stones and have trouble remembering which one is which and write the names of the stones on slips of paper. Do this if it works for you.

I do know witches, however, that don’t use gemstones for magick at all so this might not even apply for you.

A small cauldron can be very useful if you plan on using herbs, candle wax, or oils. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should be fire resistant. I found a candle holder that was shaped like a cauldron once and I used it until I could find something else.

For special rituals I decorate my altar with flowers, foliage, leaves, and other things but these are not items that I necessarily have on hand.

Clothing:
If you ever go to a psychic fair or New Age convention you will probably see lots of booths selling a wide range of clothing. What are these and do you need them?

I know some practitioners that wear cloaks and other items of clothing because they make them feel more powerful. I say it depends on how you’re feeling at the time. However, if you want to go skyclad, then a cloak can be an easy way to undress when you’re outside.

Tools:

An athame might be something that you’re interested in. This is a double-edged ritual knife, but it’s not for sacrificing small animals. In fact, it’s often blunt because it’s more symbolic than anything else. Some use it to cut energy and direct energy and other things that a ritual might call for.

If you don’t have an athame, then you can also use a ritual sword or even a wand if you wish. You can purchase a beautiful, expensive wand or you can make your own.

A bolline, on the other hand, is a little sharper and is used to cut branches, herbs, and anything else that might need actual cutting. It usually has a curved blade and a white handle.

“Ingredients”:

For lack of a better word…Herbs, oils, and incense fall under this category and are very personal. These will vary according to the ritual and spell that you are performing. You might need a bowl to mix them in, or a cauldron to burn them in. Remember that that all oils are safe to drink so be very careful as far as this is concerned.

If you have no other items, then the one thing that you should possess is a Book of Shadows. This is a record of the spells and rituals that you have performed, thoughts that you have, dreams you’ve dreamt, and any visions that might have appeared to you. It’s yours and yours alone.

Brightest blessings,

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

Dear friends,

Dreams can be very magickal. These can provide us with visions about the future, but can also help us with the present and even offer us insight to the past. When we dream, we are allowing our subconscious to take a central role in our mind and we’re letting down barriers that we often keep up during the day. Whether we realize it or not, we place filters on our imagination, our thoughts, and our emotions yet when we dream these tend to dissipate. That’s a good thing.

Now, that’s not to say that all dreams are going to be important. Sometimes, dreams can merely be a compilation of foods that we ate, images that our brains recorded from television, shopping, or even driving down the road, and even from uncomfortable positions in bed.

I would venture to say, however, that for the most part dreams can be very telling and can be extremely important in helping us shed light on ourselves and the mysteries around us. Sometimes, we receive messages in dreams. Sometimes, we see things that we don’t allow ourselves to see during our waking hours. We might even experience astral projections in our dreams, occasionally without even knowing it.

The trick is being able to recognize these things and to be able to do that, we must be able to remember what we dream about.

Not everyone is able to fully remember their dreams. Some people cannot completely recall their dreams, but are reminded of aspects of them when confronted with something in their waking hours that reminds them of what they dreamt about-almost déjà vu. Other people can remember their dreams in such vivid detail that they could write a novel about their nightly adventures.

If you are not a person that can always remember your dreams, then there are some tips that might help you out. Just remember that they can take time to achieve so don’t despair if you are unable to remember them on your first try.

1. Give yourself some encouragement.
Before you go to sleep at night, tell yourself that you are going to remember your dreams. Sometimes, all you need is a little positive encouragement in order to jog your memory. By telling your subconscious that you are going to be able to remember what it was that you dream about during the evening hours, you might just be able to train your mind to really do that.

2. Wake up slowly.
When you first hear your alarm clock ringing, your instinct might be to hit “snooze” or to jump out of bed and start about your day. However, by not letting yourself wake up too quickly you are more likely to remain in that dream state. Turn your alarm clock off and spend the next few minutes lying in bed, thinking about your dreams. Do this slowly and without opening your eyes if possible. If you can remember your dream at this point, then go through as many details of it as possible. Go through the entire thing once or twice, until you’ve gone over every aspect that you can remember. You’re far more likely to remember it if you take the time to remember all the details when they are still fresh than if you try to recall it later.

3. Keep a dream journal.
Keeping a dream journal by your bed is another good way of remembering your dreams. Even if the dream doesn’t feel significant to you at the time, write it down. Don’t just write down the details, however. Also write down how you felt, what you saw, what you were thinking about before you went to sleep, what you ate before you fell asleep, and anything else of interest. This can not only help you remember your dreams, but can also help you differentiate any patterns that might exist as well.

4. Avoid things that might altar your subconscious too much.
Certain medications that are designed to help you sleep, as well as alcohol, can not only affect what you dream but how you remember it as well. Try to avoid these things on nights when you are searching for a vision or wish to make contact with the spiritual realm. While some might claim that they are helpful in such matters, it can also be difficult to ascertain what is chemical induction and what is real.

5. Tell someone.
If you have a roommate or a partner, then tell them about your dream as soon as you can. They don’t have to analyze it for you-it’s the fact that you’re saying the words out loud that will help you remember them.

6. Use herbal remedies.
There are some herbs that can be burned as incense or placed under your pillow that some people have luck with when it comes to remembering their dreams. These include mugwort, Valerian root, Fireweed, and kava kava.

I sincerely hope that everyone has pleasant dreams this evening and is able to find peace and contentment while doing so.

Brightest blessings,

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

Dear friends,

In a lot of books and movies, emphasis is placed on spells that brings one money, power, love, and other good things. In the real world, however, more often than not our spells are a lot less glamorous and instead focus on small things that are important to us.

Since having children, I have found myself doing a lot of protective spells. I worry about my children constantly and since I know that I can’t always be there for them 24/7 (although I would if I could!) I try to do things from time to time that will help me watch over them without my body being there physically.

So what are protective spells and how do they work?

It’s important to remember that there are some things that we simply can’t avoid. As apparent, this is difficult for me to adjust to, but logically I know it’s true. Still, there are many accidents that could have been avoided and some extra protection never hurt.

A good time to use a protective spell would be when you feel threatened yourself, when you know that you or your loved ones are going to be in a situation that requires extra caution, or when you have done everything humanly possible to avoid disaster and just need a little extra help.

For example, my oldest child recently went on a hike with a friend of the family. Now, I knew that he wouldn’t be scaling the Grand Canyon, but he’s little and I’m a mother and those things make me worry. So I placed a protective spell on him to ensure his safety while he was gone.

On the other hand, I have sometimes found myself in a vacant parking garage or walking down a city street at night and while I don’t have any logical reason to be afraid, I will sometimes do a quick protective spell around myself to make sure that I make it back in one piece.

There are also protective spells that you can do on your home. These are particularly useful if you’re moving into a new place or if your place has negative energy that you want to get rid of. Burning sage is a simple technique that can help you wash out the negative vibes. Just don’t forget to do the corners because pesky spirits like to hang out there.

Sometimes, if the energy is very bad, you’ll have to do it more than once. And there are still times when someone might enter your house with less than honorable intentions. But with a protective spell you can hopefully take the power of some of those intentions away.

There are some people that have protective symbols that they wear either on a daily basis or when they need a little something extra. A friend of mine has a pentagram necklace that she wears when she is feeling like she needs some extra help. I have a ring that I wear on occasion for the same reason. For you, it might be a scarf, hat, bracelet, or even a pair of shoes.

The important thing to remember when wearing something like this is that a lot of the energy comes from you and not always from the actual item itself. You should really do protective rituals on it from time to time to ensure that it continues to maintain its power.

If you are out walking down the street and feel a little uneasy, then you don’t have to stop in the middle of what you’re doing, bring out the crystals and the incense, and perform a ritual right there on the sidewalk. Instead, you can quickly imagine a powerful white light filled with love, safety, and positive energy around you. This might take a bit of control, but it’s also very helpful in warding off negative energy that might be coming your way.

When you’re doing a protective spell, you want to be very careful that you place the emphasis on good and not evil. So what do I mean by this? Well, you don’t want to toss the bad stuff onto someone else. For instance, you don’t want to wish safety to one person by hoping that the bad stuff instead happens to someone else.

As with anything else, there is only so much that you can actually control. If something bad does occur, it’s no reflection of your power or an indication that you did something wrong. Unfortunately, bad things will still happen from time to time and in many instances they were out of our control.

I look at a protective spell like I do a seatbelt. It’s better to have one on and offer yourself some protection than to not wear one and suffer the consequences.

Here is hoping that all of your loved ones remain safe, secure, and loved.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”

Dear friends,

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than curling up on the couch, grabbing a soft blanket and some comfort food, and popping in a movie. We did this just the other night, in fact. So that got me to thinking about some of the movies that I have watched in the past that have featured “witches.” The more I thought about them, the more I came to understand just why Paganism and Wicca is so misunderstood by the general population.

Rosemary’s Baby
Yes, Rosemary’s Baby is a classic. From Mia Farrow’s cute little bob (before the haircut) to Ruth Gordon’s over-the-top performance as the nosy next door neighbor. I recall watching this as a child and being terrified. (It probably is terrifying as a child.) As an adult, however, I shudder.

For those of you not familiar with the storyline, it’s about an upper-middle class couple who buy an apartment in Manhattan and immediately begin experiencing strange things. Guy, the husband, is a struggling actor looking for his big break while Rosemary, his doting wife, wants to be a mother. They make friends with the eccentric, but friendly, couple next door and things go downhill from there. Rosemary gets pregnant, but we later learn that Guy has actually sold her out to a coven of witches who, in turn, offer Rosemary to Satan in order to breed the antichrist.

Oh, where to start…This is another classic example of how Wicca and Satanism is unjustly combined. It’s also a good example of showing how little the world really understands about casting spells or hexes on other people. Guy has a hex placed on his rival so that his rival will become blind, thus opening up a great role for Guy. We would never really do this if we were smart because a good witch would know that it could come back on us times three.

I have really struggled with this movie and actually got on a message board about it where someone pointed out something that I had never considered-the “witches” never actually refer to themselves as witches. Rosemary calls them that, Rosemary’s friend calls them that, and a book that Rosemary’s friend lends her calls them that. The “witches”, however, never use the term themselves.

In doing some more history on the film, and most notably on the book that it was based on, I found out some other information. During the sixties and seventies, Wicca was rising in popularity possibly as a direct result of the women’s movement of the time. Wicca offered a female oriented viewpoint that a lot of other major religions lacked at the time and therefore it was quite attractive to those women (and men, of course) who were seeking a different pathway in religion that offered more power to women. Feminists, by and large, were barely tolerated in a lot of areas and it was a struggle that still continues today. “Rosemary’s Baby” was written during this time period so it’s possible that it’s not just a fun, creepy story but also a rant on feminism and women coming into more power.

Look at poor Rosemary, for instance. She tries to find something for herself and have her own life, and what does her husband do? He sells her body to the devil in order to advance his own career. Interesting stuff.

The Wicker Man

This is another very, very interesting movie. The plot is unique and honestly it uses some beliefs and practices in Paganism very well. The plot is that a detective (a wholesome, virginal detective) goes to a remote island to find a missing girl. What he finds is a place that still clings to the old ways and a community that actually drew him there so that they could sacrifice him in a wicker man in order to have a better crop.

Unfortunately, the movie is a product of its time in terms of style. The remake with Nicholas Cage wasn’t very good at all and I found myself rooting for the pagans, whereas in the original I had a lot more sympathy for the detective.

Still, I give the screenwriter credit for trying.

The Craft

I pick on this film a lot, but I really find it fun if you don’t take it too seriously. I imagine that young women all over the world are attracted to this movie and its lure pertaining to power and magic. Wouldn’t we all like to do a glamour spell and immediately have our hair and eye color changed? No more bad hair days for us!

There are bits and pieces to this movie that try to stay accurate, but in typical Hollywood style they over-do everything and exaggerate a lot. Still, it’s entertainment and harmless.

The Mists of Avalon

So the movie version of this is a little different from the gorgeously written novel, and it’s not actually about Wicca but more along the lines of Goddess worship, but I find the conflict in this very true to life. Sometimes, we have to accept our fates and be true to ourselves, no matter how much heartache that brings to us. There is a lot of beauty in this story, although you’ll only get an inkling of it if you simply watch the film and avoid the novel.

This is wishing everyone pleasant movie-watching and lots of entertainment.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne

Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”