Meet Cairelle, Witchy Living's Proprietress and Webmistress!
My personal path to witchiness began in New Orleans in 1967, when I was
born as the oldest daughter into quite an esoteric female line. Due to
various circumstances, I lived with my grandmother for many years as a
child, and during that time she introduced me to the moon, gardening,
astrology, reading cards, and all manner of spells, rituals, hexes, and
curses intended to keep me safe, keep me healthy, get me a man, keep
the money rolling in, and to kick some cosmic ass when needed. She's
gone now and I miss her terribly, but she has continued to guide me in
spirit form since her death in 2001. For this guidance I am very
grateful.
Since my childhood, I've expanded the ol' crooked path in a manner
that suits ME and what I like to do. Seeing as I grew up in New
Orleans, naturally I was particularly influenced by Vodou and hoodoo.
These paths are very important to my craft and I heavily incorporate
them into my workings and rituals. I read cards - the Tarot of Prague
and and two oracle decks, as well as a regular playing cards - but my
favorite deck is a unique specialty
combination deck I call the Molly, the combo of which was given to me
in a dream by my grandmother Mabel - "Molly" to friends and family -
hence my naming of the deck. I only hope to one day be as knowledgeable
and respected a cartomancist as my grandmother!
In addition to my love of cartomancy and hoodoo, I am addicted to
essential oils, bath salts, soaps, lotions, and candles - and I make
many different products for myself from these things, including ritual
oil and bath blends. I am very symbolic and ritualistic by nature, and
love the beauty that sacred objects bring to my life - I have a flair
for creating sacred spaces with just a few items.
I've been an RN for 17 years now, and so I approach witchcraft, and
life in general, in a totally holistic fashion - thanks to my years of
experience with Western medicine and with the most critically ill of
patients, combined with my love and knowledge of alternative medicine.
I have a knack for talking to people, and so over the years have
counseled witches of all paths about the difficulties we face and how
to overcome them. I am a very protective sort and will not hesitate to
do whatever needs to be done to ensure that those I care about stay
healthy, happy, and safe from harm - in other words, I'm not averse to
giving someone a good ol' Mississippi parking lot ass whipping!
However, I find it's much easier to work a little magick at my personal
altar - and I do such on a regular basis for friends, family, and those
in need who ask it of me.
To clarify, I am NOT Wiccan. I do not follow a three-fold law, the
Rede, or anything else that says I have to be a certain person or act a
certain way. I do have Wiccan friends and respect their path - but it
is not mine. I do continue to read and seek, and as a result I'm sure
my path will stay quite crooked!
My family was and to some extent remains Catholic - a very mainstream
religion - but when it is combined with various elements of hoodoo and
Vodou, as was done by the women in my family, the definitions and rules
change and it becomes a Traditional Witchcraft with a unique New
Orleans flair. This craft is purely goal-oriented - there is no
religion, rules, priests or priestesses - you just work to get what you
want. Period.
My upbringing in this style of craft has led me to believe that it
is necessary to embrace both light and dark. How can one be balanced if
only a single side is utilized? One cannot - therefore an exploration
into both sides is essential to fully grow as a practitioner.
My deity "worship" could be construed as somewhat peculiar - I feel
that divinity lies within and is accessed by each of us on an
individual basis. I work with ancestors and energy, and
personify such with the attributes of various gods and goddesses as I
see fit. Basically, I'm just my own kind of witch. Plain and simple. No
frills, no fuss. For me, being a "Sorciere' de la Nouvelle Orleans" is
not a religion - but rather is a manner of being, a craft, and a way of
life here. It's not good, it's not evil, it just IS.
In talking with people over the years from different beliefs and
paths, and in the meantime ultimately finding my way to where I am now
on my own path, I have come to realize that a lot of folks out there
want the benefits that living a witchy life can bring; they just don't
know how to get them. Since witchcraft is just that - a craft - witchy
living is a way of life that is open to all people, be they Pagan,
Christian, Jewish, Athiest, or any of the many religions and belief
systems that are out there. Every person, from every path, can live
their lives with that witchy spark - every day - and it's my goal to
make that possible for those who desire to do so.
Thank you for taking the time to "meet" me, and for stopping by Witchy Living!
