justalittleb-witchy

[justalittleb-witchy]

An important lesson we can learn from plants, especially those considered "weeds", is that if a system does not work for you, grow around it.

Dandelions cannot thrive trapped under a concrete roof, so they twist and spread and sprout between the cracks.

Tree roots will find their way through foundations and bricks to feed the tree.

Brambles will climb up and over fences designed to keep them out, if what's beyond let's them grow.

A sunflower in a pot will face the sun, not the room it's owner so desperately wants it to decorate.

Do what you need to do to thrive, irregardless of what others think you should do.

[justalittleb-witchy]

the cycle of life

[justalittleb-witchy]

Witch tip: Holiday Items in Spellwork

If after an event or holiday, you have something dryable (or otherwise capable of preservation) like flowers or eggshells, hold onto them and use them in spellwork (associated with that holiday/event).

Example: Valentines Day flowers can be:

-dried and crushed into a powder

-used for perfume

-placed on an altar

-used for decoration

-preserved and hung above your door

-used in a jar spell

-if edible, and sourced from somewhere that you’re SURE means they’re safe to consume, used in recipes

Etc.

Beyond the items basic associations, such as roses = love, they can be used for things associated with that holiday. Doubly so if it was “dedicated” to that holiday, such as something you were gifted during it or something made specifically for it (e.g. Easter eggs).

[justalittleb-witchy]

Hello my loves I’ll be answering faq’s !!

1. Will the gods be mad at me if I do x

No !! The gods do not get offended easily, they won’t be angry if you worship other deities as they aren’t jealous gods. They won’t be mad if you get messy, they won’t get mad at you if you don’t worship them daily. They understand, they’re divine of course they understand and have been around for many many centuries. They’ve seen wars, watched people grow, and more.

2. How do I communicate to the theoi?

Commonly you can pray, use divination, leave offerings, talk outloud, and write to them. Communication does not need to be a big and tricky thing, infact it doesn’t need to be complicated. How one does their practice may not line up to yours. However in all its form you need to build up a Kharis

3. Do I need to be a witch or pagan to be apart of this religion

No !! No you don’t need to be a witch or a pagan, you can practice this religion away from anything else and you don’t need to entirely believe in magic.

4. What is Khairs

Kharis – The act of giving to the Gods without expectation. Kharis [Χ��ρις, ha.ris] is a form of religious reciprocity. It is the belief that one should never approach the Gods empty-handed and always give to them without expectation. To practice kharis is to build a personal, reciprocal relationship with the Gods. TDLR; In Hellenismos, kharis is the idea of reciprocity, or giving back to the gods for their help and favor. It's a central concept in the practice of Hellenic polytheism, the worship of the Greek gods

5. What is the point of mythologies

The point of mythologies is lessons. The ancients didn’t entirely believe in the myths and took it with a grain of salt. So no the gods aren’t going to smite you but that doesn’t mean you should be out right rude to the theoi.

[justalittleb-witchy]

My favorite simple ward, by far, is a mirror facing outwards. Let anything that tries to come in be reflected back outside. It is a great building block for more complex wards, or it can simply be left as is, with or without nuance.

My favorite simple wards to guard the home

Hanging rosemary above the doorstep, and/or above doors of the house for protection.

Sprinkling a line of dried red pepper on a windowsill, to counter a curse.

Placing a mix of dried & ground eggshells and black pepper in every corner of a room to keep out unwanted spirits.

Placing a decoration representing a witch in the kitchen, to keep away illness and to favor health.

Crafting an effigie (no matter how crude!) and make it into the guardian of your home by charging it with your intent of protection and placing it near the front door.

Crafting small witch ladders to hang around the house.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Localise your practice. You don’t need to offer the things traditionally associated with your deity if you don’t have them. No wheat or barley to offer Renenutet? The dandelion in your garden will do just fine if that’s what fits your practice. No moonstone for Artemis? A pretty rock you picked from the forest will look amazing on her altar.

Our gods were worshipped around a wide geographical range, with diverse cultures, plants and animals. Don’t let the unavailability of certain resources stop you from worshipping in a way that is authentic to you.

[justalittleb-witchy]

this is probably a very dumb question so im sorry in advance: but for praying to the Gods, is making khernip & the barley stuff absolutely necessary? is it vital? istg ill do more research but right now im just very confused haha

Here's the interesting thing: khernips and its use in modern Hellenic Polytheism isn't entirely "correct" (I don't like using this term in this context but I cannot for the life of me think of a better term atm).

Fel the Blithe explains this very well in their Purification & Cleanliness video, but I'll give the general gist here.

Khernips/lustral water was indeed a thing, just not how we view it. We tend to think of it as either burning something and extinguishing it in clean water while saying a prayer, or alternatively gathering sea water or making salt ("sea") water by adding salt to clean water. But the reality is that historians and archaeologists can't come to an agreement due to insufficient evidence as to what this water was for absolute certainty.

One source talks about khernips as we know it but even then the passage itself is iffy. Greek Religion by Walter Burkhert is viewed as a generally good source by most in the helpol community. I haven't fully read it yet so I cannot give my own opinion on it. But, here is what he had to say about lustral water:

"There is no consecration of the water, but often it must be drawn from a particular source... Occasionally, the water must be fetched from further afield, from an ever-flowing spring or from the always powerful sea... The purifying power of fire is joined to the power of water when a log is taken from the altar fire dipped in water and used to sprinkle the sanctuary, altar and participants."

Is this universal? Is this just from one city or temple? Was this the norm or only for a specific ritual or festival? Who knows!

So, what does this mean today? This doesn't negate khernips as we know it as invalid. After all, it is technically historical. However, we can't say for certain that it was the common person's method of cleansing before prayer, ritual, offering, etc. all across Ancient Greece.

Another method of cleansing one's self via water is spring water or water from a flowing river. In Ancient Greece, it was expected of one to cleanse, pray, and give an offering to the god presiding over the river that the person is about to cross. And they cleansed themselves with the water from the river.

Keep in mind that times were different. The concept of clean water was very different to us now. In today's time, clean water is a given and typically easily accessible (there are, of course, exceptions, but in comparison to hundreds of years ago, it's safe to make this general statement).

All of this to say, taking a shower, washing your hands in tap water, or splashing your face with it can be and is just as cleansing as khernips/lustral water because technically it is lustral water. If we're defining lustral water as clean water, then yeah, tap water from the sink or filtered water from a water dispenser is absolutely lustral and therefore spiritually cleansing!

But as for its use, cleansing yourself is typically a requirement before approaching the gods. Of course, there are exceptions, both modern and historical. There are plenty of mythos that show someone in desperate times praying without doing the proper ritual of the time (cleansing, offering, etc.). But overall, it is considered vital to be clean before the gods.

However, I don't really know what you're referring to when you say "barley stuff". Are you talking about Zeos Ktesios and the corresponding vase/container?

TLDR: "is making khernips absolutely neccessary?" is kind of two questions: is khernips itself necessary and is making a cleansing water to cleanse with before approaching the gods necessary. No to the first, yes to the second. But "making" a cleansing water is as easy as collecting tap water or filtered water. Whenever I'm about to approach the gods, I cleanse my hands with water (just water usually) before putting some of the water on my face as well. Hope this helped, anon!

[justalittleb-witchy]

You just have to be good at one thing.

Hear me out. This is just an example, but let's just say the one thing I can actually do really well on a magical level is dig a ditch.

It's a super earthy activity. It makes sense to me. Earth stuff just works well for me. The technique I've found to do this magically is really fulfilling to me - maybe I draw lines in trays of salt, or go outside and dig with a trowel. And it works for me.

When I magically dig a ditch, magical ditches are dug.

Someone wants a friendship spell? I dig a friend-shaped ditch around them that friends fall into.

Someone wants money? I dig a sloping ditch that leads from Money to their bank account.

Someone wants protection? I dig a ditch and use that as a foundational barrier, like a moat.

Other stuff might not work. Maybe I can't really raise up a wall. Maybe when I try to work magic with the conceptual energies of money and prosperity in a candle spell, it just fizzles out and falls flat. Maybe I can't conjure a spirit road for shit, unless I'm digging a lazy river for the spirits to float down on.

I enjoy casting a wide net and doing many magical experiments, but lately I've been leaning into magic that just works really well for me. And what I've realized is that I end up doing the same things, over and over again.

Maybe all I can do magically is tie a knot. Maybe all I can do is break a stick. It kind of feels like cheating, like mashing a combo move you know will win every time. Simultaneously, it makes me feel like I'm not as well-rounded as I thought I was. All I'm doing over here is digging ditches.

Anyway, I just wanted to say ~ I think an important avenue of exploration is finding any little thing you can reliably do, and going full hog. After all, life as we know it would collapse without ditches.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Apologies if this question was rhetorical, but I’d like to try to help if it was not

The gods will not abandon you, they are very forgiving. I am sure that your love and intentions are felt. I can not begin to communicate how not-alone you are, how common this fear is, how many practitioners before you have had the same struggles. Caring for yourself is an act of worship. Knowing yourself, your wants, your needs, is living with the gods in mind. They don’t expect you to push yourself to the point of breaking, they’d want you to take care of yourself and do as you must. They want your betterment, and that starts with understanding and kindness to oneself.

A lot of people have this idealized version of devotion in their minds. This ritualized worship, that has to be done by routine—but it doesn’t have to be that way. Chaotic, sporadic worship is just as legitimate, if that’s what you can give/is what’s best for you. And a relationship isn’t only about giving; don’t define it based off of what you can give, because you will (unfairly and cruelly to yourself) find yourself lacking. If you define yourself by what you can and cannot offer, it can damage your self-image and feelings about self worth. Think about how many people come to objectify themselves and only find their worth in service by thinking of themselves in this way. You don’t have to be able to give to be worthy. You just have to be. To exist. That’s what makes you worthy. I know it’s hard to keep this mindset, but self-love and self-appreciation is an ongoing journey for everyone, and it meets you where you’re at. Keep trying, and you’ll get farther and better than you ever imagined.

Take smaller steps. Do what you can. The fastest route to burnout is giving what you cannot give, what you do not have the energy to give.

Something small that I do is that I have certain clothes colors dedicated to specific deities I worship. Whether or not I have the energy to set an intention on a specific day, or the ability to hold them in my mind, those clothes are Their clothes, for lack of better phrasing. Wearing it is an act of offering, one I don’t have to consciously choose each time I put it on.

I have other aspects of my routine, of things I have to do, dedicated to the gods. I don’t think of Lady Aphrodite every time I wash my face, but it is an act I’ve dedicated to her. It’s an act I do in honor of her, and because I need to. I keep small items, in her image, near the stuff I use to get ready every day. In that way, I’ve incorporated her into my routine. I may not remember to do specific things every day, such as wear a cologne dedicated to her— truth is, my brain is scrambled enough that I rarely am able to remember. But that doesn’t make my worship, my practice, my devotion, or my love less legitimate.

Per research, it may be helpful to look into “low spoon” devotional activities. People make lists regarding that, usually centered around their specific disabilities.

Another thing I do is seek out and interact with content about the gods, because it brings me joy and keeps them in my mind. I enjoy seeing other’s acts of worship. This, to me, is also an act of devotion, because I am expressing my love for them, my willingness and desire to learn about them.

Living in their image is also worship. Being kind, being loving, being bold— whatever their image means to you.

And remember, the gods are gods— they have many disabled devotees. You’re not the first or the last person they’ve adored that has been like you. They understand, they are forgiving— even though there is nothing to forgive. This isn’t something you’d need to ask for forgiveness over— the challenge can be forgiving yourself even when you’ve done nothing wrong, but your guilt infests you anyways.

They love, they understand— and they are willing to help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, for guidance, for suggestions, directly from them. It’s not always easy to “hear” and understand what they’re saying, but they may help in loud or subtle ways. Sometimes it just takes a while to hear or understand their voice. I’ve received signs before where I didn’t understand what it meant until years down the line— there’s no pressure to understand things, to see things, right away. Even if you can’t feel them, they are there. Even if they are quiet, they are there. Even when you’re busy, they are there. In your corner, supporting you, loving you, understanding you. They are there for you.

Some links (I haven’t used tumblr in a while so please let me know if they don’t work right):

https://www.tumblr.com/justalittleb-witchy/773785059996106752

https://www.tumblr.com/justalittleb-witchy/773602837241495552

https://www.tumblr.com/sunkissedchai/770826598357336064/seeing-this-the-day-after-i-was-told-this-it-is

https://www.tumblr.com/wingsofaphrodite/770337613899022336/low-spoons-devotion-ideas

https://www.tumblr.com/justalittleb-witchy/770790046687199232/devotional-actions-as-offerings

https://www.tumblr.com/justalittleb-witchy/770698822744719360/fear-of-punishment-and-fear-of-angering-the-gods

How does someone with adhd + executive dysfunction practice their worship?

I've been unable to light Their candles nor properly talk or offer things to Them (other than the stray "hello my Lord/Lady [Name]" and lighting Their incenses) and I walk past Their altar every day and I feel so weak and I don't want to feel like They are just a stray thought or a passing hyperfixation.

I know I can't control my mental obstacles, but it's hard to overcome them or get around them. I'm trying so hard to live, let alone breathe. I keep Them in my mind and my heart every day, but is it enough? Am I okay?

I love you, Lord Apollo ☀️

I love you, Lord Ares ⚔️

I love you, Lady Artemis 🏹

I love you, Lady Aphrodite and Lovely Eros 💕 💘

I've not abandoned You. I can only hope You've not abandoned me.

[justalittleb-witchy]

[justalittleb-witchy]

One of the things I love about my beliefs is that I can communicate with deities through divination. You aren't sure about whether they'd like something? Just ask them directly. The fact that a divine being perhaps from another realm chooses to answer me and bless me is insane. Despite all my silly mistakes, I am grateful.

[justalittleb-witchy]

When it comes to kitchen magic (or really witchcraft in general), people get too hung up in correspondences, esp when first starting out. And I think focusing too heavily on correspondences is what ends up making people feel like they cant advance their craft.

In my opinion part of it is "you need to make your own correspondences". Sure some rosemary in a stew might work for healing or purification, but do you also associate the herb that way? I think of my beautiful rosemary bushes over the years, tying and drying their branches, the beautiful scent, previous spells I have done. It feels me with a certain feeling of safety that I can then channel into my work.

When it comes to cooking, I feel like it's a lot of energy work. All spell work incorporates our energies in some way, I especially feel it with cooking. Your hands and cooking tools are vessels to transfer your energy. You transfer your energy when you knead bread, cut veggies, wash the rice, stir the soup, you get the idea. Yes you can focus on a specific mantra, but the point is you don't always have to do that. You using your energy to change ingredients into something new, something nourishing for the body, is magic in and of itself.

I also use my energy to charm my tools instead of individual meals/drinks. A special tea cup charmed with a spell to bring me relaxation doesn't need me to do a small spell or mantra every time I make a cup of tea (because I would forget to do that anyways). Instead it holds the calming energies I have already given it until I feel it needs to be charged again. A favorite soup stirring spoon is going to spread my love to every meal I make using it just because it has picked up my own energy throughout its use.

I think just accepting the magic of the everyday and of your energy is esp important for those of us who feel like we have less spoons. Me cooking uses enough of my precious energy, but it's something I do out of love and because I enjoy it. That's where the real magic is.

[justalittleb-witchy]

i saw one for lord ares and lord apollon and i had to make one for lady aphrodite

(edit: i forgot to put her name, sorry)

[justalittleb-witchy]

I’m so insanely frugal/penny-pinching that the devil card has become a reminder that money is meant to be used. It often comes when I’m just getting through the drudgery of life, not really doing anything to enjoy it. The core theme of imprisonment collides with the theme of materialism for me, because allowing myself to buy small things, to enjoy life, is freedom.

In my opinion, the meaning of cards can even shift between decks, depending on authorial intent, symbolism, personal associations, etc. The cards are then further informed by the context of your life and who you are as a person. It doesn’t, for example, make sense to warn someone about self-isolation when they push themselves to be extroverted (to the point of their own detriment) or vice versa.

Everyone who plays around with Tarot cards long enough winds up with a “bad” card that they love. I just barely persuaded my husband not to get the Ten of Swords tattooed on his body; traditionally, it shows a corpse with ten swords stuck in their body and means “utter ruin,” but he thought that if it took ten swords to kill you, then you must have put up a pretty good fight.

honestly this is the most badass ten of swords interpretation i've ever heard.  i'm stealing this

[justalittleb-witchy]

Small fun thing about gods: sometimes they co-opt each other’s signs, if they see that something has worked in the past.

Years ago, I prayed to one of the deities I worship, explaining that while I knew he was always there, it was frequently difficult to feel his presence. It made me feel very lonely. Not long after, one of the comments I wrote about him got very popular. I consistently got notifications from that comment. Weird, but not unheard of. Except, three years later, I STILL get notifications about people liking that comment. That IS unusual— especially since the ratio between my comment’s likes and other comment’s likes is 7:1, minimum. Some comments on that same post only have 1 or 2 likes— mine has 700. Still, I didn’t really put two and two together until a reading pointed out that that was probably a sign, saying “hey, I’m here, I’m reminding you that I’m here, like you asked me to.”

Anyways, back to the main topic: I’ve been questioning whether or not an offering of mine was accepted, because I wanted it to be special and heavily overthought it. Lo and behold, I open up a specific app— and I have a notification from a comment from 2 years ago, left on a video SPECIFICALLY about how to determine if a deity accepted your offering (a video made by a worshiper of the same goddess). So, yes, it does seem like that offering was accepted lol

[justalittleb-witchy]

Bewitching Your Coffee

I am 100% a coffee drinker. I love drinking it black, I love it in lattes and cappucini (yes, that's the actual plural of cappucino), and I especially love the experience of sharing coffee with another person. And, like everything that comes out of my kitchen, I like finding ways to make coffee more magical.

But even though coffee is a daily essential for a lot of us and has a long history in folk magic, people don't talk about it nearly as much as tea magic. I did some digging, and this post contains my research into the magic and lore of coffee and the things we like to add to coffee. I hope my fellow kitchen witches find this helpful!

Correspondences of Coffee and Common Coffee Add-ons

Coffee: Used for grounding and to anchor a spell in the physical world. Useful in spells for mental clarity and enhancing psychic senses. Used in several types of American folk magic as an offering for spirits. Author Starr Casas uses coffee for powerful cleansing and blockbusting in her Southern folk magic practice. Because of its association with energy and movement, coffee can be used to add strength to spells. I personally associate coffee with the Earth and Air elements and with the planet Uranus.

Milk has different correspondences based on whether you are using cow's milk or a plant-based milk.

Cow's Milk: Associated with nurturing, love, and abundance. In pagan Ireland, offering someone milk was an effective blessing. Milk and cream are said to be favorite offerings of fairies. I associate cow's milk with the Water element and the Moon.

Soy Milk: Soy may have been a sacred food crop in ancient China and is associated with blessings. During the Japanese festival Setsubun, soy beans are used to repel bad spirits and draw good fortune in a practice called mamemaki -- soy products can be used in spells for protection or good fortune. Use soy milk or other soy products in spells for success, good luck, and prosperity. I personally associate soy milk with the Earth element and with the planet Jupiter.

Almond Milk: Associated with prosperity, wealth, and success in business, as well as with increasing wisdom. Almond milk and other almond products are associated with the Air element and the planet Mercury.

Coconut Milk: Associated with purification, healing, and protection. In African American magic traditions, coconut can be used for peaceful home work and protection work, as well as ancestor offerings. Coconut is associated with the Water element and the moon.

Oatmilk: Associated with prosperity and money magic. Oats are associated with the Earth element and the planet Venus.

Sweeteners attract sweetness and good fortune. Different sweeteners have their own associations.

Sugar: Associated with love and lust. In Southern folk magic, sugar is sometimes used in money work. Sugar is associated with the Water element and the planet Venus.

Brown Sugar: Has the same associations as regular sugar, but works more slowly because it contains molasses.

Honey: Associated with home, family, love, and blessings. In Southern folk magic, honey is sometimes used in domination or control work, especially honeycomb. I personally associate honey with the Water element and with the planet Venus.

Maple Syrup: Associated with love, money, and long life. I personally associate maple with new life and transformation based on Robin Wall Kimmerer's writings about them in Braiding Sweetgrass. Associated with the Air element and the planet Jupiter.

Artificial Sweeteners (Splenda, xylitol, and other man-made sweeteners): There's very little written about the magical uses of these sweeteners, but I personally associate them with creativity, innovation, and new discoveries. I associate these sweeteners with the Air element and the planets Mercury and Uranus.

Caramel* is actually made from sugar, which is cooked over low heat until it caramelizes, or turns brown. Caramel has the same magical associations as sugar, but with a stronger connection to Fire energy and to transformation.

*Note: In the US, "caramel" is often made with corn syrup. For example, the caramel drizzle at Starbucks is basically 100% corn syrup, or at least was when I worked there a few years back. This isn't to say you can't work magically with corn syrup-based caramel, but the energy will be different. I don't have experience here because I have a corn allergy, so I'd love to hear if anyone has experience working with corn syrup in witchcraft!

Chocolate** is originally from Latin America and was an important ceremonial drink in Mayan culture. In Mexica (Aztec) culture, chocolate was used as currency and was said to be a gift from the gods. It was associated with the devil and with witchcraft when it was first brought to Spain by colonizers. Later, during the Renaissance, it was seen as a miracle cure for all kinds of medical conditions. Based on its history, chocolate can be used in magic for love, sex, energy, spirituality, magical abilities, and healing. I personally associate chocolate with the Fire element and with the Sun.

**Note: Scott Cunningham includes a note on "chocolate" in his book on magical herbs, but this is actually carob, Jacaranda procera. The cacao tree, which produces chocolate, is Theobroma cacao.

Cinnamon is associated with success, healing, adding power to spells, spirituality, wealth, and protection. Cinnamon is important in Christian folk magic because of its use in the Bible. In Southern folk magic, cinnamon is used for money, luck, and lust and is said to work very fast. It can also be used for blessings and protection spells. It is associated with the Fire element and the Sun.

Clove is probably most famous for its use in spells to stop gossip, but it is also used to drive away harmful spirits and to attract wealth. It is also sometimes used in love and sex magic and for successful business work. It is connected to the Fire element and the planet Jupiter.

Ginger adds power to spells and situations. It is used in spells for love, money, success, and healing, but it can be included in any spell to add power or make results happen faster. Ginger is associated with Fire and with the planet Mars.

Hazelnuts have long been used in Western European folk charms for luck and good fortune. It is said that eating hazelnuts makes you wise and can increase fertility. Hazel is also associated with protection and with granting wishes. It is connected to the Air element and the Sun.

Lavender is used in love spells, especially spells to attract a masculine partner. It also has a strong association with peacefulness and with calming emotions. It is sometimes used for protection and is said to both attract and banish spirits, depending on the source. Lavender has a long historic connection to the queer community. It is associated with Air and the planet Mercury.

Nutmeg is most famous as a good luck charm, but it is also used for healing, money, and success. In Southern folk magic, it is used mostly for money, success, and good luck. It is associated with Fire and with Jupiter.

Peppermint is commonly used in healing magic, but it can also be used for purification, attracting good spirits, divination, love, and money. In Southern folk magic, peppermint is used for hex breaking. It is associated with Fire and the planet Mercury.

Vanilla is strongly associated with love and comfort. It can sometimes be used in lust spells. Scott Cunningham mentions using vanilla to replenish lost energy. It is associated with the Water element and the planet Venus.

Magical Coffee Brews

With these ingredient correspondences, you can easily mix a spell into a coffee drink. For example, a pumpkin spice latte (which is made with pumpkin pie spice, i.e., a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) can be a spell for money and success. A lavender latte with oatmilk could be an excellent love spell, especially for queer love. A peppermint mocha (coffee with chocolate) could be a healing spell. There are lots of possibilities for a magic brew!

Sources:

Witchcraft for Everyone by Sam Wise

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

Hoodoo Herbal by Starr Casas

Jambalaya by Luisah Teish

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Wikipedia article for soybeans

Wikipedia article for Setsubun

"History of Chocolate" on History.com

"Chocolate: From witchcraft to miracle worker in early modern Europe" by Erin Alice Cowling, published in The Conversation

[justalittleb-witchy]

Easy Ways to Kitchen Witch

If you're new to the craft, or if your path is recently at a cross roads where you're feeling more drawn to kitchen witchcraft, you might be looking for some easy ways to start. So often when you picture Kitchen Witchcraft, you think of elaborate meals of baked goods beautifully decorated. And sure, that can be part of it; but if you try to make Instagram worthy food for every meal, you'll burn out real quick. So how can you Be a Kitchen Witch without braking bank or burning out?

Stirring your intentions

This is going to be brought up any time talking about Witchcraft and Food, so I figured I'd get it out of the way first. The idea being if you want to add energy or personal intention to food, so that when it's consumed the magic activates. A lot of witches swear by: Stir Clock Wise to Add, Stir Counter Clockwise to banish (Get rid of bad stuff in food). I've mentioned this before, I personally don't feel like this makes a difference. Instead, what makes a difference is stirring towards you to add Energy and intentions. Stir away from you to Banish or remove. Which direction is Towards/Away? Whatever way feels right to you.

The neat thing about stirring is you can do it with any food or drink. You don't need to be actively cooking to do some stirring. You can use a straw, a fork, a spatula; whatever. And if you have something that can't be stirred, like a slice of pizza, try turning the plate.

Candle to Raise Power

Any time you're cooking in the kitchen, or doing anything in the kitchen, consider lighting a candle. I have a round candle holder with a lid that I wash and reuse. Just plop a tea light or votive candle in there. Candles are great at heightening the energy in a room, and as someone who's struggled with depression and motivation, I've found this little ritual/routine helps gets me going.

A few tips, first you wanna make sure the candle is in a place where you can see it but not in a place where it may get in the way. I keep mine on the back of my prep counter. Next, avoid strong scented candles. Scented candles can be great for a lot of occasions, but the smell of the candle can muddle or mute the smell of the food. Finally, as with any time you use candles, please practice good fire safety.

Spell Ingredient Correlations can Carry Over to Food

Have you done extensive research on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme? Well I got good news! All of that research was not for nothing! Herbs and Spices used in Witchcraft and Spells are commonly used in food. If you use cinnamon in a lot of your spell work for prosperity and success, try throwing some in your food with similar intentions and see how it goes.

Granted, this is not going to apply to every spell ingredient as many plants used in witchcraft are toxic. Or at the very lest can be problematic when consumed in large amounts or if pregnant. So please use some caution and common sense. A little research can take you a long way.

Simmer Pots

These are great ways to elevate your home's energy. Also a good way to use up some dried ingredients that's been laying around. A simmer pot is not anything special. You can take any small pot you got, fill it about halfway with water, add dried or fresh herbs, and leave it on the lowest heat setting on your stove, uncovered. Everything will simmer and release amazing aromas and energy. The properties of the ingredients in your pot can release into the air of your home. This can be good to do in colder months when cleaning. Just warms up everything.

Saucy Symbols and Sigils

If your oils and sauces are in easy pour bottles, consider getting a little creative when you use it. Gunna put some Ketchup or Siracha on that? Why not draw a pentacle. Oiling a pan? Maybe cook your food in a symbol of infinity or life. Or create your own symbols and meanings. Add them to your food to help elevate their magic. You may feel limited by the pour spout, but remember it comes down to intention. But if it makes you feel better, you can always transfer your sauces to bottles with more precise pour.

Make a Magic Potion

If you are not a huge fan of Cooking or Baking, remember there's still options for Kitchen Witchcraft. Magic Drinks. You can infuse your magic into syrups, juices, teas, cocktails, mocktails, smoothies, and more. There are options for people who can't consume alcohol, caffeine, dairy, sugar, any dietary restriction. I think I a lot of people write this option off because they think it focuses too much on alcohol or they don't like tea/coffee. But there's a lot of options when it comes of conjuring drinks.

Cook with Sun and Moon Water

If you're not familiar with Moon water, it's fairly easy to make. You fill a glass jar and leave it out in moonlight to charge with moon energy. Same idea for Sun Water. I find Sun Water is better for general Cooking and Moon Water is better for Teas as the energy from moon water is more mellow.

Adding some Solar Energy with Sun water to soups or to cook your rice and pasta in can help infuse your food with some Solar energy. It ups the overall energy and power of the magic in the food, as well as adds success and thus increases the chance of things working. There's also many other benefits, but listing them all might be worth their own post.

Kitchen Witchcraft is more than Cooking

I think the most important thing to remember is that Kitchen Witchcraft is not just food. Kitchens are often the heart of a home, and many things will go on and get done in a kitchen. Family meetings or get togethers may happen in the kitchen, people may do their reading or web surfing there. Or maybe it's where they do their homework or paperwork. They may do their hobbies at the table or counter. There's more than just food going on in the Kitchen.

So, feel free to expand out. Do some crafts with kitchen supplies or for your kitchen. Protective charms and garlands made out of cinnamon sticks and other items. Or just try other kinds of Magic. Maybe you like the idea of knot magic and want to try knitting a protective scarf. Or you like plants and want to get into garden magic. You don't need to stay in some box; try some stuff out!