Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Kitchen Witchery"

The luminous round moon in all its fullness inspires lovers and poets, and, some say, the wild and crazy. For us following the path of the goddess, however, it is a sacred time, full of energy and magic, worship and celebration. Foods at this phase of the Goddess in her Mother aspect - weighty, and at her full potential - should be rich, abundant, and celebratory. This is the perfect time for culinary alchemy, as magical energies are intoxicating and expansive. Gather herbs from your garden in the early light of dawn, and visualize your dream, knowing it will be. Trust in the Mother to honor your desires. Kitchen Blessing for the Full Moon Goddess, Mother, the end and the beginning The dusk and the dawn, I celebrate you! Bless me tonight as I stand here in love watch over me with compassion and fill me with your grace Accept my thankgiving as I left up my heart in joy, Blessed Be! During the full moon, celebrate! A roasted turkey, baked salmon, egg dishes, and bowls of steaming pasta topped with garlicky shrimp or roasted veg and pine nuts are all perfect choices to revel in the full moons energy. Choose foods for love that are sumptuous and seductive, and spices that are warm and sensuous. Moon vegetables such as mushrooms, potatoes, cabbage, and snowy cauliflower should be prepared with creamy sauces spiked with caraway, or tarragon, or paired with basil and juicy tomoatos, the fruit of love. Herbs and spices should be lively and uplifting, including mints, thyme, basil, and oregano. Use lots of freshly cracked peppercorns to add passion or protective energies. Spices should be fiery, like chili peppers and garlic, or sweet and alluring, like cinnamon an vanilla. For a full moon dessert, celebrate sensuality goddess-style, eat from plates brimming over with ripened fruits in season, assorted nuts and cheeses, sweet wine.......and anything chocolate!!

Quick list for now - more to come..... Pam cooking spray dries nail polish Mayonnaise kills lice Elmer’s Glue is a great face peel Put sugar on a burnt tongue Use unflavored jello for stinky feet Peanut butter removes scratches from CD’s wipe it off with coffee filters For a fungus on toenails and fingernails use Vick’s vapor rub

Witch jars are quick, fun, and typically created with supplies found around the home. For this Witch jar, incorporating items that come from the house is a great way to link the protective magick for your home back into the spell. Look around and see what you can find to personalize this spell. Work this spell on the night of the full moon. For this protective spell you'll need an old glass jar, like an old pickle jar or jelly jar. Wash the jar and lid out thoroughly and allow them to dry. Take a permanent black marker and draw a pentagram on top of the lid. Add to the jar several of the following items: * A clove of garlic * A few stray pet hairs (to add protection for your pets) * A cobweb from your walls * A few leaves from one of the trees in your yard * Old nails * Straight pins * Small bits of broken glass or a few colored marbles * A small pebble or rock from the yard * A straw from your household broom * Sea salt or table salt * The stub or drippings from an old protective spell candle Finally, fill up the rest of the jar with dried beans, barley, and dried rice (to absorb any negativity that is lurking around your home). Now screw the lid onto the jar and give it a good shake. Hold the jar in both hands and enchant the Witch's protective jar with this charm. This Witch's jar is filled with homey and simple things, Now absorb anger and malice, rice, barley, and beans. All negativity is drawn straight into this jar, My household is protected with the seal of the star. Keep the jar tucked away under the kitchen counter or in the corner of the most lived-in room. After a full lunar cycle has passed, at the next full moon, dispose of the jar in a garbage can off of your property. After you dump the jar, turn your back on it and walk away from the negativity. Don't look back. You are moving forward and on to bigger, better things.

Safe Alternatives to Commercial Cleaning Products Baking soda uses:freshens, cleans and deodorizes.Good scouring powder.Softens water in creasing the cleaning power of soap.Do not use on aluminum - it will turn black. Polishing paste for tarnished silverware, bathtubs, stainless steel sinks, toilets, etc., mix equal parts baking soda and warm water. Cover when not in use. Liquid cleaner mix 2 tablespoons baking soda with 1 pint warm water in a spray bottle. Use for mopping vinyl floors, cleaning compact disks or washing windows. Sponging - sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge and wipe scuffs, stains or crayon marks from painted walls, laminated counter tops, tile surfaces, and appliances like the microwave, stove top and fridge.Dry with a clean cloth. Borax (sodium borate):Cleans, freshens, deodorizes and disinfects. Softens water, prevents soap film.(when sprinkling powder, you may want to wear a painter's mask as this can, in some, irritate the lungs.) Soap:Biodegrades safely without polluting water.Sold as liquid, flake, powder or in bars.Check ingredients on label and avoid synthetic scents, colors and other additives. [super] Washing soda ([hydrated]sodium carbonate):Disinfectant.Cuts grease and removes stains, aids soap and prevents soap film. White vinegar:cuts grease, freshens. Cider vinegar, GSE and tea tree oil are naturally anti-fungal/anti-bacterial. Hot water and sunshine also kill germs. 3% food grade peroxide disinfects/freshens Mildewy shower curtains - you can get mildew proof cotton curtains. You can take down the curtain you have periodically and throw it in the washer with detergent or borax or baking soda or vinegar. Let it dry in the sun and rehang.Close the curtain after each shower to help prevent mildew.Or wash with 1/2 cup soap and 1/2 cup baking soda. Add 1 cup white vinegar to your rinse cycle. All purpose cleaner:1 tsp. liquid soap, 1 tsp. borax, squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar in 1 qt. of warm water. or:2 teaspoons borax, 1 teaspoon soap and 1 quart water in a spray bottle.Add vinegar or washing soda to cut grease. Disinfectant:1/4 cup borax in 1/2 gallon hot water.Used in Ca. hospitals for a year and met all the germicidal requirements.Or 2 cups hot water on 2 cups fresh thyme leaves. Steep 10 minutes. Strain, cool and put in spray bottle. Scouring powder:firm bristle brush with soap combined with either borax, table salt or baking soda.

The term "Kitchen Witch" brings up many different images to people, but the most common idea is that of a Witch who practices her art mainly thru cooking and common household skills. Another image is that of one who uses common everyday items in her art, drawing up memories of the Burning Times, when it was necessary to hide your working tools from those who would persecute you for their possession. While both of these images are certainly true ones, Kitchen Witchery goes far beyond magical cooking or using ordinary items as magical tools. One Kitchen Witch, Mama Rose, defines Kitchen Witchery in the following way: "My spirituality and my priestesshood and my magick are based around the concept that my home is my temple, all in it are consecrated and holy, and each action that I do is a portion of the ritual of my life." It is my belief that the heart of Kitchen Witchery is a talent for finding the sacred and magical in everyday tasks, a philosophy which "practices the presence of the Goddess" in daily devotion through ordinary actions. The Kitchen Witch makes the ordinary, extraordinary, the mundane magickal and by doing so, acknowledges the presence of the Divine in all things. The central core of Kitchen Witchery is learning to live consciously, developing the 'mindfulness' that Dr. Ardinger and others refer to. As Wiccans, we recognize the value of using symbols within ritual to create an altered state of consciousness, but we often forget that the symbols which surround us in everyday life can be used to the same way. They can be used to help us recognize the Sacred in our everyday lives and to assist us to adopt a lifestyle where our consciousness remains open to such change on a daily basis. Understanding and, when necessary, redefining the symbols which surround us is sometimes an important key to developing a higher level of consciousness about your actions. As in ritual, symbolism in everyday life is both a process and a tool in developing the habit of living a mindful life. Becoming more mindful involves recognizing the symbols around us and creating new symbols to create change. Living in the presence of the Goddess demands that we consider our every day actions and adapt those actions to fit our personal values. The old saying, 'we are what we eat" has a lot of truth to it. Become aware of what you are becoming through your daily dietary habits. Recognize the web of life connecting you and your food and honor it by consciously choosing a diet which supports your personal values and beliefs. Prepare a Sacred Feast Cooking is probably the most commonly recognized type of "kitchen witchery". Anytime that you feed people, you are performing a magickal act, nourishing the body and soul. This is why so many of our holiday observances are centered around food. Learning to create magickal foods and to cook magickally simply enhances this experience. Symbology in food varies as much as any other personal symbol set, but within any cultural or religious group we usually share a great deal of common symbology. This symbology can be used to enhance every meal or to make a meal for ritual more special. When planning a sacred meal you can use your personal symbol set, or you can research more about the common symbolism of foods through resources like The Kitchen Witch's Cookbook. Herbs Need some fast cash? All out of money-drawing incense? Look at your spice rack for some leafy green herbs such as mint, oregano, basil or parsley. Write the amount of money you need right now on a piece of plain white paper. Place the paper beneath a candle and light the candle. Scatter the herbs on a piece of charcoal in your incense burner. You can also scatter herbs around the candle if you wish. Use dried herbs for this: fresh ones won't burn. Supplement the herbs with any abundance-type self- burning incense to help the herbs burn if you wish. Forgetful? Try a "rosemary for remembrance" pillow. Simply tie some dried rosemary into a piece of cheesecloth and place it inside your pillowcase. Then you'll remember that you need to restock your money drawing incense! If you check your spell books, aromatherapy guidebooks, and natural medicine books, you'll find many more uses for common kitchen herbs. Extracts Remember when Granny Clampett on "The Beverly Hilbillies" had Ellie May put vanilla extract behind her ears before a prospective beau arrived? Turns out the old back country wise woman was right. Studies have shown that sweet aromas, such as vanilla, are alluring to men. Many perfumes on the market now contain vanilla. Make sure you include vanilla in the baked goods that you make for your favorite suitor (vanilla improves even the flavor of chocolate). Why not dab a bit on the pulse points if you're hoping for a night of passion? Perhaps you're up late studying for a big test. Instead of taking one of those harmful caffeine tablets, try sharpening your tired mental faculties by taking a whiff of the peppermint extract in your cupboard. If that doesn't do the trick, try taking the top off a jar of peppercorns and alternately inhaling the peppermint and the peppercorn. Now you're awake! Apple Cider Vinegar Feel the need for a cleansing or purification ritual? Before you begin, take a purifying bath by putting a cupful of apple cider vinegar in the bath. If showering, warm a cupful in the microwave for thirty seconds; pour over yourself in the shower. As you bathe, visualize a pure white light surrounding and protecting you. Chiropractors, massage therapists, and other body workers also recommend the apple cider vinegar bath after a treatment. People in New England and in the South often recommend tonics to stimulate the system, especially in the spring. A simple tonic is made by adding one teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar and honey to a little water. Sip slowly and visualize your system being renewed and energized. Learn the correspondences between common herbs and astrology, Witch workings and natural healing methods, and you'll find a wealth of simple abundance right there in your cupboards!

It does not take a lot of work, time, or money to transform an ordinary kitchen into a magical workplace. To begin with, there are many simple, yet effective, charms (such as a rope of garlic, a sun- catcher, or pentagram symbols) that can be placed in the kitchen for protection. A sunny kitchen windowsill filled with pots of magical plants not only looks good, but releases magical energies into the room. Even common culinary herbs that are found in the cabinets or nearly every kitchen possess strong magical properties. For instance, basil is traditionally used for exorcism, love, protection, and purification. Parsley is used for fertility, passion, and protection. Sage is used for healing, protection, and prosperity; and thyme is used for clairvoyance, courage, and love. Hang a "kitchen Witch" doll for good luck, and add magic to your cooking by drawing an invisible pentagram inside your pots and pans with a wand or athame. (A wooden spoon, fork, or knife can also be used.) A well-stocked Witch's kitchen should contain herbs, essential oils, a mortar and pestle (for grinding dried herbs and other magical things), candles, incense, an up-to-date lunar calendar, and cauldron for brewing potions. Smudge your kitchen with a sage bundle if you sense negativity. Anoint utensils and appliances with essential oils to bless and charge them with powerful vibrations. Editor's Note: never ingest essential oils. If you choose to anoint kitchen tools, either anoint the parts of the tool that do not come into direct contact with food, or make sure that there is no way that the oil will transfer from the tool to your food. Always stir food in a clockwise direction, and be sure to invite the Goddess and God into your new magical workplace. A WITCH'S KITCHEN BLESSING Blessed be this Kitchen of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Be warmed by the sacred light of the Goddess and the Horned One. May all that is created here by means both magical and mundane bring nourishment, healing, and sustenance, and cause harm to none. With love and peace, with joy and magic, be now and always filled. So mote it be! KITCHEN DEITIES Throughout the world many cultures have believed in and worshiped various kitchen gods and goddesses. These deities are generally regarded as benevolent, and their presence is said to offer protection against kitchen accidents, fires, and food poisoning; to keep negativity, ghosts, and evil influences out of the kitchen; and to bless all foods that are prepared. The Hindu god Annamurti (a form of the god Vishnu) is the patron deity of kitchens and food. Offerings of payasa (sweetened milk and rice) are traditionally placed before his bronze image at his shrine in southern India. In Japan, the god and goddess of kitchens are Oki-Tsu-Hiko- No-Kami and his consort Oki-Tsu-Hime- No-Kami. They are the children of the harvest god, and their main duty is to look after the cauldron in which water is boiled. Another Japanese deity associated with the kitchen is Hettsui-No-Kami. She is the goddess of the kitchen range. Each year on the eighth day of November she is honored in Japan with a Shinto festival called the Fuigo Matsuri. These Chinese god of the stove was a deity who was greatly respected, for he possessed the power to bestow a family with good health, wealth, and prosperity. To keep him from being offended, all family members would take great care not to sing, swear, cry, or kiss in front of the stove. To chop onions on or near the stove was also regarded as disrespectful and was forbidden. THE FOUR ELEMENTS In addition to the Pagan gods and goddesses of the kitchen, the spirits of the four ancient elements are strongly connected to, and make their presence well known in, the Witch's kitchen. The refrigerator is an appliance dedicated to air. Air is also linked to the steam given off by hot foods and boiling liquids. Fire (the source of heat and symbol of transformation) dwells within stove and hearth. Water rules over the kitchen sink as well as the liquids used in the preparation and cooking of foods and potions. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs and spices, and even meats and poultry are all gifts from our blessed planetary Mother. These foods that nourish and sustain us are, of course, ruled by the earth element. The elemental spirits of air, fire, water, and earth can be invoked at any time in the kitchen for protection, empowerment, magical aid, and so forth. It is through the use of these four basic elements that kitchen magic is created. KITCHEN OMENS AND SUPERSTITIONS The reading of omens is an art and practice dating back to antiquity. Omens reveal many things and are all around us, if we permit ourselves to be aware of them. They can be quite beneficial, especially in warning us of dangerous situations ahead of time. The trick is knowing how to correctly interpret the omen. The kitchen is one place in which many omens manifest. For instance, a rainstorm is portended by the repeated boiling over of a coffeepot and also by the accidental spilling of water on a tablecloth. Other omens include the following: * Money will soon come your way if any of the following things should occur: bubbles appear in a cup of coffee, you accidentally knock over a sugar bowl, rice forms a ring around the edge of a pot, or tea leaves float to the top of the cup. * Trouble is indicted by the accidental omission of spices from a recipe or by the spilling of salt. Be prepared for an argument with someone if you should happen to spill pepper on the kitchen table or floor. (According to occult tradition, these bad omens can be remedied by simply adding the spices, and by tossing a pinch of salt or pepper over your left shoulder, respectively. ) It is also said that if two persons stir the same boiling pot or sit together on a table, they will soon find themselves involved in a quarrel. * If your apron comes untied by itself and falls off while you are working in the kitchen, this is generally seen as a sign that someone is thinking about you. Some say that it means your sweetheart is having romantic thoughts about you at that moment. * It is believed by many to be an omen of good news when baked apples burst while in the oven, or when the salt and sugar are accidentally mixed up. * If a fork accidentally falls onto the floor, a woman will soon knock on your door; a spoon indicates the arrival of a gentleman. (In some parts of the world, the fork means a man, and the spoon a woman.) Unexpected or unwelcome visitors are also presaged by the dropping of a knife that sticks in the ground and by cracks that form on the shells of eggs boiling in a pot of water. * If you are engaged or wish to get married, according to an old belief once common in England, you should take care to never sit on a kitchen table, for this will break the engagement and also prevent you from ever being wed. * There are also numerous kitchen omens concerning bread. It is considered unlucky in certain countries to wash a bread-knife on a Sunday, cut both ends of a loaf of bread, leave a knife stuck in the loaf, or take the last slice of bread. Accidentally dropping a slice of bread with the buttered side down is also said to be a bad omen; however, it is a good sign if the dropped bread lands with the buttered side up. If you and another person reach for the same slice of bread at the same time, an unexpected visitor will soon appear. By: Gerina Dunwich