A Little Kitchen Wytchery, aka the magical mickie

 

Kitchen Magick

All of the delightful aromatic herbs and spices that we cook with carry magickal properties. There are also specific foods, vegetables, and fruits particularly, that manifests magickal energy.

In this section, we’re going to dive into the quaint and delightful world of the Kitchen Witch. Her world is filled with aromatic and delicious dishes whipped up with secret ingredients, a wide variety of intentions, copious amounts of natural witchery, and perhaps a cackle or two.

The Kitchen Witch always has a pot of tea at the ready, a cozy hearth fire burning, and plenty of chairs ‘round the kitchen table. 

However, as you prepare to take a delightful bite of her warm muffins, her fresh bread, or her delectable dessert, ask yourself… “What magick is she working on me?”

The following are lists of foods that raise energy for particular purposes with a variety of correspondences, including elemental, astrological, and planetary:

Planetary Correspondences: 

Sun: to promote health, spirituality, strength, success:

      Dried foods, raisins, wine, rice, dehydrated foods, pineapple, oranges, squash, corn, olives, pretzels

Moon: To infuse food with Goddess energy:

     Butter, eggs, watermelon, grapefruit, yogurt, milk/milk products,

Mercury: To enhance communication:

      Celery, dill, fennel, marjoram, mulberries, peppermint

Venus: To promote romance:

      Apples, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, cardamom, sugar

Mars: To promote courage and aggression:

      Ginger, mustard, coffee, black pepper, radishes, spicy foods

Jupiter: To promote prosperity, money issues, and employment:

      Anise, eggplant, peanuts, sage, nutmeg, almonds, rich foods

Saturn: To promote defense, bindings, and hexes:

      Allspice, cheese, cayenne pepper, vinegar, beets, carrots

The author ~ Amythyst Raine

Lady Amythyst’s Pumpkin Pie

      1 16 oz. can pumpkin (about 2 cups)

      1 13 oz. can evaporated milk-- (But sometimes I use sweetened

condensed milk: it creates a texture more like chiffon.)

      2 eggs

      1/2 cup brown sugar

      1/2 cup sugar

The spices:

      Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and a dash of salt. Most recipes call for 1/2 teaspoon each, but I'm much more generous with my spices!

The crust:

I tried for years to learn to make a good pie crust, and I almost gave up out of frustration-- then I found this recipe. It's almost foolproof, no kidding.

      2 and 1/2 cups flour

      1 teaspoon salt

      1 cup shortening

      1 beaten egg

      1 tablespoon vinegar

      1/4 cup water

Mix the dry ingredients together and cut in the shortening, as usual. Then combine the egg and vinegar, stirring it up a bit, and add this to your dry ingredients.

Add the water a dash at a time as you work it in, you'll be able to tell when you get a good texture.

The spices used in this recipe are ‘hot’ and will keep the Samhain party atmosphere revved up into the wee hours of the morning.

I add a pinch of salt, but just a pinch, to keep the party grounded enough to remain stable with a comfortable atmosphere. We want people to have fun, but we don’t want the party atmosphere to get carried away.

The evaporated milk and the eggs add an element of Goddess energy to the whole mix and keeps our Samhain celebration on the right path.

• Ø Nutmeg, one of the most popular uses for nutmeg is to assure fidelity. It's also used for spells centered around luck, money, and health.
• Ø  Cinnamon, spirituality, success, healing, power, psychic powers, lust, protection, love
• Ø  Allspice, money, luck, healing
• Ø  Cloves, protection, exorcism, love, money
• Ø Pumpkin, the main ingredient, is connected to the energy of Earth. Its planetary influence is the Moon; it’s magickal energies revolve around money and healing. The pumpkin is also a symbol of the Mother Goddess.
  
  

Litha Peach Cobbler

      One 14 oz. can (3 1/2 cups) halved peaches

      3 slices slightly dry bread (toast on light)

     1 tablespoon cornstarch

      1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

      1/4 teaspoon salt

      1/3 cup sugar

      1 tablespoon lemon juice

      1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

     1/4 cup butter or margarine

      1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Drain peaches, reserving 1 cup syrup. In a pan, combine cornstarch and salt, slowly blending in reserved syrup. Over medium-high heat, cook and stir until this mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, butter or margarine, and peaches. Heat just to bubbling. Pour into 10 x 6 x 11/2-inch baking dish.

Cut bread lengthwise into 1-inch strips. Dip into 1/4 cup melted butter, then into mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Arrange over peaches. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until toasty. Serve with cream (optional). Makes 6 servings.

The main ingredient in this recipe is the peach, and it’s this fruit and its properties that we’re going to focus on.

The planet is Venus, the element Water; and the energies revolve around love, exorcism, longevity, fertility, and wishes.

Serve this dish to those you wish to love and receive love from, and this does not necessarily pertain to romantic love.

Love comes in many forms and there’s plenty of it to go around and conform to various shades, shapes, circumstances, and people. The peach is also eaten in order to gain wisdom, wisdom both stemming from within (intuitive), and that which comes streaming down the universal pipeline.

Astrological Correspondences:

You may wear stones that are aligned with the energies of your astrological sun sign, or a pendent emblazoned with that symbol. Did you realize that there are also foods imbued with these astrological influences? You can take advantage of this by eating foods which promote your own sun sign, or foods that promote and advance the character and energy of other sun signs.

Aries: ruled by Mars, cardinal, masculine, fire

March 21-April 21

      Fried foods, allspice, pepper, cayenne pepper, gingerbread, spicy foods, wine, ginger, barbecued foods, cinnamon, cloves

Taurus: ruled by Venus, fixed, feminine, earth

April 21-May 22

      Pita bread, pies (in general), apple cider, blackberries, passion fruit, cookies, granola, spinach, kiwi fruit

Gemini: ruled by Mercury, mutable, masculine, air

May 21-June 21

      Celery, carbonated drinks, lentils, beans, pomegranates, mint, fennel, caraway, foods with both sweet and spicy aspect

Cancer: ruled by the Moon, cardinal, feminine, water

June 21- July 21

      Bland foods, uncooked foods, marinated foods, frozen foods, shellfish, shrimp, breadfruit, eggs, ice cream, pumpkin, white foods, tofu

Leo: ruled by the Sun, fixed, masculine, fire

July 22- August 22

      Alcohol, flaming foods, shish kabobs chocolate, vinegar, coffee, barbecued

foods, broiled foods, dried foods, saffron, curried foods

Virgo: ruled by Mercury, mutable, feminine, earth

August 21- September 22

      Oats, parley, dill, peppermint, pastas, beans, endive, salt, marjoram, root vegetables, fennel, peanuts

Libra: ruled by Venus, cardinal, masculine, air

September 21- October 21

      Apples, tarts, pastries, chocolate, cookies, strawberries, sugar, fruit pies, vanilla, wheat products, capers, gooseberries

Scorpio: ruled by Mars, fixed, feminine, water

October 21- November 21

      Spicy foods, mustard, allspice, asparagus, beer, chili, pepper, garlic, ginger, shallots, pimento

Sagittarius: ruled by Jupiter, mutable, masculine, fire

November 21- December 21

      Champagne, imported foods, truffles, expensive foods, sarsaparilla, maple sugar, root beer, tea

Capricorn: ruled by Saturn, cardinal, feminine, earth

December 21- January 21

     Frozen foods, preserved foods, turnips, pickled foods, potatoes, jams and jellies, bitter foods, cheese, cranberries, corn, barley

Aquarius: ruled by Saturn, fixed, masculine, air

January 22- February 21

      Rare foods, carbonated drinks, star anise, citron, mulberries, sage, almonds, pistachios, pecans, caraway, brazil nuts, beer

Pisces: ruled by Neptune, mutable,

feminine, water

February 21- March 21

      Sushi, bouillabaisse, root beer, maple sugar, shellfish, soup, syrups, seafood, sauces, sorbet, endive, figs, fish

Elemental Correspondences:

Earth: grounding, fertility, money, healing:

      Mushrooms, potatoes, kohlrabi, beets, Brussel sprouts, rhubarb, salt, barley, milk, and milk products

Air: creativity, mental endeavors, communication:

      Bananas, kumquats, mulberries, parsley, endive, olives, sage, tangerines

Fire: passion, love, courage, sex, will power:

      Chili, pears, mangoes, coriander, cloves, radishes, raisins, horseradish, mustard, salsa

Water: intuition, emotions, healing, purification:

      Apples, soups, sweet potatoes, licorice, nectarines, passion fruit, steamed foods, grapes, ice cream, tomatoes, vanilla

SOURCE:

Natural Magick
the Gray Witch Way

Get your copy @ Amazon

Ending Physical Intimacy, when it's time to pack it up

So, we all know what the exciting first stage of a relationship is like.  It's lustful, very lustful, and amid all that, there's not always a lot of common sense to go with it.  Let's be honest.  In those first early weeks, you would never believe that you could ever find fault with this brand new damn-near perfect person.  But at some point, if you stay together long enough, reality will rear its ugly head.  And to be honest, it doesn't always take that much time.

The quickest way to throw a bucket of cold water on any physical attraction is infidelity, betrayal, whether emotional or physical or both.  And if you really want to throw icing on the cake, toss in lying for good measure.  Once someone has lied to you, you will never be able to trust them again.  If you're not with someone who is only an occasional liar, someone who may feel regret and guilt afterwards, something you might be able to work on; but you're with a pathological liar who has no sense of regret, remorse, or guilt every time they open their mouth, well, quite frankly, for most people that would be the end of the line.

So, amidst all the holiday cheer that's going around this time of year, you can bet that there are people out there who have very different priorities on their mind right now, and it's these people who I'm talking to.

Our focus today is on the physical aspect of your relationship -- sex, and whether you really want to maintain this very intimate very personal connection with someone you know you can't trust.  When is it time to put an end to this aspect of a relationship?  And know that it's perfectly okay for you to make this decision, even if you've not spoken to each other about the state of your relationship, whether you're going to maintain it or end it.  

This is about your bodily autonomy, when and if you want to share your body.  This is about your self-respect and your peace of mind.  This is about releasing yourself from the constant worry that your sexual partner, your lust buddy, is out there opening up new lines of communications with possible future targets.  Because, let's stay real here, if your partner is a pathological liar and a serial cheater, the odds are that they're also a narcissist.  Sad but true.  This is about making decisions that will benefit you -- physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Once you make the decision to end physical intimacy in your relationship, the biggest surprise that you will experience is that you no longer care what kind of fool-hardy selfish choices your partner will make.  That's it, the best thing about it -- you simply will no longer care.

With all of this said, let's take a look at what the experts have to say...

You should not have a physical relationship with a serial cheating spouse because it is highly likely to lead to continued emotional pain, a lack of trust, and potential further infidelity, ultimately damaging your own well-being and the stability of the relationship; even if they claim to have changed, a pattern of serial cheating indicates deeper issues that may not be easily addressed.

Key reasons to avoid physical intimacy with a serial cheater

Deep-rooted trust issues:

• Once someone has demonstrated a pattern of infidelity, it is extremely difficult to fully trust them again, making any physical intimacy feel tainted by suspicion and doubt.

Emotional distress:

• Continuing a physical relationship with a serial cheater can lead to ongoing emotional pain, anxiety, and insecurity, impacting your overall mental health.

Potential for further infidelity:

• Even if they claim to be committed, the likelihood of them repeating the behavior remains high, causing further heartbreak and betrayal.

Underlying issues:

• Serial cheating often points to deeper personal issues like low self-esteem, poor communication skills, or unresolved conflicts that may not be addressed even if they promise to change.

Lack of respect:

• Engaging in a physical relationship with a serial cheater can be seen as condoning their behavior, undermining your own self-respect.

What to do instead

Seek professional help:

If you are considering staying in the relationship, seek couples therapy to address the root causes of the infidelity and assess if genuine change is possible.

Open communication:

Have honest and open conversations about your concerns and needs, clearly stating that continued infidelity is unacceptable.

Set boundaries:

If you choose to remain physically intimate, establish clear boundaries and expectations, and be prepared to walk away if they are not respected.

Prioritize your well-being:

Remember that your emotional health and happiness are paramount, and do not sacrifice your own needs to stay in a relationship that is causing you significant pain.

SOURCES:

Healthy Lifestyle/Adult Health
Mayo Clinic

National Library of Medicine

Georgia Spirits, He Followed Me Home

 

Spirits…The Little Boy from Georgia

Yesterday evening I had to pick my 16-year-old daughter up from work. It was after 10pm as I sat in the car, in the dark, by myself.  Suddenly a song sprang into my head, a children’s song. I started to sing it out loud, though I was sure I didn’t know it, and even now, I don’t remember what it was.

With a start, it dawned on me that this is one of those "unusual" moments ghost hunters are always waiting for. I realized that the song wasn't coming from me, from my brain, but from something around me, outside of me.

I had been reading several books on mediumship lately, how to tap into your psychic center and communicate with the dead. Thus far, I had only been reading about the subject, and I hadn’t put into practice what the experts were telling me to do. I figured that now was the perfect time, the perfect situation, to use the information I had been picking up from books and a multitude of experienced mediums.

By asking an entity questions and using a series of predetermined mental images for specific answers, you can actually receive the answers, as well as other types of information, often in depth, and even (if you are empathic) the emotional feelings of a spirit.

I began by speaking out loud:

“I know that I’m not alone. I can feel you here. Feel free to communicate with me, if this is what you desire. Are you an adult?”

A black rose instantly flashed in my mind, but also before my eyes at the same time, it’s a strange sensation to try and describe.  This was my symbol for "no".

So the answer was no.

“Are you a child?”

Instantly, a white rose appeared, in the same manner as the previous rose, my symbol for "yes".

So the answer was yes.

“Are you over ten years of age?”

The black rose again, another no.

“Are you under ten years of age?”

The white rose, a yes, of course.

“Are you a boy?”

The white rose, another yes, and this time a blue sphere flashed before my mind, a globe of the earth.

“Where are you from?”

In a split second a visual image of a US map appeared in my mind, and the state of Georgia seemed to literally leap from it.  Again, there was the odd sensation of both seeing it in my mind and seeing it before my eyes at the same time.

“What letter of the alphabet does your first name begin with?”

White letters against a black background popped into my mind, and almost simultaneously, as it appeared, the ‘R’ zoomed in before me.  I have experienced unusual psychic images of this type before, always white letters on a black background forming words.

“Is your name Robert?”

I’m not sure how to describe it, other than to say an instantaneous negative feeling came over me. I assumed the answer was no.

“Is your name Roger?”

Again, the only way to describe the sensation that followed is to say that it was like asking a living person if this was their name and receiving a positive response…"Yes".

By this time, I had been sitting in the car a good twenty minutes or so. My daughter would be coming any moment. They had turned out the lights in the building. I was tired and actually felt drained. I closed the "session" with Roger gently and positively:

“I’m going to stop for now,” I told him, “But I’ll talk with you again sometime.”

Later that night…

The girls and I had dozed off in my bedroom while we were watching TV. My husband had been watching a movie in the living room. He finally came to bed around 2am, and we shuffled everyone around, herding sleepy-eyed children to their own beds.  Of course, by the time we did this and then hubby had to tell me about the movie he had been watching, I was wide awake. And wouldn’t you know, he fell asleep with no problem while I lay skimming through the channels.

I was just beginning to get drowsy when I heard it… a crying, whimpering, sniffling child.

I had kids in various stages of flu and colds, so I immediately thought it was my youngest. I jumped up and threw my robe on so fast that I woke my husband.

“What’s the matter?” he mumbled from beneath the covers.

“Emma’s crying,” I said.

I went racing down the hallway to the couch, where she’d been sleeping the last couple nights while she was sick. Emma was sound asleep. I walked back up the hallway and paused ahead of two more bedroom doors… silence.

Then I heard it again, but this time it sounded as though it was coming from downstairs. I raced down two flights of stairs and stood in the family room listening for the two older children whose bedrooms are down there... nothing but silence.

I was so awake that I decided to sit down to the computer for a while. I spent between two or three hours blogging and browsing, and ever so often I was interrupted by the sounds of a crying sniffling child.  I made several trips upstairs, even opening one of the bedroom doors to wake a daughter, just to be sure it wasn’t her. I even checked the cats, all curled onto the couches and easy chairs, warm sleepy fur balls.

I stood at the top of the stairs for several seconds to listen for the voice. Very faintly, as though from a great distance, I could hear it. Goosebumps rushed up my legs, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.  About 5am, exhausted, I finally tried laying down to go to sleep. Intermittently, I would hear the crying child, until finally it stopped, or I fell asleep.  

The next morning, after the kids were all awake and up, I asked them all how they had slept. No problems, they all declared. Everyone had a good nights sleep.

It didn’t dawn on me until then that the voice I heard may have belonged to the little boy from Georgia.

Amythyst Raine

copyright 2010