Let’s be real, after the year we’ve had, we could all use some magic in our lives. Whether you’re into crystals and sigils or you blow out candles on your birthday every year, we’ve all got a little witch in us. Recently, I have been incorporating traditional witchcraft into my kitchen routine. Through teas, stews, or baked goods, kitchen witchery is the perfect way to spice up (literally) your life and bring some positive energy to your day.
Get in Touch with your Roots
I don’t claim to be an expert on witchcraft, but I do know incorporating your ancestral culture into your practice is a must. Understanding your history will guide you to practices and traditions that you should and can use in your witchcraft. Certain practices, such as Kabbalah or Vodou aren’t open to just anyone. It is also a great way to get in touch with your roots. My family is historically Irish and Scottish. Over the past year, I have been taking time to learn more about Celtic traditions through research and admittedly watching a lot of Outlander. I like to use Celtic culture in kitchen witchery by listening to Celtic music while I bake.
Cleanse Your Space
Before tackling a spell, you have to cleanse your space and tools. There are myriad avenues for cleansing (smoke, bells, physically cleaning). I recommend finding a favorite incense (bonus points if it corresponds with your intentions) opening a window, and letting the smoke flow. If you want to learn how to read smoke, give this article on Libanomancy a read. Other popular forms of smoke cleansing include herb cleansing or palo santo. Though, smudging with white sage or palo santo is a closed practice. Unless you belong to a culture that uses this form of cleansing, stick to something else.
Set Your Intention
It’s important to think about what exactly you want to come from your spell. Prosperity, self-love, money, cleansing, protection, relaxation? Certainly, you should choose ingredients that correspond with that intention (we’ll get to that a bit later) but first, you should think about what you want to conjure up and why. Meditate on that feeling of happiness or love. Picture what your life would look like if you had what you currently desire. Express gratitude for what you have and for what is coming your way. Keep this intention in mind throughout the entire process. Intention setting and cleaning should become part of your routine, as well as any other ritual that feels intuitively right. Listening to specific music, lighting a favorite candle, or incorporating crystals are all ways to make your practice more meaningful and individual.
Research, Research, Research
Research is arguably the most important step for any beginner witch. You’ve already started with this article, but I cannot stress enough how necessary continuous research is. Pick up a book (I love The Green Witch) or find information on Tik Tok (I recommend @madge_larue and @theredheadedwitch). Intuition is vital, but research gives you the tools to truly empower yourself. Learning about history, herbs, spices, and rituals is paramount before taking on any spell. And the basics go much deeper than anything covered in this article.
Start with the Basics
As I said, the basics go beyond what I have covered in this short post, but here are some simple tricks to incorporate into every meal. While herbs and spices like mugwort and nettle are fun, cinnamon, lemons, rosemary, salt, and many other baking staples are all great tools to use in kitchen witchery. Every ingredient has its own properties (this is where research comes in handy). In general, though, citrus is great for cleansing, spicy foods help with protection, and sweet foods can help add a bit of happiness or love to your life. Another way to add a bit of magic to your day is to use sun or moon water in your morning tea or coffee. I also recommend growing your own herbs when you can.
Enjoy
Finally, the best part of kitchen witchery, you get to enjoy your treat. Some personal favorite recipes of mine are a honey, lemon, lavender self-love cake, soothing lavender-chamomile biscuits, and my summer solstice tea. Whatever you choose to make, make it with love — and don’t forget to share!