You don’t always need elaborate rituals or spells to work your craft. You can put magick and your intent in everyday things too. Kitchen witches do this all the time by using corresponding herbs, spices, fruits or vegetables, along with their love and energy, into creating in the kitchen.
I made pizza tonight. Pretty mundane you think? It can be, or…..it can be magickal (and full of health benefits)!
As well as the usual suspects (tomato and mascarpone base and four cheeses), I added the following (which aren’t really the most unusual of pizza toppings), with reasons why:
Fresh Basil – My husband hasn’t been feeling well today (he has stomach issues and had his gallbladder removed last year), so I added some basil as it is great for stomach and intestinal problems, stomach cramps, nausea, indigestion, gas and bloating.
Pineapple – A symbol of devotion and love, to my husband and stepson. Pineapple also has a multitude of health benefits and contain a lot of vitamin C. They also contain manganese, which can help with bone health and is especially important for me, as I have psoriatic arthritis and it can get quite annoying (not to mention painful) moving towards the colder months.
Pine Nuts – For prosperity, but also packed full of Vitamin A and magnesium (crucial for the health of my old lady bones!!).
Capers – Good for gas and bloating, again for my husband and his iffy tummy.
So next time you make a salad, bake a cake or brew a simple cup of tea, do a bit of research and see what you can add to make it even better!
I’ve was lucky enough to have another great day out on site last October on the North West Coast of England (9.75 miles walked that day!!).
Not only did I get time to just sit on the beach early in the morning, with barely a soul about, so I could do some soul cleansing and grounding in nature, but I got some awesome witchy foraging done again! This time from sand dunes, saltmarsh habitat and wide open sandy beach.
Here’s some uses for what I found and brought home (from the top, going clockwise around the cheese).
I also found some pumpkin spiced Wensleydale (crumbly, creamy English cheese) in a local supermarket, wrapped in cute pumpkin wax protection too.
1. Laver Rhodophyta (Porphyra umbilicalis) – Good for happiness, good energies, love and peace. This seaweed is also a traditional food in Wales, where it’s made into small flat cakes, and fried until crisp in bacon fat, or heated with butter, lemon juice, and pepper. It is also eaten in salads, made into biscuits and as an accompaniment to roasted meat.
2. Rock Oyster (Crassostea gigas) shell
3. Mussel (Mytilus edulis) shell
4. Razor Clam (Ensis magnus) shell
5. Egg Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) – Can be eaten pickled in apple cider vinegar, with fennel and black peppercorns.
6. Glasswort (Salicornia europaea) – Sometimes known as wild samphire, glasswort can be lightly steamed (or eaten raw when picked fresh) and is often served as a side fish with fish.
7. European searocket (Cakile maritima) – A fleshier, slightly saltier, version of rocket (or arugula if you’re not English!). Can be used in salads or eaten as a side vegetable (I tried some raw straight from the plant and it was delicious!). Magical properties include clairvoyancy, helping with processing events or feelings, energy, warding off negativity, fertility and sexuality.
I did a tarot spread this evening, for the New Moon in Capricorn. I decided to do a spread for self reflection, shadow work and home truths.
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
Here’s the questions I asked my cards:
1. What are my strengths?
2. How can my strengths help me overcome any challenges?
3. How can I ground myself?
4. What truths do I need to see?
5. What intentions should I set at this New Moon?
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
After cleansing my cards with incense smoke and giving them a good mix up and shuffle, I dealt out five cards, one for each question, and laid them out as shown below.
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
The cards I pulled were:
1. King of Wands (reversed)
2. Nine of Pentacles (reversed)
3. Two of Chalices
4. The Hierophant (reversed)
5. The Emperor (reversed)
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
Here are my interpretations of the cards.
1. King of Wands (reversed) – This card is telling me some of my strengths include high expectations, whether that be of myself or others, and I can often be ruthless. These aren’t necessarily good strengths to have though, as with these traits I can often be impulsive, aggressive in my pursuit of goals and even occasionally overbearing, sometimes without actually realising I’m behaving this way. I also see this card as a warning against setting too high expectations for myself (and others). I need to stay true and focussed, and not try to do too much too quickly, or expect others just to jump when I click my fingers.
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
2. Nine of Pentacles (reversed) – The reversed Nine of Pentacles is all about self worth and reflecting on your personal value. I should try and find a way of using my strengths to undertake some serious introspection, in order to learn that I don’t have to act in such ways to still have self worth.
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
3. Two of Chalices – This card depicts the flow of love between two people. A deep connection and partnership, which is based on unconditional love, shared values and compassion. I am lucky in that I have all of this with my husband, so I take this card to mean all I need to ground myself is the love, companionship and mutual respect of my husband.
Our Wedding Day. Jack only turned 5 six days earlier and was his Daddy’s Best Man.
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
4. The Hierophant (reversed) – Seeing the Hierophant card in reverse may mean that I feel restricted and constrained (who doesn’t with the amount of lockdowns we’ve had in the UK!) and, as a result, I have lost quite a lot of control, as well as flexibility, in my life. It also tells me that I am strong willed, stubborn and a bit of a control freak. This is very true. I like order, tidiness and do like to be in control over every aspect of my life (I’m an awful backseat driver!!). This is something I do need to work on. They do say the thing you need to hear the most is always the thing you don’t want to hear!
° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °° ∆ ——– ••• ——- ∆ °
5. The Emperor (reversed) – With regards to setting intentions for this New Moon in Capricorn, the reversed Emperor card tells me that although I have a fear of losing control, this can be seen as an opportunity to loosen the reigns and realise that not being in control of everything isn’t the end of the world and being so stringent and overbearing will only ultimately harm myself the long run. I need to remember to go with with the flow and accept that sometimes situations are out of my control and that’s OK. Therefore my intentions should be to loosen up, accept, chill out and stop being so anal about everything!
In October 2020 I was out on site all day with various clients and colleagues along the North West Coast of England (I’ve walked 7.75 miles!!). Even though I was doing my day job, I can still do some witchy foraging on the side!!
The first site was a Dockside adjacent to an estuary, with lovely mudflats and salt marsh. It was absolutely FREEZING and rained all morning, but I cheered myself up by collecting some rosehips, marsh marigold, red clover and rowan berries.
The second site was a huge expanse of sandy beach, with defences along the back and some lovely sand dunes to the south. It had thankfully brightened up and stopped raining, but was VERY windy. Bonus though, I got a free face exfoliation from all the sand whipping about! I didn’t find any nice shells unfortunately, but I found some bladderwrack and, my favourite, a couple of smooth pebbles!
Here’s some uses for what I found and brought home (from left to right).
1. Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) – Protection, sea and water spells, wish spells and money magic.
2. Rosehips (from Dog Rose (Rosa canina) – Can be used as a charm to attract health and wealth, are a symbol of prosperity and fertility and if you place them beneath your pillow, they can protect you against nightmares and nasty spirits that want to disturb your sleep.
3. Marsh marigold (Calendula officinalis) – Can be used for consecration, inner vision, love, peace and truthfulness.
4. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) – Can be used for exorcism, fidelity, love, money, protection and success.
5. Rowan Berry (Sorbus aucuparia) – Can be used for protection, inspiration and to help open the gateway for spirit communication.
I’m a proper magpie for pretty stones (and shells). Their look, the rounded or angular feel, the coldness or warmth, the textures, from rough and grainy, to smooth and glass like. They all resonate with me and I pick them up from everywhere!
These are some of my favourites (I have just cleansed them) and I keep them in a funky glass bowl that looks like it melted onto a piece of driftwood.
They help me ground myself and be calm, perfect for rebalancing my energy levels and releasing any excess energy left over.
**Please note, these plants will not cure your psoriasis and advice from your doctor or primary care specialist will always be the best advice. These are just a few ideas of plants you could try to incorporate into a recipe, which might help.**
Seeing as though a lot of people suffer from psoriasis, including me (it’s hereditary in my mum’s side of the family and mine randomly started at 18…just when I thought I’d escaped the curse!), it stands to reason we may have some sufferers that are reading this.
Mine is really bad on my elbows, forearms and knees, with a tiny patch on either side of the bridge of my nose, where my glasses sit. I am slowly covering both arms with tattoos (mostly flowers, dot work Mandalas and insects!) to try and hide them as much as I can. I also have psoriatic arthritis.
I did a bit of research, as I wanted to see if there were any more natural solutions I could look into and thought I’d share my findings with you lovely people!
Oregon grape (barberry) (Mahonia aquifolium)
Oregon grape is a plant native to North America.
It is thought that extracts of this plant actually slow down the production of Lipoxygenase, which is an enzyme involved in psoriatic skin cell production. The plant itself also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Indigo naturalis
This plant is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of psoriasis and is derived from the plant that produces the dyes that make our jeans blue!
Aloe vera
Everyone knows the multitude of benefits Aloe Vera has. It’s widely known to be soothing and cooling, and is often used in aftersun products.
I suggest you do your own research, like I’ll be doing, to find out how the best way to prepare them is, whether in an ointment, or cream or rub.
Late last summer my husband, stepson and I went for a little (4.5 miles though!) walk in and around the countryside near our house. We are truly blessed to have this on our doorstep and I’m forever grateful.
It was around 13°C and beautifully sunny. We took plenty of water, some homemade biscuits and some apple spiced Bourbon (purely to keep out the cold, honestly!!).
We saw lots of birds, rabbits and squirrels and hardly any other people, just how we like it!!
The local farmer is also getting his pumpkin crop ready to sell!!
We managed to forage some awesome things! Here’s what we found and brought home (from left to right).
1. Pine cones (fresh and fallen) – Signifies health and prosperity, healing, protection, fertility, money/prosperity.
2. Yellow crab apple – Can be used for divination and in love spells/charms.
3. Conkers (Buck eye) – Conkers are useful in luck charms and spells and some people keep them in their pockets or purses to attract luck and bring them money. Other things they are good for are arthritis relief, migraine relief, male virility (in terms of fertility and things of a sexual nature) as a cold/flu remedy. **Not to be eaten in any form though, as they are toxic**.
4. Acorns (fresh and fallen) – The magickal properties of acorns include protection, abundance, fertility, strength, courage, abundance, longevity and healing.
5. Fuschia flower – Assists with accepting long repressed emotions and dealing with grief.
6. Elderberry – Good for exorcism, prosperity, banishment and healing. The berries are used for protection and in breaking spells that were cast against you or to undo spells of evil intent. Growing an elder in your garden will protect your property from misfortune and harm. In Europe, they planted elder in cemeteries to keep away the evil spirits.
9. Holly leaves – Holly can be used in spells for material gain, physical revenge, beauty, protection (especially against lightening!), luck and dream magic.
10. Datura – Astral travel, concealment and invisibility, divination and enchantment.
11. Alder flowers (catkins) – Flowers are on catkins and, as the Alder is monoecious, which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, there are two types. The long pendulous ones are male and the round ones are female. Alder helps you face up to things you’ve been avoiding, allows access to the fae and their realm and is thought to reduce nervousness and anxiety. It can be used in spells to aid success in business and academic matters.
12. Horsetail – Horsetail strengthens resolve and defines boundaries, can be used to make affirmations and commitments firm, to protect your psychic space against unwanted intrusions and it can help cleanse unwanted emotional leftovers from the system.
Basil Is Known Far And Wide As A Culinary Herb, But It Also Contains Some Interesting Magical And Medicinal Properties. In Some Countries, However, Basil Is Considered Something That Real Men Don’t Eat — Why? Because It’s Associated With Teas That Are Used To Provide Relief From Painful Menstrual Periods.
It’s Also Used As An Anti-inflammatory. Try Some Of These Methods To Incorporate Basil Into Your Healing Magick.
Chewing On The Freshly Harvested Leaves Has A Couple Of Different Benefits – It Can Help Relieve Symptoms Of Coughs And Colds, And Even Better, It Can Leave Your Breath Smelling Healthy And Refreshed!
Use A Bit Of The Oil Or Extract On Insect Bites To Relieve Pain And Itching.
Boil The Leaves In Water To Make An Infusion, And Take A Small Amount Every Few Hours To Help Reduce Fever, As Well As Provide Headache Relief. Gargling With Basil Water Can Make A Sore Throat Feel Better.
Basil Is A Wonderful, Robust Herb, Which Is Attributed To A Variety Of Magical Uses Such As Consecration, Divination, Exorcism, Fertility, Fidelity, Luck, Happiness, Harmony And Love. Basil Is Bound To The Planet Mars And The Element Fire.
Mint Is For Symbolic Of Success, Motivation, Money, Healing. It Is A Cure-all, Relaxes The Nerves And Stimulates The Brain.
Medicinal Use: Mint In Tea Form Aids Upset Stomachs, Flu, And Can Be Used To Ease Hiccups. Inhalations Of The Leaves In Boiling Water Is Recommended For Head Colds And Asthma.
Mint Tea Used Instead Of Aspirin Is Great For Headaches, Particularly Premenstrual Headaches. Aids The Respiratory And Circulatory Systems. An Anti-inflammatory And An Antiseptic. Ideal For Treating Indigestion, Flatulence, Varicose Veins, Headaches, Migraine, Skin Irritations, Rheumatism, Toothache, And General Fatigue.
Magical Use: Used For Healing, Strength, To Augment Power, Luck, Travel..
I have a huge affinity for the elder tree, as my parents used to make elderberry wine and I have many a great memory of going out as a family, picking bunches and bunches of berries, then forking them off the stalks into a bucket and squelching them down with my (obviously clean!) feet. Then there’d be weeks of listening to the soft bubbling and sighs coming from demijohns stashed in all the warm places in the house throughout autumn, until the wine was ready to be drank and celebrated at Christmastime.
Medicinal properties
Traditionally all parts of Elder are useful medicinally. The berries and the leaves are both rich in vitamin C and the leaves can be made into ear drops to treat pain and inflammation.
The flowers make a tea that is good for treating coughs and irritable throats, as well as being made into a skin cleanser and lotion. The bark of the new small twigs can be made into a laxative. The bark, roots, berries and leaves can all be used as a dye. And the berries are good for making jam, wine, vinegar, and syrups.
Magickal properties
Exorcism, Prosperity, Banishment and Healing. The leaves and berries are used for protection and in breaking spells that were cast against you or to undo spells of evil intent. Growing an elder in your garden will protect your property from misfortune and harm. In Europe, they planted elder in cemeteries to keep away the evil spirits.
It’s that time of year again where the hawthorn berries are fat on the branches, just begging to be picked, like apples. They are ripe to perfection when they just fall off the boughs by themselves.
Hawthorn is primarily used in magick for fertility, harmony, protection, love and marriage spells.
At one time, Hawthorn trees were believed to be witches transformed into trees!!
Placed around doors and windows, hawthorn will prevent people from entering your home in an astral state and stop spirits from entering too. Also, planting hawthorn around other trees, or near your home is said to protect them from lightning strikes and planting an entire hedge of hawthorn around your home will keep out unfriendly spirits.
The berries from hawthorn are astringent and can be used for a sore throat and can also be made into a tasty liquor (think of sloe gin, but with hawthorn berries instead). Another way to use the berries is to turn them into wine or jellies.
My dad used to tell me the leaves can also be eaten and were once referred to as ‘bread and cheese’. I tried them once and they were quite bitter and not at all nice. I did think he was having me on at the time though, as he once tried to convince me rabbit droppings were chocolate covered raisins and that a Haggis was a real animal….I was a gullible child!!
The berries from hawthorn are astringent and can be used for a sore throat and can also be made into a tasty liquor (think of sloe gin, but with hawthorn berries instead). Another way to use the berries is to turn them into wine or jellies.
My dad used to tell me the leaves can also be eaten and were once referred to as ‘bread and cheese’. I tried them once and they were quite bitter and not at all nice. I did think he was having me on at the time though, as he once tried to convince me rabbit droppings were chocolate covered raisins and that a Haggis was a real animal….I was a gullible child!!
If you have any specific worries or woes, gather seven strong, sharp thorns from the branches and whisper to each one the problem that needs solving. Wrap them in a leaf and bury them under the hawthorn bush.
Apparently, wands made from hawthorn are especially effective against malevolent spirits. The wand is best cut ‘green’ in order that the bark will peel easily, so, when choosing your wood, ensure a suitable gift for the fae protector of the tree.
Hawthorn is also a powerful psychic shield that can lift the spirits, and a little charm of the wood is a thoughtful gift for a friend going through a time of particular vulnerability or depression. Dried flowers, berries or leaves can be burned in incense at a ritual working for the same purpose too.
Close to Penrith, in Cumbria, in the far North West of England, is a Bronze Age stone circle known as Long Meg and Her Daughters. It is one of around 1,300 stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany and was constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition of building stone circles, which lasted from 3,300 to 900 BCE, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
This stone circle is the sixth-largest example known from this part of North-Western Europe and is considered to be one of the finest in the North of England.
Long Meg and Her Daughters stone circle has a diameter of approximately 350 feet (107 metres) and is the second biggest in England. Long Meg is the tallest of the 69 stones, at approximately 12 feet high (3.7 metres). It displays three mysterious symbols, its four corners face the points of the compass and it stands some 60 feet outside the circle. Long Meg is made of local red sandstone, whereas the daughters are boulders of rhyolite, a form of granite.
It is thought that the stones probably date from about 1500 BC and it was likely to have been used as a meeting place or for some form of ritual.
◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦
William Wordsworth wrote the following poem about the stones in 1822:
╔═══°∴,*⋅✲══〖✰〗══✲⋅*,∴°═══╗
A weight of Awe not easy to be borne,
Fell suddenly upon my spirit, cast,
From the dread bosom of the unknown past,
When first I saw that family forlorn;
Speak Thou, whose massy strength and stature scorn,
The power of years – pre-eminent, and placed,
Apart, to overlook the circle vast.
Speak Giant-mother! tell it to the Morn,
While she dispels the cumbrous shades of night;
Let the Moon hear, emerging from a cloud,
At whose behest uprose on British ground,
That Sisterhood in hieroglyphic round,
Forth-shadowing, some have deemed the infinite,
The inviolable God that tames the proud.
╚═══°∴,*⋅✲══〖✰〗══✲⋅*,∴°═══╝
Local legend claims that Long Meg was a Witch who, with her daughters, was turned to stone by the famed 13th century Wizard, Michael Scott of Balwearie, when he caught them all profaning the Sabbath, as they danced wildly on the moor.
The circle is supposedly endowed with magick, so that it is impossible to count the same number of stones twice, but if you do manage it, then it is said the magick is broken.
According to local lore, the petrified family must remain that way, until such time as someone succeeds in counting their number accurately or, failing that, should manage to count the same number of stones twice.
Also, should anyone dare mistreat, or attempt to damage, any of the stones, the latent powers within them will be revived and those stupid enough to continue with any disrespectful actions will be severely…..dissuaded!!!
This happened to Captain Lacy, who was an 18th Century landowner. He used explosives in an attempt to dislodge and remove Long Meg and Her Daughters. Within moments of the work commencing, a fierce storm of driving rain and pounding hail arose, accompanied by the worst thunder and lightning the district had ever witnessed.
The workmen Lacy had employed became so terrified, that they fled the site fearing for their lives. Once they had run off, the storm ceased and the stones were left to age in peace, as they do today and will, no doubt, continue to do so for hundreds, if not thousands, more years.
Rosemary Is Another Of The Herbs That Thrives Best In Warm, Mediterranean Climes But Can Also Weather The Cold. Tough To Grow From Seed, Cuttings Are An Easier Way To Start Your Row Of Rosemary Plants In Your Garden. Pots Of This Bushy Plant Can Enjoy Spring And Summer And Come In From The Cold To A Sheltered Porch Or By A Sunny Window When Temperatures Drop. As A Bonus, It Requires Little Water. Rosemary Is Fantastic As A Seasoning For Potatoes, Roast Chicken, And Makes Any Sunday Supper Taste Better And Brighter. You Can Pinch Off The Aromatic Needles To Dress Plates Or Sprinkle Into Soups And Stews. Beyond Enhancing Your Cookery, This Is A Primary Plant For Rejuvenation And Is Prized For How It Helps Restore After Lingering Illness; Elixirs And Essential Oils Made From Rosemary Stimulate And Energize As They Comfort.
In Greco-Roman Times, Rosemary Was Believed To Help The Memory. An Excellent Kitchen Witchery Practice Is To Take Dried Or Fresh Rosemary And Add It To A Steam For An Easy Infusion, Where It Aids Breathing, Muscle Aches, And Anxiety. You Can Accomplish The Same By Adding Rosemary To A Hot Bath. Lie Back And Relax, Remembering Happy Times In Your Life, And Those That Lie Right Ahead Of You.
Rosemary Has Many Uses In Magic. Rosemary From One’s Garden Can Be Used In Magic, But It Is Also Found As Incense And An Essential Oil. The Primary Associations Of Rosemary Are: Healing, Protection, Purification, Love, Strength, Memory, Stress Relief, And Mental Clarity. Rosemary Is Associated With The Sun And With The Zodiac Sign Of Leo.
This moon in Capricorn is very important to me, as not only am I a Capricorn, but I’m also a Capricorn Stellium, which means I have 3 or more of the same sign in my Natal Chart (for me, I have Capricorn in the Sun, Mercury and Mars).
This New Moon in Capricorn is a perfect time to reflect on how far I’ve come in the past 12 months and look at how my priorities have changed. I have indeed come very far in the past year, as for the past 6 or 7 years I have been really struggling with a number of health issues, which have meant a lot of time off work, sometimes months at a time. However, in the past 12 months I have been working consistently, with very few days off needed for health reasons. I have also grown a lot in my spirituality and my witchcraft, really feeling like it’s all easily clicking into place and becoming more natural. Also, over the past year, I’ve realised that my most important priorities are my family and spending time in nature.
The New Moon in Capricorn also tells me to trust in new beginnings and that I have the power to overcome any issue. I take this to mean that this year, I will embark on something new. There are two possible mundane (I mean as opposed to magickal, not in the boring sense!) events that this could concern. The first one is that the adoption journey my husband and I started in November last year will come to fruition this year and we will be giving a child a new loving forever home. The second is that all of the hard work I’ve put into my Chartered Environmentalist Application this year will also be rewarded and my company will hopefully reward my successful application with a promotion.
With regards to new beginnings magickally and within my craft, I take this to mean finally learning Tarot and also completing my Level 1 to Master Reiki (crystal healing) course. I also hope to do a herbology diploma by the end of this year.
Melusina The Green Witch 