Chat with a Kitchen Witch

Nicohle responded to my “Where My Witches At?” queries. We chatted and agreed to a few posts. When she sent me this entry, I was amazed, it felt like we were chatting over a cup of tea or coffee (or in my case both, coffee then tea).
Thank you Nicohle for a wonderful chat, and being a part of witch month.

Here you all go, a chat with a Kitchen witch about being a kitchen witch.

“Double, Double Toil and Trouble;
Fire burn and Cauldron bubble.” – Shakespeare, Macbeth

In an era of movies such as “Practical Magic”, “The Coven”, and “Hocus Pocus”, a lot of people forget that magic, in it’s essence, is simply ritual. The flash of powder into a fire, or the smell of acrid smoke, none of that is necessary. Kitchen Witchery, when it boils down to it, is belief and process. That’s it. You believe that what you’re doing will work. You research the process. You complete the process. And then, magic happens. These are the rules a kitchen witch lives by.

Oh, that’s not to say you can just believe a ‘wingardium leviosa’ will get that dusty old box down from the attic, of course. But belief in what you’re doing will get you just about anywhere. As a saleswoman, when I’m selling a piece of jewelry, I believe that this is the right piece for my guest, and that this piece will be going home with them. Most of the time? I’m right! As an author, I believe that my book will find like-minded individuals. Of course, everyone knows I’m right on that one, don’t we?

There are thousands of reasons to practice Kitchen Witchery, so I’ll give you a small dose of my own. That way, perhaps, you can decide if it’s right for you. After all, if you choose a path that isn’t for you, you can do things that might permanently hurt you, emotionally, mentally, or karmically. It’s always best to weigh your options before you decide on something.

When I was young, my mother hopped from religion to religion, as if searching for something that would lead her to salvation from the life she’d lead. I’d jump with her, suffering through baptism after baptism, sermon after sermon, none feeling like anything more than a thin flea-ridden blanket against the cold of existance.

The summer of my twelfth year, we finally got a computer. This computer lead to an explosion of information in my family (and a chatroom addiction for myself), which lead to my mother joining several groups. Don’t ask me how this lead her to the wiccan/pagan community, but the fact is, she took us children with her. That summer, I wrote my first book of shadows, which was mostly just printed out pages from the group-archives, 3-hole-punched, and then handwritten when I had the time. Rituals, lists of meanings for stones and herbs, prayers to goddesses three-fold and lords of the hunt. My personal favorites were the guided-meditations that took me into Faeryland.

So like the ancient witches of old, I was brought into paganism by my mother. However, I was left to develop my very own personal beliefs, my own ideology and theology. This is how I came upon kitchen witchery. The few times my family, acting as a little coven, performed big, powerful rituals, I felt out of place. Constantly worried that I would mess it up somehow, or upset the gods we spoke with. But when cooking, I would count out turns of three, left, right, left, and the meals would be more delicious. At least, to me. Giving small gifts away brought back three fold returns. All Hallow’s Eve was more exciting when one was giving away candy, because you never knew who it was at the door; a spirit? A god?

I am a kitchen witch, because making a good stew to help with a cold feels right. I am a kitchen witch, because drying orange peels to make a charm for success has never seemed silly to me. I am a kitchen witch, because the subtle, simple things make me happiest, and feed my spirit. And that’s what’s important in any religion, belief system, or practice. Do what feeds your spirit.

You might be asking now, well, how can you be a kitchen witch? What do you do? Let me give you a small recipe for Kitchen Witchery, and a few resources as well. That way, you too can start your journey to simple, joyful practice.

The Kitchen Witch
1 part Recipes – Hand written, found on the internet, full of herbs and symbolism.
2 parts Rituals – Carefully planned, simple and devoted.
5 parts Belief – Well-thought out, Well-studied, and Well-worn.
3 parts Karma – What is given will come back three fold. Good, bad, and indifferent.
1 part Knowledge – Gathered freely all around the internet, from other practitioners and from books.
Gather Knowledge and combine appropriate bits with belief, separating out the bad from the good by carefully studying each kernel. This can be accomplished by watching and testing each kernel, to make sure that it fits what needs to be in the recipe.
Combine Recipes, Rituals, and Belief every day, in small doses. For spice, you can add Family, Friends, and Gifts to taste. Make sure that these ingredients fit well with the taste of the recipe, or it might turn sour.
Take care with the Karma, and add it to the bowl, stirring slowly and carefully, while thinking about what it is you wish to accomplish. Not what you wish to gain, but what you wish to accomplish. Make sure to take your time with this step, because you can never mix it too well.
Blend everything together, and make every day. A delicious sweet comfort food that is sure to make your life better every single day!
As you can see, a lot of fun can be had. Kitchen Witchery is nothing overly dignified, and certainly isn’t the kind of religion that requires massive ceremony. In fact, anyone can be a practicing kitchen witch, without any sign. The difference, however, between this sort of Witchery and Wiccanism, or other forms of paganism is just that. Simplicity.

A normal Wiccan/Pagan ritual requires things like candles, circles, calling upon gods and spirits and beasts. A normal Kitchen Witch ritual requires a small chant, a few deep breaths, and the right thoughts. The acronym KISS works very well for Kitchen Witchery. Keep it Simple, Silly. If you need good luck? Look up a few good crystals for it, and wear them. Need health? Add a few herbs to your dinner, or drink good tea.

For those Christians who might be reading this, please be aware, that any kitchen witch might believe in any god. Yes, there might be those who believe in the Christian Yahweh. In the end, Kitchen Witchery has to do with the old ways. The old witches who gave out poultices and teas to heal illness.

So how do you know if you’re a kitchen witch? Simple. Does it feel good, when you stand in the morning light, to whisper a small thank you while sipping a nice tea? Do you enjoy picking herbs from your garden, or thinking about how healthy your family will be, once you feed them this nice meal? Is there a small happiness that grows, when those you love are healthy and happy and wise? This is how a Kitchen Witch lives. This is what she thrives on. And once you find yourself in those pointy-toed-shoes and mumbling over a boiling pot, often times? You’ll feel even more powerful than Dumbledore or Gandalf.
Crystal Meanings
http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/a-to-z-list-of-crystal-meanings/
https://crystal-cure.com/gemstone-meanings.html
Herb uses
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/essential-ingredients/all-about-herbs-slideshow
http://www.spiritualspells.com/herbs-book.html
Good Witchery Sites
http://www.spiritualspells.com/
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/pagantraditions/p/KitchenWitchery.htm
http://www.kitchenwitchcorner.com/

Here’s Nicohle’s twitter: https://twitter.com/NicohleC
And blog: http://www.nchristopherson.com

Tools Of A Witch Part 4

You can find part 3 to this series Here

This series is in no way a full list of a witch’s tools. Each and every witch uses what she feels is necessary for the spell or ritual she or he is preforming at that moment. Some witches don’t use any tools, other use a large array of tools. My lists during these past few months are the most commonly used tools.

Potion

Any Medicinal drink can be referred to as a potion. The wise ones knew how to brew herbs to heal, although potion is most often thought of as a poison. Or to be used in love magic.

Staff
Scotttish Witches use a staff much like other witches use a wand, sword, or asthme, to cast a circle and direct energy. A staff is a symbol of authority.

Crystals and Stones
They’re belived to have energies that aid in magic, and healings.

Swords
A coven tool the HP or HPs walks around the circle allowing the tip of the sword to mark the circle’s line. Can also be used instead of a wand without a coven.

Card from a Tarot deck.

Scourge
The witches’ tools differ from tradition to tradition. Whether the witch is a solitary or part of a coven is also important when looking at tools.

Pentacle and/ or Pentagram
Used in divination. Usually on the altar as a protection symbol.

Tarot
Cards used to tell the future. The Roma or Gypsies brought the cards with them to Europe. The earliest known deck of tarot cards from the fourteenth century. There are 78 cards in total. Twenty-two are figure cards. There are 4 suits usually Wands, Pentacles, Swords and Cups. These cords run from Ace to 10. There are also 4 face cards: King, Queen, Knight, and Page.

White Handle Knife
Used in rituals. Used only to engrave other tools with symbols or names.

Tools Of A Witch Part 3

The second part of this series can be found Part 2

There are still more tools that witches can use.

Boleen
In Wicca the boleen is a small knife with a curved blade. Its sole purpose is to cut herbs.

Book Of Shadows

Book to keep all witch info in also called a Grimoire. Although there are some differences in the two books. Some use a Book of Shadows as a spell book other as a journal of their magic. A Grimiore is also a spellbook, sometimes refered to as a cookbook as it usually only holds spells and their recipes.

Burin
A sharp tool used to carve symbols into other tools.

Candles
Candles are used to represent light, the God and Goddess. They are the number one tool for candle magic.

Cord
Used in knot magic. Can be used to measure the “circle.” There are Usually 3 cords used in most traditions.

Goblet
Is the sacred cup used by witches in rituals. It holds consecrated wine.

Herbs

Used for incense, medicinal syrups, teas, salves, ointments and poultices.

Incense

Perfumed fumigation used in witchcraft and religious rituals. Burning herbs, flowers, barks, roots, dried seeds, gums, and resins. Incenses have been used for thousands of years.

Oil
Used to anoint.

Pins
Used often in Black Magic- often with candles and poppet also used for sewing charm bags. For white purposes in healing.

Poppet
Doll made of wax or cloth sometimes of straw. Thought of most often in Voodoo Dolls. Used in White magic. Image Magic to heal.

Types of Witchcraft

I decided to share some of my notes with you about types of witchcraft. I wrote these as I researched a few characters.

African witchcraft: The Azande tribe of Central Africa believes that they’re gifted with a craft call “Mangu”. It’s passed from parent to child. Those with mangu aren’t aware of it. They perform magic unconsciously while they sleep.

Appalachian folk magic: The Appalachian believe good and evil are two distinct forces that are led by the Christian god and Devil. They believe there conditions that their magic can’t cure. They are blessed with paranormal powers.

Green Witchcraft: These witches practice their craft in fields and forests to be closer to The Divine Spirit. They make their tools from accessible materials outdoors. They are similar too Kitchen/Cottage witches.

Hedge Witchcraft: This witch is a solitary (works alone) with green arts, herbal cures, and spells. They were local wise women and men who cured illness, gave advice. These witches can be any religion and are consider traditional.

Hereditary Witchcraft: They believe that the “gifts” of the craft are with someone from birth and are passed from generations before.

Kitchen/Cottage Witches: This path believes that the home is sacred. They use herbs for many reasons including: healing and protection; they practice around the hearth and home.

Pennsylvania Dutch Hexcraft: This craft started when the Germans arrived in America. Native American were already settled they picked up the term “Pow-wowing” which includes charms, incantations that date back to the middle ages with a little of Kabbalah and the Bible mixed in. Pow-wowers consider themselves Christians endowed with supernatural powers.

Traditional Witchcraft: This is considered the oldest form of witchcraft. They don’t worship Gods, they contact spirits that are part of an unseen spirits world during rituals. This craft believes in using Hexes, or curses in self-defense or other types of protection.

Wicca: Wicca religion is 60 years old, it was created by Gerald Gardner in 1940’s or 50’s. It worships the Earth and nature. The Wiccan Rede requires Wiccans to do no harm.

Love this cartoon

I’ll have some more for you next time.

Types of Witchcraft

The Witching Hour

When I say witchcraft what do you think? Do you see an image of an old woman standing in front of a large pot stirring in frog legs and eyes of newt?

Don’t worry that’s what most people see.

What if I told you that was only a small part of a witches’ craft. Most don’t use eyes of newt or frog legs either. I could make a joke here and say they are too hard to find now, but I won’t.

So what do witches do? You ask me…

Well, Witchcraft is so much more that one blog post could ever do justice to. It’s so much more than I could ever do justice to. I’ll try to give you a small peak into witchcraft though.

We already touched on Black and White magic, there is also a line in the middle, Gray magic. It can be seen as bad, good and in between. Of course you all have heard about Voodoo and Hoodoo magic.

There are many forms of crafting.

A lot of modern witches use candles. Some use herbs, some use images, cords or threads.

Burning candles of various types and kinds for various purposes is used for Candle magic.
Cords and threads are knotted while saying spells.
Herbs are used for spells and potions.
Images are used while chanting spells.

There is something called Ceremonial magic, it’s much like a religious mass. A lot of people gather together to perform Ceremonial magic.

Magicians are said to use magic, but their magic is a very different from a witches magic. ~ This will have to be a post for a different day.~

That’s all the sneak peak I’m allowed to give for today.

Witches and Herbs

Here ye! Here ye! Let it be known the witching hour is about to commense.

Today we’ll look at herbs.
Some witches use herbs and plants in their magic. Much, like naturalists do. Their knowledge of plants would impress anyone. They’re walking encyclopedias. Their medicinal gardens can rival any modern pharmacy.
Their spells usually involve plant life. Some plants are believed to have the power to increase or diminish emotions.

These witches go by many names: Hedge Witch, Green Witch, Kitchen Witch, and Cottage Witch.
They usually have a large gardens or pot gardens, if you’re allowed in their homes; you will find herbs and plants being dried for later use.

There were some wise enough or lucky enough to learn the ways of these Wise Ones. Some of the knowledge passed from generation to generation. Some families were able to keep themselves fairy healthy.

My family has always had some small knowledge in herbs in home remedies. Chamomile tea to ease stomach upset. Drinking hot water with lemon and honey to relieve sore throats. When I became a mom, I learned more still from my In-laws and friends. Tea made of any one of the mint family also helps upset stomachs. Soak a candy cane in warm water and give the water to an infant (check the temperature first) to ease colic. Cabbage tea helps to heal and relieve the discomfort of ulcer pains. Stomach problems dominate my household, that’s where my interest is.
I’ve recently learned Lavender widely believed to help promote relaxation can also promote sleep and help relieve headaches. I suffer from chronic migraines and insomnia so I will be searching for a Lavender sachet or potpourri to keep at my bedside.

In recent years, a surge of scientific studies has proved the power of herbs in health. A Google search will bring more site and studies than a single person could read in a week. There’s also a wide array of books, about herbs and plants used to promote health or what herbs/plants you could eat if you were stranded without food.

Most of our current medications originally started as a plant compound, with time scientists have found a way to make a synthetic copy of those compounds and mass-produce our medicines. New plants are being found in the depths of the remaining rainforests that are promoting our health too.

The old Wise Ones were wise beyond their time.

Photo Credits:

Drying Herbs    http://usesofherbs.com/
Bundles of Herbs http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/01/day-13-growing-your-own-herbs/
Mortar and Pestle http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com/services/chinese-herbal-medicine/
Inside Mortar http://www.thehealersjournal.com/2012/08/31/how-knowing-your-ayurvedic-dosha-can-change-your-life/