The Real Witches’ Kitchen: Spells, recipes, oils, lotions and potions from the Witches’ Hearth
less formal way of performing this, should you be in non-sympathetic company, is to visualize yourself going through this Rite but simply anoint your third eye.
Using a Lotion or Cream on Another Person
If your subject is sympathetic to the Craft or to alternate forms of healing, then you will be able to work quite openly with them. In this case gentle massage is probably the best way to deliver your blend. If they have a specific part of the body which is causing trouble, such as an ankle or wrist, then you can work directly on that part. If however, their malaise is more general, perhaps a cold or stress, then you can massage the shoulders, hands or feet, or whatever they and you feel comfortable with.
Whilst gently massaging the lotion into the skin, take care not to interact with the underlying tissues unless you are a qualified masseuse. Visualize the ingredients in the oil working their way into the person’s body and the aromas seeping into their spirit. Visualize these driving out all negative influences and leaving a warm golden healing light.
When you have finished, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly, not only to remove the oils but also to wash away any negativity that you may have accumulated in the course of the healing.
Anointing a Candle or Other Object
Many people like to burn a candle to focus their Magical intent and to ‘send the Magic on its way’. You can use a candle you have made for the purpose or buy one of the colour which you feel is most appropriate (see Chapter 5, ‘Candles and Incenses’).
To anoint a candle, hold it horizontally in front of you. With your forefinger place one or two drops of oil in the centre and, using both hands, spread the oil from the centre to the ends whilst visualizing your goals. When you are certain the candle is covered, but not dripping, with oil, place it in a holder and light it. Spend a moment or two visualizing the power of the Magic taking hold and moving out to its destination.
Ideally the candle should be allowed to burn all the way down, but as you must never leave a burning candle unattended, it is permissible to extinguish it and relight it at a later point. However, this should only be done for the same intent and should take place within three days (at most) of the starting of the Magic.
Other objects can be anointed, for example a talisman, in which case a small drop of oil should be placed on each side or face of the object whilst visualizing your goal. The talisman should then either be put straight into use or wrapped carefully and put away until it can be given to the recipient.
Using an Oil Burner
Here you will be releasing the fragrance and energy of the oils into the atmosphere via the warmed water in the burner, so it is important that your burner will hold enough water to make this effective. There are many expensive and decorative burners which barely hold a tablespoonful of water. You would be far better off with a cheap one with a large ‘well’.
Alternatively, you can make your own from two clean empty tin cans. Both cans should have the lids removed so as to minimize the sharp edges left at the top, the lower can needs to have a number of holes punched into the side (a skewer will usually do this) and the upper can or ‘well’ needs to sit comfortably on top. Place water in the well and your nightlite in the lower can, put it on a heatproof surface and you have a home-made oil burner.
Once you have your burner, light the candle and allow the water to start warming before adding your oil. As you add the oil, visualize the vapours reaching out and pervading everything until they reach your Magical goal. Visualize that goal being achieved, then sit back and enjoy the scent you have created.
Again, the candle should not be allowed to burn unattended; indeed, it is a good idea not only to put it out but also to make sure that the surface under your burner is not hot before you leave it.
If you also burn perfume oils, it is worth having two oil burners, with one reserved for Magical purposes. Essential oils are highly volatile and most are easily removed from the well, whereas perfume oils are not and often leave a sticky residue which may contaminate future workings.
‘Earth and Water, Air and Fire…’
Not everything made in the Witches’ kitchen is necessarily food or drink. Some Witches also make their own candles and incenses. These are superior to most shop-bought ones, not only because they can be tailor-made for the occasion or purpose, but also because they are made with focus and intent, hence the Magic starts even before they are actually used. Candles and incense are integral parts of Magical work. Candles are lit to create the Sacred Space and are burned to set Magic in motion. Incense also creates the ritual mood, as well as mentally preparing you for the work you intend to do.
Candle-Making
Making your own candles is great fun, but does need a certain amount of preparation. You really do need to have separate pans to heat your wax in, otherwise you risk leaving a taint on your cooking utensils, but you can always buy second-hand ones. You will also need to get hold of the raw ingredients – wax, stearin, wax colour, wicks and mould seal – as well as the moulds in which they set. In addition you will need, at least until you are very skilled, a huge amount of old newspaper with which to cover everything in case of spillage.
Probably the easiest way to start your candle-making is to buy a kit. These are sold in art and craft shops and in the toy section of many stores. They have the advantage of supplying all the ingredients you need together with some easy-to-follow instructions. If your kit suggests you need a wax thermometer, you can ignore this advice, so long as you are prepared to watch your wax like a hawk all the time it is being heated! Even with a thermometer, you cannot afford to leave molten or heating wax unattended. Once you have a kit and have started making candles with the ingredients supplied, then you can buy additional ingredients as and when you need them and also move on to buying specialist moulds, or even making your own.
Basic Candle-Making
The basic ingredients are wax, stearin, wick, wax colour, moulds and mould seal:
