On the twelfth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 12th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Frankincense

A resin from the Boswellia tree, a deciduous tree that grows on rocky outcrops.

As with all resins when burnt on charcoal it makes a lot of smoke but I have to say I think this is my favourite resin scent and again as with most resins it works well for cleansing and purifying.

A good resin to burn for spirituality and your spiritual connection, also for cleansing the chakras and promoting a general feeling of relaxation.

Frankincense can also bring about focus and clarity.

Carry with you for abundance and to attract love.

Yule Incense blend

Equal parts of each:

Frankincense

Cinnamon

Pine needles

Cloves

Frankincense Magical Properties:

Purification, spirituality, relaxation, focus, love, abundance

Ruling planet – Sun

Sign – Aries, Leo, Aquarius

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Plants & Herbs by Rachel Patterson

On the eleventh day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 11th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Cinnamon

(Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum verum)

Such a fabulous scent and flavour packing a powerful punch of energy, cinnamon is made from the dried bark of the branches of the tree.

Burn cinnamon as an incense or add to your recipes to bring focus and concentration this will also bring about a deeper spiritual connection and boost your psychic abilities.

Add cinnamon to sachets and pouches or meals to bring about love and success.  I often add a pinch of powdered cinnamon to any spell work that needs an extra boost of power.  That cinnamon power punch also gives you the strength and courage to make necessary changes in your life.

Tie a bundle of cinnamon with a black or red ribbon and hang it in your hallway to bring protection, love and success to your household.

Wear a dab or two of cinnamon oil when you go on a date for added oh la la.  (Might be an idea to dilute with a carrier oil first if your skin is sensitive).

Cinnamon Magical Properties:

Success, healing, power, psychic powers, protection, love, focus, lust, spirituality, changes

Ruling planet – Sun

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the tenth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 10th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Star Anise

(Illicum verum)

An ancient herb, the star shape seeds of Star Anise come from an evergreen shrub and the seedpods are picked just before the fruit ripens and are dried in the sun.  The star shape of the seed lends itself to all sorts of magical correspondences and representations. They have a delicious aniseed aroma and taste. 

Place star anise in the corner of each room in your home to bring luck.  Keep a whole star anise on your altar to help keep a spiritual connection.  Place a star anise beneath your pillow to induce prophetic dreams and also to help you sleep.

Burn star anise as an incense to purify and protect your home and also to help increase your psychic powers or wear one in an amulet or pouch to provide psychic protection and keep away evil.

Make a sachet of star anise and bay to pop into your bath water to purify and cleanse your aura and energies.

It is also a good herb to use in New Moon rituals and spell work along with New Moon recipe dishes.

Star Anise Magical Properties:

Luck, psychic powers, purification, protection, dreams, spirituality, sleep

Ruling planet – Jupiter

Element – Air

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the nineth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 9th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Vanilla

(Vanilla planifolia)

Vanilla seeds come from an orchid in the Vanilla family.  The seeds are scraped from the vanilla pod to use as flavouring and the pod can then be saved and used to flavour alcohol (gin and rum work well, just drop the pod into the bottle) or popped into your sugar box to flavour the sugar.

Vanilla can be used to increase love and happiness whether it is in your cooking or spell work.  The vanilla beans can also help to increase your spirituality and connection to a higher level of consciousness.

The scent of vanilla can be used for any love and sex magic to attract a lover or to increase levels of passion.  It can also be used to spark your imagination and creativity.

Vanilla Magical Properties:

Love, spirituality, sex magic, passion, creativity

Ruling planet – Venus

Element – Water, Air

Gender – Feminine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the eighth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 8th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Myrrh

(Commiphora myrrha)

Another natural gum tree resin this one comes from a thorny tree that has a long history of perfume and incense use.

As with all resins it makes lots of smoke when burnt on charcoal so it works well to protect and purify. 

This one also helps you to heal spiritually and emotionally and brings a huge boost of courage with it too.

It has a strong Crone energy and therefore also good for Underworld workings.

I combine myrrh with frankincense a lot as it seems to blend together very well.

Myrrh Magical Properties:

Protection, purification, healing, Crone, Underworld, courage

Ruling planet – Mars, Sun

Sign – Aries, Aquarius

Element – Water

Gender – Feminine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Plants & Herbs by Rachel Patterson

On the seventh day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 7th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Ginger

(Zingiber officinale)

Ginger is the rhizome from the Zingiber officinale plant, the root can be used fresh (peel it first) or dried and used as powder.

Sliced root ginger dropped into hot water with a splash of honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon makes a delicious drink.

In some parts of the world it was traditional to chew raw ginger then spit it onto a diseased are of the body to cure the illness.  Don’t they know it’s rude to spit?

Ginger does have huge healing properties not just medicinally but also magically so add it to healing pouches, witches bottles and incense blends.

Ginger also packs a spicy punch so add it to magical workings to boost the energy and can also be used to speed things up and bring about a successful outcome.  Eat some ginger before your spell work to increase your magical power.  In fact you can add it to any recipe to boost the magical intent.

Ginger has a history of being used in love and passion spells so for that romantic meal spice it up with a hit of ginger.

Make a simple ginger oil by infusing root ginger into base oil and then anoint your purse or wallet with the oil to keep money coming in.

Folklore says that growing a ginger plant from the root placed in water in your home will attract good health and prosperity.

Hang a piece of root ginger over your doorway to bring protection to your house and sprinkled powdered ginger around your property to keep trouble out.

Ginger Magical Properties:

Healing, power, love, passion, success, prosperity, protection

Ruling planet – Mars

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source -  A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the sixth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 6th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Apple

(Pyrus spp)

The apple is a very magical fruit right throughout history.

Cut an apple in half across its centre and you will reveal a five pointed star.

A lovely wood to use for wand making and a favourite tree of witches especially with its link to the autumn equinox and Samhain. 

Excellent to use in any love spell workings or recipes but also for healing.

Eating an apple is said to open a portal into the other realms and allows us to gain clarity and knowledge.

Apples are also symbolic of abundance.

Apples are often connected with the mysteries of Avalon so work well in any incense blends or spell workings to connect with Avalonian deities.  Apples are also considered the food of the dead so they are excellent to use in spirit work.  Or maybe bake an apple pie and dedicate it to Avalon and eat to honour your ancestors.

Pick an apple and carve the initials of the one you desire and your own initials into the fruit, bury the apple in the ground to set your spell into motion.

Peel an apple in one long continuous piece then drop the peel, the letter that it forms is the initial of your true love’s name.

Apple Magical Properties:

Love, healing, clarity, knowledge, abundance, spirit work

Ruling planet – Venus

Element – Water

Gender – Feminine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the fifth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 5th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Pine

(Pinus)

Evergreen conifer trees with thick scaly bark and dark green needles that we often associate with Yule.

The scent of pine is good for bringing us back to ourselves, for centring and focusing.

An excellent herb to use in all kinds of Dragon magic.

Pine also brings with it a strong magical protection for your home and also a sense of hospitality and welcome.  Keep pine needles in your home to bring in abundance (I would suggest keeping them in a medicine pouch rather than sprinkling them as they are uncomfortable to tread on).

It is also a useful herb to use in truth spells to find out hidden knowledge or secrets.

Use in incense blends to protect and purify your home or sacred space.  I like to add a few drops of pine essential oil to my floor wash.

Use pine cones in fertility magic workings and healing spells.

Pine Magical Properties:

Centring, focus, Dragon magic, protection, truth, abundance, purification, fertility, healing

Ruling planet – Mars, Saturn

Sign - Capricorn

Element – Air, Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Plants and Herbs by Rachel Patterson

On the fourth day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 4th day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Nutmeg

(Myristica fragrans)

Nutmeg hails from a tall tree with smooth greyish bark that flowers three times a year.  It takes nine years before the tree produces its first crop.  The nutmeg we are familiar with is the seed which is covered by an outer shell that we know as mace, they are separated and then dried.

Carry nutmeg with you for good luck and to attract money to you.  A whole nutmeg makes an excellent good luck charm.

Sprinkle nutmeg (powdered not lots of whole ones…) around your property to protect against negative energy.

Keep a whole nutmeg under your bed to ensure that fidelity in your relationship stays solid.

Nutmeg is sometimes used in place of High John the Conqueror in spell work.

Nutmeg Magical Properties:

Money, luck, fidelity, protection

Ruling planet – Jupiter

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine



Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the third day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 3rd day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Clove

(Eugenia carophyllus, Syzygium aromaticum, Caryophyllus aromaticus)

One of my favourite scents and flavours, cloves are gown on a small evergreen tree, they are the beginnings of the seeds that form just after the flowers.

Add cloves to incense to clear negative energy and increase the spiritual energy in your home.

Use clove oil as a love blessing or add a couple of drops to cider, mead or wine and share with friends to bring your friendship closer.  If you want to keep harmony amongst a group of people charge a number of cloves with peace and friendship and then give one to each person to keep with them or bake a big apple pie studded with cloves to share with everyone.  If you want to attract a lover cloves can be carried on you for that purpose too.

Keep a clove in your purse or wallet to attract abundance.  I think the idea of cloves being for prosperity came about when they were an extremely expensive spice.

Hang a pouch of cloves above your door to stop gossip and bring about protection to those within your home.

Clove Magical Properties:

Love, money, exorcism, clarity, protection, abundance, repels negativity, prevents gossip, stress relief, truth

Ruling planet – Jupiter

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On a list...

Oh my goodness...I am on a list...one of those books of 2015 lists...squeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Online magazine Spiral Nature have done a  list '25 occultnik books reviewed and ranked from 2015'  and bless 'em they have ranked A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food in at number two - well 'spin my nipple nuts and send me to Alaska' (a Red Dwarf phrase in case you wondered...).

There are some fabulous books in the list and I am honoured to be in such good company along with a couple of my fellow Moon Books authors too!

Feeling overwhelmed...

This is the link in case you wanted to take a peek:

http://www.spiralnature.com/culture/25-occultnik-books-2015/

On the second day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 2nd day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Orange

(Citrus × sinensis)

The orange coloured citrus fruit, you know the one.

The orange is a fruit of the sun, a fruit of love and happiness and a fruit with an enlightening and uplifting scent.

During the 19^th Century to give a gift of an orange was thought to be generous and thoughtful.  (Just for the record I prefer gifts of chocolate).

The orange is good for purifying the mind, body and spirit.  Orange juice makes a good ritual drink and orange peel makes a good herbal tea to help bring about clarity and energy.

Dried orange peel also works well in incense blends to represent the energy of the sun but doesn’t smell particularly good when burnt, try dropping a few orange peels into an oil burner with a base oil to release the scent.

Oranges are sacred to the god of earth and air, Enlil.

Orange water can be used to flavour dishes especially if you are entertaining a loved one.  Bathe in orange water to attract a marriage candidate.

Set out orange water as an offering to the deities Hera and Juno for marriage and fidelity.

Orange Magical Properties:

Love, happiness, uplifting, generosity, purification, clarity, energy, fidelity

Ruling planet – Sun

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

On the first day of Yule...

TWELVE SCENTS OF YULE...

On the 1st day of Yule my witchy scent for you...

Cranberry

(Vaccinium oxycoccos)

Creeping shrubs or vines with evergreen leaves and juicy red berries which always make me think of Yule.

These little teeny berries of bright red goodness carry huge protective energy with them – they are a power punch against negative energy.

The cranberry doesn’t seem to have a huge record of magical correspondences, not that I have found but as it is a Mars plant then it seems to me that it would be good to use in communication workings and with its water and feminine energies it can work well in spell work for dealing with emotions.

Dried cranberries can be strung on a piece of twine or cord and made into a small wreath to hang over your doorways for protection; they also make good Yule tree decorations.

Cranberry Magical Properties:

Protection, emotions, communication

Ruling planet – Mars

Element – Water, Fire

Gender – Feminine


Source - A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson

Merry what?

The usual 'Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas/what the heck do I say?' hoopla is doing the rounds at the moment as it usually does at this time of the year so for what it is worth...here is my two penneth...

Happy Holidays is a term that seems to be more popular in the USA rather than the UK but it covers a multitude of celebrations and let's face it there are quite a few in December - not just Christmas and the Winter Solstice but also Bodhi day (a Buddhist), Hanukkah (Jewish), Id al-Adha & Ramadan (Muslim), St Lucia Day (Swedish), Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican), Omisoka (Japan) and Saturnalia (Nova Romans/Hellenic) and I am pretty sure there are others so the wish of Happy Holidays is a 'politically correct' phrase to cover everything.

In the UK we tend to use Seasons Greetings as a general wish which makes sense as it really means wishing you greetings of the winter season and again covers a whole load of different meanings.

But here's the thing...when it is someone's birthday I wish them Happy Birthday because it is THEIR birth date not mine.  To my Hindu friends I wish them Happy Diwali (in October) not because I am Hindu but because I am wishing them blessings for their celebration.  So when I wish a fellow pagan Yuletide Blessings it is because they are pagan, not because I am.

So...I do wish people Merry Christmas as a general rule because the majority of people I come into contact with do celebrate the whole Christmas shebang.  I give the greeting to send blessings their way and to be friendly and positive, I am wishing that they have a happy Christmas time because that is the holiday they celebrate.

When I was first on this pathway being the only pagan in my family I struggled big time with how to deal with Christmas and spent hours looking for cards to send people that didn't have the 'C' word on...it was only after I settled into my faith that I realised...my friends and family that celebrate Christmas don't want a pagan Yule card, it was only my befuddled brain that wanted to send them one.

Now I purchase cards because I like the image on the front (and because I purchase charity cards the money I use to buy them goes to a good cause too) it doesn't matter whether they say Happy Christmas, Seasons Greetings or Yuletide Wishes...

I wonder if we are really over thinking this...I have seen long in depth posts on facebook where pagan people have gotten their knickers in a twist because someone wished them Happy Christmas...well you know what?   That person was just sending you postive happy blessings, does it really matter if they use the word Christmas or the word Yule?  Isn't it all about the fact that they said something nice, something that sent you joyful wishes?

Today when the world appears to be going to hell in a hand basket isn't it better that people wish each other happy blessings of any kind?  Let's not get hung up on semantics...whatever wording you use make sure you wish everyone you meet today blessings of some kind...

Happy Hogswatch to you all ♥






Hogswatch cards (the image above) available from www.discworldemporium.com

Herbal Substitutions...

A question I get asked a lot..."When working a spell what if I don't have the right ingredients, what can I use to substitute?"

And my answer is always the same... "use your intuition".

A spell always has a specific intent and the ingredients used whether it is the colour of the candle, the oil or the herb - each one will be a layer added for extra oomph and each one will correspond with the intent of the working.

Actually I prefer to use ingredients that my intuition has picked rather than a list made by someone else because I think it brings more personal power to the working.

So...if for instance your spell is for prosperity and it calls for the use of basil and you don't have any, take a look in your garden or your spice and herb cupboard.  Get the intent of prosperity firmly fixed in your mind and ask (out loud or silently) what herb or spice you should use for the spell...a particular pot of herbs may catch your eye or the name may pop into your head.

If you want to be really 'book worm' about it and prefer to look up the correspondences then look for a herb that has the same intent so instead of basil you might choose mint, nutmeg, fenugreek or cloves - all of these other herbs and spices have the magical property of money and prosperity and each one would be a perfect substitution for basil.  However just because someone in a book or on the internet somewhere said basil is good for prosperity doesn't mean that it is the right one for you to use, you may find that mint works much better for you.

Don't feel you have to be bound by someone else's instructions or ideas, spell working is incredibly personal and the more individual you make it and the more of your own energy you add to it the more powerful and specific to you it will be.

Trust your intuition...