The Magical Pantry
When I first started practicing magick, I noticed that most of the books called for specialty herbs and spices that I typically didn’t have. Some I had never heard of. I lived in the Florida Keys at the time, so finding Hemlock, Dragon’s Blood, Eye of Newt, and Dead Man’s Toe was nearly impossible. Okay, I’m kidding about Dead Man’s Toe and Eye of Newt. None of the books actually called for those things. However, they often called for things that I usually didn’t have access to, and I wasn’t knowledgeable enough to find adequate substitutions. Keep in mind this was pre-internet. So, no Google. I didn’t realize at the time that a lot of the herbs and spices in my cupboard would have been perfectly sufficient. And then I discovered Scott Cunningham’s The Complete Guide to Incense, Oils, and Brews. As well as Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. These books would open a whole new magical world for me. Years later I discovered other wonderful herbal resources, but I still refer to the books by Scott Cunningham the most. I recommend them often.
While I do like to keep a variety of dried flowers and other magical ingredients on hand, I do occasionally run out. And I don’t always have time to run out and buy something. Or by the time I realize I’m completely out of something, the local metaphysical shop (or health food store) is already closed. Unfortunately, magical work can’t always wait until the next day. And in most instances, magical timing is more important than the perfect magical ingredients. It’s a good thing most of us have a kitchen cabinet filled with all sorts of magical ingredients! So, before you run out to buy a bunch of “magical” herbs that you may never use again, check your kitchen cupboard. Chances are you will find what you need right there. And don’t be afraid to get creative!
Here are just some of the herbs and spices you may have handy at home…
Allspice: Prosperity, money, and good luck.
Alum: Prevents gossip, evil eye, protective, and cleansing properties.
Anise Seed: Divination, love, beauty, happiness, inspiration, and creativity.
Basil: Wealth, prosperity, harmony, healing, abundance, and good luck.
Bay leaf: Purification, protection, health, strength, good luck, and wishes.
Black Pepper: Cleansing, purification, banishing, protection, wards off jealousy.
Cardamon: Uplifting, happiness, love, passion, prosperity, money, attraction.
Cayenne Pepper: Protection, banishing, passion, strength, and courage, amplifies magical energy.
Chicory: Luck, prosperity, strength, divination, removing blocks, success, and removing curses.
Chives: Fortune telling, prosperity, money, protection, absorbs negativity, wards off illness and disease.
Cinnamon: Prosperity, psychic abilities, attraction, love, money, happiness, passion, sexuality, courage, strength, amplifies magical energy, and spells that require swift action.
Clove: Prosperity, good luck, love, abundance, enhances vibration, clarity, cleansing, protection, and banishing. Known to gossip.
Curry: Creativity, passion, sexuality, protection from evil spirits, promotes clarity, wisdom, and peace.
Dill: Happiness, wealth, protection, purification, wards off evil spirits, negativity, and bad luck.
Fennel: Longevity, courage, love, protection, purification, wards off evil spirits, and unwanted guests.
Fenugreek: Fertility, prosperity, abundance, money, psychic defense.
Garlic Powder: Protection, purification, exorcism, and health.
Ginger: Power, prosperity, wards off poverty, health, sex, passion, courage, strength, and empowerment.
Lemon: Purification, negativity, beauty, cleansing, health, and healing.
Mace: Increases psychic powers, power, strength, and protection.
Mint: Luck, success, attractions money, clarity, focus, healing, peaceful sleep, cleansing, intuition, promotes visions, purification, and protection.
Mustard Seed: Fertility, safety, protection, health, focus, and mental powers.
Nutmeg: Astral projection, meditation, divination, justice, court cases, banishing.
Orange Peel: Prosperity, happiness, good luck, friendship, strength, creativity.
Oregano: Psychic dreams, peace, love, friendship, relationships, kindness.
Parsley: Communication with spirit, good luck, prosperity, purification, protection, and cleansing.
Poppy Seed: Money drawing, good luck, prosperity, wisdom, intuition, helps with conception.
Rosemary: Healing, love, fidelity, clarity, beauty, attraction, memory, focus, purification, and protection.
Sage: Purification, wishes, emotional strength, wisdom, clarity, money, abundance, banishes negativity.
Salt!
The sacred and magical properties of ordinary household salt! Salt is good for purification, protection, banishing negative energy, prosperity, strength, abundance, health, and healing.
Black Salt is protective and absorbs negative energy. Wards off unwanted guests.
Himalayan Salt helps restore self-love
Kosher Salt helps remove jinxes and drives off enemies.
Star Anise: Good luck, prosperity, abundance, psychic awareness, success, protects against the evil eye.
Tarragon: Lucid dreaming, astral projection, divination, clarity, strength, consecration, and compassion.
Thyme: Sleep, courage, beauty, courage, happiness, prevents nightmares, intuition, and promotes good health.
Turmeric: Courage, strength, abundance, prosperity, success, health, and healing.
Vanilla!
Vanilla in all its forms is one of my favorite things! There is always a vanilla bean in my sugar jar. Not only does it smell delicious, but adding a vanilla bean to your sugar canister magically charges the sugar with love and prosperity.
Vanilla is good for love, passion, beauty, seduction, sensuality, attraction, anxiety, prosperity, good fortune, peace, dreams, and self-care. Just the smell of vanilla promotes a sense of peace and is very calming.
Sweeteners
Magically speaking, sweeteners, such as honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, sugar, and molasses are good for doing the same thing to others as they do to food. They are used to sweeten people up! And not just romantically. Honey jars can be used for various situations. Such as practical purposes, family feuds, and friendship. I have taught classes devoted to honey jar magick and sweetening spells. Stay tuned for that blog…
There are many magical foods as well, such as apples to bananas, collard greens to rice. That is a topic worth a separate blog. Stay tuned for that one too!
