Kitchen Cupboard Magic
Adapted from Witch in the Kitchen, by Cait Johnson (Inner Traditions, 2001).
We don't usually think of sea salt and basil and apples as magical, but our more
Earth-centered ancestors knew they were.
Here, then, is a list of some traditional herb correspondences; choose one or more
According to your desire. You can add a handful to your washing-water next time
You mop the floor:
Apples: Food of the Goddess, love. Add a few pieces of fresh or dried apple to
Your water (but not too much or you'll end up with sticky surfaces!)
Basil: Love, fidelity, wealth, protection. A nice all-purpose herb with a luscious
Summery scent.
Chamomile: Serenity and calm; purification. Smells like a blend of apples and
New-mown hay. While you're at it, make yourself a cup of tea to drink after you've
Finished cleaning; it's very relaxing.
Cinnamon: Happy home, safety, healing, protection. The primal home-and-hearth
Spice. Use pieces of cinnamon stick for your brew (the powdered kind will turn into
A gelatinous glop in the bucket).
Clove: Purification; promotes love and spirituality. Try it with cinnamon--delicious!
Eucalyptus: Health, protection. Warm and fresh, actually kills germs.
Evergreen: Health, purification, vitality. A few sprigs of pine, cedar, or juniper
Growing nearby, a few sprigs placed in boiling water will add green freshness to
Your housecleaning brew.
Lavender: Love, friendship, peace, happiness, protection. Such a sweet, relaxing,
And calm-inducing scent--and it's also an antidepressant.
Lemon peel: Purification. It's no accident that so many cleaning products are
Lemon-scented; lemon smells fresh and uplifting and cleanses negativity.
Marjoram: Love, protection, antidepressant. You can sprinkle a little of this dried
Herb in the corners of every room to promote love and safety.
Peppermint: Purification, healing, soothing. A wonderfully relaxing and refreshing
Scent.
Rosemary: Cleansing and protection; clears negativity; encourages clear thinking.
Sage: Purification, wisdom. It's no coincidence that the word for "wise one" is the
Same as the herb's name. A traditional ingredient of many Native American
Smudge bundles, a strong sage tea will help clear your home of negativity.
Sea salt: Traditional for purification and protection. If you've been feeling
Vulnerable or weird and you only have time to add one ingredient to your
Wash-water, this could be it.
Vanilla: love, happiness. A piece of the bean or a few drops of extract will make
Your home smell and feel delicious
Tags: Kitchenwitch Kitchen
