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Liquor Magic: Ginger Cardamom Vodka

A long time ago I made a few posts with recipes for flavored liqueurs that could be made and used for magical purposes that also just tasted really really good. It’s been awhile, but here’s another tasty one. Of course, this recipe is intended for those of legal drinking age. 

This is a vodka flavored with raw ginger, honey, cardamom, and thyme. It’s great on it’s own or as a hot toddy. It can also make the deadliest dark and stormy ever. This recipe is best for when you need the energy and confidence to make things happen. For this recipe you will need

-One fifth of vodka, or 3 and a quarter cups of vodka

-1 cup of honey

-1 cup of grated raw ginger (be careful when doing this, my hand was burning by the end of it)

-¼ cup of crushed caradmom pods or of ground cardamom (I recommend using the pods, I used ground cardamom and you can’t really strain it out as well, so it leaves a precipitate at the bottom)

-2 tablespoons of dried thyme 

To make:

Combine all the ingredients in a large jar, awakening the desired property of each ingredient. Store away in a cabinet somewhere for 3 to 5 days. Once that time has passed strain out the solid ingredients into another jar or bottle using a mesh strainer or cheese cloth. And you’re done! 

Proofing Spells

So, I am a baker by trade.  And, if I may say so, I am a very good baker.  I make very pretty baked goods.  I am good at my job.

Except that I always feel like I’m slow.  I take longer than most other bakers at my job.  And, yeah, it’s the trade-off for making high quality goods, and most everyone accepts that.  But it’s something I’m really, really insecure about.  Especially since I work 9 hour graveyard shifts; I don’t want to be there any longer than I have to.  Too tiring.

So I started doing this spell for myself at work:

Whenever I make something that proofs, I channel energy into whatever dough I’m working with (usually as I shape it, but also as I spray non-stick pan-spray into the pans, visualizing the spray as a vehicle for the transference of energy).  This is usually accompanied by aggressively chanting (in my head so my coworkers don’t think I’m crazy), “I am a good baker.  I work quickly and efficiently while still maintaining a high quality product.”

So now I have this charged up bread dough (often in charged-up pans; thanks pan-spray).  But - okay, so, I think this is so cool - as the dough proofs and gets bigger, the intentions of the spell proof up and get bigger.  And then, when I bake the bread/pastries/whatever, it completes the spell (usually with even more of an oomph, since things get just a bit bigger when they bake as well).

And that’s my speed and confidence at work spell!  Works for me every time!  That first batch of dough goes in the oven and BAM!

“But Miss D, I’m not a baker.”   You say.  “I don’t need to be a faster baker.”

Well, you know what, that doesn’t matter!  This can be a great medium for spells of any intention!  Think of something you want to be bigger.  The money in your bank account, your confidence, the number of friends you have - whatever.  If it can grow bigger in some way, this’ll work!

Now, you can bake yourself some bread for this (if you knead your dough by hand, you can really pound that energy into it!), but I’m thinking that anything that grows could work, since that’s basically what proofing is - the dough growing bigger.  Like, maybe if you get a balloon, you can charge the balloon itself with the energy (maybe tugging at it or whatever people do to make the plastic more pliable).  Then blowing air into the balloon is the action of proofing, making your intentions and whatever your spell is for grow bigger as the balloon grows bigger.  And then maybe you could pop it (like baking the bread) and BAM - MO MONEY/CONFIDENCE/FRIENDS/WHEVS.

And you could totally throw extra oomph into this method with things like color correspondences (especially for balloons, but also you could use food dye or certain ingredients for bread), or especially for bread, throw in some herbs relating to your intentions!  (Need some success?  Cinnamon bread.  Protection?  Basil, rosemary, onion.  The possibilities are l i m i t l e s s ! !)

Eh?  Eeehhhh?  Wha’cha think?

Mental clarity bottle

Salt - cleansing

Mint - refreshing

Ginkgo - memory

Lotus incense ash - purity

Sage - cleansing

Juniper - rejuvenating

Clear quartz - clarity

White candle - purity

Cleanse your space well and layer the ingredients in the bottle, focusing on the intent of each one. Now some of these are more personal and can vary for different people, e.g. I used desert sage because it grows wild here. Maybe you hate mint, if so then don't use it. Etc. Put the candle in the bottle and light it any time you need to clear your brain fog or make a tough decision.

I don't have an incantation for this one because I typically don't use them. Instead I use bells (pictured) or some other instrument to raise the energy and bring everything together. In this case I rang the bells over the bottle, focused on their ring, and let the sound gradually fade, then focused on the silence.

I feel like selenite works be a good addition, I just didn't have any extra on hand.

Lammas

Here’s a brief overview of the holiday Lammas. [LAH-mahs] Some people use the name Lughnasadh. [LOO-nah-sah] They are both names for the same holiday–the celebration of the first harvest–, however they are not necessarily interchangeable. 

Lughnasadh is the Gaelic name for this occasion. It celebrates the waning of the sun god Lugh as the summer gives way to fall. The year’s crop is ready for harvesting. Lammas is the modern name. It has minimal connection to the Gaelic sun God, so if you don’t believe in the God, you would use the term Lammas. Both terms recognize the power of the sun God infusing his blessings into the first year’s harvest, however Lughnasadh credits a Gaelic God while Lammas credits a more general sun God. Lughnasadh is the more traditional name, so you can choose to use that term if you want without having any affiliation to Lugh. 

Lammas is celebrated on August 1st (Northern hemisphere) or February 1st (Southern hemisphere). 

Spellwork

Lammas is a time of giving thanks, so be sure to leave offerings to your deities. It’s custom to use something from your harvest (if you harvested anything) as your offering. Spells involving blessings or guidance are going to fare well during this day. 

Correspondences 

Symbols: Sunflower, Wheat, Baskets, Creative Tools (pen, paintbrush, microphone)

Colors: Deep green, orange, burgundy deep reds

Herbs: Vervain, Sunflower, Rosemary

Food/Drink: Grain, Honey, Nuts, Berries, Beer, Cider

Incense: Frankincense, Rosemary

Crystals: Tiger’s Eye, Obsidian

Ways to Celebrate!

Use this holiday to celebrate the things in life granted to you. Share your talents with others. Go for a walk in nature. Have a feast. 

Anyone who can make a cup of tea and dye a skein of wool, or linen/cotton. It almost like alchemy that such common garden plants can produce an amazing array of vibrant colors. The way that this wheel works is the plant corresponds with the different mordant to help preserve the color. Natural dyeing has endless possibilities of colors that are able to be created depending on factors like soak time, varying up mordants, even which part of the plant you’re using! These mostly act as suggestions to a place to begin, even though there are limitless ways to produce plant based dyes. Here’s an example of how this process would would be done: Dyeing: 12 oz. marigold heads 5 cups water 2 tbsp alum Steps: Bring water to a boil with marigolds. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and transfer only liquid back to pot. Add damp fabric and simmer 10–20 minutes. Rinse, or leave in bath overnight and rinse with hot water until water runs clear. Dry. Heat set by ironing for 5 minutes. What plants are your favorite to dye with? 

*I am not an expert dyer, all of this information was researched via Garden Flower Folklore by Laura C. Martin. .

English vs French Lavender

While it’s well known that lavender has a calming and soothing effect, (I’ve seen it used a lot in sleep spells and drinks, etc) I’ve only recently found out that it’s not true for all varieties.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in the picture on the left is your go-to for those soothing bed-time vibes. This is the more common variety.

French lavender (Lavandula stoechas), the tufty flower on the right, actually has an invigorating effect. It’s also brilliant for cuts and grazes to prevent infection and promote healing, but if you’re growing this plant to help you sleep it will not have the desired effect in your bed-time tea/pillow sachet!

Creating A Morning Ritual 🧘🏾‍♀️☀️

The Summer Solstice has finally come! We are officially halfway through the year. This energy is great for manifesting, expressing gratitude, and making changes in your life for the next few months. Now is the best time to create new morning rituals, to not only enhance your living but to enhance your magic as well! ✨

What is a Morning Ritual?

A morning ritual is anything you do to get your day started. In the witchy world, a morning ritual combines mundane tasks with everyday magic practice.

Sometimes the morning is the only time we get to practice magic, with our lives being so hectic and busy. 

How Long Should it Be?

Your morning ritual can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour or more.

First figure out how much time you have to spare in the mornings. Do you have 9am classes or work really early in the morning? Set your alarm for 10-20min before you have to leave, and do your morning ritual then. Work overnight and only get the mornings to sleep? Set an alarm for early afternoon, the exact time doesn’t matter. Mornings completely free? Set up I comfortable time to rise and you use as much time as you’d like.

The ritual should last as long as your activities do. If it takes you 20 minutes to do yoga and you’d like to include it in your routine, try to allot time for that. Which brings us to the next point:

What Practices Should I Include?

Anything that you want to become habitual and/or anything you’re trying to improve at.

It takes 21+ days to create a habit, and 1,000 hours minimum to get good at something, so including these things in your morning ritual will help speed up that process.

A normal morning ritual consists of regular activities like: making tea/coffee, stretching, taking a shower etc. When you’re coming up with your list, make sure to include these tasks that you’re already used to doing. (this will be helpful in figuring out how much time you need, as well)

To spice up your morning ritual, try to turn those mundane tasks into something more magical. Then, consider which of your witchy practices require little energy and can start you up for the day.

Some examples of ritual activities include:

Pulling tarot/oracle cards for the day

Showers/baths for cleansing 🚿

Smoke cleansing 💨

Making tea/coffee with herbs corresponding to your intentions for the day (ie. rosemary before going to any classes/lectures) 🍵☕️

Doing chakra meditation focused on a specific chakra ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🧘🏾‍♀️

Sun Salutation Yoga ☀️

Creating a quick crystal grid

Going outside and walking barefoot, for grounding 🌱🌿

Burn incense with scents/herbs corresponding to the day’s intentions

Write out affirmations/intentions for the day in a notebook/journal

Dream journaling! ✨

Working on a page in your grimoire 📕

Playing music and dancing around the house to stir up energy 💃🏽🎶

Lighting a candle on your altar or around your sacred space (bonus points for color based on intention) 🕯

Quick self-love/glamour magic 💎

Etc. etc. etc.

Your list could include one, a few, all, or none of these things. It’s all about what feels right for your individual practice. If you don’t already know what you want to do, look into what other witches or spirituals in your belief do on a daily basis. For example, practitioner of Norse Mythology often work with runes, you could definitely include that in your morning ritual.

But most importantly your morning routine is your own. Make it what you want it to be. It can be as long or as short as you’d like, and as eccentric as you please. The most important part is that you enjoy what you’re doing, and you feel energized doing it.

matterzcollective.com <3

Sharehouse Peace Witch's Ladder

This one's been in the works for me for a week or so but I finally had enough peace in my busy moving schedule to sit down and make a pair - one for the front door and one for the back.

Use 9 silver [coloured] bells in place of knots or feathers so that these double as a door protection Witch Bell/s. Their peal as the door is opened wards off dark energies and brings in positive energy.

Use 3 threads:

Blue - for peace, calm, healing and protection

Yellow - for clear communication (So important in a share house)

Black- to absorb negative energy

I used embroidery thread but strips of fabric or anything you have around will do fine, as long as your bells can thread on.

Tie a loop large enough to slip on to your door handle, and then thread on your first bell. I always thread my bells onto the black thread so that they will reinforce each others ability to repel and control dark energies.

Start plaiting! Each time you cross a thread over repeat to yourself its purpose: "peace and calm, clear communication absorb the negative, peace and calm, clear communication, absorb the negative-" I find this helps my intent stay focused for such long projects.

When you've plaited enough space that your bells won't touch, thread on another. Repeat this until the 9th bell. Tie this one on with a strong ending statement such as "In this Home!" Or "So mote it be!"

Trim your excess thread (unless you want straggly-chic). Plop it on your door and thank it in advance for its work. You're done!