A Witch's World of Magick (7 page)

“Worms go in the milk,
From the milk into the garlic,
From the garlic into the water,
With the water to (your) father,
To the Nivasi,
He shall bind you with a rope,
Ninety-nine (yards long).
³⁶

The most intriguing part of this recipe perhaps is the description of the order in which the energies are to combine: the energies of the “worms” are to first go into the wolf’s milk, a flowering herb also known as spurge that contains a poisonous, milky sap. Then the energies are directed into the garlic, then into the water, then into the Nivasi, a powerful water-spirit. Rather than combining the energies of the “worms” with the energy of the water and thus the Nivasi straightaway, it’s recommended to instead send the essence of the “worms” first into the wolf’s milk and then through the garlic before it reaches the water. Perhaps the action of the wolf’s milk and the garlic is to weaken the “worms” and neutralize those energies a bit before the final action of the potion is effected and the “worms” are sent back to their origin and bound. If the energies of the malady were sent straight to the water without previously being altered or transformed in some fashion, perhaps the Nivasi would not be quite strong enough to bind these energies. By first combining the energy of the “worms” with the energies of the wolf’s milk and the garlic, the infirmity is rendered more like the water into which it’s next mixed, which in turn puts the “worms” at the mercy of the great water spirit Nivasi. We might here conclude that when trying to magickally bind or banish any extra strong or powerful energies, it might be helpful to mellow them out a bit first with some intermediary combining magick before you get to the heart of the spell.

Of course, getting rid of “worms” doesn’t seem like the most exciting magickal goal to pursue, although I guess if you have them, it would be a totally different story! Assuming you’re indeed worm-free for the moment, let’s consider some of the deeper, more spiritual goals that can be achieved through the magick of mixing and combining energies. To give an example, sacred food and drink may have played an important and lofty role in the sacred Eleusinian Mysteries of the Greeks, acting to fuse and combine the spirits of the initiates to the energies and emotions of the great goddess Demeter. In Harold R. Willoughby’s 1929 work
Pagan Regeneration
, a much earlier writing from Clement of Alexandria offering details of the Eleusinian mysteries is referenced: Clement of Alexandria has preserved a formula that suggests the possibility of a different type of ritualistic observance. His statement is, “The password of the Eleusinian Mysteries is as follows: ‘I have fasted, I have drunk the barley drink, I have taken things from the sacred chest, having tasted thereof; I have placed them into the basket and again from the basket into the chest.’’ [… ] The fasting of the mystae corresponded to that of the sorrowing goddess Demeter who “sat smileless, nor tasted meat nor drink, wasting with long desire for her deep-bosomed daughter.” Likewise the drinking of the barley drink corresponded to the breaking of her fast; for the goddess had refused a cup of sweet wine, “but she had them mix meal and water with the tender herb of mint, and give it to her to drink.” This mixed potion the goddess accepted. Accordingly, in drinking a similar potation the mystae shared the cup from which the great goddess drank in her sorrow. It was a direct and sympathetic participation in the experiences of the goddess, an action expressive of attained fellowship with the deity.

Just what the eating of food from the chest meant to the participant is less obvious. Like the drinking of the barley drink, it was probably a sacrament of communion, and it may have implied an even more realistic communion than was involved in the act of drinking. If, as is most likely, the sacred food consisted of cereals, then the assimilation of this food meant a direct and realistic union with Demeter, the goddess of grain. It meant an incorporation of divine substance into the human body. However the idea was arrived at, this rite clearly involved a mystical communion by the act of eating, even as the barley drink stood for mystical fellowship through the act of drinking. Already emotionally united with Demeter through participation in her passion, the initiates now became realistically
one with her by the assimilation of food and drink.
³⁷

The food and the barley, enchanted and combined with the essence of the goddess, become sacraments, and the ingestion of this holy sustenance acted to produce “a direct and realistic union with Demeter, the goddess of grain.” We find in this testament that far from being confined to the spheres of love affairs, worms, and woe, magickally mixing energies through the use of food, drink, and other blended substances can be used to mesh one’s energies with the very essence of the divine itself.

Common Threads and New Perspectives

Indeed, mixing magick is a useful technique and a versatile art. In this chapter, you’ve learned that energies can be mixed through dissolving, direct contact, and close proximity, and you’ve discovered how a written or spoken word can be used to convey intent into a magickal blend. You understand that potions and other forms of mixing magick can be used internally through ingestion or inhalation, or externally through direct application or close contact. From plants to animals to body-derived ingredients and inorganic objects, you’ve seen how certain ingredients for magickal mixtures might be chosen for their pharmaceutical properties, their symbolism, their sympathetic attributes, or their inherent magickal energies. You also understand that the order in which ingredients are combined can make a difference in a potion’s efficacy, and that extra strong or baneful energies might be initially mellowed if desired before combining with the rest of your magickal mix.

Whether you’re crafting an anointing oil to increase your wisdom and wit, or making a meal to unite your heart with that of the goddess, the mixtures of energies you create can be your own personal recipes, your own ways of expressing the intentions of your mind and soul. Make your combining spells reflect the dreams and goals that are uniquely
you
, and the magick you blend will manifest in just the right mix.

Potion Making and Mixing Magick Spells

Now you’re ready to try some potion making and mixing magick of your own. Here are a couple of ideas for inspiration.

Super Magick Super Sandwich

To create a magickal sandwich to help you achieve your goals and intentions, select corresponding ingredients from the list below. You might make a sandwich to help you achieve health, wealth, happiness, or other desires. Decide specifically what each layer of the sandwich will represent, what energies it will contribute to the overall mix. Then select the sequence of the sandwich making accordingly. For instance, if your sandwich is designed to temper anger, you might find it fitting to add black pepper, a representative of anger or other forms of negativity, between ingredient layers symbolic of peace, or happiness. A suitable order in this hypothetical example might be first avocado to symbolize peace, then black pepper to represent negativity, then tomato to signify happiness. In this way, the anger is mellowed by being literally sandwiched between two peaceful, positive energies.

Here are some ingredients to consider including in your Super Magick Super Sandwich, along with some of their attributes and benefits. You don’t have to use all these ingredients, of course—just select a few that seem most appropriate. You might also add spices, additional vegetables, or condiments chosen for color, flavor, shape, or magickal merit: Breads

Rye:
Truth, strength

Wheat:
Tenacity, strength, success, growth, stability
Pumpernickel:
Spiritual communication, psychic awareness, swiftness, transformation
Flax:
Luck, health, protection, strength
Whole Grain (any):
Wholeness, completion, unity, energy, magickal power Vegetables

Olives:
Love, health, wealth, sensuality, passion
Tomato:
Love, happiness, friendship, calming, cheer
Yellow Onion:
Strength, health, defense
White Onion:
Purification, strength, health, defense
Red Onion:
Strength, defense, sweetness and love in the midst of adversity
Mushrooms:
Spirit communication, dream magick, wisdom
Avocado:
Peace, calming, sensuality
Watercress:
Spirituality, emotion, love, dream magick
Kale:
Purification, defense, strength, health
Sprouts:
New growth, new beginnings, increased vitality, energy
Cucumbers:
Calming, peace, purification
Pickles:
Cheer, peace, purification, truth, banishing Extras

Cheese:
Abundance, growth, binding, transformation, patience, fertility
Salt:
Purification, defense, truth, happiness, energy, power
Black Pepper:
Strength, defense, banishing, negativity, depression, sadness, anxiety, fear
Mustard:
Banishing, defense, truth, strength
Mayonnaise:
Fertility, binding, attracting Classics

Honey:
Love, dream magick, sweetness, fertility, growth, health, friendship, inspiration, passion
Peanut Butter:
Stability, strength, tenacity, the power of Earth, the underworld, hidden treasures
Strawberry Jam:
Love, luck, happiness, friendship
Orange Marmalade:
Solar energies, happiness, strength, confidence, power, vitality
Apple Butter:
Love, luck, happiness, dream magick, friendship, health, calming
Grape Jelly:
Abundance, prosperity, passion, fertility, joy Select your ingredients, then jot down your general recipe. Place everything you’ll need on your work surface. A muffin tin works great for sorting and storing sliced veggies, condiments, and other sandwich fixings. If you like, toast the bread you’ve selected—just don’t forget to enchant your toaster first in homage to the late, great Polynesian sorcerer Kiki!

Clear your head, empower your ingredients with the respective attributes you desire, then begin assembling your sandwich. Think about your intention as you add each ingredient and combine it with the other energies in the recipe. Once assembled, your magickal sandwich is ready to use. Take a bite and activate the magick.

Personal Magnetism Power Potion

Try creating a custom blended potion for increasing your own personal magnetism and power. Depending on the ingredients you select, your Personal Magnetism Power Potion can be used either internally or externally. The recipe suggested below is intended for an external, non-edible potion, but it can be adapted into a drinkable blend by substituting safe, edible ingredients for the suggested non-food ingredients. If you do choose to make this potion for internal use, just be positive that you’ve adapted the recipe accordingly and that all your ingredients are absolutely 100% nontoxic and edible.

Begin by choosing a favorite cup or container in which to blend your potion. Select a container with a fairly wide mouth, as this will make it much easier to add the ingredients. A tight-closing lid is also a good feature, though it’s not necessary if you prefer to make your magickal mixtures in single-use quantities.

Choose a word or symbol to represent the overall effect you’re hoping to achieve with your power potion. It might be a word or symbol that expresses a quality you’d like to cultivate, a personal mantra, or a symbol of a goddess or other deity. Using honey and a toothpick, write or draw your word or symbol on the inside of your potion container.

Next, fill the container with pure, fresh water. Spring water works great. Place in the water a small magnet, then add to this a very personal ingredient to provide your own energetic signature. This might be a piece of your hair, a thread from your favorite dress, or a tiny drop of saliva. Next, add to the potion an ingredient chosen for its physical effects. Chamomile might be included to encourage a sense of calm, for instance, while mint or eucalyptus might be included for their invigorating properties. Finally, add an ingredient chosen for its symbolism, an emblem or substance that represents an energy you would like to invoke in yourself or a goal you would like to achieve. For instance, if you want greater leadership qualities, you might choose to add a jade stone, symbolic of authority and respect. If wealth is what you’re after, you might add a shiny coin to your potion to represent money and prosperity. If you wish to be more loving, you might include a rose petal or a silver heart charm taken from a bracelet.