rosemary + intent

There are a lot of misconceptions about kitchen magic on here. 

(It’s nobodies fault this is how social systems work)

I’d like to clarify somethings out of my years working professionally and decades of cooking experience and the effect it has on people and lives in general.

The magic isn’t in the intention, or correspondences, or the direction your stir, or sigils and designs you draw into dough, or the herbs you grew in your window.

The magic is in the cooking.

Want to be an amazing practitioner? Want to get to the level where you can wield real power with it like other forms of craft? Practice Cooking.

Forget everything about magic and learn:

1. Knife skills- your knife should become an extension of yourself. Practice different techniques. Supreme, Brunoise, Chiffonade, etc. Your knife is more than a wand it’s also a weapon. There’s something incredibly grounding about it.

2. Mise en Place- Just like with ceremonial work- everything in its place. Make sure you’re keeping your work space clean as you go. Prepare things ahead of time like- peeling & blanching veg, prepping meat, anything you can ahead of time. When everything has a place nothing can slow you down or get lost.

3. Food Knowledge- Sure you know basil is good for attracting wealth but what color does it turn water when its boiled? How to keep it from bruising while making pesto? How long it takes to blanch? What species do you buy at the market and how does it differ in flavor from others? Just an example. You need to know everything about everything. A chef never stops learning. Learn how to eyeball measurements. Start baking by weight. Make something from every country. Make old old old ancient recipes. Ferment! Never! Stop! Learning!

4. Cook- You can’t just read. or watch. You need to apply yourself in the kitchen.

Get yourself a good chef’s knife if you dont have one, a solid cutting board, a decent saute pan, a pot made of non-reactive metal, tongs, and a plating spoon.

Do not pay more than like 5 dollars for a plating spoon. These are all you’re really gonna need to make just about anything. Certain things you’ll acquire when you take interest in specific things (say candy thermometer, silicone brush, uhh, baking pans, all sorts of things) but you don’t need a lot to start with at all.

Your fuck ups will teach you something and might actually be your best creations. Do not ever be afraid to make something even if you think you’ll fail.

5. Passionate and Getting Good?- DO NOT GO TO COOKING SCHOOL

Cooking school is a scam unless this is something you know you want to do for life. I cook professionally and even I don’t want to cook for life this business isn’t cut out for everyone and that’s okay. Go stage at a restaurant looking for work. TONS of restaurants hire people with no experience because they want to teach. I’ve quit positions because i’ve been over qualified thats how bad they want to teach sometimes. Seriously! Go learn from real chefs who are in the shit everyday. You’ll learn far more this way, you’ll get paid for doing it, and you’ll start building your cooking resume up.

This is obv an optional step but if you really wanna hone your skill and love cooking I just gotta beg you dont waste your money on cooking school.

My most successful peers never went or dropped out. Everyone who did go and is still actually cooking works middle management and hates their life.

In conclusion- Until your technique is second nature your magic will be weak.

Start worrying about the flips, tricks, correspondence n glitz after.

Obviously I’ve got the teaching bug myself and I’d love to continue to share industry tips some secrets. Maybe even teach some classes.

You don’t need a lot to get started but it’s an overwhelming field to jump into just like anything else. Consider this a 101.

Keep your nails short and clean.

Keep your hair up.

Wear a clean apron.

Wash your hands on entrance.

Witches who began their practice YESTERDAY are still valid witches Witches who began their practice 5 MINUTES AGO are still valid witches Witches who had to TEACH THEMSELVES are still valid witches Witches who had someone TEACH THEM are still valid witches Witches who have been practicing in secret for YEARS are still valid witches

Witches who didn’t realize that they’d been doing magic ALL THEIR LIFE are still valid witches

Witches who were initiated into a COVEN are still valid witches

Witches who work ALONE are still valid witches

As we have posted before we are relaunching the witching tree server.  The Witching Tree is a Discord server/group for traditional witches and folk practitioners. We also have practitioners of hoodoo, folk necromancy, Solomonic magic, granny magic, and many other paths.

This server is strictly for adults (those over the age of 18)

We have plans regular activities, such as optional research projects, book club, and discussions about magic!   We also share a lot of research documents on the subject of traditional magic.

Here is a link to our FAQ, and feel free to send us an ask if you have more questions!  

Our aim is to allow members to talk openly and freely with other like-minded people in order to grow as individuals and strengthen our own crafts.  For that reason, we do allow people who are new to trad craft /folk magic and who are willing to learn and grow alongside others.

Click the link below to send in an application for review. Setting up an account on discord only takes a minute or two and all you need to do is register an email, password, and username. We look forward to seeing you! 

You can learn more about discord here.

Apply for membership today!

1. Quarter about 5 apples, put them in crock pot core, skin and all (you can also save your peels and cores from apples you used for cooking and use about 8 apples worth of the leftovers to be frugal)

2. Cut an orange into slices with the peel on, toss into crock pot

3. 2 sticks of cinnamon, couple whole star anise, spoonful of whole cloves and some grated nutmeg. Do according to taste, this is the mix I like.

4. Add 6 cups of water

5. Cook on low 4hrs

6. Use a potato masher to mash up those soggy apples, strain all the bits out so you are left with just liquid

7. Sweeten as desired. I like 2 spoonfuls of honey and 1 cup of brown sugar but you may not. Add a bit and test and keep doing that until you like it.

8. Serve warm, store in the fridge once completely cooled and consume within 7 days

practical and simple ways to cleanse and bless your home 🌿

🌿 burn cedar sticks or cedar incense. cedar helps drive away negative influences, energies, and spirits. really good herb to work with when moving into a new space. helps with protection on all levels.

🌿 sprinkle a blend of salt, sage, and mint on the floors to soak up all the negative energies on the ground and vacuum up when you feel it has picked everything up. clean out all that salt from your vaccuun and dispose of it in the trash outside (not in nature)

🌿 diffuse lavender oil. lavender oil is very protective and helps bring serenity and peace into a space.

🌿 manifest abundance and prosperity by meditating with citrine and placing it in your home. place a clear quartz next to it to amplify abundant energies

🌿 make a crystal gird out of selenite, black tourmaline and white jade. these crystals will create a barrier of protection around your house and they will cleanse the hell out of it.

🌿 place pieces of selenite in windowsills, this will purify energy coming in and out of the house. immediately raises the vibration of the room

🌿 when burned, palo santo releases a cleansing smoke filled with healing energies. great for filling spaces with good health and fortune

🌿 ask your spirits/deities to cleanse, protect, and bless your space and leave them offerings when you are done

🌿 sandalwood incense raises vibrations, cleanses, offers psychic protection, and helps to open up psychic awareness

🌿 amethyst is not only a enhances the intuition and increases calm energies, it is also very protective and will shield you from psychic attacks

🌿 work with the elements for protection, meditation and visualization works well

🌿 visualize an impenetrable bubble of protection surrounding your home protecting you from all lower energies

🌿 visualize a waterfall pouring into your space washing away all stagnant and negative energy leaving your space with abundant and healthy energy

🌿 put mint leaves all around your house, in your windowsills, in your shoes, jewelry boxes, altar, etc. to protect you from evil intentions. also good for protecting your home from misfortune

🌿 wind chimes will warn you when a negative spirit is around, there sound will also help drive them off your property

🌿 cinnamon is extremely protective, i love dressing candles with ground cinnamon for cleansing and protection

🌿 burning dragon’s blood incense will create a wall of fire protecting you and your space, also a really good incense for clearing bad spirits

🌿 sleep with a lavender sachet underneath your pillow to protect you from psychic vampires

🌿 labradorite protects you and your home from demons

Hollywood Cemetery - Richmond, VA. I have some time off from work this week and am being intentional about spending it in ritual, in prayer, confronting my shadow, connecting with the land around me. Today I felt drawn to one of our local cemeteries, famous for having many early presidents and confederate soldiers/generals among its dead. I asked for permission before sitting on a mossy bench under a magnolia tree, felt a breeze carry pieces of my hair and sat in solemn observance. I thought about how I probably have relatives buried here, confederate soldiers and sympathizers who fought to protect slavery and other institutions of white supremacy. 

These are some of my tips for connecting to the elements in the morning before school, work, busy days, or just a day at home. It’s also handy for witches like me who prefer to work in the morning and daytime 🌞

☁️Air-

💨wake up at dawn if you can (dawn is the time that correspondes with air)

💨pick a perfume that correspondes with your intent for the rest of the day

💨listen to some music to set intent for the day and energize yourself

💨get some fresh air and let the crisp morning air invigorate and center you

💨light incense that correspondences with your intent of the day

💨enjoy the morning bird chirping

💨do a daily divination reading to get a feel for what to expect for the rest of the day

💨incorporate almonds, honey, strong scented herbs like dill, or eggs in your breakfast

Water🌊-

💧have a cup of tea or some water when you wake up

💧take a shower or bath and let it cleanse you

💧take a morning swim if you can

💧moisturize with lotion that correspondes with your intent for the day

💧make a water bottle of infused water (with the herbs/fruits of your intent) to carry around and keep you hydrated for the day

💧collect morning dew

💧pick a seashell that correspondes with your intent for the day to carry around with you

💧sing! (to connect to mermaids and warm up your voice for the day)

💧incorporate apples, berries, salt, fish, or avocado in your breakfast

Earth🌳-

🌿take a walk or jog

🌿do some yoga

🌿pick a crystal that correspondes with your intent for the day to carry with you

🌿ground yourself

🌿take care of your plants (water them, talk to them, etc.)

🌿do a prosperity spell for the day

🌿spend time with your pets

🌿use plant based products or make your own if you can (like shampoo, soap, makeup, etc.)

🌿incorporate nuts, beans, roots (like ginger), and greens (like spinach and kale) in your breakfast

Fire🔥-

🕯light a candle to set your intent for the day

🕯enjoy the morning sunshine, feel it’s warmth

🕯do some makeup or fashion magic when you’re getting ready

🕯meditate with the Sun

🕯take vitamins and/or medications

🕯stay warm with hot teas, hot showers, blankets, etc. (the morning can be a bit chilly)

🕯use the sunshine as a positivity and happiness spell and let it charge you for the day

🕯carry a tealight with you (you never know when you’ll need one)

An earthy tarot spread to help you grow through a tough situation. I recommend meditating with grounding stones such as jasper, hematite, or obsidian before using this spread :)

new year’s blessings to all!

may all that is meant to die in us - named or not named, known or unknown - die on this night and be rebirthed into sacred compost that nourishes the soil where our wildest dreams and divine possibilities will grow.

life / death / life

may we honor this sacred Truth.

let what must die, die

so that what is aching to live, may live.

death is rebirth -

and life is death!

we embrace and honor our guides,

queer and trans ancestors,

spirits who are invested in our growth,

in our sacred Truths.

let it be known! as we turn towards darkness

cold winter’s inward pull

we are not alone,

but all spinning along

with the wheel of the year.