We interrupt your normally scheduled programming to bring you an article I've been meaning to write and post for a good week. It focuses on a kitchen in a new home, but of course you don't have to move in order to purify your space and generate good energies!
Most of you are familiar with smudging spaces with sage, cedar, sweet grass, or a mixture of those. Ritual spaces are cleaned, people are purified with the smoke before entering the circle, and many people smudge their homes when moving in or out.
Other methods of purification involve sprinkling salt water around the space to be cleansed, or flicking the water with a spring of rosemary, a classic herb for protection that can be used as a stand-in for most other plants as well.
We can even purify with sounds, such as the ringing of a bell or a small gong, or simply by chanting. All of the elements can be involved, or just one or two. It really depends upon your needs and personal preference.
Some older customs include carrying part of the old hearth fire into the new home, or bringing in a loaf of bread and some salt before anything else is carried into the new place. The bread is to represent an abundance of food, and salt for luck.
The home has many superstitions associated with it, but no room has more lore, customs and superstitions than the kitchen. Much lore is focused on the hearth, and in these modern times the hearth is often the stove, or the entire kitchen itself.
Since so much importance is placed on the kitchen – in fact, it is often referred to as the heart or soul of a home – why not start in this room? People move for different reasons, but most of us wish to move away from negative things and open themselves up to new opportunities.
One way to start bringing positive energies into your new home is to start in the kitchen. By all means, smudge the house or do any other ritual you deem appropriate first. Once you have unpacked your kitchen things (and feel rested enough to cook!), stir up some magic. Cooking a dish that involves lots of garlic and fragrant spices, such as a curry, fills the whole house with a warm aroma. The garlic offers protection as you consume it, and the oils released during the cooking also infuse the air. The other spices may generate energies for protection, or peace, etc., depending on what you use.
Some may say that you shouldn’t include ingredients that have conflicting energies. However, so many foods have more than one magical property attributed to them, and some may be more dominant than others. It depends on a lot of factors, especially the magical worker’s intent. If you want to include love and protection together, by all means do so. We protect the ones that we love.
Pick up a book or two about magical food correspondences (I recommend Scott Cunningham, as you know) and explore. Experiment. See what feels good and tastes good to you. The following recipe is one that I love to make because it is simple, healthy, and full of magical ingredients. Again, visualization is key. Say a blessing or a chant as you cook, or over the cooked food, and light a candle or two if you wish. And enjoy.
Pasta for a New Home (or any home)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced – protection
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake – protection
½ teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning) – prosperity, love
Fresh chopped parsley (optional) – love, luck, prosperity
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts - money, love
Parmesan cheese – various (up to you)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil – peace, spirituality
1 lb pasta – spaghetti is my preference - longevity, prosperity
1 1-lb can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – prosperity, wealth
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and let it soften for a couple of minutes. Don’t let it brown. Add the red pepper flake it let it infuse the oil for a minute. Add the beans and oregano. Let the beans heat through and combine with the other flavors. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove the cooked pasta from the water with a spaghetti fork and add to the bean mixture in the skillet. Toss the pasta with the beans so all the pasta is well coated. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toasted pine nuts and spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese.
The bean mixture is also good served on slices of crusty bread or toast. Add a green salad and a glass of red wine if you wish.
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