Pork

Pigs are a symbol of prosperity, wealth, and luck. Demeter kept a sacred pig which became a symbol of fertility. Sows were sacred to Isis and sacrificed to Osiris. The Celts also considered the pig to be an important, sacred animal, and the Druids were rather fond of it as well. I won’t go into all the details and lore about the pig here, though. There are many resources available if you are interested in the Druids’ or the Celts’ views on this animal, or any other culture’s view. I’m more interested in the ‘meat’ of the matter (pun definitely intended!).

The pig would be best associated with earth. Its energies are, of course, wealth and/or prosperity.

Pigs are popular symbols in the kitchen and are available in many forms: cookie jars, aprons, magnets, pot holders, tea towels, on dishes, etc. Adding a pig decorate or two to your kitchen or placing a small statue on your kitchen altar would be a good way to start if you wish to attract prosperity.

Pork is one of the traditional foods of Samhain. It is also lovely served at Yule, a time when food was often in short supply, and much of it was preserved. People were especially lucky to have some meat for nourishment in the depths of winter.

The pig is often misunderstood. Many people believe it to be an unclean animal, and more than one religion has a taboo against the consumption of pork. Pigs actually seem to be cleaner than chickens, at least from my experience with both types of animal. Even though the pig is an unclean, unholy animal for some cultures, it was revered by others. ( As for their intelligence, I can’t really say. Again, they’re smarter than chickens, but that isn’t saying much. Some pigs, especially the pot-bellied variety, can show great intelligence. ) Today, most pigs aren't left to just forage for their food. The meat is leaner now, and the animals' diet isn't as dodgy as it used to be, making trichinosis a worry of the past.

If you wish to incorporate pork into a prosperity diet, try to avoid factory farmed animals. Again, buy locally if you can. Also try to avoid the heavily processed, over salted cuts of meat, such as bacon and ham. If you choose a cut of meat that has a layer of fat on it, symbols of prosperity can be carved into the skin before cooking.

Here is one of my favorite ways of preparing pork. It is simple and flavorful. You don’t have to use tenderloin either. Use whatever is on sale. If you’re using this recipe to draw prosperity, chances are you won’t be buying the most expensive cut of meat!

3 lbs boneless pork tenderloin
1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Place the piece of meat into a baking dish. Mix the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper with enough olive oil to make a paste. Paint this mixture onto your tenderloin. Roast for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 F.

A Simpler, More Cost-Effective Recipe

Again, if what you’re trying to do is attract wealth and prosperity, chances are you aren’t going to go to the store and buy a big tenderloin, unless you have a bit of cash to spend for a special occasion. Here, then is a simple, money-drawing recipe. It also happens to be my absolute favorite home-cooked meal. My mom prepares this meal any time she knows I’m coming home.

1 1-lb bag of pinto beans, rinsed, sorted (to make sure you don’t have bits of gravel in there too) and soaked overnight

1 ham hock (maybe two, if two come in the package)

Place the rinsed, soaked beans into a slow cooker. Add the ham hock. You can tuck in a bay leaf or two if you wish. Cover with water and set the cooker on low. Cook for 8 hours, or until beans are tender. During the last hour or so, add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flake if desired. Taste for seasoning. Add pepper and extra salt to taste.

In my house we serve this with cornbread and some chopped raw onions, which we stir into the hot beans. Beans are also good for attracting money.

As the beans cook, visualize your goal. Burn a green candle (but don’t leave it unattended!) as the beans cook. If you don’t have a crock pot, you can make these beans in a Dutch oven, or on the stovetop in a big pot. Just check back every once in a while and make sure you have enough liquid so the beans don’t scorch.

There you have it. An extremely cheap meal that will make an abundant amount, and both of the key ingredients can be incorporated into a kitchen witch’s spell for increased prosperity.