All About Kitchen Witchery: Honouring the Mundane
What is a kitchen witch?
Kitchen witchery is a unique form of solitary witchcraft, which honours the mundane in life and finds sacredness in every day, simple acts. The kitchen witch finds pleasure and meaning in cooking especially, but also knows the secrets of making housework magical and turning the garden into a source of healing and wonder.
Kitchen witches, as the name suggests, are most likely to be found in the kitchen. But it is not all about hubble bubble on the stove; there is much to be learned from the ways of the kitchen witch, for theirs is an ancient, traditional magic that honours the goddess in her many forms.
So pull up a chair, pour a cup of nettle tea, and watch the embers of the fire as we explore the magical realm of the modern kitchen witch...
Kitchen witchery is a unique form of solitary witchcraft, which honours the mundane in life and finds sacredness in every day, simple acts. The kitchen witch finds pleasure and meaning in cooking especially, but also knows the secrets of making housework magical and turning the garden into a source of healing and wonder.
Kitchen witches, as the name suggests, are most likely to be found in the kitchen. But it is not all about hubble bubble on the stove; there is much to be learned from the ways of the kitchen witch, for theirs is an ancient, traditional magic that honours the goddess in her many forms.
So pull up a chair, pour a cup of nettle tea, and watch the embers of the fire as we explore the magical realm of the modern kitchen witch...
An Introduction to Kitchen Witchery
There are several forms of 'natural' witchcraft, the most commonly known being that of the hedgewitch. Cottage witchery, green witchery, garden witchery - all follow similar traditional paths that draw on the sacred magic of nature.Kitchen witchcraft is unique, however, in that it makes even the most simple and bland of chores a sacred act, and by doing so, honouring the goddess. This is a Goddess path that truly finds the Goddess everywhere.
Living Planet
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The art of kitchen witchcraft has little written about it, because it was primarily a traditional form of wise woman craft passed down from mother to daughter. The following aspects, however, usually form the basis of the kitchen witch's path:
* Magical cooking
* Completing household tasks with joy
* Honouring the goddess, and keeping a kitchen altar and/or goddess shrine
* Simple, natural magic such as weather lore, ribbon magic, divination and candle magic
* Honouring nature
* Creating and maintaining a magical garden
* Attuning to the cycle of nature
* Being adept in arts and crafts, including traditional and dying crafts
The way of the kitchen witch is sometimes looked down upon by other witches or wiccans, because she does not practice formally or create structured ritual for working her 'simple' magic. A solitary craft, usually self-taught and self-initiated, unless passed down within the family, is preferred to a coven or formal initiation.
But is this not witchcraft in its most natural form? Kitchen witchery follows the tradition of the wise women of the Burning Times, who kept their herbal remedies and magic-making subtle and discreet. Kitchen witches connect with an ancient, primeval power that is inherent in all of us.
Baking fresh bread is just one of the ways kitchen witches form ritual out of cooking
Sacred Kitchen
The kitchen witch recognises that food is sacred and life-giving. Unlike many modern folk, she does not see cooking as a chore, or something to be done as quickly as possible to get out of the way."But why spend ages slaving over something that gets eaten in five minutes?" many might argue. Because we are what we eat. A meal that has been lovingly created, from the freshest ingredients, and made with intent, purpose and a pinch of kitchen witch magic, is going to be far more nourishing than throwing together a hodge podge of junk food, or even a well-intended but rushed 'healthy' meal.
Food is life, and part of the balance and cycle of nature. By nurturing our bodies, we honour the Earth, the life-giving goddess, and by creating a sacred act of cooking; giving thanks for what we eat; we show our appreciation for what we have, and respect for the living land.
Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com
The Celtic Tree of Life
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The kitchen witch will grow much of her own food herself, put her soul into the using of it, and either weave her ritual magic into the food, or use the act of cooking itself as a magical ritual.
The kitchen itself will be a sanctuary for nourishment and healing. There will be a kitchen altar, goddess imagery, and possibly even a comfy chair to sit and contemplate. The utensils will be blessed; possibly carved with sacred symbols, decorated with ribbons or sprinkled with a little magic or natural oil. There might even be a special witch's apron hanging on a hook, if you look hard enough!
Amazon Spotlight
Witch in the Kitchen: Magical Cooking for All Seasons
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/24/2009)
Witch in the Kitchen:
Magical Cooking for All Seasons
This is a brilliant introduction to kitchen witchery. It not only contains nourishing, seasonal recipes and spells, but also introduces and beautifully explains the concept of what it means to be a kitchen witch.
it also contains ideas for kitchen altars, talks about kitchen goddesses, and has pointers to get you started in the spiritual method of cleaning and cooking!
If you only buy one book on kitchen witchery, make sure it's this one!
Kitchen Witch Articles on the Web
To learn more about kitchen witchery, explore these informative articles.
- What is a Kitchen Witch?
- Learn how to make magic in the kitchen and even make household chores enjoyable with this unique form of hearth witchcraft for the solitary witch.
- How to be a Kitchen Witch
- Learn how to make magic in the kitchen and create a kitchen altar in the tradition of the kitchen witch.
- A Kitchen Witch's Garden
- An introduction to growing a magical garden for kitchen witches, covering herbs, vegetables, fruit and flowers.
- What is a Kitchen Witch? Honouring the Goddess with Kitchen Magic for the Hearth and Home
- A kitchen witch is grounded in the magic of the old ways. Usually a solitary practitioner, the kitchen witch honours the mundane and finds the sacred in every day tasks. Magic is not just limited to the kitchen; this is a Craft of hearth and home, nature and the wild, gardening and crafting.
- Imbolc Magic for the Kitchen Witch
- Imbolc is a festival of fire, change, purification and feasting, so what better place to celebrate than in the sacred space of the kitchen witch's kitchen?
- Kitchen Witchery 101
- What is a kitchen witch? Kitchen witchery is more than just brewing magic in the kitchen. This unique form of solitary witchcraft honours the mundane and finds sacred meaning in ordinary, everyday tasks.
The Kitchen Altar
Celtic Design II
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From a decorated table, to a shelf converted into a personal shrine, there are plenty of spaces to find in the kitchen to dedicate as a kitchen altar.
Here will be placed symbols of sustenance and the goddess, charms, offerings, food, special utensils, beautiful altar cloths, personally handcrafted items and meaningful symbolism.
Examples include a special, favoured wooden spoon, food offerings like grain or seeds, symbols of the craft, and statues or imagery of the kitchen witch's chosen kitchen goddess, such as Vesta or Hestia, Brighid, Cerridwen, Gaia, Demeter or Sekhmet.
The altar will serve as a focal point for the kitchen witch's intent, reminding her of her sacred path and providing a place to work her magic and ritual.
Altar
Personalising the Witch's Kitchen...
Kitchen Witch
Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)
Spiral Goddess Statue
Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)
Greek Goddess Hestia Statue Hearth Home Vesta
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 11/24/2009)
Celtic Goddess Brighid Poster
Amazon Price: $28.95 (as of 11/24/2009)
Cerridwen: Mother of Grain and Inspiration
Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)
Altar Items on eBay
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Kitchen Goddesses of Hearth and Home
There are many goddesses to choose from when it comes to kitchen witchery. It is perfectly fine to work with several, but generally, one will be chosen as overall goddess of hearth and home, to be honoured in the kitchen and on the altar.The goddesses are usually of the following aspects:
* Goddesses of hearth and home
* Fire goddesses
* Goddesses of harvest, grain or fertility
* Goddesses of crafts, weaving, arts, divination
Key To Eternity
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Examples include:
* Vesta (Roman) or Hestia (Greek) - hearth and home
* Brighid (Celtic) - fire, hearth, divination, healing
* Demeter (Greek) - grain, harvest
* Cerridwen (Celtic) - grain, sacred cauldron
* Freya (Norse) - fire, creativity
* Gaia (Greek) - earth, creation
* Sekhmet (Egyptian) - fire
* Pele (Hawaiian) - fire
* Lakshmi (Hindu ) - abundance
Saint Brigid
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Goddess Statues for your Altar
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byGoddess Songs
Traditional Songs and Chants of the Goddess
Deepen your connection to the goddess with songs and chants either in honour of the goddess, or designed to attune with her.
Kitchen Rituals
Sacred Spells and Magical Food
Most kitchen witch spells and rituals will involve food. The act of preparing a meal is sacred in itself, and can provide a ritualistic basis for focusing intent.Spells can include those for prosperity, harmony, abundance and health, and will often be carried out whilst mixing ingredients. Candle magic, divination, weather magic, and using tools such as needle and thread, ribbons or the acts of stitching or weaving are also forms of kitchen magic.
There are two main forms of kitchen magic performed in the kitchen. Either using cooking itself as a ritual to focus a particular desire or intent, or casting a spell or working a ritual whilst using cooking as a method of stirring together the elements and creating the desired outcome.
Examples of such kitchen witchery include:
* Cooking up a scrying brew
* Releasing emotions through cooking, such as chopping onions to release over-emotion, or stirring something slowly to create calm
* Cooking with the seasons to honour nature, and cooking for the festivals to honour the wheel of the year and its goddesses, although not necessarily following it formally
* Kitchen meditations
* Cooking earthy broths and soups to nourish and connect to ancient roots
* Using herbs in cooking, medicines, potions and lotions to heal and soothe
* Using food in divination, such as tea leaves or apple peel
* Using food as symbols, for example eggs can represent the incubation and then hatching of ideas, dreams and goals.
Halloween, Apprentice Witch
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More Kitchen Witch Guides
The Real Witches' Kitchen: Spells, Recipes, Oils, Lotions and Potions from the Witches' Hearth
Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)
Kitchen Witch's Guide to Brews and Potions
Amazon Price: $13.67 (as of 11/24/2009)
A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 11/24/2009)
From a Witch's Kitchen: Celebrating Seasonal Magic in Every Meal
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 11/24/2009)
The Kitchen Witch Companion: Simple and Sublime Culinary Magic
Amazon Price: $11.07 (as of 11/24/2009)
Your Thoughts on Kitchen Witchery...
There seems to me to be a growing interest in kitchen witchery, which is a wonderfully promising thing to know!
The very first article I wrote about kitchen witchery was What is a Kitchen Witch? on suite101. This continues to be my most popular article on the site, its page views outnumbering the others by more than double every week.
Why is this? Is there a growing need for a connection to the ways of the past, a searching for that which makes life sacred again? Or are people simply curious about the term?
What do you think?
Is there a genuine growing interest in kitchen witchery?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes there is, because...
Aeval says:
To me it seems there is, as it calls us to slow down, and deal with our hearths, and food intentionally. It ties in with the living simple movement.
Posted March 18, 2009
OhMe says:
I used to have a Kitchen Witch back in the 70's. I wonder what happened to her. I will have to look.
Posted March 05, 2009
No, because...
Kitchen Healing
Kitchen witches are like the wise women of old; they understand herbs and healing remedies, and how to utilise them.They might:
* Grow herbs in the garden for cooking, drying, storing, medicines, beauty balms
* Use crystals for healing and attuning to Mother Earth
* Work with faeries and nature spirits for healing and magic
* Know the properties of plants, trees and fungi
* Wildcraft
* Use unusual plants in their cooking, such as edible flowers
* Brew their own nurturing herbal teas
* Practice meditation, visualisation, goddess poses, yoga or shamanic rituals
* Use divination as a healing and learning tool
* Use mystical symbols, labyrinths, mandalas and other sacred forms of healing art and structure to heal themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually
* Work with guides, animal totems, angels or spirits
Crystal Of Enchantment
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Kitchen Witch Websites
A selection of the best websites about kitchen witchery!
- Welcome to Shayleah's Hearth
- A feast for the eyes and a brilliantly written, extensive resource on kitchen witchery. If you only visit one site, this is the one to visit.
Learn about recipes, goddesses, kitchen altars, sacred house cleaning, rituals and more. - Kitchen Witch Lotions and Potions
- Inspiring poems, witchy potions, and kitchen witch recipes.
- What is Kitchen Witchery
- Further reference for the art of kitchen witchery
- Recipe Goddess
- Nicely designed site with recipes, herbs and a kitchen witchery section.
- Pagan Forum
- Links to the recipe and foodie section
- Kitchen Witchery Secrets
- An interesting blog about what the kitchen witch does and why it is a dying art.
Ancient Traditions, Beautiful Crafts
Kitchen witches are creative, expressing their art through the inspiration of the goddess and the natural world around them.Many will be adept at creating their own handmade items for the home, from curtains and pillows to tableware and altar items, all crafted with imagery of the seasons, goddess or natural world.
Many learn the old crafts, such as weaving, spinning, willow weaving and working the loom.
An Old Irishwoman at Her Spinning Wheel
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Sewing, embroidery, knitting, painting, sculpting and wildcrafting are all common kitchen witch activities. Many will even make their own representations of the goddess by sculpting figures with salt dough or painting Goddess imagery.
The Spinning Wheel
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A Kitchen Witch's Garden
Harvesting Nourishment from Mother Nature's Sacred Abundance
The kitchen witch is at home in her garden as well as her kitchen.She works with the cycles of the seasons and the moon, nurturing her outside sanctuary and growing sacred trees and wildflowers, along with harvesting culinary and medicinal herbs, and organic fruit and vegetables.
She will grow plants with magical properties, such as healing herbs and flowers, and use these plants in her cooking, spells or potions.
The Real Witch
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The kitchen witch will also spend time in her garden connecting with the Earth Mother, enjoying nature's beauty. Meditation and contemplation will be easily achieved in a quiet, specially created spot, perhaps on a spread of calming chamomile lawn or under a shady tree.
The kitchen witch gardens organically and ethically, using no chemicals or harsh pest controls. She shares her harvest willingly with birds and wildlife, choosing not to put up fruit cages or other netting. She recycles, composts, and tends her plants with loving care.
Even if she does not have a garden, the kitchen witch will find ways to grow plants and food, in herb pots, window boxes or sprouting jars, for example.
Herbs
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Also, the kitchen witch will use her garden to commune with nature spirits, tree spirits, and deities such as Gaia and the Green Man. She may well work closely with the faeries, ensuring a blessed and bountiful garden, and create a shrine to her consorts through meaningful statues, objects, natural monuments or displays, and plaques.
Green Man
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The garden of a kitchen witch is an enchanted one indeed!
Amazon Spotlight
Garden Spells
Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)
This is a beautiful little book of garden magic, covering spells, garden lore, the meaning of flowers and tips on living in harmony with nature's critters.
A real must-have. Beautifully written and a feast for the eyes!
The Kitchen Witch and the Realm of Spirit
The kitchen witch is likely to work closely with the spirit realm, usually in the form of faeries and other nature spirits.Faeries help with kitchen witchery in the following ways:
* Faeries of the garden help plants to flourish, food to taste delicious, and harvests to be bountiful
* Faeries of hearth and home assist around the house, blessing the home with protection and adding their own magic to rituals and cooking
* Fire faeries assist in hearth and fire magic
* Tree spirits offer wisdom, healing and strength
Field of Dreams
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Kitchen Witch Kitsch on CafePress
Kitchen Witch Items on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byWho's Blogging about Kitchen Witchery?
- Barefoot Kitchen Witch - In the Garden: Final Harvest Pictures ...
- We grew several different varieties of eggplant - the lovely plump black ones, the long, thin Japanese eggplant, and those lumpy purple and white ones across the top. (My husband is the one who orders most of the seeds and...
- Meet Detective Tom - The Barefoot Kitchen Witch
- Yesterday I mentioned Alex's weekend project for school - create a disguise for the turkey drawing he (and all his classmates) had been given. This is Alex's creation. The whole thing was his idea, he picked out the fabrics, drew...
- Kitchen Witch on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
- Kitchen Witch by cakespy. Peppermint whoopie pies! To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. ...
You May Also Be Interested In:
If you find kitchen witchery intriguing, you might also be interested in the following:
- Hedgewitch Craft
- Traditional witchcraft, cottage or green witchcraft
- Druidry
- Shamanism
- The Goddess Path
- Celtic Spirituality
- Avalon
More Kitchen Witch Resources
Goddess Art, Imagery and Gifts
- Free Range Faeries
- Beautiful watercolor art of goddesses, faeries and other magical creations.
Home of some of the beautiful artwork on this lens! Any pictures on this page watermarked Free Range Faeries or Art by Kate Monkman can be purchased here. - Abaxion
- An incredible range of god and goddess statues! Vast choice of many different deities in many different forms. Perfect for kitchen altars and shrines throughout the house!
- Goddess Gift
- Yet more beautiful goddess statues, along with goddess cards, jewellery, altar items, tapestries, crafting items, gifts and more.
What do you think of Kitchen Witchery?
Thank you for reading! Please leave your comments here.
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- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino May 20, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
- What a beautiful lens! Someone gave me a kitchen witch as a housewarming gift many years ago. She was supposed to keep me from burning food while cooking. I'm not sure where she is now... will have to look through my storage bins. Squid Angel Blessings to you.
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- OhMe OhMe Mar 5, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
- Great lens. Now I am going to be mad if I can't find my Kitchen Witch. I haven't thought about her in years.
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- Vacation-In-My-Head Vacation-In-My-Head Mar 4, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
- This is a great lens. I was not aware as to the full extent of kitchen witchery. It seems to be a very beautiful practice and the artwork is absolutely beautiful, they really helped to draw me in. 5*'s and faved.
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- drifter0658 drifter0658 Mar 4, 2009 @ 7:04 pm
- Very compelling. The artwork worked its magic on me. I know it was the colors and the imagery, but still I was pleasantly drawn in.
The Kitchen Rituals were awesome....I bake my own bread at times, and the act of baking it is so relaxing.
Thanks For This!
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- WhiteOak50 WhiteOak50 Mar 4, 2009 @ 7:02 pm
- Thank you for your wonderful comments on my Kitchen Witchery. I also lensrolled this lens over on that one. I really look forward to reading more of your lens, you just fascinate me!! Have a beautiful evening my friend!!
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About Miss MerFaery
A Kitchen Witch in Training
I first discovered the path of the kitchen witch in 2008. Since then I have slowly begun integrating it into my way of life, embracing the sacredness of everyday tasks and the guidance of the goddess.
I get great satisfaction from the soul nourishment of preparing, cooking and eating delicious, organic food, and am taking the next step of growing fruit, herbs and vegetables in the garden.
I also love to craft, and am growing increasingly interested in learning not only further modern crafts, but traditional ones too.
I have even learned to love my housework!
I get great satisfaction from the soul nourishment of preparing, cooking and eating delicious, organic food, and am taking the next step of growing fruit, herbs and vegetables in the garden.
I also love to craft, and am growing increasingly interested in learning not only further modern crafts, but traditional ones too.
I have even learned to love my housework!
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