Cooking With Spiritual Intent Pt. 2

Greetings everyone....today's post is a continuation of last weeks post; Cooking With Spiritual Intent. Enjoy!
 

Cooking With Spiritual Intent

Amuletic Appetizers and Snacks

Nuts In Orange Glaze~Nuts were considered a food of the gods in Scandinavia, Greece, and Rome. The walnut's resemblance to the brain made it perfect for folk remedies dealing with the mind. Also, in Elizabethan times, sweet plates known as "comfits" were assembled.These often included nuts or nut pastes, such as marchpaine ( the medieval spelling of marzipan ), to please the palate:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 cups toasted pecans or walnuts

Heat the sugar, orange peel, and orange juice in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring regularly. Stir in pecans and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min. until the nuts are coated and the liquid is evaporated. Spread the nuts on a greased cookie sheet to dry.

Makes 2  1/2 cups

Magical Associations: Thought, concentration, mental productivity

Celebrations: Graduation, Labor Day, St. Stephen Festival, Festival of Sarasvati

Sun Wheel Pickle Tray~In this recipe, the fiery spices and yellow food coloring combine with the layout to create the visual effect of sun energy radiating to your guests. Celery is associated with the element of fire and planetary aspect of Mercury. For an Elizabethan quality, add strawberries and rhubarb (fiery fruits) to the platter:

• 1 small jar dill gherkins (pickles)
• 1 small jar pickled white onions
• 1 16oz can large pitted black olives
• 1 8oz bottle green olives
• 8 celery stalks

Cream Cheese Stuffing:

• 1 8oz pkg. cream cheese softened
• 2-3 drops yellow food coloring
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried onion or 1 tbsp fresh minced onion

Blend together the cream cheese and the food coloring; the yellow food coloring will give it a slightly golden hue. Mix in the chives, dill weed, garlic powder and onion. Stuff the celery stalks and black olives with the cream chess mixture. Arrange the gherkins, white onions, olives and celery on the tray alternating, celery, beside it put a row, from center out of white onions alternating with black olives, then another celery, so on and so forth. Place the nuts in the center.

Magical Associations: Fire magic, masculine attributes, increasing strength or leadership potential, conscious and logical thinking, mild aphrodisiac qualities.

Celebrations: Summer Solstice, Candlemas, Beltane, Feast of Banners, Birthday of the Sun

 

Cooking With Spiritual Intent

G'morning everyone.....

Please forgive my absence of late; have had a tremendous amount of happenings in my life, so bear with my posts if they are not occurring in due manner.

Since early times, food has been used to celebrate after ceremonies such as a new birth, blessing a new home, celebrating a wedding etc...For example, ever wonder why people without thinking stir their soups and stews clockwise in preparation?

This is never mentioned this fact, it just happens!

A rural superstition form the Ozark Mountains tells us that clockwise, the direction the sun moves through the sky, is the best way to mix any food to insure success of the meal and the health of those eating it. Many early cultures, specifically the Celts, performed their ceremonies following the same solar motion.

Such folklore is a token of the ancient world, when light was the emblem of safety, warmth and the time to hunt. This information became a natural part of the human code. This is also illustrated in prayers before meals. Prayers before eating acknowledge Nature's gifts, and release a supplication for divine favor so disease will not be allowed to enter the body. 

Prayer at mealtime is present in a variety of cultural groups and settings. These ar but two illustrations of how the chronicle of culinary arts has been entwined with the more general history of humankind.

Using rudimentary implements and procedures, early humans devised the basis of an art which would be forever influential. Hunting and gathering defined the earliest spells, ceremony, and community roles. Developments and changes in the area lead to an expansion of cooking techniques as well. Children were taught procedures that proved to be successful so that a kind of familial rite was born, food appropriate to peasants or kings were dictated by etiquette, social contrivance and superstition. This ritualistic aspect and memorization and careful guarding of family recipes, gives kitchen magic tremendous potential for moder practice.

Coming up are recipes that can be used for ceremonies, celebration and seasonal magical cooking suggestion for your home and circle. If a food has importance that influences its spiritual function and characteristics, it is noted in the recipe. This little bit of historical information has an important magical bonus. If your patron goddess is Athena, wheat better way to honor her than by placing a Greek dish on her altar? This is but one example of how creative cooking will enhance your magic and at the very least will fill your home with personally significant and tasty foods.

There are a number of recipes that list uncommon ingredients, a good example are foods made with flowers; these types of dishes open a whole new world of taste sensation  from vitamin and mineral rich source; blossoms. Some of you might be hesitant to try such dishes; if you can get past your initial reaction, you will learn that flowers were readily eaten from the time of Ancient Greeks up through the turn of the century. Their flavor is similar to that of many common herbs or vegetables, and they also lend a wonderful fragrance to the finished dish. Use caution when cooking with flowers as many people have allergic reactions to common flowers. It is also important that the flowers are free of pesticides, dyes and other contaminants. If you are not comfortable with eating flowers or are finding it hard to find local fresh supplier of flowers and other unusual ingredients in the recipes, there are non-flower alternatives given for each recipe.

When preparing these recipes, fill your heart and soul with intent for the magical association you are seeking or the event you are celebrating. All spells and magic start with intent. Actually visualize the intent forming in your heart and running down through your arm, through your hand onto the ladle or spoon used for stirring and into the food itself; stronger the intent, the more power of the result. 

Amuletic Appetizers and Snacks

Stuffed Mushrooms~Most often a food for the elite, mushrooms appear again and again in fanciful tales of fairy folk, making them a perfect edible when combined with thyme (a favorite wee folk home) for kinship with or understanding of, the fey:

2 tbsp butter, divided

2 tbsp diced green pepper

1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems

2 tbsp chopped onions

3/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp cooked, crumbled bacon

1/4 tsp dried thyme

Salt

Pepper

1/2 lb large mushrooms, stems removed

12 small slices cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Melt 1 tbsp of the butter over low heat and saute the mushroom stems, green pepper, and onions until tender. Mix in the bread crumbs, bacon thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Place the caps on a cookie sheet. Melt 1 tbsp of the butter and drizzle over the stuffed caps. Top each with a cheese slice. Bake for 15 min. Serve Hot

Makes aprox 1 dozen

Variation: Use large cherry tomatoes with the seeds scooped out instead of the mushroom caps. Substitute rosemary for thyme and add 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese to he mixture before stuffing. This is for Love.

Magical Associations: Strength, faerie magic, psychic ability.

Celebrations: May Day, Lammas, before divination efforts.

Muffin Munchies~Cheese, caraway and pimento are all foods for adoration and fecundity. In some areas, caraway was valuable enough to be used as a form of currency!

1 package (6) English muffins

1 cup cottage cheese

2 tbsp pimento, drained

3 tbsp caraway seeds

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp minced chives

12 cheese slices any kind

Preheat oven to 450F. Toast the muffins until golden brown. Mix the cottage cheese, pimento, caraway seeds, salt and chives. Spread on the muffin halves. Place cheese slices on top of the muffins in a decorative or symbolic pattern. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Heat in the oven for

Makes 12 servings

Magical Associations: Enjoyable sexual encounters, romance, love, prosperity.

Celebrations: The Great Rite, Valentine's or Sweetest Day, Coming of Age, anniversaries, handfastings and most observances.

Hot Cheese Canapes~Cheese has been prepared and eaten for at least 5,000 years! It was sometimes made into wedding cakes in ancient Greece. Curry is a spice of cleaning or for any fire-related festivals:

1/4 lb. brie or other soft cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tsp oil

1/4 cup sliced or chopped almonds

Dash of curry powder

Salt and pepper

Toast Pieces for Canapes (see below)

Using a fork, blend the brie, butter, and oil in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Mix in almonds, curry powder, and salt and pepper. Spread over toast pieces. Garnish with a whole almond.

Makes 3/4 cup spread

Variation: For an extra-spicy flair, prepare the toast the same way you would prepare Bounty Bagel Chips (see below), substituting bread slices for bagel slices.

Magical Attributes: Earth and fire elements, goals, purification, energy, love

Celebrations: Beltane, Summer Solstice, Valentine's Day

Toast Pieces For Canapes:

10 slices bread, any flavor (if bread is hand-sliced, make slices 1/4 inch thick)

Toast bread slices in a toaster set on medium darkness. If a toaster is unavailable, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the bread slices on an ungreased cookie sheet; bake, turning occasionally, until lightly brown on both sides. Trim crust and cut toast into quarters.

Makes 40 pieces; serves 10

Bountiful Bagel Chips~The roundness of the bagel makes it a wonderful solar symbol (especially when baked) while the hole in the center is lunar, adding fruitfulness:

3 bagels any flavor

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp ground sesame seeds

1 tbsp garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350F, Slice bagels into 1/4 inch thick disks. in a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Mix in the sesame seeds and garlic. Brush each bagel slice with the butter mixture. Place the slices on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 min. turn slices over and bake an additional 7 min. until crunchy. Serve warm or cold.

Makes about 6 dozen chips

*Note: Buy day old bagels from a local store or deli; they slice better and are usually cheaper. Choose your bagel type and spices according to magical goals, such as cinnamon bagel with ginger butter for prosperity.

Stay tuned for more recipes on next posting



Get A Jump On Spring Health!

G'morning all!

Well spring  is right around the corner, and I am sure, like me, you are definitely ready for the lovely warm days, the smell of fresh flowers pushing themselves up out of the ground, the scent of freshly mowed grass....all of these delights help bring us out of our winter cocoon!

We, just like the earth, fare better if we ease into spring; while we may have 'spring fever', and want to jump right into gardening, doing too much too fast, can leave you watching spring unfold on the sidelines while your body tries to heal from over-used muscles and exhaustion; as most of us tend to 'hibernate' during winter, we need to ready ourselves for the hectic months ahead by gently cleansing our body systems; building up our over-worked immune systems; nourish your body with energizing teas, smoothies, and juices and exercising more.

Today's post is going to inform you of great herbal recipes to help your body get hoppin'....for spring!!

Liver Cleanses~Winter brings us holidays and heavy foods which can lead to a sluggish liver. But don't fret, Gaia (Mother Earth) gives us plenty of  vibrate wild greens that help cleanse our liver.

Try making a salad with dandelion leaves, wild mustard greens, chickweed and wild sorrel among others, with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice. You can purchase organic spring greens at most farmers' markets if you don't have access to pollution-free wild plants. Better yet, grow it yourself!

You can also use the below recipe for a tea decoction. Drink three cups a day over a period of a few weeks:

• 2 tsp dandelion root
• 2 tsp burdock root
• 2 tsp milk thistle seeds
• 1 tsp licorice root
• 3 cups water

To Make a Decoction~Combine herbs and water in a covered pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the tea and store unused portion in the refrigerator.

Lymphatic Cleanse~The lymphatic system depends on external pressure to keep the lymphatic fluid circulating. During physical activity, muscle contractions and the increased action of the lungs stimulates that pressure and generates a vigorous movement of lymph. If you've gone through a winter of low activity, this could mean your lymphatic system is not in optimum shape. Embarking on an exercise program will start the fluid flowing again and a good cleanse will help decongest the lymph glands.

The following tea made as an infusion, once or twice a day over a period of a few weeks:

• 2 tsp dried cleavers ( or tbsp fresh )
• 2 tsp dried red clover blossom ( or 2 tbsp fresh )
• 2 cups water

To Make An Infusion: Combine herbs in a teapot, pour boiling water over them, cover, and let steep 15 minutes. Strain the tea and store the unused portion in the refrigerator.

Colon Cleanse~For a lethargic and slow-moving digestive system, there are several ways you can gently stimulate and cleanse it:

• Increase your daily water intake to eight cups.
• Eat one or two apples daily. The high water content and pectin help regulate bowel function and intestinal health.
• Up your intake of fresh fruits and veggies
• For a stinger effect, combine a glass of water or aloe vera juice with a tbsp of fiber such as psyllium husks or ground flaxmeal. Drink this morning and evening to stimulate a congested colon. Because of the high fiber content, make sure you also drink several glasses of water during.

Boosting Your Immune System~Has your body suffered through colds and flu this winter? You can give your immune system some tender loving care by turning your back on sugary treats that soothed during the dark wintery days. Sugar reduces the ability of white blood cells to fight viruses and bacteria in your body, and the effect can last for up to five hours. Adding friendly bacteria in your digestive system also offers a vital line of immune defense. You can replenish these defenders by eating two or more cups of organic yogurt a day. To ramp up the process, purchase a good probiotic supplement and follow the dosage directions

Immune Tonic~The following formula incorporates herbs that increase the activity of T-cells, NK cells, interferon, lymphocytes, and cacrophages.

 As an added bonus, this blend helps stimulate spleen activity and strengthen the lymphatic system. This is best taken as a tincture, but you can also make a decoction. (see above for decoction tincture directions ):

• 1 part astragalus root
• 1 part shitake muchrooms (dried if making a tincture)
• 1 part ashwagandha root
• 1/2 redroot (Ceanothus spp)

Immune-Boosting Smoothie~Look for ingredients with the following to support the immune system; vitamin C and E, carotenoids, bioflavonoids, selenium, copper, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.

The following recipe supplies probiotics, immune-boosting chemical constituents, antioxidants, zinc and vitamin C:

• 1/2 to 1 cup of yogurt
• 1 tsp powdered astragalus
• Handful of blueberries
• Handful of blackberries
• 1 kiwi fruit
• 1 orange

Don't worry too much about the measurements, feel free to experiment with ingredient rations to find a flavor you like best.



Recipes For Making Your Own Magical Incense....

Good Day and Merry Meet!

Today I am going to share with you some magnificent recipes for making your own incense for magical and aromatic uses...

Please be aware that some of these recipes include dangerous, toxic and in some cases illegal herbs, I do not recommend using these ingredients, (you can always substitute with less dangerous herbs; tobacco is always an appropriate substitute) I am including these herbs to stay true to the recipes I am sharing. These herbs will be accompanied by an asterisk*

Incense Recipes

Astral Travel Incense~Burn a small amount in the room to aid in projecting the astral body:

3 parts Sandalwood

3 parts Benzoin

1 part Mugwort

1 part Dittany of Crete

Business Incense~Burn to attract customers:

2 parts Benzoin

1 part Cinnamon

1 part Basil

Clearing Incense~Burn this incense to clear your home of negative vibrations, especially when household members are arguing or when the house seems heavy and thick with anger, jealousy, depression, fear and other negative emotions. Leave the windows open while burning this mixture:

3 parts Frankincense

3 parts Copal

2 parts  Myrrh

1 part Sandalwood

Courage Incense~Smolder this incense when you lack courage. If you are in a situation where you cannot burn it, recall its scent and be strong. If tonka bouquet is unavailable, use tonka tincture or vanilla tincture ( or extract):

2 parts Dragon's Blood

1 part Frankincense

1 part Rose Geranium leaves (or a few drops Rose Geranium oil)

a few drops Tonka Bouquet

a few drops Musk oil

Dream Incense~Burn a bit in the bedroom prior to sleep to produce psychic dreams. Remove the censer ( incense burner ) from the room before sleeping. Use only genuine camphor. If this is unavailable, add a few drops spirits of camphor, which is available in most drug stores:

2 parts Sandalwood

1 part Rose petals

1 part Camphor

a few drops Tuberose Bouquet

a few drops Jasmine oil

Eightfold Hearth Incense~Burn for a safe, warm, loving home. Also makes for a perfect home-warming gift!

2 parts Dragon's Blood

2 parts Myrrh

1 part Juniper

1/2 part Sassafras

1/2 part Orange flowers

1/2 part Rose Petals

Healing Incense~Burn to speed healing while visualizing:

1 part Rosemary

1 part Juniper Berries

House Purification Incense~Burn in your home to cleanse it at least once a month, perhaps on the Full Moon. additionally, burn this mixture in a new home before moving in. This is another great house warming gift:

3 parts Frankincense

2 parts Dragon's Blood

1 part Myrrh

1 part Sandalwood

1 part Wood Betony

1/2 part Dill Seed

a few drops Rose Geranium

I have many many more recipes so check back often!









Where Numbers Fit In Relation To Your Reality......

Good morning my fellow homosapiens!

Well I am finally rested and caught up since coming home from my vacation.

I recently came across a book, "Serpent of Light, Beyond 2012"  by Drunvalo Melchizedek, that really spoke to me.

I never believed what I heard around me, that Dec. 2012 would be the end of time.

Actually what is happening is that once every 13,000 years the earths kundilini (the energy in the center of the earth) rises up and shifts, (once it made it's home in ancient Lemuria, then it moved to Atlantis, then to the Himalayas), with each relocation it has changed our idea of what spiritual means and gender and heart. This time, with much difficulty, the Serpent of Light has moved to the Andes Mountains.

This is a wonderful book and it will blow your mind with all the stories of the rituals and ceremonies that all had to be done in order for this 2012 change to take place. It really is amazing.

So today I am going to take out of this book the list of triple numbers that are here to assist those who would like to be in the drivers seat of our own lives.

When you see triple numbers in our Reality it has significance relative to what you are thinking or the environment around you. It has to do with music and the fact that all notes in an octave separate themselves by eleven cycles per second. Therefore, the separations of each note to each other are

 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88 and 99 cycles per second, or multiples of these numbers, which presents a perfectly harmonic tuning or moment in time, since the entire Reality was created through the harmonics of music.

When triple numbers or more appear, in any manner, it physically represents a mathematical moment in time that contains the harmonics of the value of that number. In human words, 444 would best be described as the Mystery School, which is where one learns about the Reality.

Alice Baily was the first to write about this number having that meaning.

Here is a list of triple numbers and what they mean.

111= Energy Flow: Any energy flow, such as electricity, money, water, sexual energy, etc

222= New Cycle: The beginning of a new cycle, the nature of which depends on the next triple

number you see.

333= Decision: You have a decision to make. The decision will lead to either 666, which means you must repeat the lesson again in some other way, or it will lead to 999 which is completion and you have learned the lesson.

444= The Mystery School: What is occurring in life is a lesson around the learning about the Reality. This school is learning , such as reading books or studying a subject, but not actual doing.

555= Unity Consciousness: This is the number when someone has attained Unity Consciousness. They have mastered all levels of the Mystery School. It is the highest number. It is the number of Christ.

666= Earth Consciousness: This is the number of the Best in the Bible, so it can represent pure evil, but it is also the number of mankind and life. Carbon is the basis of life, and carbon has six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons. Generally when you see this number, it means to watch out for physical events that are presenting themselves at that moment and you must be careful.

777= The Mystery School: This is the part of the school where you are not just reading books about life, but are also practicing it.

888= Completion of a particular lesson within the Mystery School.

999= Completion of a particular cycle of events.

As you can see, this list can give you valuable information, so live life to the fullest while keeping an eye out for the numbers around you.