How I Made Magick Complicated…

There was a time, not so long ago, when I spent a lot of time and money on specialized ingredients, tools, and MORE to complete spell work.

To give you an example, this is how things typically worked for me before I realized there was a better way…

First, I would create a spell. I would research all of the ingredients for the spell to making sure they correspond. This meant I would go through all my books, usually creating a huge mess, and research the details.

Then, I would double checked timings, tools, materials, etc. and gather my ingredients.

Next, I would order the ingredients I did not have, or could not find locally. This usually meant finding the items online from specialty suppliers. Many times, I would have to order them from more than one vendor. 9 times out of 10 not all of the items I needed were sold in one place.

LAST, I would wait… by the time my packages arrived from the various vendors, the spark for my spell was gone. That vital spark, necessary for successful spell work, GONE!

Sure over time I had several cupboards filled with Magickal ingredients and tools. I could probably open my own specialty store with my stock on hand, especially since many items I will never use again.

I in no way feel like any of this was a waste of my time, money, and energy. Instead, it helped me find my own way to practice Magick. While I was collecting ingredients and supplies, I kept thinking there was a better way. It just took time for me to figure it out. It forced me to research and learn and for that I am grateful.

One day as I walked through the grocery store, I realize that spell work was no different than cooking a recipe. You have your ingredients, your instructions, your technique, and your timing. That is when my journey was made clear. I was simply making things too hard on myself.

In my head, for whatever reason, I believed that spell work and rituals needed to be complicated, multi-faceted, and well… off the charts. I was trying too hard to be perfect. Instead of being effective, I was being difficult. I am sure this comes from my early years of training in ceremonial traditions. I needed to realize that there is a time and a place for everything. Most rituals and spell work does not have to be complicated. Some of the most meaningful rituals are simple and elegant.

Of course, I would have liked to have realized this initially, but I think there is a method to the madness. Everything comes in its own time. Sometimes the best lessons learned, are the hardest.

So what of my toil and trouble? All of my years of research, aggravation, and experience are here for your benefit. I am here to share with you what I know and how I made Magick a little easier. I hope I can aid you, in your Magickal pursuits by giving you some cheats… or rather some easy references. I hop what I share here will show you how to work Magick right out of your kitchen and grocery, using accessible ingredients.

Finding Magick at the Grocery Store

As Modern Witches, we must evolve and adjust with the times. Nearly gone are the days of gathering strange or rare herbs in deeply wooden forests, remote waterways, and distant fields. Today we have convenience on our side. We have a variety of grocery stores, farmer’s markets, CSA’s, and local specialty food markets at our disposal. Lucky for us these marketplaces have thousands of Magickal ingredients, and many are reasonably priced. Lucky us, right?!

Admittedly, a typical trip to the grocery store is unremarkable and sometimes aggravating. I find my irritation rising when there are far too many people shopping at the exact time I decide to shop. My temper continues to rise when the ingredients, I am searching for are not available or in poor condition.

The impressions we feel when surrounded by lots of people, come from being connected to subtle energies. After all, this is one important aspect of being a Witch. We must know the energies around us so we can use them. We must also learn when these energies will and how they affect us. We should also know when they should be blocked out.

I guarantee most of the other people in the store are just as annoyed as we are, and we bounce these feelings between each other, as we roam one isle to another. There are simple ways to deal with this.

Let me give you some tips on how to make your shopping trips more Magickal and practical. When we adjust our behaviors, mindset, and purpose; we create a new and enjoyable experience. I now find my shopping experiences more exciting and less annoying.

Here are a few points to remember for your next trip to the store.

Planning

I know most of us hate to plan. We just want to jump in and wing it. Well, that is a great way to go once in a while, but let’s get real. If we wing it too often we end up with bad experiences, disorganization, and items we will never use…. Not to forget the things we forgot because we neglected to plan.

Planning doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Here is how I plan my shopping trips.

1. I decide what spells I would like to perform and/or observances I would like to recognize, and I plan my recipes accordingly.
2. I make a shopping list. Sometimes it’s a BIG list and sometimes it’s not. It depends of how ambitious I feel.
3. I shop alone! I tell my husband to watch the kids, and I go. I find it makes more sense and relieves a great deal of stress when I go alone. If I have to shop with my son (who is 6), I will make sure it is a short trip and that he has entertainment. This means I give him a list of his own, (usually with pictures of the items on it) and when we are in the right area, I ask him to find what he needs on his list. It makes him feel useful and important.

It doesn’t have to be daunting. Just take some time. Have a cup of coffee or tea while you make up your mind and plan. Relax and enjoy the process. Give yourself time to cross-reference your ingredients, make sure you have everything on your list, and give yourself a solid start to what is potentially a stressful event.

This also gives you time to find alternates to those hard to find and expensive ingredients, you might have previously ordered from specialty shops and online stores.

Below are a few examples of specialty items and their grocery store alternatives.

Grocery Store Equivalents for Magickal Ingredients.

This is by no means a complete list.  It just gives you a good look at the possibilities.

When to shop

I highly recommend you plan to shop when the stores are least busy. If you are unsure of when this is, just cruise by your favorite market at different times of the day; on different days of the week. Take a mental note of the number of cars in the parking lot.

Or if you usually shop at 2pm on Saturday and the stores are packed, try shopping between 6am and 9am or 12pm to 1pm. You should also never shop just before a major secular event or holiday. The stores will undoubtedly be packed. Find a time you feel is the best for shopping and plan accordingly.

If you simply can’t adjust your time, don’t panic. Just go in prepared and focus on what you need to do. Your focus and attitude will ultimately determine the kind of shopping trip you have.

If you choose the early morning option, not only will you miss the crowds, but you will also have the chance to browse your local farmer’s market. Most farmer’s markets open very early and have a wide variety of local items you cannot find in traditional grocery stores. I like to shop at our local farmer’s market first thing Saturday mornings, then I hit my grocery store for the items remaining on my list.

Of course, you know when I set out for an early morning shopping trip, I am going to take time to have breakfast at my favorite local coffee shop. This is my, “Me” time. I read and enjoy my time alone. It gives me something to look forward to each week.

Find ways to make the trip more enjoyable. There is no reason you can’t reward yourself for all the planning and toil you go through. So, now you adequate incentive to treat yourself well, while doing a mundane chore like grocery shopping. Win! Win!

How to manage and block energy that could destroy your trip.

When we are bombarded by the energy from many different people all at the same time, it can be a challenge to manage your own energy, intentions, emotions, and temper. When you are very sensitive, energy can overwhelm you and destroy your happy, focused, and relaxed mindset.

Here are couple of techniques you can try that may help when you are bothered by other people’s energy and emotions.

1. Take a deep breath… Take several if necessary. Inhale through the nose, fill your belly then your chest. Lastly, exhale slowly through your mouth. I like to do this in the car, before I grab my bags and enter the store. I also do this in the store if there is a rather intense surge of energy.
2. Place a protective Magickal or psychic barrier around you before you walk into the store. The intent is to keep out any unwanted emotional energy so you can focus and have a pleasant trip. Maintain this barrier by reinforcing it while you shop.
3. Stay positive, and stay focused. Attitude is everything.
4. Sensor what will penetrate your barrier and reach you. In Magick you have control, you only need to acknowledge it and use it. Although, you may be very sensitive, you can still control what gets to you and what does not. Over time and with frequent implementation, you will be able to flip on and off your emotional, Magickal, and psychic barrier like a light switch. Sure some energies will be more persistent than others, but you can handle it.

As you can see, you can make shopping more Magickal. When you make a few simple adjustments, a task that is frustrating becomes manageable. It may take you some practice and tweaking before you get into your groove, but I know you do it.

Here is a simple Scent Magick spell, using items that can be easily fond at any grocery store. 

 

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I invite your feedback. Tell me what you think.

How has this post helped you, and if you were inspired. I love to know what my readers are up to, and how you put my thoughts and experience to use in your world.

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Bright Blessing!

Leandra

© 2014, The Magick Kitchen