Honoring the Chill Vibes and Magic of November

November is a time of reflection and relaxation, as it heralds in “blank slate” weekends, restful time alone, and the joyous return to honoring life inside the home. For many, October is so much fun there is barely space for peace and quiet. But now that the wild action of October is over, and you can pause to savor the crisp air and quietness of the November sky, I suggest you ponder the opportunistic question of “now what?”

 The weather is colder and the atmosphere is darker in November – while the view from your bedroom window can be romantic and beautiful, the feeling outside is cold, damp, and sometimes gloomy. Just this morning we experienced our first freezing fog this season. It is this kind of weather that makes us crave coziness, warmth, and comfort. November allows you the opportunity to lean into the temptation to relax, recuperate, and maintain your health and spiritual wellness.

A List of Chill Magic and Practical Rituals for November

November can be a time when you can create a sacred space inside your home. While indoors, it is a great time to take up hobbies and activities that allow you the opportunity to spend time with the most important person in your life: yourself. Contemplate what aspects of yourself you have been neglecting and use the downtime of the indoor months accordingly. My hope is that this list below honors the magic of being chill and the comforting energy of November. 

• Fall Cleaning: For me an organized house is a creative house. I don’t know if this is something that everyone feels, but I function better in an orderly environment. If you are like me use the first couple of weeks in November to clean and clear your home of clutter. Consider donating clothes, books, and food. 

• Bring in the Green: Try bringing some green into your home to liven the indoors. Herbs that do well indoors are basil, bay, chives, cilantro, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. If you need some easy plants to work with try aloe, calathea, Christmas cactus, English ivy, jade, peperomia, philodendron, snake plant, and spider plant.

• Warm Lighting: Try the warm and soothing glow Himalayan rock salt lamps and candle holders.

• Purifying Incense: Burn a blend of frankincense, rosemary, and sage to purify your home. Allow the smoke to escape the home through cracked windows. 

• Protection Spell Bottle: Put together a spell bottle to create a protective boundary around your home. Some suggested items to add to a protection spell bottle include rosemary, rose thorns, needles, nails, dimes, vinegar, garlic, obsidian, black salt, sea salt, tourmaline, black pepper, hyssop, rue, and dragon’s blood. Seal it with black wax and bury it in the front yard of your property.

• Blessed and Loving Home Simmering Potpourri: This is an inviting simmering potpourri to bless a home with loving energies. Slice an apple and place in a saucepan. Add four cups of water. Add in a couple cinnamon sticks, three star anise seed pods, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a teaspoon of cloves, and a small piece of ginger root. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Allow the mixture to slowly cook and spread it’s inviting and loving fragrance through your home. Stir clockwise occasionally, and replacing more water if necessary. 

• Relaxing Aromatherapy Oils: Use a relaxing oil blend in an oil diffuser to create a calming space. Essential oils that can help calm moods include lavender, sandalwood, frankincense, bergamot, ylang ylang, vanilla, patchouli, Roman chamomile, clary sage, and marjoram. 

• Prosperity Spell for Holiday Funds: For this spell you will work with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Find a glass jar or container and adhere a picture of Lakshmi on it. In the bottom of the container place a piece of green jade, aventurine, or other crystal associated with money. The first money to place in the jar should be four new quarters, which you can anoint with patchouli or money-attracting oil. Place money into the jar each day, no matter how large or small the amount is. When it is time to empty the jar and access the holiday funds, be sure to put aside a small amount of the wealth you’ve attracted to donate to charity.

• Blanket Magic: Here’s a sweet little enchantment for the throw blankets in your house. Hold a blanket and visualize it being imbued with pink and gold light. Say to yourself the following incantation: “Wrapped in love, this blanket glows, with care and healing for those it holds.” 

• Homeopathic Remedies: We are blessed to live in a time where we can both take care of ourselves with modern medicine like flu shots and antibiotics, but we can also keep homeopathic remedies in stock to support our daily health routines. Try and create Fire Cider or Elderberry Syrup – they are said to help the body fend off colds.

• Basil Rinse: Boil a pot of water and stir in a handful of basil and a couple bags of chamomile tea. Use this as a cleaning rinse to welcome in prosperous and loving energies.

• Divination: November is a fantastic month to work through divination. Treat yourself to a new tarot deck, practice a new tarot spread, or try a form of divination that you’ve always been curious about. 

November Correspondences

• Astronomical Dates for 2019: Taurid Meteor Shower (11/5-6), Beaver Full Moon (11/12), Leonids Meteor Shower (11/17-18), New Moon (11/26)

• Crystals: Amber, Citrine, Obsidian, Onyx, Tiger’s Eye, Topaz

• Food in Season: Apples, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cranberries, horseradish, leeks, mushrooms, parsnips, persimmons, pomegranates, potatoes, pumpkin, turnip, winter squash

• Herbs, Plants, and Incense: Blackthorn, Cedarwood, Cypress, Dragon’s Blood, Elder, Mugwort, Nutmeg, Pine, Rosemary, Star Anise, Thyme, Wormwood, Yew

• Magical Work: Beginnings, Divination and Spirit Communication, Prosperity, Release, Removal of Obstacles, Transformation

• Meditation Work and Reflective Topics: Charity, Comfort, Gratitude, Self-Love

The Magic of Samhain Isn’t Gone and Where to Look Next

While many will celebrate Samhain through October 31st and November 1st, there are those who chose to observe Samhain at the exact midpoint between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. For 2019 that happens to land on November 7th. So, if you are enjoying the work with ancestors, divination, spirit communication, and banishment magic, don’t let it disappear now that it’s November. And, just because Samhain has passed doesn’t mean that the energy and magic of Samhain will instantaneously drop off. If you are new to witchcraft I recommend reading The Door to Witchcraft by Tonya Brown to help you continue your interest and magical pursuits. If you are fascinated by the idea of a Veil marking a boundary between our world and the Otherworld, I recommend visiting John Beckett’s blog Under the Ancient Oaks where he frequently discusses his impression of the Veil in modern times. And, hopefully the list above gave you some inspiration for November as well. The dark side of the year is an excellent time to go inwards and do deep, reflective, and personal magical work. The magic of pause and rest can be very powerful.

Please visit this link to see a complete list of works referenced in this article.

Samhain Blessings and Questions to Ponder for the Samhain Season

Many heartfelt Samhain blessings for those observing it today. May today offer you an insightful glimpse beyond the veil and confirmation that the spirits of your ancestors are ever-present.

Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and is known by many as “The Witches’ New Year.” At Samhain we honor the dead as we observe nature transition into the colder and darker seasons. There are many modern-day witches and Pagans who believe that the boundary between our world and the Otherworld of the spirit and the Fae, sometimes referred to as “The Veil,” is thin or even penetrable at this time. Because of this, the world of spirit feels closer, more distinct, and offers up mystical messages and supernatural moments.  

After the fun and excitement of October and Halloween, I like to pass into November gently. Today I will be breaking bread with my Druid grove to honor the dead, the passage of seasons, and the end of harvest. The Cailleach gains strength and carries with her the cold forces of winter, her cape drawing darkness and frost over the land. 

If you are anything like me, you are looking forward to this upcoming weekend as a time to rest, recuperate, and reflect. With this in mind I am sharing with you a few questions you can ponder, discuss or write about in celebration of Samhain. If you feel so inspired, please share your responses to the questions. As we pass into the dark side of the calendar my wish is that you are able to remain healthy, strong, and comfortable.

• Share a fond memory about someone from your life who has passed away. What wisdom did they impart on you that supports you in your life today?

• If you could speak to your ancient ancestors, what would you ask them?

• Have you ever seen a ghost? What was the experience like?

• Do you feel like you have had any supernatural or Otherworldly encounters recently? What happened?

• What does “the Veil” mean to you? If you believe there is a Veil, how does it feel to you at this time of year?

• Imagine you are at a séance. If you could ask any spirit to come forward and speak, who would it be? What would you ask him/her/them?

• How did you celebrate Halloween as a child? Were there Halloween traditions that were as special to you then as they are now?

• What makes you feel like a witch? When did you know you were a witch? Are there any practices, rituals, or magical workings that you would like to incorporate into your spiritual practices?

• What do you wish to banish from your life? How would your life improve as a result of the banishment?

• What is your favorite form of divination? Is there a form of divination you would like to learn more about, and why?

• Have you gotten a psychic reading recently, or plan to read divination for yourself? What was the message?

• Have you gotten any premonitions? What were they?

• What are your plans for November? Do you have anything you wish to accomplish?

• What does the energy feel like moving into November and the dark side of the year? Do you have any magical intentions you wish to set moving into the dark side of the year?

Pumpkin Spice Magic

Pumpkin Spice has gained a reputation over recent years, thanks mostly in part to the seasonal Starbucks drink given its namesake, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Pumpkin spice is a combination of autumnal spices traditionally used to flavor a pumpkin pie. In recent years it has not only been blended into lattes, but also coffee creamers, candies, cookies, yogurts, hummus, twinkies, protein shakes and even dog treats. We can argue that the pumpkin spice trend has led to its overuse. And, as a result, there has been a backlash of guffaws and grumbles anytime someone mentions Pumpkin Spice. Confessing to enjoying pumpkin spice is like confessing a guilty pleasure. You can plan to be labeled as “basic” if you indulge in an Instagram “#AutumnInspo” photograph that includes sweaters, boots, red and orange leaves, alongside a piping hot mug of pumpkin spiced coffee.

This October I want you to push the anti-pumpkin spice fervor away and lean into the joy, warmth and familiarity that pumpkin spice can bring to you. This year I dare you to take back the magic and allure of pumpkin spice: in no way is this delightful and aromatic blend of spices “basic.” In this article we are going to examine the history and magic of the common ingredients in Pumpkin Spice: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice. I will then share with you the Pumpkin Spice recipe I use at home and some of its magical uses.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon’s magic is vast and has been sought after as a culinary and magical ingredient. Ancient Egyptian used cinnamon in perfumes and also in the mummification process. Moses apparently anointed the Ark of the Covenant with cinnamon oil. Today, modern day magical practitioners have used cinnamon for a variety of purposes including luck, success, love, lust, courage, spiritual empowerment, astral projection, psychic abilities, and prosperity. It is a masculine spice associated with the Sun and the element of fire. Cinnamon sticks can be added to spell bottles and honey jars to attract prosperity and good luck. Powdered cinnamon can be added to incense to enhance psychic abilities and improve divination. Ingesting cinnamon in a tea before bed can promote vivid dreams. 

Nutmeg

Nutmeg may not have the historical influence of cinnamon, but it still managed to have its own potent powers. Nutmeg was considered an aphrodisiac – a man was said to attract the opposite sex if he carried a nutmeg under his arm. In extremely large quantities Nutmeg can have hallucinatory properties, though regrettably to have this type of side effects also would mean committing to ingesting a large enough amount of Nutmeg that would likely also induce vomiting and seizures. Modern day magical practitioners use nutmeg for luck, money, prosperity, psychic awareness, and protection. Nutmeg is a masculine spice associated with Mars or Jupiter and the element of Fire. Just like cinnamon, nutmeg can intensify dreams. A whole nutmeg can be used as a good luck charm: draw a sigil on the nut for money and carry to attract prosperity and abundance. It can also be used in moon and sea magic. Carry the nut to strengthen clairvoyant abilities. According to Scott Cunningham, you can string nutmegs with star anise and tonka beans to create a powerful herbal charm. 

Cloves

Cloves come from an unopened flower bud the clove evergreen tree. Cloves were used in Ancient China to freshen breath, though in more recent times some people in Indonesia would attach cloves to their mouths and noses to stop demons from entering their bodies. The name clove came from the French word meaning nail.  Modern day magical practitioners use cloves for abundance, love, protection, and psychic abilities. Cloves are a masculine spice associated with Jupiter and the element of Fire. Cloves can be carried to attract love or burned to protect a home. Add cloves to a money spell bag or honey to a jar to attract abundance. You can stick cloves into an orange or lime to make a protection amulet for your home. 

Ginger

Ginger was a travelling plant in ancient times, having been traded with Greeks and Romans from the east, where it originated in either China or India. Ginger was used in a number of remedies to help combat nausea, coughing, and even impotency. Ginger was also a well-loved flavor in food – Queen Elizabeth was even said to have invented the gingerbread man. Ginger is used by modern day magic practitioners for love, lust, money, and courage. Ginger is a masculine root associated with Mars and the element of Fire. Add ginger to your spell work for extra power. In simmering potpourris ginger and promote confidence and abundance. Put a piece of ginger root in a red bag with garnet to attract lust and passion in your life. You can even use a human-shaped ginger root as a poppet and can be carried or used to promote personal strength and power.

Allspice

Allspice got its name to celebrate the fact that it seems blend all of the flavors from nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and juniper berries. They are dried berries from an evergreen tree native to the West Indies, Jamaica, and parts of Central and South America and ancient Mayans used Allspice for flavoring chocolate. Christopher Columbus discovered Allspice in the Caribbean while actually trying to find pepper. An old American tradition that would put a necklace of allspice berries around a baby to help with teething. Modern day magical practitioners use allspice for luck, healing, and money. Allspice is a masculine spice associated with Mars and the element of Fire. Add allspice to incenses to attract money or add the dried berry into mojo bag to attract good luck and fortune. Allspice is used for successful gambling in Hoodoo.

Pumpkin Spice Recipe

The pumpkin spice flavor that we are all familiar with is a blending of aromatic spices that are commonly used in pumpkin pie. Whichever recipe you look at online for pumpkin spice, there are five base ingredients comprised of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. My favorite recipe comes from Eat the Love, which also suggests optional add-in spices like mace, peppercorns, and vanilla bean. However, if you would like something simpler, I recommend trying the following:

3 tablespoons Cinnamon

2 teaspoons Ginger

2 teaspoons Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Allspice

1 teaspoon Clove

The Magical Culmination of Pumpkin Spice

In reviewing the ingredients of Pumpkin Spice, we see a few repeating themes. First is that all of the ingredients are masculine, which have strong energies used for protection, lust, courage, power, empowerment, and growing potential. The second is that all of the ingredients are associated with the element of fire, which also achieves lust, courage, protection, and action in spells. Therefore, I would suggest that pumpkin spice can be an added powder in your autumn magic to increase its potency. It can increase both your magical and personal power, especially in work dealing with prosperity, love, and deepened psychic perception

Consider sprinkling it in your incense to welcome in the spirits of Autumn. Or, blend it with rosemary and frankincense for an Otherworldly incense at Samhain. If you are trying to find good luck or money this autumn add it to a green pouch with jade, pyrite, coins, and a piece of High John the Conqueror Root. Below are some kitchen witch recipes that utilize pumpkin spice in culinary magic. 

Pumpkin Spiced Psychic Almond Milk Steamer

This warm drink can be drunk at bedtime to help assist with stimulating psychic dreams. Slowly boil two to three cups of almond milk in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add a ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin spice. If you would like to sweeten this drink add a little bit of maple syrup or even melt a couple of white chocolate chips into the saucepan. 

Apple Cider Love Potion

This is a variation on the almond milk steamer and can be shared with a loved one (with their permission) to help raise lusty and loving vibrations. Slowly boil two to three cups of apple cider in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin spice with a dash of vanilla bean if you wish. To sweeten add brown sugar.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Add pumpkin spice into your morning coffee to help set the intentions for a productive and prosperous day where you feel empowered to accomplish the tasks that await you. Sprinkle about a ½ teaspoon of it into your coffee blend before brewing. Envision the most successful outcomes of your “to-do list” while you drink the coffee. 

Prosperity Pumpkin Seeds

These sweet seeds are great to eat to ensure success in a project. Enjoy these snacks before a job interview or when you are going to trying to make money. They are also a nice snack to share at a place of business to ensure that money is generated. And, you can also give a small dish of these seeds as an offering to spirits and Fae at your home on Samhain. Bake a one cup of cleaned and dried pumpkin seeds at 275 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown. While baking, blend together 4 tablespoons of sugar with ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice. When the seeds are ready, melt 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil with half of the sugar and spice mixture in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the pumpkin seeds. Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a heat safe bowl and coat the seeds with the remaining sugar and spice. 

Warming the Body in Winter with Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin Spice is an incredible aid for the body during the colder months as well, aiding in circulation and digestion, while warming the body and helping with digestion. Cinnamon is said to ease fevers and circulation, and cloves also stimulate circulation. Nutmeg can assist in digestion, as does Ginger. Ginger is also a well-known remedy for easing indigestion and soothing inflammation. Perhaps we need to consider that these ingredients had a very practical use during the cold months: they helped keep people feeling warm, energized and healthy. My hope for you is that during this wonderful time of the year you can not only indulge in pumpkin spice but also have ongoing comfort and health as well. 

Please click here for the see all works referenced. The Prosperity Pumpkin Seeds recipe was adapted from Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with Sugar and Spice.

The Samhain Menu: Recipe Links for a Delectable Feast

Happy October! The weather is finally (or hopefully) turning cooler as we get closer to Samhain and pass into the darker half of the year. For me, October is when I start to crave comforting food that warms the soul and fills the belly! The food of fall truly makes it a relaxing season - it is also when I start to make my way back into the kitchen to cook up savory delights and sweet treats infused with magic. After spending the summer enjoying bright and light flavors it is nice to slink into the aromatic spices and indulgent flavors of Autumn. 

At the end of October many witches and Pagans will be celebrating Samhain, a feast that pays respects to ancestors and the realm of spirit. At this final harvest, we bid farewell to the growing season and look towards the time of year when we move indoors, both physically and spiritually. Samhain is a time of deep reflection and reverence. Our magic turns to protective work to hold onto what is dearest to us, but also to keep us safe, well, and cozy as the weather turns cold and the nights grow long. I think the Samhain menu reflects this desire for coziness and protection, as it is warming, savory, and filling. 

Samhain flavors include the vegetables of the season, such as kale, leeks, potatoes, squashes, parsnips, and our favorite pumpkin. Sweets include apples, cranberries, and pomegranate. Spices include sage, rosemary, garlic, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Meaty meals are hearty, slow cooked, or roasted. Vegetables are casseroled or simmered in soups. Sweets are baked and garnished with nuts. Below is a collection of recipes to consider for Samhain, or to inspire you to find the right dishes to enjoy this October. Since Samhain celebrates our ancestors, you may also want to pull out old family recipes to try this month. Either way, enjoy the pleasing transition to those cozy classics like stews and pumpkin pie!

Main Courses

Main courses at Samhain are warm and comforting: think of roasted meats, slow cooked meals, and oven baked foods seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and sage. 

• Butternut Lasagna with Mushrooms and Sage

• Cranberry Crock Pot Pork Loin

• Easy Shepherd’s Pie

• Make Ahead Vegan Samosa Shepherd’s Pie

• Polenta with Wild Mushrooms, Garlic and Sage

• Pork Chops with Apples and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

• Rosemary Garlic Chicken Quarters

• Sausage Cauliflower Spaghetti

• Shepherd’s Pie (Alton Brown’s recipe)

• Skillet Roast Chicken with Fennel, Parsnips, and Scallions

• Skillet Rosemary Chicken

• Slow Cooker Pot Roast

• Spaghetti Squash Meatball Casserole

• Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie
  

Soups, Stews, and Chilis

Soups and stews are also warm and comforting, incorporating seasonal root vegetables and slowly cooked meats.

• Brie and Cheddar and Apple Beer Soup with Cinnamon Pecan Oat Crumble

• Cheeseburger Soup

• Colcannon Soup

• Cozy Cabbage and Farro Soup

• Creamy White Chili

• Grandma’s Crock Pot Beef Stew

• Harvest Soup for Samhain

• Hunter’s Stew

• Irish Beef Stew

• Scotch Potato Soup

• Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

• Roasted Garlic and Parsnip Soup with Sage and Lemon Butter
  

Salads

Fall salads also contain more root vegetables and kale, apples, nuts, and seeds.

• Arugula, Apple, and Parsnip Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

• Autumn Kale, Apple and Quinoa Salad

• Fall Salad with Beluga Lentils, Grapes and Roasted Pumpkin

• Farro, Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

• Favorite Fall Orzo Salad

• Pear Salad with Pomegranates and Cranberries

• Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

• Radicchio Salad with Caramelized Carrots and Onions

• Shaved Carrot and Radish with Herbs and Pumpkin Seeds

Breads

Traditional Irish breads and pumpkin breads are a perfect addition to the Samhain menu. 

• Barmbrack

• Holiday Stuffed Pumpkin

• Irish Soda Bread

• Irish Soda Bread with Raisins

• Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter

• Samhain Pumpkin Bread
  

Sides

Rich, filling, and warm sides made from cool weather vegetables like kale and Brussel sprouts, fall squashes, potato, nuts, and seeds fit in well for Samhain. 

• Baked Parsnip Fries with Rosemary

• Boxty Pancakes

• Brussel Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad

• Colcannon

• Crusty Baked Cauliflower and Farro

• Kale, Cranberry, and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacons, Pecan, and Maple Syrup

• Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime

• Root Vegetable Gratin

• Sautéed Kale

• Stuffed Butternut Squash with Tempeh

• Turnip and Kale Gratin
  

Desserts

Samhain desserts are sweet, aromatic, and use autumn classics like apples, cranberries, and pumpkins. Caramel and pecan are key players at Samhain as well.

• Apple Caramel Cheesecake Bars

• Apple Crisp Blondies

• Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

• Apple Pie Cookies (Vegan)

• Autumn Spice Cake

• Baked Apple Cider Donuts

• Brown Butter Caramel Rice Krispies Treats

• Caramel Apple Golden Oreo Icebox Cake

• Chunky Apple Cake

• Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake

• Crabapple and Rosemary Tarts

• Fig, Plum and Rosemary Galette

• Halloween Bark

• Maple Pecan Praline Crepe Cake

• Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Pumpkin and Walnut Squares

• Rosemary Remembrance Cake

• Samhain Ritual Cakes

• Salted Rosemary Pecan Brittle

• Soul Cakes for Samhain

• Soul Cakes (Gather Victoria)

• Spiced Fairy Cakes

• White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
  

Beverages

Top off your meal with a warm and fuzzy beverage! Mulled ciders, cinnamon and nutmeg spices, and fall fruit flavors are all comforting drinks for Samhain.

• Apple Cider Floats

• Festive Sparkling Cider

• Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice

• Homemade Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider

• Minty Kale Limeade Mocktail

• Mulled Apple Cider

• Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

• Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate

• Refreshing Pomegranate Spritzer for Fall

• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Latte

• S’mores Latte