Magical Self Care

Okay, let's switch gears. First I want to say: take it easy on yourself. We're dealing with a lot of stuff right now. If you're like me, there are going to be days when you just can't. See that picture on the right? It was all I could bring myself to do on Sunday. 

Magical self care is just like any other self care, except it's inspired by magical and witchy rituals and ingredients. (Like cat familiars, ha!) Herbs, for example, are a big deal in hedge witchcraft and green witchcraft.

I find that anything scented with lavender or rose calms me right down, whether it's bath salts, tea, or hand lotion. This photo shows my favorite hand cream, from a local shop called Lather & Salt (temporarily closed but doing phone orders). This is "body buttercream" and that's exactly what it feels like—cupcake frosting without the stickiness. And OMG the smell! It's like a fairy garden in a jar. I rub it into my hands at night, and between the scent and the massage, I'm out like a light.

This doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive. Most drugstores and natural foods stores have a selection of lavender lotion and bath products—just be sure to look for naturally scented stuff so it won't be too perfumy. You can also find inexpensive, all natural lotions and creams on Etsy. And they're all so pretty! Look for shops with plenty of happy customers (positive ratings). I have bought from Bear's Beauty, and they are highly rated. 

The witchiest self-care thing I've done recently is create an altar, or what some witches call a craft table. Though I started up witch research for work reasons—I intend to write a series with witches—I quickly discovered there are many other benefits. Modern witchcraft is a very empowering, positive practice of self discovery. Much of it is nature and earth focused, and it speaks to me on a foundational level. 

At the time I started my research, we had this coffee table, inherited from the original owners of our house, that my husband had moved to the bedroom because we had no place else for it. I got after him to finally just take it to Goodwill, but then I started ... collecting things on it. 

Because I identify with green and hedge witchcraft, I dragged in a lot of elemental things—stones and tree cones (earth), feathers (air), shells and driftwood (water), and candles (fire). I also included gifts my daughter has given me over the years, which brings love and human connection into the equation. I have little sculptures of animals that I consider to be spiritual guides. I even have a "wand" of birch wood that I found on our property! An altar can include literally anything that speaks to you, and it can be on any surface in your house. And you don't have to actually use it to practice witchcraft or to do anything except sit and stare at it during times you need soothing and grounding. My husband has even meditated in front of it!

Like a lot of other people right now, I find baking to be a grounding activity, and it's especially appealing at this time of year. (Pumpkin-spice everything!) My latest experiment was these All Hallows Cakes, from a recipe in the fall 2020 issue of Enchanted Living magazine. This issue's focus was natural magic, and I think it's my favorite yet. I almost didn't make them because they called for a couple of ingredients I didn't have and one I don't really like. But then I said to heck with it and substituted homegrown apple for crabapple and store-bought pecans for the hazelnuts. (Those dried currants and raisins I just left out altogether, because No.) I cut back the sugar to make them more scone-like, and despite the fact I made a mistake and didn't put in enough butter, they were delicious! Oh so hygge and harvesty. 

I love to experiment with different spices and other ingredients in my baking. Occasionally my results don't live up to expectations, but usually we get a delicious surprise! Most herbs and spices have some type of health benefit as well as witchy connections, and that can be fun to investigate and use as a focus. I love putting lavender (calming, purifying) in cakes and scones, and recently made shortbread cookies with rosemary (memory, love).