Chapter One CREATING A SACRED SPACE Directing positive, calming energy into food preparation begins with the creation of a sacred space. You can choose to make up your own meditation or try this centering ceremony: Stand or sit still. Clear your mind of all thoughts. Envision a silver cord beginning from the center of your solar plexus/stomach and going down through you into Mother Earth. See the cord extend to Her depths. Feel Her strength empower you. Feel the warmth and love surge up that silver cord and reach to every outstretched finger, tingle the top of your head, and travel down to your toes. When you feel centered, begin cooking. As you mix the ingredients, you add a part of yourself with your thoughts and prayers. Take the time to make your kitchen a loving, welcoming space. If you direct warm and caring energy into your kitchen, others will feel comfortable, and you will feel energized. It is here where you can create magic. Even without a formal ritual, you are still creating positive energy and divination each time you cook with love in your heart. The most important ingredient you can add to any dish is your intent. All of these recipes can and most likely will be altered to match your personal palate as well as those of your family and friends. The combination of food and spices won't work the magic that your pure intent will. Centering yourself and making the connection with the Goddess often begins the process of setting up a circle. A circle is usually cast outdoors and provides a place of safety and protection for its participants. We offer the following example of creating a circle, although as you progress along your unique Wiccan path you will come across many variations. The important thing is to keep an open mind and incorporate your style and set of beliefs. To cast a circle, you must first ground yourself. Begin by closing your eyes and visualize energy from the Mother rising from the earth, coursing as white light through your entire being. Take three deep breaths. Light dried sage leaves (typically contained in an abalone shell). Direct the smoke all around you, paying close attention to those areas in your aura that feel particularly vulnerable. Pass the sage clockwise around the circle so that your guests can ground themselves with the cleansing herb. To garner protection and guidance from the four directions, hold the sage up to the eastern sky and say Hail all ye Guardians, Guides and Spirits of the East! We do summon, invoke, and call you forth That you may bear witness to this ceremony, Granting your protection and guidance. Move to the south and repeat the chant substituting the proper direction. Repeat this rite for the western and northern quadrants. Then walk clockwise around the circle and sprinkle grain as an offering for the God and pour wine or fruit juice on the earth for the Goddess. Say By these offerings to the God and Goddess, We ask for the inspiration and direction from Both the feminine and masculine aspects of Deity. We declare this circle has been cast. Between all worlds we stand, To create magic with intent good and pure. By our will so mote it be! When you cast a circle, you create a space that exists between worlds, such as the physical and spiritual or human and faery. Once you have called in the spirits and guardians of the four directions and elements and made offerings to Goddess and God, you have created a clearing where powers cross and meet and linear time no longer exists. Just like Christians go to a church and Jews go to a temple, Wiccans turn to Mother Earth, and it is upon her life-giving soil that they worship, pray, and perform rituals. Before you walk away from any ritual in which you have cast a circle, you must close that circle. When you draw a circle and perform magic in its boundaries, you are creating a vortex, or opening, for the spirit world. This is a sacred space that needs to be protected and honored so that the intentions you put forth in that arena will stay intact and pure. Therefore, it is imperative that the circle be closed. Begin by thanking all of the deities, guardians, and angels for coming and lending their support and guidance. Walk three times counterclockwise around your circle to neutralize the energy you raised. Say By my will I erase thee, O circle of power. Return to Mother Earth Once more to the ground. By My Will so Mote it Be! Then brush away the threshold at the eastern door. From the outside, brush away the image of the circle. As we work to achieve and maintain a spiritual connection that is in harmony with nature and the Goddess, we first use different props, which provide the medium through which we tap into the available energy. Some readers have become so proficient in connecting with Spirit that they do not need this ritualistic form of setting a circle. On their spiritual quest and way to enlightenment, some Wiccans have become more aware and present and live in the now moment. Spell casting has developed into a natural appendage of their Wiccan path. Like actors rehearsing for a Broadway show--where markings are set for positions and cues are given--after enough practice, their spiritual course and alignment with Spirit becomes uncontrived and flows with an easy rythym. We applaud these solitary Wiccans. We remind you to spiral down to the physical level after working with Spirit. When channeling and meditating with the Goddess, some will feel cold or warm but definitely otherworldly in that quiet, sacred space between the two worlds. Like the discomfort of being jolted awake from a lovely dream, a quick return to the earthly plane can be painful and sometimes frightening. It is a sudden disconnection from the Mother that causes this lost, empty feeling. We implore that after you work with the Goddess, you gently return yourself to the mundane level either by meditation, movement, or water. Water is fluid like the Goddess and can remind you of the connection you felt. It will ease you back to the denser experience of the physical world. CANDLEMAS WALNUT-ONION BREAD The walnuts in this bread are a consecrated presence within the Candlemas celebration because they represent all that is yet to manifest. A spell is the seed of the future manifestation, just like the walnut is the seed of the future tree. Magic is affected by sources outside of ourselves at moments. Spell casting can be so exciting, and yet frustrating, because the result can be altered based on our individuality, the arrangement of the cosmos, and the highest need of all humankind at that particular moment in time. We can achieve our desired conclusion in our incantations, albeit not always in a form we recognize. The movement of one planet in particular can essentially reverse the effect of a spell. Spell casting is an oral communication spoken aloud to the Universe. Mercury rules communication. About four times a year, Mercury appears to be moving backward, which is known as a Mercury retrograde. Each retrograde lasts three to four weeks. When we experience a Mercury retrograde, all forms of communication are altered, such as mail service, telephones, relationships, computers, electronics, and of course, spell casting. During this interlude, our systems are scattered, and chaos seems to be at its peak. But in this confusion, a great lesson is offered. When everything has been rearranged, a fresh way of looking at a problem presents itself, a trait we did not know we possessed comes to light, and we rise to the occasion. We must let go of all expectations and be prepared to laugh at the unpredictability of a Mercury retrograde---or find ourselves quite frustrated. We can experience success as long as we are willing to accept the lessons and laugh, laugh, laugh. (Jennifer DeVeoux, who firmly believes in food's innate healing powers--especially when energetically charged with positive intent--gives this recipe to us.) 2 loaves, serving 8 1 (1/4-OUNCE [7 GRAM]) PACKAGE ACTIVE DRY YEAST 1 CUP (240 MILLILITERS) WARM MILK 4 TABLESPOONS (1/2 STICK/55 GRAMS) BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE 2/3 CUP (90 GRAMS) BREAD FLOUR 1 1/2 TEASPOONS SUGAR 1 1/2 TEASPOONS SALT 3/4 CUP (112 GRAMS) FINELY DICED RED OR PURPLE ONION 3/4 CUP (170 GRAMS) CHOPPED WALNUTS Blend the yeast and 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of the warm milk. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foaming (see note). Add the butter to the remaining 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) of milk; let the butter melt. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour, and pour in the milk and butter mixture. Mix until well blended. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the yeast mixture and mix again until well blended. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Knead until elastic and soft, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for 2 hours in a warm, draft-free place, or until doubled. Punch down the dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Knead in the onion and walnuts until evenly distributed. Cut into two pieces and shape into long, thin loaves, about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 centimeters) thick. Let stand for 45 minutes, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Transfer the loaves to a parchment paper- or waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it. This bread well accompanies most soft cheeses, such as goat, Brie, or even cream cheese. Note: Whenever you combine yeast with a liquid, be it milk or water, make sure that the liquid is warm. Either measure the temperature with a thermometer (between 105ºF [41ºC] and 125ºF [52ºC]) or go by touch (the water should be warm to the touch, but not hot; the temperature of a warm bath is perfect). With all yeast breads, you must first test the yeast. To test, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of warm water or milk with a pinch of sugar. The liquid should bubble, proving the yeast is active. Then follow the instructions. Excerpted from THE WICCA COOKBOOK by Jamie Wood and Tara Seefeldt. Copyright © 2000 by Jamie Wood and Tara Seefeldt. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
