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Useful Tips
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Tips for
a More Magical Kitchen
Adapted from Witch in the Kitchen, by Cait Johnson Used with permission
(Inner Traditions, 2001).
When many of us barely have three minutes to nuke a frozen burrito, the
thought of taking time to make your kitchen a more special, magical,
even sacred place may seem pretty daunting, but these simple tips will
inspire and enliven you.
Claim your role as a Kitchen Priestess, making nourishing magic that
will feed you and your family--body, mind, and spirit. The antidote to
cultural depression and disconnection can all start in the kitchen! Food
for thought, right here:
1. Connect with the seasons. Our disconnected culture may have lost
touch with the world of nature outside our kitchen walls and windows,
but we honor what is happening seasonally by bringing in a perfect bare
branch to grace the countertop, or thinking Spring by forcing a
flowering twig to bloom, or hanging a crystal point where its
icicle-like shape will catch and reflect the light.
2. Organize to meet your real needs. Take some time to think about what
you need, enjoy, and want in your kitchen and then make it happen. For
example, if you’re a tea-drinker like me, you may want to keep mugs,
teabags, and honey in one cabinet rather than in three different places,
so all you have to do is open one door. And let your kitchen reflect
your passions and beliefs by displaying artwork, quotes, or objects that
are meaningful to you.
3. Be willing to be wacky. Play and spontaneity are deeply nourishing,
but many of us don’t even consider having real FUN in the
kitchen--instead, we feel drudgery descend like a thick fog the minute
we set foot in it! Liven things up by allowing yourself a little
creative freedom: why not paint a magenta sun on your backsplash, or
hang a rubber whale from the overhead light, or sew yards of fringe and
rick-rack on an apron and wear it with pride, if you want to?
4. Make a Kitchen Altar. Many cultures throughout the world have small
holy shrines in their homes. When we bring our own personal sense of the
sacred into our kitchens, we connect with our deepest selves, and
recover some of the ancient sense that cooking was once revered as a
deeply important and magical act. You might want to include a photo or
statue that is meaningful to you, as well as a small candle or tea
light,
perhaps fresh flowers, incense--anything that pleases you and honors
your sense of the sacred.
5. Claim your Power Place. You deserve a comfortable spot in which to
sit and muse about hunger and nourishment (translation: read cookbooks,
think about what’s in the fridge and how that can be translated into
dinner.) Consider installing a poufy armchair in your kitchen, so you
can bask in comfort. If there isn’t enough room, then even a plush
cushion on the floor, if it’s yours and yours alone, can help you claim
your power as Priestess of the Kitchen.
6. Clean Green. We need to feel more rooted, safe, and connected in the
kitchen, but toxic chemicals make our bodies feel unhappy and ill,
discouraging us from connecting at all. You could also try singing while
you clean, or cleaning barefoot! Add a strong herbal tea to your
cleaning water, for sweet scent and nice vibes.
7. Celebrate. Even more fun than a potluck is a Community Cook: invite
your closest friends, uncork the wine or grape juice, and chop, dice,
stir, and laugh together in your green, sacred, magical kitchen. The
sweet memories will make you smile for years to come.
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