OK, not as bad as Mondays, but still. This has been a very doldrums day and an excellent opportunity to look at one of the fundamentals of kitchen witchery, and a good starting place for everything - intent.
You'll hear tons and tons about intent. The Secret, What the Bleep, every other book on reiki... they all harp on intent and its ability to change the physical in profound ways. But when it comes down to it, what are we really taking about? Are we talking about pushing the idea of what we want out into the cosmos with as much force as we can muster? Are we talking about burning as many candles as possible or a balefire to create enough smoke to carry our desires to the gods?
For me, not so much. Intent is will, and will is strong all on its own. You don't need to send it speeding into the cosmos like a sonic jet or create enough smoke to call the fire department to get it to the gods. I see intent as an ingredient, like cumin or salt. You whip up the basics (whether it's a ceremony or a casserole) and then add intent. It all falls into place after that. It's the last ingredient, the most important, and the most necessary to anything you're doing magically.
So cooking with intent - hallmark of a kitchen witch - is like cooking anything else, but with that last ingredient that (pardon the reference) turns it up a notch. (I know, I know... but it's accurate) To be fair though, it does. It takes a recipe for oatcakes and turns it into an offering for your ceremony. It takes a cake and turns it into wishes for a prosperous year on the anniversary of someone's birth. That is cooking with intent. That's kitchen witchery. But it is also knowing when and how to use it. I'll be honest - if I just want a cup of tea because I want a cup of tea, I can assure you that I'm not cooking with intent. I'm making a cup of tea. But if I'm making a pot of tea and I feel the need to make it a little special, then I'm cooking with intent. I'm pouring whatever it is that needs to be in there for me (or whomever) to drink in there with the tea. Love, harmony, insight... almost anything really.
One note though - you cannot do this against someone's will. Remember the Rede: And Harm Ye None, Do What Ye Will. If you know that the person sitting across the table from you would not appreciate you doing this, then don't. If you know it will fall on deaf ears, then don't waste your breath. (harsh, yes, but true)
So going on the premise that the person you're cooking for is receptive to your efforts, how does this work? Cooking is a combination of ingredients, time, temperature and methods. Say you're making a loaf of bread for dinner for a friend who's having a rough time. As you're pounding the dough, pound in things like compassion, love, clarity, kindness. As it rises see those attributes rising with it. As it bakes, see those attributes sprouting and warming inside the loaf. As you serve it, see your friend consuming those attributes (you'll eat them too, so win-win here) and see them taking root in him/her for a greater good.
Kitchen magic is immediate - you pour in your intent while you cook and then you consume it right away (without burning your mouth) and take into yourself all that you've imbued the food with. Is it any surprise that wise women of the villages were always cooking? Always had something on the fire? Someone would come by and need something, and she'd be ready for them. (and please, don't think that men can't do this too. go for it guys!)
But the important thing to do is to focus your intent. Stirring always does it for me - it's a little trance, that fluid repetitive motion that allows me to relax and focus my intentions for the dish. Likewise, for the meal - because if you're going to imbue a whole meal, make sure you're not overloading anyone. Like any good feast, keep it balanced.
There is a lot in our lives that can affect intent. Sleep, stress, worry... all of this will weaken your focus and allow your intent to be scattered. Not what you're going for. I bring this up today because my focus is incredibly lacking today - if I needed to do any working, it would take some serious focus on my part. But recognizing that is a good thing too... today might just be a down day. Being a kitchen witch doesn't mean that you're on every day, all day, 365, 24/7.... It means being there when you need to be there, and being able to say "not today" when you're not. So, on the days that I'm lacking focus I do one simple thing - I pour a request for focus into whatever I'm drinking. Nothing solid, just liquid, but I pour it in when I'm filling my glass and mostly with water. I'll also pull out a little lemon and have some warm lemon water. That does wonders for my energy levels.
So, in closing, remember your intent when you're cooking for a specific purpose: make it clear, make it balanced, and make sure that the person eating what you're making knows this is happening.
Blessings!
