Becoming a Cottage Witch

I think that I was born to be a Cottage Witch, sometimes called a Kitchen Witch. I have always loved being in the kitchen. Cooking and making kitchen crafts is still one of my favorite things to do. In my opinion, it is the easiest magick to master. If you have the right tools, know the right food and herb combinations, and know a few tricks of the trade; you could be an excellent cottage witch.

A Cottage Witch is someone who does magick is done mainly in the kitchen or using foods and herbs for healing, protection, prosperity or any number of other things. They make charms, wreaths and sachets for the protection of the entire house.

Many people who do cottage witchery also are involved in other magickal paths. I, for example, am a fairly accompished kitchen witch but I am also involved in magickal rites of other types as well. I do many rituals outside of the kitchen as well as in.

There are a few tools that you will need in order to become a good Cottage Witch. You will need your traditional witchy tools, such as your wand and candles. But there are a few special things that you might want to have on hand as well.

Many people set up alters in their kitchen set up honor whatever diety they choose. If you are dedicated to a certain diety, then by all means, honor them with your alter. You might also choose a hearth and home diety such as Bridget to honor. This can be your only alter or it might a smaller version and you could have your main alter somewhere else. I personally have a small alter set up in a cabinet in my kitchen and my main alter in the spare room that I use as my magickal workshop.

You will also need a Broom. Not an a everyday, mundane sort of broom although you probably will want one of those too. You need a scared Broom for clearing the negative energy that sometimes linger from guests or that might come in with you from the outside world. You need to a special way to sweep all of the negative psychic energy out!

Get yourself a good Kettle for brewing potions and teas and other magickal workings. I have one that is specially used for magick as well as one for cooking. I don't use iron kettles in honor of the Fairy Folk, as iron is replusive to the fae. Mine is copper. But be warned. Anything brewed in a metal kettle will be more potent.

A morter and pestle are also a must for any good kitchen witch. They are used to crush herbs and spices for your teas and potions. The best ones that I have found are soapstone. They work well and are not so expensive. I have a marble one that I love but they are a good bit more expensive.

Of course you will also need a good knife or athame (spirit balde). If your's has a wooeden blade you can carve sigils or magickal symbols in the blade. Also, a good pair of scissiors is recommeneded for not only cutting, but for breaking spells. A time honored tradtions holds that if you hold an open pair of scissors behind you and drop them, any curses will be broken.

I will talk to you more about foods and herbs later, but for now these tools, and a little imagination, is all you need to get started on the road to being a Cottage Witch.