Modern Tools for Ancient Arts

The Automatic Drip Coffee Maker

The coffee maker not only saves time, but brews flawless infusions, decoctions, and washes. Here are a few tips for using it in magickal efforts:

Do not use the same coffee maker to brew both ingestible teas and poisonous liquids. If you plan to use the device for brewing washes that list ingredients unsuitable for human consumption, obtain one solely for that purpose.
Between magickal brewings, clean the pot and filter cup with hot soapy water and bleach.
When brewing decoctions, place the root or bark in a coffee filter, then close the filter securely by tying it with a string or a rubber band. After the brew cycle, place the pouch in the brew pot and leave it on the warming plate for approximately thirty minutes.

The Blender

The following are a few tips for using the blender as a magickal tool:

When working with dry ingredients, only add two to three tablespoons at a time. This keeps the appliance motor from overheating.
Always clean the blender between magickal mixings. Pour in a tablespoon of running alcohol and a cup of water, then let the blender run for a few seconds. Empty the cup and wipe it dry with a paper towel or cloth. Cleaning this way removes any herbal oils or extracts, herbal odors, or plant vibrations. It is a good way to keep the leftover energies of one mixture from combining with the next.
When powdering gums suchs as dragon's blood and gum arabic, add a few drops of rubbing alcohol before you turn the machine on. This keeps the powder from gumming up around the blades. Don't worry about the alcohol. It evaporates and leaves no vibrational energies to inferfere with your magickal intent.
As the blender grinds and powders, focus on the swirling mixture and concentrate on your intent.

Using the blender as a magickal tool can open doors to a whole new realm of enchantment. Incense-making is just one idea. Use it for making magickal powders, sachets, potpourris, and anything else that strikes your fancy. Its possibilities are as limitless as your imagination.

Slow Cookers and Electric Potpourri Pots

Making your own oils in the slow cooker is easier than you might imagine. Use one part of herbal mixture to one part of vegetable oil, and stir well. Check the oil every six to eight hours for scent. If the fragrance isn't strong enough, strain the oil and add another helping of herbs. Repeat the process until the oil is to your liking. (A twelve-hour cooking period usually produces an excellent product.) Let cool, strain, bottle, and label.

Because the process takes several hours, you might want to add a chant of intent to charge your oil while it is heating. For example, a chant for a personal love oil might go something like:

"Oil of love, enchanted be.
Bring a perfect love to me."

The chant doesn't have to be long or involved to work well. For maximum effectiveness, chant when adding the mixture to the pot and again every time you stir or add new herbs.

Try these tips when making magickal oils:

Consecrate your slow cooker or potpourri pot as a magickal tool and use it only for magickal purposes.
Use the lowest setting available on your appliance. This keeps the herbs from scorching.
Use a light, unscented vegetable or fruit oil instead of a glycerin-based product. I like grapeseed oil or jojoba oil for making oils of quantity. They don't turn rancid like some of the heavier vegetable oils. For oils that you intend to use quickly, regular cooking oil is fine.
When working with fresh herbs, bruise them first to release their oils. The easiest way to bruise herbs is to place them in a plastic bag and pound them a few times with the side of your palm. Then empty the contents into the pot.
Keep the lid on the pot except when you're checking for aroma. Wipe the moisture from the inside of the lid before you put it back on the pot.

SOURCE: Everday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living by Dorothy Morrison