Cottage Witchery (22 page)

[contents]

Oh, the fun of arriving at a house
and feeling the spark that tells you

that you are going to have a good time.

Mark Hampton

9

HAPPINESS AND HARMONY
IN tHE HOME

Creating a sense of happiness and harmony in the magickal home has a lot to do with how well you can combine several other magickal aspects in your home. These aspects include a sense of welcome, the overall atmosphere or ambiance of the home, the health and prosperity of the people who live there, and the measure of safety and security that you feel once you are inside.

Wow, that's quite a tall order, isn't it? Well, there is a reason I placed this chapter last, you know. At this point in the game, I wanted you to be able to keep building on all of the information that I have presented so far. Think of all the new ideas you have come up with and the fresh perspectives you've gained on your magickal home. By now you've probably blessed and consecrated the heart of your home and done a little warding work for your thresholds. Did you check out your spice rack to see what you have available for kitchen cupboard conjuring? How did your altar and hearthstone setup turn out? I bet that your outdoor rooms and house plants are happily perking right along. We have covered a lot of magickal topics and taken a look at just about every aspect of natural, hearth, and home magick that I could think of.

So what do we do next? We take all of this magickal information and move it another step further: let's tackle the enchanting topic of creating happiness and harmony within your home.

Learn the craft of knowing how to open your heart and to turn on your creativity.
There's a light inside of you.

Judith Jamison

Happiness and Harmony Spells
with Personality

The following elemental magick was crafted with you in mind. The supplies are basic, inexpensive, and easy to obtain. As before, check out an arts and crafts store for some of the supplies and try and gather the rest from nature. Take only the smallest amount of natural materials that you'll need. Be a courteous gatherer. Check your own backyard first and see what sort of magickal accessories are available to you. If you are gathering natural materials from someone else's property, always get permission first.

Once again, I encourage you to be creative with the information that is presented in this chapter. A Witch that is generous, practical, and creative makes for one hell of a powerful magickal combination. With this topic, more than ever, it is so important to follow your heart. Go where yours leads you and see what wonders you can achieve as you craft a harmonious and happy home.

Air Magick

Do you feel the need to clear the air? Everybody has squabbles and petty arguments occasionally. My husband and I have been married for over twenty years and we manage to get into tiffs from time to time. Today being no exception. Over what, you are wondering? Car repair, again. I am a “call the mechanic right now” kind of gal. He, on the other hand, likes to putter around and see if he can fix it himself. If not, he takes his time, the mechanic is a friend, and eventually the car gets taken down to the service station.

We bickered and argued over the car until we both realized just how dumb the argument was in the first place. I sat on the living room couch laughing at the irony of writing a chapter on harmony in the home while in the midst of a really stupid argument. Which got me to thinking . . . so I whipped out a notebook and wrote the following spell. This spell is for restoring communication and for clearing the air. I wrote the charm out, sprinkled some lavender inside of the paper, and then folded it up and sealed the note with red sealing wax. I then nonchalantly handed the folded note to my husband and asked him if he thought this spell would work.

He opened it up, trying to dodge the lavender that dumped in his lap, and chuckled at one of my more creative ways of saying “I'm sorry.” Here is the charm I wrote that works on restoring communication and harmony in the home (and yes indeed, it worked out just fine).

clearing the air spell
for restoring communication

For this spell you will need:

* A piece of paper and a pen (communication symbols)

* A pinch of dried or fresh lavender (lavender is used to de-stress situations, is a cleansing herb, and it is aligned with the element of air)

* Sealing wax and an embosser (optional: you could seal the note with tape)

Write out the charm in your own handwriting. The fold it into thirds. Open the paper back up and sprinkle in a bit of lavender. Next fold the sides up so the lavender stays contained. Then seal the note with sealing wax or a piece of tape. Now give the note to the other person, with an apology. Here is the charm:

Lavender aligns with the element of air,

Restore communication, peace, and love so fair.

Let's clear the air and start this day over brand-new,

Between the two of us, there's nothing we can't do.

Fire Magick

For this fire spell you get to break out several red candles. This spell is designed to bring a little warmth and affection back to a relationship and can be worked on any day. This is for those times when you both seem so caught up in the day-to-day demands that intimacy seems like a far-off dream. Many of us tend to overlook those simple things and sweet, romantic gestures that mean so much. This spell you cast on yourself, to help encourage your own sense of romance, sensuality, and generosity.

flames of love spell

To work this spell, you'll need four red candles and coordinating candleholders. Add a dash of cinnamon to each of the unlit candles, to stir up some more fire energy and to add some more passion. Arrange the work area however you'd like. What natural items do you imagine would add a little spice to this spell and would work best for you? You could try rose petals, or even cinnamon sticks. How about tumbled stones that are associated with the element of fire? Choose from red jasper, garnet, red agate, carnelian, and low-grade rubies. (I found a tumbled ruby for a couple of dollars.)

You could even use red heart-shaped confetti sprinkled around the candles, or scatter a few red glass marbles around the candles to decorate your work area. It's important to get creative and add a little personal flair to this enchantment. If your idea of flair includes special lingerie (I suggest red), then go for it! Once you're all set up, light the candles and repeat the following charm:

See the candle flames flicker and dance so high,

Bring affection softly, like a lover's sigh.

Cherish the qualities that brought us together,

Our love holds true, in both calm and stormy weather.

I now create passion, love, and harmony,

By all the loving power of three times three.

Take a few of the components from the spell, like the crystals or flower petals, and tuck them underneath the mattress of your bed. Allow the candles to burn until they are consumed. I imagine you can figure out what to do next.

Water Magick

These next two watery spells coordinate together. You can either work them separately or simultaneously to help ease tensions and to promote harmony in the home. Try working this spell on a Friday, a Venus day, for extra loving vibrations.

fire on the water spell

For the first part of the spell, you will need the following:

* A clear glass bowl

* Water to fill the bowl

* A red floating candle (heart shaped or flower shaped, if possible)

* Essential rose oil (a drop or two)—if that is unavailable, try a drop of vanilla extract (no kidding, it also promotes love)

* A lighter or matches

* A safe, flat surface to set up on

Fill the bowl with water about an inch from the top. Add a drop or two of essential rose oil or the vanilla extract to the water and stir it up in a clockwise motion. Next, send the candle floating across the scented water. Take a moment and visualize peace, loving feelings, and harmony returning to your home. Now light the floating candle and repeat this little charm three times:

As the candle floats on the water so clear,

Release all anger and send harmony near.

Allow the floating candle to burn until it goes out on its own. Then take the scented water and sprinkle just a bit of it around the house to reenforce those harmonious
vibrations.

The second part of this spell has a rosy magickal project for you. The rose actually corresponds with the element of water, so it's ideal for creating and then enchanting a harmony charm or talisman. Once it's finished, you can hang this talisman up in whatever room you wish—the kitchen, living room, or on your bedroom door.

hearts and roses harmony charm

For this project you will need:

* A dozen silk or dried red rosebuds

* A hot glue gun and glue sticks

* One yard of red or pink quarter-inch-wide satin ribbon

* Essential rose oil and a dropper

Hot glue the rosebuds together into the shape of a heart. Loop twelve inches of the ribbon around the top of the heart to make a hanger. Once the glue sets, take the dropper and drop three drops of rose oil onto the arrangement of flowers. (Don't go overboard with the oil; if you do, the scent will be too strong.) Allow the oil to seep into the flowers. Carefully lift up the arrangement and charge it full of your intentions for creating harmony and peace in your home. Then enchant the heart-shaped talisman with this verse:

Harmony does come from roses shaped like a heart,

Bound up with ribbons and sealed with a Witch's art.

Banish all bad vibes, restore our tranquility,

By all the powers of earth, wind, fire, and sea.

Take the remaining ribbon and fashion a bow; add it to the hanger. As you tie the bow, announce that “the spell is sealed.” Hang up the talisman in your chosen spot.

Earth Magick

The graceful, blooming magnolia corresponds to the element of earth. According to flower folklore, planting a magnolia close to your bedroom window ensures a faithful partner. In the language of flowers the magnolia symbolizes a love of nature and encourages determination. The magnolia assures us that better days are just around the corner. This is just the ticket for an earthy spell to increase positive and harmonious vibrations in the home.

For this spell you can either plant the tree on your property or work with the foliage or blossom in your magick. If you want to plant the tree, then head to the nearest garden center or nursery and pick out a young, healthy magnolia to plant into your yard.

If this isn't possible for you, then go on a hunt and see if you have magnolia trees growing locally in the neighborhood. Gather a leaf or two. If you are working the spell in the springtime, then pluck a single blossom from the tree. No luck? Check with a florist for fresh magnolia leaves or try the dried flower section in the arts and crafts store. There are also magnolia-scented candles available.

a tree blessing charm for happy homes

This charm will work for any tree that you plant on your property; just adjust the opening line accordingly. The best time to plant a tree is in the waning moon phase. Once the tree is planted, enchant the tree for healthy growth and to encourage it to add its magick to your home—and don't forget to keep watering it!

The magnolia brings fortitude and fidelity,

Little tree, send happiness and harmony to me.

Grow strong, straight, and true where you now stand,

Your magick spreads out across my land.

magnolia and rose quartz spell
for health and happiness

Now, for those of you who are unable to plant a magnolia tree, here is an earthy healing spell using a couple of rose quartz tumbled stones and the foliage or blossom of a magnolia tree. If you would like to work a little aromatherapy with this spell, find a few magnolia-scented candles. Typically these are white- to cream-colored, so they can be considered all-purpose.

The scent of magnolia encourages healing, which can come in pretty handy since it's sort of hard to be happy when you're miserable with a cold. This spell is a good one to clear away the blahs and to help you regain your energy when you have a cold or the flu. The best days of the week to work this spell would be a Sunday for sunshiny energy and fitness or a Thursday to tap into Jupiter's energies of healing.