Clean Eating for the
Magical Practitioner
Tess Whitehurst
So many of us love working magic with plant ingredients that are as fresh and unprocessed as possible: grated ginger root, a clove of garlic, an acorn, a single red rose. And if they’re locally grown or gathered, or we grew them ourselves, even better! Why? Because we know that nature is the source of our power, and that these pristine botanicals will not fail to enhance our magic with their potent energy and living presence.
But as every wise practitioner knows, magic does not begin and end with our spells and rituals. Rather, all of life is magical, and there is not a single second or activity that cannot be enhanced by a magical mindset. When you really think about it, could there possibly be a more magical activity than eating? As we know from the Charge of the Goddess, all acts of pleasure are rituals of the Goddess. And when we eat, not only are we engaging all our senses in a most pleasurable way, but we are also nourishing our bodies with precious fuel for life. We are partaking of the very earth herself, and our bodies are going about the very intricate and miraculous business of assimilating the earth’s bounty in order to sustain our very selves: our skin, muscles, brain tissue, and bones.
On an energetic level, consuming living plants grown in the very body of Gaia is a way of receiving vibrational earth and plant wisdom straight from the planet and plants themselves.
On an energetic level, consuming living plants grown in the very body of Gaia is a way of receiving vibrational earth and plant wisdom straight from the planet and plants themselves. Like homeopathy, it’s a way of bringing the healing vibration within us, and letting it permeate and transform our personal energy field from the inside out.
For example, imagine you’re meditating outside on a beautiful day and then you mindfully eat a sweet, locally gathered apple or some strawberries from your garden. Notice how nourished you feel on every level. Now imagine that instead of the apple or strawberries, you eat a bag of cheese puffs or a hot dog. Notice the vast energetic difference: there’s a closing down rather than an opening as your formerly highly vibrating body and energy field struggle to assimilate this stagnant and chemical-laden material.
Clean Eating: What It Is
While the term clean eating has been a buzzword for some time, there are a lot of differing definitions of the practice. For me and many others, clean eating simply means eating whole, plant-based foods and nothing else: whole fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.
The benefits of eating this way are enormous. In addition to the considerable magical and energetic benefits just discussed, a whole plant food diet is an excellent way to open up your third eye and maximize your sensitivity to the energetic realm. On the physical level, clean eating supports a healthy body weight, radiant skin, vibrant energy, a clear mind, bright eyes, excellent digestion, and a consistently good night’s sleep. It’s also one of the very best ways to protect against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other debilitating illnesses.
On the macrocosmic level, no eating strategy supports our beloved planet more than plant-based, clean eating. Animal agriculture is by far one of the biggest threats to our water supply, which I’m sure you’re aware is no small concern at this stage in the planet’s history. And every time food is processed, packaged, or transported, it contributes to our planet’s ecological decline. This means that the more natural, local, plant-based, and organic we eat, the better it is for Mother Earth, whom we as Witches adore and from whom we draw our power.
Then there is the level of your pocketbook. Clean eating employs such simple, single-ingredient foods—such as oats, brown rice, grapes, spinach, and olive oil—that you can literally find yourself saving hundreds of dollars in groceries per week. (Personally, my weekly grocery bill went down at least a hundred dollars when I made the switch, and I am only shopping for two!) And imagine all the medical bills you will avoid over the long haul by treating your body to such impeccable nutrition.
While at first eating only whole, plant-based foods might seem boring or bland, it doesn’t have to mean eating nothing but celery and rice cakes. In fact, many delicious ingredients and condiments already fall under the clean-eating umbrella. For example, clean eating includes all of the following:
• Peanut butter and other nut butters
• Whole grain bread with olive oil
• Hummus with whole grain tortillas and lettuce
• Avocados (on anything)
• Popcorn with olive oil and salt
• Fresh fruit salad
• Unsweetened, whole grain cereal with almond milk, raisins, and cinnamon
• Fresh salad with oil, vinegar, and nuts
• Vegetable stir fry with rice and seasonings
• Grilled, baked, or scrambled tofu
• Whole grain pasta with tomato sauce
• Whole bean burritos with salsa and sautéed mushrooms
• Strawberries and unsweetened almond milk yogurt
• Fresh fruit smoothies with almond milk
• Unsweetened coffee or tea
Even if this sampling does initially strike you as bland, I have found that after a month or so of eating this way, your taste buds change. For example, a sugary treat is suddenly way too sugary, and you’d much prefer a bowl of fresh fruit salad anyway.
Making the Switch
Of course, if you’re in the habit of eating meat, dairy, eggs, sugar, and/or processed foods, switching to clean eating will present some challenges. But once you make the switch, you will be so glad you did! Instead of craving sweetness and general satisfaction in life from your food, you’ll begin to experience sweetness and a deep level of satisfaction from life itself. You’ll feel alive and at home in your body, and people will begin to remark on your radiance. And you’ll have plenty of energy for all the exciting and magical things you want to do! Plus, once you get over the initial cravings and withdrawals, it will feel easy and natural to continue with your positive new habit. (I promise!)
If you’re already vegetarian or vegan, you can skip straight to full-fledged clean eating. But if you’re eating meat, dairy, and/or eggs, you might want to begin with a meal plan that contains these things in smaller amounts. For a very reasonable price, you can purchase high-quality clean-eating meal plans of all three varieties (light meat with light dairy and eggs, vegetarian with light dairy and eggs, and full vegan) at www.fitnessblender.com. You might start with the meat-eating plan for a month and then move on to the vegetarian and follow up with the vegan. Alternatively, an excellent (and also reasonably priced) four-week plan for transitioning to a whole, plant-based diet can be found at forksoverknives.com.
To make the transition more fun, make a point of learning about the magical properties of the foods you’re eating. Because when you eat clean, pretty much everything you eat is a magical ingredient that you’re putting into the sacred medicine pouch that is your body. Luckily, there are a lot of great books on the subject, such as Supermarket Magic by Michael Furie, The Supermarket Sorceress by Lexa Roséan, and Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham.
And, of course, let’s not forget that you’re magical, so you don’t have to rely on willpower alone. Case in point: the following kitchen witchery spells.
I Am Nourished and Life Is Sweet:
A Spell for a Successful and Smooth
Transition to a Clean-Eating Diet
Ingredients
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1⁄3 cup raisins
• Cinnamon
On the first morning of your switch to a clean diet, assemble all the ingredients in one area on the kitchen counter. Ground and center yourself by taking three deep breaths and consciously connecting your energy with the core of the earth and the vast expanse of the cosmos. Hold your palms above the ingredients, and direct bright, golden white light and positive energy into them. Say:
By the powers of air and water, fire and earth,
I bless these foods, I praise their worth.
By the power of spirit and three times three,
Awaken their magic, so mote it be.
Heat the almond milk in a small pot until almost boiling, then add the oats and reduce the heat to a simmer. While occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon in a clockwise direction, chant or think, I am nourished, I am nourished, I am nourished. Continue until the oatmeal reaches the desired consistency. Transfer to a cereal bowl and add the raisins and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. Stir in a clockwise direction with a cereal spoon while chanting or thinking, Life is sweet, life is sweet, life is sweet.
Before eating, hold the bowl in both hands and say:
I now commit to this transition to a clean-eating diet.
I dedicate my effort to Mother Earth.
May she support me in this effort and may we both be nourished, balanced, and healthy,
Now and always.
Then, mindfully, eat.
Kitchen Blessing to Support Clean Eating
Once you begin your clean-eating adventure, your kitchen will become an alchemical laboratory of health, energy, well-being, and any other magical intention you want to work into your meals. But first, bless it as such.
Ingredients
• Natural cleaning supplies
• Geranium essential oil and an oil burner
• A chime or bell
Begin by pulling everything out of the freezer. Give it a good wipe, then put each item back in only if it’s something that fits with your new eating style (or that your family will eat). Otherwise, compost, recycle, and/or give away the items as appropriate. Repeat with each shelf and drawer in the fridge and then with each cupboard. Follow up by cleaning the rest of the kitchen thoroughly.
When the kitchen is very clean, diffuse the geranium essential oil. Say:
Kitchen be magical, kitchen be blessed,
As I now prepare only Mother Earth’s best.
Nourished and healthy, vibrant and strong,
May living foods nourish me (or us) all the year long.
Ring the bell or chime three times.
Sugar Withdrawal/Sugar Craving Combat Spell
The unfortunate truth is that if we’re not eating clean, we’re probably addicted to sugar, even if it’s in the form of something as seemingly innocuous as agave nectar, honey, or fruit juice. (While clean eating does allow for whole fruit, which acts as a cleansing tonic for your digestive system, fruit juice behaves like a sugar in your body and is not recommended.) As such, when you switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet, you may encounter a serious sugar withdrawal.
And make no mistake: sugar withdrawals are serious. This is something I learned the hard way. Even though I thought my diet was relatively healthy, I experienced cravings, headaches, extremely low energy, and even nausea about a week or two into my clean-eating switch.
But like all withdrawals, they eventually pass when our bodies balance out. Until then, this spell will help.
Ingredient
• Your favorite fruit (or the fruit that sounds best to you right now)
Wash and prepare a bowl of your choice of fruit. Hold the bowl in both hands and say:
Mother Earth, I call on you.
Sweeten this moment, help me get through.
Balance my body, strengthen my soul,
With the magical sweetness contained in this bowl.
Envision golden white light entering and surrounding the fruit. Then, mindfully, eat.
Your Healthiest, Happiest Year Yet
You don’t have to just wish for a healthy, happy year; you can make the switch to clean eating and proactively make it come true. Yes, it might take a little while to get out of the old habits and into the new ones, but it’s so, so worth it. You’ll say goodbye to cravings, food addiction, and sugar highs and lows while beginning to love the way your body looks and feels more than ever before … all while getting more in tune with Mother Earth and all of the power and magic she has to offer!
Tess Whitehurst is the author of The Magic of Flowers Oracle and a number of books about magical living, including Magical Housekeeping and Holistic Energy Magic. She’s also the founder and facilitator of the Good Vibe Tribe, an online magical community and learning hub. Visit her at www.tesswhitehurst.com.
Illustrator: Jennifer Hewitson