Around the House

As you can see, the trend in this book is to appreciate the magic in everything, including all the corners of your living space. If you never thought of the bathroom as magical, for example, just turn the lock and sit down with a good book—this is a perfect “spell” for privacy!

For magic in any part of the house, call on Kikimora, the Slavonic domestic goddess. She is an especially good choice for those of us who feel domestically challenged. As an offering to grab her attention, wash a pot or pan in fern tea before beginning your magic. Or, more simply, attach a dried fern frond to a decorative pot that you hang in the kitchen or your sacred space.

SELF-BLESSING SHOWER:

Few of us take enough time in self-blessings. A moment to bless yourself is the most important time of any day. It attracts the Goddess’s energy and assistance to you, and it will help any magic you may create. For the blessing shower, begin with fragrant herbs like lavender flowers for peace, catnip leaves for attractiveness, allspice beads for health and luck, and a cinnamon stick for love and power. Bundle these in loosely woven cloth or soft netting. As you wash, gently rub this all over your body to clean away negativity, saying,

Cares wash away
keep misfortune at bay.
Kikimora touch me,
your blessings I’ll see!

As you do this, imagine the water appearing like sparkling silver light that absorbs any troubles, then washes away.

Afterward, take a smaller bundle of the herbs with you to keep the blessings and protective energies activated.

FLUSH YOUR TROUBLES AWAY:

The next time you’re enjoying a moment of privacy on the proverbial “throne,” take the opportunity to weave a little magic. Using the symbolism of flushing as central to your spell, you can use any handy stall to flush away a source of trouble! Just draw an image of the difficulty on a piece of toilet paper and toss it in! When you flush, don’t look at the paper—just turn away, so you don’t figuratively accept the problem back.

DUST BUSTER EXORCISM:

Think your house is haunted, or perhaps the walls are just screaming with too much irritation? Unvex it with a hex! Take some salt and sprinkle it counterclockwise around the inside perimeter of your living space, repeating this phrase purposefully as you go: “Away from me, spirits and negativity.” Next, take a hand vacuum and clean up the salt clockwise, saying, “Magic, shine. This space is mine!”

If you’re someplace where a hand vacuum isn’t available, like a hotel room or bed-and-breakfast, you can sweep up the salt using a piece of paper or your hand instead.

LIGHTEN UP!

Sometimes it seems as if the universe were dumping all over our reality. It’s pretty tough to keep our spirits bright during these disastrous days, but some scented oils and a few lamps can help. Choose an oil that is directly opposite to your mood. For example, if you’re angry, get apple blossom for joy. If you’re sick, use violet or rosemary for health, and if besieged by rotten luck, use cinnamon, clove, or vanilla oil. Whatever your choice, dab this on every lamp you come in contact with. That way, whenever you need a lift, you can literally lighten up just by switching on the lamp.

DO IT BY THE NUMBERS:

This is a type of divination that you can use anywhere. Think of your question, visualizing it in as much detail as possible with your eyes closed. After opening your eyes, write down the first number you see on any object (like the numbers on a clock or in a ZIP code on a letter, the weight measurement on canned goods, etc.). If the number is larger than 10, add the digits together so you can get a single-digit response. For example, if you see the ZIP code 14224, add 1+4+2 + 2+4 = 13 = 1+3 = 4. This number represents the response to your question, as follows:

When using this as a portable technique, just change your focus to suit the circumstance. Look at license plates, bulletin boards, exit numbers, and the like for the numerical response.

BOOGIE FEVER:

Music soothes the savage beast, so why not use it magically to soothe the soul? For this spell, I suggest calling on Bast instead of Kikimora, since Bast is the goddess of dance, joy, and playfulness. Find a piece of music that makes you feel like dancing. Play it loudly, and begin dancing clockwise around your living space. As you dance, sing or chant to the music. Add a rhythmic incantation like “The joy of dance, prance with me! By Bast’s power, joy be free!” Start this incantation quietly and let it naturally increase with the pace of your dance. When you feel the energy reach a pinnacle, raise your hands on the word free to release the magic of happiness into your home.

Alternative Components:

For this spell you can use components as diverse and varied as is your living space. Look around your home with a different perspective to see the magical potential there. For example, consider drawing heavy curtains to shut out negativity or improve privacy. Open your windows and let the winds of change do their work. Or, use a mirror and cleaning solution as an alternative scrying surface!

Time household magic according to what your schedule will allow. Friday nights are one good choice, since Friday is the end of the average work week and a day that accentuates good relationships and effective communication. Any day in the month of August improves harmony, and working when the moon is in Aquarius cultivates empathy.