In the fantasy tradition, magic potions have eye of newt or toad's breath or equally disgusting sounding concoctions and have some sort of visible and usually hideous effect. One again, that kind of gross over exaggeration is not the way real magic potions work and they are very unlikely to show an immediate tangible result.



Instead, most modern potions are forms of self-improvement or on occasion and with permission, the improvement of others. The key here to understanding the use of magic potions is that like all magic, some of the power comes from the belief that it will work. In others, like a chicken soup enhanced with herbs for health, the magic comes both from the energy and love we put into it and the innate ability of the herbs.

Here is a pair of potions, one in the form of soup, for those who are interested in practicing their kitchen witchery.

The Magic Soup of Blessings

This is a hot magic potion for the body and the soul. one two three

Essentially, a soup is made of:

a) water

b) whatever else you can lay your hands on

c) salt

Step 1:

Take a suitably large vessel. If you want to use a magic wand, now's a good time.

Stand the cooking pot on the work surface, tap it three times with the wand (and failing that, with your outstretched finger tip) and say:

As I tap you,

this here pot a cauldron be!

Step 2.

Run tap water into a jug, or use bottled water.

Hold the jug/water bottle close to your heart, close your eyes and say:

Water of wisdom, water of might,

water of life, water of light

bring your blessings!

Pour the water into the cauldron.

Step 3.

Light the fire on your cooker, or your metaphorical electrical fire.

Stand before it, hold out your hands palms towards the fire so you can feel the heat radiating (but obviously not so close as to get burned!) and say:

Fire warm, fire bright

Fire glows in the night

Fire shines like the sun

The transformation has begun!

Put the cauldron onto your hearth.

Step 4.

Now you can get creative.

Each individual item you add to your magic soup will bring with it magic ingredients to serve a purpose by themselves, and a greater purpose overall.

For expediency's sake, whatever you are going to add, chop it into small pieces so it cooks faster and also helps blend the tastes.

I would suggest a minimum of one piece of meat, a stock cube or a vegetarian stock cube if you're that way inclined and three kinds of vegetables of three different colours, one red, one golden, and one green.

Bring out each item at a time, very ceremoniously, even if it is only an old stock cube or a rubbery carrot or such.

Get it ready (unwrap it, clean it, chop it) and then give it a magical purpose.

For example:

Bring your power

bring your essence,

make us proud and strong!

[Throw it into the pot whilst saying:]

So shall it be!

If you really can't think of anything else, you can use the above four line spell for everything you add to the pot, but it is much more fun if you make up your own special magic dedications for each and every addition.

The green vegetable can be dedicated to prosperity, wealth and money for all who will eat of this soup; the yellow vegetable can be for joy, sunshine, happiness, the red vegetable for health and well being. You can add noodles and they can be dedicated to having a happy family, potatoes for luck and good fortune, different herbs and spices, each with its own magical component dedicated whatever you would like, just be free and CHILDLIKE in doing this, let it flow.

When you've got everything in the cauldron and it's boiling nicely, we are ready for the final step which binds it all together - the addition of the salt.

Step 5.

Everyone who is involved in making this magic potion will now add their special and unique blessing and "seal the soup" with a pinch of salt. You'll have to ration out the salt according to how many people are taking part in this so it doesn't end up tasting too salty, obviously.

Get everyone to line up close to the cauldron with their little pinch of salt and starting with the youngest, have them say:

With all my love

from (insert name)

... and throw the salt into the soup. (If there are very small children involved, lift them up and help them throw it sort of in the general direction of the pot, that will do just the same).

Finally, the person in charge, you, I presume, has the last say and they say:

May this magic soup bring us together, and bring us joy.

So shall it be!

Now you simply set a timer for a few minutes and you might now get the table ready, bowls, bread and butter if that's going to be happening as well. If you have chopped up the ingredients fairly small and you haven't added anything that takes ages and ages to cook, such as rice, your soup should be ready to eat within ten minutes.

Step 6.

Place a mat on the table, secure any small children and ceremoniously bring the cauldron to the table and place it in the center. Make sure you have a big ladle.

Everybody should be quite excited by now; the person in charge (you) says:

With help of the universe,

we have made this meal together

in love and in joy.

We give thanks to creation.

* Change this in accordance with your beliefs to sound just right to you and yours.

Now ladle out the soup, starting with the youngest again, and naming them specifically as you fill each bowl, such as:

Magic soup for Susie

with all our love!

No-one gets to start eating until all the bowls have been filled.

This is in essence what magic potions should be--a healthy and lively experience for your mental and spiritual health.

For a potion more along the lines of fantasy stories, here is one to try:

A potion to help people see me in a positive light

1 medium glass with mineral water

1 spoon of sugar

1 spoon of honey

9 leaves from a red rose

1 small clear quartz crystal

Wash the crystal and the rose leaves thoroughly under running water first. Then, put all the ingredients into the glass with the water. Stir until the sugar and honey have dissolved.

Cut out a piece of paper in a circle.

Write your name around the circle, clockwise. Full name, 1st, 2nd, family name.

In the center, draw a simple pentagram.

Stand the glass on the paper for 3 hours, preferably in sunlight.

When the three hours are up, pour out a small quantity (minus rose leaves and crystal, obviously) into a fresh glass and either drink it there and then, or keep it in the fridge until you are about ready to go out and drink it then.

This potion raises your vibration and people will start to notice you, see you in a more positive light.

A word of caution, if this is not who you really are, you may find that people are disappointed later when you are not using the glamour and find that the friends you make while using the spell are not the type you want to keep.