During this harvest season I thought to discuss some magickal properties of some food stuffs we are familiar with. Tonight let's discuss the seven sacred grains of antiquity. They are Barley, Corn, Oats, Millet, Rice, Rye & Wheat. These grains are responsible for human kind still being alive today. They truly were nutritional staples that allowed vast cultures and entire civilizations to survive in very mean and lean times.
A food stuff as significant as a staple would soon be attributed magickal properties by ancient man and they still hold true today. Grains have always signified abundance and fertility, the many small seeds reminiscent of many coins or currency, the more, the more abundant. Grains are small and a small amount can be made to feed many. For instance one cup of oats added to water makes four cups of cereal. This same ratio is used for rice also.
Many grains are easily adapted with manipulation into other food stuffs such as breads, cooked cereals, and flours and are mild, pleasant tasting and nutritious. The alchemical properties I present below I took directly and without modification from an excellent website called :
The Alchemical Properties of Food http://www.alchemylab.com/guideto.htm I added the photographs to help the reader identify the specific grain.
The Seven Sacred Grains of Antiquity
Corn symbolizes the eternal return of life and the abundance of nature. As one of the Seven Sacred Grains, corn (or maize) was first cultivated in Mexico around 6000 BC. The Mayans used the blood of their enemies to fertilize cornfields, and their king willingly drew blood from his earlobe and penis to be sprinkled among the corn saplings. Corn was sacred to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, and the Aztecs tried to attract rain clouds by tossing corn pollen into the air. Today, the Hopi and Zuni tribes still use sacred blue corn in their fertility ceremonies, and in the southeastern United States, red corncobs were sometimes burnt under the bed of a woman in labor to help speed up delivery. [Earth +++]
Millet is one of the Seven Sacred Grains. Wild millet was part of the Balkan diet as far back as 6000 BC, and Japanese farmers grew it around 5000 BC. The tiny yellow seeds have a slightly nutty flavor. [Earth +++]
millet the grain
Oats was probably the last of the Seven Sacred Grains to be cultivated by man. For centuries, oats were believed to cause mental and physical disorders. In the Bible, wild oats were called "tares," which had to be separated from wheat before it was made into flour. After being cultivated in Europe around 100 AD, oats came to symbolize prosperity and sustenance, and the grain became an important part of many money spells. During the Middle Ages, oats were thought to attract vampires, and farmers who grew the grain also had garlands of garlic wrapped around their doors and windows. North American wild rice is really not rice at all, but an aquatic form of oats; groats are split raw oat kernels. [Earth +++]
oats plant
Rice is one of the Seven Sacred Grains and was first cultivated in China around 4000 BC. At first, rice seemed an inexhaustible source of food, but over the centuries, it has become increasingly difficult to grow. That development is said to be a punishment to mankind for his ingratitude for the gift of rice. Rice still indicates fertility and abundance, which is why it is thrown after betrothed couples at weddings. Basmati is an aromatic and chewy rice from India. Brown rice is an unpolished form in which the germ, bran, and nutrients have been retained. White rice or sushi rice consists mostly of starch and is used only as a flavor absorber and texturizer. [Earth +++]
rice kernels cooked
rice plants growing
Rye is one of the Seven Sacred Grains and was first cultivated in Europe around 2000 BC. The grain is thinner than wheat and has a robust and tangy flavor that is said to inspire grounded devotion. Gypsies used rye in their love spells and believed that serving warm rye bread to a lover would increase his or her feelings for you. Triticale is rye-wheat hybrid with a less robust taste than rye. [Earth +++]
Rye Grains
Rye plant
Wheat is the most revered of the Seven Sacred Grains and represents fruitfulness, bounty, and rebirth. Because wheat fields seem to replenish themselves, the golden plant represented a cycle of resurrection into light again. Many funeral rites contain offerings of wheat as part of the ceremonies. Wheat was sacred to the Babylonian god Ishtar, the Egyptian Osiris, the Greek Demeter, and the Roman Ceres. Kamut is an ancient wheat with a buttery flavor and chewy texture that is easier to digest than modern varieties. Spelt is another ancient wheat, though it is not as versatile as kamut. Bulgher is parched wheat in which the wheat berry has been cracked and dried. When cooked, bulgher becomes very fluffy. Farina comes from just the hulled endosperm of wheat. Couscous is a semolina made from the endosperm of crushed wheat. It is used more like a pasta than a cereal and carries the same nurturing qualities of Earth as other varieties of wheat. Sheaves of wheat are a well-known symbol of prosperity. [Earth +++]
All of the above was reprinted from website :
The Alchemical Properties of Food http://www.alchemylab.com/guideto.htm
This is an excellent site and a great reference tool for the magickal or alchemical properties of many of the foods we use and enjoy every day.
So how about a fun, unique prosperity spell for the harvest season using kitchen witchery. The following menu is sure to bring prosperity and abundance to your household. Just by making, serving and enjoying this meal can help bring abundant, prosperous energies to your home and life.
Light a green candle then put a small pot of water on the stove to simmer. Add cinnamon, a few sticks to the water and allow to simmer for an hour or so. Doing this during the dinner makes for a delicious aroma that will compliment the rest of the meal. After the meal is prepared and cooked burn a green candle on the dining table while eating the food.
So how about a fun, unique prosperity spell for the harvest season using kitchen witchery. The following menu is sure to bring prosperity and abundance to your household. Just by making, serving and enjoying this meal can help bring abundant, prosperous energies to your home and life.
Light a green candle then put a small pot of water on the stove to simmer. Add cinnamon, a few sticks to the water and allow to simmer for an hour or so. Doing this during the dinner makes for a delicious aroma that will compliment the rest of the meal. After the meal is prepared and cooked burn a green candle on the dining table while eating the food.
appetizer: Corn nachos with salsa
main entree: a mild or spicy chili with beans with a few pinches of ground mustard seed
white rice with red beans
corn bread with chopped jalepenos sprinkled throughout batter before baking
rose' wine or sparkling grape juice
Finish the meal with a small custard cup of oatmeal with brown sugar and a small pat of butter for dessert. Liberally sprinkle with cinnamon for extra yummmm and add cream if desired for an extra rich, abundant treat! Serve with coffee (another wealth attractant) eat, drink and visualize the abundance in your life and the further abundance you desire. Enjoy!
© 2010-2011 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.
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