Cleaning Like a Goddess

A tidy kitchen is certainly not a prerequisite for sacred cooking—the Goddess has nothing against an exuberant mess.  Yet having a clean and scared-feeling kitchen can help us get centred for kitchen witchery.  Here are some suggestions for bringing the Goddess into what can sometimes feel like an arduous task: <O:P></O:P>

  Sing a Goddess song or listen to music that lifts your spirits and gets you dancing or moving around.  Some of my favourite songs for kitchen magick are listed in the feasting section, and I love listening to anything by Loreena McKennitt.<O:P> </O:P>

  Clean barefoot. (Or naked.) This changes one's perspective somehow. As you work, visualize rootlets growing from the soles of your feet, going down through your floor into the earth.  I have tried cleaning in my bellydance costume.  Nothing like scrubbing a toilet in a coin bra to change your perspective! <O:P></O:P><O:P></O:P>

  Make yourself a Cleaner's Crown out of ribbon or paper or ivy or anything that takes your fancy. After all, you deserve a crown for all the work you do. Make up a silly name for yourself. If you're a warrior type, you could be Spic n' Spanna, Fighter of Grime; make up stories about your battles and adventures.  Or become Our Lady of Perpetual Mopping; see yourself as a healer and soother, a sort of Mother Theresa of the kitchen.  Your crown would be more of a halo. Maybe you'd be happy as the Wise One of the Woods, wreathed with wild grapevine, breasts painted with magical symbols (real or imagined).  Find a character that suits you.   I have found that different cleaning characters emerge, depending on the task at hand and the mood I'm in.<O:P> </O:P><O:P></O:P>

  Use cleaning products that are non-toxic and biodegradable.  This is better for your health and the Earth Mother.  In my opinion it is the responsibility of all of us who love the Goddess to care for the earth through recycling and other acts of ecological preservation.  Check out the many wonderful books available today that tell how to make safe, effective household cleaners from simple and natural ingredients.  Or take a trip to your nearest natural foods store and try some of the earth-friendly products you'll find there.  Imagine wiping away the grease with a liquid made of deliciously scented citrus peels instead of harsh chemicals.  Or scouring the sink with fresh lemon and baking soda rather than something that smells like a public swimming pool.  What you choose to use can really make a difference: try paper towels made from non-chlorine bleached recycled paper, or switch to washable cloths. When you grocery-shop, bring along a string bag, or a sturdy canvas one.  Compost your kitchen scraps, rather than just throwing them away.<O:P> </O:P><O:P></O:P>

  Add a strong herbal tea to your cleaning water.   Just boil a couple of cups of water and throw in a handful of herbs, steep for several minutes, and then strain the tea into your cleaning bucket. <O:P></O:P><O:P></O:P>

Here are some traditional herb correspondences.  Choose one or more according to your desire. We don't usually think of things like sea salt or basil or apples as magical, but our ancestors knew they were.  It is a wonderful affirmation of the magic in the ordinary to use kitchen-cupboard ingredients consciously in this way. <O:P></O:P><O:P> 

ANGELICA:<O:P> </O:P>	Blessings, protection, purification. Those of you who are fascinated by angels will like this one: think of it as inviting angels into your home.  <O:P></O:P>
APPLES:<O:P> </O:P>	Food of the Goddess, love. Simply add a few pieces of fresh or dried apple to your boiling water (but not too much or you'll end up with a sticky kitchen).  <O:P></O:P>
BASIL:<O:P> </O:P>	Love, fidelity, wealth, protection. A nice all-purpose herb with a luscious summery scent reminiscent of mouth-watering pesto.  <O:P></O:P>
CHAMOMILE:<O:P> </O:P>	Serenity and calm, purification. Smells like a blend of apples and new-mown hay. While you're at it, make yourself a cup to drink after you've finished cleaning; it's very relaxing.  <O:P></O:P>
CINNAMON:<O:P> </O:P>	Happy home, safety, healing, protection. The primal home-and-hearth spice. Use pieces of cinnamon stick for your brew (the powdered kind will turn into a gelatinous glop in the bowl).  <O:P></O:P>
CLOVE:<O:P> </O:P>	Purification, promotes love and spirituality. Try it with cinnamon--delicious!  <O:P></O:P>
EUCALYPTUS:<O:P> </O:P>	Health, protection. Slightly medicinal, but warm and fresh.  <O:P></O:P>
EVERGREEN:<O:P> </O:P>	Health, purification, vitality. Different types have different scents, so experiment. If you have pine, cedar, or juniper growing nearby, a few sprigs placed in boiling water will add green freshness to the brew.  <O:P></O:P>
FENNEL:<O:P> </O:P>	Protection, healing. Its licorice scent has a childlike quality that's very appealing.  <O:P></O:P>
LAVENDER:<O:P> </O:P>	Love, friendship, peace, happiness, protection. Such a sweet, relaxing, and calm-inducing scent! Antidepressant.  <O:P></O:P>
LEMON PEEL (fresh or dried): <O:P></O:P>	Purification. It's no accident that so many cleaning products are lemon-scented: lemon smells fresh and uplifting. Cleanses away negativity. <O:P></O:P>
MARJORAM:<O:P> </O:P>	Love, protection. Another antidepressant. Some of us sprinkle a little of this dried herb in the corners of every room in the house (why stop with the kitchen?) to promote love and safety.  <O:P></O:P>
PEPPERMINT:<O:P> </O:P>	Purification, healing, soothing. A wonderfully relaxing and refreshing scent.  <O:P></O:P>
ROSEMARY:<O:P> </O:P>	Cleansing, protection, clears negativity, encourages clear thinking. You may find that a rosemary-scented kitchen is one where you have to consult the recipe less often because you'll find yourself remembering what it says.  <O:P></O:P>
SAGE:<O:P> </O:P>	Purification, wisdom (no coincidence that the word for wise one is the same as the herb's name). A traditional ingredient of many Native American smudge-bundles, a strong sage tea will make your kitchen feel safe and cleared of negativity.  <O:P><O:P></O:P>
ST. JOAN'S (OR JOHN'S) WORT: <O:P></O:P>	Health, happiness, love, protection. An all-purpose herb. It doesn't really have a scent, but a few drops of tincture--or a few blossoms strewn in the wash-water--give many benefits. Consult a good weed-identification book to see if there is any growing near you.  <O:P><O:P></O:P>
SEA SALT:<O:P> </O:P>	Traditional for purification and protection. If you've been feeling vulnerable or weird and you only have time to add one ingredient to your water, this could be it.  <O:P><O:P></O:P>
VANILLA:<O:P> </O:P>	Love, happiness. A piece of the bean or a few drops of extract will make your kitchen smell and feel delicious. <O:P><O:P></O:P>

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If you're stressed for time or low on ingredients, try the herbal tea bag shortcut: there are many varieties available at the supermarket with nice combinations of ingredients already premixed for you. For instance, Celestial Seasonings makes a fragrant cinnamon-apple blend, perfect for happy-home and goddess-centred energies. If it's serenity in the kitchen that you want, try one of the many stress-reducing or relaxing blends available. Just boil a few cups of water, add a couple of bags, steep, and strain as usual. <O:P></O:P>

Or you can use a few drops of essential oil instead of either tea bags or herbs. Consult a good book on aromatherapy to see which scents would be most beneficial for you and your family.<O:P> </O:P>

  After you have vanquished the worst of the grime, clear the atmosphere by lighting a sweetgrass braid or sage-based smudge bundle and walk around the room, letting the smoke waft into every corner (let some smoke waft into the cupboards, too). Or light a stick or cone of your favourite incense.<O:P> </O:P><O:P></O:P>

  You may surprise yourself and really get into the cleaning process.  Periodically you may wish to clear out and beautifully organize your cupboards and drawers.<O:P> </O:P><O:P></O:P>

  Take some special time in your now-clean kitchen, simply being, doing nothing.  You will be amazed at how soothing this can be.  Make yourself a cup of tea and just sit and drink it.  Slowly.  Quietly. Listen to the hum of your refrigerator.  Smell the incense or smudge or herbs that you used. Feel the shape of the chair under your seat, the firmness of the floor under your feet. You are enspiriting your kitchen--now you can allow yourself to feel welcomed by that spirit, which you are helping to create.

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