Cursed cake...

I was giving a talk (and a quiz) about magical food at a local moot a couple of days ago (great fun as always) but someone brought up an interesting point.

As I talked and we identified the foods I had brought for the quiz and we talked about what magical properties they had someone asked the question "what about negative properties?"

And I realised that of the foods I had brought with me we had only put forward positive magical properties for them all such as healing, protection, love, passion (quite a lot of the food seemed to inspire sex magic as the answer too...) but nothing on the negative.  We had gotten to cake (obviously) and the magical properties that it brings such as celebration, ritual, offerings, happiness etc but the point was raised...what if you wanted to make a cake or any kind of food with a negative swing to it?

My answer on the spot was "you would use your intent, intent is the most important part of any spell work" but I also suggested (brain was working overtime at this point standing in front of a crowd of people all waiting for my answer!) if it was a cake you were making then you might like to stir it anti clockwise to bring in negative energy and add in herbs or spices that you associate with the negative intent you were aiming for.

It did give me a lot to think about...

I am not Wiccan and I don't particularly follow the rede although I do believe it is a good guide to live by (do what you will but harm none) and I have studied and work with the magical practice of hoodoo on a regular basis which has no regard for karma in any way shape or form so why do I always err on the side of caution and go with the positives when writing or speaking about magic?

I guess part of it is that I don't regularly curse or hex, I have never really felt the need to, not because I fear the repercussions but because I really can't be bothered with the hassle of getting that upset about something or someone, I usually let the universe take care of it...and it always does.  Although I would never hesitate to protect and defend myself and my family however and I have done the odd binding or two to get rid of destructive and damaging people...but that doesn't mean I don't know how to hex or curse...because I believe knowledge is powerful and I have made a great study of that particular area...just saying...

Thankfully the last item in the quiz was actually a batch of 'hot foot powder' that I had made which is used in hoodoo for getting rid of unwanted people...so I felt that I redeemed myself slightly!

And there is a chapter on dark magic herbs in A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Herbs and Plants
Obviously Pagan Portals Hoodoo has heap loads of info on the darker side so I am not avoiding it I promise!

I shall ponder some more...and won't be so cautious with the hex and curse information at my next talk!