Close your eyes and imagine:
The green scent of herbs in the justwatered garden…
The touch of distant rain on an unexpected breeze…
The slow burn of rose-gold in the sky before sunset…
The morning murmur of doves in the eaves…


The juicy sweetness of a ripe strawberry. These are the everyday pleasures of goddess-centered spirituality, the realm of our five senses, the soul engaging the natural beauty that surrounds us. Finding the sacred in the commonplace is my definition of everyday magic.

Seeking the magical in daily life— searching for a personal connection that nourishes not only the spiritual self, but also body, mind, and spirit—is a growing trend. A reawakening is taking place across America. The rise of Wicca, Neo-Paganism, Buddhism, and earth-based spirituality rekindles the ancient principles of finding balance. Honoring the earth along with heaven embraces the divine feminine with the masculine and integrates the sensual with the spiritual. Sooner or later, food enters the picture.

Simple Vegetarian Feasts
The growing awareness of a need for balance has birthed a quiet urgency to cherish all living beings in the web of life, to make conscious food choices that harm none, to “go veggie.” Over twelve million people are vegetarians in America today. Some paths and practices are strictly vegan, choosing only non-animal food sources, while others enjoy the broader palate of the ovo-lacto vegetarian, incorporating honey, eggs, cheeses, and milk. The majority eat fish or occasionally poultry, shunning only red meat. It’s a highly personal choice. Each individual has his or her own motivation.

Certain practitioners of magic assert that food choices have an effect upon their systemic energy patterns, influencing the esoteric processes of visualization, energy direction, and grounding. Many goddessoriented individuals make vegetarian choices from an ethical viewpoint. Buddhists may or may not choose the no meat approach. The Dalai Lama eats strictly vegetarian meals every other day, stating that this grants him vegetarian status for half the year! Whether we choose the narrow path of veganism or the more inclusive semivegetarianism, the vegetarian cuisine of today nurtures our bodies in a gentle and delicious way.

Celebrating the Wheel
Linking food with the spiritual aspects of life is a natural inclination. Celebrating the Wheel of the Year with seasonal foods and festivals is a tradition shared by cultures far and wide. Gathering together to share mealtime stories and laughter nurtures us on many levels. Meals made with care, attention, and love connect us to our ancestors, our heritage, and each other. Food is communication. Food is comfort. Food is love.

Culinary Alchemy
As we gather our ingredients, measure, and cook, we do more than make a meal, we create kitchen alchemy—we join forces with the elements and stir our intentions into culinary delights. Aromas evocative of the season fill our home with the magic of the goddess’s bounty (the scent of fresh basil, crushed mint, or corn roasting on the grill always conjures summer for me). Adding a pinch of healing herbs or a dash of passion-igniting spice is kitchen witchery at its simplest and most enchanting. Magic happens!

Summer is upon us. The gardens are thriving. Many herbs are now ready for their first harvest. If you have planted basil in the garden (or in patio pots), you are in for a real treat! Basil leaves produce aromatics that foster love and passion. The distinct flavor is lively, peppery, and minty all at once.

One of the oldest, most cherished recipes for basil is pesto, meaning paste. Making pesto from scratch is a wonderful way to preserve basil (pesto covered with a layer of good olive oil and stored in an airtight container lasts for weeks in the fridge). It never hurts to keep a supply of love magic handy.

In honor of summer goddess magic, here is my tried and true recipe for pesto. It’s a snap to make in a food processor (or try the traditional mortar and pestle method). Use this delicious pesto on cooked pasta, pizza shells, or toasted French bread. I make extra for guests; they always ask to take some home.

Pesto
3 cups fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor bowl and process until it becomes a smooth paste. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
(From Cooking by the Seasons, P.9)