‘Tis the season to tap into the magical potency of Nutmeg. Here’s my little secret though – it doesn’t matter what season it is, nutmeg magical properties are useful YEAR round and for many different reasons. Not only is nutmeg a staple in the kitchen, but it is also a beloved spice in the witches’ cabinet. Here we dive into the powerful properties of nutmeg, its rich history and folklore, and teach you ways to use it in your magical practice.

First, What is Nutmeg?

Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans, is a well-known and popular spice kept in most kitchens. Nutmeg is actually a seed (nut) that comes from the Myristica tree. And, believe it or not, the seed covering is also harvested and used as mace. The nutmeg tree is native to Indonesia and once only grew in the Banda Sea, but today is also grown in the West Indies making it more accessible to all.

The Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tree with dark leaves. The nutmeg seed itself is typically a rich red color before it is harvested and dried for spice manufacturing. The strange part about the nutmeg seed is that its encased in red covering that almost looks like a web stretched over it. This web-like covering is dried and used to make mace. The fruit that surrounds the nutmeg seed and mace covering is edible and has been eaten by the native people who grow it for thousands of years. Nutmeg is typically ground down into a fine powder and used in culinary endeavors to spice baked goods like cookies and cake, in roast vegetables, in meats, in puddings, and in the holiday beverage eggnog.

WARNING: nutmeg is safe in the typical amounts used in food, i.e. 1/4 tsp in a batch of cookies. Anything over the normal amount of nutmeg is toxic and can cause hallucinations, seizures, coma, and death.

Nutmeg in Ancient Times and in the Spice Wars

People have been using nutmeg as medicine and as a food source since at least 3500 BCE. The Ancient Romans burned nutmeg powder as an incense to purify sacred spaces. In the twelfth century, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI had nutmeg seeds cover the floors so that when he walked they would crunch and release their intoxicating aroma. The demand for nutmeg only grew. So that in the seventeenth century, nutmeg was one of the spices involved in the infamous Spice Wars of Southeast Asia.

here were literally battles fought over exotic spices that were native to places like Indonesia. The Banda Islands, at that time, were the world’s largest nutmeg producer. To say that nutmeg was coveted is an understatement. Sadly, the Dutch East India Company waged war against the Bandese people in order to gain control over the nutmeg industry. They enslaved, exiled, and killed the indigenous people of the Banda Islands all for the sake of nutmeg.

The business of spices was lucrative, and so nutmeg was shipped out of the Banda Islands in tons. By the nineteenth century, the British army invaded and took control of the nutmeg stock in the Banda Islands and then shipped trees along with the soil to other places like Sri Lanka and Singapore. Today, nutmeg is produced by Indonesia, India, and Guatemala and is shipped all over the world.

Nutmeg Magical Properties

Nutmeg magical properties are potent and useful in many ways. Whether you’re a kitchen, hedge, green, or eclectic witch, add this spice to your witches cabinet for future spells and rituals. Here’s its magical properties:

• Name: Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans
• Parts Used: Seed
• Form: Whole seed, powder, oil
• Uses: Magical, medicinal, culinary, mundane
• Folk Names: Jaiphal, Jatisasyya, Jatiphala, Sadhika, Wohpala, and Qoust
• Planet: Jupiter
• Sign: Sagittarius and Pisces
• Energy: Masculine
• Chakra: Solar Plexus
• Day of the Week: Thursday
• Element: Fire
• Nutmeg Magical Properties: Luck, Money, Health, Fidelity, Protection, Power, Psychic abilities, Intuition, Healing, Creativity, Fertility, Prosperity
• Symbolic Meaning: before modern times, nutmeg was viewed as a symbol of status. If you were able to acquire nutmeg, you had money and power, since it was an exotic, rare, and expensive spice to come by. In addition, because of how the nutmeg is a seed wrapped in a red webbed covering, it is symbolic of a baby inside a woman’s womb and therefore fertility
• Safety Concerns: Nutmeg is a hallucinogen and is toxic if ingested in any amount over the normal culinary amount. It can cause seizures, coma, and death.
• Herb Allies (herbs that work well with nutmeg): cinnamon, allspice, ginger, parsley, oregano, cardamom, anise, thyme, dill, sugar, salt

How to Use Nutmeg in Your Metaphysical Practice

So we’ve learned all about nutmeg’s magical properties, symbolism, and history. Now what do we do with all that nutmeg? Nutmeg can be used in our cooking and baking, as an aromatic herb in essential oil form, and in our magical practice to manifest our intentions. Here are some ideas:

1. Nutmeg Magic in Eggnog

The Winter holidays come around and many of us get a craving for that time-honored beverage tradition…Eggnog. Did you know nutmeg is a key ingredient in traditional holiday eggnog? Eggnog has been part of the Christmas season for centuries and likely originates in Medieval England with a hot milk drink called posset. By adding nutmeg to your batch of eggnog, you are drawing in prosperity, good luck, and protection this Winter season.

2. Pumpkin Pie Spice DIY

Every time September rolls around, I whip out my pumpkin spice faster than you can say BASIC WITCH. That’s right. I love pumpkin dishes AND pumpkin spice and don’t mind making my own pumpkin pie spice. It’s actually quite simple to make and the ingredients are likely in your witches cabinet already. Including cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and allspice. Here’s a recipe. Once you make your own, you can use it in pumpkin pie, pumpkin shakes, sprinkled over coffee and hot cocoa, cider, and many other culinary delights. Keep in mind, pumpkin spice is great for attracting prosperity, invoking protection, and warding.

3. How to Use Nutmeg Magical Properties in Candle Spells

One simple way of using nutmeg magical properties in your practice, and aside from the kitchen, is by incorporating it into your candle spells and rituals. There are many ways to do this. One involves encircling the candle with the nutmeg powder. This is a powerful way of amplifying your intention and protecting your spell as it “simmers”, so to speak. You can also dress your candles in oil and then sprinkle a little nutmeg powder over them for any intention.

4. Nutmeg in Poultry Seasoning for Protection

One dish I find works powerfully to protect the home and its inhabitants is poultry. Specifically chicken. Consider making a roast chicken for dinner and using poultry seasoning with nutmeg to amplify the protective energies. Chickens are protective in that they “scratch” the ground in which is considered a purifying and protective movement in Southern Conjure. Chicken soup has been known to help heal an individual when he or she is sick. Therefore, chicken as a meal, is protective, purifying, and healing. Add some poultry seasoning with nutmeg to the dish and you’ll have a potent magical meal.

5. Nutmeg Essential Oil

Nutmeg also comes in the form of essential oil and is helpful when diffused before bedtime. Its aroma will help soothe nerves, help you to decompress, and improve the quality of your sleep. Nutmeg essential oil can be used topically but MUST be diluted first in a carrier oil. Its useful in relieving various ailments like joint and menstrual pain. And is effective in clearing up skin and hair issues. Do not ingest nutmeg essential oil (see the warning of toxicity in the first section of this post).

6. Nutmeg Magical Properties Burned in an Incense

The nutmeg magical properties are compounded and extra powerful when burned as an incense. You can find nutmeg incense online at various shops and at local metaphysical stores. This incense is especially helpful when you want to shift your mind easily, meditate without your mind wandering, and to give you a lift into the astral realm. It also improves psychic abilities and intuition.

7. Add to Spell Bottles and Bags

Add nutmeg powder to spell bottles, jars, and bags. OR add a whole nutmeg to the mix. Carrying one nutmeg in your purse or pocket is known to be a good luck charm. As an old charm for fidelity, sleep with a nutmeg under your pillow to bring your lover home. Or to keep him or her home.

8. Power in Money Spells

Nutmeg is a powerful ingredient in money spells. I’ve added whole nutmegs to many of my spells with great success. Not just in spell bottles, jars, and bags, but also stuck in money bowls, sprinkled on green money candles, and sprinkled in my wallet. All of these methods have drawn more money into my life when I’ve needed it most.

9. Butternut Squash Soup for Prosperity

One of my favorite soups in the Autumn season is butternut squash soup. And, of course, one of the spices used in this rich, hearty dish is nutmeg. Since squash is a gourd of which represents prosperity in the harvest season, and nutmeg also brings prosperity, this soup is made often to draw abundance into a person’s life. Feed it to your family along with a crusty, fresh bread and you’ll have everyone full and happy in no time. Then watch the blessings roll in over the following seasons.

10. Nutmeg in Mulled Wine and Cider

Mulled wine and ciders are traditional holiday beverages during the Autumn and Winter seasons. There’s nothing like holding a hot mug of cider in your hands, sitting next to a bonfire with your loved ones, and sipping a drink that warms you to your toes. When nutmeg is infused into these holiday drinks, it increases their magical energies tenfold. Mulled wine is especially helpful in drawing prosperity and love to one’s door. And cider is a traditional Samhain drink useful in increasing intuition and the connection between us and the spirit world.