Warm vanilla sugar. Remember that Bath and Body works scent? If not, I’m sure you’ll remember using vanilla extract while baking Christmas cookies with Nana. Vanilla is one of those scents and flavors that is distinct. And in its uniqueness lies its power. An exotic and expensive plant, vanilla’s uses are many. It is often employed in the sweet ways in the kitchen but it can also be used in magick. Let’s open the witches cabinet and locate our vanilla beans, vanilla extract, and more. We’ll learn all about vanilla magical properties and the kitchen witchy ways to use it.
What is Vanilla and Why Is It So Powerful?
Vanilla, as we know it today, is typically in the form of an extract or paste and is a spice derived from the Vanilla orchids. The Vanilla orchid must be pollinated in order to grow the fruit from which we derive our vanilla. For thousands of years, Vanilla was pollinated by bees and other pollinators alone, until a few centuries ago when we discovered we could pollinate it by hand. It was previously believed that Vanilla was native to Mesoamerica first, and from there spread to the rest of the world. However, new evidence suggests that an Old World version of Vanilla might have been grown and used in the Middle East in biblical times. Today it is grown mostly in Indonesia and Madagascar.
The Totonac People of Mesoamerica considered vanilla a sacred plant and are believed to be the first people to use it. Sources say the Totonac found it so sacred that they kept it in their temples and wore it as good luck talismans. They also figured out how sweet the flavor was and used it to flavor their cuisine. Later, the Aztecs would mix Vanilla into their hot cocoa drink called Xocolatl. Which was a sacred drink gifted to them by their gods. They believed the hot cocoa and vanilla gave them energy and acted as an aphrodisiac.
According to the Vanilla Queen, the Vanilla plant sprang from the spilled blood of a doomed Totonac princess and her lover. They considered it a divine gift from their goddess and frequently used it as offering to her. The legend has it that Vanilla was first cultivated in a tropical valley in the ancient Huaxtecan city (Mexico) which was later deemed the City that Perfumed the World.
Vanilla: Exotic, Rich, Ubiquitous
Our vanilla is derived mainly from the Vanilla planifolia plant, also called the Bourbon vanilla. It is currently the second most expensive spice in the world, second only to saffron. In addition to its paste and extract forms, it also sometimes comes in its natural form – beans. The beans of the Vanilla orchid, when dried, are long, thin and black in color. The word Vanilla actually translates to Vagina and were named such because of the way the beans are shaped on the plant. It folds in on itself. Vanilla is used for multiple purposes including baking, aromatherapy, and to scent perfumes and beauty products. It is a formidable aroma that most people can identify upon smelling it.
Vanilla Magical Properties
Vanilla magical properties are potent and useful in many ways. Whether you’re a kitchen, hedge, green, or eclectic witch, add vanilla to your witches cabinet for future spells and rituals. Here’s vanilla magical properties:
- Name: Vanilla planifolia, Vanilla aromatica, or Vanilla tahitensis
- Parts Used: Fruit / Bean
- Form: Extract, Paste, Whole Bean
- Uses: Magical, medicinal, culinary, mundane
- Folk Names: Banilje, Tlilxochitl
- Planet: Venus
- Sign: Taurus
- Energy: Feminine
- Chakra: Sacral and Solar Plexus
- Day of the Week: Friday
- Element: Water
- Deities: Xanath (Vanilla goddess), Aphrodite, Persephone, Mani, Aztec and Mesoamerican deities
- Vanilla Magical Properties: love, lust (it’s an aphrodisiac), beauty, connection to Goddess, mental abilities, energy, vitality, fertility
- Vanilla Symbolic Meaning: Like cinnamon, Vanilla was a symbol of luxury, wealth, and affluent status in the ancient to early modern era. Vanilla also derives its name from the latin Vagina which means sheath. Which means the Vanilla bean symbolizes the female genitalia.
- Safety Concerns: Vanilla extract and flavorings are generally safe for everyone when taken by mouth in normal food amounts. However, some people are allergic to vanilla. In addition, DILUTE Vanilla essential oil with a carrier oil as it can cause skin irritation in some people.
How to Use Vanilla Magical Properties in the Kitchen
One of the best places to use the magic of Vanilla is in the kitchen, of course! I roll my eyes when people use the word “vanilla” to describe something that is plain or boring. Knowing the ancient history of it, and its sacredness, Vanilla is anything but boring. It’s one of the most expensive spices in the world! Here are a few kitchen witch recipes with Vanilla that we recommend:
1. Poached Pears in Vanilla Sauce
Since both pears and vanilla are linked to love, make this poached pears in vanilla sauce recipe and serve it to your date. This will undoubtedly evoke loving, romantic vibes between two partners. A delicious dessert or aphrodisiac treat.
2. Crescent Moon Cookies
A popular cookie in the witchcraft community is the Lunar or Moon cookie. Many of us have made our own version of the sugar cookie cut into moon or crescent shapes, haven’t we? If you haven’t, or you’d like to make it again, try this Crescent Moon cookie recipe that uses the luxurious flavor of Vanilla extract. Leave at least a cookie or two as an offering to the Moon goddess. These are great for a witch’s esbat or during the holidays.
3. Vanilla Extract in Your Morning Coffee
Have you ever added just a drop or two of vanilla extract to your morning cup of coffee? Try it and tell me what you think. Vanilla magical properties come alive in drinks like coffee, milkshakes, and cocktails. I’ve used this method to amplify the lust in certain situations and bring luck to my business on other days. It works a treat!
4. Angel Food Cake to Sweeten the Mood
One of my favorite desserts my grandma used to make was angel food cake. It’s light, fluffy, and delicately sweet with that yummy vanilla flavor. If you need to sweeten up a situation in your favor, consider making this angel food cake recipe with vanilla. You might notice the situation takes a turn for the better…that’s how to use vanilla flavor in your favor. Also works for drawing love your way.
5. Roasted Squash with Vanilla, Maple, and Chile
Again, yet another symbol of fertility, squash draws vitality, lust, and love one’s way. And when paired with vanilla, maple, and chiles? Things are going to be sweet and hott. Save this roasted squash with vanilla, maple, and chile recipe for when you’re looking to steam things up a bit in the bedroom.
6. Buttercream Frosting
The best thing at my local grocery store is the bakery’s buttercream frosting. Hands down the sweetest, most delicious thing you’ll ever eat. I’ve learned how to mimic their recipe using this buttercream frosting by the Preppy Kitchen. Spread this buttercream frosting over cupcakes, birthday cakes, and on french toast to sweeten the household, bring joy and love to a family. What a delicious way to employ vanilla magical properties. And no one would ever know the difference.
7. Samhain S’mores Bites
Allorah gives us her amazing S’mores Bites recipe in this post here. And, of course, magical vanilla is a key ingredient in making the graham crackers AND marshmallow cream. These are amazing to make in the Autumn and Winter months. Decadent and helpful for multiple magical intentions.
Vanilla’s Magical Uses in Ritual
Believe it or not, vanilla magic can be done anywhere…not just in the kitchen. Because it comes in several forms, it provides some versatility for use in rituals, spells, and the like. Here are a few ways to use vanilla magic in ritual:
1. Vanilla Magic Beans in Spell Bottles, Jars, Etc.
If you happen to be blessed enough to have “leftover” vanilla beans, consider adding them to your spell bottles, jars, and bags. These potent orchid fruits draw love, luck, lust, beauty, and sharpen our mental abilities. The beans also make great offerings to love deities and Mesoamerican spirits.
2. Vanilla Essential Oil in Love Readings
I keep a stash of vanilla essential oil of which I dilute in carrier oils. Mostly, I use vanilla oil to anoint my hands and sometimes the surface of the table/tray before performing any kind of love working or Tarot reading focused on love. I find the Vanilla magic to be the strongest when it comes to identifying and keeping romantic love alive. And, if you happen to work with love gods like Aphrodite or Freya, they tend to enjoy the aroma too.
3. Vanilla Fragrance as Magic
One of the easiest ways to attract something to you is through perfume or fragrance magic. YES perfumes are their own kind of sorcery. I highly prefer the natural scents made by Le Labo fragrances…however, I know not everyone can afford them. Whatever fragrance you CAN afford with hints of vanilla OR vanilla as the main star, get it. Vanilla is an enchanting aroma that fills any room with loving, beautiful vibes. Wear on your date nights, especially. I’ve even used my perfume as offering to my deities by spraying it gently over my altar space or over the god’s statue.
4. Vanilla Scented Candle Spells
Burning a vanilla scented candle with intention will surely manifest your desires. Inscribe your intention into the top or sides of the vanilla scented candle. This spell works powerfully for drawing love, lust, beauty, and other sweet things your way. Then burn and let the scent of vanilla fill your space and your aura with its divine essence. Continue burning the candle every day until your intention manifests.
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