Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen - Scott Cunningham 1990

Spirituality
Magical food diets

Spirituality can be defined as the human experience of, or interaction with, the divine.^{†††††} This is the aim of every religion and the goal of those who sense something sacred within and beyond our three-dimensional world. Spirituality is an expansion of our awareness to greater things.

This isn’t always a religious phenomenon. Many who haven’t found a faith that speaks to them are spiritual. Those who don’t recognize a holy book or spiritual teacher can tune into the unseen world. Spirituality is part of every religion, but it need not be.

When people find that their lives lack meaning or purpose, or discover that they’re unsatisfied with material possessions, they sometimes turn to the forces they’ve always sensed but ignored. Developing an awareness of spirit often brings emotional fulfillment.

This leads some to enter a conventional, established religion. Others create their own personal relationship with a divinity unlike any other. Some spiritual persons may not “worship” or revere this ultimate force(s), but their interactions with others, their outlook on life, even their forms of speech and living patterns, may change as a direct result of their spiritual experiences.

From a spiritual perspective, all food contains divine energies. After all, who created the food itself? Who gives it life? Who brings the rain? Religious persons worship the being(s) that created food and our world. Magicians work with the energy contained within these divine manifestations.

This is a book of magic, not religion. It’s a guide to using the energies contained within foods as tools of personal transformation. If you wish to enhance your spiritual awareness, try the tips contained in this chapter. They have been designed to enable you to experience the spiritual reality in your everyday life. They can be used by persons of all religions, particularly those commonly termed “Pagan.”

This diet won’t make you a mystic, and it probably won’t transform you into a religious zealot. But it might, just might, bring you a sense of peace. A greater understanding of the spiritual world that exists just behind the physical can be a powerful tonic to our lives.

Though I could have greatly expanded these lists (for all civilizations have linked food with deity), I’ve limited the selection to those foods that have been found to be particularly effective in producing a spiritual state.

Vegetables

Corn-on-the-cob, corn chowder, eggplant parmagiana, sprout-rich salads, baked squash—these are all powerful stimulants to spirituality.

Fruits

Banana

Coconut

Date

Except for dates, eat the foods fresh for the best results.

Other Spirituality Foods

Most psychic-awareness foods are also appropriate (see chapter 27).

Foods to Avoid

Artificially flavored foods

Dried or dehydrated foods

Meat

Preserved foods

Root crops (such as potatoes)

Salt

These foods seem to “close down” our spiritual awareness. They should be eaten in small quantities. At every other meal, substitute tofu or dairy products for meat. Use spices and herbs for flavoring in place of salt.

Preparing and Cooking Spirituality Foods

Burn a white or purple candle while working in the kitchen. Visualize. As you handle, cut, peel and/or mix the food, sense the spiritual energies that are contained within it.

Immerse yourself in the energy exchange that takes place during the process of eating. Feel divine energy becoming part of your body, spirit, and soul. Pray before meals if you feel comfortable doing so.

Cut foods into circles or balls to represent the spiritual world. Cook lightly or eat the foods raw for the best results.

To externalize your spirituality, donate food to food banks and to shelters.

Recipes

Spirit Salad

1 banana, ripe (i.e., with a browning peel)

1⁄8 cup coconut, shredded (fresh if available)

1 8-ounce container plain yogurt

1 teaspoon white wine

1 tablespoon honey

Peel banana and cut into small slices. Place in a bowl with the coconut. Mix the wine into the honey. Sprinkle this mixture over the fruits; let sit for 1 minute.

Turn the plain yogurt into the bowl over the fruits. Mix with a spoon, stirring clockwise. Serves 1.

Saffron Rice

1 tablespoon vodka or gin

1⁄4 teaspoon saffron (true saffron)

3 cups water

1 cup uncooked (not instant) rice

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon butter

Touch the saffron with the index finger of your projective hand (the hand that you use for writing) and visualize the precious herb’s energies enhancing your spirituality.

Warm alcohol over very low heat. Add the saffron to the alcohol, remove from heat, and stir. Let sit until alcohol is colored.

Place the water, rice, and salt into a pot over medium heat. Add the butter to prevent overboiling. Pour in the saffron mixture, stir and cover.

Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.