Southport Magazine

1 tablespoon of dried rose petals – The sensual smell of rose helps to lower anxiety, which can spike, in romantic situations…

Vanilla pod split, or 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract – Its warm scent (and taste) is welcoming, subtly sensual, and relaxing. (There is an old Mexican legend about a fertility goddess who could not marry the mortal man she loved. Instead of becoming bitter, she transformed herself into the vanilla plant to give happiness and plea- sure to all lovers.)

1-2 cinnamon sticks – The cinnamon creates a fine balance with the more soothing scents of rose, jasmine, and vanilla. While those help relax you, the cinnamon ensures that you still get a burst of fiery passion and energy.
1 cup of fresh water

A pot or saucepan

A strainer

DIRECTIONS:

Pour 1 cup of fresh water into a saucepan (more or less to make the potion stronger or weaker) Add 2 teaspoons of dried jasmine flowers, 1 tablespoon of dried rose petals, a vanilla pod split lengthwise or 1⁄4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1-2 cinnamon sticks to the water. Gently stir to in- corporate everything, and then simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain immediately. Allow this to cool and then bottle it. Add to sparkling water and serve chilled on a hot day, or pour into mugs and reheat, sipping slowly. You can also use it straight. It will keep in the fridge for a week in a tightly lidded container.

LOVE POTION #9

To be performed on the 9th day of the 9th month.

(Requires some thinking ahead for Valentines Day, but go ahead and give it a try!)

9 oz. sweet red wine 9 basil leaves
9 red rose petals
9 cloves

9 apple seeds
9 drops vanilla extract
9 drops strawberry juice
9 drops apple juice
1 ginseng root, cut into 9 equal pieces

By the light of 9 pink votive candles, put these nine ingredients into a cauldron (or pot) on the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month of the year.

Stir the potion nine times with a wooden spoon, each time reciting the following:

LET THE ONE WHO DRINKS THIS WINE

SHOWER ME WITH LOVE DIVINE.

SWEET LOVE POTION NUMBER NINE

MAKE HIS/HER LOVE FOREVER MINE.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for nine minutes.

Remove the cauldron (pot) from the heat and allow the potion to cool off.

Blow nine times upon the potion, bless it in the names of nine love-goddesses, (*see below) and then strain it through cheesecloth into a clean container.

Cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve it to the man or woman whom you desire love and affection. (Do not allow anyone other than your beloved to look at, touch, or drink the love potion.)

*(The nine goddesses of Love: Inanna, Ishtar, Astarte, Hathor, Nephthys, Aphro- dite, Venus, Freya, Arianrhod.)