The Renaissance was a fertile period of European culture, celebrated for its remarkable artists, its scientific advances in anatomy and astronomy, and its flowering of literature. But it was also a pivotal era for the art of perfumery. Perfume played a prominent role in the lives of the nobility: Not only was fragrance fashionable and a sign of wealth, but it also served as personal hygiene in a time when bathing was more uncommon. Transporting and heating bathwater was far more inconvenient, but more problematic was the belief that water harbored and spread disease, which prompted a general avoidance of baths.

In fact, King Louis XIV was terrified of bathing for this reason and is said to have taken only three baths in his life. This bath aversion meant perfumes of the era had to be strong, intoxicating, and capable of masking significant odor. The Sun King and his Court (“the Perfumed Court,” it was called) indulged heavily in perfumes, applying luxuriant fragrances not only to their bodies, hair, and clothing but also to furniture, home accessories, and even to their pets. Visitors were sprayed with perfume upon entering. These perfume-loving courtiers spent more on perfume than they did on food.

Perfumed preparations of the Renaissance included scented oils and ointments, distilled waters, alcohol-based perfumes, incense, and powders. After the expeditions of Magellan and Vasco de Gama, exotic flowers and plants like vanilla, cocoa, cardamom, tobacco, and pepper could be incorporated.

Common essential oils of the Renaissance included musk, amber, jasmine, tuberose, benzoin, bergamot, lavender, rosemary, violet, chamomile, lemon, peppermint, cedar, rose, juniper, pepper, and oakmoss, diluted with skin-friendly carrier oils like almond, olive, and laurel bayberry.

With the advent of the printing press, perfumists were able to print books of recipes for perfumes and scented waters. Written mostly in Italian and French, these beloved books have passed down their innovative developments in the art of perfumery and are still used to this day. As a perfumist myself, I was inspired to re-create the recipe below, which is reminiscent of the perfumes of the French court. I blended woodsy, spicy essential oils of pepper, cedar, and patchouli with notes of uplifting woody juniper and a touch of warm, sweet vanilla— all of which were used during the Renaissance period. The cedarwood, patchouli, and vanilla comprise the base of the perfume, the juniper berry provides the middle note, and black pepper the top note, creating a well-rounded scent. It smells divine, and you can easily make it at home if you wish!

Here’s how:

Ingredients

• Essential oils of cedarwood, patchouli, pepper, juniper, and vanilla oleoresin
• 10 ml glass bottle with roller
• Skin-friendly carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil works well)
• Tiny funnel specifically for perfume making
• A small glass measuring cup dedicated for perfume making (don’t use it for food once you’ve made perfume in it)
• A stirrer (I used a metal chopstick)

Instructions

Make sure your perfume bottle, measuring cup, stirrer, and funnel are clean and dry. I like to wipe them with a cloth slightly dampened with 80 to 100 proof alcohol.

Pour a small amount of fractionated coconut oil into your measuring cup. Then, pour about 5 ml of it into your perfume bottle, filling the bottle halfway.

Place the funnel on top of the perfume bottle and add your essential oils: one drop each of cedarwood, patchouli, and vanilla oleoresin; five drops of juniper berry; and three drops of black pepper.

Fill the bottle to the top with the fractionated coconut oil, attach the roller ball, and cap your perfume. Give it a slow, gentle shake for a few moments to incorporate the essential oils, and avoid the air bubbles that fast shaking creates. Gently shake your perfume before each use.

If you celebrate Halloween or its coinciding pagan festival Samhain (pronounced sow-in), you probably associate this time of year with traditional macabre symbols, like witches in black garb with pointy hats, ghosts and skeletons, black cats and spiders, bubbling cauldrons and broomsticks, and perhaps most famously, the jack-o’-lantern.

For many folks, the jack-o’-lantern is the quintessential symbol of Halloween—a decoration placed on home porches, pathways, and windowsills. Their carved and illuminated scary facades spook and delight us in equal measure, and guide and welcome costumed trick-or-treaters to the door. You might be surprised to discover that the custom of carving a pumpkin is a tradition that harkens back to times of old, with roots that go back hundreds of years.

The very first jack-o’-lanterns that we know of were crafted in
Ireland, made from hollowed-out turnips with simple yet frightening carved faces with craggy teeth and narrow eye slits. They functioned as handheld lanterns used to light the way for those walking the dark roads on Halloween night. The lanterns were also believed to scare away ill-intentioned specters, especially ones that kept the souls of deceased love ones from finding peace in the afterlife. They held a similar custom in Scotland, where jack-o’-lanterns were made from the dense stems of cabbages. Folks called them kailrunt torches, and they served the same purposes as their equivalents in Ireland.

When the Irish immigrated to America, they soon discovered the pumpkin, which was not indigenous to Ireland, and found it ideal for crafting into their Halloween lanterns. Thus, the pumpkin became the favored vegetable for fashioning jack-o’-lanterns and one of the most iconic symbols of present-day Halloween.

You may be wondering where the term jack-o’-lantern originates from. There are many versions of a story of how the jack-o’-lantern came to be, but the common thread in all of them is that they feature the same main character named—you guessed it—Jack!

The story of Jack is an old Irish folktale. Jack was a mean and stingy blacksmith who was fond of ale and playing dirty tricks on folks. When he died and the devil came to take his soul, Jack had been visiting the local pub. Jack convinced the devil to share a final round of drinks before taking him to hell. When it was time to settle the tab, Jack tricked the devil by pretending he didn’t have the money to pay. He promised the devil he’d go with him to hell if the devil turned himself into a sixpence to pay for the drinks. The devil agreed, but as soon as he transformed himself into the coin, Jack put the coin in his pouch with a cross-shaped clasp, rendering the devil powerless.

When Jack finally died, he was denied entrance into heaven and refused a place in hell, since he had tricked and angered the devil. Jack was eating a turnip when the irate devil threw a hot coal at him from the burning fires of hell. (How the devil escaped the coin purse is unclear, and how Jack managed to eat a turnip once deceased is also a mystery.) Jack picked up the coal and placed it inside the turnip, creating a lantern that he used to help light his way as he searched for his lost soul’s final resting place. Ever since, people have been using jack-o’-lanterns to protect themselves from malevolent spirits and to light their way on Halloween night.

Modern-day witches often use jack-o’-lanterns at Samhain and Halloween to serve as altar decorations. Not only are they festive and enchanting, but they also serve a magical purpose as well. They are lit to welcome the spirits of deceased loved ones who return to the world of the living on this sacred night, when the veil between the earthly and spirit planes thins. It is an ideal time for spirit communication.

When I light a jack-o’-lantern at Samhain time, I am fond of incorporating some plant magic to enhance the connection to the spirit world. There are herbs and spices with psychic power-boosting, high-vibrational properties that are also safe to burn. When you carve your pumpkin and just before you light it, try sprinkling some of these magical herbs and spices on the inside flesh. This will not only emit a delicious, autumnal aroma but also waft the magical properties of the plants out into your home and your energy field.

Try any one or a combination of these:

• cinnamon: raises high spiritual vibrations, stimulates psychic powers, offers protection
• clove: purifies and banishes negative energy
• ginger: attracts prosperity and magnifies the power of intention
• dried orange peel: attracts love and high vibrations
• allspice: encourages healing and attracts abundance
• cardamom: enhances feelings of love
• nutmeg: promotes good health and good fortune
• star anise: increases psychic powers and luck

Caution: Be aware that not all plants are safe to burn. Some can emit toxic fumes, so it’s important to do your research first.

A wonderful way to celebrate autumn and create something special for yourself or a friend is to create a magical spell jar. They’ve come a long way since their inception in the 16th century and can bring love, happiness, and healing into your world.

Spell jars, originally referred to as witch bottles, were historically made in the 16th and 17th centuries and used by both witches and nonwitches alike in England and North America, in places like Salem, Massachusetts, and the Hudson Valley. They were concocted as amulets to protect against perceived malevolent magic and supernatural entities. The vessels were frequently handcrafted with the purpose of safeguarding a new home and were either buried upside down next to the foundation or placed beneath the hearth as the structure was being built. Witch bottles also served the purpose of returning a spell back to the supposed witch who cast it.

Early witch bottles were made of salt-glazed stoneware and traditionally prepared by an individual known either as the village witch or folk healer. They were filled and personalized with interesting and sometimes bizarre ingredients like the customer’s strands of hair or fingernail clippings, or even urine, tiny animal bones, thorns, pins (often pushed into felt or cloth hearts), and wrought iron nails. It is thought that these bodily components served as an extension of the self and that any maleficence directed toward the individual would be drawn into the bottle and stuck by the sharp objects therein, rendering the negative energy harmless. The completed bottles were given to the client with instructions to either bury them, throw them into a fire, or toss them into a river or stream, depending on their intended use.

Today, modern witches create their own versions of the original witch bottles, though they might avoid odd ingredients and use them for a wider variety of intentions and not exclusively for protection from negative energies. Common themes include prosperity, healing, love, friendship, peace, creativity, and more. Modern-day witch bottles have been known to include such ingredients as herbs (especially rosemary), flowers, red wine, seawater, salt, vinegar, oil, ashes, sand, coins, wood, shells, feathers, knotted threads, stones, and crystals.

With a few simple tools and easily attainable ingredients, you can make your own witch’s spell jar—whether you think of yourself as a witch or not! As a green witch, I craft primarily herbal spell jars, and I’m excited to share my how-to with you. I like to use petite vintage glass bottles from my antique bottle collection. I love the worn and cloudy appearance of an old bottle, so unless it’s particularly filthy, I don’t scrub it clean for fear of washing off its story and the beautiful and mysterious patina cast by the hands of time. I do, however, like to energetically cleanse newly acquired old bottles with herbal incense smoke, giving them a clean slate for the intentional magic I will fill them with. To do so, you can pass your bottle through the smoke or insert a burning incense stick for a couple of seconds.

To make your spell jar, fill a small glass bottle with dried herbs, spices, and crystals that have magical properties associated with your magical intent. For instance, if you wish for a relaxing sleep infused with memorable and vivid prophetic dreams, you could fill your bottle with dried mugwort, lavender, and amethyst crystal. All three of these ingredients work together to promote vivid dreams and psychic visions as well as to provide protection and induce a calm and relaxing sleep. I’ll give you some other bottle-theme ideas and recipes toward the end of this article.

Place a cork stopper in your filled jar and seal the top with wax. I bring the vintage bottles to my local hardware store and purchase tapered cork stoppers to fit them. You can melt and drip sealing wax or candle wax over your bottle. I prefer sealing wax, as it’s thicker and easier to control. As long as the seal stays intact, the potency of the preparation’s magic will remain. Consider using wax of a color that corresponds with your intention. Below are some color correspondences you can use—notice that some intentions correspond with multiple colors:

Red: love, passion, romance, strength
Orange: communication, success, creativity Yellow: joy, memory, wisdom
Green: healing, nature, abundance, money
Blue: protection, peace, healing
Purple: psychic abilities, divination, personal power Pink: self-love, friendship, emotions
Brown: home, healing animals
Gray: intuition, the moon, manifestation
Gold: good fortune, inspiration
Black: protection, cleansing negative energy White: protection, peace, happiness

When the crafting of your spell jar is complete, recite your wishes. Your spoken intentions can be very matter-of-fact, or you can try waxing poetic. Maybe something like …

Herbs, flowers, spices divine,
Dance with sparkling crystal in this spell jar of mine.
That which I desire for good, please grant me.
Work your potent magic. Blessed Be.

Place the bottle on your sacred altar or in a place where you would like its influence to work. Continue to focus on your intention and use your own efforts to help bring your wishes to fruition. Spellwork is work on your part, as well on the part of the helping hand of the universe.

Here are a few dried herbal combinations you may wish to try, associated with common themes. Of course, feel free to change them based on your needs and the availability of herbs. I also tossed in some crystal correspondences. You can mix and match recipes if you’d like, depending on your goals.

Love: rose petals, hibiscus, orange peel, cedar needles, yarrow, cinnamon, poppy seeds, a sprinkling of sugar, with rose quartz

Healing: pine or balsam fir needles, blackberry leaf, mint, thyme, allspice, with clear quartz

Happiness and harmony: basil, garden sage, rose petals, with yellow jasper

Protection: basil, bay leaf, red raspberry leaf, juniper berry, rosemary, cloves, black pepper, with amethyst or black tourmaline

Prosperity and abundance: mint, moss, dandelion, clover, nutmeg, and jade or citrine

*All plant matter used for your spell jars should be thoroughly dried to prevent mold and mildew from forming.

BY SUSAN ILKA TUTTLE
(A.K.A. WHISPER IN THE WOOD)

The faerie queen’s origins can be traced to tales that run through Irish and British folklore. This bedazzling creature rules over the fae entities that reside in the woodland realm, among delicate, fragrant blooms in gardens and meadows, and in countless other resplendent places of natural beauty. Those intrigued and enchanted by these otherworldly beings—and especially those who are also lovers of art, literature, and classical music—will recognize Shakespeare’s Titania from A Midsummer Night’s Dream as an embodiment of the archetype of the faerie queen. Titania inspired future incarnations of the queen of the fae, most notably Edmund Spenser’s 1590 epic poem The Faerie Queene, which presents her as Gloriana, a descendant of Titania. Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott” (1842) drew inspiration in part from Spenser’s poem, which in turn inspired John William Waterhouse’s exquisite painting The Lady of Shalott (1888). The faerie queen is brought to life in the form of mellifluous music by Baroque composer Henry Purcell in his opera The Fairy Queen (1692), an adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The queen of the fae has made further appearances in visual art throughout the ages, notably in Henry Fuseli’s Prince Arthur and the Fairy Queen (c. 1877) and the neoclassical work Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes (1908).

Titania and all her manifestations are intimately linked to the natural world. She affects the weather and has sway over the seasons, which reflect her every emotion and move. Titania’s energy is independent, strong-willed, determined, free-spirited, sassy, feminist, and feisty. While she is a gracious and compassionate being, Titania can be wild, impatient, and surprisingly fierce due to her fae nature. As the most powerful spirit of the faerie realm, she is arguably a beguiling sorceress—a force to be reckoned with in the world of magic.

The art of perfumery is a passion of mine and a medium through which I like to capture, honor, and celebrate facets of life, experience, love, art, nature, and spirit. One such perfume oil I have created especially for Enchanted Living readers is called Titania: a hand-crafted fragrance that embodies the allure of the faerie queen and the mystical, captivating, and magical world of the fae. The initial impression imparted by the perfume’s top note swirls with fruity blackberry while the heart of the blend swells with a fresh and woodsy balsam fir, reminiscent of the deep forest where the fae reside. These facets of the fragrance dance with base notes of earthy cedarwood, musky and honey-like amber, and sweet, warm vanilla. These deeper, rich scents will be fully enjoyed during the dry-down period of the scent, when the heart and lighter top notes will have softened and then vanished.

Not only will the accord of these delicious aromas blended together transport you to the land of the fae; the oils used will impart their inherent magical properties to the wearer of the scent …

• Cedarwood: healing, abundance, wisdom, cleansing negative energies • Amber: a balm for the nerves and the spirit; a magnet for good luck; for harmonizing, soothing fears, and converting negative energy to positive
• Vanilla: inner peace and calm, love, happiness, luck
• Balsam Fir: provides strength, cleanses negativity, and fosters a powerful connection to the natural world
• Blackberry: healing, money, protection, and it makes a wonderful offering for the fae

This perfume oil blend consists of high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils, blackberry fragrance oil made for crafting perfumes, and two carrier oils—fractionated coconut oil and jojoba oil (actually a wax ester), both of which absorb quickly into the skin, leaving it velvety soft and without a greasy film. I recommend making 10 millimeters of the perfume oil, which can be easily and conveniently crafted in a glass roller bottle. For everyday safe use, combine 10 to 12 drops of essential oil with your carrier oils in the vessel. You might wish to use a more decadent type of bottle to hold your creation. I enjoy placing my hand-crafted scents in vintage French perfume bottles.

I invite you to create an entire sensual experience for yourself when crafting this perfume oil. Enjoy the ritual of making the fragrance slowly and with intention, and in doing so you will infuse your own spirit into the potion, making it that much more vibrationally potent and special. If concocting it indoors, set up a sacred space for yourself. Light candles, read a passage from The Faerie Queene, and play Purcell’s opera The Fairy Queen softly in the background. Or gather your supplies and wander into the forest, garden, or nearby park. Find a private spot where you can create your perfume blend among the sounds, scents, and sensations of the natural world. Invite the fae spirits to join you in your ritual, connecting and merging with the magical energies all around you, of which you are a part. These woodland sprites may even decide to infuse some of their magic into the perfume. Be sure to leave an offering for them to show your appreciation and thanks—perhaps anoint a crystal with your fae-inspired perfume to give them as a gift. Nature spirits especially love blackberry (contained in this fragrance), which has traditionally been given to them as an offering.

INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES:

10-millimeter glass roller bottle
Perfume pipettes and a mini funnel for filling perfume bottles
Essential oils of cedarwood, amber, vanilla, and balsam fir
Blackberry fragrance oil
Fractionated coconut oil and/or jojoba oil

HOW TO MAKE:
I recommend working on a surface that you can easily wipe clean, as working with these oils can be a bit messy. I simply cover a piece of cardboard with tin foil, which can be wiped clean and used multiple times. Some 10-millimeter bottles come with the roller ball in place. If so, you will need to remove it first. Place your funnel in the bottle and add a small amount of carrier oil (either fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, or a blend of the two).

Add drops of essential oil and fragrance oil in the following amounts:

Cedarwood: 1
Amber: 1
Vanilla: 1
Balsam Fir: 5
Blackberry fragrance oil: 3
Add more carrier oil, filling your bottle to the top.

Press the roller ball in place. Cap it. Shake to blend. As you apply this alluring perfume oil to your sacred vessel on pulse points, allow it to remind you of the beauty and magic that resides within you and in the natural world of which you are a part.

Safety Note: It is important to consult with a qualified health care practitioner before using essential oils, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have any medical conditions, or are taking any medications (prescription or over-the-counter), or if you have food or plant allergies.

Susan Ilka Tuttle is an herbalist, green witch, artist, psychic medium and spirit messenger, and writer living in the woods of Maine. She is the author of the book Green Witch Magick: Essential Plants and Crafty Spellwork for a Witch’s Cupboard, which will be released in September 2021 and is available for preorder through Amazon, IndieBound, and Barnes & Noble. Visit her shop at inthewoodbotanicals.com, learn more about her spirit mediumship offerings at susantuttlespiritmessenger.com, and follow her on Instagram @whisper_in_the_wood.

Samhain, known as the Witches’ New Year, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated pagan holidays. It has an energy that sets it apart from the other sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, an annual cycle of seasonal festivals that consists of the year’s largest solar events (the solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them. Samhain coincides with Halloween and marks the end of the harvest season, opening the gateway to winter. Pagans and witches celebrate this sabbat from October 30 through November 1. October 30 is often used as a time for holiday preparations, while October 31 is considered to be the big celebration day, followed by a day of closure and reflection. Samhain is an ideal time to focus on change and transformation in your life. Consider which aspects of your journey you wish to let go in order to make room for new experiences and habits that will serve to shape you into your very best self and help you realize your full potential. It’s a time to set goals for the new year ahead. At Samhain, it is said that the veil between the earthly realm and the spirit world wears thin, providing an opportunity for strong and meaningful spirit communication, connecting with loved ones and guides on the other side who wish to offer you comfort, love, healing, and guidance for the year ahead.

One way to connect with loved ones on the other side is to use a divination practice called scrying. This is the act of gazing into something—often a reflective surface like water, a candle flame, a black mirror, a crystal ball, or tendrils of smoke—for the purpose of divining spiritual guidance and wisdom. Some will perceive actual shapes, symbols, and colors, while others will see visions in their mind’s eye (known as clairvoyance) or perhaps hear verbal messages (clairaudience). Cauldron divination is a less common method of scrying but particularly enjoyable to explore, as it allows for the use of burning magical herbs and resins as incense—ones that are associated with Samhain as well as herbs and resins that correspond to the type of guidance you may wish to receive from your spirit ancestors. Resins like copal, benzoin, and myrrh will sweeten the scent of your smoke and are available in many new age or witchcraft shops, online and off.

Herbs associated with Samhain that are safe to burn in dried form include mugwort, sage, and rosemary. Keep in mind that not all herbs are safe to burn. Some produce toxic smoke, so be sure to do thorough research before burning any herb. I burn garden sage as opposed to white sage. White sage is in danger of being overharvested and should be reserved for very specific sacred Native American spiritual rituals.

You’ll need a heat-proof, cast iron cauldron or other heat-safe vessel if you don’t have a cauldron, a charcoal tablet made especially for incense burners (not grilling charcoal), and ground-up dried herbs and resins that correspond to the types of specific questions you plan to ask (see page 49). Grind up your herbs and resins separately as the resin can be sticky. Combine them at a one-to-one ratio, storing the incense blend in
an airtight container. You’ll need to burn only a pinch at a time. Light your special charcoal disk in your cauldron, and once it gets going, sprinkle your incense on top of the disk. It will produce a fair amount of smoke, so be sure to work in a well-ventilated area. You can begin very simply by asking a yes/no question as you gently blow on the smoke. Traditionally, if the smoke swirls in a clockwise direction, your answer is said to be No. If it moves in a counterclockwise fashion, it’s a Yes. As you progress with this divination method, gaze into the smoke and be open to receiving more specific messages from your spirit ancestors and guides. You may see visions or hear messages in the form of single words or short phrases.

Herb and Resin Magical Correspondences: Burn dried herbs and resins that have magical properties corresponding to the types of questions you plan to ask. Here’s a list of herbs and resins you can safely burn for common types of questions or themes. Love: copal resin, rose, ginger, cinnamon, catnip, lavender

Prosperity/Abundance: benzoin resin, mint, dill, bay leaves, cedar
Health/Healing/Well-Being: myrrh resin, dried apple rind, juniper berries, chamomile,
rosemary, pine, thyme, amaranth

Steps for a Successful Cauldron Scrying Session:

Prior to scrying, I recommend that you cleanse the energy in your space (I often burn garden sage), then relax and ground yourself with your favorite technique. You can play spiritual music (singing bowl music is a favorite of mine), light a candle, dance, meditate, or envision yourself rooted like a strong, ancient tree. Take a bite of an apple (perhaps a Halloween candy apple), as food is grounding and apples have historically been used as offerings to honor the dead. Cast a circle around your scrying space, both for the sake of focus and for protection. Invite only spirits who come in love and light. You may want to decorate your sacred space with gourds and pumpkins prior to your divination session, as they are traditionally associated with offering protection against negative energies.

• In a well-ventilated area, light your charcoal disk made specifically for burning incense on, and place a pinch of your homemade incense on it (you will need to repeat this process throughout the session to keep the smoke going). Close your eyes for a moment and take a few deep breaths, focusing on your breath. Open your eyes. Take time to watch the smoke, gaze into it, and allow yourself to further relax, continuing to breathe deeply, mentally becoming one with the smoke.

• As you slip into a meditative state, you will begin to divine information through your senses. It may take a variety of forms, whether visual, audial, olfactory, or somatic. Feel free to start with yes/no questions. The information you receive may make sense immediately or may become validated shortly thereafter. Keep a notebook nearby to jot down your perceptions. You’ll find that these messages are sometimes meant for you and sometimes meant for others close to you.

• You’ll know when it’s time to end the session. After closing the session, reground yourself, reflect on your notes, and be open to receiving validation for the messages you received. Those validations usually materialize within a day or so, and they can be amazing and powerful.