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LUGHNASADH BLACKBERRY DANISHES

This recipe is surprisingly easy to make and can be eaten for dessert or breakfast. For Luhgnasagh, blackberries are just in season so it fits to use them.

Did you know?: Not only was Lughnasadh a time to honor the harvest, but was also treated as a festival for feasting, matchmaking, athletic competition, and trading back in the ancient Neopagan days.

INGREDIENTS:

store-bought puff pastry (you can always use your own)

1 cup blackberries

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cornstarch

 4 oz softened cream cheese

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 tbsp lemon juice

Powdered Sugar (to top)

Sliced almonds (to top)

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw out puff pastry dough. Preheat oven to 400 F.

To make the cream cheese filling, in a bowl combine, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice, and a slight bit of lemon zest together into a bowl. Mix until creamy and combined.

Macerate your blackberries by adding sugar, honey, and cornstarch to a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

Roll out pastry dough until thin and even. Cut into rectangles that are about 3 inches. You should have about 6-8 Danish Rectangles.

Using a knife, score the edges about 1/4 of an inch away from the very edges of the rectangle. Do not cut all the way through, you're only scoring the edges.

Add about a tbsp of the cream cheese mixture, and then a spoonful of the berries. Brush egg wash on the edges and sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar around the edges if wanted. Make sure to avoid adding too many berries, you should be able to see the cream cheese mixture from underneath.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are a nice golden brown.

Top with powdered sugar and sliced almonds. Enjoy!

Have a blessed Lughnasadh ^_^

[witchcraftandpaganism]

🖤 What is a Succubus?

A Succubus is a Demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce men.

The succubus, along with its male counterpart, the Incubus, appears in ancient mythologies. Succubi appear in the flesh as beautiful, voluptuous women. They visit men in their sleep—especially men who sleep alone—and cause erotic dreams, nightmares, and nocturnal emissions. During the European witch hunts, succubi were agents of the Devil, who continually tempted men to commit sexual sins, sometimes by promising them immortality in return. Succubi were not as prevalent as incubi in witch hunt cases.

The prevailing belief of the time was that women were more licentious than men and, therefore, offered more opportunity for incubi. If a succubus assaulted a man, it was probably not his fault, according to Demonologists of the day.

Nicholas Remy wrote in Demonolatry of a succubus case that happened in 1581. A man named Petrone Armenterious of Dalheim was persuaded by a succubus, Abrahel, to murder his son. He was so overcome with grief and guilt that he contemplated suicide. Abrahel told him that if he worshipped her, he would restore the boy to life. He complied, and his son returned to the living. But it was all an illusion, for the boy suddenly died again and immediately stank abominably.

The sex act itself with a succubus was said to be an awful experience, like penetrating a cavern of ice. Sometimes, a succubus was really an Incubus in disguise, who collected a man’s semen and used it to impregnate a woman. Some believed that sex with succubi could produce Demon children. The Hebrew night Demon, Lilith, bore an infinite number of Demon sons this way.

Men accused of witchcraft were tortured until they confessed having sex with Demons, among other Demonic crimes. In 1468, in Bologna, Italy, a man was executed for allegedly running a brothel of succubi.

The Malleus Maleficarum (1487), the chief inquisitors’ handbook, set forth five ways to get rid of a succubus:

• by reciting the Ave Maria

• by making a sacramental confession

• by making the sign of the cross

• by moving to a new home

• by having a priest or holy man excommunicate the Demon

The Lord’s Prayer and holy water also were said to work a cure.

Francesco-Maria Guazzowrote of one alleged succubus incident in Compendium Maleficarum (1608), in which a succubus forced herself on a young man near Aberdeen, Scotland. The succubus visited him in bed every night and stayed until dawn. The young man claimed that he tried to get rid of the succubus, but to no avail. Finally, the local bishop ordered him to go away to another place and devote himself to prayer and fasting. After several days, the young man said the succubus left him.

At the end of the 17th century, an odd lawsuit was tried in court in Posen, Germany. A young man forced his way into the cellar of a locked home and was later found dead on the threshold. Demons then set up housekeeping inside and created severe disturbances. The owners of the home were frightened into leaving.

Local exorcists failed to expel the Demons, and so an expert was summoned, Rabbi Joel Baal Shem of Zamosz. He was able to induce the Demons to disclose their identity. They claimed the house belonged to them, and they demanded the opportunity to prove it in a court of law. The case was tried with Rabbi Joel and an invisible Demon advocate, who could be heard.

According to the Demons, the previous owner of the home had engaged in intercourse with a succubus, who had borne hybrid children. The man was persuaded by a rabbi to break off his affair, but the Demon demanded that the cellar be given to it and the offspring as inheritance.

The man and all his heirs were now dead, and the Demon children demanded possession of the house. The new homeowners said they had lawfully purchased the house. The Demon children were not legitimate “seed of men” and so had no legal rights. In addition, the Demon had forced the previous owner into sexual relations. The court decided against the Demons, saying that their abodes were deserts and wastelands, not the homes of men. Rabbi Joel performed Exorcisms that drove away the Demons.

Smart, sexy, and potentially deadly, the Succubus is not a demon to be underestimated. She is a powerful seductress who loves nothing more than to toy with men, and although she might seem fun at first, you wouldn’t want to make her angry!

Characteristics

Physical Description

Today, the word “succubus” conjures up voluptuous images—women with long wavy hair, silky skin, and flawless curves. They wear skimpy leather costumes, to flaunt their bodies, and they don’t try to hide the telltale signs of their demonic nature. Bat wings, barbed tails, curled horns, and glowing eyes are all common among modern Succubi.

But these she-demons weren’t always so glamorous. From the dawn of their legend well through the medieval ages, Succubi were considered hideous, deformed creatures. They were somewhat smaller than average people, and they stooped and crawled instead of walking upright. Their feet were like raptors, their faces like gargoyles, and their fingers tipped in ragged claws.

Personality

Again, there is a distinct difference between today’s Succubi and the Succubi of ancient legend.

The she-demons of today have intense charisma and seductive power to match their good looks. They are clever creatures who can tantalize men with their words as much as their bodies. They can be domineering and vengeful if they are slighted, but they ultimately take pride in their ability to please (and manipulate) men.

The ancestors of today’s Succubi, on the other hand, had personalities as nasty as their looks. They were sneaky, controlling, and malicious. Despite being sex-crazed, they had no interest in pleasing men. Instead, they used sex for their own purposes—to please themselves, to corrupt the pious, to gain life force, or even to have children!

Related Creatures

Incubus

It’s impossible to discuss the Succubus without mentioning her partner-in-crime, the Incubus. The Incubus is a male sex demon, said to attack women during the night. Since demons cannot reproduce on their own, the Succubi and Incubi work together to produce offspring. Succubi collect semen from their trysts with men, then pass the semen off to Incubi, who use it to impregnate women. When the child (called a “cambion”) is born, it will have demonic characteristics, thanks to the touch of the Succubus and Incubus.

Clearly, these two sex-demons have many similarities and a close working relationship, but some scholars have suggested an even deeper connection: Succubi and Incubi are, in fact, the same creature. They are able to shift between female and male forms, according to their sexual partners.

Lilith

Perhaps the most famous seductress of all time, Lilith is known as the mother of all Succubi. She appears in Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Judaic, and Christian mythology.

Lilith (called “lilitu”) first appeared in Sumerian culture as a goddess of fertility and witchcraft. Later, the Assyrians and Babylonians associated her with dark demons. The Greeks gave Lilith (called “lamia”) an extensive backstory. She was a beautiful woman who Hera transformed into a monster, after her beauty attracted Zeus’s roving eye. In her new monstrous form, Lamia roamed the world, seducing men and eating babies.

Judeo-Christian mythology also put their own spin on Lilith’s legend. They described her as Adam’s first wife, created at the same time as him. Unlike Eve, Lilith was no meek partner. She refused to honor Adam as her leader. Instead, she went off exploring on her own and discovered the Red Sea, where hordes of demons lived. The rebellious woman found that she liked the demons more than Adam, so she mated with them and began “bearing lilim at the rate of more than one hundred per day.” These “lilim” went out into the world as demons, some of them as sexy and independent as their mother. These became the Succubi.

Cultural Representation

History

Female sex-demons have been around since the dawn of folklore. They can be found in cultures all over the world; India has the “yakshini,” Arabia has the “qarinha,” Native Americans have the “deer woman,” China has the “mogwai,” and Greece has “Lamia.” It’s impossible to know which of these legends came first. Most likely, they all evolved separately around the same time.

The word “succubus” (a combination of Latin words meaning “to lie down”) first appears in Medieval English. By the late fifteenth century, these she-demons were well known and often discussed by theologians, who tried to explain their origin, their ability to reproduce, etc.

Later, Succubi popped up in witch hunts; women who “tried to seduce” men were accused of being Succubi in disguise, while women who became pregnant outside of wedlock were accused of consorting with Incubi.

During the Renaissance and Romantic period, interest in grotesque, subversive female demons declined. Instead, artists shifted their attention to the Greece’s Lamia, who was both beautiful and unfairly cursed. It wasn’t until the rise of Gothic literature that Succubi began to reclaim the spotlight—but they were still changed from their original form, being more beautiful and intelligent.

Modern Appearances

Succubi still have a place in fantasy and science fiction. They have appeared in the works of Stephen King, Orson Scott Card, Jonathon Stroud, and Stephanie Meyer.

Not surprisingly, the Succubus shoes up even more in visual genres, like comic books and video games, where her hot body and strappy leather costumes can attract lots of attention.

Explanation

From a psychological/political perspective, the legend of the Succubus is fairly straight-forward. In a patriarchal world, men were intimidated by women who took control of their own lives and their own sexuality, so they demonized any type of “rebellious” behavior.

There might also be a biological explanation. Sixty percent of the total human population suffers from sleep paralysis, a sporadic condition that causes the brain to regain consciousness before the body does. During an episode of sleep paralysis, people suffer from hallucinations involving all five senses and an extreme sense of terror. These symptoms could easily be mistaken for a demonic visitation!

Art: Succubus, by Leevitron on DeviantArt

Source's:

•Guazzo, Francesco-Maria. Compendium Maleficarum. Secaucus, N.J.: University Books, 1974.

•The Malleus Maleficarum of Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger. New York: Dover, 1971.

•Remy, Nicholas. Demonolatry. Secaucus, N.J.: University Books, 1974.

•The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology – Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – Copyright © 2009 by Visionary Living, Inc.

[witchcraftandpaganism]

Wreaths

General knowledge of wreaths is that the circle represents eternity, a continuous shape that never ends. Although often used for 'traditional' holidays like Thanksgiving (if you're American) or Christmas, we can also use wreaths in our craft. So here is a list of things that can be done to incorporate wreaths into our craft.

First of all, here's Martha Stewart's guide to making them. This is just a guide on how to make a variety of different kinds of them.

The easiest way to incorporate your craft into wreaths is to add a star into the center to create a pentacle. Be it storebought, made yourself, or even a gift from someone else, adding a pentacle is an easy enough task with common supplies. Here's an easy guide to making and attaching a pentacle, though if the wreath is already full, it can probably just be nestled into the thicker parts of branches or foliage..

If you're making a wreath yourself, there are a few materials I recommend as the bulk of the wreath: three in particular. Lavender, eucalyptus, and if available, applewood.

Lavender promotes peace, protection, and healing. Making a wreath with lavender can invite a future of safety and healthy rest, as well as getting along with family and roommates.

Eucalyptus is perfect for a household looking for protection and purification. It can aid in protecting your home from spiritual and emotional harm, while also purifying the entrance to your home.

Applewood invokes peace, balance, and calmness. If you find yourself rushing everywhere at once, always busy, always tired, and feeling like your life is topsy turvy, an applewood wreath can help balance your life and bring you peace.

There are other things you can add of course! Additional decorative pieces, like ornaments, charms, or bells to create witches' bells. Here are a few ideas for additional meaningful additions.

Cranberries: Passion, healing, protection, good energy

Pinecones: Enlightenment, life, and eternity

Dried orange slices: Abundance, joy, happiness

Dried apple slices: Love, immortality, friendship, healing

As always, do your own research and find out what's best for you! Don't forget to cross-reference. Blessed be!

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Summer Stone Fruits

Here is a simple list of a few common (to my area) stone fruits and their magical correspondences. I won't go into details, just a simple list straight from my own grimoire.

Apricot: Warmth, healing, helping anxiety, beauty, elegance, love, happiness and positivity, learning.

Cherry: Love, sex, fertility, divination, feminity, friendship, blood.

Mango: Prosperity, joy, love, friendship, closeness.

Nectarine: Love, sweetness, strength, stability, memory, nurturing.

Peach: Creativity, joy, fun, sweetness, fertility, warding, banishing

Plum: Love, sleep, lust, transition, grace, elegance, sophistication. Especially helpful in spells focusing on helping transitioning genders (for all my other trans witches out there).

Blessed be <3

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Peaches

To follow up with an earlier post about summer stone fruits, I want to delve a little deeper into what may be my favorite: peaches.

Peaches are a symbol of fertility, love, wisdom, and acceptance. Although the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks fertility is often reproduction or sexual desires, fertility comes in many forms. It can mean a fertile life with plenty of room for growth, it can mean watering your seeds of patience, and so much more. Of course, that's depending on how one uses it.

Dried peaches: As with any dried ingredient like spices, herbs, and other fruits, dried peaches have a multitude of uses. Brew tea with strawberries and apples to help invoke thoughts of self-love and appreciation, or add into a spell jar to invoke love into your life (be it friendship, romance, or otherwise). You can also use dried peaches as incense, adding it into your normal smoke cleanse to cleanse your space of harmful thoughts and help invoke self-caring or love. Fresh peaches: In my opinion, fresh peaches are the best peaches. Use fresh peach into lemonade to add thoughts of love into your day, or induce loving dreams at night. Eat whole and raw to invoke love into your life. The fruit can be diced and added into recipes for loved ones as a token of love, and splitting a peach with your romantic partner increases the love bond between you. Only with consent. Peach pits: Wear the pits to help ward off evil thoughts and those with conditional love. They can also be added into sachets or wear it as an amulet/pendant to invoke fertility and love. Remember that when you do that, rub the pit with herbs or spices that represent the kind of fertility you desire: to have a baby, to grow into a better life, etc Of course, peaches are more than just a magical ingredient. It can also just be a delicious healthy treat for some of us who crave something sweet!

As always, blessed be, my friends. <3

Support your local witch on Ko-Fi or at my store, Hallow Grove!

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Moon Water Bubble Cleanser

Want to introduce your little ones to some easy witchcraft? How about bubbles? Everyone loves bubbles. The idea is fairly simple. By mixing salt with water, we can make a simple cleansing spray, right? Well, why not mix that cleansing spray with a little dish soap or bubble liquid to make a fun, yet cleansing activity with the kids? It's a simple process.

Here's what you'll do.

When your bubble solution is running low or is empty, dissolve 1/2 tbsp of salt into 1/2 cup of hot moon water.

Once that is dissolved, let it cool down to room temperature before mixing it in with at least triple the amount (so 1.5 cups) of liquid soap (dawn dish soap is more environmentally friendly and makes great bubbles).

Pour into your bubble liquid vessel and cap it with the bubble wand.

And that's it! It's easy, it's fun, and most importantly, it's a good way to teach your kids about your practices. Explain to them what salt and moon water do as you make it, or even let the older kiddos help you. It's great bonding time!

As always, do your research, be safe, and blessed be.

Support your local witch on Ko-Fi or at my store, Hallow Grove!

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What is Red Salt?

Most witches already know what black salt is, but I feel like many witches (especially baby ones) don't quite think of other salts. For example: red salt. Red salt is an ingredient for a multitude of different magics and practices, including further powering a spell, manifestation, protection, libido magic, and passion magic. It's commonly used in spell jars or to replace regular salt, and occasionally in kitchen magic.

So, how does one make red salt? Well, there are many recipes, and the recipes vary from witch to witch, just like black salt. Here is my personal recipe for a small batch.

What you need

A cleansed jar with a lid

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp cayenne

1 tbsp red chili flakes

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp finely crushed bay leaves

Simply add all your ingredients into your jar, give it a shake, and use it as needed. I personally enjoy using red salt in spell jars relating to self-defense, personal power, and general protection. I also enjoy using it to anoint candles for spells and rituals to enhance the power behind them. I can also suggest adding a pinch or two (very small amount) to kitchen spell recipes to enhance its power as well, but be light with it because the flavors may not go along with what you've made.

As always, do your research, be safe, and blessed be!

Support your local witch on Ko-Fi or at my store, Hallow Grove!

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Crystal and flower grids

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We are a free to use witchcraft and paganism community on the amino app. come check us out, and join our public chats and workshops! You can find the link in my bio on my profile.

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𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐫.

[witchcraftandpaganism]

Happy Yule (northern hemisphere) and Litha (southern hemisphere)! May your days be merry, bright, and prosperous ❄️⛄☀️🌻

Note for Yule infograph #3: "Smudge" is a closed term. The appropriate label for that item would be a smoke cleansing bundle unless you are part of that practice.

Credit: elephantjournal.com, mysteriousdragonfyre.com, blessingmanifesting.com, paperwitchco, Zenned Out, lavendulamoon

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Easy Kitchen Magic Ideas

Sometimes beginning a new kind of magic can be intimidating. As someone whose craft is a majority of kitchen and herbal magics, here are some easy ideas for stepping into the world of kitchen magic.

Get wooden spoons and spatulas, and carve runes onto them. Runes such as stability, power, creativity, and calmness are all runes I recommend for kitchen magics.

Cook with moon/sun water and/or blessed oil. Blessed oil can be made in a variety of ways, so don't forget to do some research and figure out what works best for you.

There are some ingredients that have a variety of colors: bell peppers, carrots, etc. Different colors of these ingredients represent different things.

If you're like me, then you may have altar herbs and kitchen herbs. Use altar herbs in your cooking. They're infused with power that kitchen herbs may lack.

When it comes to beginning kitchen magic, figure out what ingredients you use the most and make a chart of their representations. For example, onions are great for protection, endurance, prosperity, and stability.

You don't have to start big. Start small. Like I said before: start with using moon water, blessed oil, or altar herbs. Another tip to start small is to cleanse your kitchen and set your intentions.

Baking is the way into so many hearts. Let a loaf of bread rise and cut a rune on the top before baking. You can use frozen bread dough from the grocer for this.

There are many, many small things that can be done. Do some research, find out what works best for you!

Blessed be!

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Forgiveness Oil

Sometimes forgiveness is difficult. There are times when it's impossible to forgive someone, and that's okay. Forgiveness is not necessarily a part of healing. But when small things happen and you're holding a grudge that you don't want to be holding, that grudge can weigh us down like bricks on our shoulders. If you believe in metaphysics and witchcraft, I've come up with a version of blessed oil that may help you.

This oil is extremely versatile. It can be used in spell jars, as a candle anointing oil, as well as anything else you can imagine. It's also completely edible so it can be incorporated into kitchen magic. It won't taste very good though, so, warning on that.

What you need:

A glass jar or a few dropper bottles

A jar with a sealable lid

Blender

Bowl or cup

Funnel

Fine mesh sieve

1/2 cup of liquid coconut oil (purification)

1 tablespoon dried rosemary (healing, good health, removing negativity)

1 tablespoon dried basil (healing, love, sympathy, protection, dispelling negativity)

1 tablespoon dried onion (dispelling negativity)

1 tablespoon coffee grounds (dispelling negative thoughts)

2 large dried dandelion leaves (defeating negativity)

What you'll do:

Add oil, herbs, and dandelion leaves into a blender and blend for several seconds or until it's as smooth as it can get. Feel free to stop it and let it rest for a few minutes before blending it again.

Pour the mixture into your jar with a lid and let this chill out on your counter (or in a cupboard) for a week, shaking it frequently.

Once the week is up, strain your mixture through a fine mesh sieve into your funnel, filling either a jar or a few dropper bottles.

And it's as simple as that! Like I said before, it's super versatile, so really use your imagination to use it. Spell jars are my personal go-to, but I also add a few drops to my cooking oil (just a few because it doesn't taste very good) and I've also used it as cuticle oil.

As always, do your research, rest when you need to, and blessed be.

Support your local witch on Ko-Fi or at my store, Hallow Grove!

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Marie Laveau Water

This formula is attributed to Marie Laveau, the renowned Queen of New Orleans Voodoo. Born in 1792, Marie Laveau transformed Voodoo from a surreptitious and persecuted cult into an organized, respected (or feared), established tradition. Following her death, she has achieved unofficial saint status and continues to perform miracles from her grave at New Orleans’s St. Louis Cemetery Number One.

This formula is sometimes marketed as Holy Water or as Blessing Water. It may substitute in any spell that calls for either one:

One cup rain water

One cup spring water

One cup rose water or hydrosol

One cup Holy Water

One cup lavender water, lavender hydrosol or twenty drops of essential oil of lavender

Marie Laveau Water is used for:

Psychic enhancement

Protection

Aura cleansing

Cleansing spells

(from The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells by Judika Illes)

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[witchcraftandpaganism]

Up coming festivals - August

These are picked in regards to the Netjer I have in my lineup fyi

If you would like a certain Netjer’s holidays for August feel free to send an ASK!

31-4 Epagomenal days

Aug 5th - Wep Wonpet

Aug 10-11 - Feast of Yinepu

Aug 17 - Feast of Heru

Aug 19 - Offerings to Amun-Ra

Aug 22-23 - Wag festival

Aug 26-27 Feast of Yinepu

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Importance of fragrance in Ancient Egyptian religion

Incense in myth

Egyptians believed that all beautiful scents originated from the bodies of the gods. They viewed resins and perfumes as tears, sweat, spittle or bones of the Netjeru. Fruitful trees were identified with mother goddesses and their resins could have been regarded as their menstrual blood. Those bodily fluids would be considered impure if they came from a human but coming from the gods they were beautiful, fragrant and sacred.

Some gods were associated with specific fragrances more than with others. One of such gods was Osiris - in the myths his son Horus offered him „his sweet smelling Eye, as a token of his victory over Set”. Egyptians identified the Eye of Horus with incense, particularly labdanum. Incenses could also embody Amun, „the hidden god” of invisibilie life force and air.

Egyptian pantheon included many patrons of fragrance: Merehet, goddess of unguents, Shesmu, divine patron of perfume production, Nefertem, god of incense and medicine, symbolized by a fragrant blue lotus flower, Hathor, luxury-loving goddess of femininity, joy and pleasure or even protective cat goddess Bast. Cultic importance of incense

The Egyptian word „snTr” or „s nTr” had two distinct meanings: 1) to cense, incense and 2) to make divine, to cause to make divine. Incense was thus used to provoke the manifestation of a deity during a ritual, cause them to be present there with their followers. It could also be used as a deifying agent in the process of mummification and in Opening of the Mouth ceremony (used to animate a mummy or a statue and enable them to use senses, speak and consume offerings). It is speculated that incese may not have been as much an offering to sustain the gods as a tool to feel their presence beside you.

“With all of the other senses, you think before you respond, but with scent, your brain responds before you think,” says Pam Scholder Ellen, a Georgia State University marketing professor. The sense of smell is also considered to be the most closely related to emotional reactions. The olfactory bulb is directly connected to the limbic system in the brain, which is the system related to immediate emotion in humans. 75% of emotions are generated by smell.

„To cause to make divine through smoke” by Renata Tatomir

Incense was utilised in large amounts in Egyptian temples. Plutarch mentions in his writing that frankincense was burned there in the morning, myrrh at noon and kyphi in the evening. Elliott Wise speculates that incense could be used to further vivify statues of the gods and imitate the sweat, tears and body odour of a living being, as much as to alter mental state of the ritual’s participants. Being a luxurious commodity often imported from distant lands it underlined the importance and influence of deities, giving them a perceivable aura of power. Censers used by Egyptians were often shaped like a human hand performing the gesture of offering.

Kyphi

A huge favorite of the ancients and the highest prized incense blend in Egypt was kyphi - or kapet as Egyptians called it. It was used for religious, magical and medical purposes since the Old Kingdom, first mentioned in Pyramid Texts as a substance that the king will enjoy in his afterlife. But it was more than just a luxurious and elegant offering to the gods. Plutarch appreciatively describes it’s relaxing properties and ability to “loosen daily sorrows” as well as mentiones that it was added to drinks to cleanse the body - kyphi was edible and sometimes used as a medicine. Writings mention two different types of kyphi - lunar and solar; their long and complex (28 and 36 ingredients respectively) recipes recorded by Paul of Aegina in the seventh century AD survive to this day.

Here are a few other recovered kyphi recipes: Edfu Temple

Edfu Temple kyphi was made of 16 ingredients over the course of 12 days, symbolizing 16 body parts of Osiris, gathered by Isis and Nephthys for 12 days.

The ingredients were: -raisins -wine -honey -frankincense -myrrh -mastic -pine resin -sweet flag -aspalathos -camel grass -mint -cyperus -juniper berries -pine kernels -pekers -cinnamon

Papyrus Ebers

-honey -frankincense -mastic -sweet flag -pine kernels -cyperus grass -camel grass -inektun -cinnamon

Papyrus Harris

-Raisins -Wine -Honey -Mastic -Pine Resin -Camel Grass -Mint -Sweet Flag -Cinnamon

Sources

„An Odor of Sanctity: The Iconography, Magic, and Ritual of Egyptian Incense” by Elliott Wise

„Perfume” by Lise Manniche

„Incense as a Transdisciplinary Vehicle in Ancient Egypt and Christianity. Similarities and Differences” by Renata G. Tatomir

„To cause to make divine through smoke: Ancient Egyptian incense amd perfume. An inter- and transdisciplinary re-evaluation of aromatic biotic materials used by the Ancient Egyptians” by Renata G. Tatomir