BOOK NOOK; My Top Five Magical Nest-Making Titles

It's spring time which means it is time to set about spring cleaning and sprucing up the house.  There is nothing quite like a sunny spring day to make a girl want to break out of winter's lethargy and go nuts with the mop and bucket.  I like to make a list of all the things that need to be done in the house; this can be somewhat daunting but the trick is to tackle one task at a time.  If you try to spring clean the entire house in one go, you will probably get disheartened even before you begin!  So take it one room at a time, day by day, and it will take as long as it takes.

Now is a great time to go through magical supplies and to give everything a thorough cleansing.  It is also a good idea to pass on anything which you do not use, this includes books, films, CD's, clothes and so on.  Box it all up and ship it out to a charity organisation.  In this way you are making space for new opportunities to come into your life and at the same time, you are giving a little bit of help to those who need it.  If you know someone who is having a tough time of late then donate your unwanted magical  books to that person; you might be introducing them to a whole new path of positive vibes.  

Over the next couple of weeks I plan to do a massive sort out and spring clean of my house.  I do this every year and I touched on it in my book How to Create a Magical Home. I like to get everything ship shape and sparkling, and to declutter all the stuff which I feel might be holding me back or which keeps me stuck in the past.  Reminders of old relationships, old friendships that have gone sour, old dreams which no longer serve you - get rid of it all and make space for positive experiences to enchant your life and your home.  Be ruthless!! The more you throw out the better you will feel.  I always feel especially lighthearted after a sort out.  Throw the windows open, play some fun music and burn new spring scented candles.  Then add a touch of magic to your home.  The following books will make spring cleaning seem like child's play, so put some enchantment into your environment.

My Top Five Magical Nest-Making Books


1. Spirit of the Home by Jane Alexander


2. The Magical Household by Scott Cunningham & David Harrington


3. Cottage Witchery by Ellen Dugan


4. Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson


5. Magical Hearth by Janet Thompson


Jane Alexander is my fellow columnist at Spirit&Destiny magazine and her book is my main go-to for those days when I want to feel inspired about where I live.  What I love about Jane's book is that she makes it clear that we are merely the current custodians of our homes, and so we can never really be trapped even if we live somewhere less than ideal. Jane's book will make you look at your home in a completely different way.
Scott Cunningham was a popular pagan author and his book of household magic is well written and suitable for all magical abilities.  Ellen Dugan listened to her instincts and ended up writing a book of cottage witchery rather than the project she had stalled on - I for one am glad she did, its a fantastic book, full of easy to work spell-castings.  Cait Johnson's book of kitchen witchery might not look like your cup of tea if, like me, you don't enjoy cooking; but don't be put off by the title as this book is about so much more than recipes - it is a tome which encourages the reader to reconnect with the sacred hearth, the heart of the home.  Finally Janet Thompson has created a book of house magic which includes everything from tea spells to cat magic!  Each of these titles will make you eager to find the lost magic of home-making, which is one of the most traditional feminine arts. Once all the house work is done you can curl up with a cup of herbal tea and be proud of a job well done.  Every witch deserves a magical home...so put a spell in your spring cleaning and turn your home into an enchanted palace of magical possibility.

www.amazon.co.uk
www.spirit&destiny.co.uk