I absolutely love simmer pots! I honestly can not praise them enough! Not only do they leave your house smelling amazing, are usually pretty inexpensive to do, but did you know they are jam packed full of magical energy and properties?
I recently learned most people including witches and pagans don’t know this about them!
Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year!
Simmer pots are easy to create and customise to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want!
In this blog post I will dive into the magic of simmer pots, how to use them, what they can do for you in a magical sense, and go over how to do a refreshing spring simmer pot!
First what is an actual simmer pot?
Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home.
Simmer pots also lack the harsh toxins that are packed into conventional air freshener sprays and many scented candles. Just fresh ingredients from your kitchen! No fake fragrances or toxic chemicals needed.
One more benefit, they can likely be crafted with things you already have in your kitchen making them a convenient and inexpensive solution.
What makes a simmer pot magical?
Aside from making your house smell divine, one of the ways simmer pots are magical is they incorporate all of the natural elements – making it a fun way to bring a connection with nature and the environment to your space.
You do this simply by creating it.
EARTH
The first step to creating a simmer pot is to choose the herbs, spices, plants and other foods that will go into your concoction
WATER
Once you’ve put all of your botanical ingredients in the pot, you will fill the pot 2/3 with water.
FIRE/HEAT
The fire element is added when you turn on your stove top burner and start heating up your simmer pot. You’ll want to bring it to gentle simmer
AIR
The steam from your simmer pot will circulate the scent and magic of your simmer pot throughout your space. And sending the energy of your spell, intention, manifestation, or ritual into the air, your sacred space and the multiverse.
This is my favorite part and why I find them so magical. The amount of magical energy being released into your space out into the multiverse and than inhaled back into your soul through your lungs is astounding and intoxicating.
Simmer pots also leverage the magical and mysterious properties of herbs and other plants making it great way to practice kitchen witchcraft even if cooking or baking isn’t really your thing.
The magic behind the ingredients
Different simmer pot rituals can be created with different herbs, spices, and foods. Tune into abundance, peace, health, peace – you name it! – depending on what you add to your pot.
We mustn’t forget that the herbs, spices, and whole foods housed in our kitchens all carry their own energies and magickal properties.
So let’s use those items to assist us in manifesting our goals. You’ll easily be able to create a simmer pot that aligns with your intentions and smells delicious!
Below are different ingredients and their associations. Remember you can add anything to these in any combination you want to fit your own personal needs and intentions!
Lavender – Purification, intuition, good luck, calm, peace, balance
Cinnamon – Love, passion, purification, money, success, strength
Clove – Protection, love, clarity, stress relief, truth
Star Anise – Protection, Banish evil, clarity
Oranges – Love, luck, money, happiness
Lemon – Longevity, purification, love, happiness, friendship
Vanilla Bean – Love, passion, strength, intelligence
Rose – Love, invigoration, stimulation
Verbena/Vervain – Good fortune, healing
Cardamom – Clarity, courage, direction
Pepper – Courage, warding off jealousy
Capers – Romance, fertility
Nutmeg – Health
Mint – Virtue, protection
Ginger – Protection from evil
Bay Laurel – Victory, success
Calendula – Healing, warmth, sunshine
Sage – Wisdom
Lemon Grass – Clarity
Lilac – Youth
Marjoram – Peace, harmony, happiness
Oregano – Joy
So, what can simmer pots be used for?
Now, that you know what they are, what can go in and how they are magical what can you use them for?
SO MUCH! You have endless possibilities. You can use them to manifest, set intentions, cleanse, purify, protection, to connect to the deity Cerridwen, and more!
Below is a list of some ideas for you!
SUCCESS & CONFIDENCE
PROTECTION & CLARITY
ABUNDANCE & WEALTH
PROSPERITY & LUCK
CLEANSING & HEALING
How do you make one?
When I do a simmer pot with a specific intention in mind I follow these simple steps to incorporate my magick and mind into the process.
Step 1: Gather The Herbs
First, I select the herbs and aromatics I want to use. I try to select herbs that match the overall vibe of the intentions I’m setting for the season. Or for that specific ritual, spell, or manifestation.
Step 2: Set your intentions very clear in your mind and don’t lose sight of them for the entire process.
Visualize your desired outcome or goal for the magickal work you are doing. Are you aiming to create happiness in the home, or more money in your wallet? Whatever it may be focus on what you want the outcome to look like. Continue with the visualization and stirring until it feels right to finish. You’ll know when!
You may recite your goal, a chant, or ritual words while you stir as well. Something pertaining to your desired outcome.
Step 3: Next, I fill my pot with water ( Fill the pot two thirds full of water. You can just use water from your kitchen sink.) and add all the herbs and aromatics into the pot except for the bay leaves. ( If using them and I almost always am for these)
Step 4:Then I bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.
Then turn down the temperature until it is simmering gently – similar to making soup.
*Once the water starts to get low, you can always add more water, allowing the the pot to simmer longer.
Step 5: set your intentions again
Once the water is simmering, I take each bay leaf and write my intentions on them. It could be the same intention written on several leaves or unique intentions written on each one. Then I take each intention in my hands, close my eyes, and take a few deep breaths. I try to connect with it and really feel what the intention will be like when it manifests. If you’re good at visualizing, you could spend a few minutes visualizing the intention.
After I’ve spent a few minutes with the intention, I place the bay leaf in the simmer pot. Then I repeat for the rest of my intention. Once all the bay leaf intentions have been added to the pot, I stir the pot a few times clockwise and imagine the simmer pot dispersing the energy of the herbs throughout my home
*stir the pot clockwise. Unless you are doing a banishing or releasing spell, in that case stir the pot counter clockwise.
step 6: And that’s about it! I just let the simmer pot do its thing for the day, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t run out of water. At the end of the day, I dispose of the herbs in my little compost bin (I pick out the citrus first). Usually, it’s suggested that herbs used in rituals be returned to the earth when you’re finished, so you could bury them outside. But if that’s just not an option, I think it’s ok to just thank the herbs and dispose of them in the garbage!
Spring Refresh simmer pot
With Imbolc just behind us and spring looming ahead here is a simmer pot recipe for a magical spring refresh!
