Theresa Hoiles - Love, Luck, And Lore: A Guide to Superstitions, Prayers, Spells, and Taking Chances in Pursuit Of Love

First published in 2006 by Conari Press,

an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

York Beach, ME

With offices at:

368 Congress Street

Boston, MA 02210

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2006 Theresa Hoiles and Elizabeth Carr

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hoiles, Theresa.

Love, luck, and lore: a guide to superstitions, prayers, spells, and taking chances in the pursuit of love / by Theresa Hoiles and Elizabeth Carr; illustrations by Robin Campbell.

p. cm.

ISBN 1-57324-204-7 (alk. paper)

1. Charms. 2. Aphrodisiacs. 3. Incantations. 4. Love. I. Carr, Elizabeth, 1970- II. Title.

GR600.H645 2006

398'.41dc22

2005025561

Typeset in Adobe Minion, Agfa Bliss, and Font Diner by Kathleen Wilson Fivel

Printed in Canada

TCP

13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

www.redwheelweiser.com

www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter

Thank you to all the storytellers and matchmakers who have kept mating and dating rituals alive and spirited throughout the centuries. And to all the single girls who have not given up on love. Thank you to our friends who have given us dating advice and a shoulder to cry on over the years. Thank you to those who trusted us with their hearts and sought our guidance; your success in love gave us the confidence to write these pages.

We'd like to thank Dave and Cathy Austin for introducing us to our agent Bill Gladstone. Thank you to Bill for believing in us and dubbing us datable enough to sign, Kimberly Valentini for pitching on our behalf, and Conari Press for thinking what we wrote was worth publishing. To Robin Campbell, thanks for the adorable illustrations, we love them. And thanks to Linda Sunshine, Marni Kamins, and Janice MacLeod and Michael Kun for their expert advice. Finally, we would like to thank the companies that folded in order to give us the time to write this book!

Theresa would like to thank ...

My husband Dave, who is my inspiration; my Mom who has always believed in me; my brothers Nick and Victor and all my family for all their continued encouragement; and, to my friends Rebecca Terlizzi, Michelle Dodge, D'Arcy Nicola, Stephanie Serge, Jennifer Goldberg, Rodney Henson, Jon Gaster, Heidi Rataj, George Putnam, Bernadette McNamara, and the Whittier gang, thank your for all your help and support.

Elizabeth would like to thank ...

My Mom and Dad who have encouraged my creativity and independence. Thank you to my brothers Ryan and Jonathan, my sister-in-law Jessica, and the rest of my family for always being my rock. Thank you to Kara Delle Donne, Shea Perlita, and Raven for giving me the tools, the Seinfeld group for their encouragement, and all my girlfriends who keep me laughing and smiling!

Welcome, ladies!

Whether you have been a wallflower or are out there dating like crazy, you are certain to learn something new in the pages of this book. We have collected old, new, fun, and odd ways to get out there and find the guy you have been looking for. From simple taskssuch as changing your daily routine (where you buy your morning coffee) or wearing a ring on the first finger of your left handto more detailed love spells and dream divinations, these ideas are here to remind you that your heart is open to love.

The key to finding love is to stay positive, open-hearted, and focused on the type of love you want in your life.

There is a saying that when you put something out to the universe, you get it back tenfold.

Here's your chancetake it!

The word spell evokes visions of pointy black hats and cauldrons, while aphrodisiacs elicit visions of the elusive Venus flytrap. The truth is, aphrodisiacs and spells are some of the most fun, creative, and mysterious ways to find love. Tools to bring love into your life are all around you. Flowers and candles at the corner store, the gems in your jewelry box, and even the salt on your dinner table all have the power to bring you visions of loveit's all in the way you use them. The most important thing is to focus your energy on your efforts; this is the time when the strength of your intentions counts as much as the task at hand. Ask yourself, Who am I really looking for?

Enjoy titillating your senses with wonderful concoctions and incantations!

Lady Montagu was the wife of the British ambassador living in Turkey from 1716 to 1718. She is credited with introducing the sophisticated and subtle language of flowers to the Western world. This code began in the harem, as a way of sending covert messages. Below are the flowers associated with love, romance, and courtship. Send a covert message to someone you'd like to get to know better.

Amethyst: Admiration

Carnation, red: Admiration

Carnation, striped: I wish I could be with you

Carnation, white: Sweet and lovely

Chrysanthemum: A heart left to desolation; Truth

Chrysanthemum, red: I love you

Daffodil: Unrequited love or regard

Gardenia: Secret love

Geranium, Rose: I prefer you; Melancholy

Heliotrope: I adore you; Devotion

Honeysuckle: Sweet and secret love

Iris: Wisdom; Hope; Your friendship means so much to me

Ivy: Friendship; Wedded love

Jonquil: Desire; Affection returned

Lilac: New love

Mistletoe: Kiss me

Myrtle: Love; Jewish symbol of marriage

Orange blossom: Marriage and fruitfulness

Peony: Happy marriage; Ostentation; Anger

Red rose: I love you

Rosebud: Confession of love

Tulip, red: Declaration of love

Zinnia, purple: Lasting affection

Use the power of perfume to attract a man by creating a love potpourri. Keep some at home, or take some to work. Try mixing these ingredients:

Fresh rose petals (2 handfuls)

Fresh jasmine petals ( handful)

Ylang-ylang oil (3 drops)

Put it all in a plastic bag, shake it up, and pour it into pretty bowls. Decorate your entrance hall, your bedroom, and your desk at work. It is sure to attract compliments and conversation. You could even put some in a cloth pouch and carry it in your pocket or purse to use the aroma to draw a suitor near.

Where to find it

Ylang-ylang oil can be found at your local natural foods store or at various online nutritional supplement sites.