Anais Alexandre - Potions, Elixirs & Brews: A modern witches grimoire of drinkable spells

POTIONS, ELIXIRS & BREWS

ANAS ALEXANDRE

First published in the UK and USA in 2020

by Watkins Media Limited

Unit 11, Shepperton House, 8393

Shepperton Road

London N1 3DF

Copyright Watkins Media Limited 2020

Text copyright Anas Alexandre 2020

Artwork copyright Lolle (Lorenza Scarsi) 2020

The right of Anas Alexandre to be identified as the Author of this text has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Commissioning Editor: Ella Chappell

Managing Designer: Francesca Corsini

Production: Uzma Taj

Commissioned artwork: Lolle (Lorenza Scarsi)

loll3.tumblr.com

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-78678-434-6 (Hardback)

ISBN: 978-1-78678-450-6 (eBook)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Typeset in Statendam, Brandon Grotesque,

Harman.

Printed in Ukraine

Publishers note

While every care has been taken in compiling the recipes for this book, Watkins Media Limited, or any other persons who have been involved in working on this publication, cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, inadvertent or not, that may be found in the recipes or text, nor for any problems that may arise as a result of preparing one of these recipes. The information in this book is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice and treatment. If you are pregnant or are suffering from any medical conditions or health problems, it is recommended that you consult a medical professional before following any of the advice or practice suggested in this book. Neither the author nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any injuries or damage incurred as a result of following the information, exercises or therapeutic techniques contained in this book.

Notes on the recipes

Unless otherwise stated:

Use medium fruit and vegetables.

Use medium (US large) organic or free-range eggs. Use fresh herbs, spices and chillies.

Use granulated sugar. (Americans can use ordinary granulated sugar when caster sugar is specified.)

Do not mix metric, imperial and US cup measurements:

1 tsp = 5ml 1 tbsp = 15ml 1 cup = 240ml

watkinspublishing.com

I dedicate this book to all the magickians whove supported me from day one, to my brother who has always known how powerful I can be, and to my beloved muggle boyfriend Alex, who believes in the magick that is inside me.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Its understandable that when you think of the terms witch and potion, the first thing that comes to mind is that iconic imagery of an old hag stirring her cauldron as wisps of steam rise from a mysterious liquid that bubbles and toils. This imagery has lingered on through generations, a testament to how powerful the archetype of the witch truly is. This archetype lives on and has evolved to meet todays technological and cultural advancements. Witches order spell correspondences off Amazon Prime (more on these later), shop for potion ingredients at the supermarket and sell their magickal wares on Etsy and Shopify, and at your local farmers market. Every witch worth their salt knows how powerful the right potion can be. You might have picked this book up never having thought about potion-making before and are intrigued enough to give it a try. No matter if youre a seasoned witch, a baby witch just starting on their path or a curious purveyor of witchy cocktail concoctions, it might be time for you to tap into your own innate power and magick through the art of potion-making!

Potions are a cornerstone of witchcraft, yet many witches tend to avoid this kind of magick because it seems too complex or difficult in comparison to other spells or magickal workings. In reality, all of us are already expert potion makers and have been brewing potions most of our lives!

Have you ever made chicken soup for a sick friend, baked your bestie a birthday cake, cooked a romantic meal for a Tinder date or made yourself an extra-energizing cup of coffee in the morning? If you said yes to any of these then you already know the power of potions. The only difference between your grande pumpkin spice latte and an actual magickal potion is the intention that went into creating it.

The real magick behind potion-making is simple. Youll soon find within the pages of this book that imbuing your potion with the energy of magickal intention can transform a mundane cup of coffee or cocktail into a magickal brew!

So if you want to add potion-making to your magickal practice, dabble in crafty coffee-making or if you just want to mix a fun cocktail with your buddies this weekend, this is the book for you. Heres everything you need to know to get started with potions.

MEET THE AUTHOR

*STANDS UP*

Hi! Im Anas Alexandre, and Im a witch.
*the room yells in unison, Hi Anas!*

For as long as I can remember Ive always had a fascination with magic (a mundane term to denote fantasy in the media and sleight-of-hand stage magic) which slowly evolved into a fascination for real magick (the force that manifests change in your reality).

At first this meant I speed-read books like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and played fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons, The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher franchise. I think my love for all things fantasy led me to believe that mysteries were really outside the scope of possibility, only making themselves apparent as brief glimpses you could shrug off as coincidence. When I wasnt playing games I was sitting in the New Age aisle of Barnes & Noble with a stack of books up to my shoulder on subjects like astral projection, lucid dreaming, guardian angels, sigils, anything by Scott Cunningham, herbalism and tarot. For hours on end, day after day, I would be found sitting in my usual spot, straight up loitering and reading as much as I could before an employee would finally shoo me away or ask if I was ever going to buy something. The answer was always a polite, No, Im good thanks! with a sly smile knowing Id be in the same spot tomorrow.

Throughout the years Id also had my fair share of otherworldly occurrences, from seeing a spirit in my kitchen, seeing glowing orbs float around the house, hearing voices of people who werent there, knowing who was calling or at the door before any bell rang, and wishing things I really wanted into existence. Some of these occurrences were easier to dismiss than others, and while they did simultaneously frighten and intrigue me, what scared me more was bringing up these experiences to my religiously conservative and strict family. I taught myself how to self-soothe during those stressful moments and powered through them like the double Aries I am.