Jenay Marontate - Tea Magic: Spells, Rituals, and Divination in Your Cup

Introduction

Images of witches with cauldrons and apothecaries of herbs and roots have filled the imagination of people for generations when they think of potions, spells, and healing elixirs through tea. For others when they think of tea, the magical aspects of it are not what initially come to mind. In this case, people are reminded of the beautifully elaborate tea ceremonies in China and Japan, or the traditions of teatime in the United Kingdom. Whereas for others when they think of tea, they are taken back to their childhood when they were first introduced to the taste, aroma, and healing effects of tea.

Whatever imagery and feelings toward tea magic you have right now, as you will soon discover, there is much more to tea witchery than you likely ever imagined. You will come away with a deeper respect, appreciation, and understanding of how to joyously weave together tea, magic, witchcraft, and alchemy into your own divination practices and that of your own tea witchery.

A Foundational Understanding

Tea witchery and kitchen witchery are not something I recommend anyone jump into without proper context and respect for the potency of the magic itself. Having a foundational understanding of the healing power and magical properties of tea is what makes tea witchery powerful, pleasurable, and just plain fun!

For example, you may feel inclined to skip ahead to a chapter you are fascinated with only to find that when you go to put what you learned into practical use, the results may turn out to be much less than what you expected. This is not to suggest every time you work with tea magic you will always get what you want. It does mean, however, that with a foundational understanding and deep respect for the magic itself, coupled with a joyous, curious, focused, and grounded approach, you will stack the odds of success and enjoyment in your favor.

The first time I considered tea as a magical herb was when I was reading Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham in the early 1990s. Since then, I have been using tea and herbal infusions in a whole new way. I have gone on to learn and expand on correspondences to black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong teas, and herbal brews for magical uses in spells, charms, mojos, talismans, and potions, all of which you will learn about in the book.

Whether you are new to tea magic or are a well-initiated practitioner in tea witchery, the content, length, and order of the chapters are designed intentionally for you to get the most out of your experience with the material. While the chapters vary in length, all of them are packed full of tips, insights, wisdom, and step-by-step magical workings you can apply to your own form of tea witchery.

Not only can you quench your thirst with tea, but you can aid in healing your body, mind, and spirit. You can also use tea in spell work, charms, and potions, all of which will be detailed. I say all of this because this book will introduce you to a lot of new ideas and approaches for merging your tea with magic. Therefore, whether you are new to all of this or are well versed in tea witchery, the book will resonate with everyone differently.

A Deep Appreciation for Tea Witchery

Like tea, this book delivers a wide variety of benefits, along with a vast array of uses. I invite you to follow your inner guidance to engage with the chapters in Tea Magic as you feel called to. That said, the book is intentionally designed to be read from the introduction to the conclusion, where you will find an extensive directory of correspondences for tea and herbs.

To make the most out of what you just read, many chapters conclude with a section called Next Steps. This is a summary of the key points for that chapter, along with suggestions for everyday applications in your journey with tea, kitchen witchery, spirituality, divination, and wellness.