By Melanie Harris
Halloween is a night of darkness, intrigue, and mystery. What better way to celebrate than with some some good old-fashioned magic? Here are my adaptations of a few Halloween rituals that have been passed down through generations.
The 3 Saucers: Fill one saucer with clean water and one saucer with muddy water. Leave a third saucer empty. Place these on a table or other flat surface. Blindfold the querent and ask them to focus their thoughts on a question. Have them approach the table and touch the first saucer they feel drawn to. If they touch the muddy water saucer, it signifies failure of an endeavor, or a “no” response. The clear water signifies success, a “yes,” and the empty saucer signifies that your fortune is unclear. (Adapted from a ritual found in The Complete Book of Fortune, 1935 or 1936 by Associated Newspapers, LTD.)
Hemp and Poppy: Take some hemp seeds or poppy seeds outside at night and toss the seeds on the ground. Say, “Hempseed (or poppy seed), I sow thee. Come after me and show me.” Turn quickly on the spot; you will see an image of your true love. (Adapted from a ritual found in The Complete Book of Fortune, 1935 or 1936 by Associated Newspapers, LTD.)
Mashed Potatoes: Mix up a large bowl of mashed potatoes, then stir in symbolic trinkets such as a coin, a bell, a thimble, an acorn, or anything else you fancy. Decide on the mystical meaning of each charm before you begin. For example, the coin could symbolize wealth, the bell a life of love, the thimble a life of hard work, and the acorn good luck and happiness. Sit in complete darkness, and dig into the potatoes with a fork until you unearth a trinket and reveal your fortune. (Adapted from a ritual found in The Complete Book of Fortune, 1935 or 1936 by Associated Newspapers, LTD.)
Cotton Balls: Set one bowl of cotton balls next to an empty bowl, leaving about a foot of space in between. Blindfold the querent and hand them a spoon. Ask them to think of a yes or no question. The querent then attempts to spoon the cotton balls into the empty dish, holding their hand well above the bowl as they drop them in. When the querent is finished, remove the blindfold and count the cotton balls that ended up in the once-empty dish. An odd number signifies an answer of “yes,” an even number, a “no.” This can be a funny game to watch, as the cotton balls are so lightweight that it’s hard to tell whether or not you have one on the spoon.
Halloween Wish Powder: Crush together some bay and nutmeg, and cast this into the air while making a special Halloween wish. Do this three times, on the night of the 29th and 30th, and at sundown on Halloween.
May these ideas help spice up your Halloween spooking!