February the 14th - or Valentine’s Day, as it has come to be known - is heavily associated with St Valentine, the 3rd century saint, ordained on the 14th February, and associated with courtly love.
He’s also oddly associated with epilepsy and bee keeping!
But before old ‘San Valentino’ was sainted (not sure if that’s a word but it’ll do!), pagans and witches were concocting love spells, potions and tinctures for millennia beforehand.
Love magick is a staple of witchcraft. It’s often one of the first types of magick that new witches coming in to the craft (often known as “baby witches”) are interested in.
There’s a certain mystique and magickal allure to the notion of being able to affect the romantic intentions of self and others.
Whilst many of the online “love spells” are little more than tacky and frankly, unethical nonsense, there are some very real, magickal ways to practice powerful self love.
So here’s 3 of them to treat yourself to today or any day you like.
1. Self massage (or someone else)
Use lavender or jasmine essential oils to massage your hands, shoulders, neck and feet. This will help you to calm your nervous system after a busy day, and give you a little self compassion and self love. It’ll help you sleep better at night and relax your being. You could also use a rose quartz tumble stone to massage with, which will add to the depth of self love.
2. Bath time self love potion
Potions are a mainstay of witchcraft, but they don’t always have to be what you may think they are. Potions come in many forms and one form can be made in the bathtub! Infuse your bath with rose petals, Himalayan salt and lavender. Light some red or pink candles, and soak in your own self love potion. You can add another layer of self love and another potion to this ritual too, by drinking a soothing infusion of cacao and rose water, while soaking in your bathtub potion.
3. Self love mirror magick
To round off your self love practice, write out 3 things you love about yourself. Think carefully about the words you use, and be as descriptive as you can be. Use words of compassion, of love and language that you’d use to talk to someone you adore. Then light a white candle, and stand facing a mirror. Look at your face in the mirror, take in every detail. Take a few deep breaths, and read out the beautiful words you’ve written, talk to your mirror self, and tell it what you love about the person staring back at you. Notice the shift in your energy, notice how it makes you feel, the emotions it stirs within you and how loved you’ll begin to feel.
Your mirror self will convince the mind that you genuinely love yourself, as whilst it’s a reflection of you, the mirror self is not quite you. It’s the “other” you, and as such, is a separate person to the real you, which makes the brain believe what it says more. Use that to your advantage. Allow it to tell you how loved and cherished you really are, you’ll feel completely changed.
So there we are.
3 great acts of self love magick you can try today, and whatever the day holds for you, whether you’re in a relationship or single, however you choose to spend it, be kind to yourself, love yourself.
Love exists, always - sometimes we just need to stop and listen long enough to hear it.
For more musings, why not join the Facebook group Beneath The Canopy?