Practical Magic
No, I’m not talking about the excellent novel or movie (or sequel), but to things you can do in your everyday life to make things a bit more magical.
Some of them are things you may already do, without even giving thought to the fact that you are doing anything magical at all!
In the morning
In the shower, envision the water removing any energetic dust bunnies from your personal energy field (or aura). Picture the water pulling any negativity from others off of you or out of your field, and washing it down the drain. Notice how the warmth of the water helps to calm your nervous system and make you feel nurtured. Do what you can to ensure that you maintain that feeling of being cared for as you get out of the shower—maybe making sure the door to the bathroom was closed to keep the heat in the room with you, or being sure to use a thick, fluffy towel (or a bath sheet), or putting on a warm robe.
As you get dressed, select clothing that feels the way you want to feel for the day. Do you want to feel protected? Consider wearing something black, since black is a protective color. Do you want to feel grounded? Think of browns, reds, or deep orange tones. Do you need to speak up? Consider wearing blue to help you get in touch with your throat chakra.
If you want to work with the energy of the various days and the planets that rule them, there are colors associated with the days of the week: Monday is white to represent the moon, Tuesday is red for Mars, Wednesday is green for Mercury, Thursday is yellow for Jupiter, Friday is pink for Venus, Saturday is black for Saturn, and Sundays are orange for the sun. You don’t have to go head to toe—underwear, socks, or even an accessory can be enough to call in the energy of the planet (and possibly the ruling god or goddess) associated with the day.
Fixing yourself a morning beverage with the intention of waking up, calming down, or feeling present in your space. It doesn’t matter if it’s water with lemon, hot or cold tea or coffee, a smoothie, or something else. If you are engaging with it as a means of setting the tone for the day, or feeling present in the moment, you are already doing magic. You can make it more magical by stirring it with intention: clockwise to usher in protection or positive things; counterclockwise or anti-clockwise if you want to banish something. You can speak your intention to your cup as you stir to amp it up.
When I make coffee at home, I tend to start with a spoonful of mushroom cacao, then add my coffee and stir clockwise, while focusing on the idea of improving focus and mental acuity. I add half & half (or oat “half & half”), while stirring clockwise and thinking about adding richness to my life (meaning richness of experience). I add a bit of sweetener (usually sugar), stirring clockwise, to add sweetness and wealth to my life. And then I add a bit of ground cinnamon for magic & abundance, and the tiniest bit of ground cloves for protection, and stir that in as well.
Want a bit of magical social justice work that is relevant right now? Remove a bit of ice from your ice-cube maker (if you have one), and tossing it into the sink to let it melt away to nothing. If you want to, you can say something like “as this ice melts away, so does the threat to my neighbors and those at risk”. If you want to hurry things along, you can sprinkle some salt on top of it to make it melt quicker, or rinse it with water—washing away all negativity. You can make your wish “spicy” by sprinkling some hot pepper flakes on it as well. Side benefit: most ice makers work better if they work regularly, so emptying some ice from your freezer allows that ice maker to do its job.
In the evening
When you get home, be a bit like Mr. Rogers: take your shoes off (put on dry socks if you need socks, and/or put on slippers that stay home); make yourself a bit more comfortable, including removing your bra, putting on softer clothes, or adding a comfy sweater. You are leaving the outside energy outside, and wrapping yourself in the energy of home.
Fix yourself a favorite beverage: could be hot, like tea or coffee or a hot toddy, or cold, including wine, beer, or something else. Sit down for just a few minutes with your beverage and feel yourself being home. Ground into the space, so that you are here, now. Take just a few minutes to yourself, even if you have to shut yourself in your bathroom to get it, so that you have a transition between the outside world and home.
Light a candle. Go ahead and curse at the darkness, if you want to. If you have an ancestor altar (which can be as simple as an area of a shelf with photos of loved ones who have crossed over), consider lighting a candle for them, or at least acknowledging them, saying hello, maybe telling them a bit about your day. Whatever candle you light, take a minute to look at the flame and appreciate the light and warmth.
If you are feeling jangly from the day or have lingering nagging thoughts about a person or interaction from the day, clear your own energy (you can get my free Energy Clearing resource here) and/or perform an energetic cord cutting. Here is an example of how it word: if Gladys from work was on your last nerve and thinking of her continues to bug you, first ground your energy—take a couple deep breaths and feel your connection to the earth below and your openness to the sky above. Picture Gladys standing across from you, and imagine the energy bond that runs between you as a physical cord: you want to remove its attachment to you, which you can do by (a) pulling the cord out of your own body, hand over hand until you feel it’s no longer attached or (b) cutting the cord by swinging your arm through the imagined cord in a swift, slicing motion, with the intent of severing the tie. You can also cut it with imaginary scissors, if you prefer.
A reminder: you can cut an energy cord with anyone, at any time. It can even be someone you love deeply, but who is draining your energy. Interacting with that person will re-establish a new cord that has less “weight” handing on it.
Want to learn more about energy practices, and how to work with energy in your home and person? I offer one-hour coaching sessions that are energy based to help you learn how to do all of this, and to feel comfortable and confident while doing it. More information can be found here.
If you are interested in joining with other women who are interested in practical magic and in honoring the seasons with intention, you are invited to join me for Imbolc.
Imbolc, February 1, 2026
Join me in circle via Zoom from 4 pm EST to 5:15 pm EST to observe Imbolc. We will be doing some candle magic, setting some intentions, and releasing things that no longer serve us. Tickets are $33 each.