Creating Love

a guide to finding and attracting love

Also by the author The Seven Rays Psychic Self-Defense

Creating Love
a guide to finding and attracting love

Samantha Stevens

INSOMNIAC PRESS

Copyright 2004 by Samantha Stevens All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from Access Copyright, i Yonge Street, Suite 1900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E iE5Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Stevens, Samantha, 1960Creating love : a guide to finding and attracting love / Samantha Stevens. ISBN 1-894663-72-1 i. LoveReligious aspects. I. Title. BL626.4.Sy2 2004 2O4'.4 C2OO4-9O3949-O

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program. Printed and bound in Canada Insomniac Press 192 Spadina Avenue, Suite 403 Toronto, Ontario, Canada, MjT 2C2 www.insomniacpress.com

Table of Contents Introduction: What is Love? Chapter One: Soulmate or Karmic Lesson? Chapter Two: Smile Millionaires Chapter Three: The Power of the Spoken Word Chapter Four: Tools For Manifestation Chapter Five: Candle Burning Rituals Chapter Six: Angels and Saints of Love Chapter Seven: Gods and Goddesses of Love Chapter Eight: Charms and Talismans Chapter Nine: Love is in the Earth: Herb, Roots and Plants Chapter Ten: Love is in the Earth: Rocks, Stones and Gems Chapter Eleven: Little Love Rituals Chapter Twelve: The Tablet of Venus Chapter Thirteen: Kitchen Witchery Chapter Fourteen: Feng Shui for Love Chapter Fifteen: The Ten Cosmic Laws of Love 6 9 28 35 48 65 75 79 84 88 96 100 118 121 136 138

Samantha Stevens

Introduction
What is Love? The intention of this book is to examine how various cultures have used magic or soul work to manifest love. However, love is not so much a goal as an action. Perhaps the main value of the exercises and rituals included in this collection is that they get the ball rolling in terms of encouraging an individual to "fake it 'til they make it." After all, practicing magic or rituals is just another way of acting out your intentions. However, before deciding to embark on some of the practices in this book, remember the old adage "Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it!" Unfortunately, most people fit in with Oscar Wilde's definition of love: "love is the desire to be desired by someone else." The failure of love is also the failure of others to be a positive reflection of who we think we are. Love is something we want, yet, so many times, we refuse to give it ourselves. It is an expectation. Yet so few of us take the time to examine what it is that we have to offer others in a relationship. In today's modern world, love is often reduced to an opportunity to act out our socalled passions (which are often neuroses) on individuals that we believe are our soulmates. In my experience, true love that is Divinely inspired is more than just a flattering reflection of our desires. Love is not love if it is accompanied by feelings that are antithetical to its nature, such as resentment, jealousy, anxiety, lust or attachment. Love is an easy, effortless way of being, as opposed to infatuation or obsession. True love cannot exist in a state of duality. It is a healthy, holistic condition. That is

Creating Love

why they say we cannot love another until we have learned to love ourselves. Hating yourself and expecting to love others is a duplicit state. Use the mirror of the Higher Self as the measure by which you judge yourself, not through the approval or rejection of others. Love is the result of performing actions that are based on truths that satiate the soul. You know you are basking in a state of actual love if you feel a deep sense of stillness, well being and peace of mind. You can believe that you have found a soulmate but still feel lonely or empty inside. That something that is missing from the relationship may not be the fault of another person, it may be the fault of your own absence. If you have an expectation of receiving love, you might be unable to commit fully to the idea of giving love. Most of us perceive loveespecially conditional love as something that is not acquired unless we make a big sacrifice. Love is not about the fine art of compensation. If a situation splits your mind or soul in two, then it is not love, as love does not have a duplicit nature. Love IS and IS OF itself. Creating love is not about owning another person. It is about generating a cycle of energy that easily regenerates to create more love. To create love, you must welcome the well-being and happiness of yourself and of others into your heart. This includes your worst enemy. Otherwise, you are simply creating the kind of divisions that are antithetical to love's autonomous self-sustenance. People who seem to be "lucky" in love, who always seem to create loving relationships and be friends with each other, tend to share some practices in common. They take care of their health, see choices and options where others see none, find happiness in living in the

Samantha Stevens

present, and give love freely without expecting approval in return. This self-love is crucial as it raises your vibration in accordance with the principle of "like attracts like." If you are anxious or attached to finding love, then you will only attract more anxiety and anxious attachments into your life. If you feel that love must cost you in some way, then you will probably lead a life that is enslaved by this notion. When it comes to love, you usually name the game you are playing with your attitudes and perceptions. If you believe that you destroy the thing you love, then you probably will. If you believe that each person has only one soulmate in life, and that you met him or her twenty years ago and that was that, then you probably won't be given the opportunity to love anyone else in the future. Part of creating love is creating the perception that we live in a benevolent Universe where there is a supply for every demand. It is about faith in your own ability to create a successful life-script for yourself by naming the world you live in as a place that is filled with unlimited love, abundance and opportunity. Cultivating your own unlimited capacity to love encourages this belief. If you are worried about love, then you do not love. Love and anxiety are not compatible states. To be truly loving, you must become unattached to lust and desire. Love can be compared to the most powerful chemical in the Universe. It dissolves and negates all things that are not of itself. Creating love is about finding that point of stillness inside that can help you manifest your own capabilities to inspire others to love you.

Creating Love

Chapter One
Soulmate or Karmic Lesson? The idea of the soulmate, or the twin flame, is probably one of the most controversial concepts in metaphysics. The idea is that each and every one of us is born into this life Fated to be with one special person, and part of our mission on Earth is to find that person and build a future with him or her. Sometimes this individual is interpreted to be someone we have known in a past life that we must connect with again. Some mystics believe that the soulmate is actually two parts of one or two souls that make up something greateran Ubersoul. Meeting your soulmate is supposed to be evidence of advancement on your spiritual path. My personal opinion is that this notion has caused a great deal of delusion and distress among people who have been convinced that they are lost, incomplete or inferior because they have yet to find a soulmate. Many people also stay with an incompatible or abusive partner for much longer than they should simply because of what I call the "soulmate excuse." The "soulmate excuse" is antithetical to creating love, because you are predisposed to owning, taking over, possessing or merging with another's soul. Love's prime directive is the exact oppositethe achievement of Soul Freedom. This means the achievement of Soul Freedom for both you and the supposed soulmatelove is not about "taking hostages," it is about peace of mind. If you look at your life realistically, you will see that you have attracted a series of individuals that you did, at one point or another, perceive as soulmates. These individuals were not failures or mistakes. Who is to say

Samantha Stevens

10

that you can't have more than one soulmate in your life? Soulmates often appear in our lives to trigger an advancement or great leap forward on our spiritual path. The person we attract is often the logical consequence of all our former actions from this life (and from past lives if you choose to believe so). One definite sign that you are about to learn a great Karmic Lesson is if the person you believe to be a soulmate seems very familiar to you as if you have known him or her in a past life. This is an indication that you are either about to repeat a mistake or experience payback from your own misdeeds in the past. Soulmate or Idiot? Frankly, when I hear the word "soulmate" I tend to give a little'shudder, especially when I think about some of the people in my past that I have considered to be my soulmates. To be honest, most of my soulmates were idiots! The Buddha would say they were also my teacherspeople I have known in a previous lifetime who have returned to teach me a lesson. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes several soulmates to teach us just one lesson. Usually the lesson is about overcoming negative emotional traits, such as jealousy, insecurity, possessiveness, controlling behavior, fear of abandonment and rejection, learning to let go and co-dependency in general. Most people think that they have found their soulmate just because they feel a strong connection to a person. Unfortunately, that connection may not have anything to do with spirituality at all. It is amazing how easily lust and familiarity can convince us that we are spiritually connected to someone. You can tell your soulmate is an idiot, if he or she left

Creating Love

you eight months ago and you feel like he or she is still hanging around in your aura, or even worse, visiting you in dreams, or plaguing you with unwanted thoughts. It's time to evict this tenant from your cosmic field. Just because you dream about someone, see omens or feel haunted by memories from an individual, doesn't mean they are significant. You could simply be experiencing obsession as a neurotic reaction to abandonment. When it comes to soulmates, I subscribe to Oprah's theory that everybody is your soulmate. In theory, you don't have to have sex with every soulmate you meet a soulmate can also be a child, a relative, a coworker or even a good friend. One of the hazards of getting involved sexually and emotionally with someone who we believe was sent to us by God, or who we think was sent to us as "an angel on Earth," is that we often become overly attached to them and have trouble severing the connection. Notice how anyone you've broken up with doesn't qualify as a soulmate, but anyone who has dumped you ALWAYS makes the grade? Ironically, you hear most people describe tfce last person who dumped them as their one and only soulmate. If they were so great, then why didn't they stick around to build a future with you? Oh, right, your soulmate was an idiot, too. It's OK to admit your soulmate is an idiot, by the way. It makes the angels laugh. Forget meditation. There's nothing that dissolves bad karma better than good humor. What's Up With Unconditional Love? I'm a little disillusioned with the term unconditional love. It's just not "natural." The phrase has been used for decades by psychologists, therapists and the self-indulgent to describe how you should cope with impossible

Samantha Stevens

12

behavior. The original principle behind the concept of unconditional love was to help people being abused accept their unfortunate, romantic choice so that they did not live in a perpetual state of resentment towards their partner. You, as the co-dependent (i.e. the one who is being hurt) is supposed to see your partner as "sick" and not blame him or her for their actions. You're supposed to love and care for the adulterer, batterer, gambler, manic-depressive or alcoholic the same way you would someone who has the flu. Husband comes home drunk? Sober him up with cups of black coffee and a dose of your totally devoted, unconditional love. Boyfriend unfaithful? That's OK, because you have unconditional love for him that will last for an eternity. Girlfriend rack up your credit cards again with her compulsive shopping? Fine. You'll take care of the bills because your love for her is undying and unconditional and you've told yourself "I'll always love her, no matter what." There is no surer way of lowering your personal vibration than to settle for these kinds of situations. Sooner or later you experience the shadow side of lovepower struggles, ego struggles and co-dependency. Those of us who have been there know that we can only comfort ourselves with the concept of unconditional love for so long, until the relationship becomes too expensiveemotionally, socially and financially. This is often more serious than the consequences we submit to when someone is sick with the flu. Plus, after talking to many clients, many of whom are still paying in one way or another for the irresponsible behavior of a full-grown adult, I am starting to conclude that the person with the "ism" or "recently diagnosed personality disorder" understands that their partner is tolerating them

Creating Love

13

through the idea of unconditional love. The term unconditional love is very handy for the abuser in a relationship. If we try to object to the behavior, he or she can always say: "But I thought you said your love for me was unconditional!" This puts you on the defense because it implies that you are the one who is spiritually inferior, a hypocrite and therefore unlovable. I think the appropriate response is: "Well, then why don't you go out and find someone who will agree to cosign your bullshit!" If they're are at all co-dependent, they'll probably snap back with: "That's what you get for having expectations of me. You know I'm sick!" I think that romantic love SHOULD be conditional. One of those conditions is trust. If you have unconditional love for someone, it is implicit you don't trust them, especially if you've condemned yourself to a lifetime of loving him or her no matter what. Love is a natural thing that you should expect to bloom and it's OK to be disappointed if it doesn't. The nature of love is to grow, compound and multiplynot destroy. The next time you fall in love, put terms and conditions on the relationship and demand a 200% return on your investment. Believe that you live in an abundant Universe that has unlimited love for you. After all, it is your precious time and energy! Love From Above and Other Miracles Love is not a gift that comes from above; it is a gift you bestow upon yourself. Your ability to spontaneously manifest love depends on your ability to train the imaging faculty of the mind. As love dissolves, you need to figure out why love destroys you every time. Chances are you are using your spirit and mind to materialize defeat as well as needlessly blaming others for your loveless condition.

Samantha Stevens

24

You cannot create love in your life until you familiarize yourself with the basics of how the mind works to both manifest and sabotage your best intentions. The mind is thought to be divided into three sections: the subconscious, the conscious and the superconscious mind. Many religions believe these three sections are linked to a larger mind, called the Divine Mind or the Divine Imagination, which connects us all. The subconscious mind, which we most often experience when we are asleep, is a bottomless pit of limitless, primal power. It is also a storehouse of creative imagery and symbols. These universal images and messages are thought to be shared and recognized by every human being on this Earth. The language of the subconscious is the language that is understood by the soul. The subconscious mind consists of two powerful drivessex and deathand it operates in two modes create or destroy. Metaphysicians and psychologists compare the darkness of the subconscious to malleable material. This material is shaped by the thoughts that are sent to it by the conscious mind. The conscious mind, which is also known as the carnal or mortal mind, is responsible for most of our perceptions of life. It judges whether a thing is either negative or positive. This part of the mind is subtly programed by the state of our health, our emotional problems and our desires. Also, it is often greedy. The superconscious mind is the "God Mind" that Plato often spoke of that connects us all to each other and the Divine Source of Spirit. It is the place where your Higher Self, which is like a hologram of the perfect self that God created, urges you to attainment, perfection and true love. It is the home of the Divine Imagination.

Creating Love

15

It is the conscious mind that impresses the subconscious mind with its visions of lack, loss, loneliness, abandonment, jealousy, resentment, lust, desire and disapproval. The trick is to train your imagination, which is connected to your God Mind, to envision a world full of possibilities. These thoughts impress the subconscious, which cause loving events to manifest in reality. Love Is An Energy Nothing can be created from a subconscious mind that is poisoned by impressions of anxiety, fear, selfdoubt, resentment, jealousy, self-pity and gloomy predictions. In fact, the fear of loneliness can bring on the condition as it demonstrates a lack of faith in the superconcious self to bring a supply for every demand. Intense wishes, such as "I wish my ex-husband would come back to me" are not fulfilled because the impression of that wish that we send to our subconscious is usually attached to fear and anxiety. The wishes are poisoned with desire and emotion, as if our wishes were attached with weights, so it sinks to the bottom of the pond of our subconscious. All that is manifested in reality is a compounding of the problem that we wish would be resolved in the first place. Unfortunately, most people equate love with a sense of loss because, sooner or later, they have had to let a beloved person go due to death, divorce, incompatibility or infidelity. The sooner you accept that this is an inevitable and natural part of the life cycle or nature of love, then the more prepared you will be to gain love from a new relationship. Since love is an energy that is symbolized by the events that take place around us, it is very important to be responsible for our on love. We cannot necessarily

Samantha Stevens

16

control our subconscious mind, but we can train the thoughts of our conscious mind by appealing to the superconscious mind (our perfect self that is made in the image of God) through prayer or ritual to help us reform our attitudes about love. This means that we must always use our imaging faculties to imagine the bestcase scenario for ourselves and for others. Some people are so battered by their own resentment, bitterness, jealousy, lust and desire that they have lost sight of their life's purpose. Through meditation, prayer, rituals, positive affirmations and creative visualizations, you can inspire the imagination to picture a new journey of love for yourself. However, you must do more than just picture the path, you must also follow through on your hunches and intuitions. It is not enough to shrug your shoulders and say, "The Universe will take care of it." You must also question each intuition to ensure it has not been colored by irrationality from the subconscious mind. The subconcious mind acts as a devil's advocate and suggests counter-images that imply your dreams are not impossible. It is the part of the mind that insinuates you are doomed to be alone forever when you suggest to yourself that you deserve love. Usually, the subconscious mind has been initially impressed by rational thoughts from your conscious self, which is concerned about self-preservation and survival. The subconscious mind's primary purpose is to destroy any thoughts that deter you from procreating. Too much focus on procreating can also cause a kind of revolt on the higher planes. Although it is true that certain individuals might be brought together to evolve human DNA, it is Mother Nature who decides this through the process of natural selection.

Creating Love

17

One theory I have about the frequent failure of relationships these days is that the entire matter of love, which supposedly draws us to procreation, is actually sabotaged by Mother Nature, thanks to the Darwinian notion of popular selection. We may be driven to sabotage relationships before procreation can happen, simply because factors more primary than us recognize that the planet is overpopulated. Lust operates on a very low vibration in the astral spheres, however, love, which features an inclusion of such states as happiness, operates at a higher sphere. Love is not a possession. It is an energy that circulates through the Universe. The nature of the energy of love is that it is something that aggregates and multiplies to create more of the same. If love is not flowing freely in your life it means that the well of your subconscious is either poisoned or dried up. You are literally out of the gas that you need to fuel the imagination. The subconscious is like a beast that must be tamed, so that it works for your imagination and not against it. You need to produce angels, not monsters, when it comes to perceiving love. However, the simplest first step you can take is to change your thoughts about the subject. There is an old saying that goes "Change the thought, change the feeling/' This will help you to impress positive thoughts that are unattached to toxic emotions upon your subconscious mind. The cosmos is a benevolent place that encourages growth, as opposed to stagnation or death. And if there is a death, then it is usually replaced by its equivalent or better. When it comes to love, it is important to remember that it comes from a Divine Source inside you. Your capacity to attract love is as infinite as your ability to imagine it in your life.

Samantha Stevens

18

It is difficult to impress thoughts of love and happiness upon a subconscious mind that is already in turmoil. A disturbed subconscious causes distorted perceptions about relationships and love. If you are lonely, act as if you are happy to be alone. If you are not free, act as if you have the choice to be so. If you are sad, fake a smile. If you are not loved, give more love to others. When it comes to creating love, two cliches really do apply: "Fake it 'til you make it" and "Supply to others what you lack in yourself." That is why when clients complain of loneliness, I immediately suggest that they "get out of self" by doing a charitable act for others. Their terrified and fearful conscious self is casting a shadow over their path. Although it is just a shadow, it has fooled the person into thinking it is an insurmountable obstacle. The idea is to raise your spiritual vibration so that you attract the situations you need at the right time. This usually involves focusing your intention on positive goals and aligning your heart with your will. Mystics from various cultures have suggested different ways to raise your vibration to attract love, as is discussed later in greater detail in this book. The Word is Flesh One is only capable of receiving what they are capable of envisioning for themselves. If one asks for love and prepares for loss, they will experience loss. The great visionary Florence Scovell Shinn described how the imagination takes what we picture in our mind and rearranges it so that the worst-case scenario is created. Often, our perceptions about love might not necessarily reflect the reality of our romantic situation. For instance, the woman having an affair with a married man might feel loved, but actually both her and her part-

Creating Love

19

ner are behaving in a duplicit manner. Duplicity creates division and a broken heart. One way to train the imagination so that we picture only the best for ourselves, is to carefully watch our conversation. The subconscious mind is like a sponge that sucks up all the names, labels and descriptions that we have about relationships and stores them up for future self-sabotage. The subconscious mind also works by word association, linking words to other words that create feelings and impressions, which can bring your fears about love to life. For instance, if you find yourself saying "I am always rejected by the people I love the most" the subconscious mind picks this up and you soon find yourself manifesting this situation over and over again as the subconscious mind associates itself with the words rejection and love. Some writers of positive affirmations also believe that the subconscious mind does not pick up negative phrases such as "I'm. not lonely." The subconscious hears the "I'm" and the "lonely" but not the "not." Therefore, it is important if you are writing your own positive affirmations to phrase them in the present and in the positive. For example, "I am happy." Every time you make a negative remark about your love life to others, you are adding negative connotations, not only to your subconscious, but to the collective unconscious that unites us all. You are, in effect, poisoning the very wells from which eternal love springs. Your negative thoughts virtually litter the grounds of your astral community with pessimistic projections. As an example, consider how many movies were made about an attack on the World Trade Center before the attack actually took place in reality? Did we play devil's advocate with the collective unconscious by cre-

Samantha Stevens

20

ating a simulacrum of a disaster on the silver screen first? If you don't want something to happen, don't invite it into the realm of possibility. If you like, you can picture the subconscious mind like a bank that is linked to a mass economy. Each word you deposit into your mind, especially by voicing it out loud, is like making a credit or a debit to your spiritual bank account. Unfortunately, the subject of love is usually associated with so many negative situations that it is hard to save the subconscious from picking it up. That is why it is important not to pay attention to headlines or statistics in the newspapers. For instance, if you read a statistic, such as "Women over forty have a 90% chance of staying single until they die," you might want to automatically correct the statement by altering it to a more positive statement, such as "I transcend statistics. I have potential." It is also advisable to be careful how you describe your romantic life to others, as their minds are also part of the collective unconscious that connects us all. You don't want others adding negative perceptions about you that will result in negative situations. There is power in group belief. It is better to stay quiet than to demonstrate, through words or actions, that you do not believe that the Universe has a supply for every demand. Examine what you demand from the Universe every day. Are you asking for too much? Are you asking for someone to worship at your feet, despite all of your faults? Are you wishing for intensity as opposed to love? Are you experiencing lust or infatuation? Do you have good intentions for everyone? Will children be hurt if you embark on the relationship? The cosmos has a natu-

Creating Love

21

ral resistance to wishes or desires that seem to spring from ego or greed. It is also important to examine why this Universe might be withholding its loving gifts from you. What do you offer the Universe? Do you behave like a needy child that demands to be taken care of, or do you selflessly take care of others? If your love life seems to be careening out of control and there is nothing but evidence of abandonment, rejection and pain in your life, then this is your cue to become very still. Your subconscious mind has become a tornado that is gathering strength and leaving a series of devastating emotional events in its wake. The only way to tame such a situation is to clear your mind of negative thoughts, fears and anxieties, and meditate until you feel a sense of calm. Miracles tend to happen at that juncture in time between rest and motion. You must stay still so that your Higher Self can inspire you to move in the right direction. When we are panicky and alarmed, most of us run from our Higher Self as we convince ourselves that the Divine Order does not have our highest good in mind. Sometimes, this "emotional rescue" happens as a random event that suddenly occurs in your life. This is usually an unexpected meeting, a random kindness or a flash of inspiration that tells you exactly what to do next to get yourself out of the situation. If, after meditating, you still feel troubled by love, practice the "First Things First" rule. Wipe your mind clear of all anxieties and fears and try to think about what you can do in the next five minutes to improve your life. Take one positive step, even if it is as simple as doing your laundry. Even this one small action helps clear the clutter and chaos from the mind, which is antithetical to the order and clarity that attracts love in your

Samantha Stevens

22

life. Any activity that gets your mind off the subject gets you out of the way so the Universe can work on solving your problem. Don't let your emotions or feelings about a situation get in your own way. Let it be. The Law of Circulating Love Love energy is a spiral. Astrally, it is a Hegalian construction that spirals upwards, taking more and more experiences and individuals as we journey towards our eventual ascension to Heaven. This is why our love lives seem to go around in circles. Basically, you can spiral down into the depths of despair or you can spiral upwards into achieving an enlightenment that embraces the ideals of Divine Imagination. Aligning your Higher Self with your will fuels the fountain of love that you have inside of you. Many people cannot make that connection with the Divine Imagination, so the flow of love is interrupted, erratic or blocked. Recognizing what your astral blocks are can help you determine why your love life repeats itself in a certain pattern. A common astral block is the belief that we must manipulate or trick others into believing we are socially acceptable. Women in particular are brought up to believe they are undeserving of love unless they resort to tricks or gimmicks. If you find yourself floating from one meaningless, dissatisfactory relationship to another, then a belief that love requires the manipulation of others is probably the astral block. Some people find themselves stuck in a whirlpool of love, where they can't break free of their obsession for one individual. The more they try to break the pattern, the more they repeat it. Unfortunately, the only way to

Creating Love

23

get out of this whirlpool is to let it suck you down until you hit rock bottom. People who can't let go of the past often find themselves in a damaging cycle of rebound relationships or returning to the same villainous partner. Their block is the need for approval from the opposite sex. Other individuals experience a lack of energy in their love life. The relationship starts out great, then fizzles by the second date. These individuals usually suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder, causing them to apply too much force to the situation. The cosmos strikes back by pruning the excess energy caused by their desire not to be alone. Another common obstacle resembles a wall or a boulder that is stuck in the middle of your path. These kinds of astral blocks are formidable constructions created by such toxic emotions as resentment, jealousy, fear, doubt and envy. Sometimes that chip on your shoulder is not just a chip. It is a boulder that others find too heavy to take on in their own lives. Some individuals are blocked by the introduction of intimacy into their relationships. This is because they are deliberately choosing individuals that are emotionally inaccessible, so they will not be hurt again. Unfortunately, the result is that they do get hurt again, but they don't realize that it is their own fear of closeness that has caused the situation. People who constantly encounter unrequited love need to address what it is that they have to requite to others. These are usually insecure and fearful individuals who expect others to take care of them. At the same time, they may use phrases like "I give my partner a long rope" or "We have an open relationship." If there is no commitment, then they believe they can't be hurt by betrayal. They are often hurt anyway when the partner decides to take advan-

Samantha Stevens

24

tage of the lack of boundaries in the relationship. People who choose to have infidelities as opposed to real unions believe they are saving others from a bad relationship. The astral block in this case is a belief that there are a limited number of available partners in the world. A fear of growing up also might be behind the construction of this kind of romantic belief. The person who constantly feels that they are being emotionally drained by another person or constantly used for sex suffers from low-esteem. This kind of astral block is created from a subconscious belief that the person doesn't deserve love or that they must somehow pay and pay just for the privilege of being granted any attention. Those whose love lives resemble an ongoing melodrama are astrally blocked by the belief that love must be intense in order to be real. These types of individuals will provoke arguments and create trouble deliberately to encourage other individuals to show that they love them. These adrenaline junkies also feel that Fate is responsible for their life and that, when it comes to love, they are unable to make choices. There are subtle ways you can remove astral blocks, and they are especially recommended if you are feeling self-pity, loneliness or hatred. Practice an attitude of gratitude. Each time someone pays you a kindness/ no matter how small, thank the Universe for it and promise to "pay it forward/' This is one way to ensure that you are part of the energy that circulates love in the Universe. Bless your enemies. No matter how much somebody has hurt you, this goes a long way towards raising your vibration to a level that attracts more love into your life. Practice compassion. Be patient in even the most unrea-

Creating Love

25

sonable of situations. Refuse to give in to lower, base reactions, such as contempt or avoidance of those who are suffering. Make tenderness a part of your daily interaction with others. There is no need to be sarcastic or critical to demonstrate your spiritual superiority. Meet everybody's eye with the same twinkle that you would reserve for an individual that you consider to be special. The Law of Non-Resistance Fear is a word that you don't want your subconscious mind to associate with love. Many psychologists say that our real fear is not about being rejected, but rather a fear that we will end up in a situation where we will have to reject someone else. If you are afraid, then you are not united with your Higher Self. You are of two minds. Love is and is of itself and cannot thrive in such duplicity. Fear demonstrates a belief in two potentialities: one good and one evil. If you eliminate fear of the future from your life, then your subconscious can only manifest events from the one inevitability it can acceptthe likelihood that something good will happen. This is also why you must be attentive to what others say to you. Don't be afraid of their words, but note what they say. Negative individuals can invite the potential of loss, fear, disaster and sickness into your life by simply expressing their anxiety about such matters. If someone asks you to participate in a woe-is-me festival about his or her divorce or ex-partner, simply say "no thank you." Such a practice is essential to your emotional health, especially if you are attempting to recover from a broken relationship. It is crucial to avoid words that express a lack of faith in the idea that there will be a

Samantha Stevens

26

supply for your demand of love. When experiencing a crisis it can be very difficult for one to have faith that one's prayers will be answered. This situation reminds me of the parting of the Red Sea incident in the Bible. The fact that such an overwhelming situation exists is actually a landmark sign that the worst is soon to be over. Take the example of a woman who discovers that her husband is unfaithful. The only way the Red Sea can be parted may be to leave the relationship. The end of a relationship might seem like a disaster, but in reality it is a corrective measure that allows you to leave a duplicit situation. The process can return a sense of morality and love to a situation that may have been corrupted by ego and power struggles. Many individuals don't experience love because they fear asking for it. They even fear asking a person out on a date. Usually, if you face your fear, the burden falls away of its own weight. This kind of confidence is found when the heart is aligned with the will. It allows the subconscious to be married with the spirit, so you can dispel the illusions that often accompany fears of rejection or abandonment. You need to embrace your fears, so that you can resolve to be loving, no matter what happens in the future. You have to know deep inside that human beings are fallible and that whatever happens you can handle it! Perhaps the biggest fear that you can let go of is that you will never find your soulmate. This is a limited belief that says there is only one person for everyone on this Earth. You must realize and acknowledge that the cycle of supply and demand for love on this Earth is a relentless, ever-exchanging spiral that you are powerless to control or stop. Giving into this inevitability is called practicing the law of non-resistance.

Creating Love

27

It is the anxiety that we attach to our fears about love that often places obstacles in our path. A common example is the partner who displays so much jealousy of someone else that he literally drives his partner into the arms of someone else. Fear can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. You must be receptive to the belief that no matter how bad things get, there will always be a solution. This is a matter of faith, not only in yourself, but also in your Higher Self, which is constantly trying to put you on the path to Utopia. "Deal with another as you'd have Another deal with you; What you're unwilling to receive Be sure you never do." Anonymous

Samantha Stevens

28

Chapter Two
Smile Millionaires A smile doesn't cost a cent. The great mystic and metaphysician Paranahansa Yoganada defined loving individuals to be "smile millionaires." Smile millionaires have faith that every good deed they do is multiplied ten-fold. They don't "mortgage" other people emotionally. These smile millionaires can freely give because they know that the Universe has a supply for their every demand. They do not live in the past or the future, as they know that their needs will somehow be taken care of every day. Smile millionaires know no fear or anxiety. Those who engage in uplifting, encouraging activities, who forget about the self and serve others are never poor in spirit. Those who are never poor in spirit never seem to be affected by a lack of love. Investing in love requires nothing more than faith. This includes faith in yourself, faith in the goodness and humanity of other people, and faith in what goes down, must come up and vice versa. One way to attract love is to supply others with the very thing you think you lack. Give others the love you think is missing in your life. Practicing tenderness, kindness and mercy optimizes your own vibration, so that you attract kindred spirits into your sphere. The cosmos smile on smile millionaires by showering them with blessings. The most spiritually sophisticated people often accidentally find a soulmate by their side, because they acknowledge that the appearance of a loving and supportive individual is a symptom of a highly refined spiritual state. The phrase "love triumphs over

Creating Love

29

all" is meaningless to these individuals because love is not a goal. Love is merely an expression of the spiritual sophistication that occurs when one detaches oneself from desire, negates unpleasant or anxious thoughts and practices an attitude of perpetual optimism. Karmatically Correct Behavior The word karma is Sanskrit for the term payback. The definition of karma is in the Bible: "Whatever a man soweth, so he shall reap." You should never wish depression, violence or sickness on another. Entertaining jealous or vengeful thoughts is a fine way to curse yourself. The sad thing about this hall of mirrors is that very often people think they are being cursed by the bad energy from the very person they have been jealous of in the first place! There is a lot of power in words, so you need to be careful how you discuss and label situations. The one value of criticism of others, however, is that often, we tend to despise in others what we dislike about ourselves. The next time you feel the urge to criticize someone, look to see if you suffer from that very same flaw and try to correct it. Many people believe that karma is a punishment from previous lives that must be lived out, like a preprogramed Fate or destiny. This is another good way to curse yourselfinstalling the negative belief in your subconscious that you must suffer because of some unnamed and unknowable transgression. Transcending your karma is the entire purpose of most Eastern religions and that also means transcending the belief that you are doomed because of your karma. Every time your karma presents you with an obstacle, you are being taught to not to repeat your mistakes. Karma will not

Samantha Stevens

30

repeat if you correct the mistake (such as choosing to believe someone who has already lied) the first time. Also, karma is not always responsible for our mistakes. Sometimes, we simply make erroneous judgements. Bad consequences often follow incorrect actions. If you are not meeting individuals whose company you enjoy, it may not be the result of karma. It may mean that you are looking for love in all the wrong places. Or, you may be making bad decisions because you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Love is like a garden. Cultivate the things that you want to grow. Weed everything that does not fit with your intentions. If you feel that you suffer from bad karma, then the obvious thing to do is examine the garden of your soul. What kind of seeds are you sowing? What kind of nutrients do you need to cultivate these things? It is amazing to me how many people sow no seeds and then expect to magically have results in their lives. Good karma is a garden that is watered with virtues and careful attention to the thoughts we think and the words we say. Anxiety, fear and obsession can also serve to disrupt your karma. Many people have a bad habit of getting in their own way. They will set a glorious plan in motion and then stop it from proceeding by attaching anxiety and fear to it. They interfere with the circulation of positive energy by constantly fussing about the matter. This is the equivalent of planting a seed and then constantly digging it up every day to see if it is growing. This reminds me of women who do love spells, and then constantly phone the partner to see if the spell is working yet. Part of understanding karma is understanding The Great Wheel of Time and how it sometimes takes patience to give positive things a chance to grow. This

Creating Love

31

metaphor is also true of any positive impressions that you are trying to plant in the mysterious dark silt of your subconscious. Simply plant the seed and be done with it. Have the faith that if something is meant to be it will be and if not, then it was probably bad for you. This is called practicing the law of non-resistance. Fussing and worrying about your karma is merely just another modern state of neurosis. And if you blame Fate or karma, it sustains a state of denial that gives you reason to avoid being accountable for your non-loving actions. It is thought that by practicing the law of non-resistance one can eliminate all karma. There is no karma without friction and conflict. By giving into our Fates, and resigning ourselves to the idea that the Higher Powers have a grand plan for us and a Divine design for every individual to follow, then all karma, good and bad, disappears instantly. You are given a clean slate on which to create impressions that will prescribe a brighter, more virtuous and more loving future. Astral Blocks to Creating Love When your personality no longer resists the wisdom of the Higher Self and is confident that every process of letting go is always for the highest good, you are said to be practicing the law of non-resistance. The conscious mind is very absorbed with the self. It is the self that is responsible for creating blocks to creating love. Very few people achieve the kind of enlightenment that embraces total faith in one lifetime, as both the subconscious mind and the conscious mind are naturally resistant to suggestions from the Higher Self. Messages from the Higher Self manifest themselves as gut feelings and hunches that the conscious and subconscious consider to be irrational in nature. However, if you live by

Samantha Stevens

32

the belief that we live in a Universe where there is a supply for every demand, then in theory nothing is impossible to attain. When in a hopeless situation, I find myself repeating the mantra "With God all things are possible. Spirit is never too late!" The personality's resistance to the calls of the Higher Self can be represented in a few phrases: "I am not good enough." This is common in a personality that suffers from low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. The inner critic insists that the individual set their sights low when it comes to choosing a partner. "What if I fail?" This is a terrible block as it persuades the subconscious to develop a fear of rejection. This kind of personality needs approval from others and is constantly testing others to see if they are still loved after they have done something wrong. "There is not enough time." Your Higher Self loves cliches, such as "the Universe is unfolding as it should." But the personality is impatient. These kinds of individuals complain about never meeting someone, but, at the same time, don't make room in their busy schedules to get out there and date. Another common block to love takes the form of ancestral guilt. Many people are raised to feel guilty if they supersede the success of their family and friends. Children of divorced or widowed parents fear the parents will resent their happiness if they find love. People who consort with lonely, single friends fear jealousy or retribution for leaving the Self-Pity Party. For many, it is safer and more secure to maintain an air of emotional inaccessibility then to let someone new into their heart. Fear and guilt prevent these individuals from realizing their full potential, as subconsciously they believe that love will inevitably lead to negativity and jealousy from others.

Creating Love

33

Removing these blocks is not easy and usually requires a long talk between your Higher Self and your personality. You can do this in meditation by visualizing your perfect you (your Higher Self) having a conversation with your personality. Let your personality express its fears and see what your Higher Self has to say about the matter. This is one way to create a larger self-awareness, as well as a way to recognize chronic habits and patterns that may be preventing you from creating love, such as fear of resentment or low self-esteem. Casting the Burden Many of us don't trust our Higher Selves because we often think we have been trusting it all along and it is exactly those hunches and gut intuitions that have led us to experience a bad love life in the first place. What most of us perceive as hunches are actually compulsions and emotions coloring our judgement. There is no anxiety attached to a true message from the Higher Self. Many of us have gut instincts that have been damaged by events from childhood so we often hear false calls to action. A good example is the woman who pursues a disinterested alcoholic because her damaged instincts are telling her that he can be rescued (unlike her father who died from the disease). The best way to make romantic choices and decisions is with a mind that is clear of all emotions. Messages from the Higher Self are not usually attached to any kind of heady, compulsive or emotional feeling. In fact, a feeling of elation might be a warning that your judgement is off the mark. It could even be the product of disturbed brain chemistry. The most common way to release a burden is to cast it up to God or a Higher Power. Some people also refer

Samantha Stevens

34

to this as "giving it to the Universe." The prayer is worded something like this: Please God, this is too much for me. Whether I am naughty or nice, I am still your child and I ask to be taken care of. Please help me resolve this situation and if it can't be resolved then help me to accept it. If there is loss, then please have this loss replaced by its equivalent or better. Amen. You also might want to try Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Violet Flame ritual. According to the spiritual practice of this great visionary and metaphysician, the violet flame is a metaphor for the ability of the Higher Self to wipe out or erase problems. I usually light a violet candle and picture all of my burdens, anxieties and resentments being transformed into positive energy by the power of the flame. This lovely ritual greatly relieves and appears to help in bypassing the personality so that you can access the inspiration and wisdom of the Higher Self. Its most therapeutic aspect is its intention to effect transmutation: all negative energy within yourself, or directed to you by others, is transformed into positive manifestations aided by the power of the Violet Light.

Creating Love

35

Chapter Three
The Power of the Spoken Word You manifest your future through power of the spoken word. This is why we are encouraged to pray aloud. A profundity or material realization can result from the vocalization of a request. In some pagan and Christian religions, the human voice has a vibration that is thought to send a call for assistance out to other souls and angelic beings that live in the astral plane. Many people use their personality to manipulate events as opposed to relying on the power of God or the Higher Self. The Higher Self dwells in your superconscious, which is a place of illumination, inspiration and trust. The best way to contact your Higher Self or God is through simple prayer that is spoken out loud. Prayers work best when you wish for the best possible outcome of a situation, rather than a specific outcome. When in doubt, ask for a resolution of the situation that is for the highest possible good of yourself and others. Be Careful What You Wish For If you are going to wish for love, make your wish is as simple as possible. The wish can be a short prayer or it can be as simple as a short request to the Heavens above. There are some cosmic laws that rule the concept of wishing. The first rule is not to wish too hard for something. Wishing too hard or too often creates a rebound effect. The Universe does not like an imbalance, and it may perceive the emotion, intense desire or desperation you are

Satnantha Stevens

36

attaching to the wish as a "shove" that throws others astrally out of balance. For instance, if you ask for your ex-husband to be separated from his new girlfriend, you might find one of your own important relationships suddenly disintegrating. Every single person has his or her own guardian angels and fairies that protect them from other people's malevolent wishes. Another theory is that the purer the soul, the less vulnerable the person is to the bad wishes of others. The person literally has the ability to transcend vengeful or negative thought or energy by either turning it into good energy or sending the energy back to its source. Negative wishes that are inspired by an emotion such as jealousy also often backfire, even if the wish is justified. For instance, wishing that your ex-husband's girlfriend was out of the picture so that you could receive more child-support is a wish that is likely not to be fulfilled. You are better off to rephrase the wish: "I wish for the highest good for my children." When it comes to wishing, sometimes it is better to wish for the essence of a thing, rather than the thing itself. For instance, wishing that a certain person always be a part of your life might result in you suffering a lifetime of unrequited desire, as this individual drains your energy and resources while resisting intimacy. It is also a bad idea to wish for a person by name as in "I wish so and so would come back to me." It is best to ask for something general, such as "I wish for the relationship that is mine by Divine Grace" or "I wish for the highest good for both me and so-and-so." This takes the controlling aspect that can cause a negative reaction in your life. Another principle of wishing is "wishing overkill." Wishes come true if they are more like a nudgedone in a simple way from the heart. A well-done wish is compa-

Creating Love

37

rable to the flapping of butterfly wings in Brazil that cause a tornado in Florida. If you interrupt this balance with an explosion of will, determination, selfishness and passion, then you often experience a backlash and see the opposite come into effect. This is similar to witchcraft's 3X3X3 rule: whatever you send out comes back to you. It also explains why disasters seem to escalate and the persistence of Murphy's Law. "What you sow is what you shall reap" also applies to the concept of wishing. Both prayers and wishes are strengthened by numbers and have more power when they are the result of group desire and good intentions. However, getting someone else to pray with you or support your request in a prayer circle can be risky as they might be praying for what they consider to be best for you instead of for your highest good. However, if two people are wishing for the same thing, the power of the wish is doubled. Therefore, in love triangles, the odd person out is often left without a granted wish. Another important principle that involves both the practice of prayer and wishing is the principle of "like attracts like." Stating that you lack something as part of a wish actually reinforces its absence. Combine this with the principle of resonance, where a wish is reinforced by the number of people thinking the same thing, and you arrive at an explanation as to why there might be so much negativity in the world. You should also be very careful about how you phrase your prayers. A good example is the person that prays for a person with AIDS to have an "improved immune system." This person may mean well, but in actuality, AIDS is a disease that is hastened by an overefficient immune system. If you are going to pray for a specific outcome, make sure you word the prayer in a

Samantha Stevens

38

fashion that allows God's word, rather than your own word, to dictate circumstances. The next time you make a wish make sure you are wishing well. Wish for the best thing to happen for all concerned and don't be attached to the outcome. When you wish upon a star, it DOES make a difference who you are. Writing Letters to God Those who are not familiar with prayer or who have trouble connecting to their Higher Self through speaking out loud may want to try keeping what is called A Day and Night Journal. Below, I have developed a journal-keeping program that will help you find guidance, but also strengthen your faith in yourself and in your ability to handle the future. First of all, buy a notebook that you really like with a hard enough cover that you can write sitting in bed. This journal is going to always be at your bedside because you are going to write in it every day for at least ten minutes, once in the morning and once at night. When you wake up in the morning, open this journal, and for ten minutes, just write everything that comes to mind. Don't worry about how your handwriting looks or other details. Let the words flow out in a stream from your mind to the pen. Then start writing exactly what is on your mind, for example: "Dear God, I had a bad dream that I was homeless... Also, I can't stop thinking about this waiter who could be the exact double for my husband. Can you help me release these obsessive thoughts? Also, our mutual friend Ellen has not called me for a couple of days after gossiping to me about running into him at a party. Is Ellen someone I can trust? Can you please reveal to me

Creating Love

39

the truth about her, and I also need $500 immediately to fix the car/7 When you are doing this, you are doing two things. First, you are releasing resentments and anxiety that you are holding, which may be blocking you from efficiently continuing on with your day. Second, you are casting problems up to a higher source and asking that power to provide you with a solution. This clears your aura and energy field. When you are finished writing for ten minutes, list five things in your life that you are truly grateful for and thank God for them on paper. It doesn't matter if these are big or small: "Thank you for the makeup sample I got in the mail today," "Thank you for my beautiful pet" or "Thank you for the smile from the bank teller yesterday." Afterwards, go about your day. You will be amazed at how much smoother things go and how solutions to your little problems just seem to miraculously appear. The writing discipline resembles the discipline of prayer, and the cosmos smiles on that. Before you go to bed, write in the journal again for ten minutes. First, make a list of the problems that have been solved that day. If a problem persists, then it helps to write something like "God, please take this problem away, get rid of it. I can't handle it. Either that or help me find a way to make it better or to accept the situation." You may also list five people who have wronged you and ask for the strength to forgive them. After that, think of another five things you are grateful for and then list TEN people you know and ask God to give them blessings or solutions to the problems they have. For example, "June next door is really having a hard time making ends meet and taking care of those kids. Please bless her and help her meet her needs so she can do better."

Samantha Stevens

40

It is amazing how writing in a journal for ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes at night can lift your spirits and balance your emotions. Later, when you look back at your journal, you will be astounded at the number of requests you have made that have actually been fulfilled. You will also note how some things that used to upset you are no longer a source of pain. You do not have to be a great writer to do this. God does not care about grammar or fancy penmanship. Just write from your heart. Positive Affirmations How can you be "better, instead of bitter" when life hands you a terrible blow that breaks your heart and strikes you to the very core of your soul? It is important to remember that you are not alone. Nobody gets through life unscathed. Everyone faces abandonment and heartbreak. However, like the old saying goes: "It is not the cards you have been dealt, but how you play them that counts/' (And I don't mean Tarot cards, either!) Like attracts like. Therefore, if your heart is filled with resentment and bitterness, you will attract the same. So, it is very important, no matter what your experience, to keep emotionally clean and to learn how to separate your feelings from what is really going on. Hateful emotions, such as obsession, jealousy and so forth, block the connection to your Higher Self and prevent you from receiving your Divine Right, which is the wisdom on how to attract your highest good, that is transferred to you from a Higher Power. So, it is very important for each of you to practice some form of positive thinking and to replace all negative thoughts with thoughts of forgiveness, hope and

Creating Love

41

love (no matter how hard it is!). I cringe as well when I think about this, because my personality just does NOT want to do it, but one of the surest ways to ensure success in your own future is to forgive or bless the person that has hurt you the most. If you see nothing but demons when you look at a blank page, you will literally write yourself a disaster script. Therefore, it is important to practice some form of meditation to clear your head of negative thoughts, which, like toxins, cause a kind of cancer in your reality. Negative self-talk and criticism is very damagingwe underestimate the power of what we tell ourselves every dayto our minds when trying to shape our destiny. One of the best ways to do this is through the writing of positive affirmations. You can choose several affirmations and write them down every night. I recommend choosing ten and sticking with it until it is right, or you can choose shorter affirmations and recite them to yourself. Peruse the list below and try the ones that feel right to you. I am now deluged with the happiness that was planned for me in the beginning. My cup flows over with joy. My endless good now comes to me in endless ways. I am harmonious, happy, radiant; detached from the tyranny of fear. My happiness is built upon a rock. It is mine now and for all eternity. I have a wonderful joy in a wonderful way, and my wonderful joy has come to stay. My happiness is God's affair, therefore, no one can interfere. Every plan that my Higher Most Perfect Self has not planned for shall be dissipated and the Divine Idea now comes to pass. Divine Love consumes everything that is not of itself.

Samantha Stevens

42

Happy surprises greet me each day. I look in wonder at that which is before me. My greatest expectations come to pass in miraculous ways. My soulmate is a perfect idea in Divine Mind and therefore is always in the right place at the right time and Divinely protected by God. I cannot lose that which is mine by Divine Right. If I do, then it is replaced by its equivalent or better. My reality is a reality of love and I now receive all that I desire or require and much more. I freely give others my love with no expectation of return, knowing the Universe has a supply for every demand. Divine Imagination inspires my right actions. I now let go of worn-out conditions and bad habits. Divine Order is established in every corner of my mind and subconscious. My seemingly impossible good now happens. There is no competition on the spiritual plane. What God has done for others, he can do for me! These shorter affirmations, also called fiats, can be recited during the day to help you dissuade the fears of the subconscious from creating negative events. I honor the divinity in all human beings. I expect only the best to happen and it does. I am loving in all areas of my life. I expect happy surprises.

Creating Love

43

I deserve love. I freely circulate love in the community. Doing what I love serves others. I live in the present. I have an attitude of gratitude. I feel and act as if what I want is already so. I choose my responses with love. I trust my Higher Self. I experience happiness and satisfaction from within. I am powerfully silent and still. I rejoice in the good fortune of others. I choose thoughts that support a loving future. Love is an action. Divine Love dissolves all things that are not of itself. I am a forgiving person. I transcend the laws of karma through right action. I love and accept myself. I like who I am and who I am becoming. How to Write Your Own Affirmation You don't have to use pre-written affirmations. You can write your own affirmation to suit your situation. However, if you want to create your own affirmation there are several guidelines to follow. For example, if you would like to meet a soulmate you might want to write something like this: "I, Samantha, am asking to immediately meet a soulmate or whoever is mine by Divine Right. I also ask that all those in immediate need of love receive what is best for their highest good. I give thanks for all of the blessings I have received in the past and those that I am about to receive in the future." There are a few things you might want to notice about how the above affirmation is written.

Samantha Stevens

44

First, the Christian name along with the word "I" is always written into the affirmation, so the request is heard by the subconscious. The word immediately accelerates its manifestation. If you do make a specific request make sure you leave a loophole in the construction of the sentence, so that the cosmos can work on your behalf if the request is not for your highest good. The loophole in the above affirmation is "whoever is mine by Divine right." The person that you think is your soulmate might just be another karmic mistake. Note that the affirmation ends with a request for others to be helped as well as a message of thanks. In my experience, an affirmation that is made for a specific desire is not always as effective as a more general written affirmation, although some affirmation writers would disagree with my theory. Here is an example of the first line of a non-specific affirmation: "I, Samantha, will meet the person who is right for me, in the right place and at the right time under the auspices of Divine Grace." Prayers for Love The Psalms of the Bible are a treasure chest of prayers for good conditions in love. Below is a list of specific Psalms to recite for common requests to do with love. Psalm 6: To bring fresh hope to a situation. Psalm 10: For encouragement, self-confidence and stamina. Psalm 15: To cast resentment and jealousy from your heart. Psalm 19: To receive daily blessings and to increase faith in the idea that the Universe has a supply for every demand.

Creating Love

45

Psalm 21: To increase one's spiritual vibration to invite love into one's life. Psalm 22: For deliverance from despair and depression. Psalm 23: For serenity, peace of mind and comfort when feeling lonely. Psalm 25: For inspiration, to access the Higher Self and to forgive oneself. Psalm 28: To disarm adversaries, make peace with an enemy, invoke tenderness, mercy and kindness; protect against infidelity. Psalm 30: For patience and acceptance of Divine will, to understand that time brings what we need when appropriate, as a thank you for many blessings. Psalm 32: To escape scandal. Psalm 33: When feeling lonely and unworthy of love. Psalm 38: To conquer lust. Psalm 41: When feeling depressed or betrayed. Psalm 45: For a happy marriage. Psalm 46: To elevate enthusiasm for spiritual matters; to settle arguments. Psalm 47: To experience love at its fullest on a daily basis, to encourage pleasure, joy and happiness. Psalm 48: To become a "smile millionaire," reinforce happiness and faith. Psalm 50: To reinforce the idea that the Universe is benevolent and that all is unfolding as it should. Psalm 51: To quell feelings .of guilt or self-criticism. Psalm 57: For when justice, compassion, kindness, tenderness or mercy is needed; to ease the pain of the loss of a love and regain emotional control. Psalm 58: To suppress liars; to know the truth of a situation. Psalm 60: To put the past behind you, for a clean slate in the subconscious. Psalm 62: To reinforce faith in the Higher Self and

Samantha Stevens

46

strengthen spiritual values. Psalm 63: To dispel anxiety, fear and discouragement. Psalm 65: To give thanks for blessings that have been received. Psalm 70: To repel negative thoughts and attitudes of others. Psalm 73: To eliminate emotions such as anger, jealousy and resentment that take away our opportunities for our own enrichment and good. Psalm 75: To pray for forgiveness. Psalm 84: To develop a more optimistic view of the future. Psalm 85: To find inner stillness, serenity and peace with God. Psalm 93: For comfort when feeling emotionally disturbed or troubled. Psalm 98: To keep a joyful heart and an attitude of gratitude for what you do have; for peace and happiness at home and with relatives. Psalm 101: To break bad habits; conquer obsession. Psalm 102: To receive an answer to a specific problem. Psalm 107: As thanks for receiving deliverance from a hopeless situation, to break bad personal habits that affect relationships (laziness, drunkenness, overspending). Psalm 111: To attract love. Psalm 117: To conquer self-pity. Psalm 125: To ensure mental stability in rough times. Psalm 127: To discourage infidelity. Psalm 133: To strengthen relationships. Psalm 135: To strengthen the heart and will so that you are led to your highest aspirations in life. Psalm 136: For forgiveness of lust, infidelity and other sins.

Creating Love

47

Psalm 137: To cleanse the heart of resentment and revenge. Psalm 140: For protection against liars, hostility, addiction and violence. Psalm 143: To restore faith in your path and renew confidence that there will be a joyful, hopeful tomorrow. Psalm 148: To alleviate loneliness. A simple prayer: Two chambers has the heart, Wherein dwell Joy and Sorrow; When Joy awakes in one, Then slumbers Sorrow in the other. O Joy, take care! Speak softly, Lest you awaken Sorrow! Amen. Herman Newman

Samantha Stevens

48

Tools For Manifestation The Power of Visualization A picture is worth a thousand words. If a singular word or phrase has the ability to transform your life, imagine the power of a picture to do the same. To manifest love through creative visualization, you first need to learn how to hold an image of the desired outcome in your mind in as much detail as possible. For example, let's say that you need to resolve an argument with a dear friend. First, you need to empty your head of all thoughts. It is also essential that you become as still and quiet as possible to encourage a meditative state. Before imagining a goal, you might want to assist your imagination by asking yourself a number of questions. What does your friend look like? How is she wearing her hair the day that you envision meeting her? Is this a random meeting or does the phone ring first? What kind of conversation will you have on the phone? Where exactly will you meet? What is the expression on her face when she sees you? If you want her to smile when she sees you, picture her smiling. Picture her hugging you. Picture what you don't think is possible. Visualize, in the greatest detail possible, the best outcome to the situation. The more detail you can imagine, the more likely you are to manifest the event in the future. Also, it is important to visualize receiving a much better outcome than you would think is possible in reality. For instance, if you know that your friend is very angry with you, don't picture the two of you exchanging a few

Chapter Four

Creating Love

49

cold, clipped words. Visualize the two of you spending time together or having her family over for dinner. Picture her saying: "It's all right. You are forgiven." Deposit these pleasant healing images into the treasure box of your subconscious. Visualize it, tell yourself it will be, and then ask the Universe to take care of it for you. Sooner or later you will find yourself in a situation that allows for this forgiveness to take place. Treasure Maps Not everyone is a visual person. Some find it a challenge to use their imagination. One way to get around this is to create a treasure map or treasure book. This involves clipping images from magazines and other sources and making collages of symbols that represent your desire. The artistic process of making a collage is thought to be similar to the layering process that is used in creative visualization, where you continually add desired elements to the "big picture." To make a treasure map or treasure book to find a husband, you would start by cutting out images of wedding dresses, rings, couples holding hands in the park, honeymoon destinations and other related images, such as hearts, cupids and roses. These images function as symbols that are impressed upon the subconscious and serve to fill in the details that are lacking in the imagination. You can create a treasure map or a book in a day or two, or you can create one over a period of weeks. If you have no idea how to even begin doing this, one suggestion is to lay the first image down in the center of the paper and then paste the images is in a clockwise spiral. The spiral creates a vortex shape that is thought to draw the type of energies you want towards you.

Samantha Stevens

50

The Power of Vocalization For centuries, the power of the human voice has been used as tool for transformation and manifestation. In almost every culture, human sounds are thought to manifest events and objects from the non-material realms. These techniques range from emitting noises from the diaphragm, to chanting, to singing or group prayer. The human diaphragm, as opposed to the throat, is thought to be the seat of the soul. This idea comes from the knowledge that the human breath sustains all life. Without control over the breath, and the notes that it sounds, one is thought to have no control over life. In many cultures the soul is thought to live in the breath. Falling in love is thought to mean "loving the other person's breath." Perhaps the oldest culture known to practice vocalization is the Tibetan culture. Different musical notes were attributed to different Chakras (or energy centers in the body). The Chakras, in fact, can be compared to piano keysthe base Chakra representing a low C and the crown Chakra representing a high C. Depending on the culture, different musical notes are thought to attract different vibrations. For instance, Balinese temple bells are always pitched at a high pure C, as it is thought to clear sacred spaces of bad energy. Tibetan singing bowls have a similar purpose. These crystal or metal bowls are carved or cast out of quartz, glass or fine metals and tuned to musical notes and sounds. The rim is rubbed with an implement to create a musical note. This is similar to wetting the rim of a wine glass with your finger and circling the rim to make a sound. Tibetan singing bowls are a meditative device whose original purpose was to clear energy fields and,

Creating Love

51

depending on what note is rung, manifest the qualities that are represented by that note and draw them to the player. The note A is thought to draw a mate for purposes of procreation, the note B is thought to. draw a person for tantric sex, the note C manifests friends and new lovers, the note D attracts more love into one's life and the note G is thought to attract a soulmate. There is great power in a number of human voices chanting or singing together, which is why the nature of most religious music is choral. The magic of manifestation is thought to be in the sustained holding of notes over a period of time.
The Om and the Ah Perhaps the simplest form of meditation for manifestation is the Om and the Ah. The Ah sound is one of the first sounds we make when we are born. It is also the cry that is made during sexual ecstasy and the human noise that is associated with discovery, delight and surprise. Many cultures associate this sound with the creative element of the breath that is used to manifest events. The Ah sound is used to open the diaphragm, remove blocks and increase the powers of the imagination. The Om sound is associated with the receptive element of the imagination and is used to signify one's union with the Higher Self. It is a noise that expresses the faith that Higher Powers will "make it so." Both the Ah and the Om sounds are used to open the diaphragm so that the soul is unified with the breath. It is the sound that is delivered on the outgoing breath that is thought to manifest events. The traditional method of using the Om and the Ah is vocalizing these noises twice a day. The Ah sound is

Samantha Stevens

52

pronounced upon waking and often while still lying in bed. This technique involves taking in the fullest breath possible from your stomach (not your throat) and then emitting the Ah sound for as long as possible. With the first few Ah's, you should picture your mind as a clean slate, and if any disturbing, anxious or worrying thoughts come up, simply ignore them or discard them. When you feel that your mind is clear of all anxiety and intrusive thoughts, you are ready to visualize what you want. The optimal moment to do your visualization is at that point of stillness between the inhaled breath and the exhaled breath. It is recommended that you do this exercise for at least twenty minutes in the morning for an optimum effect. The Om sound is usually done at night for twenty minutes. Once again, you clear your brain and visualize your goals, but this time, on the exhale, you picture your goal as if it has already happened. In fact, the Om is a kind of "thank you" for blessed events that are about to take place. Once again it is important for you to hold the Om sound for as long as possible on exhalation. The idea of vocalizing these sounds is that new inspiration and direction is created from simply centering yourself so that you are still enough to receive energies from the source of Divine Inspiration.
Soul Talk

When you can't communicate with someone in reality, you might consider having a Soul Talk with him or her. This is an astral chat that takes place on a plane that supercedes the restrictions of time and space. The intention of a Soul Talk is to correct a situation that is Divine in nature. As it is Divine, such conversations are usually about kindness, tenderness and mercy.

Creating Love

53

The simplest form of a Soul Talk is to have a conversation with the other person in your mind. The first step is to picture the person's face. If you don't know what they look like, as is the case with those who want to speak with a future soulmate, let the image just form in your mind. The second step is to suss out their vibe. How do they "feel" to you. Do you sense a lot of resistance to you contacting him or her? Are you greeted with familiarity and warmth? What is their posture or the expression on their face? The next step is to picture this individual coming towards you and smiling at you. This may be particularly difficult with individuals that you resent, but it is a necessary part of the exercise. By picturing the smile, you are subtly increasing their receptivity to the message you are sending. Once you have completely imagined the individual smiling at you, the next step is to picture a beam of light, shooting from your heart to the individual's heart. This beam of light can be pictured as a laser beam, a cascade of shimmering light or a long silver thread. Use whatever image you are most comfortable with. Picture a tiny sun or ball of light, several feet above your own head. This is your Soul Light or your Higher Self. Above that, picture an even higher light. The best way to picture this supreme light is as a small, shining sun that hovers half-way between yourself and the individual with whom you are Soul Talking. This third light represents the Divine, or the holiness that connects all souls together. This is the Highest Sun, or the source of all creativity, imagination and manifestation. Picture the Highest Sun sending a beam to your Soul Light and down to your Heart Light. Many individuals feel a warm glow around their chest if they are doing this correctly. However, if you don't feel this, don't

Samantha Stevens

54

worry, as often it is enough to just picture the light in order for the communication to be successful. The person that you are picturing also has a Soul Light hovering about three feet above their head. Like you, the Higher Sun is sending pulsating energy to their Heart Light. At this point, you will note that you have created a kind of triangle between yourself and the other person with the Highest Sun Light at the top connecting both of your Soul Lights and the bottom line connecting your Heart Lights. You are now going to attempt to communicate with the person, soul to soul, by sending a beam of light that connects your Soul Light to the other person's. Many might feel a click or connection with a person before they reach this part of the visualization. Once you have connected with the individual you can begin speaking to them. You can also explain why it is beneficial for you both. You can send them different colors and qualities of light as well. There is no correct way and some may want to use a combination of verbal communication and light emanation. Do whatever seems right to you. Verbally expressing your thoughts is a direct and simple way to make soul contact, and attuned individuals may hear messages back from the other person's soul. The important thing is that you make your request, such as "Please ask me out for a date." Purists who do this exercise prefer to not have any conversation, but simply send the individual different colors and qualities of light for a few minutes. A soft pink light signifies tenderness and friendliness. A red light signifies sexual desire. Green represents healing. Orange represents joy, blue the desire to communicate and violet an appeal to the other person's Higher Self. If

Creating Love

55

you don't know what colors to send, deliver the colors of the rainbow in succession. The quality of the light you send is also a factor. You can send a pearlescent light, a cascade of sparkles, an intense laser, showers of twinkles, or a pulsating beam. Send the kind of light that you think will please the other individual. When leaving the conversation in light mode, be sure to pause for a couple of minutes and request light from the other individual. Although this is theoretically taking place in the realm of the imagination, it is amazing how often you will feel a surge of light as a response. These responses usually illuminate the intricacies of the situation. At the end of the exercise, draw light back towards yourself in reverse order. Call light back to yourself from the Higher Sun, then from your Heart Light and then from your Soul Light. Picture the other person doing the same. As you part ways with the individual on the soul plane, be sure to be-friendly and smile as you say goodbye. Another version of Soul Talk visualization is partly derived from light working techniques and from practices associated with Tibetan occultists. A quick way to do this is to simply picture the individual and send them light. This exercise almost always results in at least a phone call from the individual in question. Sometimes, the person will express that they have been thinking of you, dreaming about you or feeling compelled to reverse a decision in a negative situation. This exercise can also be used to manifest an individual that you don't know, such as a future lover, lawyer or marriage counselor. Do the exercise as usual, but do not concentrate on visualizing the details of the person's

Samantha Stevens

56

appearance. This version of the exercise is like making a "call'7 on the astral plane that allows just the right person to manifest in your life. The Wheel of Light The Wheel of Light is a meditation that I used to practice live in the Psychic Realm chat room. I find that it not only lessens anxiety and worries about love matters, but also has the effect of bringing the right people at the right time. I do several versions of it, such as contacting ancestors or creating harmony, but the one below is designed to draw more love into your life. The Wheel of Light is an open call on the astral plane to souls who can assist your mission to create love. You are not making a specific request in this meditation, and you are not picturing individuals. You are asking for that which belongs to you by Divine Right. Before you begin the meditation, it is important for you to be in a very relaxed positioneither sitting up or lying down in a quiet place. If you are sitting up, uncross your legs and put your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes, and place your palms face up on your knees. Make sure your spine is straight and your shoulders are relaxed. If you are lying down, lie with your palms face up towards the sky and don't cross your ankles. Once you are relaxed, take a few deep breaths from your diaphragm. You are truly breathing from the diaphragm if your belly is rising up and down. If your chest is moving up and down you are not breathing correctly. First, picture a tiny pinpoint of light growing in the center of your abdomen. The color of this light is a golden, sunny yellow. Each time you inhale, this light expands and grows larger until your entire chest cavity

Creating Love

57

feels warmed by a syrupy golden light. Now picture your heart center as a closed flower bud. Your heart center can resemble any kind of flower, but most people like to use the image of a lotus or a rose. Very often, your subconscious determines what kind of flower is in your heart. Picture the petals of this bud, slowly unfurling and unfolding each time you inhale. Keep unfolding these petals until the flower is completely open. Inside the flower is a pinpoint of light that resembles a sparkling jewel. You may determine what this jewel looks like. Now, with each exhalation, picture the golden light from your stomach center, also known as the Third Chakra, sending a stream of light to your heart center. For several exhalations, picture this light energizing and expanding the jewel in the center of your heart's blossom. When some people do this, they experience a sensation of the petals rotating in a clockwise fashion. Keep energizing this jewel with breaths from your solar plexus until you feel the light getting larger. Some people will imagine it as a golden light, others as white, pink or violet. Feel this light expand and fill your entire body until each and every cell sparkles with light. Next, imagine the light that is emanating from your heart expanding outside your body by at least three feet. Once you have done that, take it one step further and fill the room with light. Once you feel you have accomplished that, see how far you can expand this light that is coming from your heart's center. Expand it outside your home and feel it expand throughout your entire neighborhood and even the entire city. You will know when it is time to stop emanating light because you will feel a slight click or a gut-level feeling of completion. You have cleared your auric field,

Samantha Stevens

58

as well as raised your vibration to attract positive events into your life through the power of light working. Now that you are done blasting your immediate energy field with light, the next step is to close your eyes and picture a midnight-blue sky. In this visualization, stars will be representing the souls of other individuals. First, ask your imagination or Higher Self to fill the blank sky with the stars (Soul Lights) of all of those individuals in the present who could help you with your love life. Envision friends, spiritual mentors, kindred spirits and potential mates. You don't have to visualize faces, as it does not matter who these people arethe aim is to make contact with many souls, not many personalities. In fact, with this visualization, the less specific you make it, the more likely you are to meet with success. When asking the Divine Imagination to fill this blank sky, you will soon notice your visual field filling with pinpoints of brilliant light. Once again, you will feel a little click or experience a feeling of completion once you have completed this phase of the visualization. Next, you will ask the Divine Imagination to fill the sky with the souls all of those people in the past that have loved you. Once again, you will probably see your visual field sprinkled with additional stars. These are the souls of all of those who have contributed to your present emotional condition. Finally, ask the Divine Imagination to fill the sky with the Soul Lights of all of those individuals you are likely to meet in the future. This includes future partners, relatives or anyone else that can help you achieve happiness. At this point in the visualization, you will notice that your visual field is sparkling with hundreds of stars. Now, turn your attention back to your heart's center.

Creating Love

59

You are about to send light to all of the stars that you have pictured in your mental sky. On the next exhalation, picture the jewel in your heart's center emanating an intense beam of silver light that is shot out from your heart in spokes to all of the stars in your visual field. As you send out light, you will probably see these stars become brighter. Now ask these stars to send a similar quality of light back to you. Next, do the same with a warm, golden light that is as steady and soft as multiple shafts of sunlight. Send this light out to all the stars in your visual field. Once again, picture these stars sending light back. Don't worry if not every star sends you light. The last thing you want to be doing during this process is counting stars or analyzing its process. The reason you are sending out different colors and qualities of light is because different souls respond to different kinds of light. Now, picture a soft, pearly-pink light emanating from your heart to the Soul Lights. With each exhalation, picture this light getting stronger and turning into an intense shade of rose. Send this rosy fire to the stars and be receptive to the light that some of them send back. At this time, imagine an intense orange light, like a laser beam that is shot out to all the stars in your visual field. Imagine this orange light turning to red and then white and then change the quality of it, so that it is a shimmer of sparkles. After you are done sending this, wait to receive light back from the millions of souls. If, as you do all this, more stars appear, don't worry about it. This probably means that you are manifesting more "live contacts" in your life. Whatever you do, don't try to control or censure what you are seeing in your mind's eye in any way. Now, send each and every star rays of violet and

Samantha Stevens

60

multi-colored light. Start it out as a strong beam and then change it into a shimmer of twinkles. Then change it back into a strong beam again until you feel your message has been sent. Next/call the stars to come into your heart. You can picture them zooming towards you or approaching gradually. Watch as the stars become tinier and are absorbed by the jewel in the center of your heart's blossom. Feel your heart energized and made glad by the entrance of all of these souls into your Heart Chakra. When you feel that the million pinpoints of light have entered into your heart's blossom, it is time to start closing the petals of your heart's center. With each exhalation, picture the petals of your heart's blossom folding again and again over your heart's jewel, so that it once again looks like a little bud. To close the meditation, take your right hand and place it over your heart. Place your left hand over your right hand. Utter the words "Peace Be Still." Creative Visualizations Creative visualization involves the fashioning of an image in the mind's eye. You make a conscious attempt to charge the image with the psychic energy of the unconscious. Some consider creative visualizations to be a form of self-hypnosis that guides the conscious mind to behave in a manner that is aligned with the will of the heart. Picture what you want. If you cannot "see" it in your mind's eye, then get a feeling for it or "write" the words on an imaginary chalkboard in your head. You might also try the movie screen technique. Imagine yourself walking into a movie theater. Pick a comfortable seat where you can see the screen clearly. Watch as the cur-

Creating Love

61

tains roll back and a movie of your goal unfolds. Make sure to experience the emotions that arise as if you are a character in the movie. Make sure the fantasy that unfolds before you tells a happy story. This is one way of rewriting a disaster script for your life into a successful script. A visualization is just a daydream, unless it is injected with passion and enthusiasm. How much do you want the picture you are visualizing? Question yourself to make sure your heart is aligned with your will, as the personality is generally resistant to big changes. Ask yourself whether or not you will be satisfied with your goal if you finally have it. When you imagine having it, ask how it makes you feel. If it doesn't bring you joy in the visualization, then you are probably wishing for something that is not yours by Divine Right. The following is a collection of visualizations inspired by various cultures that work in much the same way as positive affirmations. The subconscious mind is molded by impressions of pictures as much as it is by words. Sometimes, the subconscious mind relates faster to a symbol or an image than it does to a word. These visualizations provide the subconscious with a symbolic path to follow in order to achieve love. Angel Wings This one is best done lying in bed at night. Picture the other person lying in their bed. He or she is sleeping. The eyes are closed. Imagine a huge pair of golden and pink angels' wings gently beating this person against the forehead. Do not wake this person. As the wings brush against the person's forehead, imagine a shower of silver, gold and pink sparkles falling down on their brow. Send him or her a whisper that blesses them with peace,

Samantha Stevens

62

happiness and love. The House of the Heart Picture the individual that you are concerned with in as much detail as possible. Imagine the person shrinking until he or she fits in the palm of your hand. Now imagine your heart as a tiny, red house with a door. Open the door to one of the chambers, put the tiny person inside and close it. In your mind, reassure the person that they are safe in your heart. Love Magnet Cream You are at the cosmetics counter in a fancy department store. A smiling woman dressed in pink and gold offers you a sample of cream to try for free. The jar is gold. The label on the jar reads Love Magnet Cream. You take the cream home and open the jar and find the cream to be glowing pink. You apply the cream to your hands. As you do, you feel a pleasant, tingling sensation. As you apply more, it transforms your skin, making it radiate a transparent pink, silver and gold light. As you apply this cream to the rest of your body, you feel yourself growing younger, happier and more vibrant with health. You imagine yourself becoming more magnetic to love. You decide to get up and take a walklet your imagination guide you. Where does your imagination lead you? Who do you meet on your path? Whoever manifests in your visualizations can give you clues to the direction your love life should take. Flower Star Garden Imagine strolling through a desert at night. You have been stranded in this desert for forty days. You feel dirty

Creating Love

63

and thirsty, but there are no plants or water. You look up in the sky and see thousands of fat, shining stars. You look up at one star and make a wish. Suddenly, the star falls and plops into the sand below you. Even though you are very dehydrated, you find yourself shedding one tear. This tear lands on the site of the fallen star. To your amazement, a sprig of green shoots up through the desert floor. This soft tendril grows very quickly. It unfurls leaves and a giant bud. You can picture what kind of flower it is, but it is not a flower that you have ever seen on Earth. The flower is huge; the size of your head or even larger. The bud blooms to reveal its petals. Notice the flower's vibrant color. Inhale its heady and alluring fragrance. Does it smell like fruit, roses or chocolate? Touch the petals. Do they feel like satin, feathers or velvet? When you touch the flower it begins to emit beautiful music. Try to imagine what this flower looks like in as much detail as you can. As the flower opens up you notice that it is holding a small pond. You scoop this refreshing liquid up into your hands and bathe your face, hands and body. You take a long, refreshing drink from between your cupped hands. After you have drunk from the center of the flower, you look up and notice that more stars are falling from the sky. They plant themselves in the ground and spring up tendrils and buds. At first, there are just a few of these flowers, but soon, more fall. To your amazement, no one flower seems to be the same as another. As each one blooms, they spill water onto the barren ground forming ponds and pools with waterfalls. Many of these plants grow large and house birds and other animals. The heady aroma of the perfume of this enchanted for-

Samantha Stevens

64

est fills your nostrils. You take deep exhalations and relax in this magical place filled with music, flowing water, nature and the velvety blackness of the night sky. Your relaxation is interrupted when you hear a noise. You sit up and see a person approaching you. What does this person look like? Have you met him or her before? This person reaches out to you and embraces you. The person that manifests in this visualization can provide you with important astral information about what you need to correct in your love life or whom you might meet in the future.
Transmutation Exercise

Picture yourself surrounded in a bubble of golden light. Inhale deeply through your nose. As you exhale, picture all negative thoughtspessimism, jealousy, anxiety and doubtsemanating from your breath like dark puffs of smoke. However, as this expelled air touches your golden aura, these black clouds are miraculously transformed into a violet color and then to gold. The purpose of this simple visualization is to transmute all negative energy into positive energy so you can raise your vibration to attract more love into your life.

Creating Love

65

Chapter Five
Candle Burning Rituals There are two schools of thought on how candle burning works best. Occult-oriented religions see candle burning as a way to build energy towards an intention. Other religions use the light of the candle as a way of passing the problem, usually through the smoke, up to the care of a Higher Power. Usually, the petition or request is scratched into the candle or placed on a piece of parchment paper beneath the candle for a number of days. Ritual candle burning falls into several categories: color vibration, moon phase, petition to the saints, petition to the angels and petition to deities and spirits. Candle burning is found in almost every culture: Roma (gypsy culture), Catholicism, Egyptian schools of magic, Santeria and Celtic. Candle burning is also an integral part of angel magic and many new age practices. The best time to practice love magic is from the New Moon to the Full Moon, when the moon is waxing. During this period, cosmic or astral energy is building and this is the best phase to burn candles if you want to attract something. Avoid burning candles when the moon is void of course (passing from one sign to another) as this may cause your cosmic energy go astray. To find the time frames of moon phases go to www.artchart.com. Red candles represent desire, passion, lust, erotic situations and the consummation of love. Red candles are
Candle Burning 101

Samantha Stevens

fifi

also used during the waning moon period to drive a rival away (especially if used in conjunction with a black candle). However, this is manipulative magic and could have some bad karma attached to it. Orange candles bring you love, joy, luck, happiness and luck with children and pets. Burn an orange candle if you want to be popular and go to more parties. Green candles represent growth, fertility, abundance and opportunity. Light green is the color burned when we wish for a new start with someone or desire to heal a broken relationship. Yellow candles are for both spiritual and material riches and help align your will with the heart. Burning this color of candle brings guidance in matters of the heart. They also represent joy and Soul Freedom. Pink candles bring tenderness, equilibrium and help you manifest the higher qualities of love in your lifepatience, faith and compassion. Like orange, this can also be a fun candle and bring delight and surprises into your life. For a real lift, trying burning a yellow, orange and pink candle together. Brown candles can help ground your energies to the Earth, making you feel connected to reality. This is the candle to burn if you are feeling spacey or are suffering from low self-esteem or a lack of confidence. Blue candles summon serenity, beauty, grace and selfcontrol. It is also a candle that is associated with peace and mercy, so it is a good one to burn if you desire peace between you and another. Blue candles can also be used to cool hot emotions such as rage or jealousy. Purple candles can be very decadent or very holy depending on what your intent is when burning. Purple is the color of the eccentric, the bon vivante,

Creating Love

67

as well as the color of wisdom and royalty. This is the candle to burn if you feel as though life has become a little boring. It will bring you back into the sexy dance of life. Violet is the color of the Higher Self and is good to burn when you need to connect to your Higher Self. It enhances intuitive abilities and is a good color to burn when you feel you need to let go of someone or something. Stare at the flame and throw all of your worries, concerns and burdens into the violet fire. Ask the angels to provide you with a solution to your problem. Black is the color to burn if you feel threatened or frightened of a violent partner. As the black candle burns, picture all the negative energy melting away as well. White candles represent, peace, purity and the connection to the higher realms, in particular the angels and whoever you perceive God to be. Silver and Gold candles represent the Holy Spirit and assistance with love from the angelic realms. Ceromancy Ceromancy is the fine art of reading a situation by studying the way a candle burns. Are the flames leaping high? Is the wax sizzling and crackling and popping? What does it mean when the flame goes out? Instinctively, most people realize that the behavior of a candle is often a mirror of a situation as it presently exists and its outcome. It is one of the world's ancient forms of divination. The leaping and reaching candle flames are seen to represent the souls of individuals involved in the situation being read. For instance, the other day one client asked me what it meant when the wax from the candle

Samantha Stevens

68

she was burning for love melted into the shape of a heart. Anyone who is used to reading wax drippings knows that this is extremely good news and probably means the other person is thinking of you. Another phenomenon that I am constantly asked about is what I call "accelerated magic." This is when a candle, lasting about four hours, starts smoking and seems to burn rapidly in about fifteen minutes. This is usually good news and means that your prayer or request will probably be answered quickly. If the candle was being burned for protection, it means, more than likely, the spirits decided to quell an invasion or attach. In general, if the candle starts smoking heavily as soon as you light it, it is a very good signthe negative energy is being removed from the situation. If the smoke is white, it means your prayers will be answered immediately. If it is black, your prayer will probably be answered, but there may be obstacles in the way. You have to use your instinct if the flame doesn't smoke. Sometimes that can mean there are no obstacles and other times, it means that the matter is over. A clear, strong flame that burns steadily is a sign that the candle is sending out power and energy to manifest what you want. If it is small and more ball-shaped than teardrop shaped, it is less likely that your prayer will be answered. A weak or low flame means you are facing some heavy opposition to your desires. Staring at a flame is a great way of knowing whether your majgic is working. I am always amazed how a flame will grow higher or grope for more air the more you meditate upon it. You can also practice divination by looking straight into the heart of the flame; a healthy flame has a bright red core, surrounded by a blue halo and then a yellow color. A blazing red center tells you

Creating Love

69

that spirits are getting to the heart of the matter. A red center that is dim, or just a pinpoint, reveals a situation that may not be motivated by the heart. If the wick of the candle starts building a little bulb at its tip, chances are that you have opposition or a third party is working against you. If there is a lot of blue in the flame, I take that as a sign that angels and spirits are protecting you from an unhappy outcome. Jumping, leaping and steadily rising flames are an excellent indication that spirits are fighting against your obstacles. This can be quite fascinating to watch, especially if the flame is really jumping and you are burning a candle that is intended to fight another's will. If the flame is really protesting, so is the person, and sometimes this is your cue to put the candle out. If the candle makes sizzling, hissing or popping sounds, this is a sign that some kind of spiritual warfare is taking place. If it scares you or doesn't feel right, put the candle out. However, if it feels like obstacles are being destroyed or eliminated, then enjoy the show. If you are burning a candle and a second flame develops from an ash, I consider that to be a bad sign. It means you have a rival in love. If you are burning two candles that are supposed to represent two different individuals, it is not a good omen if one of the candles burns away to the bottom much faster than the other does. That is often a sign that your timing is off in the matter, or the desire is unrealistic, or is not meant to be. If the candle smoke wafts towards you, it means that your prayer is more than likely to be answered. If it wafts away from you, then it means that you will need a great deal of perseverance in order to have your prayer answered. If the smoke blows to your left, you are overly emotionally involved with the situation and are in

Samantha Stevens

70

danger of subconsciously sabotaging your own prayer, so it will not be answered. If it blows to the right, you will need to use your head rather than your emotions to pursue the situation. The way a candle unfolds or deconstructs as it melts can be very significant. It is wonderful when the candle seems to collapse outward or unfold like a flower. I consider it to be a sign that your wish will be granted. It represents possibilities and paths opening for you. A candle that is lopsided in one direction means you are dealing with a situation that is out of balance. If the wax buries the flame, it is a sign that the wish will not be granted. Reading wax drippings is an intuitive matter, similar to reading tea leaves. Some shapes are obvious, like the heart, which represents love. Wax drippings may form in shapes that mean something very personal to youa totem animal, for example. Candle drippings that make twinning shapes or people shapes are signs that love is about to arrive in your life. Bubbles forming on the side of the candle is also a sign that love is about to bloom. One thing to remember when purchasing candles is that candles made of paraffin or that are marketed as dripless cannot be read. Go for a candle made of messy natural wax or beeswax, as they are the ones that tend to reveal the most astral information. Commercial Candle Burning for Love There are many commercial candles available on the market that are intended to bring love into one's life. The most common kind of candle on store shelves is the Seven Day candle, which is wax encased in a tall, glass pillar. These candles express their intention in illustrations on the glass. They sport labels such as "LoveDrawing Power," "Adam and Eve," or "Love Magnet."

Creating Love

71

They are subtly scented with love-drawing oil, rose, jasmine or other fragrances. A traditional glass candle used for love-drawing is the Chuparrasa Candle. Usually, this candle has a picture or drawing of a hummingbird accompanied by a prayer in Spanish and pleas for the return of a lover. In occult shops you will also see molded candles iri the shape of brides and grooms. These candles have two wicks. The red is burned to increase passion, the white to attract a new love or prevent infidelity and the pink for reconciliation. Black versions of this double-wicked candle are to break up a relationship. You will also find wax images of a nude or embracing couple. Some of these figurines have one wick and others two. The red version is for passion, the pink for tenderness and reconciliation, the white for a new love and the black to cause a couple to split up. The Divorce Candle, or Break Up Candle, features a man and a woman joined back to back and interlinking arms. This candle is sold in red or black and is used to break up a couple. Individual figurines of nude males and females are used in sympathetic magic. These are called Adam and Eve candles. The red is used for love spells and the black to cause harm or revenge. You might also find candles made in the image of male and female genitalia. The white is used to attract a new partner, the pink to turn a friend into a lover, the red to induce lust and passion, the blue to induce faithfulness and the black to cause impotence. Red skulls are another wax figurine that are sold to attract love. Candles that feature keys and cloverleaves on a flaming cross are called the Master Key Crucifix candles. The pink version of this candle is used to draw romance into one's life.

Samantha Stevens

72

You will also see Seven Knob Wishing candles, which look like a stack of flattened spheres. The ideals that you place a petition or request underneath the pink or red editions of these candles and burn down one sphere a day for seven days. Candle Burning Rituals Below is a compendium of candle burning rituals from many cultures that are used to draw love. The Simplest Love-Drawing Ritual: Anoint any red or pink candle with olive oil or rose oil. While the candle burns, state your request. Simple Love-Drawing Candle Spell: Carve both of your initials into a red candle with the thorn from a rose. Anoint it with rose oil. Pray that the two of you will soon unite as lovers. To Improve Communication: Anoint a red and a blue candle with spearmint or peppermint oil. Burn it and ask for improved communication between you and your lover. To Get a Lover to Contact You: Lightly dust a red candle with cinnamon. Write your partner's initials on the candle. Place it on a piece of aluminum foil. Think intently of your partner as the candle burns. To Get a Lover To Dream of You: Anoint a pink, commercial Nude Lovers candle with orange and gardenia oil. Sprinkle poppy seeds around the base of the candle (you may also sprinkle some glitter). Light the candle and meditate on all the good times that you have had together. To Increase Passion: Sprinkle cinnamon and ginger in a circle around an orange and red candle. Think sexy thoughts about your partner.

Creating Love

73

To Appear Sexier to Your Partner: When the moon is waxing in Scorpio, light a red and silver candle together to increase your attractiveness to the opposite sex. To Bring Joy to a Relationship: Light an orange, pink and yellow candle together. Ask the powers that be to restore spontaneity, enthusiasm and joy to your relationship. To Heal Hurt Feelings: Anoint a light green and pink candle together and ask that the damage that's been done to be reversed. Angel Love Candle Burning Ritual: Light a silver, gold, pink and blue candle together. Pray that your relationship will always be guided by what is best for both of your souls. This color combination brings purity, sincerity and innocence to a relationship. Chuparosa Glass Votive Ritual: Buy a commercial Seven Day glass votive candle with the image of a hummingbird on it. Anoint the candle with honeysuckle oil. Recite the 23rd Psalm or the Song of Solomon from the Bible and let the candle burn down for seven days. St. Barbara Glass Votive Ritual: Purchase a commercial Seven Day glass votive candle with the image of St. Barbara on it. Anoint the candle with gardenia and rose oils. Pray to St. Barbara to keep your husband or mate faithful. Read psalms 139 and 140. St. Martha Glass Votive Ritual: Appeals to St. Martha usually fall in the category of "controlling" magic. Buy a commercial Seven Day glass votive candle with an image of St. Martha on it. Scratch both of your initials into the top of the candle wax. Add a drop of jasmine oil. Say the following words: St. Martha in the same way that you slew to the

Samantha Stevens

74

dragon I ask you to conquer (insert the name of your lover)'s heart. May he not stray or live without me for one more day. Let the candle burn in its container for seven days. Nine Day Candle Burning Ritual: The following is what is known as a controlling spell and is categorized as sympathetic magic. Purchase a male and female (Adam and Eve) wax figurine from an occult shop. Scratch your initials into one figurine and your partner's into another. Anoint both candles with a combination of as many of these oils as you can afford. Nine days before the Full Moon, place the figures far apart. Light the candles for nine minutes and then extinguish. Every day for the next nine days move the wax figures closer and closer to each other. Burn the candles for exactly nine minutes. On the ninth day make sure the figures are touching each other.

Creating Love

75

Chapter Six
Angels and Saints of Love Angels are guests who are invited into your heart. Before you call on an angel, it is important to meditate; to picture your heart as soft and tender and light a candle that is attractive to that particular Heavenly being. Make your request specific and visualize what you want, but don't be attached to the outcome. Angels are agents of the Lord and like God, they work in mysterious ways. Here is a list of the Seven Archangels with their functions and corresponding light rays, as well as a list of saints. You can burn a candle in the Angel's corresponding color to facilitate your prayers. Archangel Michael is the Angel of Protection and corresponds to the color blue. Pray to Archangel Michael if you suspect your mate of infidelity. He is the Angel that can protect you as you proceed down a difficult path, such as filing for a divorce. He also protects battered women from further violence. Archangel Jophiel is the Angel of Illumination and cor-, responds to the color yellow. This Angel can help free you and loved ones from bad habits. Spiritually, he can help you connect with your Higher Self and show you the way when making difficult decisions. Pray to the Archangel Jophiel if you must choose between two prospective partners. Archangel Chamuel is the Angel of Love and corresponds to the color pink. This is the Angel of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and understanding. This Angel helps you repair damaged relationships.

Samantha Stevens

76

Chameul's pink ray can help dissolve feelings of selfcondemnation, guilt and low self-esteem. Pray to the Archangel Chamuel when you want to strengthen the relationship you already have or if you wish to attract a new love. Archangel Gabriel is the Angel of Guidance and corresponds to the color white. Gabriel can help you remove blocks from the past that may be lowering your ability to magnetize and attract love. Materially, Gabriel can also help manifest the right clothes to wear to an important date or social event. Archangel Raphael is the Angel of Healing and corresponds to the color green. Raphael is responsible for the healing of body, mind and soul. This angel repairs broken spirits and helps you accept the truth. He helps you become more receptive to love by opening up your heart. Pray to Raphael if you need to heal a damaged relationship or if you are having trouble discarding the past. He helps resolve conflicts and personal wars. Rachael also helps individuals travel through difficult, yet necessary paths, such as divorce. Archangel Uriel is the Angel of Peace and corresponds to the colors purple and gold. Uriel resolves all problems in personal, social and professional relationships and helps to create harmony in your life. He can help you to let go of bitterness and resentment. Appeal to Uriel if you need help going through a divorce or need to reconcile with a long-lost friend. Archangel Zadkiel is the Angel of Joy and corresponds to the color violet. This is the angel to pray to for domestic harmony. Zadkiel stands for freedom, happiness, justice, mercy and freedom of the soul. Pray to Zadkiel when you are feeling dissatisfied or have

Creating Love

77

forgotten how to be thankful for all of the blessings that you do have. The Saints Petitioning the Saints for Special Favors is a tradition in both Catholic and Santeria religions. When you ask the Catholic Saints for help, it is common to write your request on a piece of paper and place it beneath the appropriately colored candle. If you can find a picture of the Saint in a religious store and place it on the altar, that is even better. Saint Agnes: Burn a white or yellow candle on a Friday to find a soulmate, meet sincere friends and/or ensure fidelity in a relationship. Saint Barbara: Burn a red candle on a Saturday to ask for protection against negative people, for protection from gossip or meddling family members, to protect a marriage from infidelity or to drive away a rival. Saint Maria Goretti: Burn a pink candle on a Friday to ask for help with an abusive relationship or fidelity in a marriage. Saint Brigid of Kildare: Burn a yellow candle on a Sunday to ask her for inspiration when writing love letters or romantic poetry. Her symbol is a cow. Saint Catherine of Alexandria: Burn a yellow or white candle on a Saturday to petition for beauty, fertility, seductiveness and confidence. Her symbol is the wheel. Saint Clare of Assisi: Burn a white candle on a Monday to ask for assistance in dealing with drug addicts and alcoholics. Saint Dymphana: Burn a blue candle on a Monday to for assistance with mentally ill partners, and

Samantha Stevens

78

when you have to deal with people with depression, manic depression, personality disorders, attention deficit disorders or epilepsy. Burn a blue candle on a Sunday to help with a marriage or immigration. Saint Helen: Burn a pink or red candle on a Tuesday to ask her to return a strayed lover or to overcome sorrow and grief. Her symbol is a cross. Saint Martha: Burn a green and/or a white candle on a Tuesday to ask for aid with domestic strife, to prevent infidelity, to bring a new love or to conquer romantic rivals. Her symbol is a dragon. Saint Therese of Liseux: Burn a yellow candle on a Wednesday to be loved by all, for protection from black magic and to restore faith. She also aids those with alcoholic or mentally ill partners. Her emblem is a bouquet of roses. Saint Anthony of Padua: On a Tuesday, burn a brown or orange candle to resolve marriage or relationship problems or bring back a strayed lover. His emblem is the lily. Saint Francis of Assist: On a Monday, light a brown candle to petition for peace, conflict resolution and to gain spiritual wisdom. Saint George: On a Tuesday, light a red candle to conquer fears, acquire courage and to overcome jealousy. His emblem is the slaying of a dragon. Saint Joseph: Light a yellow candle on a Sunday for protection and a happy marriage. His emblem is a lily or a pitcher with a loaf of bread. Saint Martin De Porres: Light a purple and white candle on a Thursday to bring harmony to your household. His emblem is a broom and a crucifix.

Creating Love

79

Chapter Seven
Gods and Goddesses of Love There are thousands of Gods and Goddesses from all cultures that govern love. Below is a compendium of the most traditional in each culture plus a short note about their purpose. If a God or Goddess appeals to you, I would suggest getting a picture of that deity and asking them for help through prayer or candle burning. Indian Gods & Goddesses Durga: Also known as Shakti (Life Energy) and Parvati (Family Unity). Pray to him for general abundance, matters to do with family, child rearing and home. Krishna: God of Power and Bravery. Pray to this deity when faced with a tough discussion to do with love. Lakshmi: Goddess of Prosperity, Purity, Chastity, and Generosity. An excellent Goddess to ask for help in a new relationship or for finding a prospective husband. Shiva: God of Giving and Happiness, Creator. Pray to him for happiness and sexual dexterity. Japanese Gods & Goddesses Uzume: Shinto Goddess of joy, happiness and good health. Pray to her for general abundance, a happy marriage and children. Chinese Gods & Goddesses Quan Yin: Pray to her for unconditional love and mercy. African Gods & Goddesses Oshun: Goddess of Love and Money. Pray to her for health, wealth, love and abundance.

Samantha Stevens

80

Oya: Goddess of Wind and the Market. Pray to her for confidence and the clearing of emotional blocks in your path. Yemaya: Goddess of the Sea. Pray to her for beauty, love and charisma. Egyptian Gods & Goddesses Amun: King of the Gods. Pray to him to acquire a husband or wife. Bastet: Goddess of Protection. Pray to this cat Goddess to be sexy, alluring, charming and good in bed. Hathor: Goddess of Love and Joy. Pray to her for general blessings. Horus: God of the Sky, Ruler of Egypt. Pray to him for the proper circulation of love in your life and an appreciation of ever renewing cycles. Isis: Goddess of Protection and Magic. Pray to her for the enhancement of wisdom, sexual allure and female intuition. Nut: Goddess of the Sky who Covers the Earth. Pray to her for general blessings. Ra: Sun God. Pray to him for delightful surprises, abundance and joy. Sumerian Gods & Goddesses An: God of the Heavens. Pray to him for a union with a soulmate. Enki: Lord of Water and Wisdom. Pray to him for positive thinking and miraculous manifestation from the unconscious. Inanna: Goddess of Love and War. Pray to her for a husband, a happy home and general abundance and prosperity. Ninhursag: Goddess of the Earth, Fertility. Pray to her for many descendents.

Creating Love

< 81

Greek & Roman Gods and Goddesses Aphrodite (Greek), Venus (Roman): Goddess of Love. Pray to her for luck in romantic matters. Apollo (Greek), Mercury (Roman): God of Civilization and the Arts. Pray to him for charisma, right action and eloquence in speech and writing. Artemis (Greek), Diana "(Roman): Goddess of Childbirth and Hunting. Pray to her for discipline, clarity of thought and luck in hunting for a mate. Athena (Greek), Minerva (Roman): Goddess of War, Wisdom and Arts. Pray to her for self-confidence, independence, detachment from negative emotions and good judgement. Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman): Goddess of Agriculture and Good Harvest. Pray to her for health, love, wealth and abundance. Cupid (Greek and Roman): The God of Love. Pray to him find a true love. Dionysos (Greek), Bacchus (Roman): God of Wine. Pray to him to achieve luxuries and an abundant sex life. Hecate (Greek): Goddess of the Underworld, Witchcraft and Black Magic. Pray to her for swift changes, selfconfidence and miracles. Hera (Greek): Goddess of Marriage, Family and Home. Pray to her for general abundance and peaceful relationships. Hermes (Greek), Mercury (Roman): God of Merchants. Pray to him for eloquence of speech or for courage when making a marriage proposal. Hestia (Greek): Goddess of Earth, Fire and Family Life. Pray to her for feminine intuition, connection with nature abundance and emotional security. Persephone (Greek): Goddess of Fertility and Nature. Pray to her for faith in ever renewing cycles and the

Samantha Stevens

82

wisdom to be in the right place at the right time. Selene (Greek): Goddess of the Moon. Pray to her for an understanding of the mysterious cycles that govern sexuality. Aphrodite (Greek), Venus (Roman): Goddess of Love, Protector of Gardens. Pray to her for small miracles and gifts from the Universe. Celtic Gods & Goddesses Branwyn: Goddess of Love, Sexuality and the Sea. Pray to her for faith in other people. Bridget: Goddess of Fertility, Feminine Creativity, Martial Arts and Healing. Pray to her for a happy home and abundance. Cernunnos: The "Horned God," God of Nature, Animals, Fertility and the Underworld. Pray to him for sexual prowess. Cerridwen: Moon Goddess, Goddess of Dark Prophecy and the Underworld. Pray to her for positive influences on the subconscious mind. Coventina: Goddess of Rivers, Abundance, Inspiration and Prophecy. Pray to her for assistance with dating, popularity and meeting new people. Eostre: Goddess of Spring, Rebirth, Fertility and New Beginnings. Pray to her when looking for a new romance. Lugh: Sun God, God of War, Mastery, Magic and Good Harvest. Pray to him for a happy home. British, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh Gods & Goddesses Arawn (Welsh): God of the Hunt and the Underworld. Pray to him to find a soulmate. Arianrhod (Welsh): Star and Sky Goddess, Goddess of Beauty, Full Moon and Magical Spells. Pray to her for

Creating Love

83

confidence and self-esteem. Cliodna (Irish, Scottish): Goddess of Beauty and of Other Realms. Pray to her to appear beautiful to others. The Green Man (Welsh): God of the Woodlands, Life Energy and Fertility. Pray to him for miracles and special favors. Oghma (Scottish, Irish): God of Communication, Writing and Poets. Pray to him just before a date, proposing or writing a love letter. Rhiannon (Welsh): Goddess of Birds, Horses, Enchantments, Fertility and the Underworld. Pray to her for the persistence of good fortune and to appear charming to others. Norse Gods & Goddesses Freya: Goddess of Love, Beauty, War, Magic and Wisdom. Pray to her for protection of home and family. Freyr: God of Fertility and Success. Pray to him for fertility and many descendants.

Samantha Stevens

84

Chapter Eight
Charms and Talismans Many people already own love-drawing charms or talismans. Below, I have compiled a list of some of the more popular good luck symbols that can be purchased in the form of jewelry, paintings or statues. The Heart: This is the universal symbol of love. The Cupid with An Arrow: This is a baby angel with a bow and arrow. The Sun: The Sun represents primal male energies as well as passion and enthusiasm for life. The Moon: The moon represents the feminine aspects of love as well as intuition and sexual secrets. Planetary Symbol for Venus: This looks like a crucifix with a loop on top. It represents the feminine aspect of love. Planetary Symbol for Mars: This is a circle with an arrow extending from it. It represents the masculine aspect of love. Old Statue of Venus: Venus figurines date back 25,000 years and often feature a round woman with huge breasts and an extended stomach. They embody the essence of tantric sex and fertility. Classic Statue of Venus: This is the familiar Grecian statue of Venus that depicts a Goddess with missing arms. Mother Goddess Symbol: This is an amulet or talisman that features a woman with a leaf shaped lower body and arms curved vertically above her head. She represents mystical wisdom and sex. Gaia Symbol: This is often a roundish woman with her arms raised so that they join in a full circle above her

Creating Love

85

head. Unlike the Mother Goddess symbol, her hands touch or merge with each other. She represents grounding and connection with nature, as well as fertility, wisdom and intuition. Egyptian Cat Goddess: A woman with the head of cat. Protects the home, mothers and children. Tai Chi: These black and white symbols of male and female unity feature two teardrop shapes embracing in a circle. The Chinese Rabbit: This symbol attracts beauty and love. Chinese Rooster: A symbol of virility and bravado with the opposite sex. Chinese Dragon and Phoenix: This charm, which features these two animals dancing together, stands for indivisibility, strong partnerships, beauty, longevity and renewal. Celtic Wheel: This amulet features a Celtic cross in the middle of a wheel. It symbolizes generosity and spiritual fortitude. Circular Celtic Knots: This amulet features at least two circles entwined in a knot. It helps to attract and exude loye, be one with a beloved, make new friends and touch other people's souls. Heart with Celtic Knots: This amulet contains a Celtic knot within the shape of a heart and is used for attraction and fidelity. Claddaugh Ring: This is an interlocking ring that features two hands circling a heart that is topped with a winged crown. It represents fidelity and faithfulness in love and marriage. The Rune Gebo: This talisman is simply an X. It means gift. It teaches us to be generous, accept love from God and helps to attain unity in love.

Samantha Stevens

86

The Rune Wunjo: This talisman represents a pointy letter P. It represents teamwork, cooperation, happiness and many friends. The Rune of Irresistibility: This rune is a circle from which eight spokes radiate out from the hub of a wheel. The spokes are elk antlers. It is thought to make one irresistible in love. The Venus Talisman: This symbol from the Middle Ages features two triangles meeting in a circle and features the names of God engraved in Hebrew on its periphery. This Seal of Solomon is used to receive the love of a desired person, enhance one's own attractiveness, harmonize existing relationships and attract new friends. The Whale: Worn by indigenous North American people to ensure fidelity in a relationship. The Opossum: Worn by Northwest American Indians for protection of children and relatives. Used to heal broken family relationships. The Hummingbird: Worn by Indians on the North American Prairies to symbolize joy, luck and beauty. The Dog: A symbol for Indians on the North American Prairie that represents fidelity and devotion. Goddess Astarte Symbol: This triangular shaped amulet dates from 1600 BCE in Phoenicia. It features a woman's face, her nipples and pubic hair. It is worn to make women sexually attractive and fertile. The Clover: A five-leafed clover symbolizes a happy marriage. The Pentagram: This five-sided star is also known as the Druid's foot. It helps as a talisman to fulfill wishes, invoke spiritual powers and activate inner powers. It also serves as a protective amulet against the "evil eye" and casts evil back to where it came.

Creating Love

87

The Star of David: This six-pointed star is also known as the Seal of Solomon and the Hexagram. It consists of two interlocking triangles and is used as a talisman to attain harmony, gain knowledge and invoke the aid of the angels. The Heptagram: Also known as the Mysterious Star or the Love Star, this seven-pointed star is sacred to Venus and helps one radiate beauty and attractiveness as well as radiate harmony and love. Munanchi: The munachi is a Quechua charm used to enact sexual love spells. Made of soapstone, these sculptures feature two people in the act of copulation. Wrapping two hairs, one from each partner, through the embrace of the interlocking couple is thought to ensure fidelity. Kama Sutra Charms From Nepal: These interlocking sculptures, or tiny charms, feature two individuals copulating and are thought to enhance acts of sexual tantra. Raccoon Penis Bones: These are given to young girls in the Ozark region of the United States to enhance the virility of the men that are attracted to them. Munaiwarmi Love Stone: The name means "Women's Love Stone" in the Quechua language of Bolivia and Peru. Hand-carved out of soapstone, this amulet is used by Indian women in love spells to ensure the fidelity of husbands or boyfriends while they are journeying away from home. The amulet features three figuresthree women or a man, woman and a baby. Lodestones: These are two magnetics that are carried on the person, one representing a male and the other a female to ensure fidelity in a relationship.

Samantha Stevens

88

Chapter Nine
Love is in the Earth: Herb, Roots and Plants Plants of all kinds (including trees), herbs and roots have been used for centuries to love a person and give harmony to a home. Most herbs are available in your garden or from stores, but there are occult shops and apothecaries that carry herbs in jars. There are several ways to use plants in order to ensure love and harmony: You can carry some of the substance on you. This can be as easy as putting a tiny bit of the herb in a plastic bag and putting it in your pocket. An easy solution is to put a pinch of the herb in a locket. Sew a sachet or pouch. You can buy ready-made sachets or pouches that you can use for this purpose, but you can also sew a small one using an appropriately colored material. Pink and red are popular colors associated with love. These sachets are then tucked under the bed, worn on a string around the neck, put in a purse or wallet or concealed somewhere in the home. Some people simply fill a potpourri jar with the appropriate herbs and hide it in the house. The simplest Wiccan "Earth, Water, Air, Fire" Ritual is to boil the herb in water. The herbs symbolize the Earth element, the water element is in the pot, the air element is the steam and the fire element is the stove. Strain the plant material from the liquid and sprinkle the infusion around or outside the home. Use herbs as incense. Some plants are hypnotics so I don't really recommend this unless you are certain that the herb is not toxic once set alight. Traditionally though, herbs are set alight on charcoal burners and the smoke is allowed to waft through the house.

Creating Love

89

Here is a list of common plants, herbs and roots used in love magic with some tips about how to use them: Apple Blossoms: Drop these pretty blossoms in your bath to make others think that you are more attractive. Carrying the blossoms on your person increases your popularity and charisma. Althea (also called Marshmallow Herb): Known as the persuasion herb, this can be carried in a locket or sachet on your person. Traditionally, it is burned on charcoal with apple blossoms and rose blossoms to invite a proposal of marriage. Balm of Gilead: This energizing and protective herb is carried on the person or burned as incense to keep a lover attracted and faithful. Bayberry: Bayberry is used as a commercial oil. It is bought by men and worn on the pulse to attract women. Black Snakeroot: This is traditionally burned on charcoal or concealed on the person of a man to arouse a woman's lust. It is the most commonly used ingredient in controlling Adam and Eve love spells. Caraway Seeds: Carried on the person to increase lust in another. If placed on your lover's person, they are said to stop infidelity. Cardamom: Sprinkled as a spice on food or tucked into a sachet under the bed to arouse a lover. Cinnamon: Used in love sachets. Sprinkle it under the sheets of the bed to increase passion between two people. Coriander: Carried on the person or sprinkled under the sheets or used in food recipes to strengthen an existing love relationship. Cumin: Used in food recipes or sprinkled around the

Samantha Stevens

90

bed to keep a lover faithful to you. Deerstongue: Used to attract another of the same sex. Usually is carried on the person in a locket or a sachet. Dill: Sprinkled about the home to protect and strengthen an existing love. Elcampane: Carried on the person as a love charm to attract a soul mate. Frangipani: Can be bought as an oil or commercial incense. The flowers are used to gain the confidence or trust of a person that you desire. Ginger: Used to arouse a reluctant lover or cure impotence. Typically sprinkled under the sheets. When added to other love-drawing herbs it is said to accelerate desired results. Hazel: Two twigs tied together with a red ribbon are said to reconcile estranged lovers. Jasmine: Can be bought as incense, oil or perfume. The flowers are rare, but if you can find them, sprinkle on the bed or stuff in a pillow to ensure a successful seduction. Lavender: Kept as a plant in the home or stuffed inside a pillow, this sweet-smelling herb is thought to straighten out marital problems and ensure fidelity. Orange Blossoms: The oil or perfume can be placed into a sachet to attract a marriage proposal. Myrtle: A sprig of myrtle kept in the bedroom, on a mirror or hung above the bed, is said to increase fertility. Poppy Seeds: Stuffed in your lover's pillow, these are thought to make him or her dream of you. Rosemary: Used in every wayingested, as incense, as oil or in a sachetto bind two people together in a gentle, loving manner. Sweet Pea: An attraction flower. The plant is kept in the

Creating Lovt

91

garden to attract friends and lovers. Bathing in the flowers is thought to increase popularity. Vanilla pods: Tucked under the bed, these are thought to lower another's inhibitions. Carried on the person, vanilla's vibration is thought to cause others to find you seductive. Can be bought commercially as perfume, incense or oil. Magic in Your Spice Rack Check out the magical uses of some of these very common spices, which are found in almost everybody's spice rack or kitchen cupboard. Ginger: Ginger is used to speed things up. Ginger sprinkled under the phone may cause that important call to come faster, but don't use it too much as it can also cause a heated exchange or an argument. Mint: If you need to sparkle in a crowd, charm, woo or sell something, try nibbling on a little mint or drinking mint tea. Salt: Taking a bath in salt is said to purify the aura and cleanse it of negative emotions and entities. This practice increases your receptivity to love. Magical Houseplants for Love Plants have a natural connection to the higher realms, which you can access by having them in your energy field. Below is a list of some flowers for love. Apple Blossoms: Apple Blossoms correspond to the energies of Venus, the Goddess of Love. Camphor: The plant is very difficult to find in North America, however, you can burn the essential oil. Camphor is recommended for those who are follow-

Samantha Stevens

92

ing a strictly chaste path. Catnip: Promotes peace and happiness. Carnation: Brushing your body with the petals of a carnation (with the flowers still attached to the stem) is thought to remove negative emotions and clear your aura so that you are receptive to meeting a new love. The oil is burned in aromatherapy to bring a new marriage partner. Cypress: The aroma of cypress trees can ease the pain of heartache, loneliness and grief. Daffodil: These bright yellow flowers are said to enhance states of spiritual love. Freesia: A bouquet of freesia is said to raise vibrations and instill love and peace in the home. Gardenia: Gardenias represent peace, love and spirituality. Geranium: This common flower represents happiness. Hyacinth: Hyacinths are used to overcome grief, loss and ease emotional pain. Their aroma is said to cure insomnia. Iris: Irises represent love and female intuition. Jasmine: Used frequently in magic rituals, the jasmine flower represents love, peace, fidelity, happiness, virility, fertility and sex. Lavender: A love-drawing flower that vibrates to a very high frequency. Also used for soothing broken hearts. Lemon Verbena: An herb that emanates a scent said to invoke love and a purity of intention. Lilac: A common flower that brims with love-attracting energies. Lily: Used to ease the pain of broken relationships. Magnolia: Represents the first bloom of love. Meadowsweet: According to European folklore, was

Creating Love

93

used to expand our abilities to give and receive love. Mimosa: Causes one to dream about love. Narcissus: Attracts love and raises self-esteem. Neroli: This orange tree attracts joy and sex into your life. Palmarosa: Facilitates receptivity to love and healing from heartbreak. Plumeria: This flowering tree represents peace and love. Peony: Represents the blush of first love. Tuberose: These Mexican flowers draw peace and love into a home. Water Lily or Lotus: These floating flowers represent spiritual love, love for God, altruistic love, enlightenment, and peace. Ylang-Ylang: These powerfully scented blossoms symbolize peace, love and happiness. A Rose Is Not Just a Rose The rose is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols in the metaphysical world, so much so that I decided to dedicate a section to it. It is one of the most accessible tools that can be used for everyday magic. The gift of a rose is also one of the simplest ways to say, "I love you" without too much hocus-pocus. The thorns on its stems represent the prick of love and the overcoming of obstacles to achieve your desires. It is the pinnacle of metaphorical purity and symbolizes completion and perfection. The rose historically symbolizes the female genitalia and is associated with Cupid, Eros, Adonis, Aphrodite, Isis, Hathor, and Demeter. Rose water and rose petals are often used in magical rituals to honor these Gods and Goddesses. The element associated with the rose is Water, so it is particularly friendly to the astrological signs of Pisces,

Samantha Stevens

94

Cancer and Scorpio. Both Mercury and Venus rule this flower. A bath in rose petals or rose water (which is distilled from rose buds) is said to attract love to the bathing beauty. An ancient custom is to sprinkle the bed of newly weds with rose petals to sweeten the initial carnal relations. In ancient, alchemical formulas the red rose is used as a masculine principle and the rose represents the feminine or receptive principle. The combination of the two represents harmony and unity. Rose oil, which is extracted from the petals of the flower, is also prominent in both love and healing rituals. When applied to the temples, the oil is said to cure a headache. When applied to the thighs or breasts, it is supposed to attract a suitor. As an essential oil, the rose's essence is thought to cure frigidity and impotence. Rose water is used in cooking spells and added to curries and cake mixes to infuse the dish with good spirits and love attracting qualities. The water is also splashed on the skin to give you a complexion as dewy as the flower. Red roses symbolize love, sex and passion. Pink roses suggest friendship, joy, gratitude and fun. Yellow roses can symbolize enthusiasm, but according to some folklore, the yellow rose can symbolize deception or the perfect crime. Orange roses signify enthusiasm, passion and a lust for life. White roses are symbolic of significant landmarks in life, unconditional love, purity and innocence. The flower is not the only part of the rose that is used in divination and magic. To discover their romantic future, women used to pluck three green rose leaves and name one after each of their suitors. The one that stayed green the longest was their soulmate. Ironically, for a flower that is often given as a gift, the

Creating Love

95

most powerful roses are said to be those that have been stolen from another person's garden.

Samantha Stevens

96

Chapter Ten
Love is in the Earth: Rocks, Stones and Gems Below, I have listed seven popular gemstones that correspond with the Divine energies of the Seven Archangels. If you don't own any jewelry, you can obtain inexpensive, raw, unpolished gems in stores or on the Internet. Once you have the stone, it is best to wear it someplace your body, which is why so many of these are set in necklaces, bracelets and rings. Sapphire: This stone, which is usually deep blue in color, corresponds to the energies of the Archangel Michael. Michael protects you from forces antithetical to love such as violence and lust. The sapphire can help women select an appropriate husband. Yellow Topaz: This clear yellow gem is the problemsolving stone. This stone is also good for those who feel numbed by disappointment. It allows codependents to release drunken or abusive partners. It can also help obsessive people learn to let go. It helps you recognize your patterns and see the big picture in life. Wearing topaz helps you connect to the energies of the Archangel Jophiel, who is the Angel of Divine Inspiration. Rose Quartz: This light pink crystal heals the heart and promotes a sense of self-appreciation and self-love. It also helps you open your heart center so that you can give unconditional love. It improves your mood and enhances feelings of joy. The rose quartz is a very warm stone and helps you put your own needs first, thereby getting rid of that feeling of being taken for granted. It corresponds to the benevolent energies of

Creating Love

97

the Archangel Chamuel, the Angel of Love. Diamond: Diamonds have traditionally symbolized the commitment of one human being to another, but, in this case, they also symbolize a commitment to taking care of your Higher Self. The stone vibrates at a frequency that strengthens your intuitive abilities. It helps you perceive beyond surface appearance and understand the truth about another person. The diamond connects you to the peaceful energies of the Archangel Gabriel, who helps you harmonize conflicts in your life. Emerald: This brilliant green stone is used to restore balance. Healers use this as an anti-stress stone and to restore harmony to troubled or split personalities. Traditionally, an emerald was thought to help you learn lessons, so you don't repeat mistakes in your love life. Its deep sea green color is reminiscent of the subconscious, so it can assist in the manifestation of appropriate relationships in your life. Wearing this stone connects you to the Divine energies of the Archangel Raphael, the Angel of Healing. Ruby: The blood-red light of the ruby helps to dispel feelings of discouragement and self-doubt and infuse your heart, mind and aura with love. This is the stone to wear if you feel like you are drowning in self-pity. It dispels negative self-talk and is thought to increase confidence and beauty. It can help you achieve a vibrant social life and attract the right friends. The ruby corresponds to the Archangel Uriel; the Angel responsible for helping you let go of anti-love forces such as resentment, jealousy and bitterness, so that loving and forces can take their place. Amethyst: This beautiful purple stone helps you let go of past hurts and relationships; it will help you access

Samantha Stevens

98

the truth that will set you free. If you are a control freak, this is the gem that will help you "Let Go and Let God." Amethysts help release fears and anxieties that might be lurking in your subconscious and preventing you from moving forward by bringing them to the surface. It helps release fear and anxiety and also reduces tension and stress in the body. Wearing an amethyst helps you to access the energies of the Archangel Zadkiel, the Angel of Joy. This is the Angel that transmutes negative energy into positive light. As not everyone can afford rubies, sapphires and diamonds, there are many other semi-precious stones that can also raise your vibration to attract prosperity. Agate: Strengthens your insight, promotes fidelity. Aquamarine: Activates memory of past lives so we don't repeat mistakes. Carnelian: Dispels laziness, rage, jealousy, envy, fear. Garnet: Love, devotion, commitment; gets rid of feelings of abandonment. Hematite: Transforms negative energy to the positive; attracts love. Jade: Fidelity, devotion, love-drawing, lucid dreaming, intuition. Lapis Lazuli: Awareness, intuition, cures depression, love-attracting. Mica: Beauty for eyes and hair. Moonstone: New beginnings, hopes, wishes, tenderness, compassion, mercy. Obsidian: Grounding, protection, dispels obsessions, raises self-esteem. Onyx: Banishes grief, increases self-control, aids in making wise choices.

Creating Love

99

Opal: Brings out the best in you, acting from the heart, invoking visions, dreams. Pearl: Faith, charity, innocence, integrity, spiritual guidance; increases fertility. Peridot: Attracts friends, cleanses the heart, happiness. Quartz (clear): Balances energy field, restores harmony, intuition. Quartz (rose): Attracts love, heals emotional wounds, opens the heart center, clears skin. Quartz (smoky): Dissolves negative energies, resentment, enhances self-esteem.

Samantha Stevens

100

Chapter Eleven
Little Love Rituals There are some simple things you can do to attract love in your life. Sometimes, the most absurd and smallest practices seem to work better than performing a grand, dramatic ritual. These practices are more like superstition, but I have tried these and they have at one time or another worked for me. (I think!) Here are some very simple ritualssome old, some newthat might help you achieve your romantic intentions. A bouquet of roses set in the southwestern corner of your bedroom is thought to attract love. To find out if your lover will stay with you, cut an apple in half and offer him or her the other half. If he or she accepts the apple, he or she will be with you for a long time. Feed your lover a fig, with your initials carved lightly into it, to keep him or her faithful. To gain the love of someone: On a night of the Full Moon, walk to a spot beneath your beloved's bedroom window, and whisper his/her name three times to the night wind. Select the following cards from a Tarot deck: the king of cups, the queen of cups, the ace of cups and the lovers. Fan these cards around a pink candle and light it. Keep these cards spread out in this configuration for a period

Creating Love

101

of seven days. This is an affirmation of your romantic intention to find or keep a lover or soulmate. Procure a lock of your lover's hair and twist it with a lock of your own in a clockwise direction nine times. Tie both ends with red thread and place in a safe place, such as a locket. Carry this in your pocket. To have him or her think or dream of you more often, anoint the corners of a photograph with orange and rose oil and place the photograph under your pillow. To keep your lover's mind on you, strike a match on the heel of your shoe and say "Be True." Do this every time you part ways. To bless your marriage and keep him faithful, serve him cooked cabbage on the New Moon of every month. Or, serving your spouse rhubarb pie on a Full Moon will keep him faithful. To ensure that a relationship will last, fill a glass with water. Let him or her take a sip of it and then take a sip of it yourself. Then purposefully drop it so that it breaks. Collect the shards and bury it in the backyard. Carry a rose quartz as a love talisman to draw love to you. Wear copper jewelry, the favorite metal of Venus, to encourage loving vibrations around you. To have him or her think of nobody but you, take two separate photographs, one of you and one of him and sandwich them with the faces against each other. Bind

Samantha Stevens

102

this together with pink and red ribbon and keep it in a safe, secret place. To encourage a proposal serve your lover a bowl filled with seven strawberries covered with cream. Magical Baths Taking a Magical Love-Drawing Bath can be as simple as running to your local drug or beauty supply store and buying a product that contains the suggested herb or essential oil. Many common scents that are used to scent soaps, shower gels and bubble baths can considered to be loveattracting: apple, apple blossom, carnation, cinnamon, coriander, freesia, gardenia, hyacinth, iris, jasmine, lavender, lilac, lily, magnolia, meadowsweet, mimosa, narcissus, orange, orange blossom, orchid, plumeria, rose, tuberose, white ginger, and ylang-ylang. Patchouli, vanilla- and neroli-scented baths are thought to increase one's sexual energy. Lime-scented soaps or shower gels can be used to cool down passions and clear the head of obsessive, romantic thoughts. You can get a little witchier, by making ah infusion. Brew the herbs as you would brew a cup of herbal tea and then pour the strained liquid into your bath water. You can also put the ingredients into a cheesecloth bag that hangs over the bathtub faucet and have the hot water run through the ingredients. In some cases you can actually buy tea bags and just toss them in the water. Chocolate Cherry Bath: This is completely decadent and designed to bring more erotic pleasure into your life. First, you should know that there are commercial chocolate bubble bath preparations on the market,

Creating Love

103

but they can be hard to find in some areas. Instead, mix up a little glass of chocolate milk. The milk is good for your skin and the chocolate raises your serontonin levelsthe pleasure chemicals in your brain. Toss this into the tub as the hot water is pouring and then put nine whole cherries into the bath with you. Sit in the tub and eat each cherry, and imagine what a good time you are going to have with your lover. The bobbing cherries are like all your 'little ducks" lined up in a row when it comes to your romantic intentions. Rinse off well after thisyou'll need it. Lavender: Lavender corresponds to the planet Mercury and is used to improve communication, attract happiness and achieve piece of mind. Long ago, this seductive flower was used by prostitutes as a magic charm to attract customers. Many commercial preparations are available, but throwing a few of the fresh buds into your bath might bring you a wealthy and generous lover. Rosemary: Rosemary is a powerful "wish granting" herb. Ombra makes an excellent commercial bath, but you can make an infusion of this from the spice jar in your cupboard or put a bit of the essential oil in your bath (but make it just one droprosemary is strong and can irritate the skin). A bath in rosemary uplifts the spirits and is used to create lust, attract love and improve communication skills. Honeysuckle: You can buy this as a bubble bath or, once again, just throw the flowers into the tub. Honeysuckle attracts wealth, riches, honors, marriage proposals and treasures. Oat Beauty Bath: Gather oats and throw the sheaves into the bathtub. You are performing a significant act

Samantha Stevens

104

of magical transformation. Oats are very feminine and appeal to the Goddess energies. They soften the skin, make the eyes glow and give you a youthful appearance. You can throw a cup of raw, uncooked oats into the bath if you're in hurry or you can buy a commercial preparation (Aveeno makes a good one). Orange and Mint Leaves: This is a bath to make yourself more attractive and your skin smell really nice. Take nine mint leaves and nine orange segments and put them in the bath. You don't have to eat the mint and orange leaves, but you can if you are hungry. When you get out of the bath, do not rinse off, but just dry off lightly so that the scent lingers. You could also try mixing an orange bath gel with a mint one. Love-Drawing Bath: On a Friday night, throw a handful of rose petals, lavender buds and parsley into the bathtub. Add one teaspoon of honey. This is a recipe to draw a new partner. Bath to Attract Kindred Spirits and Friends: Add one half of a teaspoon of sage and one tablespoon of pineapple juice to your bath. Light pink and yellow candles as you immerse yourself and meditate upon your situation. Flirting Bath: Add thirteen rose petals, a handful of lavender and a pinch of cinnamon to your bath to enhance your charm and wit. Rose: Roses correspond to Venus and attract love, luck and protection. There are many rose-scented products on the market, including essential oils. If you want to go all out and make yourself a powerful love-attracting bath, tint the scented water pink with a touch of food coloring and cast a pinch or two of some multicolored glitter to strengthen your magical intentions.

Creating Love

105

Magical Wreaths Wreaths represent the Universal Circle of Love. Maidens wore wreaths of flowers on their heads while dancing around the Maypole to attract a partner. However, the wreaths we are discussing here are meant as centerpieces or adornments for the mantelpiece or front door. To make the frame for your wreath you will need strong thread, glue and branches from the appropriate tree. Try to make your wreath from branches you find on the ground, however, if you can't, be sure to thank the tree if you break off any of its limbs. It's much easier to buy a pre-fabricated frame. Most craft stores sell very nice circular frames made from varnished grapevines. A wreath can be complicated and hung with a cornucopia of herbs, fruits and flowers, or it can be as simple as a bunch of pussy willows braided together and formed into a circle. Below, I have made a few suggestions for different wreaths you can create to attract love. Love-Drawing Wreath: You will need some kind of circular armature, or the above mentioned grapevine wreath. However, if you want to make your own circle, the branches from any fruit tree (apple, cherry, or orange) are perfect. Leave as many leaves on the branches as you can and make sure they are thin and pliable enough so you can twist them into a the circle. Once you have constructed the circle, decorate it with dried roses. Pink and red are the best colors. The darker the red, the more sexy the wreath. You can dry your own roses in advance. However, if you have no dried roses available, fabric flowers will work just as well. Tie the buds of the roses into the

Samantha Stevens

106

wreathe and then decorate it with pink, red and white ribbons. This lush and girly deocration is designed to bring love into your life. Wild Love Wreath: This wreath is made from wild flowers that you have collected from nearby fields or from your garden. Be sure to include daisies, meadowsweet lavender, wild violets, and other loveattracting flowers. Decorate it with violet, yellow, white and pink ribbons to welcome a high spiritual love vibration into your house. Valentine's Day Wreath: Wrap real or fake roses, lilies and orchids around a wire armature and decorate with baby's breath. Use ribbons to attach heartshaped Hershey's Kisses, curios and plastic charms. Tie it with a big red bow. Simple Love Spells Lunar Love Offering: In the light of a New Moon, kiss a piece of rose quartz and place it on a round silver dish. Place two red-rose petals over the quartz and leave it by a window for five days. Take the quartz with you on first dates, or whenever else you feel that you need luck in matters of love. Snow White and Rose Red Ritual: This is an old Germanic ritual that is used to attract the man or woman of your dreams. Obtain one red and one white rose. Their buds should not be fully open. On a piece of paper, in pink ink, write a description of the ideal lover you would like to attract. Cut the bud of the red rose in half with scissors and do the same with the white rose. Place a lock of your hair and the piece of paper between the halves of the two roses and tie them together with a pink ribbon. Kiss the

Creating Love

107

new rose you have made and throw it into the nearest lake, pond or sea. Take the two remaining halves and bury them in the back of your garden. Rose Heart Spell: Any time during the waxing moon phase, take nine red roses and place them in a heart shape on a table. Place your picture in the center and sprinkle it with carnation or gardenia oil. Call on a Goddess of love to grant your wish. Lavender Love Spell: Write seven different wishes for love on seven violet- or lavender-colored pieces of paper. You may also use lavender or pink ink on white paper. On seven consecutive nights, light a lavender-scented candle. Each night, burn one of the wishes in the candle, snuff the candle, scoop the ashes in your hand and take them outside of the house. Blow the remaining ashes in the four directions starting with East, North, West and then South. On the seventh night, let the candle burn down completely. Bury any of the left-over wax by a rose bush. Wishbone Spell: Take a wishbone from a chicken or turkey. Rinse it, coat it with sugar and let it dry for three days. Place it in a jar along with a piece of paper with your wish written on it. Place the jar in a place where it will not ever be seen. Forget-Me-Knot Spell: Several times a day, go to a quiet place where you can meditate. Take one yard of red ribbon and wrap it around and around your index finger while stating your desires or your lover's name. Aphrodite Love Ritual: Take a picture of yourself and your lover and place it in a large seashell. Place the seashell between a light-blue and light-pink candle and surround it with a fastened string of pearls. Ask Aphrodite that your relationship be blessed for a

Samantha Stevens

108

very long time to come. Laxme Love Ritual: Place a photograph of you and your lover inside a circle of purple, green, blue and pink candles. Fill a goblet or dish shaped like a lotus with seawater. Sprinkle emerald, gold and blue glitter in a circle around the candles. Burn lotus incense as you ask Laxme, Goddess of Love and Prosperity, to bless your future together. Oshun Love Ritual: Create an altar that includes your picture with as many of the following objects as you can find: pink, silver, orange, yellow and gold candles; chocolate flavored liqueurs; colored gum drops; orange, pink and yellow flowers; goldfish crackers; plastic or real costume jewelry; and, sea shells. Ask Oshun to bless your relationship or help you find the love that is right for you. To Psychically Contact a Lover at a Distance: On the night of the New Moon, go to the seashore, or the nearest, large body of water and meditate on the message you would like to send to your far-away lover. Place a lock of your hair, a small silver or plastic heart, a sprig of rosemary and a piece of paper upon which is written both of your names, between two halves of a seashell. Tie the seashell with a red ribbon and let the waves carry your astral message to your lover. Desire Oil Ritual: Anoint a bright-red candle with three drops of lavender oil, three drops of orange blossom oil and one drop of lemon oil. Speak the name of your desired and light the red candle. Let it burn every day for two hours until your desire is requited. Marriage Oil Ritual: Anoint a lavender candle with two drops of frankincense oil, three drops of cypress oil and two drops of sandalwood oil. Light the candle

Creating Lovt

109

and pray for a happy marriage. Repeat this every day as you light the candle until the candle burns down. Lovers Oil Ritual: Anoint a bright-red candle with five drops of rose oil, five drops of rosemary oil and three drops of tangerine, neroli or orange oil. Light the candle and ask that your relationship always be passionate, fun and exciting. Let this candle burn until it has gone out. Homemade Love Magnet Oil: Find a small bottle and fill it with a teaspoon of almond or olive oil. Add two drops of ylang-ylang oil and two drops of sandalwood oil. Wear this love-attracting scent before you leave the house to meet potential mates. Balloon Love Ritual: Blow up a balloon whose color is sympathetic with your desire. Use red for love, pink for joy and friendship and orange for happiness and fulfillment. There are two versions of this spell. Blow the balloon up yourself, mark a symbol on it that represents your desire (such as a heart) and tap it repeatedly to keep it in the air as long as possible. Each tap on the balloon builds energy towards manifesting your wish. Or you can buy a helium-filled balloon (don't use a pen to mark your symbol on the balloon or it will pop), charge it with your wish and release it into this sky. Passionate Potpourri: You will need: Several dried rose petals 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon coffee 1 tablespoon ginger 5 teaspoons whole cardamom seeds Stir this mixture clockwise nine times with your finger, while envisioning success in love. Place the mixture

Samantha Stevem

no

in a jar with no lid and conceal it in your kitchen cupboard. To Sweeten Someone's Attitude Towards You: Write your name and your lover's name on a piece of paper. Sandwich them so they are facing each other and tie them with a pink ribbon. Place in a small jar and fill with honey while chanting "Sweeten up this honey cup." Conceal this in a place where it will not be found. Love Wishing Spell: Create a mixture of the following herbs: bladderwrack, anise, lavender, orris root and caraway. Take this mixture to the nearest ocean or large body of water. Dig a hole as close to the water as possible and place a piece of charcoal inside it. Light the charcoal and sprinkle part of the herb mixture on top. Anoint yourself with the ocean or lake water, bathe yourself in the wafted smoke from the incense and ask the water spirits to fill your wish or desire. Sprinkle the remaining herbs into the water and bury the charcoal. Love Treasure Chest: Cut a paper heart out of a pink or red piece of paper. Inside that heart draw two more intersecting hearts. As you do this, visualize love coming to you. Place this paper heart inside a small, wooden or cardboard box. Take a handful of rose petals in your right hand and place them close to your heart. Visualize love coming to you as you deposit the rose petals in the box. Do the same as you place two rose quartz crystals in the box. Take a real or fake wedding ring, clasp it in your left hand and hold it against your heart. Say "Symbol of love, bring love from above." Place the ring in the box. Close the lid of the box and wrap it in gold paper with pink ribbon. Place it beneath a pink can-

Creating Love

ill

die and light the candle for nine minutes. Repeat this ritual of lighting the candle for nine minute for another nine days. At the end of the nine days, unwrap the box, remove the ring and wear it on a chain around your neck over your heart. Bury the box next to a rose or lilac bush. Lucky in Love Spell: On the night of a New Moon, light pink, blue and gold candles. Wrap a horseshoe, an antique key and two red roses in red satin or silk. Place this in your underwear drawer for fourteen days. At the end of the fourteen days, bury the roses near your home and keep the horseshoe and key on your person as good luck charms. Attraction and Beauty Spells For Self-Confidence: This is a version of what is known as a glamory spell. Glamory spells usually involve mirrors. It is said that this is a good spell to perform before a first date. Light a blue candle in front of a mirror. Sit at the mirror and stare into your own eyes until you have counted to twenty-one. Ask the Powers That Be to place a circle of gold light around you. Repeat your Christian name or names twenty-one times. Then speak your wish and repeat it twenty-one times. Blow out the candle and await success. Apple Beauty Ritual: Cut an apple in half horizontally and you should see the star. Visualize yourself radiating light and glowing like a star. Eat half the apple and bury the other half under a tree. Inner Beauty Spell: Sit before a mirror. Light one orange candle and one rose-colored candle. Focus on yourself for nine minutes, imagining your good features

Samantha Stevens

112

being enhanced and your flaws diminishing. Repeat this ritual for nine minutes for nine days. Glamory Ritual: On the night of a full moon, select three candles that can be used as a combination for candle burning. Select red for sex appeal, silver for charisma, gold for star-quality, orange for likeability, pink for youthfulness and purple for exotica. Also choose a mirror that is small enough to fit in your pocket. Once you have chosen the colors of the candles and pocket mirror, go outdoors and find a secluded spot. Light vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, rose or lavender incense. Take your clothes off. Anoint your feet, knees, abdomen, breasts, upper arms, hand, heart center, throat and forehead with any combination of the following oils: gardenia, rose, lilac, freesia or lotus. Pass the mirror through the incense smoke. Gaze into the mirror and visualize how you would like your looks to improve. Tilt the mirror so that it reflects the glory of the full moon. When you are done, snuff the candles and let the incense burn out. Wrap the mirror in a dark cloth and keep it in a safe place. Before a date or important event, anoint yourself with the oils again and meditate on your image for ten minutes. Sympathetic Love Magic: All the spells in this section fall into the category of sympathetic or controlling magic. Depending on your intent you could create love or create chaos. Use at your own risk! To Ensure Fidelity: This is a tradition in Santeria. Place a picture of your beloved in a jar, and sprinkle spikenard herb, rose and hyssop petals on it. Read Psalm 113, seal the jar and put it in a place where it will not be seen To Rekindle Passion: On a Tuesday or Friday night, etch

Creating Love

113

the name of your beloved on a human-figure candle (male or female Adam or Eve candle) and light it. Place Tonka beans or dried beans in a heat resistant bowl or container and hold it over the candle. As the beans begin to hop around in the dish, ask for your partner's passion to be re-ignited. Do this three nights in a row. Love Braid (Binding Spell): This ritual has the intention of getting another to declare love for you. Procure three 15-inch ribbons in the colors of pink, lavender and white. Braid the ribbons while asking Venus or Aphrodite to strengthen the love between you. Tie the ribbons around a vanilla pod and keep the pod in a safe place. To Be Treated Well By a Lover: Roll a gold candle in almond oil and sugar and allow to it to dry until it is hard. Put it in a candle holder. Wind a string of pearls around the bottom of the candle holder. This spell should at least get you one good night on the town! To Gain the Affections of Someone: Purchase a tulip, hyacinth or onion bulb. Plant the bulb in a flowerpot, while envisioning the bulb as the object of desire. If you have a picture of the person, tape it to the bottom of the flower part. Each time you water the plant chant, "As this root grows, so does our love." If the plant dies, you know it was not meant to be. To Convince a Lover to Return to You: Purchase or pick five beautiful roses. On the night of a full moon, bury one rose under a tree with a bird's nest, another by a source of running water, another at a crossroads and another at the gate of a church. Place the fifth rose under your pillow for three nights. At the end of the three nights, sprinkle the dried rose petals of the fifth rose in the four furthermost corners of your home.

Samantha Stevens

114

Exclusive Love Spell: Place a photograph of your loved one in a jar. Fill the jar with honey and lavender petals. Place the lid on the jar. Place a red candle on top of the jar and light a drippy, wax candle (not paraffin). Let the candlewax cover and seal the jar. Place the jar in a dark place until you have achieved your desire. When the jar is no longer needed, dispose of its contents in running water. Tarot Spell To Attract Love: On the night of the full moon, take the ace, ten, and two of hearts out of a brand new deck of regular playing cards. Anoint each with orange, patchouli or rose oil (or commercial love-drawing oil). Bind them together with a green, red or pink ribbon and place it near your bed. Re-annoint the cards every Full Moon to recharge the spell. Copper Tube Spell: Copper is a metal that is associated with the Goddess Venus. Buy a two- or three-inchlong piece of copper tubing. Write the name of your intended on a piece of paper seven times. Close both ends of the tubing by hammering it shut and wear it around your neck for seven days. At the end of the seven days, throw the copper tube into a nearby lake or river. To Make Yourself More Desirable: Take a pink votive or small pillar candle and place it in front of your dressing-room mirror. Rub the candle with olive oil. After the oil is finished, take a hatpin and carve desire into the candle. Meditate upon your wish until the candle has burnt out. Voodoo Reluctant Lover Spell: In a bowl that has never been used, combine one cup of river or ocean water, powdered chili pepper, powdered rosemary, five cups of jasmine oil and two drops of your own blood.

Creating Love

115

Sprinkle this mixture outside the reluctant lover's home. To Reverse A Love Situation: On a Monday, Tuesday or a Saturday, carve three Xs in two black and one red candle. Set all three in their own candleholders. Write your request on parchment paper and place it under the red candle. Light the candles and say Psalm 23 and Psalm 44. Let the candles burn down completely and discard the wax as near to a body of water as is possible. After you bury the wax drippings, scatter a handful of salt on the water. To Conquer Another's Heart: Go to a stream or a river. Tear the petals off nine yellow flowers and toss them into the water. Pour an ounce of rum into the water and a dab of bee's honey. Toss five cinnamon sticks into the water along with one drop of three of your favorite essential oils or perfumes. Dip a jar into the stream and take the liquid home. For three consecutive nights, anoint yourself with the river water by the light of the Full Moon while stating your request. Fall in Love With Me Now Spell: On a fresh bay leaf, write down the name of your beloved and the words "fall in-love with me now." Sit by a well-contained fire and concentrate on your desire. Throw the bay leaf in and meditate as it burns. If the fire spits the bay leaf back at you, your wish may be inappropriate at this time. To Attract the Love of a Special Person: This is based on Santeria ritual and not recommended for the squeamish. Take a hairclipping, dried blood or a lock of hair from your loved one and add the same from yourself. Wrap these articles in red satin cloth and tie it with red ribbon. As you tie a bow in the ribbon, recite both of your names. Carry this package under

Samantha Stevens

116

your armpit for three days and then burn it. To Convince Another to Propose: Wear a real or fake wedding ring on a string around your neck and over your heart whenever you have a date or a meeting with that person. This is supposed to turn their thoughts towards holy matrimony. Marriage Spell: Combine uncooked rice, crushed, sundried tomatoes, powdered cinnamon and crushed cardamom seeds across a path in which your future husband is often known to walk. Love Coconut Ritual: On a Friday night, the day of Oshun, split a coconut in two. Pour the coconut milk of one half of the coconut and add five different types of hard liquor, honey, molasses, white sugar and brown sugar. Add the remaining coconut milk and place the two halves of the coconut back together. Tie the coconut with pink and yellow ribbons and place it in front of a pink candle. Leave the coconut in front of the burning candle for five days. Thank Oshun and discard the coconut in the river. The Eat My Dust Spell: (For use after none of the above has worked). Smoke a cigarettetobacco connects you with the spirits. Save the ashes and sprinkle them in a wide circle on the floor. Sprinkle a handful of mustard seeds (the seeds of discord) onto the floor as well. Try to sprinkle in a circular fashion. Attach a photo of him or her to your vacuum cleaner using a red ribbon. Wind the ribbon nine times around the photograph. Turn vacuum cleaner on and vacuum up the ashes. Give your place a final cleaning by sprinkling sea salt on the floor and vacuuming it up as well. Throw the used bag in the garbage.

Creating Love

117

The trouble with love magic is that it works. Lydia Sirhawk, Master Astrologer

Samantha Stevens

118

Chapter Twelve
The Tablet of Venus In the seventeenth century, divination devices called The Tablets of Fate were sold on the street by fortunetellers. These were square pieces of paper which had sixteen numbers written on them. The idea was that you would go home, close your eyes, spin the paper and point to a spot on the paper to get the answer to your question. The numbers corresponded to the vibrations of specific planets and their responsibilities. For instance, the Tablet of the Moon was used to ask questions about family, friends and relationships and the Tablet of Jupiter was used to consult about business, justice and legal matters. The Tablet of Venus, which was used to answer questions about love, is as below. The Tablet of Venus 5 11 1 14 7 4 8 3 6 6 15 10
9 12 2 13

To make your own Tablet of Venus, simply copy the numbers you see above on a square piece of paper in the pattern shown and make sure the numbers are evenly placed into sixteen spaces to form a square. Close your eyes, spin the paper and ask a question. Wherever your finger or the point of your pencil lands, there is your answer. If the number is sideways or upside-down, then you read the number's reversed meaning. This is a bit like a parlor game, but it is traditional fortune-telling,

Creating Love

119

fun and surprisingly accurate. By the way, no peeking before you spin the paper. Below you will find the explanations for each instance of numbers, upright or reversed. 1 Upright: This person is your soulmate. 1 Reversed: You are forcing this person to do something he or she does not want to do. 2 Upright: There will be delays and disappointments. 2 Reversed: This person knows about your deception. 3 Upright: Do what your heart tells you to do. 3 Reversed: This person is a con artist. 4 Upright: Make sure you have all the facts before you proceed. 4 Reversed: If you knew the whole story, you would forgive. 5 Upright: Everything will be OK. 5 Reversed: You will regret your hasty decision. 6 Upright: It is your fault it is not working out. 6 Reversed : Your love is strong enough to withstand all obstacles. 7 Upright: You are to blame for what has happened. 7 Reversed: Don't judge a book by its cover. 8 Upright: Your jealousy is destroying your relationship. 8 Reversed: Your beloved is honest and true with you. 9 Upright: Your beloved is faithful to you. 9 Reverse: You are unfaithful to your partner.

Samantha Stevens

120

10 Upright: Someone is thinking about you right now. 10 Reversed: Beware of a flirt. 11 Upright: This misunderstanding will blow over quickly. 11 Reversed: This misunderstanding may mean the end of things. 12 Upright: Someone has changed his or her mind about you. 12 Reversed: You are allowing gossip to destroy your love. 13 Upright: There will be love, but not with the one you think you want. 13 Reversed: Think before you act. 14 Upright: Your fears and suspicions are all in your mind. 14 Reversed: It is infatuation, not love. 15 Upright: You and your friend will part ways forever. 15 Reversed: There is no reason to be jealous. 16 Upright: This is a true love. 16 Reversed: Be sensible, not silly about this.

Creating Love

121

Chapter Thirteen
Kitchen Witchery Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? The simplest, magical ritual that you can do is to cut open a fruit or vegetable and eat it while thinking of your magical intention. Below is a compilation of common foods and their metaphysical associations to matters of love. Apple: Draws a lover and erotic experiences to you. Increases attraction. Apple compote with cinnamon is thought to speed up the arrival of a lover or encourage a reluctant lover to make a cerebral relationship physical. Apricot: For flirtation or a light-hearted, romantic experience. Avocado: To make yourself appear younger to others or increase personal beauty or attractiveness. Avocado is the love apple of Venus. Banana: If eaten by males it increases fertility and heroism. If eaten by females it draws a lover. Beets: Increases virility, passion, erotica and fertility. It is a root, so it grounds a relationship and binds the lover to you. Blueberry: To eliminate obstacles or rivals that may come between you. As you swallow each blueberry, imagine the things that come between you falling away or disappearing. Butter: To eliminate hostility and arguments. While smoothing it on a piece of bread, hopefully with a little honey too, think of things smoothing out. Cardamom: This herb is thought to amplify a love that is already there or strengthen existing relationships. Drink

Samantha Stevens

122

a cup of Chai tea with cardamom in it for this purpose. Carrot: Helps bring masculine energies to a woman. For a man it strengthens virility. Celery: Increases libido and passion. Encourages reluctant lovers to take action. Cherry: Eat for love, health and to boost sexual attraction. Chocolate: An aphrodisiac. Lifts moods and attracts sensual experiences. Clove: Add clove to curry dishes, baked dishes and hot chocolate for fun, love and erotic experiences. This is also the bud of stolen kisses, so it is good for mistresses to spike their lover's meals with it. Coriander: Add to curries and salads to attract your soulmate. It represents a high spiritual love combined with wisdom. Cucumber: Eaten for sexual stamina and beautiful skin. Chop with extreme prejudice if you want revenge on a certain philandering male. Eggs: An ancient symbol of conception. Eat for fertility and fidelity. Garlic: Eat to banish the "other woman" or a rival who may be in the way. Grape: Grapes are a symbol of a happy marriage and many children. Eat to increase fertility and emotional security. They can also be used to increase your popularity with the opposite sex. As you eat each grape, picture another lover coming your way known or unknown. Red grapes are best for this purpose. Guava: Relieves heartbreak, attracts new romance, and revives the erotic imagination. Honey: The nectar of the Gods. Sweetens up a relationship. Attracts positive love and attention.

Creating Love

123

Lemon: For Marriage, joy, fidelity, pure intentions and longevity in a relationship. Mushroom: Eat raw to make yourself beautiful and increase your feminine mystique. Orange: For health, fidelity, love and joy. Peanut: Crack these open from the shell and attract more male energy into your life. Peas: Used to attract love and positive Goddess-energy into life. Pineapple: To attract a wealthy lover. Pomegranate: For fertility, erotic imagination, and a long line of descendants. Also eaten to attract numerous partners or a wealthy partner. Pork: Eaten for fertility. Quince: Traditionally eaten for happiness between lovers. Raspberry: For sexual stamina and amplifying an existing love. Sweet Relish: For enhancing sexual passion. Rice: For childbearing and fertility. Sausage: To bring kinky sexual partners to you, a variety of partners or social excitement. Strawberry: To attract a lover, to increase sexual intensity and the stamina of a lover. To make a lover think of you eat a strawberry every day. Sweet Potato: To attract a well-grounded, emotionally secure, gentle, wise love. Maple Syrup: To assure a positive "first meeting" or that a blind date goes well. Tomato: The original "love apple." Eat to attract a partner or increase the love that is already there. Tangerine: Health, fidelity, flirtation, love, joy and childlike qualities.

Samantha Stevens

124

If you are what you think, then you certainly might also be what you eat. Cooking food is the oldest kind of magic there is as it is about transformation. Here are some recipes I have collected over the years that bring love. Love Potions Oja Drink This drink from the Far East was drunk in Biblical days. It was thought to connect the physical self to the Higher Self and to brighten the eyes so that one could see all things with clarity as well as bring prosperity. 1/2 cup almond milk 1/2 cup goat's or cow's milk 1 tablespoon honey 3 or 4 chopped dates 3 or 4 ice cubes Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. The goat's milk is thought to improve fertility and virility and the sweeter ingredients to sweeten your daily experiences with love. Tropical Smoothie Pineapples symbolize union and a happy, healthy and prosperous marriage. Papayas symbolize joy, lust and sexual power. Vanilla promotes sexual attraction. 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup almond milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup sliced, fresh or frozen pineapple and/or papaya chunks. Blend until smooth and drink.

Creating Love

125

Creamsicle Drink While drinking this, send images of love and joy to your partner. The combination of orange and vanilla symbolizes joy. 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream 1 cup orange juice Whirl in a blender until smooth. Raspberry Bomb The ginger in ginger ale ignites passions and the bubbles in any carbonated drink are equated with joy and celebrations. Raspberries represent sex, vigor, stamina, virility and fertility. 1 cup ginger ale 2 tablespoons crushed raspberries Stir the raspberries into the gingerale. Serve. Cherry Lemonade Lemons symbolize fidelity and cherries the joys of sexual bliss. 1 can frozen yellow lemonade 3 tablespoons of sour cherry juice Add the sour cherry juice to the lemonade to turn it a gorgeous pink. Serve on ice with a cherry as a garnish. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Pumpkin is often used in rituals to draw love or bring a lover back. Canned pumpkin often contains love-drawing spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. The nutmeg in such preparations will cause a lover to dream of you. Vanilla is a spice that adds spice to love lives. 1/2 cup of ice 1/2 cup of milk

Samantha Stevens

126

1/3 cup of canned-pumpkin filling Fill blender with ice. Add the milk and pumpkin filling. Add vanilla. Blend until smooth and drink. Recipes for Love Yogurt, Honey, Nut and Fruit Salad The honey in this recipe brings us sweet things in life, while the fruit, nuts and yogurt possess love-drawing properties. Assorted fruits and nuts 1/2 cup of whipped cream 1/2 cup of yogurt Cut the assorted fruits into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, whip whipping cream and yogurt until peaks form. Mix the fruit with the yogurt mixture and fold in the nuts. Add honey to taste, chill and serve. Thirty Second Apple Blintz Cottage cheese represents loving and nurturing. The apple sauce in this recipe represents a smooth path to love. 2 tablespoons cottage cheese 2 tablespoons applesauce Handful of raisins or dried apricots Cinnamon Spread cottage cheese, apple sauce and raisins or dried apricots on a piece of whole wheat pita. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Fold pita over to make a wrap and serve. Apple and Strawberry Crisp Both apples and strawberries are sacred to Venus. Oats are sacred to the Earth Goddess and are eaten to enhance the beauty of a woman's hair, skin and eyes.

Creating Love

127

1 cup strawberries 2 apples 1 cup apple juice 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup oatmeal 1/2 pound of butter 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice apples and strawberries into wedges and place in a shallow baking dish. Mix the apple juice with the brown sugar and one tablespoon vanilla. Pour over the fruit. Crumble oatmeal into softened butter and sprinkle into the dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Faux Cream of Celery Soup Celery is a food of virility thought to reawaken passion in sleeping loins! 1 head of chopped garlic 2 chopped onions Chopped whole head of celery 1 cup water 2 tablespoons butter or oil 2 cups chicken stock Celery seed Salt Pepper Add vegetables, butter and water to a soup pan and simmer until soft. Pour into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and add chicken stock. Add salt, pepper, celery seed and a dash of cream if you like. Simmer until ready to serve.

Samantha Stevens

128

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich Peanuts are earthy and invoke Earth Goddesses. Bananas are heroic fruit that are thought to increase stamina and virility in men. Honey possesses loveattracting properties and rye bread encourages kinship with relatives and friends. Peanut butter Banana Rye bread Dash of cinnamon Slice a banana into coin-shaped pieces. Spread peanut butter and honey on bread. Top with sliced bananas and close the sandwich. Sprinkling cinnamon on the sandwich will yield even faster results as cinnamon accelerates romantic activity. Goddess Guacamole Avocado is a love fruit that is sacred to Venus. The nut inside an avocado is often treasured as a plant in sympathetic magic. 2 avocados 2 diced onions 6 cloves of onions 1 teaspoon olive oil Peel, slice and dice the flesh of the avocados. Mash in a bowl or process in a blender with two onions, garlic and olive oil. Serve with whole grain or rye bread as well as a selection of low-fat cheeses. Crab Meat Dip Crabmeat is associated with several Love Goddesses, including manna, Venus and Laxme. The velvety smooth texture of the cream cheese has its own romantic connotations when it comes to smoothing the path of love.

Creating Love

129

1 cup crabmeat 6 ounces of cream cheese 1/2 teaspoon horseradish A dash of lemon juice A dash of pepper Mix crabmeat, horseradish, lemon juice, pepper and cream cheese. Spread on toast and consume. Healthy Tuna Salad on Rye Like most fish, tuna represents fertility and love. The celery in this recipe represents virility and the olives a happy home. 1 can tuna Onions Celery Diced onions Olive oil Juice from half a lemon Mix tuna with onions, celery and olives. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chicken Salad With Red Grapes Red grapes are sacred to the rambunctious God Dionysus. Red lettuce is a food that is consumed for fertility. 2 cups shredded, cold, cooked chicken 1 cup chopped grapes 1/2 cup chopped olives 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup mayonnaise Shred the cold, cooked chicken into a bowl. Add grapes, olives and walnuts. Mix with mayonnaise and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of red lettuce.

Samantha Stevens

130

Carried Away Caraway Muffins Caraway seeds are said to bring enjoyable sexual encounters, romance and love into one's kitchen. 6 English muffins 1 cup cottage cheese 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/4 cup chives 6 ounces Swiss cheese Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Toast six English muffins until golden brown. Mix together cottage cheese, caraway seeds, salt and chives and place sandwich mixture between muffin halves. Cut slices of Swiss cheese into heart shapes and decorate the tops of the muffins. Broil under the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Rye Bread With Dill and Onion Dip Rye grains symbolize friendship and dill encourages the kindling of love and friendship. The mayonnaise and sour cream represent loving and nurturing relationships. 8 ounces sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise Dash of Worcestershire sauce 1 package Lipton's onion soup mix 1 tablespoon dill weed 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 finely diced onion 1 round loaf of dark rye bread Blend sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Mix in one package Lipton's onion soup mix, dill weed, garlic powder and onions. Chill for one hour. Cut the top off a round loaf of dark rye bread. Pull

Creating Love

131

out bite sized pieces from the center of the bread until a bowl is created. Fill the bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Keep the bite sized pieces for dipping into the bread bowl. Marmalade and Fig Brie Wheel Marmalade is made from oranges, which represent joy and fidelity. Figs are often identified with the health and fertility of sexual organs. 1 small wheel of Brie cheese I package frozen thawed filo pastry 1/2 cup marmalade 1 cup chopped figs and dates Set small unwrapped Brie wheel in the center of the filo pastry. Spread marmalade on top of the Brie wheel and top with chopped, raw figs or dates. Wrap the Brie in the filo pastry and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with rye or whole-wheat bread for dipping into the melted Brie. Spinach and Clam Linguine Clams are sacred to the Goddess Aphrodite. Cook this delicious noodle dish when you want to put someone in the mood. 1 eight ounce can of baby clams 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh or dried parsley 6 chopped garlic cloves 3 diced onions 1/2 cup chopped spinach 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese 1 package linguine noodles Put enough water on to boil to make two servings of lin-

Samantha Stevens

132

guine. Drop linguine into the pot. While the pasta cooks, add butter and olive oil to a frying pan. Add chopped or dried parsley, onion, garlic cloves, spinach and one can of baby clams. Stir until thoroughly cooked. Pour clam mixture on beds of pasta, sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan cheese and serve. Love Pizza Tomatoes are known as love apples and sacred to love Goddesses. The sausage in this recipe represents male power and a desire for procreation. Mushrooms are a mystical food that are thought to reveal the enchantments of a woman to a man. Pizza dough 8 ounces tomato sauce 1/2 cup chopped mushroom 1/2 cup sausage pieces Buy a pizza shell. Spread with tomato sauce. Top with mushrooms and sausage pieces. Place under the broiler for fifteen minutes OR (for love in a rush) order out! Chicken with Asparagus Asparagus is sacred to the Goddess Venus and thought to be an aphrodisiac. Chicken enhances the virility of men. The generous amount of garlic in this dish assures that your love will be free of past memories. 1 raw roasting chicken 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup chicken stock Asparagus spears 30 cloves chopped, peeled garlic Stuff a raw chicken with garlic cloves. Place in a roaster and baste with olive oil and chicken stock. Arrange asparagus spears around the perimeter of the pan. Roast for an hour

Creating Love

133

at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until chicken is done. Serve the chicken and asparagus on a bed of wild rice. Chicken Vindaloo Spices found in Vindaloo sauce such as cardamom, cinnamon and ginger are thought to spice things up in the bedroom. Turmeric encourages fidelity. 1/2 pound butter or 1/2 cup ghee 2 diced onions A piece of ginger the size of a deck of playing cards 2 boneless chicken breasts 2 teaspoon turmeric Melt half a pound of ghee or butter in a frying pan. Add onion garlic and ginger. Add the two chicken breasts and fry until golden. Add two teaspoons of Vindaloo curry paste, one teaspoon of turmeric and one cup water. Simmer until done. Serve with rice. Strawberry Angel Food Cake Strawberries inspire joy and passion in a lover's heart and whipped cream inspires lofty emotions. Cut the strawberries into lengthwise slices so that they resemble little hearts. Place in a bowl and cover with sugar. This will cause the strawberries to release their juice. Layer the strawberries between layers of angel food cake. Top with whipped cream and serve. Devil's Food Cake Chocolate is one of the world's most famous aphrodisiacs. This cake is sure to get your heart, as well as your loins, pumping. Prepare a Devil's Chocolate Food Cake according to directions to create a three-tiered cake.

Samantha Stevens

134

Prepare chocolate pudding according to the directions on the box. When the cake is baked and cooled, sandwich layers of pudding between the layers of the cake. Ice with prepared icing. Decorate the top with Hershey's chocolate kisses and pickled cherries in the shape of a heart. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Banana Cream Pie Fresh bananas are thought to increase male virility. Eggs facilitate togetherness and many descendents. Prepare four servings of Bird's Custard according to the directions. Pour into a baked pie shell. Layer with one cup of sliced bananas and top with mounds of whipped cream. Love Popovers Buy frozen popover dough. Fill the centers of the triangles with raspberries (for joy), cherries (for sexual fulfillment) or chocolate morsels (for sensual satisfaction). Before you pop them in the oven, carve a heart symbol into the top of the dough. Bake according to directions. Cardamom Tea Adding a pinch of cardamom to a cup of tea is thought to increase sexual desire. Hot Chocolate With Whipped Cream In Mayan times, hot chocolate was considered to be the nectar of the Gods. Whipped cream with the cherry on top is thought to nurture part of a female's anatomy. Prepare hot chocolate according to directions. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon (for speedy results) and a pinch of

Creating Love

135

cloves. Top with a mound of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

Samantha Stevens

136

Chapter Fourteen
Feng Shui for Love Not having much luck in love lately? Relationship falling apart? Maybe its those upside-down dried flowers you have hanging in your hallway, or maybe it is the heavy energy from that antique full-length mirror in your bedroom. Feng Shui (pronounced Feng Shway) is the ancient Chinese art of rearranging design elements so they harmonize in your environment. Several systems are used to determine placement to enhance the love life, but the one that applies to anyone reading this is the Pa Kua system. In Pa Kua, the southwest corner is the love sector of your home. First, get a compass to find the southwest corner of your home. Is there a bedroom there? Good. A toilet there? Bad. It means your romantic prospects are getting flushed away. Is your southwest corner a badly lit storeroom full of clutter? Also bad. It means your love life will be messy as well. No matter where that corner is located, it now becomes your job to enhance it by getting rid of clutter and decorating. You also need to rehaul the southwest corner of your bedroom to double your chances of attracting romance. To attract a partner, FengvShui experts recommend putting a painting of peonies or a vase of the flowers in the southwest corner of your house or bedroom. You could substitute any flower for the peony as long as its not prickly like a cactus, but whichever flower you choose, make sure they are fresh. The Chinese dislike dead or dried flowers and would prefer that you have fresh flowers, rather than decay, in a spot that signifies

Creating Love

137

your love life. A pair of wooden ducks or a painting of two ducks (as ducks mate for life) is also lucky for romance. If you don't like the formality of the ducks, you can always do what I did and put two rubber ducks in your southwest corner. Mirrors on the ceilingespecially full-lengthor mirrors on the walls in the bedroom are a big no-no, as they symbolize portals through which an interfering, third party's energy can enter. Feng Shui masters don't like to invite voyeurism. If you dislike Chinese decor, you could use my favorite, westernized Feng Shui tool: the Lava Lamp. Pink, glowing goo moving up and down in your romance corner is sure to send out a sensuous vibe. Pictures or statues of loving couples or love-friendly Goddesses, such as Venus and Aphrodite, would also help activate the love sector. As the southwest corner is symbolized by the Earth element, it is helpful to place crystals therethe most suitable choice being rose quartz. If you want to go all out, you might want to consider painting that corner or the adjacent walls a bright red to symbolize passion. Whatever you do, don't go overboard. You could end up with a bedroom that looks like a Chinese brothel, or worse yet, invite somebody over who is familiar with Feng Shui who might say, "Hmmmm...! see ducks, flowers, crystals, red walls ...I better get out of here! This person is just a tad too desperate for me!"

Samantha Stevens

138

Chapter Fifteen
The Ten Cosmic Laws of Love 1. We live in an abundant Universe where there is a supply for every demand. 2. The heart must be aligned with the will and the soul to create correct conditions for love. 3. Think positive thoughts and you will manifest positive things. 4. Love will not enter a mind or home that is cluttered with doubt or fear. 5. Love is not a possessionit is an energy that is meant to be circulated throughout your community. 6. What you sow, you shall also reap. 7. Love is the ability to realize that you do not want what is not yours by Divine Right. 8. If you lose something, have the faith that it will be replaced by its equivalent or better. It is always darkest before the dawn. 9. You can transcend all Karma by maintaining a sense of humor. 10. What God has done for others He can do for you. "If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character, If there be beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home, If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation, there will be peace in the world." Chinese Proverb