The Romance, Beauty, and Grace of Victorian Magic
When you picture the Victorian Era (1837–1901), what comes to mind for you? For me, it's lightly scented flower petals, intricate lace, fanciful jewelry, glorious botanical arrangements, manicured lawns, tea rituals, and even candlelit séances for a little mystery.
It’s impossible to overlook the layers of decorum and restraint in Victorian culture. Everything was, for lack of a better word, tidy. People frowned upon any overt display of emotion. That didn’t, however, prevent people from finding another way to express themselves.
It was an era of innovation, and in this case, the innovation was sending messages without saying a word. Using various symbolic languages, you could welcome affections from a suitor, or express interest in a business endeavor. Overall, relationship matters had the most signals.
While not magical, there’s a quaint bit of folklore that illustrates the clever use of Victorian nonverbal messaging. It begins with Paul Jones, Jr., who fell in love with Mary Peabody. Ms. Peabody was lovely, and many men wanted her hand. Mr. Jones proposed several times over five years unsuccessfully. He tried one last time with a dozen roses, asking her to wear a rose corsage at the dance if her answer was yes. There were four roses in her posy, and thus Four Rose Bourbon was born.
Conjuring Communication
The way Victorians used quiet connotation reminds me of how ancient mages recorded studies and their outcomes. There were all manner of ciphers, runes, the Theban Alphabet, and the Enochian Language, just to name a few. Many a practitioner was pretty tight-handed with those secret ingredients. Only seekers who knew the clues could unlock spiritual treasures.
I am unsure whether the Victorians knew they were participating in time-honored magical practices. They adored ancient Egypt, the Classical Era, and the Middle Ages, so it’s quite possible. Spiritualist groups were popular, too, seeking insights into psychic phenomena and spirit contact.
No matter what, this ambiance makes a perfect playground for any modern Kitchen or Hedge Witch. The abundant cache of symbolism left by the Victorians contains all the elements necessary for whipping up charms, amulets, spells, herbal blends, divination systems, rituals, and, of course, Hearth Magic. At first, the subtlety of Victorian intimations might seem hard to grasp, and that’s okay.
There’s a learning curve here. We live in a world of complexity, so simplifying can become an effort. What I learned as I studied was that these “little things” wielded great power, and that it was because of the refined intent behind them.
Opening One Button
The primness of the Victorians leaves Miss Manners in the dust. It’s pretty safe to say that most modern people wouldn't find it comfortable. There was no outward behavior that implied love, passion, desire, or even grief. The outward world was far different from what stirred within, however. To resolve this problem, Victorians devised intricate codes that could convey an entire conversation at a glance-an encrypted message waiting for discovery.
What did they use for their hidden dialogue? Lots of everyday objects. Flowers have their own language, as do fans, jewelry, colors, foods, and aromas. I am not sure I could have kept up with it all. Oral history and storytelling helped preserve the information, the narrative offering context.
Were They Witches?
I don’t believe most Victorians would use this designation, though those involved in spiritualist groups might use a title such as “medium.” Yet, the rhythm of Victorian life, and much of what people did every day, traced back to magic. Like what?
- The herbalist making a curative tonic out of time-honored components.
- The farmer preparing to honor seasonal celebrations.
- The wife carefully following the dictates of household superstition.
- The widow putting a hairpin made from her husband’s hair lovingly in place
- The family making ready to offer hospitality to friends, family, or wayfarers.
The shadow of magical arts lives in each of those moments. And they’re ones you can adapt, if you haven’t already! Some of your family traditions may owe their origins to the Victorians. Shake out that family tree!
Power in Flowers (Floriography)
In the 1800s, thousands of flowers appeared in book listings, each with a designated meaning. Can you imagine the fun of putting together a whole-petaled sentence? Some of the simplest messages were those offering love, loyalty, warnings, rejection, or encouragement. Each flower mattered; every color and placement mattered.
For modern practitioners, this is a symbolic farm, ripe for the harvest. However, you might need a resource book like my Victorian Flower Oracle simply because of the sheer number of options. Take the Rose as an example. It’s a universal symbol of love and is prominent in love spells and potions worldwide. But if you use a yellow rose instead of a red one, the message comes across as friendlier rather than passionate. White roses reflected pure intent, and pink reflected joyful gratitude.
One nifty thing about flower meanings is that many have changed little from their Victorian designation. Lavender still has associations with calm, violet with devotion, and thyme with bravery and self-confidence, for example.
I’m a Fan (Pun Intended)!
Not to be outdone by flowers, hand-held fans were another way to communicate. If you’ve ever observed flag signaling, then you have a leg up on the Victorian Language of Fans. In social settings, they were an ideal addition to one’s wardrobe. As a person moved around a gathering, they changed the fan's position.
For example, if someone has their fan only half open, it means they only wish to be friends. Held over the heart, the fan was a message of love. If someone discovered lovers, they would drop the fan as a warning.
Right out of the gate, the fan is an ideal emblem for the Air Element. You can find fans with colors and patterns that better suit your work.
For those who enjoy moving meditations or dancing their magic, a fan turns into an expressive element through which they can direct their energy.
Tissue Talk
If you drop a handkerchief in front of someone, you are saying it’s okay to approach. If someone is twisting their handkerchief, it represents uncertainty. A handkerchief over the shoulder acts as a curt dismissal.
I think immediately of knot magic when I read about handkerchiefs. These are perfect sizes for mojo pouches and charm bags. Tie the handkerchief a symbolic number of times to represent your goal. The tying is best for “holding” and binding, while untying releases.
Pretty Shiny Things
What Witch doesn’t like a bobble or two? The Victorians not only enjoyed jewelry but could also create messages from various pieces by arranging the stones in an acrostic order (ADORE = Amethyst, Diamond, Opal, Ruby, Emerald). The imagery behind the jewelry mattered too, like feathers for justice and snakes meaning wisdom.
If you go to swap meets and garage sales, you’ll likely come across various pieces of fake jewelry that you can use. Decorate your ritual robe, make amulets, or turn them into a new, energized piece, mindfully cobbled together, that you can wear for specific purposes.
Sliding Doors, Secret Nooks: A House Filled with Hidden Magic
Until I really looked around the Victorian home, I didn’t deeply appreciate the little customs, superstitions, symbolic decorations, and meaningful routines woven into every moment, and on every shelf.
I was living in a Victorian home while writing Victorian Grimoire, which certainly helped. One day, I found old bottles behind a wooden panel (I still have them). On another day, there were pictures of the first house on that spot. A little at a time, the house revealed its story.
Horseshoe
A common custom was having a horseshoe above the doorway. There are two opinions about how to hang it. Upward it collects and holds blessings. Downward, it releases luck to all who pass through.
You don’t have to hang a literal horseshoe. But you can use it as a sigil. Make a potion of basil, lavender, mint, and chamomile. All these herbs support well-being, abundance, and good fortune. Now, use your finger to draw a horseshoe shape above your entryway. Because it’s water-based, I would suggest renewing the charm regularly, minimally every six months.
Put the extra water into a glass bottle. Now you can take your potion anywhere and dab as you go.
Broom
Similar to the horseshoe, you use the broom to direct energy. Sweeping toward your hearth (stove or fireplace) gathers grace, affection, and felicity. Sweeping out of your home clears negativity and opens pathways. Some Kitchen Witches already use a broom similarly, or for sweeping the boundary of a sacred circle. And you don’t have to go out and buy something fancy. Whatever’s in your (wait for it) broom closet will do just fine.
Opening Windows and Curtains
In some instances, opening a window welcomed visiting spirits (often on Hallows). From another perspective, an open window brings in new, fresh air, helping to remove lingering unwanted energies. Combine that with moving the curtains to let in sunlight, and you have the foundation for a mini cleansing ritual.
Fortunetelling at Tea Time
Tea leaf reading was all the rage, with good reason. Ladies could gather for gossip, steep their tea, and interpret their futures all at once (multitasking at its best). The practice of tasseography hasn’t changed much since then. I’ve seen fancy-marked cups that give specific meaning to where tea leaves land. You can use a type of tea that represents the core of your intention/question, like rose for love. Or, just stick with tradition.
It's worth noting that tea was central to hospitality as well. Usually, a simple breakfast tea comes with cucumber finger sandwiches. And don’t forget the cookies!
Decoding Dishes
The symbolism and meaning of foods have energetic qualities that adapt easily to Hearth Magic.
- Almonds (Marzipan): Appeared at special occasions, linked with luck, sweetness, and fertility.
- Apples (Parlor Games): Romance, domesticity, morality, divination
- Aspic (Gelatin Dishes): Novelty, culinary skill, sophistication
- Bread: Community, welcome, stability
- Chocolate: Luxury, sensuality, romance, courtship
- Honey: Life’s sweetness
- Oranges: Generosity, gifting, wealth, refinement
- Pineapple: Hospitality, opulence, status
- Roast Beef: Tradition, prosperity, strength
Spice It Up
Some of the herbs and spices given specific attributes came from the Victorian Language of Flowers. Others came through family lines and oral history, dating back thousands of years. When you look at the Victorian meaning listed here, you’ll find familiarity. As the saying goes, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
Bay Leaf: Courage, inventiveness, honor
Cinnamon: Passion, prosperity
Clove: Protection, warm feelings
Lavender: Peace, purification
Mint: Clarity, cleansing
Nutmeg: Luck, safety
Rosemary: Remembrance
Sage: Longevity, wisdom
Thyme: Fairy magic, bravery
Victorian-Themed Cooking, Spellcraft, and Rituals with Intent
There are so many intentional ways you can use Victorian ideas in your Kitchen Witchery, the list is pretty long. But let me give you some ideas.
What’s on the menu? Do you have a recipe where you can slip in a Victorian ingredient without harming the flavor profile? Bear in mind, you do not need a lot here. Vibrations spread out through the dish as you cook it. Direct your feelings into the food.
Tea-time ritual: I like this as a self-love moment. Choosing the tea that mirrors my current needs and goals, then sipping all that magic (with a bit of sugar, please).
Spellcraft for soup and stew: Because you stir soups and stews regularly, you have an ideal moment for repeating a spell over it and focusing on your goals. It’s not hard to find ingredients. You likely have them in your pantry right now.
Baking up blessings: I confess, I’m not the best baker, but I love the symbolic value of watching things rise to perfection. Baking is a form of alchemy, and it adapts easily to the addition of Victorian elements.
Beyond the Hearth
Moving away from the stove, look toward various areas of your home where you can use Victorian touches to reflect a spiritual idea, goal, or vibration. Empowered lace doilies, carefully placed crystals and sacred stones, vintage bottles for magical oils, a bundle of silk flowers using the Language of Flowers (they don’t die!), incense for aromatherapy, and energized sachets tucked mindfully into drawers are just a few examples.
And what about you personally? Remain watchful for omens and signs. Pay attention to your dreams (a dream diary is highly advised), try bibliomancy, or scry with candles or mirrors. Pull out your Tarot deck. These became desirable as the interest in all things mystical, occult, and esoteric rose.
To Be Silent
There are four maxims for personal growth and self-mastery, familiar to many magical paths: “to know, to dare, to will, to be silent.” Silence is something the Victorians mastered. Nothing needs to be said out loud (you can think your chants, prayers, and affirmations without losing power). It is often in those still moments that the voice of the Universe can get a word in edgewise.
Think small and subtle. Choose a color for your day illustrating your goal (you know those power ties? Same idea). Add jewelry for another layer of energy. Carry small bits of herbs with you as amulets and charms. Each of these approaches resonates with the discretion, grace, and beauty of the Victorian era.
