Alie’s Spell Candle Recipe

Alie was a woman who enjoyed mystical rituals. She had a penchant for creating herbal and healing concoctions, especially for many unresolved issues. Thanks to her, I oftenhad the opportunity to benefit from her magical blends.

She didn't just create her own recipes; as a woman who had seen many parts of the world, she carried hundreds of talesand recipes in her head. While she mostly concocted mixturesfor personal care, food, and drinks, Alie was also a womanwith fun ideas. She never underestimated the power of plantsand intention.

One evening, when I visited her again, I sneakily approachedthe kitchen from the back door to see what she was up to. Shestood at her counter, muttering to herself and giggling whileworking on something. When she noticed me, she smiled andjoyfully came to the door.

Her house was filled with aromatic, slightly floral, and spicyscents. A small cauldron on the fireplace and a boiling jarinside it added to the enchanting atmosphere. I eagerlyexamined the small dark-colored bottles and piles of dried herbs on the counter. "Come, come, I'm preparing a tremendous blend," she invited me to the couch by the fireplace with excitement.

First, she brewed us a beautiful herbal tea, then came over and sat beside me, lighting a small candle. After a while, the scentof the candle began to fill the room. "Isn't the fragrance lovely?" she continued when she saw my admiring expression. "This is the 'Secret of 10 Drops' candle that I prepared for a friend last year. It has different virtues besides just burning..." She winked at me playfully. "A friend of mine had been lonely for a long time. After divorcing, he swore off romantic affairs, saying he was done with them. I lost my spouse too, and I know what it's like to have a broken heart. So, I understoodhim, but what truly brings happiness and speeds up the heartare the pure excitements. When he told me he had forgotten that feeling, I decided to create a bit of motivation and hopefor him."

We were served our teas in classic embossed flower-patterned glass cups as she went to the side of the fireplace where thesmall cauldron was bubbling. Seeing everything in order, she smiled and came back to me.

"Sometimes, meeting new people and inviting new emotions into your heart may not be as easy as it seems. Especially as you age, it becomes more challenging as people tend to close themselves off. They might need to revive their instincts, intuitions, and excitement."

Actually, Valentine's Day means nothing to me, and I'm not one to celebrate it, but there's an important matter that cannotbe ignored. It's a day eagerly anticipated by many around theworld, where dreams are woven, and all positive emotionssoar during this period. Shouldn't we take advantage of this wind?"

I was trying to understand what she meant. With a mischievous smile on her face, she said she would tell me a short story before talking about the blend she had prepared forme. The title of this tale was "The Secret of 10 Drops."

My grandmother had told me this story. Once upon a time, I was a solo and wandering woman, unsure if I wanted a relationship or if I wanted to fall in love. It took time to learn not to fear this feeling. Just like Serona...

Serona was born in the land ruled by King Solomon in the 900s B.C., where he once governed in splendor andprosperity. Under the light of the wise king, the people flourished, developed, and experienced a golden age. Serona's father was a merchant, and her mother, a successful healer. Growing up, Serona became a skilled girl in using the healing properties of plants, just like her mother. In the mornings, she would rush around her mother's shop, delivering orders tocustomers, and in the evenings, she would help with household chores. With her respectful and quiet demeanor, she won the hearts of many and made her family proud with her diligence. However, like every young girl, as Serona maturedand became more beautiful, voices suggesting she should start a family began to grow louder. Families who admired her would come with various proposals, trying to convince her mother of their sons' ability to take good care of her if she chose them. But every time the topic came up, Serona would find a way to escape, eventually stating that she had dedicated herself to her work and wanted to strive to become a successful healer.

Time passed quickly, and her parents, aging and gradually relinquishing their responsibilities, began to entrust Seronawith their work. As eligible suitors diminished one by one, her mother, both worried and unable to find a solution to her daughter's situation, became saddened. During this time, Serona's skills also developed. Her healing hands became renowned, traversed villages, towns, and deserts with word of mouth. Rumors reached the marble corridors of the palace, allthe way to the throne of King Solomon. Being curious abouther talents, especially in the field of herbal science, the king decided to find her. However, he absolutely did not want to be recognized as a king. He knew that if anyone would recognise him, the desired result would endangered by the most stark desires of the people; the lies told to deceive him or the temptations of wealth, fame, and glory. So, King Solomon went to her in disguise.

He crossed deserts, villages, and towns. Eventually, he arrivedat a town with a reddish hue, strucktured with two-story buildings made of sun-dried mud. Following other traders and travelers who came from the road, he entered. The crowded street was filled with various stores seling materials, plants, and food. Stalls were adorned with various fabrics andornaments, extending to a lively street shaded by cloths stretched between the roofs. Amidst the noise, enthusiastic bargaining voices, small children played and ran around shouting, and in front of some buildings, seductive women dressed in tulle awaited their customers. No one suspected himas a king, so he wandered freely through the town.

King Solomon, due to the sensitivity of the matter he wasgoing to discuss with Serona, waited until evening, making sure that under no circumstances would he encounter other customers. Finally, approaching midnight, he knocked on Serona's door.

Upon seeing the traveller at the door, the elderly father understood that the person before him was no ordinary customer. Having dealt with various customers in his old trading days, the father could recognize people from their clothing, cleanliness, and way of speaking, distinguishing between those with full pockets and those with empty ones. Although they normally did not accept customers late at night, the precious guest disguised as a traveler was immediately invited inside.

As the traveler entered with slow steps, he observed his surroundings while passing through the corridor adorned with dried plants and various materials. Occasionally, he made approving sounds, as if muttering to himself, and at the sametime, followed the elderly man. Upon reaching the store, the traveler stopped, silently uncovered his head, and inspected the room. Serona, as usual, was at her counter, jotting down notes in a large book with a charcoal stick in one hand, and simultaneously, she was brewing a refreshing blend in a smal lclay pot over the fireplace.

When her father coughed, she lifted her head with a surprised expression. When his father hold the chair for the guest, Serona quickly sensed that the guest was important, eventhough she didn't recognize him.

The traveler asked Serona to prepare three different blends forhim. He instructed her to bind the first one with fire, the second with water, and the third with air. When Serona asked what these blends were intended for, he looked at her with a mix of surprise and a hint of thinking she had overstepped. She replied, "I prepare all my blends with an intention. Plantsare effective on their own, but what truly empowers them is intention. It's impossible for me to prepare this blend correctly without knowing exactly what you want."

Realizing that the guest was tense, the father left the room. Alone with Serona, the traveler took out a notebook from his pocket and looked at her. Although he didn't think she would understand, he showed her his notes and charms drawn, stating that his intention was to find an enhancer to complete these rituals he hadn't finished for a long time. However, Serona knew that these mixtures were not designed for ordinary purposes and were generally created to manipulate emotional relationships, love, and spiritual states. She was sure that the drawings were not just symbols but enchantments.

She didn't like requests of this nature that influenced human will, and she would usually reject them immediately. However, before she could say anything, the traveler raisedhis hand to silence her. Then, from his pocket, he pulled out a large velvet bag and gently dropped it on the table with a jingle. "I don't have much time to stay, but my messenger is staying in the town, and he will wait for you until you complete all the blends. Consider this as an initial payment. Ifyou succeed, I will make the remaining payment." Although she disliked the demeanor of this commanding man, deepdown, she secretly wanted to earn this money. With this gain, she could silence her persistent family, insisting on finding her a match, and finally be free.

She requested a total of fifteen days from the mysterious traveler, as she couldn't do everything at once. She decided tostart with a candle for the fire element. She believed that she could initiate the first stage of the ritual powerfully by infusing herbal oils into this candle.

Suddenly, Alie interrupted her tale, stood up, and walked towards the cabinet behind her counter. She grabbed a fewdark-colored small essence bottles and arranged them on thetable in front of me. Then, she added a bit more water to theslowly boiling cauldron over the fire and came to me, saying, "I've trapped the essence of each plant in these bottles." As I sniffed them, she continued, "It takes time, of course, becauseI produce my own oils instead of using existing ones. For example, right now, there's lavender in the cauldron."

As she returned to the couch, she pondered where the story had left off...

Serona decided to use lavender as the first plant in her selection. Being part of the air element and belonging to the masculine alignment, she preferred to use this plant for its beautiful scent and calming properties, often using it for sleepand tranquility. However, lavender also had another application - on emotions. In other words, it could be used tobring balance and attraction to relationships. She wanted to elevate the energy in the blend with the power of this plant. With this intention in mind, she decided to prepare a lavender oil. Although you don't necessarily have to extract the oil fromthe plants yourself, Serona wanted to create a potent blend toavoid disappointing her customer. Therefore, in each stage of preparing the oil, she transferred her intention by turning it into a kind of chant.

Smiling, I looked at Alie and asked, "Do you also hum whilecreating your blends?" She laughed and, pointing to the cauldron slowly boiling in the fireplace, said, "I don't necessarily have to hum a song. Right now, as I tell you this tale, I'm actually conveying my intention. The complexity lies in how simple it can be."

Unable to resist, I said, "Alright then, continue with your tale." She continued with a mischievous smile.

Anyway, for the mixture, Serona first chose lavender, and to transform it into oil, she applied a method similar to what I'm doing now. She boiled lavender in a jar of fixed oil (usually, I use sesame or coconut oil) for a full 6 hours, extracting the essence of the plant. It was crucial not to boil or burn the oiland ensure the jar was completely sealed. If a drop of water got in, the oil would spoil. To maintain a certain temperature, she added cold water intermittently and waited until the lavender essence was released. Since extracting oils from plants was not something you had to do yourself, Serona did it to ensure a powerful mixture for her customer. Therefore, in each stage of preparing the oil, she transferred her intention as a kind of incantation.

Serona applied the same process of turning rosemary into oil this was the another plant she would use in the blend. As a member of the fire element and belonging to the masculine alignment, rosemary, a potent plant, was prepared with the intention to in still loyalty and courage. On the third day, it was time for the geranium. Being a hermaphrodite plant, she added geranium for its sweet scent and ability to support the earthelement. She balanced the fast, independent, and high-energy effects of the air and water elements with the calmness and weight of the earth. While preparing geranium, she whisperedher intention for it to symbolize a romantic and long-lasting relationship.

It took three days just to prepare the oils. Despite this, Serona was confident that she would create a magnificent candle. Toget the remaining materials, she went to the market. Visiting the stores she frequented, she searched for beeswax and soy wax. (I use soy wax; beeswax burns too quickly and runs outfast.)

Her favorite place to wander was away from the crowds, a large greenhouse on the outskirts of town belonging to an ancient friend of her mother. While going out to buy ready-made materials, she decided to stop by and see what was available there. Having been working so intensely with intentions, oils, and scents, she wanted to clear her head a bit. As she entered, the street scorched by the desert heat cooled between the stone walls. Serona, with her hair pulled back to cool her sweaty neck, met the elderly owner of the house. They chatted and then proceeded towards the greenhouse. This room was different from the others; sunlight came through round holes spaced along the ceiling, and water channels opened along the room kept it humid enough to meetthe plants' needs. They reached a small marble pool in the center. The man told Serona that she could explore as she liked and find him in the living room when finished.

In this miniature forest-like garden, among many exotic flowers and rare plants she encountered the son of the oldman.

Serona was meeting him for the first time. Despite his strong appearance, his gentle hands hinted at his expertise in plantcare. When their eyes met, he immediately stopped his workand politely asked Serona how he could help. Overwhelmed by excitement and stress, Serona, in an effort not to be misunderstood, asked about one of the plants that camerandomly to her mind, attempting to deflect the conversation. In response, the young man extended his hand and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Ezra." Serona blushed, trying hard not to break her composure, and Ezra, to avoid making her more uncomfortable, offered to help with the plant she was looking for. According to him, Ezra had been serving the king in different cities for a long time and had returned home recently. He was very knowledgeable about plants. When he saw Serona, as knowledgeable, beautiful, and apparently inexperienced in flirting as herself, he was instantlycaptivated. The scent of the plants and flowers expand fromher skin, the sunlit bundles of wheat-like hair had etched into his mind and heart.

When Serona returned home, she couldn't help but think about this mysterious man who had unsettled her balance. Nevertheless, she shouldn't let herself succumb to these feelings and should earn that money. She poured herself a glass of goat milk, focused, and took her place at the counter. First, she prepared half a kilogram of wax, the 100CC jars for the mixture she would pour into, along with 16mm cotton wicks.

She used a wooden stirrer carved from oak to mix the oils. Sheadded 60 drops of lavender, 30 drops of rosemary, and 20 drops of geranium oil. In addition to lavender, rosemary, and gernaium, she added another special oil she prepared herself. For one candle, she needed a total of 120 drops of oil. Wedon't know the secret of the remaining 10 drops, but while applying this magnificent recipe, we can create our blend and use those 10 drops as we wish, right? For example, I like toadd cedar or orange.

Serona combined the oils in the jar and added the wax which she had heated to 50 degrees into the mix, after combining them with her wooden stirrer homogeneously, she poured there sulting liquid into 5 jars with fixed wicks at the bottom. At each step, she took the materials in her palm, progressing the enchantment by whispering her intention. When the candles solidified a bit, she sprinkled small citrine stone particles on top to bring luck and closed the lids, leaving them to rest.

For her mysterious client who would burn the candles, she wrote on a note: "You can only burn this candle for 2 hours each time, and only once a day for each."

Alie finished her tale here, and as she got up to remove the boiling cauldron from the fire, I asked, "What about the other two enchantments the king requested?" Alie, with a mischievous smile, took her place at the counter. "Well, I'll tell you about them in our next meeting. Remember, even though it seems like a simple order, preparing these mixtures will take more time for Serona. Moreover, whether she realizes it or not, the intention she whispers affected her own will and, naturally, her inclinations. Just like those who listen to this tale and smell this candle."

Leaving her alone with her blends, I returned home with a warm smile on my face. The weather was snowy but calm. Alie had given me one of her prepared candles. However, I felt a stir within me, and my feet led me to a newly opened café in the city center that day. By chance, I ended up at the wrong table to sit, which led me to meet a man. This man worked as an academician at a university near the city. He was both intelligent and handsome. While talking to him, Alie's tale echoed in my ears. " whether she realizes it or not, the intention she whispers affected her own will and, naturally, her inclinations. Just like those who listen to this tale and smell this candle..." However, I couldn't predict the continuation neighter of the tale nor my future with this new acquaintance.

The enchanting ritual has a somewhat lengthy process of a captivating experience, like moving on to a new chapter at each step. Therefore, in the coming days, I will share with you the other two mixtures and the continuation of the tale just as I learned it. Until then, may the magic of "The Secret of 10 Drops" be with you!

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