Flour (250 grams) is the foundation of your earthly life. The strength of the ancestors that keeps you on your feet, no matter what happens around you. Butter (150 grams)—must be soft, warmed by the heat of your own hands. It will melt away any cold that drifts from the world of shadows and death. Powdered sugar (80 grams) is a drop of sweetness to remind you that even after the heaviest descent into the world of oblivion and darkness, rebirth begins. The zest of one lemon represents the sparks of the Goddess’s joy. The very light of the Morning Star that pierces through any darkness. A handful of poppy seeds or sesame seeds is a symbol of the ancient fertility of the earth and the countless stars in Ishtar’s night sky. A pinch of salt is a memory of the tears shed. Without them, we would never appreciate the true joy and happiness that come to us, that come to us at the very moments when we least expect them but need them the most. In those moments when our strength is depleted, when the London fog outside the window seems endless, and the heart tightens with loneliness. When you take your first sip of tea and bite into a piece of this warm biscuit, you will feel life returning, and your entire being will be filled with a sense of deep comfort and blessed peace, as if you have been wrapped in a warm blanket after a long journey through a storm. The darkness will recede, because Her primal, invincible power will awaken within you.