# Love Spell **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 7, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774 "2002-05-07T20:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Motcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f17d59/32.png) [@Motcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motcha)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/1 "2002-05-07T20:21:13Z")
Pursuant to the article about a trie dand true love potion, found at [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_046.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_046.html) I feel I must ask this question: Where the hell can you buy a mortar and pestle these days? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/2 "2002-05-07T20:47:55Z")
High-end kitchenware shops, I suppose. Lab supply houses. Herb & spice dealers. You might try a shopping bot such as [MySimon.com](http://MySimon.com) . ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/3 "2002-05-09T08:22:01Z")
I’ve seen them in Williams-Sonoma shops, but I’m not sure if Williams-Sonoma is country-wide. I have also seen some in Cost Plus stores. As **AskNott** said, high-end kitchen shops should have them. I happened to buy mine at a herbalist shop, about 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![fgarriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c6cbf5/32.png) [@fgarriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fgarriel)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/4 "2002-05-09T11:33:55Z")
Crate & Barrel has them, but I’m not sure if they are nationwide. I need to pick one up myself. A former roommate had one, but he has since moved out and I can’t mash up anise that so many recipes from my favorite Mexican cookbook seems to call for. I can’t find it on [crateandbarrel.com](http://crateandbarrel.com), unfortunately. However, I did find it at Willams-Sonoma (3 different kinds, actually)… [http://www.williams-sonoma.com//srch/name.cfm?ftype=name&imgs=on&name=mortar](http://www.williams-sonoma.com//srch/name.cfm?ftype=name&imgs=on&name=mortar) [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) has one too… [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/kitchen/B00005Q5FT/qid%3D1020943871/ref%3Dsr\_11\_0\_1/104-0433074-1835933](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/kitchen/B00005Q5FT/qid%3D1020943871/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/104-0433074-1835933) as does [cooking.com](http://cooking.com) (8 different ones, actually)… [http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodli.asp?Keywords=mortar&Home=HP&Advanced=spine](http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodli.asp?Keywords=mortar&Home=HP&Advanced=spine) Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![substatique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@substatique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/substatique)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/5 "2002-05-15T06:25:13Z")
my girlfriend has a mortar and pestle in her kitchen (it’s-ah very nice-ah). if you can’t find them in a kitchen supply store, try a pottery store or similar. there also exist (in towns of appreciable size) witchcraft stores where you could surely obtain a lovely one adorned with a pentacle or other appropriate symbol. since i’m timid and don’t want to start my own topic, the same column mentioned casting a circle. i have a feeling this board is relatively unhip to the mystical arts (being so rational and all), but i do have a question: it seems (to me) that circle-casting is all about invoking the four compass directions, each of which symbolize a particular element and a whole passel of other things (emotions, time of day, whatever). being an extremist in the holism department, i don’t like reciting incantations without knowing what’s behind them. therefore, could somebody give me a short explanation or a link explaining the four directions and their importance in magickal workings? ---
**Author:** ![substatique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@substatique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/substatique)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/6 "2002-05-15T07:11:19Z")
my girlfriend has a mortar and pestle in her kitchen (it’s-ah very nice-ah). if you can’t find them in a kitchen supply store, try a pottery store or similar. there also exist (in towns of appreciable size) witchcraft stores where you could surely obtain a lovely one adorned with a pentacle or other appropriate symbol. since i’m timid and don’t want to start my own topic, the same column mentioned casting a circle. i have a feeling this board is relatively unhip to the mystical arts (being so rational and all), but i do have a question: it seems (to me) that circle-casting is all about invoking the four compass directions, each of which symbolize a particular element and a whole passel of other things (emotions, time of day, whatever). being an extremist in the holism department, i don’t like reciting incantations without knowing what’s behind them. therefore, could somebody give me a short explanation or a link explaining the four directions and their importance in magickal workings? ---
**Author:** ![substatique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@substatique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/substatique)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-spell/107774/7 "2002-05-15T07:12:44Z")
whoops…that pesky “back” button. and flood control too? yipe!