MIPC: Love Potion

Note: MIPC stands for Magic in Popular Culture and this is a series of entries in which I take a spell, belief, ritual, or tradition and analyze it again real-world theory and practices.

The Spell or Belief 

"Take a spider off its web and shut him up in two sides of a nut. Boil the nut in oil, into which has been placed several strands of the web. Put two drops of the oil into water. He who drinks the water will be in love with the first person he sees so long as the spider is shut in the shell or one day goes by, whichever comes first."

Supergirl (1984) 

Commentary

First let me say that although some elements in this move such as the spell for invisibility and the ritual for immortality were taken from actual grimoires, I have never been able to find this potion or anything similar in any occult reference or grimoire in all the years I have studied magic. That being said, I believe that this potion was made up by the writers of this film. However, it does have some interesting symbolism. 

Let me state at the outset that, I believe, this is definitely woman's magic in that this is a potion that women would use on men and I do not think it would be as effective if a man choosing to use it on a woman.  Then again, in this age of gender fluidity, I may be getting behind the times in that regard. 

Spiders are endeared as hunters who lay their trap (the web) and devour their prey. In this regard, the spider represents the man in question. The tables have turned and now the hunter is the hunter. The fact that the spider is trapped inside a nutshell represents that mean being a victim to his own sexual urges that the potion will stir. Boiling the nut in oil (with the web) puts heat on the situation and get the man hot for you - trapping him in his own web. 

The silver spoon represents the female powers of the moon, receptivity, and persuasion that is intended to ensnare the man. Finally water represents emotions and in this case the man is encouraged by the power of the potion to fully experience his emotions (specifically the emotion of love) and not suppress his desires. 

While I have never attempted this potion myself (how do you keep the nut from separating inside the boiling oil?)  I have no doubts that with the right concentration and power, the skilled witch can find some success with it. 

- Carolina Dean