Herbs and Oils (part one)

Herbs and Oils

For Practical, Magical and Aromatherapy Uses

1) ACACIA: (Acacia senegal) Also known as gum arabic, gum senegal and gum acacia, produced by a tree that grows in North Africa. The species of acacia that produces gum arabic and gum acacia are so closely related that one can be used for the other.

a) Parts Used: flowers, leaves, stems, root, bark, resin, seeds, and essential oil

b) Magical Use: (Herb and Oil) Burn for altar offerings or purification, aids psychic powers, meditation, platonic love, psychic awareness, purification, inspiration, wisdom, visions, anointing, protection, prophetic dreams, spirituality, money. A sprig place over the bed wards off evil.

2) AGRIMONY: (Agrimonia eupatoria) the dried herb has an apricot scent and is used in sachets and potpourri. Also called "Church Steeples".

a) Parts Used: flowers, leaves, stem, and root

b) Magical Uses (Herb and Oil) Use in all protection sachets and spells, also to banish negative energies and spirits. Returns spells to sender, Promotes sleep.

3) ALLSPICE: (Pimemta dioica) Tropical evergreen with aromatic bark, leaves, and berries and bunches of greenish white flowers with a pervading scent. The berries, picked when mature but still green, are dried and ground to create the familiar spice.

a) Parts Used: leaves, fruit and essential oil

b) Magical Use: (Herb and Oil) Burn for prosperity, courage, healing/health, luck, determination, magical power, energy, strength.

4) ALMOND: (Prunus dulcis) The Sweet Almond tree has dark-colored bark, rose to white flowers in early spring, and dry-fleshed fruit with a pitted stone containing the nut. Almonds flavor many dishes. Almond oil is a fixed oil pressed from the Sweet Almond seeds and is used in cosmetics, massage oils, and medicines. Almonds must be chewed well and slowly. The whole raw almond had been described as a cancer preventative. Arabs crossing vast deserts live on only almonds, dates and water. One ounce of almonds can be soaked overnight in four ounces of water and blended in the morning to make a milk substitute. Peeled almonds can relieve heartburn. Ground almonds make a wonderful facial scrub. The oil relieves coughs and hoarseness. Almonds have very little starch and the butter and flour of the nuts is recommended for diabetics. Caution: Almonds contain hydrocyanic acid and can be toxic if eaten in large amounts (over 50 kernels for an adult, ten for a child)

a) Parts Used: Seed and wood

b) Magical Use: (Wood) Burn for money, riches and wisdom. Almond wood makes a nice magickal wand. Sweet Almond Oil is one of the primary carrier oils for ritual and anointing blends. In an old fable, Phyllis was deserted by her lover Demophoon and died of grief. The gods changed her into a barren almond tree. When Demophoon returned and embraced the tree, it burst into leaf and flower - a symbol of true love transcending death.

c) Aromatherapy Use: (Oil) Great base for massage, bath, body and skin-care products. Sweet Almond oil is scentless and nourishing to the skin.

5) ALOE: Aloe Vera or Aloe ssp.) This plant has remarkable qualities. Two parts are used: the clear, gel-like central leaf pulp, and the yellow-green juice from the green part of the leaf. The gel is used in creams to soothe, heal, and moisturize the skin, and in shampoos for dry, itchy scalps. It cools the skin, protects it from airborne infections and fungi, and reduces scarring. It speeds cell regeneration, and so treats radiation burns coral wounds, and dermatitis. It can be scraped from split leaves for first aid treatment of small burns, cuts, chapped skin, sunburn, eczema and Poison Ivy rash. Compounds in the leaf juice are added to sunscreens from protection against UV rays and have shown anticancer activity.

a) Part Used: Pulp or juice from the leaves

b) Magical Use: A protective houseplant. It guards against evil influences and prevents household accidents. In Africa, the aloe is hung over houses and doors to bring good luck and drive away evil.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Aloe Vera gel is used in cosmetic recipes where a cream or lotion isn't appropriate.

6) ANGELICA: (Angelica archangelica) also called "Angel's Food". This three-year "biennial" has a taproot, divided leaves, and umbels of green-white flowers in its third year, and then it seeds and dies. Crushed leaves in car interiors reduce travel nausea. The oil is distilled from the root or seeds. Used in infusion or tincture, the root raises body temperature and promotes digestion, making it an ideal herb for older folks. It also helps bring down the menses. Use it for colds and flu, to induce a sweat and warm the body. The decoction of the dried root is said to remove the tast for alcohol. Simmer two teaspoons of the root in two cups of water for twenty minutes; take one cup twice a day. Caution: Do not exceed the indicated amounts, or the heart, blood pressure, and respiration can be affected. Use the root in salves for skin problems and rheumatic pains. The tincture can be used in doses of ten to thirty drops, four times a day.

a) Parts Used: Root, essential oil and seeds

b) Magical Use: Sprinkle crushed leaves around the 4 corners of a house to ward negativity and purify the home, burn for meditation, protection, divination, exorcism, healing/health and visions. The leaves can be smoked in herbal "tobacco" formulas. (Oil) Use for anointing.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Coughs, Colds, Fevers, Flatulence, Indigestion, Skin Care, Circulation. Do not use during pregnancy or if diabetic.

Herbs and Oils

Practical, Magical and Aromatherapy Uses

a) Parts Used: flowers, leaves, stems, root, bark, resin, seeds, and essential oil

2) AGRIMONY: (Agrimonia eupatoria) the dried herb has an apricot scent and is used in sachets and potpourri. Also called "Church Steeples".

a) Parts Used: flowers, leaves, stem, and root

b) Magical Uses (Herb and Oil) Use in all protection sachets and spells, also to banish negative energies and spirits. Returns spells to sender, Promotes sleep.

a) Parts Used: leaves, fruit and essential oil

b) Magical Use: (Herb and Oil) Burn for prosperity, courage, healing/health, luck, determination, magical power, energy, strength.

a) Parts Used: Seed and wood

c) Aromatherapy Use: (Oil) Great base for massage, bath, body and skin-care products. Sweet Almond oil is scentless and nourishing to the skin.

a) Part Used: Pulp or juice from the leaves

b) Magical Use: A protective houseplant. It guards against evil influences and prevents household accidents. In Africa, the aloe is hung over houses and doors to bring good luck and drive away evil.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Aloe Vera gel is used in cosmetic recipes where a cream or lotion isn't appropriate.

a) Parts Used: Root, essential oil and seeds

c) Aromatherapy Use: Coughs, Colds, Fevers, Flatulence, Indigestion, Skin Care, Circulation. Do not use during pregnancy or if diabetic.

7) ANISE: (Pimpinella anisum) Anise has sweetly, aromatic leaves, rounded at the base and narrower on the stem, with umbels of flowers followed by aromatic fruits. The flowers and leaves are used in fruit salads, the stem and roots in sweet soups. In cooking or infused as a tea, the seeds aid digestion, quell nausea, and ease flatulence and colic. Anise is used in cough mixtures, as it is expectorant and soothes spasms of irritant coughs and bronchial problems. It promotes estrogen production and is used to encourage breast milk, ease childbirth, and stimulate libido. Tiny amounts of the essential oil, produced from the seeds, are added to toothpaste, perfumes and mouthwashes, and are used to mask bitter medicines, but in large amounts Anise is highly toxic. The seeds are carminative (they move gas out of the intestinal tract). Used in tea or as lozenges, they soothe a hard cough. For the tea, steep one teaspoon of the seeds in one cup of boiled water for ten minutes. Take up to one and half cups a day. The seeds can also be tinctured using two ounces of seed per on-half quart of brandy and some lemon peel. Let the mixture sit for twenty days. The dose is one teaspoon as needed. The seeds are make into a liqueur called anisette, which is mixed with hot water as a remedy for bronchitis and asthma. Anise seed tea is sweetened with honey and given to children with lung colds. Epilepsy, colic, and smoker's cough are treated with anise. For colic, simmer one teaspoon of the seed in one-half pint of mild for ten minutes, strain, and take it hot. Oil of anise is a natural insecticide.

a) Parts Used: Seeds and essential oil

b) Magical Use: Anis seeds are an herb of protection said to avert all evil. In ancient Roman times, they ere baked into a cake that was served at the end of the wedding feast. Purification, Protection, entices spirits to aid in spells, divination, psychic awareness, youth, In a pillow it wards off nightmares.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Muscular aches and pains, Rheumatism, Bronchitis, Colds and coughs, Colic, Cramps, Flatulence, Indigestion.

8) APPLE: (Malus spp.) A Druid sacred tree. The apple is a symbol of immortality, A branch of the apple which bore buds, flowers and fully ripened fruit (sometimes known as the Silver Bough), was a kind of magical charm which enabled its possessor to enter into the land of the Gods, the underworld, in Celtic Mythology. Apples clean the liver, cure constipation, and tone the gums. When baked they can be applied as a warm poultice to sore throats and skin inflammations. The cooked apple is especially laxative. The peeled raw apple helps with diarrhea. The cider corrects intestinal flora, reduces stomach acidity, corrects gas, and helps the kidneys, take three or four cups a day. Apple cider vinegar and water make a rinse to restore hair, scalp and skin, use equal parts of vinegar and water. Blondes should use white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, water, and honey aid digestion when taken with meals, use two teaspoons of vinegar to a glass of water, add honey to taste. This was one of my great-grandmothers favorite cures for a sore throat.

a) Parts Used: Whole fruit (cooked or raw, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and wood

b) Magical Use: Wiccan altars are often piled high with apples during Samhain for the apple is considered to be one of the foods of the dead. For this very reason Samhain is sometimes known as "Feast of Apples". Apples are considered symbols of life and immortality. The apple has long been used in spells of love. The blossoms are added to love sachets, brews and incenses, and they are infused in melted pink wax, then strained out to make candles suitable to burn for attracting love. Use apple cider in place of blood where it is called for in old recipes. Apples and apple blossoms are symbolic of love, healing and immortality. Burn the blossoms as incense, wear the perfume, and make them into herb candles for a handfasting rite.

9) ASAFETIDA: Ferula asafoetida Also called Stinking Gum. The pungent gum is extracted from the living rootstock by notching the plant at soil level. It was a popular Roman condiment. (If you can imagine that!) Research suggests the plant is anticoagulant and lowers blood pressure. Used to treat stomach ailments such as intestinal flu, gas, and bloating. Add a pinch to beans as they cook. The herb is good in cases of Candida albicans. Has been used for asthma, broncitis, and whooping cough because of it's antispasmodic properties and is a good herb for croup and colic in babies (newborns should get it through their mother's milk). Another method is to give it to infants via the rectum - make an emulsion with four parts asafetida to one hundred parts water and insert. It has been used as a sedative for hysteria and convulsion. Please Note: This herb tastes awful and is perhaps best taken in capsule form, one hundred millegrams to one gram being the dose.

a) Parts Used: Resin of the root

b) Magical Use: Use for prophetic dreams, exorcism, and protection. Worn in a bag around the neck, asafetida dispels diseases and evils of all kinds. (It literally repels evil spirits!) Add a clove of garlic to enhance the effect. Asafetida is a classic for exorcism and purification rites. Use it to smudge a ritual space with smoke. Unfortunately, though asafetida is powerful, it also has a horrible odor. Just the slightest whiff of the fragrance has been known to cause vomiting. Use with Care!

10) ASH TREE: (Fraxinus americana or excelsior) A Druid sacred tree. This spring-flowering deciduous tree has smooth gray bark and showy, scented flowers, although the scent is unpleasant to some. The bark of the ash can be used as a substitute for quinine in intermittent fevers. It is reputed to clear obstructions from the spleen and liver. Simmer two tablespoons of bark for twenty minutes in one cup water, take a quarter-cup four times a day. The leaves are laxative and can be used as a substitute for senns (tree leaves are always gathered beforemidsummer). Steep two tablespoons of the leaf in one cup of water for twenty minutes, take one quarter cup four times a day.

a) Parts Used: Bark and Leaf

b) Magical Use: Ash is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. Ash wood makes a traditional Yule log. Druid wands were often made of ash and carved with decorations. Ash wands are good for healing, general and solar magic. Put fresh ash leaves under your pillow to stimulate psychic dreams and prosperity. An herb of the sun, ash brings light into the hearth at the winter solstice.

11) BASIL: (Oncimum basilicum) The warm, spicy taste of this popular herb's leaf combines well with garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, and Italian dishes, Basil flavors vinegar, pesto sauce, and oil. The essential oil flavors condiments and liqueurs, and scents soaps and perfumes. Inhaling the essential oil refreshes the mind and stimulates a sense of smell dulled by viral infection. The infusion relieves gas and stomach pains. Reputadly abortive, it can help expel the placenta. A warming herb, it is used for colds and flu, constipation, vomiting, headaches, and menstrual cramps. Steep two teaspoons per cup of water for twenty minutes, take up to one and a half cups per day.

a) Parts Used: Leaf and stem

b) Magical Use: Burn basil to exorcise negativity from the home. To do a really thorough cleansing and protection of yourself and your home, also sprinkle a little basil in each corner of each room in the house and add to your bathwater. Basil is used to mend lovers' quarrels and brings good luck to a new home. The scent of basil causes sympathy between two people and so is worn to avoid major clashes. Basil Use it in rites of exorcism and in the ritual bath. Sprinkle to powder over the ara of your heart to promote fidelity. The scent brings happiness to the home and will protect you in crowds.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Bronchitis, Fatigue, Colds, Loss of Concentration, Migraine, Gout, Aches and Pains, Insect bites, Insect Repellent, Coughs, Migraine, Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, Infectious Disease. Key Qualities: Restorative, Tonic, Antidepressant, Refreshing, Uplifting, Fortifying, Purifying, Clearing, Warming, Cephalic, Stupefying in excess.

12) BAY LAUREL: (Laurus nobilis) The culinary leaves may be slightly narcotic, and aid digestion when added to Bouquet garni, marinades, p�te, soups and stews. The wood is used to give an aromatic tang to smoked foods, and oil of Bay, from the fruit, flavors some liqueurs. A leaf decoction added to bath water will relieve aching limbs, and diluted leaf essential oil can treat sprains and rheumatic joints but may irritate the skin. The leaf and berry are used in salves for itching, sprains, bruises, skin irritations, and rheumatic pain. The fruit and leaf are simmered until soft and made into a poultice with honey for chest colds. Bay leaf and berry tea makes a bath additive that helps the bladder, bowel, and female reproductive organs. Use two tablespoons per cup and steep for forty-five minutes, add to bath water.

a) Parts Used: Leaf and berry

b) Magical Use: Bay leaves were used by the Delphic priestesses. The incense and the leaf are said to produce a prophetic trance. Burn for psychic powers, purification, wish magic, exorcism, healing/health, protection, divination, visions, clairvoyance, energy, power, strength, inspiration, wisdom, meditation, defense, creative word. Put the leaves under your pillow to give inspiration and visions. An herb of the sun, bay brings the light of summer into the darkest time of the year. Carry the leaf or place in the home to ward off illness and hexes.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Sprains, Colds, Flu, Insomnia, Rheumatism.

13) BENZOIN: (Styrax benzoin) Benzoin is a shrubby tree with gray bark, simple leaves, and short racemes of small, fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers. The scented yellowish resin is thought to be created in response to injury, so it is tapped by making hatchet incisions in the trunk. The resin, called benzoin or gum benjamin, is used as incense, a fixative in perfumes, and is added to cosmetics to prevent fats turning rancid. The tree resin is used externally, diluted with water, as an antiseptic skin wash. Taken internally, it relieves intestinal gas and is antiseptic to the urinary tract. Take ten to twenty drops in water or tea four times a day. Put it in vaporizers or use it an an inhalant for bronchitis, and laryngitis. A simple method is to place it, along with a few drops of the oils of peppermint and eucalyptus, in a bowl of boiling hot water. Put your face as close to the bowl as you can and cover your head, and the bowl, with a towel. Inhale the steam. Tincture of bensoin is often added to salves as a preservative, (one ound of benzoin to about one and a half quarts of salve.) Benzoin is used in Aromatherapy but may cause allergic reactions.

a) Parts Used: Resin

b) Magical Use: An herb of purification, burned in incense to sanctify an area. The scent is also used to attract business when combined with basil, peony or cinnamon. Dilute the essential oil and rub onto the body to increase your personal power. It awakens the conscious mind as well. Burn to purify, protect, for prosperity, for astral projection or to increase mental powers.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Asthma, Bronchitis, Laryngitis, Chills, Flu, Colic, Coughs, Itching, Arthritis, Colds, As a Sedative. Benzoin has been found to help retain skin elasticity. It is valuable in treating dry, cracked skin and is believed to be anti-depressant. Key Qualities: Warming, Energizing, Uplifting, Comforitn, Purifying, Elevating, Stimulant, Soothing, Antidepressant.

14) BERGAMOT: (Citrus bergamia) Bergamot has aromatic flowers and fruits. The thin, smooth peel yields Bergamot oil for "true" eau de Cologne and Earl Grey Tea.

a) Parts Used: Flower and fruit

b) Magical Use: Use for money and protective rituals. Add the distilled bouquet to your bathwater for these purposes. Synthesized versions of the oil abound but should not be used.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Boils, Cold Sores, Insect Bites, Spots, Varicose Ulcers, Colds, Flu, Fevers, Acne, Tension, Wounds, Coughs, Stress, as an Antidepressant, as an Insect Repellent, Depression, Cystitis, Infectious Diseases, Tonsilitis, Halitosis, Flatulence, Loss of appetite. Key Qualities: Reviving, Refreshing, Calming, Soothing, Uplifitin, Sedative, Regulating, balancing, Anti-Depressant.

15) BERGAMOT MINT: (Mentha x piperita 'citrata') This herb is sometimes confused with the Citrus of the same name. Bee Balm is also called bergamot at times. This is a bairless mint with thin smooth leaves and purple runners, it has purplish flowers. In full sun it develops a strong citrus scent and the whole plant is tinged purple. In shade the color is more coppery. Use it as an aromatic herb in potpourri or to make a honey-sweetened drink. The flavor is not so good for cooking. Also called Eau De Cologne Mint.

a) Parts Used: Leaf and Essential Oil

b) Magical Use: The leaves of bergamot mint are slipped into wallets and purses to attract money. Fresh leaves are also rubbed onto money before spending it to ensure it's return. Also used in "success" rituals and spells.

16) BETONY: (Stachys officonalis or Stachys betonica or Betonica officionalis) Also known as Bishopwort, Wood Betony or Purple Betony. Wood betony has fairly pungent, scalloped, hairy leaves and spikes of pale magenta summer flowers. A Druid sacred herb. The arial parts provide a tea substitute and are added to tonics and herbal cigarettes. An infusion is mildly sedative and cleansing and is a nerve and circulation tonic for migraine, anxiety, indigestion, drunkenness, and difficult labor. Wood Betony was an Anglo-Saxon protective charm

a) Parts Used: Leaf, flower, stem and root

b) Magical Use: This was a very powerful herb to the Druids as it has the power to expel evil spirits, nightmares and despair. It was burned at Midsummer Solstice for purification and protection. Sprinkle around or near al doors and windows to form a protective barrier. If troubled by nightmares fill a small cloth pillow and place it under your pillow. Betony is added to purification and protection mixtures and incenses.

17) BIRCH: (Betula alba) A Druid sacred tree. Also known as Lady of the Woods, Paper Birch or White Birch. The antibacterial leaves give a diuretic tea used to treat gout and rheumatism, to dissolve kidney and bladder tones and to lower cholesterol. Steep two teaspons of leaf per cup of water for twenty minutes. The dose is one to one a half cups over a day. Birch twigs and leaves are simmered and added to the bath for itchy skin conditions and falling hair. Taken before bed, the tea is sedative. The young shoots and leaves make a tonic laxitive. The inner bark is simmered and used in fevers. Twigs and bark are simmered using two teaspoons of plant per cup of water for twenty minutes. The dose is one-fourth cup four times a day. The twigs of B. lutea (Yellow birch) and B. lenta (black birch) are gathered in spring and simmered gently for twenty minutes to make a delicious beverage. Please note: the leaves must be used fresh, and not after Midsummer, as they will then contain natural insecticides. The white birch has no real flavor and does not make a good beverage tea. The bark and bud oil are used in medicated soaps.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, bark and twigs

b) Magical Use: The traditional broom of witches is made of birch twigs. Protection, purification, wards negativity, love, new beginnings, changes. Birch is a feminine tree and an embodiment of the Great Mother. Cradles are often made of her wood as a protection for the child.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Gout, Rheumatism, Eczema, Ulcers.

18) BLACKBERRY: (Rubus villosus) A Blackberry leaf decoction is a blood and skin tonic, and a poultice treats eczema. The juicy purple-black fruit are rich in fiber and Vitamin C. The root is a classic remedy for diarrhea and is reputed to clean the kidneys and urinary tract of stones and gravel. Simmer two teaspoons for the root per cup of water for twenty minutes, and take a quarter cup four times a day. The buds and leaves are used fresh in poultices for wounds, burns, mouth sores, and sore throats. Chew the leaves or make a poultice. The berries are slightly binding (as is blackberry wine) and are useful in diarrhea, as are the leaves.

a) Parts Used: Root, leaf, bud, and berry

b) Magical Use: Sacred to Brighid, the leaves and berries are used to attract wealth or healing. This is a Goddess herb, belonging to the planetary spere of Venus. Protection, health, prosperity, pie for Lughnassadh, to commemorate the harvest.

19) BLACKTHORN: (Prunus spinosa)Also know as Sloe, Mother of the Wood, or Wishing Thorn. This tree has small, serrated, oval leaves on dark, thorny branches with purple blooms and black fruit. The leaves yield a mouthwash. The astringent fruits make Sloe gin. Traditionally, the wood was used to make clubs.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, twig, fruit

b) Magical Use: Returns evil to sender. The thorns are used for sticking into black figure candles or poppets of enemies that will not leave you alone. Hung over doorways or carried, the sloe wards off evil and calamity, banishes demons and negative vibrations.

20) BORAGE: (Borago officionalis) The flowers decorate salads and cakes and are frozen in ice cubes. The cooling, mineral-rich leaves flavor drinks, dips, and salt-free diets. A leaf and flower infusion is an adrenaline tonic taken for stress, depression, or cortisone and steroid treatment. It reduces fevers, dry coughs, and dry skin rashes. Pressed seed oil can be used like Evening Primrose for menstrual and irritable bowel problems, eczema, blood pressure, arthritis and hangovers.

a) Parts Used: Flower, leaf, stem and seeds

b) Magical Use: Tea aids psychic power. Carry the leaves for protection. Carry the fresh blossoms to strengthen your courage. Use in money and business spells.

21) BRIAR ROSE: (Rosa rubiginosa) Also known as Wild Rose, Sweet Briar, Hop Fruit, or Briar. Regular scented roses may be substituted. See also ROSE.

a) Parts Used: Flower and fruit

b) Magical Use: For clairvoyant dreams, steep two teaspoons fresh or dried rose petals in one cup of boiling water. Cover and let stand five minutes. Drink at bedtime. Burn the petals with love incense to strengthen love spells. Rose essential oil is used in formulas designed to attract love, confer peace, stimulate sexual desires and enhance beauty. Healing, Creativity, Love Luck, Prophetic Dreams, Protection, Psychic Awareness, Divination, Clairvoyance, Anointing, Balance.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Anxiety, Depression, Circulatory Problems, menopausal Problems, as an Antiseptic and Tonic, Menstrual Disorders, Stress, Tension, as a Sedative.

22) BROOM: (Genista scoparius syn. Cytisus scoparius and Sarothamnus scoparious) Also known as Scotch Broom, and Irish broom. A Druid Sacred Tree, it is a many-branched erect shrub with simple or trifoliate leaves, and golden "sweet-pea" flowers. A flowering sprig of Broom was a heraldic battle device of Henry II of England who is said to have taken the family name Plantagenet from this medieval "planta genista". Flowering broom tips are gathered in spring (before Midsummer) and are later used fresh or dry. The seeds are as useful as the tops. Both are soluble in water and alchohol. The infusion is used to tread cardiac edema. Simmer one teaspoon of the herb or seeds per cup of water for twenty minutes. The dose is one-half cup a day in one-fourth cup doses. Broom is combined with dandelion root, uva ursi, and juniper berries to treat bladder and kidney ailments. Take one part broom, one half oart uva ursi, and one half part dandelion root. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to half the original quantity. Add one-half part juniper berry and cool. A pinch of cayenne is sprinkled into each one-eighth cup dose. Caution: Acute kidney problems contraindicate this herb. Broom is a heart tonic. Use one teaspoon of the herb per cup of water, and do not exceed more than one-half cup per day. One to ten drops of tincture may be given as a dose.

a) Parts Used: Flowering twig and seed.

b) Magical Use: Broom flowers bound with colored ribbons are carried at weddings. Couples may choose to "jump the broom" as they make their transition to a new station of life. Broom can be substituted for furze(gorse) at Spring Equinox. The Irish called it the "Physician's Power" because of its diuretic shoots. Sweep your outside ritual areas with it to purify and protect. Burning the blooms and shoots calms the wind. Hang indoors for protection and purification. Toss in the air or bury it to raise or calm winds.

23) CAMPHOR: (Cinnamomum camphora) This white, intensely scented, crystalline substance is distilled from a tree native to China and Japan. The essential oil is steam-distilled from wood, rootstumps, and branches. For many years true camphor wasn't sold in the U.S. All "camphor blocks" and mothballs were made of synthetic camphor which is extremely poisonous. Both the leaf and crystallized extract are used for wet lung conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Camphor is useful in depression, exhaustion, and stomach cramps and to improve circulation. Use about two teaspoons of leaf per cup of water and steep for twenty minutes. Take one-fourth cup four times a day. Alternatively, use one teaspoon of the crystallized extract per two cups of water. Take it in one-teaspoon doses four times a day. The tincture is also available and is used in doses of five to ten drops four times a day. Camphor is incorporated into salves for external use to kill parasites and treat ringworm, scabies, and itch. The oil open the lungs, making breathing easier, and helps with muscular and joint pain, arthritis, and bruises (not for open wounds). The salve functions as a "smelling salt," and the herb has been used internally to revive those in coma or delirium. Camphor can be burned to purify the air or inhaled to open lung passages. Caution: Do not use this herb if you are pregnant or if you are very weak and debilitated. Only natural plant extracts should be used, as chemical camphor is contaminated with industrial poisons.

a) Parts Used: Crystallized extract and leaf

b) Magical Use: (Solid Form) Camphor is added in small amounts to Lunar and chastity type mixtures, (Eucalyptus or Lavender oil may be substituted). Divination, Prophetic Dreams, Psychic Awareness. Burn in the home to purify the air and to dispel disease.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Coughs, Colds, Fevers, Rheumatism, Arthritis.

24) CARAWAY: (Carum carvi) Caraway is a hardy biennial with finely cut feathery leaves, umbels of small flower heads in midsummer and capsules containing two curved narrow seeds. The seeds are a popular spice, especially in Central Europe. They enhance port, goulash, sauerkraut, cheese, and pickles and are added to cooking cabbage to reduce the smelll. They flavor brads and cakes and are eaten raw or sugar- coated as Caraway comfits after a spicey meal. They sweeten the breath, aid digestion, and relieve flatulence. Chopped leaves are added to soups and salads, and the root is cooked as a vegetable. Essential oil, distillled from the seeds, flavors gin, candy, the liqueur K�mel, and mouthwashes, and scents soaps, and aftershaves. The seeds are antiseptic and a vermifuge. Caraway seeds have been used in cooking since the Stone Age. The powdered seeds are taken in doses of one-fourth to one teaspoon to promote digestion and relieve gas. Caraway tea also relieves menstrual cramps, as it helps to bring on the menstruation. Caraway increases breast mile. To make the tea, steem three teaspoons of the ground seeds in one-half cup of water for twenty minutes (use a kitchen blender to lightly crush the seed). Take up to one and a half cups a day in one-fourth cupdoses, or simply chew the seeds. One to four drops of the essential oil may be taken as a digestive aid. For colicky babies, soak one ounce of the ground seed in a pint of cold water for about six hours. The dose is from one to three teaspoons of the ifusion, or boil three teasoons of seed in one-half cup of milk for a few minutes, then steep for ten minutes. The powdered seeds are moistened to make a poultice for bruises and earaches.

a) Parts Used: Seed, leaf, root and essential oil

b) Magical Use: Caraway is often added to love potions to keep lovers from being unfaithful. The seeds are placed in poppets and used in spells to fing one's mate. They are said to inspire lust when baked into cakes or breads. Put some in your wedding cake, or use it instead of rice to throw at the bride and groom. Pigeons are very fond of it too!

25) CARDAMOM: (Elettario cardamomum) This perennial bears violet-striped white flowers and aromatic green fruits on erect or trailing racemes. The seed pods are an expensive spice, sold as whole green, bleached, or sun-dried cardamom. The seeds are digestive, stimulant, and antispasmodic, and rhizome is given for fatigue and fever. The essential oil from almost-ripe fruits is used in liqueurs and perfumes. Cardamom seeds are a symbol of hospitality.

a) Parts Used: Seed

b) Magical Use: Deliciously spicy, cardamon essential oil brings a nice jolt of energy to live and sexually oriented formulas. Burn for love spells or use in love sachets. The ground seeds are added to warmed wine for a quick lust potion. They are also baked into apple pies for a wonderful amatory pastry.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Nausea, Coughs, Headaches, Aches, as a Digestive and Tonic, Dyspepsia, Mental Fatigue, Nervous Strain, Halitosis, Anorexia, Colic. Key Qualities: Cephalic, Aphrodisiac, Warming, Comforting, Refreshing, Uplifting, Penetrating, Soothing.

26) CARNATION: (Dianthus caryophyllus) Also called Pink , Clove Pink or Gilly Flower. This short lived perennial has blue-green grasslike foliage and spicy, fragrant long-lasting flowers in the summer. This "Flower of Divinity" and symbol of betrothal, woven into garlands is the parent of cultivated carnations, although is seldom available in its true for. Fortunately, the petals of any clove-scented Pink, with the bitter white heel removed, can be added to fruit dishes, sandwiches, soups, and sauces, or used to make floral syrup, vinegar, liqueur, or wine. This was Chaucer's "sops in wine" and is still enjoyed as a nerve tonic today. The strong-sweet spicy scent is used in soaps and perfumes. Worn during Elizabethan times to prevent coming to an untimely death on the scaffold.

a) Parts Used: Flower petals

b) Magical Use: Altar offering for the Goddess, Anointing, Protection, Strength, Health and Healing, Energy, Power, Magical Power, Blessing, Consecration. Can be used in all purpose protective spells.

27) CATNIP: (Nepeta Catoria) A Druid sacred herb. The root and leaf scent, minty with cat pheromone overtones, intoxicates cats and repels rats and flea beetles. The tender leaves are added to salads and flavor meat. They can also be brewed as tea and were used before China tea was imported. The leaves and flowering tops treat colds, calm upset stomachs, reduce fevers, and soothe headaches and scalp irritations. When smoked, leaves give mild euphoria with no harmful effects.

a) Parts Used: Leaf

b) Magical Use: Chewed by warriors for fierceness in battle. Large dried leaves are powerful markers for magic books. Give it to your cat to create a psychic bond. Used in spells to promote beauty, happiness, love. Use in all Cat Magic Spells.

28) CASSIA: (Cinnamomum aromaticum var. cassia) This is the highest grade of Cinnamon. See Cinnamon.

a) Magical Use: Purification

b) Aromatherapy Use: See cinnamon

29) CEDARWOOD: (Cedrus libani or Cedrus spp.) A Druid sacred herb. Also known as Cedar, Tree of Life, Arbor Vitae (Thuja occidentalis) or Yellow Cedar (T. occidentalis). Ancient Celts on the mainland used cedar oil to preserve the heads of enemies taken in battle. The wood of the Atlas Cedar subspecies is distilled to produce the essential oil. Yellow cedar is used by herbalists to trat bloody cough and heart weakness. Simmer two teaspoons per cup for twenty minutes and take it ccold in one-tablespoon doses, three to six times a day. It is used internally and externally as an antifungal (the dry powder is excellent for Athlete's foot).

a) Parts Used: Twig and leaf

b) Magical Use: Cedar smoke purifies the home. Use it in smudge sticks, incense and sweat lodges. The scent is said to enhance psychic powers. I use it in a simmering pot which smells much better than the burning herb, it makes the whole house smell clean and sweet. Use for: Purification, Health and Healing, Luck, Good Fortune, Happiness, Banishing, Releasing, Exorcism, Money and Riches, Justice, Protection, Harmony, Peace.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Bronchitis, Catarrh, Acne, Arthritis, as a Diuretic, Sedative, Antiseborrhoeic.

30) CHAMOMILE: (Chamaemelum nobile or Anthemis nobilis) Also called Roman chamomile, English chamomile, Perennial Chamomile, Wild Chamomile, and Ground Apple. A Druid Sacred Herb, this aromatic evergreen has feathery, apple-scented leaves and white flowers with conical golden centers. The flowers make a digestive, soothing and sedative tea, which is used for soothing restless children, helps prevent nightmares and insomnia, and suppresses nausea. The flower compounds have shown anti-tumor activity in laboratory tests. In the garden it is a "physician plant" reviving nearby ailing plants. The essential oil is a beautiful blue color turning yellow as it ages. This herb has an affinity for the solar plexus area of the human body. Colic, upset stomachs, and fevers are benefitted by the tea of the fresh or dried flower. Use two tablespoons per cup, steep for twenty minutes, and take a quarter cup four times a day. Women with menstrual cramps can try adding a few thin slices of fresh ginger root to the tea. Chamomile is an antibacterial. Sores, wonds, itches, and rashes respond to external applications. Use the tea as a wash or add the herb to salves and poultices. The oil is rubbed into swollen joints. Chamomile calms the nerves and brings on sleep. Use it in baths and gargles. Add the tea to a vaporizer to help asthmatic children. The classic tea for cranky, teething babies, it is given in the bottle or through a mother's breast milk.

a) Parts Used: Flower

b) Magical Use: Yellow chamomile brings the power of the sun to love potions, money spells and rites of purification. Use in incense for the God. When sprinkled around the house it removes hexes, curses and spells. It can be burned or added to prosperity bags to increase money. Use for: Love, Luck, Fortune, Justice, Prosperity, Purification, Meditation, Rest.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Nerves, Migraine, Acne, Inflammation, Insomnia, Menstrual Problems, Dermatitis, Analgesic, Tension Headache, Stress.

31) CHERRY: (Prunus serotina) A Druid sacred tree, chips of the wood or bark were burned at Celtic festivals especially Sabbats. Also known as Black Cherry, Wild Cherry or Chokecherry (P. virginiana). Chokecherry bark tea is used to clear the throats of singers and public speakers, the powdered berries were once used to improve the appetite. If you've never tried chokecherry jelly, you've missed a real treat. CAUTION:The stone is poisonous.

a) Parts Used: Fruit, bark and wood

b) Magical Use: (Wood and Fruit Juice) Creativity, Healing, Long been used to attract Love, Cherry juice is used as a substitute for blood in old recipes.

32) CINNAMON: (Cinnamomum verum or zeylanicum) A tropical evergreen tree up to 50 feet tall. Cinnamon sticks are quills from the inner bark and the essential oil is distilled by water or steam from the leaves and twigs.

a) Parts Used: Bark

b) Magical Use: (Herb and Oil) Meditation, Defense, Creative Work, Divination, Energy, Power, Protection, Success, Astral Projection, Health and Healing, Love Lust, Money and Riches, Purification.

c) Aromatherapy Use: (Oil)Lice, Scabies, Wasp Stings, Poor Circulation, Childbirth (stimulates contractions), Anorexia, Colitis, Diarrhea, Dyspepsia, Intestinal Infection, Sluggish Digestion, Spasm, Flu, Rheumatism, Warts, Coughs, Colds, Viral Infections, Frigidity, Infectious Disease, Stress Related Conditions, Tooth and Gum Care, Nervous Exhaustion. Key Qualities: Warming, Reviving, Tonic, Strengthening, Aphrodisiac, Restorative, Uplifting.

33) CINQUEFOIL: (Pontentilla reptans) Also called Five Fingered Grass, Creeping cinquefoil, and Five Leaved Grass. The rootstock was cooked as a vegetable by the Celts and Native Americans. Applied to sore areas, the fresh plant relieves pain. A root decoction is used in anti-wrinkle creams. A wash reduces skin redness, freckles, and sunburn. The powdered root and leaf are used to stop internal hemorrhaging. The powder also makes an astringent for mouth sores and treats diarrhea. Taken with honey, it relieves sore throats, coughs, and fever. Take one-quarter to one-half teaspoon at a time, or twenty to forty drops of the tincture. The leaves can be steeped using two teaspoons per cup of water for twenty minutes, or one ounce of the root can be simmered in one and a half cups of water for twenty minutes. The dose is a quarter cup four times a day.

a) Parts Used: Root and leaf

b) Magical Uses Use the infusion in ritual baths and for purification rites. Cinquefoil bestows eloquence and protection to the wearer, bring it to court. Love, powerm wisdom, health, and abundance are symbolized by its five petals. Prick a hole in an egg, drain it and fill it with cinquefoil. Tape the egg shut, and your home and property are protected. Bathe in the infusion every seven days to ward off evil influences. Prosperity, Protection, Defense, Purification, Anointing, Divination Dreams, Energy, Strength, Luck, Fortune, Justice, Healing, Inspiration, Wisdom, Love,. Hang at the door for protection. Add to purificatory bath sachets.

34) CLOVE: (Syzgium aromaticum) Cloves are the sun-dried unopened flower buds of a dense evergreen tree, they have a strong spiciness that flavors foods and prevents nausea. The flowers are used to soothe aching eyes. Clove oil, from the distillation of leaves and flower buds, is an antiseptic numbing agent for toothache and indigestion. It is added to cosmetics, perfumes, and cigarettes. There are now Clove-based anesthetics.

a) Parts Used: Leaf and flower bud

b) Magical Use: Use for: Divination, Love, Lust, Banishing, Releasing, Inspiration, Wisdom. Burn for Wealth, Purification, to ward negative thoughts, or to stop others from gossiping about you.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Nausea, Flatulence, Asthma, Bronchitis, Arthritis, Rheumatism, Toothache, Diarrhea, Infections, as an Analgesic and Antiseptic, Insect Repellent (Mosquitoes). Key Qualities: Tonic, Stimulating, Revitalizing, Aphrodisiac, Warming, Comforting, Purifying, Active.

35) CLUB MOSS: (Lycopodium selago or clavatum) Also called Selago, Foxtail, Lycopod, Vegetable Sulpher, Wolf Claw or Stag's Horn Moss. This toxic, evergreen, mosslike herb has trailing stems, upright branches and developing cones encasing the ripe spores. The spores were once used for gastric and urinary disorders, as an antispasmodic sedative and to coat pills. Blackfoot Indians knew of the spores' blood-stanching, wound-healing and moisture-absorbing properties and inhaled them for nosebleeds and dusted them on cuts. They are still used on wounds and ecxzema. The spores are explosive when set alight, and used to create theatrical lightening and added to fireworks. Magicians once used them to create "lightening flashes" and other pyrotechnics as needed. These effects were originally intended as a form of sympathetic magic -of evocation by emulation - not simply (or deceptively) as stage effects. The club mosses are found in North America, northern Europe, Asia, and the southern hemisphere. The plants are several inches in height and resemble moss. They creep by means of prostrate stems, which branch upward at intervals, with crowded, linear, simple leaves. Large two valved spore cases product the medicinally active spores. While the whole plant was used by the ancients as a cathartic, the spores were used as a diuretic in edema, a drastic (a forceful agen of cure) in diarrhea and dysentery, a nervine for rabies and spasms, a mild laxative in cases of gout and scurvy, and a corroborant (strengthening agent) for rheumatism. The dose is ten to sixty grains of the spores. The spores also make a dusting powder for skin diseases and diaper rash. CAUTION: Selago can be an active narcotic poison when overused. For this reason it is probably better to use only the spores, which are non-toxic. The whole plant can be used externally, however, as a counterirritant - made into a poultice, it will keep blisters open and kill lice.

a) Parts Used: Above-ground portions of the herb, and spores.

b) Magical Use: Druids respected the plant to such a degree that it was gathered only under strict ritual guidlelines. One of the Ovates would dress in white, bathe both feet in free-running water and offer a sacrifice of bread and spirits, and then with white robe wrapped around the right hand, using a brass hook, would dig up the plant by the roots. When properly gathered, the herb becomes a charm of power and protection. Wear it, add it to incense, adn use it to commune with the Gods and Goddesses.

36) COMFREY: (Symphytum officonale) Also known as Slippery Root, Knitbone or Blackwort. Teas, tinctures and compresses of comfrey roots or leaves speed healing of cuts, rashes, and broken bones.

a) Parts Used: Root and leaf

b) Magical Uses Root or leaves for healing. Carry for safe travel. To ensure the safety of your luggage while traveling, tuck a piece of the root into each of your bags.

37) COPAL: (Bursera odorata) Copal is a white, pale yellow or yellowish-orange gum resin. When smoldered on charcoal it produces a rich, delicious, piney-lemony fragrance. Copal is North America's equivalent of Frankincense. While it lacks some of frankincense's bittersweet odor, it is a fine substitute. When frankincense if left smoldering on charcoal for some time it eventually emits a very bitter scent. Copal, however, never varies as it burns. It is native to Mexico and Central America, and has been used as incense in religious and magical ceremonies for untold hundreds of years, beginning, perhaps, with the Mayans or even prior to the days of that fables people. The finest copal is a pale to dark yellow color with an intense resinous-citrus odor. It is usually sold in chunks and may contain leaf fragments.

a) Parts Used: Resin

b) Magical Use: Burn for protection, cleansing, purification, to promote spirituality, and to purify quartz crystals and other stones before use in magic. May be substituted for Frankincense. A piece of copal may be used as the heart in poppets.

38) CORIANDER: (Coriandrum sativum) The whole of this annual is pungently aromatic. The seed is a mild sedative, aids digestion, reduces flatulence, and eases migraines. The spicy essential oil, distilled from the seeds, is used in perfumes and incense, flavors medicines and toothpaste, and is added to massage oil for facial neuralgia and cramps. The seeds are strangthening to the urinary system. The leaf and seed are infused to treat bladder infections. The tea helps with stomach problems such as gas and indigestion. Steep two teaspoons of the dried seed per cup of boiled water fro twenty minuts, and take up to one cup a day. The powdered seed and the oil are used to flavor other herbal prepartations and to ease griping in laxative formulas. Use one-fourth to one-half teaspoon at a time. Coriander is a common ingredient of Indial curries.

a) Parts Used: Seed and leaf

b) Magical Use: Coriander oil works well in love and healing mixtures. The seeds are used for healing, especially easing headaches and are worn for this purpose. Add the powdered seeds to warm wine to make an effective lust potion. Put some in the chalice for a handfasting ritual.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Eating Disorders, Colic, Diarrhea, Dyspepsia, Measles, Migraine, Neuralgia, General Infections, Indigestion, Influenza, Fatigue, Rheumatism, Flatulence, Nervousness, as an Analgesic, Stimulant, Aphrodisiac. Key Qualities: Aphrodisiac, Stimulating, Soporific (In excess), Refreshing, Warming, Comforitng, Revitalizing, Strengthening, Purifying, Soothing, Active.

39) CYPRESS: (Cupressus sempervirens) This tall evergreen tree has gray-brown bark, and tiny, dark green leaves. It bears yellowish male cones and green female cones, which ripen to brown. Cypress Oil, distilled from the leaves, branches, and cones, has a refreshing, camphor-resinous scent.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, twigs, fruit, bark, wood, resin and essential oil.

b) Magical Use: Burn for Happiness, Harmony, Peace, Inspiration, Binding, Wisdom, Releasing, Defense, Longevity. Cypress Oil is used for Blessing, Consecration, and protection. The unique scent stimulates healing and eases the pain of losses of all kind.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Skin Care, Perspiration, Wounds, bruises, Hemorrhoids, Varicose Veins, Cellulitis, Muscular Cramps, Edema, Poor Circulation, Rheumatism, Asthma, Bronchitis, Spasmodic Coughing, Dysmenorrhea,, Menopausal Problems, Nervous Tension, Stress-related Conditions, Treats inflamed/bleeding gums, Insect Repellent. Key Qualities: Refreshing, Purifying, Relaxing, Warming, Reviving, Restorative, Comforting, Protective, Soothing.

40) DILL: (Anethum graveolens) Uniquely flavored, Dill offers culinary "seeds" and leaves, but the choicest flavor is in the fresh immature green seed heads. They give character to dill pickles, vinegar and potato salad. Distilled seed oil is colorless to pale yellow, with a light, fresh, warm-spicey scent and flavors drinks, food and infant gripe water for colic. The seeds aid digestion, and their infusion reduces flatulence, hiccups, stomach pains, and insomnia. A seed decoction gives a nail-strengthening bath.

a) Parts Used: Flower, leaf, stem, fruit, seeds, and essential oil.

b) Magical Use: Seeds draw money, Leaves for protection, Flowers for love and defense. Protective when hung at the door, no one ill-disposed or envious of you can enter your house. Smell Dill to cure hiccups.

c) Aromatherapy Use: (Oil) Colic, Constipation, Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Headaches, Indigestion, Nervousness, Amenorrhea.

41) DRAGONS BLOOD: (Draceana draco spp.) Dragon's blood is the resin of the Draceana draco species. The common name of this plant is "dragon tree" hence the name.

a) Parts Used: Resin

b) Magical Use: Burn for love, protection, exorcism, and sexual potency. Use for Courage, Magical Power, Energy, Strength, Purification, Changes, Determination, Cleansing. A pinch of Dragon's blood added to other incenses increases their potency and power.

42) ELDER (Sambucus canadensis or nigra) Also known as Ellhorn, Elderberry, Lady Elder, and Black Berried Elder. A Druid Sacred Tree. Sacred to the White Lady and Midsummer Solstice. The Druids used it to both bless and curse. In Chinese medicine, the leaves, stems, and roots are used to treat fractures and muscle spasms. The flowers treat colds, sore throats, hay fever, and arthritis, and act as a mild laxative. Named the "country medicine chest" for its many health uses, the Elderberry is also rich in European folklore. The black elder (S. nigra) can be used as an insecticide in the garden or to repel insects from the face and body. A simple infusion of the fresh leaf is made for this purpose. It can also be poured down mouse and mole holes. The berries are used for jam, wine, pies, and syrups. Medicinally, they help coughs, colic, diarrhea, sore throats, asthma, and flu. A pinch of cinnamon makes the tea more warming. The leaves are added to salves for skin conditions. The flowers are infused for fevers, eruptive skin conditions such as measles, and severe bronchial and lung problems. A classic flu remedy is a mixture of elder flower, yarrow and peppermint teas. Keep the patient well covered, as the flowers promote sweating. Use two teaspoons of the herbs per cup of water, steep for twenty minutes, and take up to three cups a day.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, flower, and berry

b) Magical Use: Elder wands can be used to drive out evil spirits or thought forms. Music on panpipes or flutes made of elder have the same power of the wands. A Dryad "Elder Mother" is said to live in the tree, she will haunt anyone who cuts down her wood. Stand or sleep under an elder on Midsummer Eve to see the King of the Faeries and his retinue pass by. The flowers are used in wish-fulfillment spells. The leaves , flowers, and berries are strewn on a person, place or thing to bless it. Wood is NOT to be burned as it is sacred to Hecate. Flowers are used for altar offerings. Hung over doorways and windows, it keeps evil from the house. Carry Elder to preserve against the temptation to commit adultery. Use for: Money, Riches, Love, Blessings, Banishing, Releasing, Consecration, Cursing, Purification, Cleansing.

43) EUCALYPTUS: (Eucalyptus spp.) Perhaps the ultimate healing oil. The Eucalyptus genus comprises over 500 species of aromatic trees and shrubs with deciduous bark. The most common species, Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) has a blue-gray trunk, blue-green juvenile leaves, green adult leaves, and white flower stamens. Eucalyptus leaves, scented of balsamic camphor, are used by aboriginals to bind wounds, the flower nectar gives honey, and the oil, distilled from the leaves and twigs, is used in medicines, aromatherapy, and perfumes. Eucalyptus oil is antiseptic, expectorant, and anti-viral, treats pulmonary tuberculosis, lowers blood sugar levels, and is useful for burns, catarrh and flu. The roots of Eucalyptus trees secrete a poisonous chemical, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, twigs, wood, sap and essential oil

b) Magical Use: Add to all healing blends. Apply (undiluted) to the body to relieve colds. Also used in purification mixtures. For protection, carry the leaves.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Blue Gum: Burns, Blisters, Cuts, Herpes, Insect Bites, Lice, Skin Infections, Wounds, Muscular Aches and Pains, Poor Circulation, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sprains, Asthma, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Cough, Sinusitis, Throat Infections, Chicken Pox, Colds, Epidemics, Flu, Measles, Cystitis, Leukorrhea, Nervous Debility, Headaches, Neuralgia, Insect Repellent. Key Qualities: Stimulating, Refreshing, Clearing, Purifying, Balsamic, Regulating. Lemon Eucalyptus: (E. citriodora) Athlete's Foot and other Fungal Infections (such as Candida), Cuts, Dandruff, Herpes, Infectious Skin Conditions (such as Chicken Pox), Asthma, Laryngitis, Sore Throat, Colds, Fevers, Infectious Diseases, Insect Repellent. Key Qualities: Invigorating, Active, Stimulating.

44) EYEBRIGHT: (Euphrasia officionalis) A Druid sacred herb. This semiparasitic annual extracts its nutrients from the roots of certain grasses found in poor meadowland. It has tiny oval leaves and small, scallop-edged, white flowers with yellow spots and red veins, resembling a bloodshot eye. The slightly bitter leaves have been used in salads. A whole plant infusion or strained juice from crushed, fresh stems is a general eye tonic treating strain and infections, and is a popular cosmetic wash, giving sparkle to eyes. Its antiseptic, mildly astringent, inflammation-and phlegm-reducing properties ease the irritated eyes and runny nose of hay-fever and sinusitis.

a) Parts Used: Flower, leaf, and twigs

b) Magical Use: In a tightly covered pot gently brew a handful of the herb in a pint of boiling water. Allow to stand overnight. Strain out the herb, squeezing as dry as possible. Store the liquid in a tightly sealed container away from sunlight and heat but not in the refrigerator. Drink a half teaspoon in a half cup of spring water or psychic herb tea to promote clairvoyance, clear the mind and improve memory. Burn as incense for clairvoyance and divination. Carry when you need to see the truth in a matter.

45) FENNEL: (Foeniculum vulgare) Sacred to the God. This biennial or perennial herb has finely cut feathery foliage, umbels of midsummer flowers, curved, ribbed seeds and a thick root, all with a fresh anise seed flavor. The seeds are chewed to allay hunger and ease indigestion. They are brewed for constipation, to increase breast milk and regulate menstruation, with root extract, they are detoxifying and diuretic. Research indicates Fennel helps repair the liver after alcohol damage. Seed and leaf steam aids deep skin cleansing, and the essential oil is used in a muscle-toning massage. Fennel oil should not be used by epileptics or young children. To help with indigestion and gas, pour boiling water over crushed fennel seeds (one teaspoon seed to a pint of water). The seeds are simmered in syrups for coughs, shortness of breath and wheezing. Powdered fennel seeds repel fleas from pets' sleeping quarters. Place fennel inside a fish when you cook it to make it more digestible. The seeds and root help clean the liver, spleen, gall bladder, and blood. The leaves and seeds when boiled with barley increase breast milk. The tea and broth of this herb are said to help in weight loss programs. Fennel is eaten in salads, soups, and breads. Fennel oil mixed with honey can be taken for coughs, and the tea is used as a gargle. The oil is eaten with honey to allay gas and it is applied externally to rheumatic swellings. The seeds are boiled to make an eye wash: use one half teaspoon of seed per cup of water, three times a day, and be sure to strain carefully before use.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, root and seeds

b) Magical Use: Hang over doors with St. John's Wort at Litha to repel evil spirits. Carry fennel to influence others to trust your words. Use for: Protection, Healing, Health, Purification.

c) Aromatherapy Use: Bruises, Dull, Oily, Mature Complexions, Cellulitis, Obesity, Edema, Rheumatism, Asthma, Bronchitis, Anorexia, Colic, Constipation, Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Hiccoughs, Nausea, Menopausal Problems, Insufficient Milk in Nursing Mothers. Key Qualities: Stimulating, Balancing, Restorative, Revitalizing, Purifying, Cleansing.

46) FERNS: Especially Male Fern (Dryopteris filixmas), Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum), Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), Lady Fern, Polypody, or Oak Fern (Polypodium vulgare). The Druids classified ferns as sacred trees. Uncurled fronds of Male fern were gathered at Midsummer, dried and carried for good luck. The mysterious regeneration of ferns led to the ancient belief that their seed could confer invisibility. The root was added to love potions and the fronds eaten by those embarking on love quests. Male Fern: The fall gathered root is a remedy for tapeworm. A few hours after it has been ingested, a purgative is given. Begin the vermifuge process by eating fresh garlic. Take one to four teaspoons of the liquid extract of the root, or of the powdered root, on an empty stomach and follow several hours later with castor oil. Caution: do not ingest alcohol while taking this herb. Overdose can result in blindness and death. The roots are added to healing salves for wounds and rubbed into the limbs of children with rickets.

a) Parts Used: Leaf and root

b) Magical Use: Fern "seeds" are said to render on invisible if gathered on Midsummer's Eve. Ferns are also said to be an herb of immortality. Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria) is especially effective if gathered by moonlight. This fern aids in opening locks and breaking charms, is used in love spells and has the alchemical reputation of being an herb to convert quicksilver into silver. Use it to conjure money. Burned indoors, dried male fern fronds produce a very strong wall of protection. Burned outdoors they produce rain. Use for: Luck, Love, Banishing, Releasing, Exorcism, Defense.

47) FEVERFEW: (Tanacetum parthenum) Also known as Featherfoil or Flirtwort. Semievergreen Feverfew has pungent, divided, medium to yellow-green leaves and white daisy flowers appearing in summer. The leaves add a bitter tang to food and are found in digestive ap�ritifs. They relax blood vessels, reduce inflammation and are mildly sedative. Feverfew's importance lies in its success in reducing some migraines. Chewed daily its accumulative effect is to reduce headache pains and inhibit the secretion of a compound implicated in migraine and arthritis, infused flowering tops are applied to ease headaches and arthritic swellings. A tea is taken for tinnitus and irregular periods. Warning: Fresh leaves can irritate the mouth.

a) Parts Used: Leaf, flower, essential oil

b) Magical Use: Travelers carries it as a ward against sickness or accidents during their journeys. Protection, Purification, Defense, Cleansing.

48) FIR, SILVER: (Abies alba) Also known as Birth Tree. A Druid sacred tree. The Silver Fir grows to a height of 180 feet. This was the original Christmas tree from central Europe, chosen for its long lasting, aromatic needles. The bark resin is distilled to make Strassburg turpentine. The buds and leaves are distilled to make the expectorant and antiseptic Silver Pine needle oil, which is used in cough drops and asthma inhalations, and to give pine scent to toiletries.

a) Parts Used: Leaf tips, bark, wood, seeds, and sap

b) Magical Use: The needles are burned at childbirth to bless and protect the mother and baby. Burn for Happiness, Harmony, Peace, Inspiration, and Wisdom.

49) FLAX: (Linum usitatissimum) Also called Linseed. Annual Flax has slender stems with linear green leaves, beautiful, flat blue flowers, and oily brown seeds. A teaspoon of the seed is placed in a quart of water and gently simmered down to one-half quart. The resulting liquid is given for constipation, for ulcerated sore throat, and as an exectorant for bronchitis in one-fourth cup doses throughout the day. To pass a gallstone, take one and a half to two tablespoons of linseed oil and lie on your left sied for a half hour. The whole seeds (about two tablespoons) can be taken with plenty of water to relieve constipation. Follow with stewed prunes or prune juice. The cooked seeds are added to fresh grated carrots, and the mix is warmed to make a poultice to rheumatism and swellings.

a) Parts Used: Seed

b) Magical Use: the child who runs or dances in a flax field at the age of seven is assured of growing up to be attractive. Newborn babies are placed in a flax field to sleep for similar reasons. The blue flowers are worn as a preservative against sorcery. Sprinkle the altar with flax seeds while performing healing rituals or include it in healing mixtures. Use for: Protection, Psychic Awareness, Money.

50) FOXGLOVE: (Digitalis purpurea) Also known as Fairy Gloves, Fairy Fingers, or Dead Men's Bells. A Druid sacred herb associated with the "little people". Caution: This plant is poisonous and should be used by qualified personnel only.

a) Magical Use: Grow in a garden for protection of house and yard.

51) FRANKINCENSE: (Boswellia carteri) A small tree or shrub, with pinnate leaves, and white or pale pink fowers. It yields a natural oleo-resin gum, which is used to make a healing incense, which induces a meditative state. Frankincense essential oil is also useful in promoting spirituality and meditative states. Dilute before applying to the skin as it may be irritating. Pliny claimed that Frankincense was an antidote to hemlock poisoning. Avicenna advocated its use for tumors, fevers, vomiting, and dysentary. Chinese herbalists use it in powder form and in teas for rheumatism and menstrual pain, and externally as a wash for sores and bruises. The dose is three to six grains in a glass of wine, or twenty drops of the tincture. Frankincense is highly antiseptic and the scent is said to calm and clear the mind. Caution: Prolonged use of resins can damage the kidneys.

a) Parts Used: Resin

b) Magical Use: Sacred to the Sun God Ra, frankincense is buned in rites of exorcism, purification, and protection. It is said to accelerate spiritual growth. Rosemary may be used as a substitute. (Oil)Anoint tools, sachets or the body. Use for spirituality, exorcism, purification, luck and protection rites. (Resin)burn for protection, exorcism, spirituality, love, consecration, blessing, energy, strength, visions, healing, meditation, power and courage..

c) Aromatherapy Use: (Oil) Blemishes, Dry and Mature Complexions, Scars, Wounds, Wrinkles, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds, Coughs, Flu, Laryngitis, Cystitis, Anxiety, Nervous Tension, Stress-related Conditions. Frankincense has the ability to slow down, and deepen the breath - very conducive to prayer and meditation.

52) GALANGAL: (Alpinia officionalis or A. galanga) Also known as Low John the Conquerer or Siamese Ginger. Galangal has dark green, sword-shaped leaves, white flowers with pink veins, round red seed capsules, and a rhizomous rootstalk that smells of ginger and camphor. The rhizome has a spicy, gingerlike flavor used in Southeast Asia soups and curries. The young shoots and flowers are eaten raw and the flowers can be boiled or pickled. The rhizome yields an essential oil, essence d'Amali, used in perfumes.

a) Magical Use: Use tincture for luck, money, protection, exorcism and psychic development. Ginger can be substituted.

53) GARDENIA: (Gardenia jasmenoides) This evergreen shrub or small tree has exquisitely scented white double flowers and o range-red fruits, with glossy, dark green leaves.

a) Parts Used: Flower

b) Magical Use: Health, Healing, Love, Peace, Psychic Awareness, Spirituality. Place fresh blossoms in sick rooms or on healing altars to aid the process. Add dried petals to healing mixtures. Dried gardenia is scattered around a room to induce peaceful vibrations. Add to Moon incenses. Gardenias are used in love spells, and to attract good spirits during rituals. They have very high spiritual vibrations.

54) GARLIC: (Allium sativum) Garlic has a clustered bulb made up of several bulblets (cloves) enclosed in a papery tunic. It has a single stem with long, thin leaves and an ubmel of edible, rose-tinted white summer flowers and a bulb whose flavor increases the more it is sliced or crushed. Cooking with fresh ginger prevents the slight nausea some experience with Garlic. Garlic repels insects and can be applied to their bites and stings. The cloves add flavor to savory dishes, especially in hot countries where the plants develop the best flavor. Garlic purifies the blood, helps control acne, and reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, and clotting. Tests confirm antibiotic activity against samples of candida, cholora, staphylococcus, salmonella, dysentery, and typhus: and a mild antifungal action. Garlic clears phlegm, thus providing treatment for colds, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and whooping cough. New tests suggest it has a role in treating lead poisoning, some carcinomas and diabetes. It's said that growing garlic around potatoes reduces potato blight. The garlic bulb is one of the great herbal "polycrests" - herbs of many uses. Fresh garlic is a preventative and a cure for intestinal worms. It is generally taken in one-teaspoon doses, three to six times a day, with some grated fresh ginger root. Garlic is a natural antibiotic for internal and external use. Mash it and use as a wound dressing. For a sore throat, lightly roast unpeeled cloves in a dry frying pan, peel them when they grow soft, and eat them. For pinworms, a slightly smashed fresh clove can be inserted into the rectum with olive oil. For vaginal infections, smash a few cloves and wrap them in cheese cloth. Insert directly into the vagina. Fresh raw garlic is more effective than the powdered and extracted forms available for sale. Garlic has been shown to be more effective than tetracycline as an antibiotic. CAUTION: Pregnant women and persons with "hot and fiery" temperaments should avoid overuse of garlic.

a) Parts Used: Bulb b) Magical Use: In the home, braids of garlic guard against evil, repel thieves, and turn away the envious. And of course, garlic protects against vampires. It is a very effective blessing for a new home. Garlic was eaten on festival days to Hecate and was left at a crossroads as a sacrifice in Her name. Garlic was once worn to guard against the plague. It is still used to absorb diseases. Simply rub fesh, peeled cloves of garlic onto the afflicted part of the body tehn throw into running water. An old spell utilized garlic in protecting against hepatitis. To do this, simply wear thirteen cloves of garlic at the end of a cord around the neck for thirteen days. On the last day, in the middle of the night, walk to a corner of an intersection of two streets, remove the necklace, throw it behind you and run home without looking back Garlic is also extemely protective. Sailors carry some while on board ship to protect against its wrecking. Soldiers wore garlic as a defense in the middle ages, while Roman soldiers ate it to give them courage. Worn, garlic guards against foul weather (mountaineers wear it) as well as monsters, and it also shields you from the blows of your enemies. When evil spirits are about, bite into garlic to send them away, or sprinkle powdered garlic on the floor (if you don't mind smelling it for some time.) Garlic is placed beneath children's pillows to protect them while asleep, and brides once carried a clove of garlic in the pocket for good luck and to keep evil far from her on her big day. Rubbed onto pots and pans before cooking, it removes negative vibrations which might otherwise contaminate the food. When eaten, garlic acts as a lust-inducer, and when a magnet or lodestone is rubbed with garlic it loses its magical powers.

55) GINGER: (Zingiber officionale) Ginger has an aromatic rhizome, erect stems of two ranks, lance-shaped leaves, and spikes of white flowers. The rhizome is used fresh, dried, pickled and preserved. Essential to Asian dishes. Crystalized or infused Ginger suppresses nausea. Ginger tea eases indigestion and flatulence, and reduces fever. the root is warming to the body, is slightly antiseptic, and promotes internal secretions. Chop about two inches of the fresh root, cover with one cup of water, and simmer for about twenty minute, or one-half teaspoon of the powdered root can be simmered in one cup of water. Add lemon juice, honey, and a slight pinch of cayenne. A few teaspoons of brandy will make and even more effective remedy for colds. This preparation treats fevers, chest colds, and flu. A bath or a foot-soak in hot ginger tea is also beneficial. The tea without additives helps indigestion, colic, diarrhea, and alcoholic gastritis. Dried ginger in capsules or in juice is taken to avoid carsickness and seasickness. Use about one half teaspoon of the powder. It works well for pets and children!

a) Parts Used: Root

b) Magical Use: Powerfully spicy, Ginger essential oil is useful in sexuality, love, courage, and money attracting blends. Eating Ginger before performing spells will lend them power, since you have been "heated up" by the Ginger, this is especially true of love spells. Ginger is also used in Success spells, or to ensure the success of a magical operation. In the Pacific the Dobu islanders make much use of ginger in their magic. They chew it and spit it at the "seat" of an illness to cure it, and also spit chewed ginger at an oncoming storm, while at sea, to halt it.

c) Aromatherapy Uses Arthritis, Fatigue, Muscular Aches and Pains, Poor Circulation, Rheumatism, Sprains, Strains, Catarrh, Congestion, Coughs, Sinusitis, Sore Throat, Diarrhea, Colic, Cramp, Flatulence, Indigestion, Loss of Appetite, Nausea, Travel Sickness, Chills, Colds, Flu, Fever, Infectious Disease, Debility, Nervous Exhaustion. Key Qualities: Tonic, Aphrodisiac, Stimulating, Warming, Cephalic, Comforting

56) GINSENG: Oriental(Panax ginseng) or North American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) roots older than two years are a famous yang stimulant (North American less so than Oriental). Rather than treating specific problems, Ginseng strengthens the body by increasing the efficiency of the endocrine, metabolic, circulatory, and digestive systems. It reduces physical, mental, and emotional stress by increasing oxygen-carrying red blood cells and immune strengthening white blood cells and eliminating toxins. Warning-Ginseng should not be taken continuously.

a) Parts Used: Root

b) Magical Use: Lust, Creative Work, Love, Wishes, Beauty, Protection, Can be substituted for Mandrake. The root is carries to attract love, as well as to guard one's health, to draw money, and to ensure sexual potency. Ginseng will also bring beauty to all who carry it.

57) HAWTHORN: (Cratageus spp.) Also known as May Tree, May Blossom, or White Thorn. A Druid sacred tree, this deciduous, thorny shrub has serrated, lobed leaves, dense white flower clusters in late spring, and red false fruits (haws). The flowers consist of five white petals, sacred to the Goddess. During World War I, young Hawthorn leaves were used as substitutes for tea and tobacco, and the seeds were ground in place of coffee. The berry is a superior heart tonic, useful for almost any heart condition. Cholesterol problems and valvular diseases are benefited. The berries also strengthen the appetite and digestion. Extended use lowers blood pressure. Hawthorn berry is a good remedy for the nerves and for insomnia. The berries are simmered or tinctured. Simmer two teaspoons of berries per cup of water for twenty minutes. The dose is a quarter cup four times a day. Take ten to twenty drops of tincture four times a day. The flowers are taken as a tea to benefit the heart. Steep two teaspoons of flowers per cup of water for twenty minutes, the dose is a quarter cup four times a day.

a) Parts Used: Berry and flower

b) Magical Use: Hawthorn is the classic flower to decorate a maypole. An herb of fertility, it finds its place in weddings, May Day celebrations, and ritual groves. Beltaine was once reckoned as the day the hawthorn first bloomed. Wands made of hawthorn have great power. The blossoms are highly erotic. Use for Fertility magic, Protection, Defense, and Chastity. Hawthorn is sacred to the fairies, and is part of the tree fairy triad of Britain "Oak, Ash and Thorn" and where all three trees grow together it is said that one may see fairies.

58) HAZEL: (Corylus avellana) Also called European Filbert. A Druid sacred tree, Hazel is a deciduous, suckering shrub with pendulous male catkins in spring and clusters of nuts in autumn. The leaves have served as a tobacco substitute. Hazel nuts are rich in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and copper. Culpeper says that hazel nuts with mead or honey will cure a chronic cough. These are made into an "electuary". Grind the nuts in an electric blender, then add mead or honey or form a past, which is eaten several times a day in tablespoon doses. Add pepper to discharge phlegm.

a) Parts Used: Nut

b) Magical Use: Hazel is an ancient Celtic tree of wisdom, inspiration, and poetry. Hazel nuts are eaten before divination. Diancecht, the god of healing, invented a porridge that would cure colds, sore throats, and worms. According to legend, it consisted of hazel buds, dandelions, chickweed, sorrel, and oatmeal. It was to be taken in the mornings and evenings. Wands of Hazel symbolize white magic and healing. Forked sticks are used to find water or buried treasure. If outside and in need of magical protection quickly, draw a circle around yourself with a hazel branch. To enlist the aid of plant fairies, string hazelnuts on a cord and hang up in your house or ritual room. Healing, Protection, Luck, Clairvoyance, Divination, Inspiration, Wisdom, Defense, Fertility, Wishes.

59) HEATHER: (Calluna vulgaris) A Druid Sacred Herb, there are more than a thousand cultivars from this low-growing, evergreen species, which has scale like leaves and crowded racemes of flowers. Heather provides a support system for rural farmers, who use it for fuel, thatch, fodder, tea, and as a dye. Growing the plants increases the soils fertility. The flowering shoots of heather are used for insomnia, stomach pains, coughs, and skin problems. Heather, used fresh or dry, strengthens the heart and slightly raises the blood pressure. Heather is slightly diuretic. Fresh or dried heather shoots are simmered, four teaspoons to a cup of water, the dose is one-half cup a day.

a) Parts Used: Flowering shoot

b) Magical Use: Heather is a Goddess herb associated with the planet Venus and sacred to Isis. It is carried as a guard against rape and other violent crimes, or just to bring good luck. White heather is the best for this purpose. Heather when burned with fern outside attracts rain, or dip heather and fern in water and sprinkle around to conjure rain. Heather has also long been used to conjure ghosts. Red Heather is used for passion, to start or end an affair. Purple for spiritual development. White for cooling passions of unwanted suitors.

60) HOLLY: (Ilex aquifolium) The American variety is Ilex opaca. A Druid sacred tree. Sacred to the Winter Solstice, when it is used for decorating. The leaf is dried and used as tea for fevers, bronchitis, bladder problems, and gout. Steep a half ounce of the chopped leaf in boiled water for twenty minutes, take up to one cup a day. The juice of the fresh leaf is helpful in jaundice, take one tablespoon per day. CAUTION: the berries are poisonous!

a) Parts Used: Leaf

b) Magical Use: Holly, with it's warrior-like bristles, is known as an herb of protection. Cast it about to repel unwanted animals and spirits. Sprinkle newborn babies with "holly water" (water in which holly has been soaked, especially if left under a full moon overnight) to keep them happy and safe. Holly is one of the evergreens brought into the home by Druids. It symbolizes a willingness to allow the nature spirits to share one'e abode during the harsh, cold season. Planted near a house, holly repels negative spells sent against you. A bag of leaves and berries carried by a man increases his ability to attract women. Carry to promote good luck. Energy, Power, Strength, Protection. After midnight on a Friday, without making a sound, gather nine holly leaves, preferably from a non-spiny plant. Wrap these up in a white cloth using nine knots the tie the ends together. Place this beneath your pillow, and your dreams will come true. The traditional crowns for the bride and groom are made of holly (a male plant) and ivy (a female plant), wreaths and altar decoration are made of these as well.