| Herbal Magick & Enchantment
You should have: candle(s) and cloth of a color that matches your intention, a glass or ceramic bowl in which to enchant the herbs, and probably some yarn or string. Cloth is only needed if you are making a sacet or would like an altar cloth. Felt can be used for it and it's inexpensive. Yarn is not necessary unless you're making a sacet or something similiar. Also, you should know the astrological planet associated with the herb.
Place the herbs in a bowl and as you do say something like: "I gather you, cinnamon, herb of the Sun, to bring love into my life."
Then you can burn them or burn them as incense (on a charcoal block, in a fire, in a candle flame, etc.), place them in a sacet (bag or pouch) and carry them with you, place them under your pillow, eat some of them (be careful; some are not edible), make an infusion or potion, add them to something else, rub them on something or on your skin, place them in a bath, sew some of them in a pillow, give them to someone else in a sacet, etc.
Some herbs are many different things, i.e. pine is a tree, an oil, and an incense, carnation is a plant/flower, and an incense and an oil, etc. Therefore, the meanings or correspondances for the use of a plant carries over into whatever is made from it. The herb doesn't have to be fresh. You probably already have many of them in your kitchen cabinet. I've heard the expression "cupboard kitchen Witch," which I believe is basically using the herbs from your kitchen cabinet for magick. (Please note that you must enchant the herbs first. One can eat cinnamon all day and it won't bring love to you unless it's enchanted with the proper magickal intent and procedures). This is quite fine and efficient to use herbs from your spice rack; live plants are also great when available, much of it depends on your interest in planting an herb garden and/or if you live out in nature.
ALLSPICE (herb of Uranus) -- used for money, luck, healing -- burned as incense to attract money, or luck, eaten to promote healing.
BASIL (herb of Mars and Scorpio) -- love, exorcism, wealth, flying, protection -- used to soothe tempers by smell, rubbed on the skin as love perfume, used as love incense and added to sachets; brings wealth when carried. Where basil is, no evil lives. Basil keeps away goats. Witches were said to have drunk a half a cup of basil juice before flying into the air. Given as a gift, it gives good luck.
BAY LEAVES (possibly an herb of the Sun; Bay Berry, something rather different and pine-scented, is an herb of Mercury) -- used for clairvoyant powers, placed beneath one's pillow for prophetic dreams, burned to cause visions. Wishes can be written on the leaves and then burned to make them come true; mixed with sandalwood, they can be burned to remove curses.
CINNAMON (herb of the Sun) -- When burned it raises high spiritual vibrations, heals, draws money, stimulates psychic powers, also used in sachets, or pouches for these purposes and carried. Cinnamon is an herb that is used for love and the scent is very powerful.
CLOVES (herb of Jupiter) -- produces spiritual vibrations and cleanses, can be burned to stop gossip about you, worn to attract the opposite sex.
CORIANDER (herb of Mars and Scorpio) -- crushed, or powdered and added to warm wine to make a lust potion (given to the one you want to like you), worn to ease headaches.
CUMIN (herb of Mars, Scorpio and Taurus) -- If the seeds are placed by an object, or in it, the object will never be stolen. Cumin is burned with frankincense for protection and then scattered on the ground with salt to drive out evil. Cumin powder is used in wine for a lust potion.
FERNS (herb of Mercury) -- used for protection, luck, health. Smoke from burning fern drives away snakes and noisy animals, and evil spirits. The person to break the first fern of spring will have good luck. When carried, it will lead you to treasures.
GINGER (herb of the Moon) -- used to make sure your spells are effective. Ginger is eaten before spells to make them successful, or simply added to herbal mixtures, also used for love spells.
MARJORAM (herb of Mercury) -- used in love spells, added to food for this, protective when carried, violets and this mixed together and carried as a sachet will prevent colds in the winter. Marjoram can be carried for depression, too, and is also used in money sachets.
MUGWORT (herb of the Moon and Venus) -- When placed next to the bed, it aids in astral projection; tea can be made from it to increase psychic powers. It's carried to prevent backache and cure illness. A solution of mugwort and water, plus Full Moon light and energy, can be used to cleanse, and then charge, magickal mirrors.
POPPY SEEDS (the Opium Poppy is an herb of the Moon, so poppy seeds for cooking probably are as well) -- carried to attract luck and money, added to food for love.
ROSEMARY (herb of the Sun and Aries) -- burned to purify, protect and exorcise, placed under your pillow for sleep, worn to aid memory, carried and hung above doors for health, used in a bath for youth and longevity.
SAGE (herb of Jupiter, Venus and Leo) -- protection, healing, wealth, fulfilling wishes, longevity, also burned to increase knowledge and wisdom.
THISTLE (the Blessed varity of thistle is an herb of Mars, Scorpio and Aries; there are other varities) -- a purple, weed-like flower found on the side of roads and in fields (you know what it is if you've ever stepped on the plant accidentally ::grin:: well, it's actually useful)! Steam of boiled thistle is used to call spirits. When burned during a storm, it will protect your home from lightning.
THYME (herb of Venus and Aries) -- burned for good health. When placed under your pillow, it helps you sleep and prevents nightmares. Thyme can also be burned to cleanse and purify an area, carried and smelled to gain energy and courage, and if worn long enough, you might see fairies!
Before cutting with the white-handled knife, attune with the plant through visualization. Feel its energies. As you cut, say these or similar words:
O little plant of (name, such as hyssop, etc.) I ask that you give of your bounty that it may aid me in my work. Grow stronger by my stroke, stronger and more powerful, O plant of (name)!
If it is a tree, substitute the appropriate word (tree of oak). Gently cut only what you need, and never from very young plants or more than twenty-five percent of the growth. At the base of the plant leave an offering: a silver coin, a bright jewel, a bit of wine or milk, grain, quartz crystal and so on. Cover the offering and it is done. [You can also simply say "thank you" (as long as you mean it) out loud or in your mind.]
The magic cirde may be fashioned with garlands of flowers sacred to the Goddess and God. Alternately, flowers can be scattered around the perimeter of the circle. [Circles can also be marked with many, many other things, or simply visualized.]
North: corn, cypress, fern, honeysuckle, wheat, vervain
Fresh flowers maybe present on the altar or, if none are available, greens such as ferns may be used.
If you wish to build a fire for an outdoor ritual, it can be composed of all or any combination of the following woods:
Rowan, Dogwood, Mesquite, Poplar, Oak, Juniper, Pine, Cedar, Apple
If these are unavailable, use native woods. Rites run on the seashore can be illuminated with balefires of dried driftwood collected prior to the rite.
Amaranth (cockscomb): (Amaranthus - herb of Saturn) repair a broken heart
Anise: (herb of the Moon; Aquarius) tea form - treatment for colic; sedative
Dry your herbs by tying them in bunches and hanging them up in a warm, dry area that is free of sunlight and dust. If you are harvesting the herbs for seed, tie brown paper bags loosely around each bunch of hanging herbs. The bag will catch the seeds, which fall away from the foliage as it dries. When the herbs are dry, gently shake them before removing the bag to loosen any additional seeds.
Love: Cardamom, chickweed, cinnamon, clove, lavender, lemon balm, rose, rosemary, tansy, vanilla, violet, yarrow.
Good Luck: Allspice, heather, nutmeg.
Healing: Angelica, bufdock, cinnamon, eucalyptus, hyssop, lemon balm, peppermint.
Prosperity: Basil, benzoil, bergamot, cinnamon, cinquefoil, lemon balm, mint.
Protection: Alyssum, angelica, basil, bay, garlic, mullein, rue, sunflower, white sage.
Psychic Skills: Angelica, anise, bay, borage, cinnamon, fennel, mugwort.
Purification: Anise, bay, chamomile, clove, copal, fennel, lavender, white sage. |
