Folk Names: Agueweed, Crosswort,Feverwort, Indian Sage, Sweating Plant, Teasel, Thoroughwort, Wood Boneset
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Saturn
Element: Water
Powers: Protection, exorcism.
Magical Uses: The plant wards off evil spirits. Make an infusion and sprinkle about the house to drive away evil.
Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
Folk Names: Archangel, Masterwort, Garden Angelica
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Deity: Venus
Powers: Exorcism, protection, healing, visions.
Magical Uses: Grown, the plant is protective. Use in all protection and exorcism incenses. Sprinkle the four corners of the house with angelica to ward off evil, or do this around the perimeter of the house. Added to the bath, angelica removes curses, hexes, and any spells that may have been cast against you. The root was carried in the pocket as a gambling talisman among some American Indian tribes. Angelica is also used in healing incenses and mixtures, and smoking the leaves is said to cause visions.
Orris (Iris germanica var. florentina)
Folk Names: Florentine Iris, Queen Elizabeth Root
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Aphrodite, Isis, Osiris, Hera, Iris
Powers: Love, protection, divination.
Magical Uses: The orris root has long been used to find and hold love. The whole orris root is carried, the powder added to sachets, sprinkled on sheets, clothing and the body, as well as around the house.
Orris root powder is sometimes known as �Love Drawing Powder.�
In Japan the orris was used as a protectant against evil spirits; the roots and leaves were hung from the eaves of the house and added to the bath water for personal protection. Suspend a whole root from a small length of cord or yarn and with this pendulum find answers to your questions.
Valerain (Valeriana officinalis)
We must urge against driving while under the effects of Valerain taken internally.
Folk Names: All-Heal, Amantilla, Bloody Butcher, Capon�s Trailer, Cat�s Valerain, English Valerain, Fragrant Valerain, Garden Heliotrope, Phu, Red Valerain, St. George�s Herb, Sete Wale, Set Well, Vandal Root
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Love, sleep, purification, protection.
Magical Uses: The rather ill-smelling root, powdered, is used in protective sachets, hung in the home to guard it against lightning, and placed in pillows to aid in falling asleep. A sprig of the plant pinned to a woman�s clothing will cause men to �follow her like children.� Valerain root is also added to love sachets. If a couple is quarreling introduce some of this herb into the area and all will soon be calm.
The Greeks hung a sprig of valerian under a window to charm away evil.
Valerain root, powdered, is sometimes used as �graveyard dust.�
Hyssop (Hyssopus offcinalis)
Folk Names: Hyssop Herb, Isopo, Ysopo, Yssop
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Powers: Purification, protection.
Magical Uses: Hyssop is the most widely used purification herb in magic. It is added to baths in sachets, infused and sprinkled on objects or persons to cleanse them, and hung up in the home to purge it of evil and negativity.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Folk Names: AchiUea, Arrowroot (although yarrow is not what is commonly referred to as arrowroot),Bad Man�s Plaything, Carpenter�s Weed, Devil�s Nettle, Death Flower, Eerie, Field Hops, Gearwe, Hundred Leaved Grass, Knight�s Milfoil, Knyghten, Lady�s Mantle, Milfoil, Militaris, Military Herb, Millefolium, Noble Yarrow, Nosebleed, Old Man�s Mustard, Old Man�s Pepper, Sanguinary, Seven Year�s Love, Snake�s Grass, Soldier�s Woundwort, Stanch Griss, Stanch Weed, Tansy, Thousand Seal, Wound Wort, Yarroway, Yerw
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Courage, love, psychic powers, exorcism.
Magical Uses: When worn, yarrow protects the wearer, and when held in the hand, it stops all fear and grants courage.
A bunch of dried yarrow hung over the bed or yarrow used in wedding decorations ensures a love lasting at least seven years. Yarrow is also used in love spells.
Carrying yarrow not only brings love but it also attracts friends and distant relations you wish to contact. It draws the attention of those you most want to see.
The flowers are made into an infusion and the resulting tea is drunk to improve psychic powers.
Washing the head with a yarrow infusion will prevent baldness but won�t cure it if it has already begun.
Yarrow is also used to exorcise evil and negativity from a person, place, or thing.
Bay (Laurus nobilis)
Folk Names: Baie, Bay Laurel, Bay Tree, Daphne, Grecian Laurel, Laurel, Laurier d�Apollon, Laurier Sauce, Lorbeer, Noble Laurel, Roman Laurel, Sweet Bay
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Deities: Aesculapius, Apollo, Ceres, Faunus, Eros
Powers: Protection, psychic powers, healing, purification, strength.
Ritual Uses: The ancient priestesses of Apollo chewed bay leaves to induce a prophetic state, and also inhaled their fumes. Bay leaves are used as decorations at Yule.
Magical Uses: Bay is used in clairvoyance and wisdom brews, although its taste is strong. Bay leaves are placed beneath the pillow to induce prophetic dreams, and are also burned to cause visions.
It is a protection and purification herb par excellence and is worn as an amulet to ward off negativity and evil, burned or scattered during exorcism rituals, placed in the windows to protect against lightning, and hung up to prevent poltergeists from working any mischief in the house. A sprig of bay is used to sprinkle water during purification ceremonies, and the tree planted near the home protects its inhabitants against sickness. Bay leaves mixed with sandalwood can be burned to remove curses and evil spells.
To ensure that a love will stay, the couple should break off a twig from the tree, then break this in two, each keeping half.
Bay leaves give strength to those engaged in wrestling and athletic sports if worn at the time of competition.
Wishes are written on bay leaves which are then burned to make them come true, and a bay leaf held in the mouth wards off bad luck.
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Folk Names: Adder�s Mouth, Indian Chickweed, Passerina, Satin Flower, Star Chickweed, Starweed, Starwort, Stellaire (French), Stitchwort, Tongue Grass, Winterweed, Qoqobala
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Powers: Fidelity, love.
Magical Uses: Carry or use in spells designed to attract a love or to maintain a relationship.
Dittany of Crete (Dictamus origanoides, D. albus)
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Manifestations, astral projection.
Magical Uses: Dittany, when burned, is an excellent base for manifestations of spirits; the wraiths appear in the smoke rising from the censer.
Dittany is also mixed with equal parts of vanilla, benzoin, and sandalwood to make an astral projection incense. Burn a small amount prior to making the attempt.
The juice of the dittany drives away venomous beasts, so smear some on your body before venturing out where they live.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, C. verum)
Folk Names: Sweet Wood,Ceylon cinnamon
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Deities: Venus, Aphrodite
Powers: Spirituality, success, healing, power, psychic powers, lust, protection, love.
Ritual Uses: Cinnamon oil was used as part of a holy anointing oil by the ancient Hebrews. The leaves of the cinnamon tree were woven into wreaths which were used to decorate ancient Roman temples. The Egyptians used cinnamon oil during the mummification process.
Magical Uses: Cinnamon, when burned as an incense, raises high spiritual vibrations, aids in healing, draws money, stimulates psychic powers, and produces protective vibrations.
Cinnamon is also used in making sachets and infusions for these purposes.
(Source: Cunningham�s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs)
