Herb Lore
(Magick Herbs and Their Properties)
As with other natural substances found on the earth, herbs were put here for our use. They contain both magickal and healing properties and powers that can be harnessed. In fact, all magick is simply the harnessing of the power that exists in the universe. Many of our modern medicines were developed from herbs that were known anciently for their healing abilities.
Some herbs may be ingested (usually through teas, capsules, and tinctures) for medicinal purposes, but should only be done under the supervision of a knowledgeable naturopathic doctor or herbalist. Various combinations of herbs, especially when combined with other medications could prove to be harmful. Also, though the natural herb supplement industry is booming, it is mostly unregulated and there are many discrepancies in quality and strengths.
For magickal purposes, herbs can be burned in your cauldron, or placed on your altar to release their properties and invoke their powers. This is often done in conjunction with incantations of spells and is best done on a waxing moon cycle or full moon to obtain the best results. Herbs may be tied in a cloth and worn or placed under a pillow or they may be sprinkled in the home. Incense may be burned which contains herbal fragrances and oils. And finally, herbal oils can be heated in infusers or in bath oil or massage oils to release their aromatic qualities – what is known today as aromatherapy. To practice any herbal magick, you must know the powers of the plants. With any method, the practitioner should also visualize what is needed or wanted.
Alfalfa
Prosperity, money, anti-hunger (to protect against poverty, place some in a jar in your pantry)
Allspice
Money (best burned as incense), luck, healing
Almond
Prosperity, money, wisdom (climbing an almond tree is said to ensure business success)
Aloe
Guards against household accidents
Angelica
Exorcism, protection (sprinkle the four corners of the house to ward off evil), healing, visions, luck in gambling (carry in pocket)
Apple
Love (add blossoms to sachets and brews, share apple halves with a loved one), healing (on a waning moon, cut into 3 pieces, rub each on the affected part of the body and then bury them), garden magic (pour cider on tilled earth before planting), immortality. (also place on your altar for Samhain)
Aspen
Protection against theft (plant in your yard to protect against thieves)
Aster
Love (use in sachets or grow in the garden with a love wish)
Basil
Love (the scent causes sympathy and attraction between two people and can soothe tempers between lovers – rub leaves on your skin), exorcism, wealth (carry it in your pocket, or place in cash register), protection (especially when flying)
Bay
Protection (when worn will ward off negativity and evil; also plant a tree near the home to protect against sickness), psychic powers (placed under the pillow will cause prophetic dreams), healing, purification, strength in athletics (must be worn during competition), wishes (write wish on bay leaf and then burn)
Beech
Granting of wishes (carve wish on a beech stick, then bury it and leave it there), creativity (carry wood or leaves)
Camellia
Riches, luxury (place blooms in vases of water on the altar during money and prosperity rituals)
Caraway
Protection (especially against theft when seeds are placed with valuables), fidelity, lust and attraction (wear seeds in a talisman or chew seeds; put in baked goods to promote lust), children’s health (place bag of seeds in child’s bed), mental abilities and memory
Carnation
Protection, strength, healing (red is best – place in convalescent’s room or on altar)
Catnip
Cat magic, love, beauty, happiness
Cedar
Healing, purification, money (keep piece in wallet), protection (hung in home, protects against lightning)
Chamomile
Money, sleep, meditation, love (add to bath to attract love), purification (sprinkle around property to remove evil)
Chili pepper
Fidelity (tie two large peppers together with red ribbon and place under pillow to keep fidelity in your marriage), hex breaking, love
Cinnamon
Spirituality, success, healing, power, psychic powers, lust, protection, love
Clove
Protection against gossip and negativity, money, love (carry with you to attract love)
Coriander
Love, lust (add powdered seeds to warm wine), health, healing (especially earaches when seeds are worn)
Daisy
Lust, love (sleep with a daisy root under your pillow to bring back an absent lover; wear a daisy to bring love)
Dandelion
Divination (dry and roast the root then make into a tea), calling spirits, wishes (blow on seed head and visualize your message)
Dragon’s blood
Love (burn the resin to have absent lover return), protection (sprinkle dried resin around the house or burn as incense), potency (place stick under mattress), add to cauldron to increase potency of other spells
Echinacea
Strengthening of spells
Eucalyptus
Healing (hang over bed of ill person), protection (carry leaves or place beneath pillow)
Fern
Rain making (burn out of doors), protection (plant by doorstep), luck (break the first frond of spring), riches (carry with you), eternal youth, health
Frankincense
Protection (burn as incense), spirituality (add to sachets)
Gardenia
Love, peace, healing, spirituality
Garlic
Protection (especially against theft, disease and shipwreck when worn or carried; also carried by brides on their wedding day), healing (rub cloves over affected part of body then throw into running water), lust
Geranium
Fertility (white), health (red), love (pink)
Ginger
Love, money (sprinkle into pockets), success, power
Ginseng
Love (especially sexual potency), money (carry root), healing, beauty, lust, wishes (carve wish into root then toss into water)
Grape
Fertility (eat), garden magic (paint pictures of grapes on garden walls to insure fertility), mental powers, money (place on altar)
Hazel
Luck (string nuts and hang in house), fertility (eat nuts or carry one), protection against lightning (place twigs in window sills), wishes (wish while wearing crown of hazel twigs)
Heather
Protection (carry to protect against violent crimes and rape), rainmaking (burn outside with fern), luck (carry white Heather)
Hickory
Legal matters (burn then mix with cinquefoil and place in box; hang over door)
Ivy
Protection (grow or strew throughout home), healing, marital luck (worn or carried by brides)
Juniper
Protection (hang at door; wear to guard against accidents and sickness), love, health
Lavender
Love (place in drawers or sachets to attract love), protection (when worn guards against cruel treatment by spouse), sleep, chastity, longevity, purification, happiness, peace (strew flowers around home)
Lemon
Longevity, purification (add juice to bath water) love (add dried peel to sachets), fidelity (serve lemon pie to spouse), friendship (place lemon under a visitor’s chair or gift a friend a colored pin studded lemon charm made from a small green lemon and no black pins)
Licorice
Love (carry to attract love), lust (chew on licorice stick), fidelity
Magnolia
Fidelity (place near or beneath bed)
Marjoram
Protection (place a bit in each room every month; grow in garden to protect home), love (add to food to strengthen love), happiness, health, money
Mint
Protection (place on altar), strength, healing (rub leaves against forehead to cure headache), health (wear at wrist), money (place leaves in wallet)
Oats
Money (sprinkle on altar)
Parsley
Lust (eat leaves, but don’t cut if you are in love), protection, purification (place in bath)
Pecan
Money, employment (eat pecans while visualizing working, then bag and place shells at work where they will not be disturbed)
Pine
Healing, fertility (carry pine cones), protection (place branches above bed to protect against illness), exorcism, money
Rice
Protection (place on roof or in small jar by entrance), rain (throw into air), fertility (throw after wedding couples), money
Rose
Love (place single rose in vase on altar during love spells; add rose water to bath; wear rosehips to attract love), healing (rub sore area with rosewater), luck, protection (carry)
Rosemary
Protection (hang on doorpost), love, exorcism, purification (burn or place in bath), healing, sleep (place under pillow), youth
Sage
Immortality (eat leaves each May), longevity, wisdom (carry leaves), protection, wishes (write wish on sage leaf, then place under pillow for three nights – if your dream of your wish, it will happen, if not, bury the leaf), money
St. John’s Wort
Health (wear to ward off fever and colds; gathered at Midsummer will prevent melancholy), power, strength, happiness
Summer Savory
Mental powers (carry or wear, especially when taking tests)
Sesame
Money (leave open jar of seeds in house, change monthly), lust (eat seeds)
Strawberry
Love, luck (carry leaves), pregnancy (carry leaves to ease pains)
Sunflower
Fertility (eat seeds), wishes (cut sunflower at sunset while making wish), health, wisdom (sleep with sunflower under bed to know the truth), luck (when grown in garden)
Sweetpea
Friendship (wear), chastity (place in bedroom), courage, strength
Tea
Riches (burn leaves and add to sachets), courage, strength
Thyme
Health (burn leaves and wear), healing, sleep (place under pillow), love (wear sprig in hair), courage (wear)
Valerian
Love (pin sprig to clothing), sleep (place under pillow), purification, protection (especially against bad dreams)
Vanilla
Love (use in potions and sachets), lust (taste), mental powers (carry vanilla bean)
Violet
Luck, love (mix with lavender), lust, wishes, peace, protection (carry flowers), healing (wear leaves in a green sachet to heal wounds), wishes (gather first violet in spring and wish will be granted)
Wheat
Fertility (carry or eat), money (place sheaves in home or carry grains in sachet)
Willow
Love, divination, protection (carry or place in home), healing
Witch Hazel
Protection, chastity, curing broken hearts (when carried)
Yarrow
Courage (hold in hands), love (hung over bed will assure the marriage will last at least 7 years), friendship (carry), protection (wear)
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