Magickal Herbs

Magickal Herbs for Spiritual Practices

This is the magickal medicine cabinet of the witch, and especially the Green Witch. Those who practice the ‘Old Ways’ have known since time immemorial of the powers contained in the molecules of “the green”. Herbs have been used since ancient times, and are still used today, for their medicinal healing powers. But the Witch knows that these gentle and lovely plants contain other powers as well-- magickal powers to be used and tapped into for spells and potions, rituals and cleansing.

The witch has a variety of ways that she incorporates the use of herbs in her practice, depending on her intentions and the plants used. Note that you should never ingest any herb, feed it to someone else, or even handle it with your bare hands, if you are not 100% sure that it is safe. Many herbs are edible, but there are just as many that are poisonous to ingest, and still others that can actually be absorbed through your skin, so handle with care. I abide by the old rule:

“When in doubt…don’t.”

Once you’ve decided what type of spell you’re going to cast, and you know exactly what your intentions are, then you’ll have to decide which herbs will help you with this magic and how you’re going to use them to your advantage.

How do you use the herbs?Charms & Sachets: Herbs are added to mojo bags or tied up in small cloth bundles for numerous intentions and carried in a purse, stuffed in a pocket, tucked beneath a pillow, hidden in the attic, laid upon your altar, or kept in a special place connected to your intentions. The use of herbs in the practice of magic is only limited by your own imagination and ingenuity.

Hanging in my vehicle is a mojo bag for safe travel containing calamus root and plantain, among other things. A bag for a good night’s sleep might contain chamomile and valerian, to induce dreams you may want to add a pinch of marigold blossoms; for a bag to draw love-- catnip, cardamom, rose petals; for protection-- rosemary; for prosperity-- mint, poppy seeds, dill, and so it goes.

• Incense: Herbs are ground and blended in numerous combinations to create an aromatic incense for rituals, specific intentions, or pure enjoyment. Witchcraft smells good-- usually, this was one of my first impressions. But then you might find yourself creating concoctions that don’t smell so good, or are ‘unusual’ to say the least, and these concoctions will do their work, dance their dance, and you’ll love them just the same.

With homemade handmade incense, you might find that it works best when you blend this with a base, such as gum arabic, to hold the herbs together and make it easier to use; but you can do what I usually do, which is to simply sprinkle the blended dried herbs over the hot charcoal. You will want a mortar and pestle to grind and mix your herbs. Over the years, I’ve acquired several-- one I use with poisonous herbs only, one with edible herbs, one for dark magic uses, and so on. I find mortars and pestles beautiful, from the one gifted to me by my mother and made of banded green onyx, to the white porcelain one that I use most often. You will also need a small fireproof container in which you can light a small disk of charcoal that you will burn this incense on. Don’t confuse this charcoal and the regular old charcoal that you burn in your grill-- they are two different things, and the charcoal for your grill is *not* safe to burn in an enclosed area. You can find the small charcoal disks you’ll need at most new-age shops.

• Baths & Washes: Herbs are dropped into bathwater in tea balls, bundles, or sprinkled liberally directly in your water for healings, cleansings, and numerous other intentions. I must warn you here that you should be knowledgeable about the herbs you are using, and don't use anything that would be irritating to your skin: for instance, ‘hot’ herbs-- like cayenne pepper, or stinging herbs-- like nettles, would not add to a pleasant bathing experience. If you run across anything that you are personally sensitive too, I’m betting you’ll remember what it is and you won’t use it again.

For cleansing I like rosemary, and I usually add a large freshly picked bundle from my own garden right to my bathwater; to heighten your psychic senses-- lavender and marigold; to add the illusion of youth-- catnip; to prepare you for a restful night’s sleep-- chamomile, etc.

You can also add herbs to the water that you use to scrub your floors and surroundings with…a little sage to your mop water will cleanse your floor of more than just dirt; it will clear your living space of negative energy. If there has been discord in your home, add a little valerian to promote a peaceful atmosphere; if you feel you need protection, throw a dash of salt and rosemary in your mop water.

• Oils: This is my favorite use of herbs. They are used in the creation of magickal oils. The base you use for your oils may depend on your intentions-- when making Black Cat Oil for protection, use castor oil; if you’re making it to draw romance into your life, use almond oil. Grape seed oil makes another wonderful base, though it’s a bit expensive. If you’re pinched for funds, you can use olive oil, or even a cheaper oil from the grocery store.

Sometimes I’ve felt the need to heat the oil in my cast iron cauldron on the stovetop and add the herbs to it, heating it just enough to release their energy and their scent. Other times I’ve simply filled a jar with oil, the appropriate herbs and occasional objects, and left the jar sit in the sunlight-- or the moonlight-- to charge it.

Either way…the magic works.

• Teas: This is one of the most delightful ways to use herbs, by making a delicious old-fashioned pot of tea. And it’s in this type of use that you must be very cautious about what herbs you‘re using. Make darn sure that you are 100% positive that the herbs you’re adding to your pot of tea are edible and harmless.

Along with concocting my own homemade teas, I’ve bought many prepared teas from the grocery store or health food shop with magical intentions in mind. To these prepared teas you can add an extra herb or two, a pinch of this, a pinch of that, work your will and magickal intentions into the ingredients: to call up prophetic dreams, throw a marigold blossom into your cup of tea before bedtime; to tame the wanderlust in your partner’s eyes, give them a cup of tea laced with nutmeg or raspberries to insure fidelity; to dispel negative energy picked up from a hectic day, add fennel to your tea-- you get the idea.

On Sundays my husband makes the morning coffee, and he usually steps out into our herb garden to snatch a handful of mint leaves that he adds to the basket of coffee grounds. This might sound strange, but after he uses a spoonful of hot coco as the creamer, it is the most delicious cup of coffee you’ll ever have-- and along with the mint comes energy for prosperity, wealth, and blessings.

• Smoking: Shamans and spiritualists have smoked herbs for millennia for the purpose of vision questing, altering the sub-conscious mind, and opening oneself up to enlightenment. I have friends, dear witches-- mothers, grandmothers, crones-- who burn such herbs as mugwort before rituals or during divination sessions to benefit from the magic of the smoke. Native Americans may still legally use peyote, a very potent hallucinogen, during their spiritual rituals and vision quests.

Quite frankly, this is as far as I can go on this particular use of herbs. I’ve never smoked anything, not even a cigarette, in my *fifty-three years. I warn against ingesting/smoking illegal or dangerous herbs for any reason. As with all things in life-- use some common sense.

*Note: This essay was originally written in 2011

*Source: my book, "The Gray Witch's Grimoire".

© The Gray Witch's Grimoire,

Amythyst Raine 2011

Note:  Keep scrolling all the way down for an extensive list
of individual herbs and their uses.

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 Recommended Reading:

"Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"

"Green Witchcraft" by Ann Moura

"The Wiccan Herbal: Recipes, Magick, & Abundance" by Jamie Worth

Herbal Links: 

Lucky Mojo is one of my favorite sites. By following this link, not only will you find a list of herbs and their magickal uses, you can also order herbs directly off this page.

http://www.luckymojo.com/mojocatherbs.html

The following link is an Herbal Directory to numerous sites:

http://www.mind-n-magick.com/search/html/Healing/Herbs/

Herbs can also be ordered online at Next Millennium

http://www.next-mill.com

Three of My Favorite Herbs

Within the herbs, the magick resides,

waiting to be unleashed.

• Sage...this is the old stand by. Everyone uses sage for smudging and cleansing space, from American Native Shamans to Eastern European Witches. It is the most basic herb in our magickal cupboard. It holds a sacred spot in the small herb garden by my back porch, where it grows into a luxurious green mound every year. My grandmother made tremendous mundane use of sage at Thanksgiving and Yule, adding copious amounts of this herb to her homemade dressing-- I must be thoroughly cleansed, both inside and out.

• Rosemary...this is another herb noted for its cleansing properties. But I never think of it cleansing the same way as Sage. I think of it more as a matronly celtic woman in a handmade woolen shawl scrubbing away at whatever is put before her. The aroma of rosemary makes me think of pine trees, and I would never use it for it's mundane use of flavoring certain meats; I'd just as soon sprinkle pine needles over my stew! Make an infusion of rosemary and keep it chilled in the fridge, put some on a cotton ball to tone your face, rejuvenate your skin, and magickally add the illusion of youth. On a very different note and level-- a rosemary wash will chase the fleas off your cat.

• Lavender...This is a pot of lavender growing in my own garden. Remember the voice of Aunt Franny in the movie "Practical Magic"?-- "Grow lavender in your garden for luck." And I do. But I also use it in oils made to enhance psychic awareness, love sachets, dream pillows, etc. It's also one of my favorite scents to add directly to my skin, bathwater, and shampoos. It has a soft and gentle essence about it, lavender does, yep. 

Flower Power

I was just talking to my girls the other day about flowers and foliage and the seasons. I mentioned that it seems, after that first brilliant ‘coming to life’ in the spring, there is a hot and lazy period. Everything seems scorched and beaten by the summer sun, wilted and tortured by the elements of the dog days of summer; and then comes autumn, blessed autumn. It’s like a second birth, a brilliant blossoming, a breath of cool fresh air that seems to revitalize the world of flora. Everything in the garden throws itself into color and beauty with renewed energy, just in time to begin turning for a glorious autumn show.

Many of the flowers that highlight this time of year are also some of my favorites, and it’s these flowers and plants that I’m going to look at from a magickal point of view. What are their connections to the elements? the planets? magickal intentions? How can I use them to work my magick in order to promote positive change?

• Acacia: It’s gender is masculine (projective), it’s planet is the Sun, and it’s element Air. Acacia is used for protection and to promote psychic powers. Burn a small amount of the wood with sandalwood before practicing divination. A sprig from this tree kept in the home will ward off evil and protect the inhabitants from negative outside influences.

• Allium: It’s gender is feminine (receptive), it’s planet Venus, and it’s element Water. I use allium in spells for feminine empowerment, to heighten intuition and psychism, and to promote feelings of love and well-being. I’ve used it both in mojo bags and magickal oils.

• Alstromeria: White/pink/peach– the gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Venus, the element Earth; yellow/orange/red– the gender is still feminine (receptive), but it carries a bit of a punch; the planet is Mars, the element Fire. I use the milder more gentle form to work gentle magicks, the more robust colors I use in protection magick and self-empowerment spells, when you need strength and good dose of moxie.

• Amaranthus: The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Saturn, and the element Fire. The deity for amaranthus is Artemis– the feminine warrior/huntress. The magickal powers contained within this plant includes healing, protection, and invisibility. Amaranthus was used in pagan burial rites.

• Anemone: It’s gender is masculine (projective); the element is Fire, and the planet is Mars. Deities associated with anemone are Adonis and Venus. This plant is also used for health, protection, and healing. To prevent disease, carry the blossoms from this plant in a red cloth upon your person. This plant can also be used in spells dealing with health issues involving blood and the reproduction organs. To keep an enemy at bay, place their photo in a red bag with a handful of the blossoms, or the root of the plant– and leave the dirt in place.

• Baby’s Breath: The gender is masculine (projective), the planet Mercury, the element Air. I use Baby’s Breath for magick encompassing communication and creativity. I’ve also used this plant in love spells to instill good open lines of communications between couples, or to loosen the tongue of a shy partner– just be careful how much and how often you do this, you might be surprised at what’s released– or unleashed.

• Bittersweet: The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Air, and the planet– Mercury. The most popular magickal use for bittersweet is in spells for protection and healing. I’ve also discovered that this plant, connected to the energies of Mercury and Air, is wonderful for issues of communication, clear thinking, powers of deduction, and the spark of creativity.

• Carnation: The energy is masculine (projective), the planet is the Sun, and the element is Fire. Use the magick of the carnation for protection, strength, and healing. Use carnations in healing spells. Place carnations in a sick room to give strength to the one who is ill. Use this flower in healing rituals, mojo bags, and oils.

• China Berry: This plant is used for luck. The seeds are considered good luck charms, so use them as thus, particularly in bags or lockets, where you can carry them upon your person. The China Berry can be used in spells to precipitate change.

• Chrysanthemum: It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element is Fire, and the planet– the Sun. Chrysanthemums are used primarily for protection. Grown in the garden, they are reputed to keep evil spirits away– and in this case, my garden should be totally free of evil spirits, because I’ve accumulated a mass of mums this autumn. I take this one step farther by color associations– yellow blossoms for spells meant to help you find your voice; magenta blossoms for a good strong dose of pure love, and white blossoms to throw an honest light on any situation.

• Cockscomb: The energy is masculine (projective), the element Fire, the planets Jupiter and Mars. The no nonsense energy of the Cockscomb can be used to discover and unleash the masculine side of yourself, when aggression, strength, and courage are called for. The most beautiful cockscomb flowers I’ve seen was in Iowa, when we were traveling through Amish country.

• Cosmos: The energy is feminine (receptive), the planet is Earth, and the element is Earth. I use the lovely petals from this plant for goddess magick; to highlight feminine energy– for maiden, mother, and crone; for healing spells dealing with female issues; for safe childbirth; to celebrate those rituals geared toward women and their life milestones, including female puberty rites and a croning

• Echinops: The energy of the thistle will be found within this plant. It’s gender is masculine (projective), the planet is Saturn, and the element is Fire. Use the Echinops in spells for protection and self defense. This plant will also be used in hexing and cursing spells, added to poppets or mojo bags.

• Freesia: The planet– the Moon, the element is Water, the gender is feminine (receptive). The Freesia contains the constantly mutating and fluid energy of the Moon and the element of Water. Use this plant according to color correspondences for a surprisingly wide array of magickal intentions. White, for those things of spirit and spiritual energy; red for passion, including not only physical passion, but passion for many things of life; pink to inspire friendhip and loyalty; yellow for God energy, and healing.

• Gerber Daisy: The gender is masculine (projective), the planet Saturn, the element Fire. The daisy and the gerber daisy both possess strong energies for love spells, the gerber daisy being more ‘hot-blooded’, meaning there will be more animalistic passion in love spells done with the gerber daisy. This plant can also be used in spells when the energy just needs to be riled up a bit, when you need to light a fire and get people and circumstances moving.

• Hypericum: The gender is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planets Mercury and the Sun. The beautiful yellow flowers of this plant can be used in mojo bags and spells to enhance communication, for god energy, for healing, and for spells of self-empowerment.

• Juniper: It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element is Fire, the planet is the Sun. The magickal powers of Juniper include protection, protection against theft, love, exorcism, and health. I also use Juniper berries for spells geared to the Winter Solstice, youth & immortality, and spiritual rejuvenation. Juniper is reputed to promote male potency when used in love spells– though I have not personally put this theory to the test.

• Kangaroo Paw: It’s gender can be both masculine (projective), or feminine (receptive), depending upon what type of magick you’re using it for, and which planet you’re using for the correspondence. The planets are Mercury and Venus, the elements Air and Water. I have primarily used Kangaroo Paw for fairy magick.

• Kalancheo: The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Venus, the element Earth. Magickally speaking, use the pink blossoms for friendship and healing, the red blossoms for love, and the white blossoms for healing.

• Liatrus: The gender is feminine (receptive), the planets Venus and Jupiter, the element Water. This plant is best used for all of its connections to the element of Water, which includes the promotion and growth of your psychic abilities, intuition, dreams and visions.

• Gloriosa: The energy of this plant is most decidedly feminine (receptive), its elements both Water and Earth, and the planets Venus and Earth. The Gloriosa blossom is representative of the female anatomy, and its magickal energies are best used for female health issues, fertility, female sexual issues, and female self-empowerment. This plant can also be used in spells, magicks, and spiritual practices to glorify and worship the Mother Goddess.

• Misty Blue: The gender is feminine, the planet is Water, the element Water. Use this plant for spiritual practices, for spirit contact, and to promote contact in general with the unseen world and the entities which inhabit it.

• Orchid: This is a very versatile plant, magickally speaking. It’s energy is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planet Mercury. Use the orchid in your spiritual practices and spell crafting according to the color of its blossoms: red/love and passion, pink/friendship and well-being, white/spirituality and healing. Personally, I use the speckled blossoms when change is needed and desired.

• Pepper Berry: The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Air, the planet is the Sun. The red berries and green foliage from this plant make beautiful additions to wreaths. Magickally, I use Pepper Berry in mojo bags and magicks that deal with the Winter Solstice, God energy, and especially new beginnings.

• Protea: It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planet Jupiter. The primary magickal use for protea is for spells and magicks that move a situation along so that a final conclusion or decision can be reached. The various methods will include mojo bags and candle magick. This type of magick works best when worked over a period of three to seven days.

• Queen Ann’s Lace: It’s gender is feminine (receptive), the planet is Venus and Jupiter, the element Earth. I primarily use Queen Ann’s Lace for issues of fertility, and this can mean not only fertility in the physcial world, but fertility of ideas and creative energies, creativity concerning unusual opportunities, etc. This plant is also used in magicks for Goddess energy and self-empowerment.

• Roses: The gender is feminine (receptive), the planets are Venus and the Moon, the element is Water. Roses are most strongly connected with love spells. Use the energies of the various colors for different types of love– red/passionate affairs with lusty sex, or soul mate connections; pink/for strong bonds of loyalty, friendship, and fidelity; yellow/for peaceful partings, to say good-by; white/to honor a love who has passed, or to honor a relationship that has come to a natural conclusion. The white blossoms of a rose can also be used in spells and magick to contact a deceased partner.

• Rowen Berry: It’s gender is masculine (projective), its planet Mars, and the element is Fire. Use the warrior energy of Mars and the fiery passion of Fire with the rowan berry in spells and magickal workings that require strength, concentrated doses of high energy, courage, passion of intention, and a strong will power. The poisonous berries are also potent when used in spells and magicks for hexing and cursing. Added to mojo bags and poppets, they work with a vengence.

• Salvia: The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Water, and the planets are the Sun and the Moon. Salvia is part of a large family of plants which includes Sage. The primary use for salvia is for cleansing and smudging. Use the smoke from saliva to smudge your home and personal space, your person, your vehicle, or your land. Tie up dried bunches and hang them in the four corners of your home for protection, or hang a bundle of salvia by the front door to prevent anyone wishing you harm from entering.

• Solidago: The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet is Venus, the element Air. Solidago, more commonly known as Golden Rod, is used for magickal workings involving money and divination. Carry a sprig of goldenrod in your wallet or purse to insure enough money to cover your needs. Place a piece of pyrite with it. Put a sprig of this plant in a small wooden box large enough to hold your tarot cards or set of runes to enhance the magick of divination and your intuitive powers.

• Statice: This plant’s gender is masculine (projective), its element Air, it’s planet Mercury. I personally use statice in magick which highlights or incorporates group events, the gathering of people, peaceful conclusions to group debates or disagreements, as well as to promote peaceful cohabitation and successful growth within an organized group.

• Star of Bethlehem: The gender is masculine (projective), the planet is the Moon, the element Water. I use the six pointed white blossoms of the Star of Bethlehem in spells and magicks involving spirituality, personal empowerment, and cleansing. I’ve also found it wonderful for Goddess invocation and feminine magicks. It is energy is inspiring and purifying.

• Sunflower: The gender is masculine (projective), the planet is the Sun, the element Fire. The magickal powers of the sunflower includes fertility, wishes, health, and wisdom. Use the seeds from this plant in fertility spells, the yellow blossoms in magicks geared to gain your wish, and to inspire wisdom when wisdom is desired and needed. Carry a mojo bag containing various aspects of this plant for good health.

• Yarrow: Yarrow’s gender is feminine (receptive), it’s planet is Venus, and the element Water. The magickal powers of yarrow includes areas of courage, love, psychic powers, and exorcism. Place a bouquet of yarrow on your table during divination sessions, in the four corners of your house to keep evil entities at bay, or place a sprig of yarrow in the pocket of the person you love. I’ve used yarrow in dream bags that I’ve placed beneath my pillow to inspire prophetic dreams and visions. You might want to add a marigold blossom to this bag and a stone of amethyst.

• Zinnia: The gender is masculine (projective), the planets Mercury and Jupiter, the element Air. Use zinnias in spells and magicks where courage, fortiude, and strength are needed. This is also a good plant to use in healing spells, and spells of protection. As the zinnia stands strong and tall, so shall it inspire these attributes when you tap into it’s magick.

Credits:

The photographs in this post that are framed are all original photos taken by Amythyst Raine. These photos are copyrighted, © Amythyst Raine 2011. The other photos depicting flower species were obtained at Photobucket and Flicker. If you have claim to any photos found here & don’t wish to have them used, or you want credit given, contact me with proof of ownership, and the images will promptly be removed or credit given: witch_of_endore@yahoo.com

The books below were used as a reference for this essay; however, the information above was taken from my own Book of Shadows, which includes my personal magickal practices and correspondences. This means that I may not have always agreed with some of the correspondences I found in these books and have incorporated my own correspondences for the flowers above. This does not mean that the correspondences found in these books are inaccurate, just that I've discovered different energies through my own practice.

My Book of Shadows

“Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs” by Scott Cunningham

“Green Magic: The Sacred Connection to Nature” by Ann Moura

“The Green Wiccan Herbal” by Silja

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 A List of Magickal Herbs

& Their Uses

• Angelica Root

Sun Fire Masculine

Use in protection and exorcism incense, and also carry the root in a pouch as a protective talisman. Add to bath to remove hexes. Smoking the leaves can cause visions. Angelica protects by both creating a barrier against negative energy, and by filling it's user with positive energy. Removes curses, hexes, or spells that have been cast against you. Enhances the aura, giving a joyful outlook. Relieves tension headache, diuretic, beneficial to the stomach and digestion. Relieves buildup of phlegm due to asthma and bronchitis. Use with caution- Large doses can negatively affect blood pressure, heart, and respiration. If pregnant, can cause miscarriage.

• Basil

Mars Fire Masculine

Use in love and prosperity spells. Carry to attract wealth. Sprinkle basil over your sleeping lover to assure fidelity. Use it in a ritual bath to bring new love in, or to free yourself of an old love. Also used for purification baths. Sprinkle on the floor for protection, and burn as an exorcism incense.

• Bay Leaves

Sun Fire Masculine

Use in potions for visions, clairvoyance and wisdom. Place under your pillow to induce prophetic dreams. Carry to ward off evil, and scatter or burn for exorcism. Add to cleansing teas and baths. Scatter on the floor, and then sweep out for protection. The priestesses at Delphi are said to have chewed bay leaves to induce their visions and prophesies.

• Blessed Thistle

Mars Fire Masculine

Purification, hex-breaking, protection from evil- removes unwanted influences, particularly of malevolent intent. Strew to cleanse buildings or rooms, beneficial in healing spells. Strengthens liver function, combat hepatitis, aids memory purifies the blood stream. Good for migraine, nausea, and gallstones.

• Burdock

Venus Water Feminine

Used in protection incenses and for healing, especially the feet. Carry as a protection sachet or burn for purification of a room. Rinse with a root decoction for ridding oneself of a gloomy feeling about yourself or others.

• Bramble (Blackberry) Leaf

Venus Water Feminine

Powerful herb of protection, and used in invocations to the goddess Brigit, who presides over healing, poetry, sacred wells, and smith craft. Also used to attract wealth. If twined into a wreath with rowan and ivy, will keep away evil spirits. A bramble patch is a favorite hiding place for faerie folk, use to invoke and attract faerie spirits.

• Cacao (Chocolate)

Venus Water Feminine

The Aztec's Food of the Gods. An aphrodisiac, a mild euphoric, and helps to heal depression. It is extremely effective in love potions and spells. Cacao is a required offering during Day of the Dead, can be used to appease restless spirits, or attract passed loved ones during séance.

• Camellia

Moon Water Feminine

Brings riches and luxury, expresses gratitude. Place fresh blossoms in water on altar during ritual to attract money and prosperity. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating skin conditions.

• Caraway

Mercury Air Masculine

Carry for protection against spirits who mean harm, especially Lilith. The seeds can be used to ensure faithfulness, and can be used in spells to attract a lover. Used in cooking, will induce lust.

• Carob

Mars Fire Masculine

Often used as a chocolate substitute, but although the flavor is similar, the correspondences are opposite. Useful for protection and prosperity (the dried pods were once used as currency). Can be burned as an incense to attract spirit helpers and familiars, or to deter poltergeists.

• Catnip

Water Venus Feminine

Animal magick and healing pets, increases psychic bond with animals. Use as a tea for happiness and relaxation. Can also be used during meditation, increases psychic abilities. Useful in love magick- try burning dried leaves for love wishes.

• Cayenne Pepper

Mars Fire Masculine

Use in hexes, or to break a hex. Use in love or separation spells. The fire or spark of the spirit, it adds power to any spell. Contains capsaicin, which acts as a stimulating digestive aid. Apply externally for joint pain. Aids circulation, blood pressure, and colds. Those with ulcers or chronic bowel disorders should avoid using in large quantities.

• Cedar

Sun Fire Masculine

Healing, purification, money, protection, love. Cedar smoke is purifying and can cure nightmares. Keep cedar in your wallet or purse to attract money, and use in money incense. It can also be used in love sachets or burned to induce psychic powers. Use to draw Earth energy and grounding.

• Chamomile

Sun Water Masculine

Chamomile tea is a great relaxer. Prosperity wishes, use to attract money, use as an amulet for prosperity. Use in sleep and meditation incense. Prepares body and mind for magick. Add to a bath or use to wash your face and hair to attract love. Bathe children in chamomile tea to protect from the evil eye, useful in breaking curses cast against you.

• Cinnamon

Sun Fire Masculine

Spirituality, success, healing, psychic powers, lust, protection, love. Burn cinnamon as an incense or use in sachets and spells for healing, money-drawing, psychic powers, and protection. Mix with frankincense, myrhh and sandalwood for a strong protection incense to be burned every day. A male aphrodisiac.

• Cloves

Jupiter Fire Masculine

Protection, exorcism, love, money, good luck. Use in incense to attract money, drive away negativity, purify, gain luck or stop gossip. Wear to attract the opposite sex or for protection. Worn or carried to repel negative energies around you, also said to protect babies in their cribs if hung over them strung together.

• Coltsfoot

Venus Water Feminine

Add to love sachets and use in spells for peace and tranquility. Smoke the leaves to aid in obtaining visions. A soothing expectorant and anti-spasmodic, which can be used to treat bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, and chronic emphysema. Caution: Do not use if pregnant or nursing!

• Cumin

Mars Fire Masculine

Burn with frankincense for protection. Mix with salt and scatter to keep away evil spirits and bad luck. Use in love spells. Steep cumin seed in wine to induce lust. Place the seeds on, in or near an object to prevent left. Burn with frankincense for protection.

• Red Clover

Mercury Air Masculine

Protection, money, love, fidelity, exorcism, success, clairvoyance, beauty. Brings good luck. Induces clairvoyant powers. Use for rituals to enhance beauty and youth.

• Comfrey Leaf

Air Saturn Feminine

A strong herb for protection against any type of negativity, especially when traveling, and particularly for protection in the astral realms. Very nutritious, beneficial for healing sprains, strains, fractures and sores. Also soothes an upset stomach.

• Damiana

Mars Fire Masculine

Sex magick, lust, love, visions. Use in lust spells. Use in love baths. Burn to enhance visions. Damiana can be prepared in a tea for use in sex magick. It is a mild aphrodisiac. It produces a marijuana-like euphoria when smoked. Good for enchanting a male lover. Damiana tea is the best thing for hangovers. Use caution with this herb.

• Dandelion Leaf

Jupiter Air Masculine

Divination, wishes, calling Spirits. Use the root in a tea to enhance psychic powers. Used in Samhain rituals. Sleep, protection, healing. A very nutritious and universally beneficial herb. Use in dream pillows and sachets, the leaves and flowers can be used in tea for healing.

• Dill

Mercury Fire Masculine

Hang in the doorway to protect your home, or carry to protect your person. Can be used in money spells. Add to a ritual bath to become irresistible to the one you desire. Use in love and lust spells.

• Eucalyptus Leaf

Air Moon Feminine

Uses include great healing properties, kills germs, infections, eases lung congestion, heart stimulant. Attracts healing vibrations and protection. Use to purify and cleanse any space of unwanted energies. Also useful in dream and sleep pillows.

• Fennel Seed

Mercury Fire Masculine

Healing, longevity, courage, vitality, virility and strength. Use for protection spells of all kinds. Prevents curses, possession and negativity. Use for purification. Gives strength, courage and longevity. Delicious flavor, purifies breath, aids digestion and weight loss.

• Feverfew

Venus Water Feminine

Love and protection. Include in charms or sachets. Also a strong herb for health and spiritual healing. Use to ward off sickness and bolster immune system. Protects travelers, keep in your suitcase or car the next time you travel. Excellent treatment for migraine headaches- eases inflammation and constriction of the blood vessels in the head, reduces sensitivity to light and nausea.

• Dried Fig

Jupiter Fire Masculine

Fertility, love spells- excellent ingredient in spell bags. Divination. Sacred to Dionysus, Juno and many others. Recommended for a Beltane altar. If placed on the doorstep before leaving it will ensure you will arrive home safely.

• Flax Seed

Mercury Fire Masculine

Use to keep the peace at home- place in a bowl to absorb negative energy. Useful in healing and protection spells. Also, carry flax seeds in your wallet or purse to attract money. Very nutritious, good for cholesterol.

• Galangal Root

Mars Fire Masculine

Psychic abilities, luck, money. For courage, strength, and for avoiding legal problems. Worn or carried, it protects its bearer and draws good luck. Placed in a sachet of leather with silver, it brings money. Powdered galangal is burned to break spells and curses. It is also carried or sprinkled around the home to promote lust. Worn as a talisman, galangal aids psychic development and guards the bearer's health. A mild hallucinogen- eat about three inches of the root for this effect. Use caution with this plant.

• Garlic

Mars Fire Masculine

Use is in protection spells- traditionally used to ward off vampires. Great healing properties, antiviral, antifungal, strengthening. The ancient Greeks placed garlic on the stone cairns at crossroads as an offering to Hecate.

• Ginger

Mars Fire Masculine

Love, money, success, power. Use in love spells. Eat before performing spells to increase your power.

• Ginseng Powder

Sun Fire Masculine

Rejuvenation, longevity and sexual potency. Use the root in spells to attract love, maintain health, draw money and ensure sexual potency. Carry to enhance beauty. Burn to break curses or ward off evil spirits. Make into a lust enhancing tea. Useful as an antidepressant, equalizes blood pressure, and aids digestion.

• Hibiscus Flower

Venus Water Feminine

Useful as an aphrodisiac and in love spells. Also use to induce dreams, and enhance psychic ability and divination. Soothes nerves, antispasmodic. Tea aids digestion, and sweetens breath. Helpful with itchy skin.

• Holly Leaf

Mars Fire Masculine

Luck, dream magick. An excellent protective herb, keeps away lightning, poison, evil spirits, and other malign forces. The wood is used for all magickal tools as it will enhance any wish you have. A powerful protection. Do not consume, for ritual use only.

• Hops

Mars Air Masculine

Use in healing incenses and spells. Put inside pillow to induce sleep. Tea helps with a restful sleep. Also drink tea after magickal practices to balance and refocus your energy back to ordinary reality. Use in healing sachets and amulets. Also burned during healing prayers.

• Horehound

Mercury Earth Masculine

As a tea to increase energy and strength, both physically and mentally- it increases concentration and focus. Carry or burn for protection wishes. Called the "Seed of Horus" by the Ancient Egyptians, it is excellent for blessing one's home. Gather flowering Horehound and tie with a ribbon, then hang it in your home to keep it free from negative energies. The leaves and stems are used in candies, cough drops and syrups. Used to treat asthma, coughs, colds, bronchitis, sore throats, and skin irritations. Also used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, stimulant, and stomachic.

• Hyssop

Jupiter Fire Masculine

An excellent purifying herb. Use in purification baths and spells. Associated with serpents and dragons, and can be burned as an incense to call on dragon energy. Aids in physical and spiritual protection.

• Juniper Berries

Sun Fire Masculine

Useful for protection magick of all kinds. Makes a nice incense for protection. It can be burned or carried to enhance psychic powers. Attracts good, healthy energies and love. Aids in digestion, intestinal cramps, diuretic, eases arthritis. Banishes energies injurious to good health.

• Mandrake Root

Mercury Fire Masculine

Protection, love, money, fertility, health. Mandrake intensifies the magick of any spell. To charge mandrake root with your personal power, sleep with it for three nights during the full moon. A hallucinogen when used in tea- it has great power as a visionary herb, empowering your visions and propelling them into manifestation. A whole mandrake root placed in the home will bring protection and prosperity. Carried, it will attract love and courage.

• Morning Glory Blossoms

Happiness, peace, visions. Place under your pillow to stop nightmares and induce beneficial psychic dreams. Sacred to the Aztecs. Do not consume, toxic.

• Moss

Jupiter Earth Masculine

To ensure good luck, especially with money, carry any type of moss removed from a gravestone. Use in prosperity spells, Gnome magick and spells to Mother Earth. Use in "Witch Bottles" for home and business. Place in your bra When a MALE lover is near to attract sexual attention.

• Mugwort

Venus Earth Feminine

Use in dream pillows for prophetic dreams. Burn with sandalwood or wormwood in scrying rituals. Drink as a tea sweetened with honey before divination. The plain tea can also be used to wash crystal balls and magick mirrors. Leaves of mugwort can be placed around these to aid in scrying.

• Mullein

Saturn Fire Feminine

Protection and courage. Keeps away demons and nightmares while sleeping, also protects against wild animals. Useful in protection and exorcism spells. Invokes spirits, use on scrying tools to aid divination. This plant is the Original Witch's torch, used to illuminate spells and rites. Useful as an expectorant to clear and heal lungs, stops diarrhea and soothes hemorrhoids.

• Nettles

Mars Fire Masculine

Carry to remove a curse and send it back, or sprinkle around the house to keep out evil. Use in purification baths. Highly nutritious for anemia, skin disorders and allergies, restores health, expectorant, stops bleeding. One of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxons.

• Nutmeg

Jupiter Fire Masculine

Luck, money, health. Carry for good luck, and to strengthen clairvoyant powers. Use in money and prosperity spells. A hallucinogen when made into a tea. TOXIC in large doses! Take no more than a pinch!

• Orris Root

Venus Water Feminine

Love, protection, divination. Use to find and hold love- a powder made from the root is used as a love drawing powder. Protection from evil spirits. Roots and leaves hung in the house, and added to the bath are good for personal protection.

• Pau d`Arco

Pluto Fire Masculine

Works best during the waning Moon- can be empowered by drawing down the Moon directly into the herb. The active ingredient is xyloidin, a very potent antibiotic and antiviral. Can relieve arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, eczema, gastritis, psoriasis, pyorrhoea, rheumatism, skin and nails, ulcers. Used to treat chronic candida. Potent tonic and cell regenerator, stimulating natural defenses and revitalizing the body. Also a sedative, an analgesic, and a diuretic.

• Passion Flower

Venus Water Feminine

Promotes emotional balance, peace, attracts friendship and prosperity. Heightens libido, use in love spells. Calming and soothing, promotes emotional balance, aid in sleep. Use to relieve nerve pain and hysteria.

• Pennyroyal

Mars Fire Masculine

Carry in a green bag to attract money and to aid in business transactions. Burn for protection in meditation and astral travel. Use for ridding negative thoughts against you, carry when dealing with negative vibrations of all kinds. Caution: stimulates menstruation when consumed, and can induce miscarriage.

• Peppermint

Mercury Fire Masculine

Purification, sleep, love, healing, psychic powers. Promotes sleep and visionary dreams. Use in healing and purification baths. Burn as a winter incense. Very useful for stomach upset and heartburn, nausea, and to ease congestion during colds and flu.

• Pine

Sun Air Masculine

For sacred wisdom. Prosperity, fertility, healing.  The Pine tree is an evergreen, its old title was "the sweetest of woods". Its needles are a valuable source of vitamin C and can loosen a tight chest. The scent of Pine is useful in the alleviation of guilt. Burn for strength, and to reverse negative energies.

• Raspberry Leaf

Venus Water Feminine

Protection, healing, love. Calming, promotes sleep and visions. Useful during pregnancy and childbirth, eases diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Beneficial to the kidneys.

• Rose Petals

Venus Water Feminine

Love, psychic powers, healing, luck, protection. Use in love spells of all kinds. Drink rose tea before bed for prophetic dreams. Domestic peace and happiness, promotes joy of giving. Helps clear away headaches, dizziness, mouth sores and menstrual cramps. Heart and nerve tonic.

• Rose Hips

Venus Water Feminine

Rose hips are very high in Vitamin C. Rose hips also contain A, B, E, and K, organic acids and pectin, and have a high concentration of iron. The hips are strung like beads and worn to attract love. A woman should eat rose hips during her menstrual period. A woman's lover should gather roses for this purpose. The earliest known gardening was the planting of roses along the most travelled routes of early nomadic humans.

• Rosemary

Sun Fire Masculine

Protection, love, lust, mental powers, exorcism, purification, healing, sleep, youth. Burn to purify and cleanse. Use in love and lust incenses and potions. Use for healing of all kinds. A tea of rosemary causes the mind to be alert. Circulatory, digestive and nerve stimulant. Heals headache, depression, and halitosis.

• Sage

Jupiter Air Masculine

Immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection, prosperity. Use in healing and money spells. Purifying, use as incense during sacred rituals-walk the smoke to the four corners of the room to repel and rid negative energies and influences. Especially good when moving into a new home. Heals wounds, aids digestion, eases muscle and joint pain, colds and fever.

• Shavegrass

Saturn Earth Feminine

Also known as Horsetail. Fertility spells. Nutritious, helps the body absorb calcium, may help to strengthen bones, hair and nails. Control excess oil on the skin. Diuretic, helps to relieve urinary disorders. May help blood to clot, reduce fevers, and calm nervous tension. Also can be used in snake charming!

• Scotch Broom Leaf

Mars Air Masculine

A Druid sacred tree. Use in purification and protection spells and scatter to exorcise evil spirits. Burn to calm the wind. The branches are used to make traditional besoms. The tea can induce psychic powers, and its smoke is a sedative. Use in moderation, can be toxic.

• Seaweed

Moon Water Feminine

Offers protection to those at sea. Summons sea spirits and sea winds. Uses in sachets and spells to increase psychic powers. Scrub floors and doors of business with infusion to attract customers and bring in positive energy. Use in money spells. Fill a small jar with whiskey, add kelp, cap tightly and place in the kitchen window. Ensures a steady flow of money into the household. Helps regulate an underactive thyroid. Relieves the pain of rheumatism and rheumatic joints.

• Spanish Moss

Jupiter Earth Masculine

Luck, money, banish poltergeists- To ensure good luck, especially with gambling, carry Spanish moss. Use in "Witch Bottles" for home and business. Place around home, or burn to banish poltergeists.

• St. John's Wort

Sun Fire Masculine

Health, protection, strength, love divination, happiness, exorcism. A Druid sacred herb. Use in protection and exorcism spells and incenses of all kinds. Use as a tea to treat depression. Use the leaves in a necklace to ward off sickness and tension. Carry to strengthen your courage and conviction. Burn to banish negative thoughts and energies.

• Star Anise

Jupiter Air Masculine

Protection, purification, youth, psychic powers, luck. Use for protection, meditation and psychic power incenses. Can be used in purification baths. Wards off evil and averts the evil eye. A pillow stuffed with anise seeds will keep away nightmares. The tree is planted by the Japanese around temples and on graves as an herb of consecration and protection. The seeds are burned as incense to increase psychic powers, and are also worn as beads for the same purpose. Sometimes star anise is placed on the altar to give it power; one is placed to each of the four directions. It is also carried as a good luck charm, and the seeds make excellent pendulums. The tree is often grown near Buddhist temples where it is revered. A stimulant and diuretic. Promotes digestion and relieves flatulence.

• Tea

Sun Fire Masculine

Riches, courage, strength. Use the leaves in money sachets, incenses and spells. A stimulant. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and other youth enhancing compounds. The leaves can be used in scrying.

• Tobacco Leaf

Mars Fire Masculine

Sacred to the Native American Tradition. Tobacco ties- wrap tobacco leaves in pieces of white, red, yellow and black cloth, and hang them around the ceremonial space at the 4 cardinal directions. Smoke to allow communication with spirits. Burn as an incense to purify a space. Spirits appreciate offerings of tobacco.

• Thistle Flower

Mars Fire Masculine

Represents courageous defense and deep rooted ideals. Protection spells, also used to bring spiritual and financial blessings. Carried in an amulet for joy, energy, vitality, and protection. Can be burned as an incense for protection and also to counteract hexing.

• Thyme

Venus Water Feminine

Burn for good health and use in healing spells. Burn as purification incense. Wear to increase psychic powers.

• Valerian Root

Venus Water Feminine

A muscle relaxant and a tranquilizer. Use for dream magick and sleep protection baths. Keep in the home or grow in the garden to aid in keeping harmony. May be used to purify a ritual space. Useful in consecrating incense burners. Drink tea daily, in moderate doses, during times of purification.

• Vanilla

Venus Water Feminine

Love, seduction, mental powers. Use in love sachets, and wear the fragrant oil as an aphrodisiac.

• White Willow Bark

Moon Water Feminine

Love, divination, protection, healing. Carry and use in spells to attract love. Use the leaves, bark and wood in healing spells. Burn with sandalwood to conjure spirits. Brings blessings of the moon into one's life. Eases muscle and joint pain, beneficial for arthritis.

• Yarrow Flower

Venus Water Feminine

Use to dispel melancholy, negative energy, lingering sorrow, or depression. Carried as a sachet or amulet it repels or rids of negative influences. Aids in divination. Good remedy for colds. Opens the pores and purifies the blood. Said to prevent baldness as a hair wash.