Healing
- Planetary Association: Mars
- Gender: Masculine
- Element: Fire
- Deity: Isis
- Basic Powers: Protection, Purification, Exorcism, Healing.
The ancient Egyptians worshiped onions as gods and always planted them in their gardens. Whether your gods are in your garden or the veggie bin of your kitchen, they have many magical uses. Use this many-layered food to peel away problems in life and to dispel anger. The onion is also a love food and is said to increase male virility.
- Red onions promote lust when added to dishes.
- White onions clear away obstacles when peeled to the core.
- Use purple onions for power and seduction.
- Yellow onions dispel anger between friends.
Carve the names of quarreling parties into a yellow onion and keep until it forms roots. At this time, the two friends or family members will begin to recall the positive roots of their relationship and let go of their anger toward each other. Do not get rid of the onion until apologies have been made and accepted. You may then offer the onion to the earth in thanks.
Cut an onion in half and put it under your sink to absorb any negativity in your home or nastiness sent your way and replace every week or two — you’ll be surprised how much it absorbs and how quickly it shrivels. Prick a whole fresh onion with black headed pins and place on a window sill to protect from the evil eye and magical attack. Or, simply braid together onions from your garden and hang them in your kitchen or over your pantry door to protect your home.
Folk healers use onions just like garlic cloves – cut them in half and rub on the afflicted area and then discard. The onion becomes as a scapegoat for the illness. Also, like garlic, onion skins are never thrown out, but burned to attract and keep money. The skins can also be burned for protection and banishing and, when finely ground, can be added to incense blends.
In Hungary, onion skins are burned during childbirth to protect the mother and baby who are believed to be most susceptible to the evil eye and evil spirits at this time. In European folk magic, knives and swords are consecrated by running the blades over the juices of a freshly halved onion – why not use an onion to bless and cleanse your ritual knives before and after use?
Onions are used in the practice of hoodoo/rootwork/conjure and other forms of folk magic in a variety of ways.
- Red Onions
Red onions are powerful, but some folks say that you have to steal one from a grocery store to get the best use of it.
When cutting red onions, take the skin and turn on the stove top. Burn the onion skins in the flames. Folks burn red onion peelings because they are lucky for the home; because they draw in business to a bar, restaurant, or boarding house; because they keep the law away; and because they help in love affairs.
For the last-named purpose, you can call your lover’s name and say, “Hold him tight to me; make him come under my command,” three times as the red onion peels burn.
Red onion skins can also be used without burning them. They can be added to incense, oils, powders, and even mojo bags.
For peace in the home, bore a hole in a red onion, fill it with sugar, tie a shoe lace around it, and hide it above the door where folks will walk under it.
- Yellow & White Onions
An old folk remedy for curing baldness is to rub a cut onion on the head. Yellow and white onions are also used to repel and banish a person.
More Onion Magick
If you want to see your future marriage partner in your dreams, all you need do is place an onion under your pillow. If you are trying to determine between two marriage prospects, you should write their names on two onions, place them on a windowsill, and see which one sprouts first.
Onions are very protective. A half onion is kept in the kitchen to absorb diseases and ill-luck. It should be replaced every few days. The onion’s pungent odor is believed to ward off evil spirits. It also provides general protection.
Rub a cut onion on the door frame and on the ground or floor in a line while stating your desire that whatever it is you are trying to repel cannot enter.
If there is someone in your house and you want them gone for good, take an onion, a name-paper for the person and/or a personal effect from the person. Use a knife to make a slit in the onion. Stuff the name-paper and/or personal effect into the onion. Roll the onion out the house and into the street. If the person is known to sit in a specific chair in the house the you can put it there and then slap it to the floor and kick it out the door and into the street. Cussing the person while you do it will make the work stronger.
Another method of banishing someone is to take a cut onion and rub it on the bottom of their shoes, from the heel going to the toes, while telling them to get the hell out of your house.
If your husband is too demanding for sex, take a cut onion and make one pass down your coochie. He will leave you alone that night.
Onions can be used to break up couples. A hollow is made in a large onion and name-papers or personal effects from the couple are placed into the onion, along with items such as black cat hair, black dog hair, and/or red pepper. The onion is then rolled under the home (if the home is up off of the ground), hidden under the porch, or buried near the front of the house where the couple will walk over it. As the onion rots the couple will begin to fight and will separate.
Carrying an onion around with you is said to be good for your health, and ensures that you do not catch a cold. During the plague, onions were frequently hung up in rooms to help preserve good health. Even today, some people will place an onion in the room of someone who is sick, believing that it will help drive the illness away.
Onion Weather Forcasting:
Onion’s skin very thin,
Mild winter coming in.
Onion’s skin thick and tough,
Coming winter cold and rough.
Onion Tips and Tricks:
Keeping a piece of raw potato in your mouth wile cutting onions will stop your eyes from weeping. Holding a matchstick between your teeth also works.
Sources
This information was collected from a variety of sources including the following:
Dates given for each astrological sign are approximate, and indicate the SUN’s position in the sign; MOON signs vary greatly from year to year, and can be determined by referencing in an ephemeris, almanac, or Moon Sign Calculator.
- Aries (Mar 21 to Apr 20) Head, face
- Taurus (Apr 21 to May 20) Neck, throat, shoulders
- Gemini (May 21 to June 20) Lungs, hands, arms
- Cancer (June 21 to July 20) Breasts, stomach
- Leo (July 21 to Aug 20) Heart, solar plexus
- Virgo (Aug 21 to Sep 20) Digestive System
- Libra (Sep 21 to Oct 20) Kidneys, back
- Scorpio (Oct 21 to Nov 20) Reproductive and eliminatory organs
- Sagittarius (Nov 21 to Dec 20) Thighs
- Capricorn (Dec 21 to Jan 20) Knees, bones
- Aquarius (Jan 21 to Feb 20) Calves, ankles, circulatory and glandular systems
- Pisces (Feb 21 to Mar 20) Feet
- Ruler: Sun
- Type: Mineral
- Magickal form: Resin, gemstone, essential oil
While often considered a gemstone, the glowing, warm amber is not actually a stone, but a fossilized resin from ancient evergreen trees. The oldest amber discovered on Earth is about 320 million years old. Imagine the incredibly powerful energy this amber contains!
Before man knew where amber came from, there were many ingenious theories as to its origins. Lynx urine, said some; others believed that it was chunks of the rays of the Sun, set hard in the sea and then washed upon the shore.
Like jet, amber burns easily, and it was for this reason that in Germany it was called Bernstein, meaning “burn stone.” The scent given off by burning amber was believed to drive away evil spirits.
Magickal Uses
The most obvious quality of amber is its old, old, (very old!) energy. With it comes the accumulated wisdom of the earth and its natural kingdom. You can often see little insects trapped in the amber while it started as a tree resin; this gives the amber stone quite powerful magical properties.
Amber is used as prayer beads in Christian and Muslim practice, is also known as the ‘Witch’s Stone’ and is used in Wiccan practice. It is worn for general good luck, financial stability and toward off danger from witchcraft.
Amber beads are perceived as bolstering health, however, not just any amber beads will do. Amber beads carved into the shapes of genitals, whether very literally or just vaguely reminiscent, allegedly provide protection, especially regarding health. Wear or carry as needed.
Due to its strong connection to nature and the earth, Amber is a great stone for grounding our higher energies. Amber can add stability to your life.
- Amber is known to calm energies, attract love, inspire change and improve wisdom.
- Wear or carry amber for protection and success.
- A piece of amber that contains a beetle or fly trapped within its center is said to bring fame.
- It has been used as a symbol for the renewal of marriage vows and to assure promises.
- Amber has been said to bring good luck to warriors.
Amber is an Aura cleanser. It glitters like dew drops in the bright sun light. It assists in bringing our higher vibrations in order, dispersing negative energy and clears the surrounding environment. Amber is the stone, which brings about altruism and great wisdom.
Amber allows the body to heal itself by absorbing and transmuting negative energy into positive energy. It emits a sunny and bright soothing energy which helps to calm nerves and to enliven the disposition.
Amber has uplifting energies, and is especially helpful when you are felling weighed down with responsibilities, it is good for people with suicidal tendencies and those who easily get depressed. Helps you find humour and joy. Creates a balance between daily life and spiritual expansion.
Utilise Amber when you are feeling powerless or out of control, to remind you of your inner strength and past achievements. It brings balance and patience and encourages decision-making, promotes a positive mental state and creative self-expression. Its flexibility dissolves opposition.
Amber stimulates memory thus making it a good stone for studying. Amber is used for past life work, divination and scrying. It aligns mental and emotional bodies via its deep orange and yellow colour.
Amber is highly recommended for those who often have to meet challenging situations and at times frustrating atmosphere. It is good for those involved in political life and those wishing to have governmental patronage. Good for those interested in nobler types of deeds and social and humanitarian causes.
Amber is a powerful healer and cleanser that draws die-ease from the body and promotes tissue revitalization. It imbues the body with vitality and has the power to draw dis- ease out of the body. By absorbing pain and negative energy, Amber allows the body to balance and heal itself. Amber alleviates stress.
Add the resin to prosperity formulas and wear the oil for protection or to empower your magickal path. Men may wear amber essential oil to attract lovers.
It cleanses the environment in which it rests and is an excellent mineral for use in purifying birthing and re-birthing rooms. It also acts to purify ones body, mind, and spirit when worn, carried, or used as an elixir.
Cleansing:
Amber should be cleansed after being used for healing to dispense the negative energy it has absorbed. It tends to become cloudy when used for treating negative energy. Cleanse this stone by running it under warm water or charge it over night in a bowl of tumbled hematite. Be careful as this stone will become brittle in sunlight if left out for a long period. It should be kept away from heat or sun.
Properties and Colors:
The color depends on source and impurities. A deep tawny yellow is the predominant color, but it also comes in blue, violet, brown or even black. Amber that is green is colored artificially. Yellow and brown are the most common colors, other colors are extremely rare.
Because amber was once a liquid, sometimes small insects or bits of organic matter can be seen embedded within it.
The fossilized resin ranges from transparent to opaque. Transparency depends on gas bubbles. It is a lighter gem stone and softer than pearl. It becomes electrically charged when rubbed; indeed, the word “electric” comes from the Latin word electrum, which means amber.
Uses in History:
Amber has a rich history and has been used since prehistoric times for jewelry, religious objects, healing, also as amulets and mascots. The Baltic amber, the “gold of the North” is among the earliest-used gem materials.
Amber has a long history of being used in sacred incense and worn as a healing stone by Asian and American Indian cultures for centuries. This organic gem can date between 1 and 360 million years. Archaeologists have found amber artifacts dating back to such cultures as Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician and the Greek and Roman periods. It is known by the Persians as the “attractor of straw”, by the Greeks as “sun gold” and derived from the Arab name “al-anbar”.
The Greeks believed that amber was the petrification of sunrays; some even felt that it was petrified tears. They prized amber for the magical properties that electricity exhibited when rubbed. The term electricity is derived from the Greek word, elektron, which is also the Greek word for amber.
In the Far East, amber is the symbol of courage; Amber was considered the “soul of the tiger” in Asian cultures and regarded as the stone of courage. Pieces of amber were carried for protection during long travels, as well as used to treat jaundice.
Egyptians placed a piece of amber in the casket of a loved one to ensure the body would forever remain whole.
It is a sacred stone to both the Native American and Eastern Indians. It has also been used in the fire ceremonies of ancient tribal leaders. It was burned, beginning in medieval days, as a fumigant and as an incense to clear the environment of negativity.
In ancient times it was used as a penicillin-type remedy, ground and ingested or soaked (as in an elixir) and subsequently drunk.
Uses In Healing:
Amber will help relieve a tension headache, place on or around the head. It is excellent at detoxification and protection from radiation, especially x-rays, sun, computers, airport, planes and other people’s energies.
Make an elixir with this stone for wound healing and to apply to all pain issues. It is an excellent natural antibiotic.
Wear amber around your throat to heal asthma and prevent attacks. Minimize and ward off chills by wearing tightly beaded amber necklaces. Amber is believed to absorb body heat and retain it, thus magickally creating a balancing effect.
When used at the solar plexus, Amber will enhance intellectual clarity about your future path. It can stimulate the navel chakra and help in grounding energies into the body.
Amber as jewelry, it can be grounding and stabilizing. Wear for prolonged periods, especially on the wrist or throat, or place as appropriate. If treating babies or children, it is beneficial for the mother to wear the stone first.
It resonates with the throat, treating goiters and other throat problems. It treats the stomach, spleen, kidneys, bladder, liver, and gallbladder, alleviates joint problems and strengthens the mucus membranes. Amber is known to stimulate metabolism and treat skin disorders. It is also a good stone for treating asthma and allergic reactions.
Feng Shui:
Amber is used in the Center/Health position to encourage good health and create balance and calm. Use it in the Northeast area for self cultivation and wisdom, in the Southwest area for partners, love and relationships (use in pairs) and for dispersing negative energy in any room. Use it in any room to also attract change into your space.
Associated Deities:
Amber is thought to be the tears of the Goddess Freya that fell into the sea. It is used to honor her. Additionally amber is used in devotions to Elektra, Greek Goddess of the Sea, Jurate, the Lithuanian Goddess of the Sea, Nehalennia, the Gaulish Goddess of Sea Travelers, Oshun, the African Goddess of Love, Intimacy, Beauty, and Diplomacy, and Amberella, the Lithuanian Goddess of the Oceans.
Honor the Goddess Electra with amber. We get our beautiful amber from the sea. Interestingly, when you rub amber with a soft cloth you will produce static electricity – honoring Electra as you do. Wear an amber necklace or pendant when you are feeling a bit “stormy.” Use it when you need to make things better but you have to use a bit of force to get the job done. Electra will help you.
- Ruler: Venus
- Type: Baked good
- Magickal form: Various fillings
Originating in ancient Greece and Rome, pies are associated with happiness, love, and wholeness. Eat cherry pie to increase self-confidence and find self-love. All fruit pies invoke love when shared with another. Meat pies create fillings of security. Place your thumb in a pie and make a wish, it might come true.
Mince pie magick and lore:
Mince pies (sometimes known as mince tarts) are a popular part of Christmas. Most people think they will gain a month of good luck for every mince pie they eat during the Christmas season, as long as a different person makes each pie. One hundred years ago, the tradition was that each pie had to be eaten at a different person’s house, and they had to be consumed between December 25 and January 6. This gave you twelve days in which to eat enough pies to guarantee a year of good luck.
The mincemeat mixture should only be stirred in a clockwise direction. To stir it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year. A wish should be made whilst eating your first mince pie of the festive season.
Pies and Their Magickal Qualities:
- Apple pie: Love, Healing, Peace
- Banana cream pie: Money
- Blackberry pie: Money, Sex
- Chocolate cream pie: Money, Love
- Cherry pie: Confidence, Self esteem, Love
- Lime pie: Love, Purification
- Lemon pie: Purification, Love
- Mince pie: Luck, Money (always make a wish when eating a mince pie)
- Pecan pie: Money
- Pineapple pie: Love, Healing, Money, Protection
- Pumpkin pie: Money, Healing
- Raspberry pie: Happiness, Love, Protection
- Rhubarb pie: Protection, Love
- Square sweet pies: Prosperity
- Strawberry pie: Love
From: Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients and other sources
- Latin Name: Calendula officinalis
- Planet: Sun
- Element: Fire
- Part Used: Fresh flowers
- Magickal Influences: Health, Psychic dreams, Comfort
The calendula flower is often associated with the month of October. This flower’s name stems from the Latin calends, the word denoting the first day of each month (and the origin of the English “calendar”). It was so called because the yellow and orange flowers were said to be in bloom on every calends throughout the year in ancient Rome.
This flower is often confused with the Mexican marigold Tagetes. There is a resemblance, but the two flowers have vastly different energies.
The calendula, prized in medicinal herbalism, also has magickal aromatherapy applications. The scent of the flowers strengthens and maintains health. At one time in the past, fresh calendula blossoms were sniffed to sharpen the eyesight. This was probably pure sympathetic magick, for the flowers resemble eyes.
Sniff the aroma of calendula at night just before going to bed to produce psychic dreams. For centuries, the blooms have been sniffed to comfort the weary and distressed.
From: Magical Aromatherapy
The Poplar or Aspen is the sacred Tree of the Fall Equinox – (Aprox. September 22).
There is a bit of confusion about poplar, aspen, and cottonwood trees. The tree referred to here is the genus “populus” which includes true poplars, as well as related trees such as cottonwood and aspen).
Here’s a quick list:
- Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera)
- Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
- Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata)
- Black Poplar (Populus nigra)
- European Aspen (Populus tremula)
- Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)
- Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)
As far as I could discover, the Aspen and Poplar tree magickal lore overlap, and can be used interchangeably, unless otherwise indicated. The lore does not refer to the Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), or Balm of Gilead (Populus candicans) which have different attributes and magickal qualities
- Celtic name: Eadha (pronounced: “Eh’ uh”).
- Folk or Common names: All Poplar – Popple, Alamo, Aspen; Trembling Poplar – American Aspen, White Poplar, or Quaking Aspen; Balm of Gilead – bombagillia.
Magickal Usage:
- Ruler: Saturn
- Type: Plant
- Magickal form: Buds
Carry poplar buds with you when seeking employment. Crush and add them to traditional money incense when you work on commission and need to attract more funds. The poplar buds may also be added to divination blends and make a great ingredient for psychics wishing to attract more business, as well as improving their powers.
The Poplar’s ability to resist and to shield, its association with speech, language and the Winds indicates an ability to endure and conquer. The Poplar is known as the “Tree that Transcends Fear”. Poplars symbolize the magick of joy, the aging of the year, resurrection and hope – and are connected to the Otherworld. Poplar can be used in magick done for success, passage and transformation, Hope, rebirth, divinations, shielding, endurance, agility in speech and language, protection, and love – and as an aid in astral projection.
Poplar can be used in protection charms of all kinds. Poplar is a good wood to burn in balefires and ritual fires since it offers protection. Shields can be made of Poplar since the wood is thought to offer protection from injury or death. Carrying Poplar helps to overcome the urge to give way under the burden of worldly pressures, and aids in determination. Poplar buds can also be carried to attract money and can be burned as an incense to create financial security.
Siberian reindeer-hunting cultures carved small goddess statues of Poplar (Aspen) wood. Groats and fat were then offered to the figures with this prayer:
“Help us to keep healthy!
Help us to hunt much game!”
Poplar buds are also sometimes added to flying ointments and was also used in astral travel. A medieval recipe for a flying ointment called for Cinquefoil, Poplar leaves, soot and bat’s blood obtained at the wake of the new moon.
The trembling leaves of the Poplar tree can be ‘read’ to divine messages from the God and Goddess, and also from spirits that drift into woods. The Poplar is the sacred World Tree of the Lakota nation. For the sun dance ceremony, a Poplar is carefully cut and lowered, then is re-erected in the center of the dance circle. While being carried the Poplar must never touch the ground. Green branches, a buffalo skull and eagle feathers were used to decorate the Poplar for this ceremony.
Aspen Lore:
A country name for the aspen is the Shivver-tree, a name which in some districts is also given to the poplar. The leaves of both trees tremble at the slightest stirring of air, so that they seem to move without ceasing when all around is still. Because of this, both trees were formerly credited with the power to cure agues and fevers.
A very old magical tradition held that ailments could most efficaciously be treated by something that resembled their effects; and since ague causes the patient to shake and tremble, he was likely to be healed by the shaking tree.
In his Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties, William Henderson relates the story of a Lincolnshire girl who was thus cured of ague. She was advised to pin a lock of her hair to an aspen, saying as she did so:
“Aspen tree, aspen tree,
I prithee to shake and shiver
Instead of me.”
As was usual in such charms, her journey home had then to be made in complete silence, otherwise the magic would not work. She followed the advice given, and many years later, when she was an old woman, she told Henderson’s informant that she had never been troubled with ague again.
Another method was to bore a small hole in the tree trunk, insert the patient’s nail parings, and close the hole securely. As the bark grew once more over the opening, so the disease would disappear.
Two widespread legends are told to account for the aspen’s trembling. One is that it was condemned to shiver thus for evermore because it was the only tree that would not bow down to Our Lord when He passed through the forest. The other is that it shudders perpetually with horror because its wood was used to make the Cross on Calvary.
Poplar Lore:
The poplar shares with the aspen the country name of Shivver-tree because like those of the latter, its leaves tremble. It also shares, and for the same reason, the aspen’s power to cure agues and fevers. R.M. Heanley records a Lincolnshire charm in which the patient cut off a lock of his hair and wrapped round a black poplar branch, saying as he did so:
When Christ our Lord was on the Cross,
Then didst thou sadly shivver and toss.
My aches and pains thou now must take,
Instead of me I bid thee shake.
He then had to go straight home, speaking to no one on the way, after which he would be free from ague forever. Heanley adds that some people considered it necessary to fast for twelve hours before attempting this charm.
The constant shaking of the poplar is often accounted for by the legend that its wood was used in the construction of the Cross. Medieval Legends of Christ (1934), mentions two explanatory legends. One is that it was under a poplar that Our Lord prayed during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and that the tree has trembled in sympathy ever since. The other is that it was cursed because, alone among the trees, it refused to mourn at the Crucifixion, saying that Christ died for sinners, “but I am innocent, and His suffering is no concern of mine.”
Poplar leaves were supposed to be one of the ingredients of the witches’ flying ointments.
Magical History and Associations:
In Gaelic tongue the tree was called Peble and Pophuil in the celtic way. Poplar is generally a plant of Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun and is associated with the element of water. Its color is rufous (red) and the bird associated with Poplar is the Whistling Swan. The stones associated with Poplar are Amber, Citrine Quartz, Sapphire and Swan Fluorite. The Anglo-Saxon rune poem seems to refer to the Poplar as being associated with the rune “berkano”.
Heracles wore a crown of Poplar leaves in triumph after killing the giant Cacus (the evil one) and retrieving Cerberus from Hades. The upper surface of the Poplar leaves was thus darkened from Hades’ smokey fumes. Poplar trees are sacred to the Mesopotamian goddess Ua-Ildak. The Grass King of Grossvargula, who was seen as having fertilizing powers, went on horseback wearing a pyramid of Poplar branches and a crown. He led a procession of young men about the town and was then stripped of his branches beneath the Silver Lindens of Sommerberg.
Poplar (Aspen) is said to be the tree of the Autumn Equinox and of old age, and is known as the shield makers’ tree. The Black Poplar was a funeral tree sacred to Hecate as death goddess, to Egeria, and to Mother Earth. Plato makes a reference to the use of Black Poplar and Silver Fir as an aid in divination. The Silver Fir standing for hope assured and the Black Poplar for loss of hope. The Grove of Persephone in the Far West contained Black Poplars and old Willows.
In ancient Ireland, the coffin makers measuring rod was made of Aspen, apparently to remind the dead that this was not the end. In Christian lore, the quaking Poplar (Aspen) was used to construct Christ’s cross, and the leaves of the tree quiver when they remember this fact.
Herbal usage:
Poplar can be used as a tonic, chiefly used in treating fevers. The infusion has been found helpful in treating chronic diarrhea. The sap collected from the buds can be used to make a healing ointment and can be used as an external application in bruises, swellings, and some skin diseases. Teas can be made from the Poplar buds and are useful in helping treat arthritis and rheumatism.
Source: Dutchie.org
Lemon Balm is bound to the moon and water. It is used in spells associated with healing, health, friendship, love, and success. Historically, it is a symbolic plant used to transmit messages between lovers.
- Latin name: Melissa officinalis
- Folk or Common names: Melissa, Sweet Balm, Balm Mint, Bee Balm, Blue Balm, Cure-all, Dropsy Plant, Garden Balm, Sweet Balm
- Ruler: Venus, Jupiter, Diana
- Planet: Moon or Neptune
- Gender: Feminine
- Element: Water
- Parts Used: Leaves, Essential Oil
- Tarot Card: The Chariot
- Basic powers: Love potions, aphrodisiacs, fertility anti-depressant.
Lemon Balm is used in spells to bring animal healing, compassion, endings, fertility, happiness, healing, longevity, love, mental, prosperity, psychic, release, success,and youth.
Lemon Balm has a long history, dating back to ancient Turkey where it was planted near bee hives to encourage the bees to return home to the hive rather than swarm away. It’s name, Melissa officinalis, is derived from the Greek word Melissa, meaning honeybee, and it was planted and used by the beekeepers of the Temple of Artemis to help keep the sacred honeybees content.
In ancient times Lemon Balm was planted by ones front door to drive away evil spirits. It is an herb which attracts, and is sometimes made into a charm and worn to bring a lover into one’s life.
Lemon balm (as herb or essential oil) may be used in as an ingredient or substitute for magick spells and formulas related to lunar matters (compassion, dreams, family, fertility, gardening, healing, love, peace, promoting sleep, prophecy, prophetic (or psychic) dreams), psychic awareness, sleep, and spirituality).
Lemon Balm was carried into Europe through Spanish trade routes, eventually making its way into the monastic gardens through out Europe. It was included in the formula for Carmelite water, a drink and perfume developed and closely guarded by the Carmelite friars and used as a drink to ward off nervous headaches and as a perfume to bring good cheer while masking strong odors in medieval and renaissance Europe.
Considered sacred to Diana, it is believed that it was once used in her temples. lemon balm was called “heart’s delight” in southern Europe. A tea made of the leaves brings calm, which is appropriate for magickal students while preparing for ritual work. Lemon Balm may also be used as a bathing herbe toward a variety of goals. It may be used as part of the ritual process of invoking the Goddess.
Writers over the centuries have praised lemon balm for its ability to dispel melancholy and in aromatherapy it is used to combat depression. Its pleasing scent makes it a popular ingredient in herbal pillows, often used to promote relaxation and sound sleep. Lemon balm is associated with the energies of the moon and used to help balance emotions, allowing us to perceive our feelings without becoming wrapped up in them.
Drink as an infusion to soothe emotional pains after a relationship ends. For magickal purposes, balm is ideally suited for healing those who suffer from mental or nervous disorders. It is also very useful for those of sound mind who need to keep their mental processes in superior condition.
Carry Lemon Balm in a charm or sachet to find love, or burn it as an incense when doing spells related to success. Drink as a Tea to ease emotional pain after the break-up of a relationship or other personal hurt.
Soak leaves in wine for several hours, strain, then share the wine with the object of your affection to influence love. Historically, it is a symbolic plant used to transmit messages between lovers.
It may be used when sharing a ritual bath with one’s partner; or it may be used to find the fulfillment of one’s personal desires. This usage of lemon balm opens one to the divine love of the Goddess, but is also believed to add energy to one’s being which makes you more appealing in the world of love and romance.
Lemon Balm guides us as we traverse the misty emotional state of the Moon and enables us to view our emotions and feelings without getting lost in them. Lemon Balm sachets placed under your pillow or near the bed are reputed to provide a refreshing, relaxing sleep. In folklore, Lemon Balm was used to ward off evil, and to promote good health, love, and good cheer.
Lemon Balm’s presence is quiet and strong. Running through the soil like her minty cousins, she spreads just under the surface with steady, clear intention. In this way, she reminds us good cheer and sunny confidence will proliferate even when we’re not aware of their presence on the surface of our lives. Lemon Balm magic is the magic of quiet, steady trust.
Lemon Balm’s effect on honeybees, attracting them and encouraging them to remain in their hives, reminds us to nurture our homes, our friends and family, our communities. Through the simple act of contributing to our household, we nurture ourselves. In this way, Lemon Balm asks us to seek joy and peace in the mundane tasks of life as a way of self-nurturing.
Thriving in both sun and shade, soils of a wide pH, dry and damp conditions, Lemon Balm teaches versatility, particularly in how we grow. If Lemon Balm has popped up in your life, it may be time to ask yourself what conditions are present in your life that you must embrace to thrive. Has a challenge surfaced that you resist? Have you identified an aspect of your life that feels unbearable, burdensome, like a whole lotta work? Lemon Balm can help you identify the trouble and find ways to adapt and thrive amidst it, or maybe in spite of it.
I like to think of Lemon Balm magic as the magic of relax-its-only-life. That’s the feeling I get from bruising her leaves and taking in her scent. However melancholy I may feel, whatever darkness or heaviness seems to plague my life, the scent of Melissa officinalis always brings a smile to my lips. Lemon Balm magic is the magic of steady, calm, persistent, good cheer.
Collected from a variety of sources including Herbal Riot
- Common names: Thoroughfwort, White Snake Root, Agueweed, Indian Sage
- Scientific name: Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Element: Water
- Planet: Saturn:
- Parts Used: Leaf
Boneset guides ghosts elsewhere, attracting protective, benevolent spirits instead. Boneset may also be used to protect people and animals from “ghost sickness,” the illness that some believe may emerge after extended contact with the dead.
The most potent boneset is found growing on or near graves. Supplement it with white pine for added enhancement.
Hang fresh boneset branches over doorways, or burn young boneset branches and twigs within a cauldron to drive away existing ghosts.
In addition to it’s ghost busting power, boneset opposes unnatural illness and snakes.
To counteract occult poisons they have been fed, folks rub dry boneset leaves all over their body, then take the leaves outdoors and burn them with a holy or purifying incense.
Brew boneset leaf tea and bathe in it to get rid of enemy tricks that have affected your health. Boneset can also be used to purify a sickroom by sprinkling it onto the floor and then sweeping it out the front door.
Burn boneset in an Incense to balance the energies of a space or to ground and focus your energy. Added to an Elixir or Philtre, boneset promotes health. Mixed with angelica and added to the bath, boneset is excellent for ritual cleansings.
From: The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells
And: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic and other sources
- Planet: Mars
- Ruler: Sun, Jupiter
- Element: Earth, Air
- Associated Deities: Cybele, Venus, Attis, Pan, Dionysius, Poseidon
- Type: Tree
- Parts Used: Cone, Nuts, Needles, Oil
- Basic Powers: Fertility, Purification, Cleansing, Protection, Money
Cleansing, health, and energy are the magickal properties of the pine. Pine is a spiritual cleanser. A pine wand or pine cone kept on the altar wards off evil influences. Floor washes with pine oil cleanse a space of negativity and ward off illness.
The Iroquois burned pine chips or resin when moving into a vacant house to drive out spirits. If mixed with camphor, the result is stronger. The practice of bringing cut pine branches into the home during the winter holiday season is one that promotes clearing the home of negativity and illness during the winter months.
Burn the crushed and dried needles in the winter to purify the home. This is good when mixed with equal parts juniper and cedar. The cones are carried as fertility charms, and the nuts eaten for this same reason. Pine branches are sometimes used to sweep the forest floor before performing magick outside. Add the crushed needles to the bath sachet for a good cleansing bath. Fresh pine needles in a bath remove mental negativity.
The resin of Pine may be gathered, dried, and used as an incense. It has the quality of cleansing a space of negative energy. Pine is also very effective as a counter-magick herb, repelling evil energy and returning it to its source. Throw pine needles into winter fires for protection, or burn pine incense for purification and divination.
Pine is held sacred to Poseidon, and using the pitch of the tree to caulk a boat gives it magickal protection upon the waters.
To draw money:
Because it is evergreen, pine draws steady money. The scent of pine is also believed to attract money, it is stronger when mixed with cinnamon, bayberry, or nutmeg.
For health, fertility, and protection:
Keep a perfect unopened pine cone in the home for fertility, long life, good health, and warding off the Evil Eye. If it opens and begins to shed its seeds, plant it, and replace it with a new one.
Collected from various sources
- Ruler: Moon, Mars
- Element: Water
- Type: Flower
- Magickal Form: Flower, Oil
- Basic Powers: Love, Healing, Protection
The geranium is a popular house and garden plant, not only because it is bright, cheerful, and hardy but also because it magically repels evil spirits. Maintain protective boundaries with geranium essential oils, or strategically place individual plants.
This positive and affirming flower is best for increasing self-confidence and healing a blow to the ego. The geranium soothes a broken heart. Rub into white candles to help make a serious decision about whether to stay or leave a relationship.
Wear the flowers or add them to love sachets. The white variety is worn to promote fertility, while the red are a good protection and aid healing. Plant the flowers in the garden (especially the pink and red) to protect the house and to keep snakes away from your property.
From: Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients
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