Herbs

Before we begin, a quick caution: There is a huge variety in herbal and oil ingredients for magical uses. It is essential to pay attention to the mundane properties of each ingredient as well as the magical.

As we saw in our last ritual, an herb or oil's mundane properties may sometimes clash with our plans for using its magical properties. Though many herbs are edible, there are also many which are not. Some people have allergies to different substances. The same goes with oils... some have no negative effects on the body, while others do, and some will be harmful for only people with certain aliments.

Some of these substances, which have great magical uses when handled properly, can also be foul smelling, cause irritation to the skin, eyes, or respiratory system, or are caustic acids or alanines, or even deadly poisons. I cannot stress enough the caution with which one must handle unfamiliar ingredients.

The most well known expert on the magical use and handling of herbal and oil ingredients is Scott Cunningham. If you are going to work with these substances, I recommend two of his books: Incense, Oils, and Brews, and Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

Using herbs and oils for magical purposes is a little different from using human manufactured tools. With most of your tools, you are drawing energy in from natural sources around you and directing it using the tools. Energy is pulled in and stored in some tools for ritual, such as candles, amulets and symbols. It is simply directed through other tools, such as your athame, wand, or staff.

Herbs and oils have their own energies. Rather than directing energy into these tools, you are actually directing energy from them and focusing its effects. Other energies may be added to the rite, but it is important to always remember that when working with these tools, you are not starting with a blank slate and writing what you want... you are starting with a written message and sending it where you want it to go.

Use of herbs and oils for magical purposes takes 3 main forms:

Incense, a mixture with, on, or around a flammable base, which is then burned during ritual or magical working, releasing its energies as part of the rite. This mix may be strictly herbs or may include oils as well.

Oil, usually a mix of different oils together within a neutral energied base oil, which preferably has some preserving properties to it. This mix is usually used to anoint objects, people, or both during magical workings or rituals, but may also be used in an oil diffuser in some cases.

Brew, which may be a mix of both herbs and oils and may even contain food items or other substances. There are many different types and uses of brews, including mixtures you would eat, mixtures you use to wash items, mixtures in which you bathe, mixtures which are offered to nature in the form of sacrifice (usually poured into the ground), mixtures which you keep sealed up and protected, etc. This is one of those areas in which great caution must be exercised. For instance, a brew made for drinking might be just fine for everyone except for pregnant women, or except for diabetics, or except for heart patients, etc. I am not going to discuss brews much in this lesson, except for a few bath sachets and potpourri. Consumable brews fall into the Kitchen Witch category, which may be discussed at a later date.

Incenses and oils can be purchased pre made in many occult shops. Most of these mixes are perfectly good, but many people do like to mix their own. One benefit to mixing your own incense is the knowledge that you have directed the energies personally, and therefore the use of the incense will have a more personal effect. For instance, a healing incense you make to help a friend through a highly stressful time will be more oriented to that purpose than a general healing incense purchased at a pagan shop, which might be directed towards the body instead of the mind and spirit where it is needed in this case.

You are less likely to find brews pre made, but you may find dry ingredients for them, such as bath sachets, teas, etc. The same can be stated for these as for incenses and oils... they are fine to use, but many people prefer making their own for the above stated reasons.

Because of this it is nice to have listings of uses of different herbs and oils. These uses can be found in many sources, my favorites being Cunningham's books, including the two listed above and his book on Kitchen Witchcraft.

From here, I will be focusing mainly on Herbs.

Ideal Staples for an Incense Herb Cupboard:

BAY LEAF - use alone for visions, or in an exorcism incense

add WHITE SANDALWOOD to BAYLEAF for an incense to help remove curses or spells cast against the subject of your rite

CEDAR - purification, anti-nightmare, money, and psychic power

CINNAMON - high spiritual vibrations (good for deity incenses), healing, money, psychic power, and productive vibrations (meaning increasing the effectiveness of the spell)

CHAMOMILE - sleep... GERMAN - calming, ROMAN - Meditation

CLOVE - attract riches, purification, repel hostile or negative forces, and spiritual vibrations

DILL - money, love, lust, protection

DRAGON'S BLOOD - powerful protection, drive out evil/negativity, increase the incenses power/potency

FRANKINCENSE - powerful vibrations, uplifting, repel negativity/evil, exorcism, protection, purification, consecration, visions, meditation

LAVENDER FLOWERS, dried - sleep, rest, healing

MYRRH - purification, uplifting vibrations, creating peace, healing, power/potency, consecration, blessing objects, meditation

ROSEMARY - powerful cleansing and purification, anti-negativity, receiving knowledge in answer to a question, substitute for FRANKINCENSE

ROWEN - divination, ROWEN LEAVES AND BERRIES - psychic power, healing, health, power, success, luck

TEA (real tea) - riches, money

THYME - good health, cleansing, purification

TOBACCO - purification of all negativity and all spirits; speak to spirits; sacred Native American herb

WHITE PINE SAWDUST - incense base

WHITE SANDALWOOD - protection, healing, exorcism, incense base, high spiritual vibrations

Things to take into account when making an herbal mix include the nature of the herbs in question, both magical and mundane; herbs which are caustic or otherwise uncomfortable or harmful should be used sparingly if at all... the scent that will be produced should be at least tolerable and if possible pleasant, though in a small few cases bad smells are unavoidable... and your purpose should dominate the mix. In other words, a purification incense should have as its ingredients mainly herbs whose stated purposes are purification, exorcism, removal of negativity/spells/hexes, and repelling evil. It is good to include protection (as would be good for all mixtures) but unless the purpose of the incense is protection, that should not be the dominant characteristic of the herbs included.

When using herb or oil ingredients to make any ritual tool, you must focus their energies as you go. The best way I have found is to measure out the ingredient and hold that in your hands, focus on the properties you want to use, and speak out loud that focus. For instance, when adding chamomile to a sleep pillow, you would focus on the subject smelling the scent and becoming sleepy, and might say something like "I am adding Chamomile for sleep." If, instead, you have chosen to use it for its meditative properties, you would focus on the subject smelling the scent and becoming calm and focused and able to meditate effectively, and your statement would change to "...adding Chamomile for meditation." You can do this while the ingredient is in the teaspoon (for herbs) or dropper (for oils) and even continue it as you add the ingredient to the mix, using a stir stick or spoon to mix the ingredients as you add, continuing to focus on the purpose of the incense, oil, or brew.

When you are done, bless the overall mix toward its intended purpose. Visualize the subject using the mixture and see the energies of it surrounding and affecting him/her, filling him/her with the intended effects of the spell or ritual for which the mixture was created. Picture your subject enjoying the benefits of these energies. When you feel the mixture is ready, it can be used immediately or kept for later. Make sure it is kept in a sealed container so that it does not spill or become stale.

For the following recipes, I am using a teaspoon as one part. Oil can be substituted for some herbs; 10 drops of oil can be substituted for a teaspoon, two for a pinch.

Purification Incense:

1 large BAY LEAF, crushed - to exorcize the area, remove any curses and/or spells

a pinch of CLOVE (too caustic for more) - for purification and to repel hostile or negative forces

1 part DRAGON'S BLOOD - for protection, to increase the potency of the incense, and to drive out evil and/or negativity

1 part MYRRH - for purification, to create peace, and to increase the incense's potency

1 part FRANKINCENSE - for purification, protection, and powerful vibrations, also to repel evil or negativity

2 parts SANDALWOOD for protection, high spiritual vibrations, and exorcism

3 parts ROSEMARY - for it's powerful cleansing energy, purification, and anti-negativity energy

3 parts WHITE PINE SAWDUST - incense base (neutral)

Purification Bath Sachet:

Pinch ANISE SEEDS - purification

1 crushed BAY LEAF - purification and wisdom

5 drops LEMON JUICE - cleanse from negative vibrations

1 part LAVENDER - purification

3 pine needles - cleansing

1 part ROSEMARY - Purification

1 part SAGEBRUSH - purification of one's negative past behavior

1 part equal mix of THYME and MARJORAM - remove past sorrows and ills

If using before a healing rite add a tiny pinch of SAFFRON

Tie sachet up in a cotton cloth. Of the 3 pine needles, bless one each to Body, Mind, and Spirit.

Protection Incense:

1 part CUMAN - burn with FRANKINCENSE for protection

1 part DRAGON'S BLOOD for protection, to increase the potency of the incense, and to drive out evil and/or negativity

1 part FRANKINCENSE - for protection, purification, and powerful vibrations, also to repel evil or negativity

1 part SANDALWOOD - for protection

3 parts WHITE PINE SAWDUST - incense base

Protection Sleep Pillow:

1 part APPLEWOOD - longevity

3 DRIED BEANS - guard against negativity, evil magic

1 crushed BAY LEAF - ward off negativity/evil

1 part BONESET - to ward off evil spirits

Pinch CUMIN or 5 drops CYPRESS OIL - peace of mind

a few dried, crushed DOGWOOD LEAVES - protection

1 part HEATHER - guard against violent crime

10 drops EUCALYPTUS oil - protection from colds

1 PEACH PIT - Repel Demons

1 part HAWTHORN - Protection from evil ghosts and/or spells

1 part ROSEMARY - drive away nightmares

2 parts SPEARMINT - General protection

Surround with a layer of cotton pillow stuffing, and sew into white cotton cloth which may then be decorated with protective symbols as desired. Of the 3 dried beans, focus one on protecting the body, one on the mind, and one on the spirit. Tiny beans and a tiny peach pit can be used. Do not substitute apricot for the peach unless you want a lover.

Healing Incense:

1 part LAVENDER - for general healing

1 part GARDENIA PETALS - for general healing

1 part WHITE SANDALWOOD - for general healing and purification (of unhealth)

1 part THYME - for good heath

3 parts PINE SAWDUST - incense base

To focus on ridding the body of sickness, add:

1 part ROSEMARY - for powerful cleansing energy, focused on flushing out the cold

To focus the healing on mental health, add:

1 part GERMAN CHAMOMILE - for calming

1 part MYRRH - to create peace

Healing Rest Pillow:

Pinch ANISE - prevent nightmares

3 dried ELDERBERRIES - peaceful slumber

1 part HOPS - sleep and rest

1 part LAVENDER - peacefulness, joy

3 drops LINDEN OIL - ward of insomnia

a few MORNING GLORY flowers, dried - stop nightmares

a few NETTLE FLOWERS, dried - speed recovery from sickness

1 part ROSEMARY - drive away nightmares, ensure good sleep

1 part SPEARMINT - protection

1 part THYME - ward off nightmares, ensure restful sleep

Surround with a layer of cotton pillow stuffing, and sew into white cotton cloth which may then be decorated with symbols as desired.

Money Incense

1 part ALLSPICE HERB (not kitchen allspice) - for money and luck

1 part BENZOIN SIAM, CINNAMON, and BASIL mix (use only a pinch of cinn) - to attract customers

1 part CEDAR - for money

Pinch CLOVE - attract customers

1 part JASMINE - for money, wealth

Pinch ORANGE PEEL - prosperity

1 part real TEA - for riches, money

1 part GINGER - to break the curse of poverty

2 parts WHITE PINE SAWDUST - for incense base

Business Potpourri

1 part equal mix BENZOIN SIAM and BASIL - (with cinnamon) attract customers

4 parts CINNAMON STICK PIECES, small - money, wealth

2 part CLOVES, whole - attract riches, attract customers

1 part dried GINGER - success

Pinch powdered NUTMEG - prosperity, money

1 part dried ORANGE peel - prosperity

1 part dried STAR ANISE - increase sales staff's intuition regarding customer needs

Pinch Vertivert - money, anti-theft

Divination Incense

1 crushed BAY LEAF - produce visions

Pinch CINNAMON or MACE - for Psychic power

or substitute a mix of ORRIS ROOT and CELERY SEED, 1 part, or 1 part STAR ANISE... CINNAMON or MACE are just easier to get

1 part FRANKINCENSE - for meditation, powerful vibrations, and to produce visions

1 part equal mix of MUGWORT with either WHITE SANDALWOOD or WORMWOOD - for scrying (do not burn both Sandalwood and Wormwood together or you will summon spirits instead)

2 parts WHITE PINE SAWDUST - incense base

to speak with spirits, add:

1 part TOBACCO

for prophetic dreams, add:

1 part JASMINE

to receive knowledge in answer to a question, add:

1 part ROSEMARY

Psychic Dream Pillow:

1 part crushed BAY LEAF - prophetic dreams

1 part dried, crushed BRACKEN (seaweed) - cause solutions to problems to appear in dreams

5 drops HELIOTROPE OIL - Prophetic dreams

1 part MARIGOLD - Prophetic dreams and protection

1 part MUGWORT - Prophetic dreams

A few dried SUNFLOWER petals - know truth

1 part SPEARMINT - general protection

1 PEACH PIT - repel demons

Surround with a layer of cotton pillow stuffing, and sew into white cotton cloth which may then be decorated with symbols as desired.

Assignment:

Choose 1 or more of the following:

1) Look around you for some mundane uses of magical herbs; bath sachets and potpourri sold in stores, seasonings used in some of your favorite recipes, herbs used in your toiletries (especially in your conditioner), etc. Look up some of the magical meanings of these herbs, and then compare with how they are being used.

2) Gather together the ingredients and make one of the above recipes. (For this, I recommend not doing incense unless you have made your own before and have an understanding of how burning each herb affects your body). Put your creation to use.

3) Make one of your favorite recipes which includes herbal flavoring, but bless the herbs for their positive uses as you add them to the recipe. For instance, if you make something with Garlic, when adding the garlic to your dish, concentrate on its healing and protective properties and imagine all who eat the dish in question becoming stronger against illnesses and being safer. This can even be as simple as adding some real Vanilla a cup of hot chocolate (before heating) with the focus on lust, to increase the sexual activity in your life, or adding Cinnamon with the focus on healing, bringing in money, or increasing your psychic powers.

As you eat or drink what you have prepared, continue to focus on the effects of the added herbal ingredient, until you have finished. Now, watch to see the effects of this little rite on your life.