The peach tree is a magical celebrity in his native land of China, as well as in the other Asian countries where he grows. Powerfully protective against all things negative, and strongly symbolic of all things good and right in the world, the peach (Prunus persica) tree is a wonderful magical ally to have. Not to mention, his flowers are breathtaking and his fruit the very pinnacle of palatability.
Magical Uses
Health
Shou Hsing—the white-bearded Chinese god of health and longevity—is sometimes depicted holding a peach. Indeed, peach kernel is used in Chinese medicine to reduce inflammation and activate blood flow, and a ripe peach is a potent symbol of robust physical health.
A Peach a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
To bolster immunity and physical health, bless a single peach every morning. Do this by washing it and then holding it up in both hands in the direction of the morning sun. As you do so, envision a vibrant, peach-colored light filling and surrounding it. Then mindfully eat it, feeling yourself internalizing the light of health as you do so. Begin at the new moon and continue until the moon is full.
Immortality
While I can’t guarantee that peaches (or anything else) will bestow literal immortality upon you, the idea of immortality as a symbol can certainly enhance one’s magical and spiritual work. Chinese tradition states that certain deities ate peaches to prolong their immortal status every three thousand years. Similar to the Greek pantheon’s fondness for ambrosia, these special “peaches of immortality” grew in the garden of the Queen Mother of the West, also known as the Taoist goddess Hsi Wang Mu. Peaches can be blessed and eaten in magical work as a way to honor and acknowledge the immortality of the soul.
Protection
Peach wood and peach pits are extremely effective magical protectors. Freshly dried pits can be placed around the home and near entrances to ward off wayward spirits and negativity in general. In China, blossoming branches are traditionally placed around the home as cheerful decorations that also happen to shield against all forms of negativity. In ancient times, peach wood arrows and wands were used to ward off untoward influences and protect against evil spirits.
I have personally found peach pits to be an excellent magical ingredient to have on hand regularly, for anytime you need to protect against anything at all. I have even used one as a ward against parking tickets (mind you, I used to live in Los Angeles, where parking tickets are virtually hiding around every corner).
Extra Strength Protection Ward
Let’s say you need serious energetic protection from any form of intensely negative vibes. Empower a dried peach pit and a clove of garlic by holding them in bright sunlight for thirty seconds to one minute. Tie them into red flannel using a small length of hemp twine. Hold it in both hands and say, “Archangel Michael, bless this ward with your fire and light. May it repel negativity all day and all night. With abiding love and thanks to thee, as I will it, so mote it be.” Keep it in your pocket or pin it to the inside of your clothes—and of course take every possible precaution in the physical world to stay safe.
Positive Energy
Wherever the peach tree grows in the Asian world, it seems the peach is associated with all good things: happiness, joy, sweetness, victory, health, wealth, protection, longevity, and even immortality. In the Western world we obviously sense this as well, as proven by our popular slang term meaning generally positive and happy: “peachy.”
Just Peachy Charm for All-Purpose Positivity
To bless a space with general positivity of all varieties, charm a peach and simply place it in the area. Do this by empowering it in sunlight and invoking a deity of your choice to bless it with the energy of all good things. Afterward, give it back to the earth by placing it at the base of a tree. (Incidentally, don’t encourage this, but if someone happens to inadvertently eat the charmed peach, it should be quite interesting to note how they behave.)
Magical Correspondences
Element: Fire
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Venus