Let me henna a heart on your hand; clench it,
and know that my love is within you.
—Anonymous
Magic has been a part of our universal culture for as long as there are documented records, and in one form or another, civilizations and tribal people have expressed their devotion to deities and Spirit through symbols. A symbol is like a key—it unlocks the door to the unconscious mind and conveys something that words cannot express, yet conversely is often understood the world over. Whether simple and to the point or delightfully intricate, these mystical symbols are thought to imbue us with the power behind the image, the sympathetic magic of the Divine itself.
Over the millennia, symbols became spells, mixing imagery with corresponding elements such as the planets, the zodiac, and related plants, oils, and minerals. Traditions spread and became intertwined, morphing religions and spiritual paths so that unique symbols became universal and more widely recognized. Magic itself is the art of change, and by using the elements, we can harness the invisible forces that surround us to make changes both subtle and powerful to ourselves and our environment. The use of plants and their byproducts of oils, resins, and gums have been used in magical and medicinal practices from time immemorial. Henna is an integral part of that history and one that has been embraced worldwide. Its strangely mystical nature and indelible stain adds to its allure; what better medium to use when making magic?
The following spells and charms can be as simple or as intricate as you wish; they are open to interpretation and easy to embellish. In chapter 7, you learned how to mix and apply henna to the skin. Now you can use this skill to add some magic and mystery to your life by using several different principles:
A Symbol: To convey the intention of your spell.
Essential Oils and Herbs: To stimulate the mind and spirit, and to add magical correspondences that strengthen your intent.
Planetary and Elemental Correspondences: To enhance the power of the herbs, oils, and symbols.
By applying the appropriate henna design with intent, mixed with corresponding oils, herbs, or powders, you are creating a potent spell. As the design is temporary, you can reapply it as needed or allow it to fade as the magic does its work.
Creating Your Designs
When creating your designs, let your imagination run riot or stick to traditional symbols—whichever you feel most able to do. To start with, it may be easier to stick to simple designs until you are confident you can apply the henna easily. There are many symbols that are very striking and powerful but only use a few lines or circles, which you can embellish as you wish.
For example:
- A cross within a circle
- Add some dots around the circle and the arms of the cross
- Maybe some arrows on the arms of the cross for protection
- A heart
- Add spirals, dots, or an eye in the middle
- Add a name
If you wish to add your name or someone else’s into your design, you can change it into a sigil by using the letters to overlap and create a shape, or you can use a flowing italic script and hide the name within flourishes, flowers, or shapes.
Examples of meaningful symbols for your henna designs
The Spells
Always remember when doing any form of magic that the intent should be to do others and yourself no harm. View the force of the universe as a neutral but powerful element. We can choose what we want to do with it, so make that choice wisely.
- Beauty, 199
- Happiness, 200
- Health & Healing, 201
- Love, 203
- Protection, 206
- Purification, 208
- Sacred Spirituality, 209
- Wealth & Prosperity, 210
The relevant magical correspondences are listed as per each spell. They represent the following:
Planet: Associated with the action/emotion.
Day: The most conducive time for the spell to be applied.
Number: This also can be incorporated into the design—e.g., seven shapes or even a stylized number seven.
Herbs or Oils: Associated with the action/emotion.
Moon Phase: One that is most helpful for the particular spell.
Symbol: Represents the goal or desire and can be incorporated into your design (for inspiration, check out the symbols listed in chapter 4).
Oils
Mix the henna as per one of the recipes in chapter 7; when instructed to add the oils, use the appropriate oil for your chosen spell. Use high-grade essential oils or blends only; choose a single oil or a blend of up to five different oils, using the appropriate amount of drops for the amount of henna paste you are making, i.e., five to ten drops per tablespoon of paste.
Do not use essential oils or herbs or henna on very young children or if you are in the early stages of pregnancy.
Flowers, Herbs & Powders
Should you wish to use powders or crushed herbs, add these in with your henna when mixing the paste (see page 175). Choose two or three different herbs. To mix with the henna, crush the dried flowers, herbs, and spices with a mortar and pestle if they are not already powdered. You may need to add slightly more liquid to compensate for the extra powder. Depending on the ingredients, it may need sieving before adding to the henna powder.
To Prepare
Allow yourself plenty of time and make the area around you as comfortable (and stainproof) as possible, consecrating and purifying the area if necessary. Burn some incense, light some candles, brew up some tea, and you are ready to go!
A modern design using hearts
Beauty
Place anywhere!
Element: Water
Planetary Correspondence: Venus
Number: 7
Day: Friday
Moon: Waxing
Beauty Spell
- 2 drops ylang-ylang or jasmine
- 1 drop rose
Suggested Designs
Rose
Heart
Flowers
Spirals
Happiness
Place over the heart, chest, belly, or anywhere.
Element: Fire
Planetary Correspondence: Sun
Number: 6
Day: Sunday
Moon: Waxing/Full
Happiness Spell
- 1 drop orange
- 1 drop bergaptene-free bergamot
- 1 drop lemon
- 1 drop benzoin
Suggested Designs
Sun
Flowers
Spirals
Health & Healing
Place anywhere you need healing or strengthening—as the design fades, you can reapply for added power or let the ailment fade as the henna does.
Element: Fire
Planetary Correspondences: Sun (general healing), Mars (physical strength, healing after accident or surgery)
Numbers: 6, 5
Days: Sunday, Tuesday
Moon: Waxing
Symbols
Sun: Flaming sun or alchemical/planetary symbol
Mars: Alchemical (right-side-up triangle) or planetary symbol
Ankh: Ancient Egyptian symbol of good health and long life
Caduceus: Good health and healing
Sma: An ancient Egyptian symbol in the shape of the lungs
General Good Health Spell
- 2 drops oil or pinch dried lemon balm
- 2 drops oil or pinch dried, crushed, and ground lemon peel
- 1 drop oil or pinch dried, crushed, and ground sandalwood
- 1 drop oil or pinch dried jasmine flowers
Energy Blend
- 1 drop lemon
- 1 drop orange
- 1 drop ginger
Mental Health Spell
- 2 drops rosemary
- 1 drop cedarwood
- 2 drops lemon
Fertility & Conception Spell
- 2 drops geranium
- 1 drop rose
- 1 drop patchouli
Place design over the womb.
Suggested Designs
Moon
Venus Sigil
Ankh
Fish
Goat or Ram
Women’s Healing Spell
- 1 drop oil or pinch ground rose petals
- 1 drop oil or pinch ground jasmine flowers
- 1 drop oil or pinch ground sandalwood
Suggested Designs
Ankh in a Circle
Flaming Sun
Caduceus
Love
Love—the most often requested and used spell of all! As humans we are all looking for true love; use it wisely and without manipulation, as there is nothing more tragic than a case of unrequited or manipulated love. Use this spell to attract love to you in its most positive aspect—it may not attract a particular person, but it will attract the right one!
Apply your design to the heart/breast region or palm of hand.
Elements: Water (love), Fire (sex)
Planetary Correspondences: Venus (love), Mars (sex)
Numbers: 7 (Venus), 5 (Mars)
Days: Friday (Venus), Tuesday (Mars)
Moon: Waxing
Symbols
Heart: For all love spells
Heart with Eye Inside: To protect your love against others
Acorn: To attract love
Moon (Waxing Crescent): Drawn with points to the left
Venus (Planetary) Sigil: For feminine love
Apple: Love, friendship
Daisy: Innocence and love
Honeysuckle: Fidelity, affection, to dream of your true love
Lotus: Spiritual love and protection
Poppy: To help if bewitched in love or lust
Rose: Pure or divine love
Willow: Loss of love, to ease sorrow
Knot: To hold the love of a sweetheart
Love Attraction Spell
- 2 drops palmarosa
- 1 drop cardamom
- 1 drop ginger
- 1 drop ylang-ylang
Light-Hearted Love Spell
- Pinch dried rose petals
- Pinch dried lavender
- Pinch orris root
- 1 dried rosehip
Protective Love Spell
- 2 drops rose oil (or pinch dried rose petals)
- 2 drops black pepper oil (or pinch black peppercorns)
Recovery from Love Lost Spell
- Pinch dried lemon balm or 2 drops oil
- Pinch dried jasmine flower or 2 drops jasmine/ylang-ylang oil
- Pinch of orris root (omit if using the oils)
Sexual Attraction Blend
- 1 drop patchouli
- 1 drop ginger
- 1 drop cardamom
Erotic Ritual Blend
- 2 drops jasmine or ylang-ylang
- 1 drop rose maroc
or
- 2 drops patchouli
- 1 drop cinnamon (note: may irritate sensitive skin)
See erotic ritual directions on page 221; place design in more intimate areas such as breast, inner thigh, and above the pubic area.
Suggested Designs
To Attract Love: An upside-down triangle, snake, heart
To Protect Your Love: An eye inside a heart
To Give Love: A heart with a spiral
For Male/Female Energy: Venus/Mars sigil
For Female/Female or Male/Male: Venus/Venus or Mars/Mars sigil
For Joining/Marriage: Entwined hearts or circles
Protection
This is one of the most widely used spells across the world. In Morocco and some Middle Eastern countries, protection against the evil eye was and still is very important. The symbol used is traditionally an eye often made of blue glass with a white centre, which is hung over the door of a house or worn as an amulet (see coloured endpages for a photo). A protection spell can be used against anything that is potentially causing you harm or distress, be it an emotion (anger, misery, jealousy, or an addiction), a person, or a spirit.
Apply your design either over the solar plexus (upper abdomen) or on the palm of the hand.
Element: Fire
Planetary Correspondences: Saturn, Mars, Sun
Numbers: 3, 5, 6
Days: Saturday, Tuesday, Sunday
Moon: Waning
Symbols
Numbers: 3, 5, 6
Sun: A flaming or planetary symbol
Mars: An alchemical or planetary symbol
Circle: Universal symbol of protection
Cross within a Circle
Eye of Horus: Protection, especially powerful if both eyes are drawn
Pentagram: A five-pointed star
Pentacle: Pentagram within a circle
Hexagram: A six-pointed star or Star of David
Bell: Commonly used for banishing
Fish: To protect against the hatred of others toward you
Scarab Beetle: Protects against evil
Star: Wards off evil and draws forth good
Tassel: In the Middle East, used to repel evil spirits
Protection Spell
- 1 drop black pepper
- 1 drop clove
- 1 drop marjoram
Magical Protection Spell
- 2 drops frankincense
- 1 drop myrrh
- 2 drops sandalwood
Banishing/Hex-Breaking Spell
- 1 drop oil or pinch dried vetivert
- 1 drop oil or pinch dried juniper berries
- 1 drop oil or pinch dried basil
Suggested Designs
Pentacle
Flaming Sun
Eye of Horus
Cross in Circle
Purification
Place over the heart for spiritual purification, over the belly for health purification, and on the lower abdomen or pubis for cleansing after a period and to balance the menstrual cycle.
Element: Water
Planetary Correspondence: Saturn
Number: 3
Day: Saturday
Moon: Waning
Purification Blend
- 1 drop lemon
- 1 drop lime
- 1 drop grapefruit
- 1 drop orange
Suggested Designs
Sword with Flames
Sun or Flaming Sun
Cross in a Circle
Water Symbol
Lotus
Sacred Spirituality
Place on the heart and hands. Use any designs that symbolize your personal spiritual path.
- 1 drop frankincense
- 1 drop sandalwood
- 1 drop myrrh
- 1 drop cedar
Suggested Designs
Ankh
Pentagram
Pentagon
Cross
Spiral
Dot within Circle
Wealth & Prosperity
Place your design on the palm of the hands or on the chest to receive wealth of all kinds!
Element: Earth
Planetary Correspondence: Jupiter
Number: 4
Day: Thursday
Moon: Waxing
Symbols
Four-Leaf Clover: The leaves going clockwise from left stem represent fame, wealth, love, and health, respectively
Alchemical or Planetary Sign of Jupiter
Cat
Narcissus
Nine-Pointed Star
Owl
Scarab
Sun: Planetary or alchemical symbol
Wishbone
Money Spell
- 1 drop ginger
- 1 drop vetivert
- 1 drop patchouli
- 1 drop clove
Business Success Spell
- 1 pinch dried basil
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch dried ground cedarwood
Good Luck Blend
- 1 drop/pinch patchouli
- 1 drop/pinch clove
- 1 drop/pinch cinnamon
- 1 drop/pinch orange
Suggested Designs
Stylized Jupiter Sigil
Pentacle
Four-Leaf Clover