by Deborah Blake
Some tools and practices of the modern Witch are fairly new developments, like using different colored candles for the quarters or calling on deities from regions other than our own. Then there are the tools and practices that have come down to us through the centuries, utilized by virtually every culture in virtually every age, like the use of herbs in magical work.
The Egyptians used frankincense and myrrh, mistletoe and meadowsweet were said to be sacred to the Druids, and there are many references to herbs and plants in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. In Africa, magic and medicine were often entwined, and herbs played a part there as well.
Of course, this makes sense when you think about what herbs are; essentially, they are just plants, often growing wild in the areas where they were used or readily available from the garden. They are, in fact, one of the most powerful tools in the Witch’s toolbox, as long as you choose them carefully. In this article, I’ll share with you ten of my favorites, as well as some suggestions for easy ways to use them.
What Is an Herb?
What do we mean when we talk about herbs as a part of magical work? As always, it depends on whom you ask. Many folks, like Scott Cunningham, whose books are used as a reference source by many, include any and all plants. For instance, in his books Magical Herbalism: The Secret Craft of the Wise and Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Cunningham talks about everything from almonds (a nut) to yew (a tree).
Generally, herbs are plants used for seasoning or medicinal reasons, but for the purposes of Witchcraft, a more general and inclusive approach is usually accepted. If it is a plant, you can consider that it falls under the herbal umbrella.
Why Use Them? Why These Ten?
All growing things contain a certain energy. By using herbs in our magical work, we can tap into that energy and use it to boost or direct our intentions. Different energies are usually associated with specific plants, and you want to choose an herb that will work well with the spell or ritual you have in mind. For instance, certain herbs, like rose or lavender, are considered to be beneficial for love magic, while others, like rosemary and basil, are more likely to be used for protection magic. By becoming more familiar with the various herbs available to you, you will be better able to select the plant or plants that will best help you achieve your goals.
Some books on Witchcraft contain lists of many exotic and esoteric herbs, most of which are expensive and difficult to find. Mandrake, for instance, is a rare plant that has long been tied to magical work, in part because the root of the plant looks much like the body of a man and therefore lends itself well to sympathetic magic. But over my many years of practice, I have come to believe that common, inexpensive herbs do the job just as well. In fact, the majority of the herbs I use in my daily practice can be found in many people’s kitchens or pantries or even growing on the windowsill. In fact, you will see that most of my favorites can serve double or even triple duty as culinary, medicinal, or cosmetic ingredients.
If you think about it, this is probably how most Witches in days past worked their magic—not hidden in dark woods around bonfires but bubbling in the pot on the stove, sprinkled on the floor by the entrance to the house, or mixed into a bath. There is, after all, nothing wrong with integrating your magic into everyday life, and if you can buy an herb that will serve multiple purposes, all the better.
Where Do We Get Them?
One of the most common questions I get is this: Where is the best place to get herbs for use in magic?
In a perfect world, the answer to that would be, “In your own backyard.” I grow many of my own herbs in my garden, and even if you don’t have space for a garden (or a green thumb), most herbs are pretty sturdy and can be grown in a small pot on a windowsill or under a single grow light. But not everyone has the space or the inclination to grow their own plants, so luckily there are plenty of other options.
You can, if you are fortunate enough to have one near you, purchase your herbs at a Pagan or New Age shop. The advantage to this is that the folks who sell such things will probably have them labeled for magical use and will be able to save you a little research. You can also find these shops online. My favorite is one called AzureGreen. Such places often sell herbs in the form of essential oils or tinctures as well.
But in truth, I get most of my dried herbs from the local health food store. They have bulk bins filled with reasonably fresh herbs at a much cheaper price than you would find at the grocery store. In fact, I don’t recommend grocery stores for dried herbs at all—they are often irradiated and overpriced. However, if you are looking for a fresh bunch of basil or dill, that’s probably your best bet unless there is a farmers’ market or organic farmer nearby.
Once you’ve brought your herbs home, you will have to decide whether you want to store them exclusively with your magical tools or simply in a kitchen cabinet. Personally, I tend to keep my herbs with my magical supplies; if I use them as part of cooking, then they are in the kitchen.
How Do We Use Them?
One of the qualities that makes herbs so intrinsic to a magical practice is their flexibility. Herbs can be combined with food or made into tea (though they should never be given to someone without his or her knowledge—not only does this go against the concept of free will, but you never know what someone is allergic to).
They can be added to baths or body products, tossed into a bonfire, or burned in a bundle (how sage is often used). You can make your own candles and mix herbs into the wax or soften a premade candle and roll it in dried herbs. In the form of magical oils, by utilizing essential oils herbs can be spread on the skin, dabbed on candles, or used to consecrate magical objects.
Herbs come in many forms, although not all plants are suitable for all uses. The most common forms are fresh, dried, in essential oils, and in incenses (make sure that these use the true plant and not an artificial scent, which won’t hold the power of the actual herb). All the ones I list here are safe, but never assume that just because something is an herb that it is harmless. After all, deadly nightshade is an herb too!
My Ten Essential Herbs
These are the ten herbs I try never to be without and some of the ways you can use them in your magical work. It is no coincidence that most of them also have culinary and healing properties.
Basil: Basil is good for love, prosperity, protection, and purification. It can easily be used in the kitchen by tossing it fresh into a salad or sprinkling it dried into any Italian dish. If you like pesto, dinner may suddenly be an opportunity for prosperity magic, since nuts are great for that too. You can also find basil as an essential oil, although it isn’t as common as some of the others. I like to use dried basil in my yearly protection and purification mix that I sprinkle around my house.
Chamomile: This herb is used for love, meditation, protection, purification, and sleep. Chamomile is most known for its use as a medicinal tea to aid in sleep and calming both the stomach and the mind. Not surprisingly, its magical use reflects this, but it is also historically said to be useful in removing curses. For magical work, you can either use the pretty white and yellow flowers fresh, or use the dried flowers as a tea or infuse them into body lotions or creams. This herb is also available as a tincture and oil, although they tend to be more expensive than others.
Cinnamon: Derived from the bark of a tree, cinnamon’s magical uses are broad and include healing, love, passion, increasing power, protection, and success. Cinnamon can be burned as an incense during ritual or added to food if doing Kitchen Witchery. I put a little in my hot chocolate every morning as a part of my own “kitchen alchemy,” for prosperity and love. If doing a ritual outside, try sprinkling a bit of cinnamon around the periphery of your circle to boost the magical work done within.
Lavender: Another multipurpose herb, lavender is well known for its association with peace and sleep but is also useful magically for love, protection, purification, and general happiness spells. As a dried herb, lavender is often put into sachets or miniature pillows and tucked under the pillow. For love magic, try combining it with rose petals. It can also be readily found in essential oils and many bath and body products. Although not usually thought of as a culinary herb, lavender is sometimes used in cookies or other desserts. Traditionally, lavender is thrown into the Midsummer bonfire as a gift to the Goddess.
Marjoram: Often used interchangeably with oregano, the Romans and Greeks used it as a symbol of happiness. It is used magically for protection and love, and, as a common culinary herb, it is easy to add to food for some delicious Kitchen Witchery. Add the dried herb to protection sachets or sprinkle around the edges of your property.
Peppermint: Another multipurpose herb, peppermint is probably best known for its use in healing and purification magic, but it also works for prosperity, love, and getting rid of negativity. Peppermint essential oil can be added to a house-cleaning wash; it smells wonderful, replaces negativity with healing energy, and keeps away pests as a bonus! Peppermint makes an energizing tea, using either the fresh or dried herbs, and the oil can be added to bath and body products. I have a spray that I use in the shower water every morning that combines peppermint, rosemary, and grapefruit essential oils; it smells wonderful and starts my day off on the right foot. Food-grade essential oil can be added to brownies or other goodies, too. Add dried peppermint to a prosperity sachet or put a few drops of the oil on a candle for prosperity, healing, or purification work.
Rose: The rose’s main association is with love, of course, but it is also used for healing, fertility, clairvoyance, and luck. Rose comes as a fresh flower, as a dried whole flower or dried petals, or as rose hips (the fruit of the plant). It can also be found as an essential oil; it tends to be expensive, but a few drops go a long way. The rose hips are good for healing work, since they contain a large amount of vitamin C. Rose water can sometimes be found in specialty food stores or health food stores, and it can be used as a wash, added to cosmetics or body creams, and used in cooking. Add some dried rose petals or rose water to a bath for love or healing magic, or sprinkle the dried petals on your altar.
Rosemary: Rosemary is a powerful herb for both protection and mental powers, although it is also used for healing, purification, and love magic. Grow a small rosemary bush outside your door to ward off danger and thieves, or add it to a protection mixture you sprinkle around your home. Add it to a salad dressing or marinade if you do Kitchen Witchery, or bake it into a loaf of bread. Use the essential oil in a wash to purify body or house.
Sage: One of the most commonly used herbs in modern Witchcraft, sage is most often found as a white sage bundle or stick, bound together and burned to cleanse and purify sacred space or anyplace that needs it. Common sage, which is easy to grow in a garden or in a pot on the windowsill, can be used in cooking. Sage is also good for healing and prosperity.
Thyme: Another common kitchen herb, thyme is used magically for purification, protection, and clairvoyance. Thyme is another plant that is easy to grow, and the dried herb can be added to protection sachets or to food.
Herbs are one of the simplest, easiest, least expensive, and most flexible tools available to the modern Witch. Find a few to experiment with on your altar, in the kitchen, or anywhere else around the house, and I think you’ll find yourself coming up with your own list of ten favorites without any trouble at all.