Origanum vulgare
planetary ruler: Venus
element: Air
associated deities: Aphrodite
magical virtues: Joy, love, happiness
Origanum derives from two Greek words, oros, meaning “mountain,” and ganos, “joy.” It is said to have been created by Aphrodite, the goddess of love herself, in order to spread happiness amongst humankind. It is native to Cyprus, Aphrodite’s own island. The sweet perfume is so wonderful that it cannot help but banish sadness and inspire delight. This tells us all we need to know about oregano’s primary magical powers—love, joy, and the happiness that comes from our relationships with others, whether lovers, family, or friends. In ancient Greece oregano often crowned the bride and groom, and the sheets of the marriage bed were perfumed with it. 198 Since its energy is all about delight, it can be used in all spells of love and friendship, incense, charm bags, and talismans, at handfastings and weddings and all other ceremonies of sharing and celebration.
To know joy is to banish sadness, and oregano may be used for letting go of negativity, toxic relationships, and grief. When you are working on these issues, you can drink Oregano Tea or anoint your body with Oregano Infused Oil or Oregano Flower Essence, a herbal energy that specifically works on releasing past hurts, nostalgia, and the emotional baggage you carry, and relax into the flow of life in the present.
In parts of England it was said that if oregano planted on a grave flourished, it signified that the dead person was happy in the afterlife. 199 Use it in funeral incense, wreaths, or plant some on the grave of a departed loved one.
It was one of the sacred herbs gathered at Midsummer and cast on the Midsummer fires for purification. Any oregano or marjoram gathered at Midsummer was believed to be especially powerful and was kept for medicines. 200 Modern witches gather herbs Midsummer morning because at the time of greatest light they are imbued with more power. They are dried and stored for use all year round. We also put oregano into the Midsummer incense, cast it onto the bonfire, and add it to the food.
An old folk practice says if you anoint yourself with oregano before sleeping, you will dream of your future spouse.
culinary uses
Oregano (Origanum vulgare), sometimes called wild marjoram, is often confused with marjoram (Origanum majorana syn. Majorana hortensis), otherwise called sweet marjoram. Then again, oregano is sometimes just called “marjoram” in America, so the confusion is understandable. The truth is, they are related plants in the same genus and often hybridise. They look almost identical, but the scent of oregano tends to be pungent and spicy, whilst the milder-flavoured marjoram is floral and woody.
Oregano immediately brings to mind tomato sauces and Italian cooking, but it is also indispensable in the cuisines of Greece, Spain, Portugal, the Caribbean, and Mexico. It is interchangeable with marjoram in cooking, though it has a slightly stronger flavour. The aroma and taste come from the volatile oils in the plant, so always add fresh oregano near the end of cooking. Use it in salads, casseroles, soups, sauces, rice dishes, and pizzas. Oregano and marjoram both dry well and actually become sweeter when dried.
cosmetic uses
Oregano has antifungal, antiseptic, and antioxidant properties, and is widely used in commercial medicated skin care products. It is especially useful for treating acne and pimples. If your skin is prone to breakouts, use Oregano Tea as a skin toner.
If you have an irritated, itchy, scaly scalp, the antimicrobial properties of oregano can help here too. Use a cup of Oregano Tea as a final hair rinse.
medicinal uses
actions: antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, odontalgic, parasiticide, stimulant, stomachic, tonic
The volatile oils in oregano leaves, including carvacrol, thymol, limonene, pinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene, have antiviral and antifungal properties. For vaginal thrush, add some double-strength Oregano Tea to the bath. For fungal nail infections, massage Oregano Infused Oil into the nails or soak in a bowl of water with a few drops of Oregano Tincture added.
The expectorant and antimicrobial activity of oregano can be useful against respiratory infections, bronchitis, and catarrh. Use the fresh herb in a facial steam and drink Oregano Tea. Take a cup of the tea as soon as you feel the onset of a cold or flu. Use cooled double-strength Oregano Tea as a gargle for sore throats or as a mouthwash.
For arthritis and rheumatism, use Oregano Infused Oil for a gentle massage.
Caution: Oregano leaf is safe when taken in the amounts found in food and safe for most people when taken by mouth or applied to the skin in medicinal amounts. Mild side effects can include stomach upset. It might also cause an allergic reaction in people who have an allergy to plants in the Lamiaceae family. Avoid medicinal amounts when pregnant or breastfeeding. Oregano might increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders. Oregano marginally lowers blood sugar levels, so people with diabetes should use oregano cautiously and monitor blood sugar levels. It should be avoided for two weeks before surgery. Avoid if you take lithium, as larger amounts of oregano are diuretic, and this may increase the amount of lithium in your body.
Recipes
Oregano Tea
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
250 millilitres (1 cup) boiling water
Pour the water over the herb, put on a lid, and infuse for five minutes. Strain and drink.
Oregano Infused Oil
Put bruised fresh oregano leaves in a jar and cover with vegetable oil. Put on a lid and allow to sit for two weeks, shaking the jar at least once a day. Strain through muslin into a sterilised bottle.
Oregano Tincture
Fill a jar with bruised fresh oregano and top it with enough vodka to cover. Put on a lid and allow to sit for two weeks, shaking the jar at least once a day. Strain through muslin into a sterilised bottle.
Oregano Infused Vinegar
fresh flowering tops of oregano
cider vinegar
Put the fresh oregano, slightly bruised, into a jar. Pour on the vinegar and fit a lid. Leave to infuse three weeks in a cool, dark place. Strain through muslin into a sterilised bottle. Use diluted half and half with boiled and cooled water as a gargle for sore throats and colds. It will also help rebalance gut flora.
Oregano Oxymel
oregano leaves
honey
cider vinegar
Take a sterilised jar and quarter fill it with chopped oregano leaves. Top up to half full with honey. Gently warm some cider vinegar in a pan until hand hot—do not boil or overheat. Pour the vinegar over the herbs and honey until the jar is full. Place non-metal lid (vinegar will corrode the metal and taint your oxymel). Put in a cool, dark place for two to three weeks. Now you will need to strain out the herbs, and it will help if you slightly warm the oxymel. Will keep up to one year in the fridge or six months at room temperature. Take one to two teaspoons as needed for coughs, colds, and sore throats, dissolved in warm water to taste.
Oregano Poultice
Pound the leaves into a paste (add a little hot water to help). Apply this to the skin and cover with a warm cloth. This can be applied to relieve the pain of rheumatism, itching, and aching muscles.
Oregano Flower Essence
Gather six to eight mature flowers. Float them on the surface of 150 millilitres spring water in a bowl and leave in the sun for three to four hours. Make sure that they are not shadowed in any way. Remove the flowers. Pour the water into a bottle and top up with 150 millilitres brandy or vodka to preserve it. This is your mother essence. To make up your flower essences for use, put seven drops from this into a 10-millilitre dropper bottle and top that up with brandy or vodka. This is your dosage bottle. The usual dose is four drops of this in a glass of water four times a day.
Oregano Milk Bath
60 grams (4 tablespoons) powdered milk
30 grams (4 tablespoons) cornflour (corn starch)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried sage
Combine the ingredients in a blender. Store in an airtight container. Add two tablespoons to your bath to ease aches and pains, uplift you, and soothe skin irritations.
Charm Bag to Bring Joy into Your Life
oblong of yellow cloth or yellow bag
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 piece orange peel, dried
7 basil leaves, dried
3 cardamom pods
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
Holding your intent and wish to bring more joy and happiness into your life, sew the ingredients into a yellow-coloured bag, and carry it with you.