Rosmarinus officinalis
planetary ruler: Sun
element: Fire
associated deities: Aphrodite, Virgin Mary, Mnemosyne, Frau Holle, Leukothoe
magical virtues: Marriage, death, remembrance, protection, exorcism, healing, love
“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” muses Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The herb has been associated with memory since ancient times. Greek and Roman students wore rosemary wreaths to help them memorise their lessons, 205 and it turns out that those ancient students were on to something. Several studies have shown that rosemary does indeed help stimulate and protect the memory. One of the compounds in rosemary oil, 1,8-cineole, is thought to act in the same way as the drugs licensed to treat dementia. 206 In 2017 the Guardian newspaper in the UK reported that sales of rosemary essential oil to students about to take exams had rocketed. 207 You can take a leaf out of their textbooks by crushing and inhaling the fresh scent of rosemary leaves while studying.
It should come as no surprise that rosemary was sacred to the goddess Mnemosyne (“Memory”), the mother of the nine Muses in Greek mythology. Storytellers and the writers of epic poetry would invoke her to help remember all the details of their tales accurately, while those about to undergo a healing sleep in the temple of Asclepius (the god of healing) would call upon her so that they might remember any visions or healing dreams while there.
It was generally believed that when the dead reached the underworld, they were confronted with the river Lethe (“Forgetfulness”) and would drink from it and forget their human lives. However, initiates of the Orphic mystery schools learned that there was another river, that of Mnemosyne (“Memory”), from which they might drink and remember everything and thus attain spiritual transcendence. 208 Remembering the lessons we receive from visions, dreams, and life itself is of prime importance in our spiritual work, and in this, the energy of rosemary can help. When undertaking vision quests, dream quests, or past life work, place a sprig of rosemary by you or under your pillow, or burn an incense containing rosemary to help you recall your visions. I find a useful technique is to crush a sprig of rosemary while learning my part in a ritual, and then to carry it into the ritual: inhaling the scent brings back the words. A prayer to the goddess of memory helps too. It’s a useful technique for bards and performers—apart from any magical virtue, scent is known to be a powerful memory trigger. A cup of Rosemary Tea before a ritual clears and concentrates the mind.
Since ancient times, rosemary has been associated with the entrance to the land of the dead, perhaps at least partly because aromatic herbs were used at funerals to mask the stench of decay, and partly because as an evergreen herb it was associated with immortality. Rosemary was customarily used in funeral rites in both Greece and Rome by being placed in the hands of the dead. The tradition of tossing rosemary into a grave prior to burial persisted through the centuries. Until early in the twentieth century, in northern Europe a sprig of rosemary was placed in the folded hands of the deceased. Mourners would also carry sprigs of rosemary to signify both death and remembering the dead. For memorial rites and rituals to honour the ancestors, rosemary may be made into wreaths, carried by the participants, or added to the incense. A touching ceremony is to add rosemary to a chalice from which everyone drinks while sharing their memories of the deceased.
Rosemary was also employed to remember the vows of love and marriage. The poet Robert Herrick (1591–1674) alluded to rosemary’s double meaning: “Be’t for my bridall, or my buriall.” 209 In the Middle Ages in Europe, the bride would wear a rosemary wreath while the groom and wedding guests wore sprigs of rosemary. At handfastings it may be included in the ritual cup, the wreaths, or the incense, and each guest might be given a bunch of rosemary tied with red ribbon to help them remember the occasion with pleasure.
The association of rosemary and love is an ancient one, and the herb appeared in many images of the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, Aphrodite was created from the sea foam (aphros) produced by Uranus’s genitals after his son Cronus severed them and threw them into the sea. This connection is echoed in the Latin name of the plant, ros maris, meaning “dew of the sea,” since it thrives along Mediterranean coastlines watered by the sea mists. Rosemary can be used in spells, charm bags, and incenses for love and fidelity.
Rosemary also has the reputation of being a powerful protective plant. In Spain it was regarded as impervious to sorcery and hung over doors and windows to protect all who dwelt within, 210 while carrying a sprig averted the evil eye. It was particularly used to safeguard babies and infants; suspended over cradles, it prevented the fairies from stealing children. It was used as a strewing herb in the birthing chamber, and a sprig was used to stir the christening cup. Hang a sprig over a child’s cradle to protect it. It can be used as an incense or used to cleanse a space (with a Rosemary Smudge Stick), and double-strength Rosemary Tea may be employed as a wash to cleanse the working area and magical tools. A bath to which Rosemary Tea is added cleanses the body, aura, and mind before ritual. To protect your home from negativity or magical attack, hang a wreath of rosemary on the front door (you will find the twigs very flexible and easy to bend into shape and secure with copper wire) and place some sprigs over the windows if you feel the need for extra protection. Carry a sprig or put some leaves into a small pouch and carry it into places where you feel someone is directing ill will against you. If you suffer from nightmares, try doing what the Romans did and place a sprig beneath your pillow. Take Rosemary Flower Essence if you feel like you are constantly battling, on edge, and worn down with the struggle. Rosemary helps you remember what is good and sacred in life so that you can find inner peace.
As well as warding off evil spirits and sorcery, it was believed to protect against disease, and as rosemary is antibacterial, this has some scientific basis. During the Great Plague of London, rosemary was carried in pouches so that the protective fragrance could be inhaled. The properties of rosemary were still being used in French hospitals up until the First World War, when an incense of rosemary and juniper was burned in sickrooms to purify the air. You can use a wash of Rosemary Tea to cleanse surfaces in a sick room, and use an incense of juniper and rosemary to cleanse a house in the aftermath of disease and drive out any negativity associated with it. Rosemary Tea may be taken to restore psychic energies after depletion and to strengthen the aura.
Finally, rosemary is an evergreen plant, its green foliage persisting through the winter. Evergreen plants are symbols of immortality, having the power to withstand death and the winter death time of the year, which is another reason it was used at funerals as a powerful representation of the survival of the spirit. In Germany it was dedicated to the crone goddess Frau Holle, and there was a legend that on Christmas Eve, at midnight, all water was changed to wine and all trees to rosemary. 211 According to medieval legends, rosemary decorating the altar at Christmas time brings special blessings to the recipients and protection against evil spirits. The wassail bowl has a sprig of rosemary in token of remembrance and it garnished the boar’s head at the Christmas feast. Use it in the Yule incense and decorations and in the ritual bath, and to stir the wassail bowl or ritual cup.
culinary uses
I add rosemary to food as often as possible, partly because of its medical qualities but also because it is delicious and full of vitamins and minerals. It goes in soups, stews, casseroles, and is delightful in cakes and biscuits in moderation. Pop a few sprigs of rosemary in olive oil and leave for a couple of weeks to make rosemary oil (use for cooking or salad dressing) or try a few sprigs submerged in white or cider vinegar for two weeks to make rosemary vinegar for salad dressings.
cosmetic uses
Just inhaling the scent of crushed fresh rosemary leaves lifts the spirits and has been linked to improving the mood, clearing the mind, and relieving stress. 212 An old superstition even has it that those who smell rosemary often will retain their youth; well, it’s worth a try…
Rosemary is used in many commercial cosmetic products and toiletries because it has wonderful benefits for the hair and stimulates the skin, heals blemishes, and even has anti-aging properties.
I often use a cup of Rosemary Tea or some Rosemary Vinegar as a final hair rinse, which not only adds shine but stimulates hair growth and treats dandruff. It has the added advantage of gradually colouring grey hair. I rub some Rosemary and Coconut Balm into the ends of my hair to discourage split ends, and use it all over once a month as a deep conditioner, leaving it overnight or at least a few hours before washing my hair as usual. You can also use Rosemary Infused Oil as a deep conditioning oil. Warm three to four tablespoons of the oil slightly and massage into your hair and scalp. Wrap your head in a warm towel and leave on for at least an hour, then wash your hair as usual.
Rosemary is the perfect herb for a skin toner, mildly astringent and antiseptic. It was the main ingredient of the famous Queen of Hungary Water that, according to legend, was first prepared for Queen Isabella of Hungary during the fourteenth century. Some say that it was made for the aging queen by an alchemist, and it restored her youthfulness so well that when she was seventy she was proposed to by the twenty-five-year-old grand duke of Lithuania! The earliest recipes for this seem to be composed of rosemary and brandy and bear no relation to the various modern formulas circulating the internet, but you might like to try the version below to use as a skin toner.
medicinal uses
actions: antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, capillary tonic, cardiotonic, carminative, choleretic, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, hepatoprotector, mild analgesic (topical), rubefacient, sedative
The specific part of the plant’s name officinalis tells us that rosemary was included in the official pharmacopoeia because of its recognised medicinal properties.
The volatile oils in fresh rosemary leaves are strongly antiseptic. Rosemary Tea can be used as an antiseptic gargle or mouthwash to help heal mouth ulcers and canker sores while freshening the breath, or you can use it on the skin as a wash to clean and heal small wounds, bruises, strained muscles, and bumps.
Like most of the culinary herbs, rosemary is what herbalists call a carminative—in other words, it tones and calms the digestive system. It is particularly good for dyspepsia caused by nervous tension.
Rosemary is both a relaxant and painkiller. It is useful for migraines and tension headaches caused by tight shoulders. Drink a cup of Rosemary Tea when you feel a headache coming on or apply some Rosemary Infused Oil to your temples, neck, and shoulders.
Rosemary’s anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic actions may be helpful for arthritis, rheumatic pain, and aching muscles. It contains the two powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds called carnosol and carnosic acid, which have been shown to reduce the levels of nitric acid in the body that can be a trigger for inflammation. 213 The pain-relieving qualities of rosemary are largely the result of salicylate, a compound similar to aspirin. 214Apply Rosemary Infused Oil or Rosemary Salve to the affected parts or put some freshly cut rosemary sprigs (along with marjoram and lavender if you like) into a cloth bag and add this to your bathwater to soothe aches. You can also use a hot compress soaked in double-strength Rosemary Tea applied to the painful area.
Caution: Rosemary is considered safe in food amounts and safe for most people when used medicinally. Stick to food amounts if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, allergic to aspirin, have bleeding disorders, are taking blood-thinning medication, have seizure disorders, have high blood pressure, if you are taking ACE inhibitors, or if you have stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis. If you are diabetic, rosemary has a small lowering effect on blood sugar, so you should monitor your levels carefully. Excessively large amounts of rosemary can cause nausea or vomiting.
Recipes
Rosemary Tea
250 millilitres (1 cup) of water
1 teaspoon rosemary
Bring the water to a boil. Add the rosemary herb to the water, remove from the heat, and allow it to steep for about five minutes. Strain the mixture into a teacup. Sweeten with honey.
Rosemary Infused Oil
rosemary leaves
vegetable oil
Chop the rosemary leaves and put into a sterilised glass jar. If you are using fresh leaves, three-quarter fill the jar; if using dried leaves, quarter fill the jar. Cover with the oil and put on the lid. Leave on a sunny windowsill for two weeks, shaking daily. Strain the liquid into a clean jar. Label. This will keep for around a year in a cool, dark place.
Rosemary Vinegar
rosemary
cider vinegar
Half fill a jar with fresh rosemary leaves and some rosemary flowers if you have them, lightly bruised, or fill it one-quarter full with dried rosemary. Fill up the jar with cider vinegar. Leave for two to three weeks in a cool, dark place. Strain into a sterilised jar. Use as a hair rinse to add shine and condition, as a salad dressing, or add two teaspoons to warm water and drink daily to improve memory.
Rosemary Salve
rosemary infused oil (see above)
beeswax, grated
Slightly warm your prepared oil and add the beeswax, allowing two tablespoons of grated beeswax to 500 millilitres of infused oil after the herbal material has been strained off. Pour into shallow jars to set.
Rosemary Flower Essence
Gather a few 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. When making flower essences, it is important not to handle the flowers—it is the vibrational imprint of the flowers you want to be held by the water, not your own imprint.
Rosemary and Coconut Balm
250 millilitres (1 cup) solid coconut oil
handful fresh rosemary leaves, removed
from the stem and chopped
Simmer together in a double boiler for two hours. Strain into a clean jar. To use, warm a small amount in your hands (a teaspoon or more, depending on how long your hair is), then apply to your hair and brush it in. Leave overnight (or for at least two hours) and then shampoo your hair as usual for silky locks. This also makes a good nighttime moisturiser for your skin and can be massaged into arthritic joints. It will keep for up to two years in a cool, dark place.
Rosemary Skin Toner
5 teaspoons rosemary
50 millilitres (3 tablespoons) distilled witch hazel
Put the herb and witch hazel in a jar. Cover and leave for two weeks in a cool, dark place. Shake daily. Strain and use the toner after cleaning your face. This is best for oily to normal skin.
Rosemary and Sage Hair Tonic
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
250 millilitres (1 cup) boiling water
250 millilitres (1 cup) cider vinegar
Put the herbs in a bowl and pour on the boiling water. Infuse until lukewarm. Strain, reserving the liquid and disposing of the herbs. Add the cider vinegar to the liquid. After washing your hair, pour on the tonic or put it into a spritzer bottle and spray it on. You can rinse your hair once more with clean water or leave the tonic on and go on to style your hair as usual. Will keep for two days in the fridge.
Rosemary Smudge Stick
rosemary stems and leaves, fresh
cotton string (do not use synthetic materials)
Gather your herbs and loosely bunch them. Begin wrapping them fairly loosely (this allows drying and also burns better when you come to use your smudge) with the string. Tie it off and trim any loose edges. Hang to dry out for around eight weeks. To use, place the smudge stick on a heatproof dish and light the end of the stick. Use the smoke for cleansing sacred spaces and auras, and for purifying sick rooms.
Queen of Hungary Water
1 part roses
1 part lavender
1 part rosemary
1 part sage
1 part orange peel
1 part lemon peel
2 parts mint
cider vinegar
rose water
Pack the fresh herbs into a jar and cover with cider vinegar. Leave on a sunny windowsill for two weeks, shaking daily. Strain through a coffee filter. This will keep for around a year in a cool, dark place. Dilute half and half with rose water to use as a skin toner.
Rosemary Asperger
3 (10—20 centimetres) sprigs rosemary
1 (10—20 centimetres) sprig sage
white thread
1 tablespoon salt
500 millilitres (2 cups) water
Bind the rosemary and sage together with the white thread. Dissolve the salt in the water. Dip the rosemary and sage “wand” into the salted water and use it to sprinkle the water around spaces or tools that need to be ritually cleansed or other places that need to be cleared of negativity.
Handfasting Incense
¼ part rosemary leaves
¼ part cardamom pods, crushed
½ part cinnamon powder
⅛ part clove, crushed
¼ part coriander seeds, crushed
⅛ part dill leaves
pinch of saffron
4 parts frankincense resin
Blend together and burn on charcoal.
205 D’Andréa, Ancient Herbs in the J. Paul Getty Museum Gardens.
206 M. Moss and L. Oliver, “Plasma 1,8-Cineole Correlates with Cognitive Performance Following Exposure to Rosemary Essential Oil Aroma,” Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology 2, no. 3 (2012): 103–113. doi:10.1177/2045125312436573. Nahid Azad, et al., “Neuroprotective Effects of Carnosic Acid in an Experimental Model of Alzheimer’s Disease in Rats,” Cell Journal 13, no. 1 (spring 2011): 39–44.
207 Emine Saner, “Rosemary: The Mind-Bending Herb of Choice for Today’s Students,” https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2017/may/23/rosemary-herb-choice-students-memory, accessed 22 November 17.
208 Fritz Graf and Sarah Iles Johnston, Ritual Texts for the Afterlife: Orpheus and the Bacchic Gold Tablets (Routlege, 2007).
209 Robert Herrick, Hesperides: Or, The Works Both Humane and Divine of Robert Herrick (1856) (ReInk Books, 2018).
210 “Goddess of the Pillar: The Mythology of Upright Rosemary,” http://www.paghat.com/rosemary.html, accessed 20 November 17.
211 Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Pagan Christmas (Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2006).
212 Daniele G. Machado, “Antidepressant-like Effect of the Extract of Rosmarinus officinalis in Mice: Involvement of the Monoaminergic System,” Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 33, no. 4, (15 June 2009): 642–650.
213 Daniel Poeckel et al., “Carnosic Acid and Carnosol Potently Inhibit Human 5-Lipoxygenase and Suppress Pro-Inflammatory Responses of Stimulated Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes,” Biochemical Pharmacology 76, no. 1 (1 July 2008): 91–97.
214 S. J. Preston, “Comparative Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Sodium Salicylate and Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin) in Rheumatoid Arthritis,” British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (May 1989).