Herbs, Flowers, and Trees
Heliotrope through Nutmeg
Heliotrope (Heliotropium peruviana):
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Sun
- Properties: Money, Gaining Power
Hemlock (Conium maculatum):
Poisonous plant which was consequently widely associated with the devil and with the business of witchcraft. Hemlock featured in a host of brews and potions supposedly concocted by witches over the centuries. As well as being useful as a poison it was prized for its apparent ability to summon demons, to cause dissension between lovers, to bring about madness and to render animals infertile. Hemlock was often listed as one of the prime ingredients in the mysterious flying ointment with which witches are alleged to smear themselves before taking to the air on their broomsticks.
- Element: Water
- Planet: Saturn
- Properties: Astral projection, purification
Henbane (Hyosycamus niger):
Is another ancient plant associated with witchcraft. It is native to southern and central Europe. Although it is not considered indigenous to Great Britain, henbane can frequently be found in England, Scotland, Wales, and even in Ireland. It is one of the primary ingredients allegedly used in the legendary Witches’ flying ointment. In mythology, it was said that the dead received a crown of henbane leaves when they entered the Underworld. Poisonous plant said to be a favorite ingredient in witches spells. According to folklore of witchcraft procedures, henbane was burned in order to release fumes which were said to induce the appearance of demons. If eaten, it was reputed to cause a person to go mad (consumption of henbane could actually lead to convulsions and death). On a more positive note, the plant was supposed to assist in clairvoyance and to have aphrodisiac qualities, making it useful in the preparation of love potions; it was also used to ease injuries caused by witchcraft. The time honored practice of smoking henbane in the belief that it would reduce the pain of toothache was risky in the extreme, as it could easily prove fatal.
- Element: Water
- Planet: Jupiter
- Properties: Carried to attract the love of a woman. Was once used as an ingredient in a Witches flying ointment (yeah right). Henbane is poisonous and the upmost caution is urged.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa):
Common Name: Kharkady
- Element: Water
- Planet: Venus
- Deities: Kali, Shango, Venus
- Properties: Love, Lust, Divination
High John the Conqueror Root (Ipomoea purga, Ipomoea jalapa):
Common Names: High John, High John the Conqueror, John the Conqueror, Jalap Root
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Mars
- Properties: Money, Love, Happiness, Hex-breaking, Protection. Used this as an additive to candle anointing oils, and charms to increase their strength.
Holly (Ilex aquifolium):
Is a symbol of good will and is associated with sun gods. In Rome the holly was sacred to Saturn and was employed in the rites of the Saturnalia, where it was a symbol of health and happiness. The Holly is an evergreen and therefore is associated with the sun god. In Celtic lore, it was one of the trees held sacred by the Druids and was one of the nine sacred woods: apple, ash, cedar, hazel, holly, juniper, oak, pine, and poplar. The holly branch symbolizes the Lord of Winter, the Holly King. Here the holly is a symbol
of the waning season of the year. Holly leaves and berries have become symbols of the Yule season, and often appear in holiday decoration. The name given to a broad genus of shrubs or trees, extending into some 295 species, including the well-known Christmas hollies. They are distinguished usually by greenish flowers with red or black berries. The Christian custom of decorating houses and churches with holly probably stemmed from the Roman use of the shrub during the festival of Saturnalia or from the Teutonic beliefs
concerning herbs, plants, and nature. Holly is thus ranked as a beneficent tree and has been used as a protective device against the undead, hung at windows or on doors.
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Mars
- Properties: Planted around the home for protection against evil. The leaves and berries can be carried by a man to heighten his masculinity, virility and to attract a lover.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium):
Common Names: Dutch Honeysuckle, Goat’s Leaf
- Element: Earth
- Planet: Jupiter, Moon
- Deities: Selene, Luna
- Properties: Money drawing, Psychic awareness, Memory, Healing, Power, Honesty. Used widely in prosperity spells and love charms.
Hops Flowers (Humulus lupulus):
Common Name: Beer Flower
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mars
- Deities: Thoth, Isis, Hygeia, Hypno
- Properties: Healing, sleep.
Hops (Humulus lupulus):
- Element: Water
- Planet: Mars
- Properties: Used in healing incenses and charms. A mild sedative. Hops placed in a pillow will help with sleep.
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus nonscriptus):
- Element: Water
- Planet: Venus
- Deities: Apollo, Hyacinthus
- Properties: Love, Protection
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis):
Common Names: Yssop, Hyssop Herb, Ysopo
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Jupiter
- Deities: Obatala
- Properties: Purification, Protection, Banishing. Use in purification baths, protective and banishing spells. Hyssop was widely used during the Middle Ages for purification, cleansing and consecration rituals. If burnt as an incense or thrown into a fire it is said one may draw upon magical dragon energy.
Ivy:
Is a symbol of true love and friendship due to its nature of clinging to anything it encounters with great tenacity. The ancients believed that ivy could control intoxication and is commonly worn by satyrs and other followers of Dionysos as depited in ancient art. The Thyrsus carried by Dionysos was entwined with both vine leaves and ivy. The ivy was the balance to the grapevine and thus provided equilibrium to Dionysos himself.
- Element: Water
- Planet: Saturn
- Properties: Protects the house it grows around and over from evil and harm. In the old traditions, Ivy and Holly were given to newlyweds as good luck charms.
Jasmine Flowers (Jasminum officinale):
Common Names: Jessamin, Moonlight on the Grove
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Deities: Venus
- Properties: Love, Prophetic Dreams, Money, Sleep, Love, Healing, Health, Meditation
Jasmine (Jasminum officinale):
It takes its name from the Persian word yasamin. Its place of origin is not known, for sure, but it is most likely Persia. In China, where it has been known since the third century AD, it is considered a foreign plant. For the Chinese, the jasmine was a symbol of womanly sweetness. In the first century AD, Discorides mentions it in the Materia Medica, saying that Persians used it to perfume the air at banquets.
- Element: Earth
- Planet: Jupiter
- Properties: Used in love spells, charms, and sachets. Women have used Jasmine from the earliest recorded history because of its seductive effects on men.
- Practical Information: Jasmine is a plant indigenous to the warm parts of the eastern hemisphere and now also cultivated in gardens in southern America. The flowers are used as a sedative according to old herbals. In India, it is used as a remedy for snakebite.
Juniper Berries (Juniperus communis):
Common Names: Genevrier, Ginepro, Enebro, Gemeiner, Wachholder
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Sun
- Properties: Protection, Health, Increases psychic powers.
Juniper:
The common name for a wide number of species of evergreen trees and shrubs, a genus of the cypress family, possessing berrylike fruits and needle-orscale-shaped leaves. Its oil is used for medicine and perfume. Among some gypsies, articulary those of the Muslim faith, it was held that keeping a piece of juniper in a house protected the family from vampires. Additionally, should such a monster gain entry, the presence of the wood kept it from doing any real harm.
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Sun
- Properties: Protection against accidents, harm and theft. The berries are used to attract lovers once dried and worn as a charm.
Kava Kava Root (Piper methysticum):
Common Names: Ava, Intoxicating Pepper, Ava Pepper
- Planet: Saturn
- Deities: Lono, Kane, Kanaloa
- Properties: Seeking visions, Luck, Protection
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia/Lavandula vera or officinalis):
The name lavandula comes from the Latin lavare, meaning to wash and referring to the use of the flower in bath water for scenting. In ancient Rome lavender was dedicated to the Goddess Vesta, and her sacred virgins, the vestals, adorned their hair with it during the ceremonies.
Common Names: Spike, Elf Leaf, Nardus
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Deities: Aradia, Hecate
- Properties: Chastity, Love, Peace, Happiness, Clairvoyance, Longevity, Sleep, Protection.
- Uses: Has strong antiseptic qualities. Mild infusions (3 tablespoons to 6 cups of water) make a good sedative, headache treatment, and digestive aid. Used in oil or tincture form to heal cuts, burns or scalds, bites. This also acts as a tonic and may be used for colds, chills, and the flu. Lavender is an excellent aromatic usually mixing well with other floral scents. An ingredient in the Purification bath sachet, also used in purification incenses. It is thrown onto the Midsummer fires by witches as a sacrifice to the ancient gods. Lavender is a frequent addition to healing sachets, especially bath mixtures, and is added to incenses to cause sleep. Lavender is a great antibiotic, antidepressant, sedative and detoxify. Stimulates the immune system.
- Practical Information: Lavender grows on stony and gravelly grounds. It is widely cultivated and often wild. It flowers from July to September. Parts used medicinally are the flowers.
Lemon (Citrus limonum):
A fruit that has been used to ward off evil in Saxony, Germany. It is a principal means of disposing of the Saxon vampire species the neuntoter and is placed in the creature’s mouth. The use of the lemon is late, however, as it was unknown to the Greeks or Romans and became familiar to the Germans only in the Middle Ages.
Common Names: Citrus medica, Citrus Limonum, Citronnier, Neemoo, Leemoo, Limoun, Limone
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Properties: Longevity, Moon Magic, Purification, Love, Friendship
- Uses: Sweetens breath. Antiseptic, antibacterial, and hypotensive. For chills and sore throat, the juice of a lemon mixed in a glass of honey and warm water, taken 3 times daily should help. For nose bleeds, apply a small piece of cotton, soaked in lemon juice. In oil form it is used for treating warts, insect bites, tension headaches, eliminates cellulite, and is an antiwrinkle tonic. Stimulates the digestive system. Also makes a good skin cleanser, hair rinse for blondes, and cleaning agent for brass and silver.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis):
Common Names: Melissa, Bee balm, Sweet Balm, Lemon Balm
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Properties: Esbat rituals, Love, Healing. Love potions, aphrodisiacs, fertility, and anti depressant. Drink as an infusion to soothe emotional pains after a relationship ends.
Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus):
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury, Moon
- Deities: Moon Goddess
- Properties: Lust, Psychic Powers, Repel Snakes
Lemon Verbena:
- Element: Air
- Planet: Venus
- Properties: Love charms, youth, beauty, and attractiveness to the opposite sex. Wear around your neck or place under a pillow to prevent dreams.
Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra):
Common Names: Lacris, Lacrisse, Lycorys, Reglisse, Sweet Root
- Element: Water, Fire
- Planet: Venus
- Properties: Lust, Passion, Fideltiy
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria magalis):
Common Names: May Lily, Convallaria, Our Lady’s Tears, Conall-lily, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Jacob’s Ladder, Male Lily.
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Deities: Maia
- Properties: Peace, Harmony, Love
Lily:
The lily was associated with the Virgin Mary and therefore regarded as one of the plants that could be relied upon to deter witches and evil spirits. Lilies were once popular as church decorations, reinforcing their reputation for good, and they featured strongly in the spells that white witches cast to counter black magic. It was also said that if lilies were planted near a house they would prevent ghosts from entering. If a parent was worried that a daughter might have strayed from the straight and narrow, witchlore advised that the proper course was to feed her some powdered yellow lily. If she was indeed still a virgin, she would immediately feel a need to urinate. The plant could also by used to treat boils, sores, and various growths. Lilies did have their uses, however, in certain mischief-making spells. One of these required lilies to be mixed with the sap of a Bay tree and left to rot in manure. Worms gathered from this manure could then be slipped into the pocket of an enemy to rob him or her of sleep.
Water Lily (Nymphaea):
The name nymphaea comes from the Greek nymphe which means virgin. The various species of the nymphaea are found all over the world, and ancient civilizations praised their beauty. In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower was represented on the tombs and monuments and in India the lotus has always been a religious symbol, where the ultimate state of meditation, samadhi, is represented by the lotus flower. Like the spirit which springs forth from the chaos, the beautiful flower floats on mud.
- Practical information: The waterlily is commonly found in ponds and slow streams. The flower and rootstock are used as sedatives.
White Lily (Lilium cancucum):
Lily was the flower dedicated to Hera, the goddess mother of the sky.
- Practical Information: This flower is originally from lower Asia but is now widely cultivated all over Europe and America. Its flowering time is May to June. The lily petals and bulbs are used in herbal medicine.
Linden:
- Element: Water
- Planet: Jupiter
- Properties: Associated with conjugal love or attraction and longevity.
Lotus (Nymphaea lotus):
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Deities: Egyptian gods, Indian Gods, Hermes, Oshun, Osiris
- Properties: Spirituality, Love, Protection
Lovage:
- Element: Water
- Planet: Sun
- Properties: Add the dried and powdered root to cleansing and purification baths to release negativity. Carry to attract love and the attention of the opposite sex.
Mace (Myristica fragrans):
Common Names: Arillus Myristicae, Myristica officinalis, Myristica moschata, Macis, Muscadier
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Properties: Enhancing psychic abilities, Luck
Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata):
Common Names: Cucumber Tree, Magnoliae cortex, Blue Magnolia, Swamp Sassafras, Magnolia Tripetata
- Element: Earth
- Planet: Venus
- Properties: Peace, Nature Spells, Hair Growth
Mandrake (Podophyllum pelatum/Atropa mandragora/Mandragore officinalis):
The word mandragora comes from the Sanskrit words mangros and agora meaning together sleep substance, because of the narcotic effect of the root. The European mandrake is also called Satan’s apple. It was used in ancient times as an anesthetic for surgery, and as a sleeping pill when in pain and also as a remedy for melancholy. It was believe to promote conception. The mandrake has been considered a mystic plant since primitive times. In the Middle Ages, if the owner would be found having one, he or she could be accused of witchcraft. The mandrake was capable of working every spell. Mandrake root was used in ancient times to induce trance states. It is native to southern Europe and was first cultivated in England in 1562 by Turner, the author of the Niewe Herball. English mandrake (Bryonia dioica) is a plant commonly known as white bryony, and is a different species than actual mandrake. Plant with a distinctive human-shaped root which was long thought to be a favorite ingredient in witches’ brews. In former times mere possession of a mandrake plant could prove enough to have a suspect condemned to death as a witch. Highly valued in medieval medicine for its magical properties, the mandrake was included among the most potent of all plants used for occult purposes. Witches were reputed to prize it for its soporific, aphrodisiac and purgative powers, and the root has been proved by science to contain an alkaloid that can suppress pain and promote sleep; taken in excess it can cause madness. In ancient Egypt, the mandrake was strongly associated with sex magic, and for similar reasons it was known popularly in English tradition the “love apple”. In certain spells, it could apparently be employed as a potent influence upon sexual drive and appetite, a notion that went all the way back to the Bible. Other spells involving the use of the mandrake promised to promote a person’s wealth, to fix broken bones, to ease the pain of toothache or rheumatism, to act as an anaesthetic before an operation, to cure depression, to enable the dying to recover, to prevent fits and even to enable them to give up smoking. An elaborate spell involving the mandrake plant required the root to be dug up, watered with human blood, and embellished with berries for eyes and mouth. If this was done correctly, the plant would acquire the gift of speech and would communicate the whereabouts of hidden treasure as well as sharing information about the future and opening locks. Care had to be taken, though, in digging up the root. Anyone who attempted to do so with their own hands would be struck dead or made impotent on the spot. The best method was to get a dog to dig the root up. As the root left the soil, superstition had it that it would utter a terrible shriek, which was itself enough to drive any living thing within hearing quite mad. As a grim footnote, it was believed throughout Europe that the mandrake only grew naturally under a gallows, springing up from the semen that fell from the decomposing bodies of executed felons. The mandrake is a chthonic plant, believed to have power over creatures of darkness. Mixed with periwinkle, mandrake often appears in incense as an aid to exorcism. Mandrake was placed on fireplace mantels to avert misfortune. This connects the mandrake with the hearth, and in turn with ancestral spirits such as the Lare. The Lare are protectors of home and family, and therefore the offering of mandrake on the mantel makes sense as an aversion of bad luck.
Common Names: Manroot, Circeium, Gallows, Herb of Circe, Mandragor, Raccoon Berry, Ladykins, Womandrake, Sorcerer’s Root, Wild Lemon
- Element: Fire, Earth
- Planet: Mercury, Saturn
- Deities: Aphrodite, Circe
- Properties: Protection, Power, Magic, Fertility, Money, Love. A protective charm for the home. The root increases fertility in women and impotency in men when carried. Charge a mandrake root with your personal energy, sleep with it for three nights prior to the full moon. The root can be carried to increase courage.
- Medicinal Properties: The medicinal part is the rootstock. Its use today is limited to homeopathich preparations for hay fever, asthma, and cough.
Maple:
Useful as a source for stakes and thorns for the destruction of the undead. It is not as popular as hawthorn. Maple is found throughout northern regions, including Siberia and China.
Marigold (Calendula officinalis):
Garden flower that, like other yellow-centered blooms, was once considered an effective witch deterrent. Called the marigold because the Virgin Mary was supposed to have worn the flower at her breast, the flower was variously credited by witchlore as an aphrodisiac and as a protective against evil. In folk medicine, the flower could also be rubbed on the skin to ease the pain of wasp and bee stings and could be powdered to treat the ague. Inhaling the scent of the marigold was reputed to cure headaches and depression.
Common Names: Caltha officinalis, Golds, Ruddes, Mary Gowles, Oculus Christi, Pot Marigold, Marygold, Fiore d’ogni mese, Solis Sponsa
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Sun
- Properties: Protection, Prophetic dreams, Legal Matters, Psychic Powers, Seeing Magical Creatures.
- Uses: For internal use, the flowers are prepared by infusion and recommended for the flu, fever, rheumatism, jaundice, and painful menstration. Externally, buds are made into compresses for the treatment of burns. Marigold petal ointment can help chapped hands and varicose veins, also works wonders with eczema and inflammation. To ease inflammation, dip a compress into a strong marigold tea combined with an equal part of apple cider vinegar. Sprains can also be helped with marigold petals steeped in vinegar, or make a lotion with milk. Simmer 12 heads in 2 cups milk, steep, strain, and apply. Also use as an antiseptic in first aid. Place the flower beneath the head at night to induce clairvoyant dreams. Sometimes added to love sachets. It should be gathered at noon.
Marjoram (Origanum marjorana or Marjoran hortensis):
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Properties: Add to all love charms, place a piece in rooms for protection. Give to a grieving person to bring them happiness.
Mayflower:
Known commonly also as trailing arbutus, a popular flower in North America
and Europe, characterized by its hairy evergreen leaves which often conceal the fragrant, early spring flowers. In England, the haqthorn is also called the mayflower. On the Isle of Man it was used to ward off evil, fastened to the doors of houses. It could also be applied in conjunction with rowan, which was fastened in cattle sheds and byres.
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria):
- Element: Water
- Planet: Jupiter
- Properties: Protection against evil influences, promotes love, balance and harmony. A sacred herb of the druids. Place meadowsweet on the altar when making love charms and conducting love spells to increase their potency. Wear at Lammas to join with the Goddess.
Milk Thistle Seed (Silybum marianum):
- Element: Fire
Mint (Spearmint-Mentha virides and Peppermint-Mentha piperita):
From the Latin mens, mind, because it was believed that mint had the power to
fortify the intelligence. And piperita, from latin piperatus, peppery. Ancient Greeks named the plant ketus and dedicated it to Ares, god of war and to those who died in battle. From the Middle Ages, some very strange incantations using mint have come to us such as: “if your bees are dying, put some mint preparation in the beehive, and in a couple of hours they will be well.”
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury, Venus
- Properties: Money, Healing, Strength, Augment power, Luck, Travel
- Uses: Mint in tea form aids upset stomachs, flu, and can be used to ease hiccups. Inhalations of the leaves in boiling water is recommended for head colds and asthma. Mint tea used instead of aspirin is great for headaches, particularly pre-menstrual headaches. Nervous headaches can be relieved
if you lie in a dark room with fresh peppermint leaves on the forehead.
Aids the respiratory and circulatory systems. An anti-inflammatory and
an antiseptic. Ideal for treating indigestion, flatulence, varicose veins,
headaches, migraines, skin irritation, rheumatism, toothache, and general
fatigue.
- Medicinal Properties: Mint is a good all around herb with many properties. It is tonic, digestive and helps the nerves and nerve-related problems. It also has a mildly analgesic function. It is an antiseptic. The parts used are the leaves and the flowery tops.
Mistletoe (Viscum album, Phoradendron flavescens):
Is a symbol of immortality, love, and liberation. Mistletoe growing upon oak trees was highly regared by the Romans and the Celts as a sacred plant. Because the juice of its berries resembles semen, it was though to be the sperm of the oak tree god and was therefore considered to be of great power. The Druids reportedly harvested mistletoe with a golden sickle. This is a symbolic solar theme in which the Harvest Lord is sacrificed. The harvesting of mistletoe may have been meant, in part, to release the spirit of vegetation back into the soil. Mistletoe is a parasite, and as such was not considered a plant in the same sense as was a tree or herb. It has been suggested that because of this, the ancients used mistletoe as a symbol of freedom and liberation. The custom of a couple kissing beneath the mistletoe may have originated from sensual rites related to the cult of Dionysos. According to the ancient historian Strabo, the Druids worshipped Dionysos as one of their Bull gods. According to legend, mistletoe grew on the sacred
oak at Lake Nemi. The branch, or bough, of this tree was considered sacred and was protected by the Guardian of the Grove.
Druids considered the plant to be poisonous.
Common Names: All-heal, Birdlime, Devil’s Fuge, Golden Bough, Holy Wood,
Misseltoe, Druid’s Bough
- Element: Air
- Planet: Sun
- Deities: Cernunnos, Oak King, Herne, Odin
- Properties: Protection, Love, Fertility, Health, Exorcism. Worn for protection and to attract love, or to help conceive.
Monkshood (Aconite napellus):
Monkshood is the deadliest of all plants associated with witchcraft. Monkshood is also known as wolfbane, as it was once the practice in the Aegean/Mediterranean area to hunt wolves with arrows dipped in the juice of the aconite plant. Monkshood was originally indigenous to eastern Europe, but was grown in ancient Greece and spread to Italy. It is now found even in the western counties of England and South Wales. Monkshood can produce profoundly altered states of consciousness, and has been employed in shapeshifting magic.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca):
Common Names: Lion’s ear, Lion’s tail, Roman Motherwort, Throwwort
- Deities: Ogun
- Properties: Ease Childbirth, Female Strength
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris):
Herb that was considered a powerful witch deterrent and was also believed to
nullify the effects of poisons, spells and disease. Witchlore advised that mugwort was particularly effective in the treatment of women and could counter the ravages of consumption. Placed in the shoe, mugwort also prevented tiredness on long journeys. Any person who dug up mugwort on Midsummer’s Eve would find a small coal beneath the plant: this could be carried on the person to provide protection against burns, the plague, carbuncles, fever, and lightning.
Common Names: Felon Herb, St. John’s Plant, Cingulum Sancti Johannis,
Artemis Herb, Naughty Man, Old Man, Sailor’s Tobacco
- Element: Earth, Air
- Planet: Venus, Moon
- Deities: Artemis, St. John, Diana, Sif, Isis, Lakshmi, Aida Wedo
- Properties: Strength, Psychic powers, Healing, Astral Projection. Place in the shoes for protection and to prevent fatigue on long journeys. The fresh leaves rubbed on a magic mirror or crystal ball will strengthen divinatory abilities.
Mullein:
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Saturn
- Properties: Courage, protection from wild animals, protection from evil spirits, cleansing of ritual and psychic places before and after working there. Also used for cleansing and purifying ritual tools and altars.
Musk:
- Deities: Athena, Shiva, Thoth
- Properties: Courage, Fertility, Lust
Mustard Seed (Sinapis alba):
The product of the herbs of the genus Brassica, used for a number of purposes, including the creation of the condiment mustard and as a preventive against vampires. Mustard seeds have been applied in Eastern Europe in the same manner as millet, linen seeds, carrot seeds, and other items. They are to be sprinkled around graves or strewn along the roads leading to graveyards. Some believe that the vampire must eat the grain before proceeding on its terrible rounds, perhaps allowed by custom to only one grain a year. Others hold that the undead must pick up each grain before moving on, again limited to only one grain each year. Mustard seeds are either yellowish white or black (dark, reddish brown), but both are equally acceptable in fighting vampires; they are odorless when whole but have a pungent taste. Their value may stem from the traditional medicinal characteristics of mustard: mustard plasters for chest colds and mustard baths for relaxing. The Macedonians particularly use mustard seeds, honoring them as a symbol of the Christian faith.
Common Names: Yellow Mustard, White Mustard
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Mars
- Properties: Purification, Voudoun charms
Myrrh (Commiphora momol):
Gum resin, used as an ointment and perfume, which is usually associated with the Christmas story. One of the gifts brought to the infant Jesus byt he three Magi, myrrh was highly prized in ancient times and continued to be revered in later centuries for its magical qualities. Like other strong-smelling perfumes, myrrh was linked with Saturn, and was supposed by occultists to have considerable potential as a tool of the black
magician. Thus it was listed as one of the ingredients used by Aleister Crowley in his ‘Incense of Abramelin’, which he used to conjure up demons.
Common Names: Balsamodendron Myrrha, Commiphora Myrrha, Molmol, Mirra, Morr., Didin, Didthin, Bowl
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Deities: Cybele, Demeter, Hecate, Juno, Oshun, Rhea, Saturn
Uses: Excellent insect repellent and as a tincture it is good for bad breath and gum problems.
Myrtle (Myrtus communis):
Is an herb associated with fairies. In the old witches lore, fairies could be invoked by putting a bowl of milk mixed with wine and honey beneath a myrtle tree. A hollow reed was then tied to a length of cord and swung clockwise over the head briskly. The sound was believed to call the fairies to gather. To bid farewell to the fairies, the cord was then swung counterclockwise. In Italian folklore, the myrtle tree often contains a fairy helper or fairy wife. In northern Europe, myrtle appears in the bridal wreath. In Greek mythology, a follower of Minerva named Myrsine was turned into a myrtle tree to protect her virginity.
- Element: Water
- Planet: Venus
- Properties: Myrtle was sacred to the greek goddess Venus, and has been used in love charms and spells throughout history. Grow indoors for good luck. Carry or wear Myrtle leaves to attract love, charms made of the wood have special magical properties. Wear fresh Myrtle leaves while making love charms, potions, or during rituals for love
Narcissus (Narcissus spp.):
Common Names: Asphodel, Daffy-Down-Lily, Fleur de Coucou, Goose Leek, Lent-Lily, Porillon
- Element: Venus
- Planet: Water
- Properties: Peace and Harmony, Love, Fertility, Luck
Nettle (Urtica dioica, Ortiga ancha):
Common Names: Stinging Nettle, Beggar’s Lice
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Mars
- Deities: Thor, Helios, Ra, Chango, Apollo, Oya, Shango
- Properties: Protection, Healing, Lust, Exorcism, Spellbreaking, Confidence. To advert danger, antidote for many poisons.
- Uses: Use gloves to handle to avoid getting pricked. High in Vitamin C and iron and when in tea form can ease asthma and increase your energy levels.
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans):
Common Names: Nux Moschata, Myristica aromata, Myristica
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Mercury
- Properties: Fidelity, Luck, Money, Health, Psychism, Visions, Scrying. Clairvoyance and psychic power of visions.
Herbs, Flowers, and Trees: Oak Moss through Ylang Ylang
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