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A - Z OF HERBS • Kas


 

A –Z HERBS

ALOE—G/P/E: Feminine, Moon, Water.

Magickal attributes: Beauty, protection, success, and peace.

Uses—Aloe has always been k from the plant or in gel form for burns, sunburns, and can relieve poison ivy rash and helps to combat a variety of bacteria that commonly cause infections in skin wounds.  It is well known for its healing qualities.  For treating wounds and maintaining healthy skin. It may be applied directly to the skin from the leaf (after peeling off the spines and one side of the tough outer protective covering.  It is also an excellent additive for soaps and creams as a conditioner.  After using gel from a leaf the opened leaf will seal itself so you can store it in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for future uses.

 

AMARANTH (Cockscomb)—Magickal attributes: repair a broken heart.

 

ANGELICA (Archangelica-Angelica)—G/P/E: Masculine, Venus, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Protection, Exorcism.

Uses—Grow in the garden as a protection.  Carry the root with you as an amulet.  Burn the dried leaves in exorcism rituals.

 

ANISE—G/P/E: Masculine, Jupiter or Moon, Air.

Magickal attributes: Protection, purification, awareness, joy.

Uses—For treating coughs, bronchitis and a stuffy nose, it loosens bronchial congestion, making it easier to cough it up and expel it. A good breath freshener in the morning, and if kept by the bed it will prevent bad dreams. Also a digestive aid and can relieve an upset stomach and flatulence when taken as a tea, and a treatment for colic.  Also suggested that anise may be beneficial to women because certain chemicals in the plant are chemical cousins to the female hormone estrogen.  Though it is mild, anise may help to relieve the discomfort of menopause.  In traditional folk medicine it has been used to promote milk production in nursing mothers.  It's recommended dosage would be 1 teaspoonful of seeds for every cup of boiling water, steep 10-20 minutes and strain, drink 3 cups a day for maximum effect.  A good general cleansing bath is made with a handful of anise seeds and a few bay leaves. A pillow of anise keeps away nightmares. It is also a good sedative.

 

BASIL—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire

Magickal attributes: Protection, love, wealth (if carried in your wallet), healing relationships, courage, fertility, and exorcism.

Uses—It is good as a tea for calming the nerves, settling the stomach, and easing cramps and good for the bladder.  In tincture form, also makes a good hair rinse for brunettes. An ingredient of the Purification bath sachet. Add to love sachets and incenses.

 

BAY—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire

Magickal attributes: wisdom, protection, and psychic powers

Uses—DO NOT TAKE INTERNALLY (except when used well-diluted as a seasoning) Use as a poultice on the chest for bronchitis and chest colds.

 

CARAWAY—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury, Air

Magickal attributes: Protection, Passion

Uses—Add to love sachets and charms to attract a lover in the more physical aspect.  It is also a mild stimulant for digestion.

 

CATNIP—G/P/E: Feminine, Venus, Water.

Magickal attributes: Cat magic, familiars, joy, friendship, and love.

Uses—Its flowers and leaves have often been used to treat colds and insomnia. It lowers fevers, dries up postnasal drip, gets rid of bad headaches and relieves sore aching bones due to colds and flu, when taken in tea form, 2-3 times daily. As incense it may be used to consecrate Magickal tools.

 

CHAMOMILE—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun or Venus, Water.

Magickal attributes: Good as meditation incense, for centering, peace, sprinkle in your home for protection, healing, and money.

Uses—Is an excellent herb both internally and externally for calming.  Great for digestion, fevers, burns, ulcers, anti-inflammatory for wounds, and sedative for nervous disorders.  It is often used to relieve stomachaches and diarrhea in infants and small children (always using in diluted form). As a tea, made of 2 teaspoons of the herb steeped for 5 minutes in a cup of boiling water, it is a gentle sleep inducer.  Chamomile also makes an excellent insect repellent, simply splash some tea on face arms and feet.  It is also a good hair rinse for blondes. Plant chamomile in your garden to be the guardian of the land, and you will have certain success.

 

CAYENNE PEPPER—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun, Fire

Magickal attributes:  Protection, strength, working with Salamanders (Fire Elementals)

Uses—An excellent flu fighter. Promotes fast recovery, stops internal and external bleeding, said to prevent heart attacks and also helps with depression and headaches. Also makes a fine liniment, quickly bringing blood to the surface of the skin, use either cider vinegar or alcohol as base for the liniment. Dilute with rose water or distilled water, heating the vinegar or spirits before using them.

 

CINNAMON—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Spiritual quests, augmenting power, love, success, psychic work, healing, cleansing.

Uses—It is recommended as a skin astringent and digestive aid in tea form. Ground, or taken with milk, good balance after a heavy meal or dessert.  Also used for diarrhea, dysentery or general indigestion. It is an excellent aromatic and makes a good anointing oil for any Magickal working.

 

CLOVE—G/P/E: Masculine, Jupiter or Uranus, Fire.

Magickal attributes:  Protection and money; dispel negativity; incense against gossip; vision, and cleansing.

Uses—It has a mild antiseptic quality for toothaches (chew), or in tea form it is an expectorant for colds, also good foe nausea or vomiting.  It is an antibacterial, antiseptic, and analgesic, which means that helps prevent disease and infection.

 

COMFREY—G/P/E: Feminine, Saturn, Water.

Magickal attributes: Safe travel spells, money, healing.

Uses—Has been known to slow bleeding, aid colds, ease burns.  As a poultice or a tea, comfrey may be applied to bites, sores, rashes, broken bones, and cuts. It is a good ingredient for lotions to soothe sunburn. 

 

CORIANDER—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Protection of home, peace, good in ritual drinks, incenses for longevity and love, security.

Uses—If added to wine, it makes a serviceable love potion for 2 consenting parties. Also used in love sachets and charms.

 

DANDELION—G/P/E: Masculine, Jupiter, Air.

Magickal attributes: Divination, welcoming, messages.

Uses—The ground root can act as a coffee substitute, and the flowers make a lovely wine. A superb cleansing tonic, and the milky juice is a diuretic, a tonic and a relief for common stomach problems. Use a handful of flower tops to 1 pint of boiling water, steep 10 minutes and strain.  Drink this several times a day. Use the milky latex from the stem, rub on a wart several times daily and soon it’s gone.  It is also good for night blindness.

 

FENNEL—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Purification, protection, healing, and money.

Uses—Sometimes employed as an appetite suppressant and digestive aid. Used in tea form to expel mucus.  Chew the seeds slowly for get rid of really bad breath, or use the fluid extract to rub on gums.

 

GINGER—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Power, success, love, and money

Uses—Acts as an aid to ingestion or colds (tea form). Also in tea form, good for cramps, to stimulate the digestive organs, migraines and nausea, external stiffness.  Can be added to the bath as a way to ease pain and increase circulation, but only use a few sprinkles, not to much, like cayenne, ginger quickly brings the blood to the surface of the skin. For pain you can also soak cloths in ginger tea and apply them directly to the painful areas. Add in cooking to detoxify meat, especially chicken.  A good healing tea is made from a pinch of peppermint, a pinch of ginger and either a pinch of clove powder or 2 bruised cloves, add 1 cup of hot water and steep.

 

GINSENG—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Love, wishes, beauty, and desire.

Uses—Stimulant, tonic, and agent for prolonged life.  Also a mild pain killer, and improves blood circulation. Reported to successfully treat asthma, bronchitis, cancer, flatulence, diabetes, weakness, fever, coughs and heartburn, and a mild stimulant.  In tea form it helps to relieve stress and moderate heart disease.

 

GARLIC—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire.

Magickal attributes:  Protection, healing, good weather, courage, and exorcism.

Uses—Lowers tension, ease colds, and improve circulation. Garlic vinegar can be used to disinfect wounds and soothe rheumatic pain and any common pain (made from one liter of vinegar and ten cloves of crushed garlic steeped for at least 10 days). Shrinks warts, relieves pain from teeth and earaches. Good for high and low blood pressure and removing parasites and infections. To ease the pain of aching joints, a toothache or an earache, place a crushed raw bulb of garlic on a piece of gauze and place over the area of pain.  For joints, try using garlic paste.

 

LAVENDER—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury, Air.

Magickal attributes: Sleep, long life, peace, wishes, protection, love, and purification.

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 and also used in purification incenses.  Witches throw it onto the Midsummer fires as a sacrifice to the ancient Gods. Lavender is a frequent addition to healing sachets, especially bath mixtures, and is added to incense to cause sleep. Lavender is a great antibiotic, antiviral, antidepressant, sedative and detoxifier.  Stimulates the immune system.

 

LEMON—G/P/E: Feminine, Moon or Neptune, Water.

Magickal attributes: Purification, love, and blessings.

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 nosebleeds, 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 anti-wrinkle tonic.. Stimulates the digestive system.  Also makes a good skin cleanser, hair rinse for blondes, and cleaning agent for brass and silver.

 

LILAC—G/P/E: Feminine, Moon, Water

Magickal attributes: Protection, beauty and love

 

MARIGOLD—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Prophesy, legal matters, the psychic, seeing Magickal creatures, love, clairvoyance, dreams, business or legal affairs.

Uses—For internal use the flowers are prepared by infusion and recommended for the flu, fever, rheumatism, jaundice, and painful menstruation. 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—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury, Air

Magickal attributes: protection, love, healing.

Uses—Add to all love charms. Give to a grieving person to bring them happiness.

 

MINT  (SPEARMINT & PEPPERMINT)—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury or Venus, Air.

Magickal attributes: Money, healing, strength, augment power, luck, travel.

Uses—Mint in tea form aids upset stomachs, flu, and can be used to ease hiccups. Inhalation of the leaves in boiling water is recommended for head colds and asthma.  Mint tea used instead of aspirin is great for headaches, particularly premenstrual 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 irritations, rheumatism, toothache, and general fatigue.

 

MYRRH—G/P/E: Feminine, Jupiter or Moon, Water.

Magickal attributes: Bless objects, lift energy, spiritual growth, focus.

Uses—Myrrh oil can act as a mosquito repellent, and in tincture form it is a good treatment for gums.

 

NETTLE—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Fire.

Magickal attributes: To avert danger, protection, healing.

Uses—Use gloves to handle so as to avoid getting pricked. High in vitamin C and iron and when in tea form can ease asthma and up your energy levels.

 

PARSLEY—G/P/E: Masculine, Mercury, Air.

Magickal attributes: Fresh parsley leaves in tea form are a treatment for cramps, while dried root decoctions eases urinary infections and arthritis. Externally, crushed leaves relieve insect bites, and may be applied in poultice form to sprains.

 

PINE—G/P/E: Masculine, Mars, Air.

Magickal attributes: Attunement to nature, centering, cleansing, healing, productivity, and purification against illness.

Uses—Pine buds prepared by decoction act as an expectorant and antiseptic. This same mixture can be used for inhalation for head colds, although it is easier to toss some needles in hot water.  Green cones and needles can be added to bath water to ease muscle pains and swelling.  For magic, pine is best suited for its aromatic qualities of bringing one back into balance, and enhancing connection with the natural world.

 

POPPY—G/P/E: Female, Moon, Water

Magickal attributes: Fertility, Prosperity

Uses—Use the seeds in prosperity amulets.

 

ROSE—G/P/E: Feminine, Venus, Water.

Magickal attributes: Love, friendship, luck, protection, psychic power and divination.

Uses—Conserves of roses or rose petals in honey are often recommended for nausea and sore throats. Roses are high in vitamin C.

 

ROSEMARY—G/P/E: Masculine, Sun, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Improve memory, sleep, purification, youth, love, power, healing, and protection.  Enhances intellectual activities.

Uses—Promotes healing of wounds, acts as an antiseptic, and can be a mild stimulant. Good in teas for treating flu, stress, and headaches or body aches. Mental and physical booster. In oil form, it is used for treating muscular sprains, arthritis, rheumatism, depression, fatigue, memory loss, migraine headaches, coughs, flu and diabetes.  It is an excellent remedy for acne or cellulite.  When the leaves are soaked in wine for two weeks, small glasses may be taken as a digestive aid. Oil of rosemary is excellent in hair conditioners, and the flowers of this herb may be added to lotion recipes to improve the complexion. Add to all purification bath sachets, love incenses, and protection incenses.  Make a simple of rosemary and use it to cleanse the hands before working magic, if you have no time for a regular ritual bath.  Burn rosemary and juniper as a healing and recuperation incense.

 

SAGE—G/P/E: Masculine, Jupiter or Venus, Air.

Magickal attributes: Fertility, longevity, wishes, wisdom, and protection.

Uses—Can be used in an infusion to aid digestion, or as part of a honey wine to fight colds and fever. When applied in compresses it can ease many skin discomforts, including dandruff. If made into cream it is good for muscular pain, and if dried and smoked sometimes gives relief to asthma.

 

THYME—G/P/E: Feminine, Venus, Water.

Magickal attributes: Sleep, psychic energy, courage, healing.

Uses—Powerful antiviral, antibiotic, and diuretic properties.  It helps eliminate wastes from the body. It is used in treating whooping coughs, warts, rheumatism and acne.  A strong antiseptic which when prepared by infusion is useful for poor digestion, exhaustion, colds, and infections, and with honey is an effective treatment for sore throats. Also used in tea form as a fever breaker, headache reducer and to be rid of intestinal worms, and can be used as a mouthwash.  It is a great insect repellent.  Use both the leaves and flowers.  This tea works best for headaches when taken cold.  Take a Magickal cleansing bath in the spring of thyme and marjoram (used in tea form or whole herbs). A pillow stuffed with it cures nightmares.

 

VALERIAN—G/P/E: Feminine, Mercury or Venus, Water.

Magickal attributes: Love, calming, sleep.

Uses—Use the dried, powdered root.  Promotes relaxation while counteracting the effects of insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, headaches, premenstrual syndrome and menstrual cramping. For sleep, before bed take 1 teaspoon of herb to 1 pint of water and simmer. Also acts as a good substitute for catnip.  Use the fresh herb in spells of love, also to get fighting couples together. Used in the Purification bath sachet.

 

WITCH HAZEL—G/P/E: Masculine, Saturn or Sun, Fire.

Magickal attributes: Protection, chastity, healing the heart.

Uses—In tincture form it is good as a mouth rinse and to ease hemorrhoids. As a compress, witch hazel can be applied to insect bites and other skin irritations.

 

YARROW—G/P/E: Feminine, Venus, Water.

Magickal Uses—Courage, love, psychic abilities, divination.

Uses— A very potent healer, it intensifies the medicinal action of other herbs taken with it. Helps eliminate toxins (good for colds).  Most useful in its abilities to staunch blood flow.  In poultice form, it is useful against infections and swelling. In magic there is evidence that yarrow was often used as a component in incantations. The tea drunk prior to divination will enhance one's powers of perception (a touch of peppermint brightens this brew up and always works better). Also drink the tea to stop arthritis symptoms such as swelling and inflammation and generally end all aching, sore muscles, or stiff joints or back pain. A powerful incense additive for divination and love spells.  Also associated with weather divination.


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