Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme...and Dragon's Blood

I had a request recently for magical herbal recipes that I use frequently, and I thought I'd oblige.  I haven't spoken a lot on this blog about practical hands-on Witchcraft, preferring mostly to wax spiritual on deity and nature and my own spiritual unfolding, but we should not forget that for many of us the Craft is a vital part of our path as Wiccans, and deserves attention of its own.  Therefore I will endeavor to do a few more posts on these sorts of practical magic, starting with herbal recipes.

I've been working with herbs in magic almost as long as I've been a Witch--from the time I realized there was more to my spice rack than making taco seasoning, I've been fascinated with the metaphysical properties of herbs, resins, spices, and woods, as well as with the ways in which their metaphysical and medicinal properties intertwine.  Like any Witch I have my favorite methods and ingredients.  I wrote about my ten favorite magical plants here on the old version of DDtM.

My two basic rules for herbal blends are a) they must be safe for pets and humans and b) they must smell good.  I work by the principle of "like attracts like" as well as with the properties of the four Elements.  For example, if I were creating a blend for love, I could work from a Water perspective for romantic emotional love and use floral scents, watery plants--lavender, rose, jasmine.  If I were working for love from a Fire perspective, say for red hot monkey love, I would use fiery plants:  spices, peppers, anything with a bite and a flame beneath its scent, like cinnamon; or a known aphrodisiac like damiana.  Ideally I would work with both elements, combining emotional love and passionate love, and use cinnamon, rose, damiana, and lavender to create a balanced energy to bring a balanced mate into my life.  Too much of any one Element in magic can lead to unintended, and sometimes unfortunate, consequences.

My favorite methods include oil blends and powders.  Both can be used for a variety of purposes:  an oil can be used to anoint the practitioner in ritual, to anoint the objects of a spell, to blend into the soap or shampoo of one who desires its effects, blended with mop water to cleanse a kitchen space, and a dozen other uses.  Powders can be sprinkled as they are, burned as incense on a charcoal tablet, tossed into the winds to release your intent, or my personal favorite, blended with baking soda and salt and sprinkled liberally over the floor, then vacuumed up to bless and scent the home. 

Most of my herbal work is done to cleanse, protect, and empower my hearth.  I have long considered myself a hearth-priestess; the magical side of my life is focused primarily on the health and well-being of those whom I consider a part of my hearth.  My friends, my lovers, their families, my companion animals and theirs, and my own immediate family are all a part of my hearth even if they don't set foot in my house more than once a year. 

Over the years I've developed...not recipes, precisely, but combinations of scents and substances that yield the desired results without being too specific on amounts.  I use a dash, a handful, a pinch, a spoonful; I make magic like my grandmother made pie. 

Each of these recipes you can consider tried-and-true formulas of the EarthDance tradition.  They're among those I passed to my students.  I use all of these in my own practice--in fact I whipped up a batch of the first one this evening for some house cleansing work I have planned for this week.