When I was a wee baby witch, one of the areas I first began to study was herbs. I was amazed at the fact that common herbs - literally herbs and spices many of us have in our own kitchen cupboards - possessed so much magic and power. Over the years I have assembled a collection of herbs I keep in beautiful glass jars in my work space. Some I've grown and dried myself, some I've repurposed from bouquets of flowers given to me by loved ones, some I've collected along the way from other trusted lightworkers, healers, and magic women. If you want to start your own collection of magical herbs, below is a quick list of some of what I always like to have on hand.
- Basil: basil is also known literally as The Witch's Herb. It has so many uses, including love, luck, money, purification, protection, exorcism, wealth, and even astral projection. It is associated with Imbolc and the element of fire.
- Apple: apple is associated with love, beauty, marriage, healing, wisdom, and the divine feminine. It belongs to Mabon and Samhain, and the element of water.
- Bay leaf: one of my all-time favorites. Bay leaf is great for fast magic, such as wish-making. It is strongly associated with wisdom, strength, purification, wealth, success, and healing. The element of Bay leaf is fire.
- Allspice: great for drawing money and business success and all around good luck. Element of fire.
- Black pepper: banishing, exorcism, protection, removing negativity, increasing inner strength. Element of fire.
- Blueberry: protection for children, blocks evil forces, and is associated with the Great Spirit. Element of water.
- Cardamom: lust, love, fertility and fidelity. Used in marriage and hand fasting ceremonies. Sweetens situations, mindsets, and personalities. Water element.
- Cinnamon: love, lust, luck, healing, strength, and prosperity. Fire element.
- Garlic: protection, health, purification, increasing inner strength. Fire element.
- Hibiscus: attracting love and lust, increasing passion. Associated with Lunar magic, water element.
- Nutmeg: Attracting money and luck, increasing prosperity. Fire element.
- Orange peel and flower: abundance, luck, prosperity and joy. Fire element.
- Sage: helps with grief and loss, purification, cleansing, healing, and wisdom. Air element. Note: you do NOT need to use white sage, which is endangered and sacred to indigenous peoples. Regular culinary sage will work just fine.
- Sea Salt: a real work horse. I use it in almost everything. It cleanses, protects, grounds, aids in all ritual work, banishes evil and absorbs negativity. Earth and water elements.
- Star anise: Wish making, purification, happiness, and luck. Fire element.
This is just a short list of all of the amazing uses that exist for many of the ingredients in your pantry right now! Always remember: it is not the spell or the tools or the phase of the moon that makes the magic - it is you.
Blessed be!
Salem's Daughter