Magical Properties of Flowers Archives - Page 2 of 3

August 27, 2019August 19, 2022

The Meaning of Baby’s Breath Flowers • The Breath of Innocence

A close-up of baby's breath (gypsophila) flowers.

The Magic of Baby’s Breath

With its tiny, delicate flowers, Baby’s Breath manages to make a statement even in its gentle simplicity. Understanding the meaning of Baby’s Breath flowers means understanding its whisper of quiet power.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Represent Innocence

A poignant and symbolic gift at baby showers, Baby’s Breath flowers express the innocence and guilelessness of a newborn child. The flowers have a delicate, snow-like appearance and a gentle, graceful beauty. Consequently, these things help to evoke a sense of sweet purity like a “baby’s breath.”

The Everlasting Magic of Baby’s Breath Flowers

Baby’s Breath flowers retain their vigor long after they’ve been cut. As a result, they have become a symbol of everlasting love. The beautiful flowers have adorned numerous wedding halls and filled out countless floral bouquets and arraignments.

A bouquet of green, light blue and light pink baby's breath flowers.

The Many Baby’s Breath Colors

While white is typically the most popular and well-known color of Baby’s Breath flowers, you can find the flowers in many dazzling colors. Consider adding red baby’s breath flowers to your next Valentine’s Day bouquet or giving the gift of blue baby’s breath flowers to a friend who is expecting a boy.

Baby’s Breath Flowers’ Quiet Power

The meaning of Baby’s Breath flowers lies in their ability to make a soft statement. Sometimes it is the little things that are the most magical. Sometimes the most delicate of voices are also the most profound.

Baby’s Breath Correspondences

Botanical Name: Gypsophila
Folk Names: Babe’s Breath, Gyp, Soapwort, Maiden’s Breath
Element: Water
Planet: Venus
Attributes: Protection, Love

Dispelling Negativity with Baby’s Breath Flowers

Grow Baby’s Breath flowers around the home and “protect” yourself with positive, beneficial energy Don’t let the guileless nature of Baby’s Breath flowers deceive you. In their innocence and purity, they can protect the home from negative vibes that might threaten the peace of your abode.

Bouquets of white baby's breath flowers wrapped in cellophane.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Protect from Threats Unseen

When we think of protecting ourselves, what usually comes to mind are alarm systems, weapons, and general security. While these provide a level of protection on their own, they might not guard you against “intruders” who might enter your home or space unseen and undetected.

Guard Your Emotional Health with Baby’s Breath Flowers

For instance, no alarm system is set to go off when an air of depression sweeps into your home. Or when a friend or family member visits and graces your space with toxicity. And while these things might not be seen as a clear and present danger like an armed intruder, they can cause long-lasting harm to your wellbeing if left unchecked.

Coffee in a teacup near baby's breath flowers on a newspaper.

Negativity is Disarmed by Baby’s Breath Flowers

Darkness and negativity are disarmed by the loveliness and purity that Baby’s Breath flowers stand for. This, in turn, can lead to your guests leaving any toxic sentiments they are bearing at the door as their heart is warmed by the simplicity of Baby’s Breath’s beauty. Protection from negativity is not a fool’s errand. It is something that can make sure the peace and genuine security of your home remain intact.

Design Your Cottage Garden with Baby’s Breath

You will find that Baby’s Breath flowers are a familiar staple in many English cottage garden designs. The flowers in bloom provide a beautiful pop of mystical and enchanting color, giving your cottage garden a quaint, folksy air.

White baby's breath flowers in a pot near a black guitar.

Cottage Gardens are Easy and Low Maintenance

What makes cottage gardens so appealing and popular is that they can be stunning without needing to do too much maintenance or provide too much attention. And with Baby’s Breath being relatively easy to grow and quick to bloom, they provide a quaint easy to achieve charm to your cottage garden.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Provide Plenty of Filler for Cottage Gardens

Baby’s Breath flowers are an excellent filler, helping you develop a brimming, rambling English garden replete with beautiful blooms. To start your cottage garden journey, you only need a handful of seeds. Be sure to make sure Baby’s Breath seeds are some of them.

Attracting Fairies to Your Garden with Baby’s Breath

Planting Baby’s Breath in your garden has the added benefit of attracting fairies who are fond of the plant. Yes, fairies have a bit of a…storied history. Some fairies do good things like help keep your plants healthy. However, some fairies like to eat children!

Draw Only Good Fairies with Baby’s Breath

Hence while some people get excited to plant Baby’s Breath to attract fairies, others might shudder at the thought. When planting Baby’s Breath in your garden to lure the fae folk, take these extra measures to ward off the bad ones.

Close-up of white baby's breath flowers.

Block Bad Fairies with Iron, Bells, and Chimes

Consider hanging an iron horseshoe near your garden, as fairies have an innate fear of iron, especially the ones that might harm you. Additionally, you can add bells or chimes to your garden to protect it from misaligned sprites.

Leave Offerings for Good Fairies

Finally, alongside planting Baby’s Breath, you might want to leave offerings to draw fairies that benefit your garden. Fairies tend to love bread, butter, and milk.

Don’t Thank the Fairies!

While courting the fae folk, you might notice plants in your garden starting to perk up and look healthier. Whatever you do, do not thank the fairies for this! They do not like to be thanked.

White baby's breath flowers in a decorative wedding vase hanging on a wall.

Add Baby’s Breath Flowers to Your Handmade Soaps

Consider incorporating Baby’s Breath flowers into your next soap-making project. There’s a good reason that another nickname for Baby’s Breath is “soapwort.” Baby’s Breath flowers contain saponins, a reagent that can provide a little extra lather to your handmade soaps.

Soapmaking with Baby’s Breath Flowers is Easy

Soapmaking with Baby’s Breath can be incredibly enjoyable and relatively easy. You can use a melt and pour soap base for a trouble-free project or go with cold-process soap for a more artisan approach.

Decorative Accent and Exfoliating Power

Try pressing dry Baby’s Breath flowers onto the top of your drying soap for a stunning effect. Baby’s Breath flowers provide exfoliating power and a beautiful, decorative accent that will make your bars of soap visually pop.

A white rose and white baby's breath bouquet with decorative silver accents.

Baby’s Breath and Imbolc

Baby’s Breath is associated with Imbolc, a Wiccan sabbat between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox (February 2nd). Imbolc is an enchanting time when what is dead is reborn anew. Thawing ground makes way for the coming of the Spring.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Bloom in Time for Imbolc

This association is appropriate, as you might notice that Baby’s Breath flowers in bloom resemble thawing snow on the emergent green. Additionally, Baby’s Breath flowers bloom early — just a couple of weeks after the last frost.

White baby's breath flowers in a glass jar near a chalkboard menu and clear plastic cups.

Decorate with Baby’s Breath Flowers for Imbolc

Baby’s Breath flowers make a wonderful adornment to capture the magic of Imbolc and bring it into your home. You can place fresh Baby’s Breath flowers in areas like your kitchen table or the coffee table in the living room. There are also lovely dried bundles of Baby’s Breath flowers you can use to grace areas of your home with the spirit of Imbolc.

Plant Baby’s Breath Seeds During Imbolc

And seeing as with Imbolc, the snow is thawing, and the winter frost is starting to break, you may want to gather some Baby’s Breath seeds to put in your garden. Baby’s breath can be planted relatively early in the growing season — just after the last frost.

Baby's breath flowers wrapped in brown paper sitting on a picnic table at the beach.

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Baby’s Breath Flowers Colors and Meanings

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The Paschal Bloom: Lilac Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Deep purple and blue violet lilac flowers.

The Magic of Lilac

The first sight of lilac flowers blooming in the spring can be startling. After leaving the leaden haze of winter, with the cold and crisp still on the mind and in the bones, the idea that Spring has arrived and the world will blossom soon can feel like giving in to a dangerous hope.

Lilac Flowers is a Harbinger of Spring

But then, there it is — a burst of bright, purple color on the horizon that is impossible to ignore. That sweet, light but pungent scent alerts your senses to the advent of spring, even if your mind has trouble believing it.

One of Spring’s First Blooms

Lilacs are one of the first flowers to bloom, usually around Easter time, and well before the heavy-hitters like roses and the other dramatic, summer-blooming flowers enter.

A lilac tree with deep, purple blooms covered in dew and sitting in a darkened garden.

A Time to Bloom

With its bloom and tantalizing scent, we are awakened to the potential and enchantment of the season that is well underway. It is time to blossom. It is time to bloom. It is time to break out of your shell, bask in the light of the Sun and be prepared to enjoy the bounty of the Earth that will soon arrive.

Lilac Flowers Are Beautiful But Fleeting

But lilac’s magic is fleeting, so enjoy it while it lasts. Like the stunning cherry blossom, lilac blooms only last a short while. This is a lesson we must cherish and make the most of every moment, everything of beauty, every chance at love…before it wilts away.

Harness Lilac Flowers Magic Before it Wilts Away

But tucked within the mystical lilac plant is a magic that can will away dark energies with its lively power, attract romance with its compelling scent, and stimulate our minds to arrive at breathtaking epiphanies…don’t let your chance at this magic wilt away.

Lilac Magical Correspondences

Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris
Folk Name: Common Lilac
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Exorcism, Protection, Love, Psychic Ability

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

Summer of Love with Lilac

Perhaps you are looking for a short and flirty, casual summer love to pass those long summer days. Lilac is just the flower for this. Rub lilac flowers on your wrists and neck to don the love-attracting scent so that you can find your summer fling.

How to Make Lilac Infused Oil to Attract Romance

Lilac oil is very easy to make and can be used quite effectively in love spells and attracting romance. Simply place a cup of lilac flowers in a large jar, cover with a carrier oil (like jojoba) and let it sit for six weeks. Strain the lilac petals when it’s time, and you have your magical lilac oil.

A wooden crate filled with white and purple lilac blooms, with a blue curtain in the background.

Burn Lilac Incense for a Change of Pace

Feeling stagnant and looking for the winds of change to come and breathe fresh air into your life? Entice them with lilac incense. Burning lilac incense can help inspire new changes and help you see your way to life-changing breakthroughs.

Protection with Lilac

Dark forces cannot withstand the lovely scent and lively color of lilac and are driven away by it. Therefore, planting lilac bushes around the home is a surefire to keep evil at bay.

Fresh Lilac Flowers Repel Unwanted Spirits

If dealing with unwanted lingering spirits in your home, or visiting a haunted space, make sure to have fresh lilac flowers on hand to compel them to vacate…if you so desire.

Two vases of purple and white lilac flowers, near a book with glasses on it and a teacup of coffee.

Crafting Magical Tools with Lilac Wood

Lilac wood is dense and hardy, making it an excellent material for fashioning magical wands, staves, runes, and even instruments. Consider magical tools made from lilac wood to banish evil spirits, raise psychic energies and vibrations, and attract love.

Is it Unlucky to Bring White Lilac Into the House?

Admire the sight of white lilacs, but don’t bring them home — they can be quite unlucky. However, if you happen to find a white five-petaled lilac flower among the bunch, you may want to make an exception because those do bring good luck.

A Sprig of Lilac for a Wise Child

Keeping a spring of lilac over your newborn’s crib encourages them to grow in wisdom and knowledge.

A selective focus photo of lilac flowers in soft sunlight.

Lilac Interesting Facts

The name “lilac” comes from the Arabic word lilak, which references a light purple color.
As lilac’s bloom time coincides so closely with Easter, they have become the prototypical Easter flower – so much so that lilac flowers are often referred to as paschalia in Greece, Lebanon, and Cyprus.
Lilac flowers can be found in other colors besides their characteristic light purple, such as mauve and white.
Lilacs are known for their early bloom as flowers appear in early summer just before roses, and other summer flowers begin to bloom.
Lilac’s scientific name syringa vulgaris stems from the Greek word syrinx, which means “pipe.” This is about a Greek myth where Pan fashions a pan pipe from the branches of a lilac bush.
Known for its sturdy wood, the State of New Hampshire adopted the lilac as the state flower because it symbolized the “hardy character” of the citizens of New Hampshire.
Both Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet were inspired by lilac’s beauty and have made paintings that famously feature lilac flowers.
Lilacs have a fleetingly short bloom – lasting only three weeks.
During the Victorian Era, widows often wore lilac as it was seen as a reminder of old love.
Lilac is a member of the olive family.
Walt Whitman wrote a poem inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s last days, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d.” In the poem, lilacs are used to symbolize life after death.
Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were fond of lilacs and grew them in their gardens.
Lilacs are considered the traditional flower of the 8th anniversary and a suitable anniversary gift.

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The Love Bean: Vanilla Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Two pastel green Vanilla flowers blooming.

The Love Bean: The Magic of Vanilla

The sweet scent of vanilla is comforting, welcoming, and warm. It is a scent that engenders a loving, cozy feeling — whether it comes from the vanilla-scented candle burning on the coffee table or the freshly baked cookies with a splash of vanilla extract cooling in the kitchen.

The Irresistible Scent of Vanilla

We love vanilla — and vanilla inspires us to love. The scent is irresistible and instantly attractive. Very few can resist vanilla’s compelling and tantalizing aroma. It’s no wonder that the vanilla fragrance is also a powerful aphrodisiac.

Vanilla is Ordinary Yet Extraordinary

There’s something plain and basic but uniquely special about vanilla’s magic. However, vanilla’s story, from seed to harvest, is nothing short of extraordinary. The task of cultivating the perfect vanilla bean is very much an art form.

Harvesting Vanilla is an Artform

Very specific conditions must be met or the vanilla flower will never produce its prized fruit. Harvesting the fruit correctly requires impeccable timing, utmost attention, and daily care.

Sweating, Curing, and Conditioning the Perfect Vanilla Bean

After harvest, there is still a whole curing process of sweating, drying, and conditioning that must be undertaken to ensure the vanilla bean attains and retains the utmost quality.

Don’t Take the Magic of Vanilla for Granted

That being said, the next time you sit down to enjoy that wonderful bowl of vanilla ice cream, never make the mistake of taking that vanilla flavor for granted. It is a sheer act of magic that brings vanilla’s taste, scent, and beauty onto your table, into your home, and your life.

Understanding the Symbolism of Vanilla

To understand the magic that lies within the vanilla plant means understanding its scent. The scent of vanilla reminds us of the comforts of home. It is the scent of all that was pleasing and wonderful in our childhood.

The Scent of Vanilla is Cozy and Warm

If the people and places we felt the most comfortable and cozy had a scent, it would be vanilla. It is a welcoming, inviting scent, luring us in with the sweetness and warmth of its aroma.

Vanilla Flowers Evoke Innocence and Purity

The vanilla flower, with its plush, evenly-shaped stark white petals — also harkens to innocence and purity. Between the fragrance and the flower, we can find nothing beguiling about the vanilla plant — it is simply a good thing.

An Aroma of Celebration

Vanilla is also the life of the party. It is the aroma of celebrations and birthday parties and summer fairs. But it also represents a sense of something basic, original, plain, and comfortably normal — like vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla the Aphrodisiac

With its seductive, honeyed aroma, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that vanilla is a potent aphrodisiac. Its tantalizing fragrance excites and arouses the senses. It is a savor of passion that quickens the blood flow and stimulates the libido.

Chocolatl and Vanilla

The Mayans were keen to incorporate Vanilla into various drinks and concoctions to pique desire. For instance, The storied Mayan beverage, Chocolatl, included an assortment of bewitching flavors and spices, chief among them chocolate and vanilla.

Vanilla beans, some cut and some uncut. A knife is in display as well as a bottle of Kentucky whiskey. A glass container of cut vanilla beans is nearby and this appears to be the setup to make vanilla extract.

Moctezuma’s Favorite Beverage

The legendary Aztec emperor, Moctezuma, was fabled to drink around 50 cups of vanilla-infused beverages a day. Not surprisingly, he was also known to possess a sizeable harem of women to whet his pleasures.

Sexual Desire is Part of Vanilla’s History

Of course, the lesson here isn’t consuming vanilla will make you a prolific womanizer like Moctezuma. Instead, the main takeaway should be that vanilla has a deep history of stimulating sexual desire.

Vanilla’s Aphrodisiac Power for Men

Men especially stand to benefit from the aphrodisiac capabilities of vanilla. Research has shown that vanilla can increase blood flow to the phallus. In this regard, it is more effective than the aromas of other arousing scents, like lavender and pumpkin pie.

A bundle of vanilla beans on a wooden surface.

The Seductive Powers of Vanilla for Women

Not to mention, women can employ the sensual powers of vanilla as well. Treat it like perfume, using a little dab of vanilla oil behind the ears or on the pulse point of the wrists. This will help enhance your seductive powers and provoke the appetitive pleasures of your lover.

Magical Ways to Use Vanilla

When coupled, vanilla and cinnamon can make an amazing and truly powerful mixture. Burning cinnamon and vanilla incense together can raise potent love-attracting vibrations, and cinnamon and vanilla oil can be used to dress and green candles and burned to attract wealth.

Vanilla Can Boost Energy Levels and Concentration

Vanilla beans are full of amazing, uplifting power. Consider carrying one and enjoy a boost to your energy levels. The scent of vanilla is quite potent in quickening the mind and concentration. Allow its scent to help improve your memory recall.

Suppressing Appetite with the Scent of Vanilla

Vanilla is a powerful appetite suppressant. Both ingesting vanilla and its scent will help curb cravings, which can help with weight loss.

Aromatherapy with Vanilla

When engaging in relaxing aromatherapy, don’t forget vanilla. Its scent is an excellent stress reducer and great for combating feelings of anxiety.

A white vanilla flower shining in the light of the sun.

Vanilla Correspondences

Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia (Most commonly used form)
Folk Names: Banilje, Tlīlxochitl
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Magical Attributes: Love, Lust, Mental Ability

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

FDA Disclaimer

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The Spring’s Trumpet: Daffodil Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Yellow daffodils taken with selective focus photography.

The Magic of Daffodil

As the daffodil blooms, it trumpets the arrival of spring. Daffodils are the harbinger of spring, and their blooming is intimately connected to many spring festivals worldwide — including Ostara.

Daffodils and the Ostara Season

The magic of Daffodils, also known as Narcissus, expresses the essence of the Ostara season. The springtime is a time for the sweetness of love, and Daffodils can be carried on one’s person or used to decorate your Ostara altar to encourage the spirit of Love to fill the air.

Magical Ways to Use Daffodil

Daffodils are rich in fertile energy, and when fresh daffodil flowers are placed in the bedroom, they can help with conceiving. It is exceptionally fortuitous to wear a little bit of daffodil close to your heart, as doing so can raise your good fortune.

What Does the Daffodil Symbolize?

The truth of the daffodil’s bold beauty is enough to inspire peace and calm and a gentle reminder for us to show love and care to ourselves. It is a symbol of new beginnings, rebirth, and renewal.

Are Daffodils Good Luck?

The birth flower of March, it is said that spotting the first daffodil of the season brings a prosperous year. Daffodils blooming during the Lunar Year is considered a sign of good fortune. However, spotting a single daffodil growing alone portends misfortune.

What is the Difference Between Daffodils and Jonquils and Narcissus?

Daffodils are often referred to as narcissus or jonquil interchangeably. However, daffodil usually refers to narcissus flowers with a large trumpet, and jonquils are more fragrant than your standard daffodil.

What Does Daffodil Smell Like?

With a scent described as musky and similar to that of jasmine or hyacinth, there does seem to be something quite alluring about the narcissus flower. Its name has also been linked with the Greek word for intoxicated, narke — the root word for “narcotic.”

Daffodil Magical Correspondences

Botanical Name: Narcissus
Folk Names: Asphodel, Daffy-Down-Dilly, Fleur de Coucou, Goose Leek, Lent Lily, Narcissus, Porillon
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Magical Attributes: Love, Fertility, Luck

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

The Narcissus Flower in Mythology

It is often thought that the narcissus flower gained its name from the ill-fated youth of the same name — Narcissus. Narcissus, of course, is the youth of lore that was blessed with beauty but spurned the love of many who wished to court him.

Narcissus Falls in Love with His Reflection

Narcissus eventually fell in love with his reflection in a pool – the one lover he could not have. Some accounts say that he drowned himself trying to embrace the fleeting reflection.

The Narcissus Flower Loves its Reflection Too

The narcissus flower, too, seems to hang its flowered head to gaze upon its reflection when near water, just as Narcissus did. Thus, it’s a small wonder that the Western world often symbolically associates narcissus with vanity.

Narcissus Was a Popular Name in Roman Times

However, history might tell a different story about the origin of the narcissus flower’s name, as the prevalence and popularity of the narcissus in antiquity seems to have preceded the myth itself. The name Narcissus was quite common in Roman times.

The Narcissus Flower is Connected to the Underworld

Some believe that the word narcissus is connected to hell, which would make sense since it shares many connections with death and the Underworld. The narcissus flower is mentioned in the story of Persephone as having been the very flower that distracted her long enough for Hades to steal her to his Underworld. Legend would have it that narcissi grow along the River Styx.

Narcissus as a Harbinger of Doom

Ancient Greeks would plant narcissus flowers near tombs, and some narcissi, such as Thalia, are considered popular grave flowers. Some believe narcissus portends doom, as the youth Narcissus and Persephone met their demise due to the narcissus flower.

Narcissus is Toxic

All versions of narcissus are toxic. Narcissus is a popular deer repellent for this very reason, as deer do not enjoy toxic plants, but keep in mind this also means that pets too can be harmed by this flower.

Be Mindful of Where You Grow Daffodils

If you have pets that like to chew on plants and grass, growing daffodils in your garden are not recommended. Be careful not to grow edible bulbs near your narcissus plants, as mistaking a narcissus bulb for an edible bulb can and has been fatal.

FDA Disclaimer

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Queen Anne's Lace flower in front of a black background.

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The Moonlight on the Grove: Jasmine Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Jasmine Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Known colloquially as the “Moonlight on the Grove,” Jasmine’s sensuous and mystical power is fabled to be able to attract many of the treasures that one might seek. The flower is beloved and revered in India, used in religious festivals and marriage ceremonies, and the Chinese are known to be fond of jasmine-flower tea.

The Queen of the Night

Though she loves sunlight and warmth, Jasmine has earned the unique moniker of “Queen of the Night” due to her penchant for blooming in the evening.

Love and Jasmine

Core to Jasmine’s spiritual meaning is its ability to attract spiritual love, based on attraction to the soul, as opposed to physical love. The flower also happens to be a natural aphrodisiac. Thus you can use jasmine flowers in a ritual bath to attract love and heighten the sexual experience.

Attracting Wealth with Jasmine

Jasmine not only attracts love but wealth as well, and burning the flowers or carrying them on your person helps to release this magic. You can burn jasmine incense or carry jasmine flowers to attract money and wealth. Moreover, planting near the home brings happiness and attracts abundance to the household.

The Prophetic Power of Jasmine Flowers

Jasmine smoke is perfect for relaxing the mind and preparing it for psychic, divinatory, and prophetic endeavors. Additionally, consider jasmine as a perfect addition to any sleep pillow, as it can encourage prophetic dreams and encourage restful sleep.

Empowering the Psychic Mind With Jasmine Tea

Before engaging in any divinatory activity, such as Tarot and crystal gazing, drink a cup of Jasmine tea to help heighten the experience. The scent can calm the mind’s eye, making it easier to interpret visions and see them with clarity.

Use Jasmine Oil to Activate the Third Eye

Additionally, rubbing a little jasmine oil on your Third Eye can help with psychic readings. To induce prophetic dreams, try burning some jasmine flowers in a censer or as incense in your bedroom. You can also include the flowers in dream pillows for a similar effect.

Jasmine Fun Fact: “Gift from God”

Jasmine gets its name from the Persian word Yasameen which means “gift from God.”

Cleanse Crystals with Jasmine Incense

Cleanse your crystals with jasmine smoke or incense, or place them in a bowl of jasmine flowers.

Jasmine’s Lunar Magic

Jasmine is considered a lunar herb and is therefore appropriate for use in moon magic.

Summoning Fairies with Jasmine

Jasmine incense can be used for summoning fairies.

The Scent of Jasmine for a Restful Night’s Sleep

Jasmine flowers can be sniffed to help encourage sleep.

Jasmine Provides Travel Protection

Offer jasmine flowers to the sea to beseech protection for a loved one traveling.

Jasminum flowers hanging on a wooden fence.

Jasmine Magical Correspondences

Folk Names: Jessamin, Moonlight on the Grove, Peot’s Jessamine, Anbar, Yasmin
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Diety: Vishnu
Powers: Love, Money, Prophetic Dreams

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

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The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not render medical or psychological advice, opinion, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, the information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. Thus, if you have or suspect you may have a medical or psychological problem, you should consult your appropriate health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Links on this website are provided only as an informational resource, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked sites, nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy or content.

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The Miracle Flower: Echinacea Spiritual Meaning and Magic

The Magic of Echinacea

It’s no secret that the Native Americans had a robust and powerful understanding of the natural world. They taught early settlers, illiterate of the wonders and magic they had happened upon in this brave new world, how to use Mother Nature’s incredible bounty to survive and thrive. And in the treasure trove of tried and true herbal knowledge that was gifted to these settlers, Echinacea was a magnificent jewel.

The Miracle Flower

In the Native American world, Echinacea was a miracle flower. It was used to withstand intense heat; medicine men would coat their mouths with macerated Echinacea root and hold hot coals in their mouths as a magical and compelling display. It was strewn across hot coals to add to the steam in sweat lodges for a similar aim — to withstand the heat.

Echinacea is a Powerful Healer

Echinacea is a powerful healer and a virtual cure-all. It currently enjoys ubiquitous prominence worldwide for its myriad of healing abilities. Still, in its past, there has been a quiet tug-of-war between those that wish to laud its healing capabilities and those who feel its benefit is overstated.

Macro photography of a dew-covered purple coneflower.

However, time is starting to show that, yes, Echinacea is genuinely a miraculous flower, a potent healer, and a dynamic conduit of spiritual and psychic energy.

Bathing with Echinacea

You can deploy Echinacea’s intense healing power through teas, supplements, creams, and even mouthwashes, but have you considered an Echinacea bath?

The Benefits of an Echinacea Bath

An Echinacea herbal bath soak is an excellent way to benefit from Echinacea’s intense healing power, not to mention its understated benefits for the skin. You can even combine it with other healing herbs such as eucalyptus if you have a cold or lavender for relaxation.

Transdermal Medicine

We primarily use Echinacea to boost the immune system, and an Echinacea bath is a helpful way to transmit that benefit transdermally. Your skin is your largest organ, after all, and can absorb nutrients.

An Antioxidant-Rich Soak

With an Echinacea bath, you’re not only giving your body the immune boost it needs, but Echinacea is also antioxidant-rich, which is excellent for the overall quality of your skin.

Close-up of a pinkish purple Echinacea flower.

How to Make An Echinacea Bath

Making an Echinacea herb bath is incredibly easy. You will need some dried Echinacea root and any other herbs you want to incorporate into your Echinacea bath. Consider herbs like chamomile to relieve pain or linden flowers to help prevent you from getting a cold. Rosemary and rose petals can also be incredibly relaxing, and jasmine can help improve your mood.

Use a Bath Bag or Make An Infusion for Your Echinacea Bath

A bath bag will be handy for your Echinacea and other herbs, as you don’t want to simply put the herbs straight into the bathwater for the risk of clogging your drain. Alternatively, you can use a jar to make an Echinacea herbal infusion that you can simply pour into the bath.

Preparing the Herbs and Echinacea Bath

Try to make sure you have an even proportion of each herb, and you’ll want at least 3-4 ounces of each for your bath. Additionally, ensure your bath water is hot enough to activate the herbs’ healing potential but not so hot as to burn your skin.

Magical Ways to Use Echinacea

Incorporate Echinacea in your spellwork to amplify magical energies and add it to charms and sachets to make them more potent.

Amplifying Psychic Ability with Echinacea

Drink Echinacea tea to encourage psychic insight and amplify clairvoyant abilities. Furthermore, you can keep Echinacea petals around your altar or sacred space to increase magical and psychic energies.

An Echinacea Spell for Sexual Potency

Dress an orange or red candle with cinnamon oil (make sure the cinnamon oil is diluted with a carrier oil so as not to irritate the skin), place Echinacea petals around the base, and light the candle for a spell to increase lust and male sexual potency.

Echinacea Attracts Wealth and Prosperity

Grow Echinacea within and around the home to draw prosperity to the household and prevent financial hardship. Echinacea seeds can be incorporated in fertility and abundance spells.

Protection with Echinacea

Echinacea root and petals can be used in a sachet and carried to draw energies of strength and stamina and to be carried as a protective ward.

Close-up of an electric pink coneflower.

Cleansing and Purification with Echinacea

Echinacea petals and roots can be burned in cleansing and purification rituals. Take a spiritual cleansing bath infused with Echinacea petals and roots.

The Healing Power of Echinacea*

Echinacea is full of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, and selenium. When dealing with an ear infection, drink echinacea tea, as it can help fight off the bacteria and viruses that contribute to ear infections.

^{*(See FDA Disclaimer)}

Echinacea for Cold and Flu Relief

Drinking echinacea tea has been shown to lower the duration of a cold by about one day, and drinking echinacea tea before the onset of cold and flu season can help act as a preventative from getting ill.

Echinacea Tea Benefits

Cool echinacea tea can be used as a facial toner to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Echinacea tea can help treat laryngitis and lessen its duration.

Echinacea Immune Booster

Echinacea is a powerful immune booster and can provide the body with extra defenses against seasonal illnesses all year long.

Echinacea After Surgery

The Native Americans traditionally used Echinacea to relieve aches and pains, and it is believed that echinacea can help relieve the physical discomforts that usually follow surgery.

Yellow coneflowers in an aluminum watering can.

Is Echinacea Good for Respiratory Health?

Echinacea is an excellent remedy when it comes to upper respiratory health in both children and adults.

Echinacea for Bad Breath

Echinacea, in combination with other herbs such as sage and lavender, can help kill the germs associated with bad breath.

Echinacea Benefits for the Skin

Echinacea can help hydrate the skin, reduce the occurrence of unsightly blemishes and help prevent wrinkles.

Selective focus photography of a field of pale yellow coneflowers.

Interesting Facts About Echinacea

Native Americans used Echinacea to treat snake bites.
Echinacea is part of the daisy family and can be found primarily in Eastern and Central North America.
The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos, which describes a sea urchin or hedgehog, which is similar in appearance to Echinacea’s spiked seed head.
The Plains Native Americans used echinacea more than any other herb. They would smoke the plant and use it to make themselves resistant to heat.
Early settlers would mix echinacea into horse or cow feed to help improve the animal’s health and appetite if it had difficulty eating.
Research shows that the best way to activate the healing power of echinacea is by sucking on the root. The mouth provides saliva and other disease-fighting mechanisms to help potentiate its power.
Native American tribes such as the Sioux and the Dakotas used Echinacea to remedy hydrophobia.
The Omaha Native American tribe would coat their hands in macerated echinacea root so that they could pull the meat out of boiling pots without being affected by the heat.
The Kiowa Native American tribe used echinacea’s seed head as a comb and brush.
Coneflowers like echinacea suppress the growth of competing plants by using hormones in a process called allelopathy.

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The Queen of Flowers: Rose Spiritual Meaning, Myth and Magic

A red rose with water droplets. • Rose Spiritual Meaning

The Magic of Rose

To understand Rose spiritual meaning, consider its status as the “Queen of All Flowers.” Rose earns this honor because of its effortless beauty and perfection. Likewise, the flower evokes a sense of wonder, mystery, and enchantment. And while roses are typically used in love magic, they also have uses in raising divinatory energies, unveiling mysteries, providing protection, and aiding in truth and things of beauty.

Colours of Rose Flowers and Their Meanings

We use different colors of roses to express different sentiments. For instance, you can gift red roses to your lover or signify general respect. Consider giving dark pink roses as a thank you or to show someone your appreciation. Light pink roses represent maidenhood, sympathy, and appreciation.

Different Roses Meaning

White roses symbolize reverence and innocence. You can give yellow roses to a long-term friend and express happiness and joy. Orange roses show passion, and you can gift them to someone to articulate an actual desire or deep excitement.

A close-up of a red rose with dewdrops. • Rose Spiritual Meaning

Attracting Love with Roses

You can use Roses in spells to attract love. You can also string rose hips together and wear them as necklaces to attract love. Conversely, you can use roses to sever ties and emotional attachments to an ex-lover and dispel love-jinxing.

Roses and Handfastings

Moreover, your guests can wear roses at weddings and handfastings, and you can string them together to decorate the wedding hall to bless the couple’s union.

Glamour Spells and Roses

You can use Roses in glamouring spells and spells to make one more attractive. For instance, you can bathe in rose petals to enhance your beauty and allure and help you relax and become more centered.

Roses Entice Luck and Good Fortune

Roses have an association with luck and good fortune. Spread rose petals around your altar space or carry some to attract good fortune in your love life. Similarly, rose hips are incredibly potent in advantageous energies, and you can place them in a green sachet and other lucky herbs to draw good fortune.

Close-up on a single, yellow rose. • Rose Spiritual Meaning

Revealing Treachery and Deceit with Roses

Use roses to reveal “the evil eye,” the potential treachery or deceit of others, or to uncover the truth of a matter in magical workings. A cup of rose-infused tea before bedtime is said to induce prophetic dreams.

Fairies Love Roses

Fairies are fond of the scent of roses, so having roses growing nearby may attract them to your home, as well as some added good luck and positive energy.

Other Magical Ways to Use Roses

Rosewater, when sprinkled on clothing, can provide protection.

Make a rose petal-infused honey that you can use as a magical sweetener for your morning cup of tea.

Sprinkle rose petals around the house to lessen tensions and help relieve stress.

Selective focus photography of multiple pink roses. • Rose Spiritual Meaning

Rose Magical Correspondences

Botanical Name: Rosa
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Hathor, Hulda, Eros, Cupid, Demeter, Isis, Adonis, Harpocrates, Aurora
Magical Attributes: Love, Psychic Powers, Healing, Divination, Luck, Protection, Fairies

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Roses in Mythology and Folklore

Rose’s most notable mythical associations are its connection to love and beauty. Roses are connected to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, Eros (Cupid), and Aphrodite’s most handsome lover, Adonis. According to mythology, when Aphrodite emerged from the sea, white roses formed from the sea foam. When Adonis’s love died, Aphrodite mixed her tears with his blood to create red roses.

The Secretive and Mysterious Magic of Roses

Roses have an intriguing and unassuming connection to mystery, secrecy, and the revelation of truth. In Muslim folklore, roses revealed the truth about one of Muhammad’s wives and her adultery. Muhammad gave his wife a bouquet of red roses and had her throw them in water. Once immersed, the roses turned yellow, revealing her malfeasance.

A red rose with black leaves on a grey textile. • Rose Spiritual Meaning

Roses Reveal the Truth

In Jewish folklore, a rose again revealed the truth in a tale of a woman falsely accused by a suitor when she refused his advances and ordered burned at the stake. In a strange twist of events, however, the fire consumes the accuser and leaves her unscathed. A red rose grows from the ashes of her accuser, signifying his deceit, while at her feet, a white rose appears, a symbol of her innocence.

The Connection Between Rose Spiritual Meaning and Isis

To further touch on the theme of Rose spiritual meaning and their connection to revelation and mystery, Roses have associations with Isis, the Egyptian Goddess of mystery and magical knowledge, as well as love and beauty. The Egyptian hieroglyph for Rose resembles a doorway as if to express it as a portal to information and more profound knowledge.

Bird's eye view of a lavender-colored rose sitting atop lavender-tinted paneling.

The Healing Power of Rose*

Roses are a surprising source of many health benefits. Consider rose syrup for a unique approach to soothing a sore throat or rosewater when dealing with a headache. Rose hips, the fruit of roses, are also high in nutritious value. As such, consider them for your next homemade jam project.

^{*(See FDA Disclaimer)}

Rose Petals Healing Properties

Rose petals are a mild sedative, and the steam of rose petals and lavender can help with falling asleep. You can use Rose syrup and Rose honey as a cough and sore throat remedy. Likewise, to help with digestion, consider taking an infusion of dried rose petals after meals to aid digestion. Roses have a cooling effect on the body, which can help lessen a fever or to cool off in the summer.

Healing Properties of Rosewater

Rosewater can help lessen headaches caused by sunburn when applied to the forehead. Additionally, Rosewater and witch hazel are often combined to make an effective acne treatment. Rose hips are rich in vitamin C, more so than many other plants, and they contain iron, which is helpful when dealing with anemia.

Healing Properties of Rose Oil

To relieve inflamed or damaged skin, consider creams made with rose oil. Moreover, add a couple of drops of rose oil to bath water for an uplifting, stress-relieving bath that can help lessen feelings of depression.

An assortment of pink, deep red, yellow, and orange roses lying on their side.

Interesting Facts About Roses

It was once tradition at particular dinner gatherings to hold up a red rose at the dinner table before eating to vow to everyone at the table to keep secret anything revealed during the meal.
The tiniest rose buds in the world are the size of a grain of rice.
The Bible mentions only three flowers: rose, henna, and lily.
“Juliet” is the name of the most expensive rose cultivar, and it took 15 years to breed and costs 5 million dollars.
The world’s oldest rose bush grows on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany. It has been documented there since 815 A.D. — over 1000 years — and even survived bombing from an air raid in 1945.
There is no such thing as a black rose. What we perceive as black roses is usually a deep crimson red that is so dark that it appears black.
The world’s largest rose was a pink rose that was 33 inches in diameter and bred by Nikita K. Rulhoksoffski.
The oldest rose fossil ever found was found in Colorado and dated back 35 million years ago.
Roses have inspired many a song, and there are over 4,000 songs dedicated to roses.
It takes 2,000 roses to produce just a mere gram of rose oil.

Close-up of a red rose with a diamond ring embedded in the center.

FDA Disclaimer

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Rose Honey

Selenophile

A Rose Honey is simple to make and can provide a heightened mystical experience to any dish that could benefit from a dash of honey. Use it to sweeten your morning cup of tea for a bewitching sunrise experience, or drizzle it onto your Beltane cakes and cookies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Equipment

Glass Jar with Lid
Wooden Skewers

Ingredients

Rose Petals You will want enough rose petals to fill the jar.
Honey Raw Honey is preferable, but if you'd rather use a synthetic or processed honey that is also fine.

Instructions

Fill glass jar with rose petals.
Cover roses in honey until the jar is full.
Lightly tap the glass jar against a surface to release any air bubbles.
Close the glass jar and store it in a cool, dark place for two weeks, stirring every couple days.
(Optional) After two weeks, strain the rose petals from the honey.
Enjoy!

Keyword rose honey, rose infused honey, rose petal honey

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The Geisha’s Flower: Cherry Blossom Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Close-up of vibrant pink cherry blossoms.

The Magic of Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms are ephemeral and ethereal. They are the gentlest flowers, encouraging us to be inspired by the future and things to come, but also tragedy, as their fleeting beauty is short-lived and transient. Cherry blossom’s energy is shy and delicate, quiet and gentle, and overwhelmingly powerful and awe-inspiring when they come to bloom.

Cherry Blossom Incense and Oil is Magical

Cherry blossoms are intensely magical. Their sweet, smelling aroma is a font of inspiration for many powerful oils and incenses, thus making them a mainstay in the magical world. The wafting smoke of cherry blossom incense is irresistible and invaluable in love magic.

How Cherry Blossoms Herald the Arrival of Spring

The sights of cherry blossoms herald the arrival of Spring, freshness, and renewal. Use cherry blossoms to draw in these enlivening Spring energies and to celebrate the dawn of new beginnings. Their energy can aid with the beginning of new projects and goals.

A bird's-eye view of cherry blossoms in a teacup.

Cherry Blossoms Attract Abundance

Cherry blossoms carry the energy of abundance. Japanese farmers felt cherry blossoms were a good omen and signified that they were being visited by deities who would guarantee a bountiful rice harvest. When a cherry tree blooms, cherry blossoms command the attention of the landscape as the plethora of pale pink and white flowers, blanket the horizon. They signal the arrival of growth and abundance.

The Uplifting Energy of Cherry Blossoms

The sweetness of cherry blossom’s scent is uplifting and positive and can also ward away dark energies and malaise. They signify the beginning of change and the ushering of the new and thus lend themselves excellently to spells and magicks that intend to bring about change and creativity.

Cherry Blossoms’ Connection to Death and Ancestral Worship

Cherry blossoms hearken the energies of death and mortality as well and have been used in ancestral worship. In Japanese culture, white represents death and mourning, and through cherry blossoms’ uplifting pink blush lies the undercurrent of a hint of tragedy. A cherry blossoms life, while exuberant, is short-lived, a somber reminder that everything good must come to an end.

The Goryo and Cherry Blossoms

When blossoms are blown by the winds of a storm, the Japanese believed that this was caused by goryo. Goryo is the angry dead, and an unhappy goryo is not a good thing, as when they are angry, they cause bad luck and disaster. To please the goryo and any other agitated spirits of the underworld, rituals such as dance, poetry, and music were performed. In this regard, cherry blossoms are associated with the Underworld and its spirits.

Cherry blossoms in a pinkish copper mug sitting on grass that says "Dreams are only dreams until you wake up and make them real."

Cherry Blossom Symbolism and Meaning

Cherry Blossom’s beauty is delicate, pure, but fleeting. It was the symbol of ethereally beautiful geishas’ femininity, as well as a symbol for the power of warriors. They overwhelm us with their stunning beauty and tantalizing aroma for only a couple of weeks in the Spring, and then they are gone, and we are left with only our enchanted memories of their splendor.

Mono-no-aware: Cherry Blossoms Fleeting Beauty

The Japanese had a way of describing the transient and fragile nature of cherry blossoms’ beauty — mono-no-aware. In fact, cherry blossoms are a richly symbol-laden flower in Japanese culture. When the blossoms arrive in the spring, they have viewed as the harbinger of springtime and indicative that a bright future is on its way.

“Falling Blossoms”

Cherry blossoms are also closely linked with mortality in Japanese culture. During Japan’s militarization in the 20^th century, Japanese suicide pilots would often paint the sides of their planes with cherry blossoms before a suicide mission. These “falling blossoms” as they descended from the sky expressed the fleeting nature of life, as young soldiers would sacrifice their own life for their emperor.

Cherry blossoms near a quaint-looking bridge with red-brick homes in the background.

*FDA Disclaimer

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The Winter’s Bloom: Witch Hazel Spiritual Meaning and Magic

The Magic of Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is as witchy and magical as the name suggests. A peculiar plant with distinctly fringy yellow flowers, Witch Hazel is often called “snapping hazel” for the peculiar way its fruit “snaps open” and ejects seeds upon reaching maturity. Not only is Witch Hazel bewitching to look at and amusing to listen to, but its spiritual power is even more captivating.

Witch Hazel’s Dousing Power

Witch Hazel is well known for its use as a dousing rod, capable of locating water. A Witch Hazel dousing rod will give a characteristic tug signaling that water is nearby as it tries to draw from it.

“Drawing” Magic with Witch Hazel

Keep this in mind when using Witch Hazel in magical practice; just as Witch Hazel tries to draw on the water nearby, so is it capable of drawing other energies to your, such as love and clairvoyant ability.

Witch Hazel blooms weighed down by water droplets.

“Winterbloom”

Witch Hazel has an intriguing and quirky habit of blooming during the Winter, hence its nickname, “Winterbloom.” And unlike most fruit-bearing plants, Witch Hazel tends to hold on to last year’s fruit while flowering in the new year, hence its genus name Hamamelis which means “together with fruit.”

Witch Hazel and the Power to Bend Will

Witch Hazel gets its name from being commonly used to craft divination rods and resembling the hazelnut tree. The Old English word for “witch,” wice, means “pliable,” as it was thought that witch could bend others’ will.

Native Americans Used Witch Hazel in Divination

Native Americans used the seeds medicinally and to divine whether or not a patient would recover from a particular illness. They introduced the plant to American settlers, who quickly adapted it into colonial life.

Witch Hazel’s Protective Power

Witch Hazel has protective, divinatory, and clairvoyant energies and can be used in purification and banishing rituals. Witch Hazel can be found in North America in the Eastern half of the country, Japan and China.

Witch Hazel Magical Correspondences

Botanical Name: Hamamelis
Folk Names: Snapping Hazelnut, Spotted Alder, Winterbloom
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Attributes: Protection, Chastity, Divination, Spirit Communication, Love, Psychic Ability

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Magical Ways to Use Witch Hazel

Due to its affinity for water, witch hazel can be used in water magic, and witch hazel twigs can be used to locate water underground. When applied to old furniture, Witch Hazel can restore it by softening the surface.

Heightening Psychic Power with Witch Hazel

Keep Witch Hazel twigs, petals, and seeds near your altar or sacred space to assist in heightening clairvoyant, divinatory, and magical energies. Use Witch Hazel seeds in spells for communicating with spirits. The seeds can also be used in divination.

Witch Hazel Wands Are Great for Protection and Banishing

Consider making a wand from Witch Hazel branches. A Witch Hazel wand is incredibly potent at protection and warding, as well as banishing hostile forces. A Witch Hazel wand is also effective at locating water.

Deep orange witch hazel blooms blanketed in snow.

Carry Witch Hazel Seeds to Attract Love

Carry a sachet of Witch Hazel seeds and flowers for its protective energies or to attract love. Add a Witch Hazel infusion to bath water to attract love. Place Witch Hazel in sachets and charms to heal a broken heart.

A Healing Poppet with Witch Hazel

Make a healing poppet and stuff it with Witch Hazel leaves and flowers, then dress the poppet with healing oils. A Witch Hazel poppet is especially potent for skin disorders such as eczema and acne.

Herb of Chastity

Witch hazel can temper passions as it is an herb of chastity.

The Healing Power of Witch Hazel*

Witch Hazel is a popular, natural skin toner and cleanser. As an astringent, it can minimize the appearance of pores and clear oily skin, as well as work preventatively against future blackheads and pimples.

^{*(See FDA Disclaimer)}

Witch Hazel for Spider Veins

Another widespread use of Witch Hazel is minimizing swollen veins. Witch Hazel is a natural remedy against varicose veins when applied topically. Just remember to elevate the area in question so that the veins aren’t subject to extra swelling due to blood pressure before applying Witch Hazel.

Witch Hazel for Diaper Rash

Soothe baby’s diaper rash with a little bit of Witch Hazel. You can dab a small amount on a cotton ball and clean the baby’s rash with an immediate result.

Many witch hazel flowers blooming on a tree.

Witch Hazel and Hemorrhoids

Witch Hazel is prominently featured in many over-the-counter hemorrhoid ointments and creams for good reason — it provides relief. Witch Hazel is a natural remedy for hemorrhoids. Mix it with aloe and apply it to the affected area for soothing relief.

Witch Hazel Uses for Sunburn

Witch Hazel is quite effective in treating sunburn. A concoction of Witch Hazel and Aloe should help slow any inflammation, with the Aloe helping to cool the burn. This remedy will also help lessen any peeling that might occur subsequently.

A witch hazel tree in bloom in a grassy field.

Can Witch Hazel Help with Dark Circles Under Eyes?

Witch Hazel’s astringent nature makes it more than ideal for treating those stubborn under-eye bags and dark circles, as it can tighten up the skin and lessen any puffiness. Be careful not to get any Witch Hazel in the eyes, or it will burn like the dickens!

Does Witch Hazel Help with Stretch Marks?

Applying a little Witch Hazel to the skin while pregnant can help minimize the formation of stretch marks. For the stretch marks you might already have, spraying a little Witch Hazel around the stretch mark can help tighten the skin and lessen the appearance.

Curly, bright yellow witch hazel blooms.

Witch Hazel Aftershave

Witch Hazel makes the perfect aftershave. Apply a modest amount on an area after you’ve shaved it to stop razor bumps before they develop.

Witch Hazel and Poison Ivy

Be sure to bring Witch Hazel on your next camping trip. In case you brush up against poison ivy, Witch Hazel can help soothe the itch. It can also help with bug bites.

Witch Hazel and Bruises

Apply Witch Hazel to unsightly bruises a couple of times daily to dramatically reduce their appearance.

Orange-yellow witch hazel blooms on a branch.

FDA Disclaimer

A row of cinnamon sticks with a piece of star anise.

Cinnamon: The Yuletide Spice

There’s something about the scent of cinnamon that warms our souls and ignites our passions. It is a powerful spice, much beloved by many cultures, from the Chinese, who used it in healing rituals over 4,000 years ago, to the Egyptians, who used it in the mummification mixture when burying their dead. Replete with the Sun’s energy, cinnamon’s magic lends itself well to …

Honeydew Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Honeydew Melon contains plenty of seeds and, as such, can be used in magical spells, satchels, and talismans to attract abundance. Take a handful of honeydew melon seeds and throw them into the air, then ask the winds to blow in an abundance of whatever it is you seek. Honeydew melon is symbolic of …

Peeled oranges in a carved golden bowl, surrounded by unpeeled oranges.

Orange: The Wellspring of Joy

Love is the key to happiness. We sometimes forget this when the ones we love cause us pain. Likewise, we doubt it when we let down our loved ones. Love can be the path that leads to heartbreak, which stings like hell. It often seems there’s just no place for it in such a loveless world. However, oranges want us to remind us that …

Saffron: The Queen’s Spice

As the fabled world’s most expensive spice, Saffron has long embodied the essence of wealth, affluence, and luxury. Consequently, queens of lore luxuriated in baths gilded in Saffron and enjoyed its aphrodisiac qualities. Moreover, there’s a mystical power within Saffron wherein many have found their pathway to …

August 16, 2016July 24, 2022

The All-Heal: Valerian Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Valerian is powdered and used in sachets for protection and purification and can be placed under the pillow as a sleep aid. When hung in the home, it can guard against lightning strikes, and powdered and sprinkled along the threshold it can deter unwanted guests.

It is believed that if a woman pins a sprig of Valerian to her clothing, men will follow her like a child does their mother. Valerian can be placed around the home to quell couples’ quarrels and can also be placed in love sachets. Planting Valerian in the garden can bring harmony to the home, and you can add it to your ritual space to cleanse the area.

Greeks hung sprigs of Valerian on their windows to ward off evil from the home, and the dust is sometimes called “graveyard dust,” which can be used as a substitute for graveyard dust in magical work. Valerian is used during Samhain and Yule celebrations and can be added to charms and talismans for protection.

Selective focus close-up of red valerian flowers.

Like catnip, cats are magically drawn to Valerian, which can be used in spell work involving cats and other animals. It is also a very powerful panacea and can be used to treat many ailments, including headaches, cramps, and digestive upset.* The name comes from the Latin word valere which means to be strong and healthy and is also known as “all-heal.”

Valerian is believed to be able to turn any bad situation into a good one. It is a powerful sedative that can relieve stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Place valerian in your shoes to protect against the flu, and drink valerian tea when in need of purification.*

Be careful of long-term use of valerian, as it can become addictive. Pregnant women should avoid valerian.*

*FDA Disclaimer

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Moistened red apples hanging from a tree at midday.

The Fruit of the Gods: Apple Spiritual Meaning and Magic

Apples have a deeply-rooted magical history and are a richly symbol-laden fruit. They are known as the “Fruit of the Gods” in Celtic Mythology, and the Irish revered “The Silver Branch,” a magical artifact said to be needed to enter the Underworld before one’s time. Apple is also known as the “Fruit of the Underworld,” and some have believed …

Dewy bilberries on a metal jar lid near moistened leaves and scattered bilberries.

The Vision Berry: Bilberry Spiritual Meaning, Myth and Magic

I had never heard of Bilberry before. I was researching the grain harvest festival of Lammas when I ran across this peculiar fruit. I had initially mistaken the name for another coinage of blueberry, but it is not. It is a very different fruit altogether. I sniffed around online and found the reason I had never heard of bilberries …

A selective focus close-up on lavender flowers.

The Scent of Tranquility: Lavender Spiritual Meaning and Magic

The scent of fresh lavender can transport us to a place of utter serenity and refreshing calm. For centuries, many a culture have taken the opportunity to use this herb of tranquility to invite soothing, peaceful energies and usher in a cleansing air. Lavender’s power, like its penetrating and piercing periwinkle …

An assortment of pumpkins of various colors, large and small, surrounded by twigs and fall leaves.

All Hallow’s Gourd: Pumpkin Spiritual Meaning and Magic

It’s Halloween night. A certain fresh briskness fills the air as children dressed as goblins, ghouls, superheroes, and witches scanter excitedly from house to house, pillaging the neighborhood for treats. In the backdrop of the dark of night is the Autumn leaves, providing a certain fiery orange glow that seems to …