Book of shadows

Ritual Herbs

Some Witch's Herbs For Ritual, Spell Work and Magic

Many Pagans, Witches, Conjure folks, Wiccans, Magicians and others take pride in their knowledge of herbs. Every herb and root has a magical and medicinal property of some sort.

The Doctrine of Signatures teaches that each herb and root indicates its properties by its shape, form and spirit. For example, Five-Finger Grass, which some know as Silverweed, brings success in all things that five fingers can do (whatever you can imagine!), and is used to get others to do favors for you.

As part of our Craft, we learn to see, smell, hear and feel these Signatures in order to better understand and use these gifts from the Earth.

Many of these herbs can be found any grocery store, natural foods shop or farmer's market.

✩ Allspice: Use to magically attract money and business success, and to relieve mental tension. Magical associations include luck, healing, compassion, fertility, renewal and energy. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Jamaica Pepper, Newspice and Myrtle Pepper.

✩ Amber: Use to attract success and good fortune. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Goddess Scent. Represents both knowledge and history. Good for past life regressions and divinations into the past.

✩ Angelica: Enhances feminine magical strength and power. Widely used to protect children. Known to Herbalists and Witches as Dong Quai, Archangel Root and Holy Ghost Root.

✩ Basil: A sacred herb used for peace and happiness at home, and for protecting the home from evil. Use to attract money and success and to drive away the Evil Eye. Known as The Witches Herb.

✩ Bay Leaves: Use for protection and to avoid being hexed or jinxed. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Bay Laurel, Daphne, Grecian Laurel, Sweet Bay, Baie and Laurier d'Apollon.

✩ Bergamot: Use to attract money and success, and to lift spirits. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Bee Balm.

✩ Cedarwood: Use for purification, love, money and psychic powers. Good for spells meant to increase male virility. As an incense, it denotes strength and power. Burn it in a newly built home or temple during a dedication ceremony to announce your strength and push that strength outward into the world. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Sops in Wine.

✩ Chamomile: Use for luck, to attract love, in gambling spells, to remove curses, to help induce sleep and for washes. This Druid Sacred Herb brings the power of the Sun to love potions, prosperity spells and rites of purification. Widely used for meditation, cleansing, un-crossing and un-hexing.

✩ Cinnamon: Use for attraction, promoting high spirituality, purifying, stimulating psychic ability, exciting male passions and attracting money. Use to enhance your skill with prophecy through divination, through channeling and working with Oracle. Burn it to boost your clairvoyance and for magical healing. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Sweet Wood.

✩ Cloves: Use to attract friendship and prosperity. Magical uses include banishing evil, clearing your head, attracting love, promoting home and personal protection, and attracting money. As incense, they are a powerful aid in drawing wealth and prosperity, in purifying the area in which they are burned, and in ensuring that your magical intent is realized.

✩ Dandelion: Use as an infusion in teas or carry in a bag to enhance your psychic powers, spiritual dreams and second sight. A steaming cup of dandelion placed by your bed will call spirits. Pick a dandelion "puff" on the night of a Full Moon - call the sacred directions and then blow your wish to the winds. Known to Witches and Herbalists as Lion's Tooth, Puffball, Wild Endive, Priest's Crown and other names.