Magical, Mystical Plants!
Jennifer Stroop Hensley
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What better topic for the month when you expect things to go bump in the night?Would you would like to use plants for protecting yourself against negative energy or spirits? Or, maybe connecting with spirits who have passed? Or even developing your psychic abilities and raising your spiritual awareness/development?
This may not be as far fetched as you think. For eons, plants have been used, not just for food, but also for protection, for healing, and to prevent insect infestations. Native peoples from all over the world have always passed down plant knowledge–first orally then written–so don’t be too quick to put down this hard earned knowledge to “old-wives-tales”. The older I get, the more I dig into “primitive” remedies and I find that there is almost always nuggets of truth embedded in plant rituals and stories, including biblical references.
For example, the yellow and pink yarrow flowers are used for psychic protection, preventing accidents (folk name “carpenter weed” carried in tool boxes to prevent accidents), and is recommended for anyone who is accident prone. Historically, when yarrow flowers are worn, they protect wearer, when held, they stop fear and grant courage, when carried, they bring love and attract friends and distant relatives. A flower infusion improves psychic powers, draws attention of those you wish to see and exorcises evil and negativity from a person or place. In China, divining sticks are made from yarrow and in ancient biblical history, even Moses (and others) used a peach branch as a divining rod (Numbers 20: 9-11). However, modern research shows us that yarrow is an important antidote for todays “evils” like pollution and electromagnetic sensitivities. It is also an herb traditionally used to support female health, stop bleeding from cuts/injuries and is helpful for the digestive system including diverticulitis. Talk about multi-tasking!
Another plant/herb used for its healing and anti-oxidant virtues is also said to protect against evil and, when placed under the door mat, will keep “undesirables” from entering. Oh, and eat blueberries when you feel you are under psychic attack! And then there is elder. Not does it help prevent colds and flu and is used for infections, if you are a fan of Harry Potter books and movies, I’m sure you are familiar with the Elder Wand!
The following, to the best of my knowledge and research, are some of the (historically speaking) herbs used for “magical” purposes. I have grouped the plants according to “magical” uses:
Herbs for Psychic Enhancement:
Celery, elecampane, wormwood and burning cedar wood twigs in the fireplace or as incense will increase psychic abilities. Deer’s tongue, borage, bachelor’s button, and hemp enhances psychic abilities while sandalwood increases clairvoyance. Periwinkle, yarrow, and henbane increase psychic awareness. Anise, mullein, hibiscus, ground ivy, fig and saffron helps you see into the future, coltsfoot induces visions, bergamot opens you up to clairvoyant visions, lemongrass deepens psychic abilities, and star anise expands psychic powers.
Herbs for Spiritual Awareness and Development:
Vanilla (raises spiritual vibrations), uva ursi, peppermint, kava kava, cinnamon, Indian paintbrush, jasmine, lavender, morning glory, lily of the valley, peyote, apple, cucumber, and lemon balm deepens your spiritual connection. Anise purifies your mind, body and spirit, elderberry heals emotional and spiritual wounds, turmeric, frankincense, african violet, thistle, and adder’s tongue helps deepen your spiritual connection, and purifies and raises the spiritual vibration of your home. Bay leaf strengthens your spiritual connection, beech and cherry expands spiritual awareness, and cedar opens you up to higher levels of spiritual consciousness. Yucca increases spiritual awareness and provides protection. St. John’s Wort and agrimony accelerates spiritual healing. And good old celery helps expand psychic awareness.
Repel Negativity:
St. John’s Wort and agrimony cleanses the aura, while agrimony, knotweed and wormwood protects you from negative spirits (things that go bump in the night), clears negative energies from your home and dispels other people’s negativity. Pennyroyal, wintergreen, angelica, caraway seed, rue and betony also protects you from negativity. Allspice will chase away negative energies and huckleberry leaves repels negativity. Black pepper, cayenne, sage brush, clove and goldenseal helps you release negativity. Bloodroot, larkspur, snapdragon, cardinal flower, corn, spiderwort, horseradish, cotton, oleander, wax plant, heliotrope, leek, may apple, vetch and wild plum removes all negativity. Norfolk island pine protects your home and all who enter while dispelling negativity.
Connect with Spirits:
Country mallow and peony is reputed to get rid of negative entities while vervain, daffodil, and lilac chase away negative spirits, and wormwood and horseradish protects you from negative and evil spirits. On the other hand dittany, blackberry and fern may you contact the dead, dandelion summons spirits and calms wind, larkspur repels ghosts. And not only will daffodil banish evil spirits, it will also remove negative spells.
All of these are double-duty plants: Not only may their energies provide varying degrees of protection and enlightenment, but they also help support the body’s systems so physical healing can occur. If you want more information on this subject, check Events (on website) often to see upcoming events including the next Healing Herbs, Weeds and Wildflowers Walkabout and Tincture Making workshop.
In keeping with the spooky season, I hope you enjoyed this primer on magical plants as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. I leave you with food (plants) for thought: What do you think—are plants really magical?
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Important Note! The information in Wholistically Speaking is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose and/or treat diseases. If you have a health problem, I highly recommend you consult a competent health practitioner and educate yourself before embarking on any course of treatment.