Benvenuto!
Luciano Benandanti Thesis
Chapter 14
November 06, 2014
Charms and sachets
Fill a small bag, of the correct color or material, with herbs to make a
charm or sachet. You can carry the charm with you, hang it in the house or car, or bury or
burn it, depending on the purpose, and the spell you are performing.
Incense
Herbs can be burned as a ritual incense, such as the sage smudge used to clear
negative vibrations from a space.
Bath
Make a sachet, and place it in your ritual or healing bath. Fragrant herbs like lavender
make a very relaxing bath, and you can use certain herbs to alleviate skin and other
conditions, such as using eucalyptus in a bath when you have a cold or flu.
Oils
Place herbs in an oil, let them steep for a few days, then strain. You can make
annointing oils for you ritual work, beauty oils for your hair, skin and nails (try coconut or
jojoba), or flavor oils for cooking and seasoning, such as steeping rosemary in olive oil.
Teas
Use herbs to make teas for healing illness. Some herbs can be used to mildly alter
consciousness, such as valerian or kava kava which can facilitate trance like states.
Smoking
You can make herbal smoking mixtures which will also facilitate altered states of
consciousness.
In spellwork, herbs can be sprinkled or placed around or within boundaries (such as your
home, altar, or magick circle) to define a “territory” for your magick to work. Of course, you
can always use flavorful herbs in cooking and seasoning your food. There are many healthful
benefits, and they taste great! Always give all plant life respect, wherever you are remember,
the word “weed” is simply a value judgement! Dandelion, for instance, has many, many
healing and nutritional qualities which are extremely beneficial not only to the wildlife which
feeds on it, but to you, too! Learn to recognize the herbs around you even
in a city, there are many wonderful herbs growing wild, which you can gather and use. Herbs are Nature’s giftuse
them with wisdom and joy!
Angelica Root
Sun Fire Masculine
Use in protection and exorcism incense, and also carry the root in a pouch as a protective
talisman. Add to bath to remove hexes. Smoking the leaves can cause visions. Angelica
protects by both creating a barrier against negative energy, and by filling it’s user with positive
energy. Removes curses, hexes, or spells that have been cast against you. Enhances the
aura, giving a joyful outlook. Relieves tension headache, diuretic, beneficial to the stomach
and digestion. Relieves buildup of phlegm due to asthma and bronchitis. Use with cautionLarge
doses can negatively affect blood pressure, heart, and respiration. If pregnant, can
cause miscarriage.
Basil
Mars Fire Masculine
Use in love and prosperity spells. Carry to attract wealth. Sprinkle basil over your sleeping
lover to assure fidelity. Use it in a ritual bath to bring new love in, or to free yourself of an old
love. Also used for purification baths. Sprinkle on the floor for protection, and burn as an
exorcism incense.
Bay Leaves
Sun Fire Masculine
Use in potions for visions, clairvoyance and wisdom. Place under your pillow to induce
prophetic dreams. Carry to ward off evil, and scatter or burn for exorcism. Add to cleansing
teas and baths. Scatter on the floor, and then sweep out for protection. The priestesses at
Delphi are said to have chewed bay leaves to induce their visions and prophesies.
Blessed Thistle
Mars Fire Masculine
Purification, hexbreaking,
protection from evil removes
unwanted influences, particularly of
malevolent intent. Strew to cleanse buildings or rooms, beneficial in healing spells.
Strengthens liver function, combat hepatitis, aids memory purifies the blood stream. Good fof
migraine, nausea, and gallstones.
Burdock
Venus Water Feminine
Used in protection incenses and for healing, especially the feet. Carry as a protection sachet
or burn for purification of a room. Rinse with a root decoction for ridding oneself of a gloomy
feeling about yourself or others.
Bramble (Blackberry) Leaf
Venus Water Feminine
Powerful herb of protection, and used in invocations to the goddess Brigit, who presides over
healing, poetry, sacred wells, and smithcraft. Also used to attract wealth. If twined into a
wreath with rowan and ivy, will keep away evil spirits. A bramble patch is a favorite hiding
place for faerie folk, use to invoke and attract faerie spirits.
Cacao (Chocolate)
Venus Water Feminine
The Aztec’s Food of the Gods. An aphrodisiac, a mild euphoric, and helps to heal depression.
It is extremely effective in love potions and spells. Cacao is a required offering during Day of
the Dead, can be used to appease restless spirits, or attract passed loved ones during
seance.
Camellia
Moon Water Feminine
Brings riches and luxury, expresses gratitude. Place fresh blossoms in water on altar during
ritual to attract money and prosperity. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating skin
conditions.
Caraway
Mercury Air Masculine
Carry for protection against spirits who mean harm, especially Lilith. The seeds can be used
to ensure faithfulness, and can be used in spells to attract a lover. Used in cooking, will
induce lust.
Carob
Mars Fire Masculine
Often used as a chocolate substitute, but although the flavor is similar, the correspondences
are opposite. Useful for protection and prosperity (the dried pods were once used as
currency). Can be burned as an incense to attract spirit helpers and familiars, or to deter
poltergeists.
Catnip
Water Venus Feminine
Animal magick and healing pets, increases psychic bond with animals. Use as a tea for
happiness and relaxation. Can also be used during meditation, increases psychic abilities.
Useful in love magicktry
burning dried leaves for love wishes.
Cayenne Pepper
Mars Fire Masculine
Use in hexes, or to break a hex. Use in love or separation spells. The fire or spark of the spirit,
it adds power to any spell. Contains capsaicin, which acts as a stimulating digestive aid. Apply
externally for joint pain. Aids circulation, blood pressure, and colds. Those with ulcers or
chronic bowel disorders should avoid using in large quantities.
Cedar
Sun Fire Masculine
Healing, purification, money, protection, love. Cedar smoke is purifying and can cure
nightmares. Keep cedar in your wallet or purse to attract money, and use in money incense. It
can also be used in love sachets or burned to induce psychic powers. Use to draw Earth
energy and grounding.
Chamomile
Sun Water Masculine
Chamomile tea is a great relaxer. Prosperity wishes, use to attract money, use as an amulet
for prosperity. Use in sleep and meditation incense. Prepares body and mind for magick. Add
to a bath or use to wash your face and hair to attract love. Bathe children in chamomile tea to
protect from the evil eye, useful in breaking curses cast against you.
Cinnamon
Sun Fire Masculine
Spirituality, success, healing, psychic powers, lust, protection, love. Burn cinnamon as an
incense or use in sachets and spells for healing, moneydrawing,
psychic powers, and
protection. Mix with frankincense, myrhh and sandalwood for a strong protection incense to
be burned every day. A male aphrodisiac.
Cloves
Jupiter Fire Masculine
Protection, exorcism, love, money, good luck. Use in incense to attract money, drive away
negativity, purify, gain luck or stop gossip. Wear to attract the opposite sex or for protection.
Worn or carried to repel negative energies around you, also said to protect babies in their
cribs if hung over them strung together.
Coltsfoot
Venus Water Feminine
Add to love sachets and use in spells for peace and tranquility. Smoke the leaves to aid in
obtaining visions. A soothing expectorant and antispasmodic,
which can be used to treat
bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, and chronic emphysema. Caution: Do not use if
pregnant or nursing!
Cumin
Mars Fire Masculine
Burn with frankincense for protection. Mix with salt and scatter to keep away evil spirits and
bad luck. Use in love spells. Steep cumin seed in wine to induce lust. Place the seeds on, in
or near an object to prevent left. Burn with frankincense for protection.
Red Clover
Mercury Air Masculine
Protection, money, love, fidelity, exorcism, success, clairvoyance, beauty. Brings good luck.
Induces clairvoyant powers. Use for rituals to enhance beauty and youth.
Comfrey Leaf
Air Saturn Feminine
A strong herb for protection against any type of negativity, especially when traveling, and
particularly for protection in the astral realms. Very nutritious, beneficial for healing sprains,
strains, fractures and sores. Also soothes an upset stomach.
Damiana
Mars Fire Masculine
Sex magick, lust, love, visions. Use in lust spells. Use in love baths. Burn to enhance visions.
Damiana can be prepared in a tea for use in sex magick. It is a mild aphrodisiac. It produces a
marijuana like euphoria when smoked. Good for enchanting a male lover. Damiana tea is the
best thing for hangovers. Use caution with this herb.
Dandelion Leaf
Jupiter Air Masculine
Divination, wishes, calling Spirits. Use the root in a tea to enhance psychic powers. Used in
Samhain rituals. Sleep, protection, healing. A very nutritious and universally beneficial herb.
Use in dream pillows and sachets, the leaves and flowers can be used in tea for healing.
Dill
Mercury Fire Masculine
Hang in the doorway to protect your home, or carry to protect your person. Can be used in
money spells. Add to a ritual bath to become irresistible to the one you desire. Use in love and
lust spells.
Eucalyptus Leaf
Air Moon Feminine
Uses include great healing properties, kills germs, infections, eases lung congestion, heart
stimulant. Attracts healing vibrations and protection. Use to purify and cleanse any space of
unwanted energies. Also useful in dream and sleep pillows.
Fennel Seed
Mercury Fire Masculine
Healing, longevity, courage, vitality, virility and strength. Use for protection spells of all kinds.
Prevents curses, possession and negativity. Use for purification. Gives strength, courage and
longevity. Delicious flavor, purifies breath, aids digestion and weight loss.
Feverfew
Venus Water Feminine
Love and protection. Include in charms or sachets. Also a strong herb for health and spiritual
healing. Use to ward off sickness and bolster immune system. Protects travelers, keep in your
suitcase or car the next time you travel. Excellent treatment for migraine headaches eases
inflammation and constriction of the blood vessels in the head, reduces sensitivity to light and
nausea.
Dried Fig
Jupiter Fire Masculine
Fertility, love spells excellent
ingredient in spell bags. Divination. Sacred to Dionysus, Juno
and many others. Recommended for a Beltane altar. If placed on the doorstep before leaving
it will ensure you will arrive home safely.
Flax Seed
Mercury Fire Masculine
Use to keep the peace at homeplace
in a bowl to absorb negative energy. Useful in healing
and protection spells. Also, carry flax seeds in your wallet or purse to attract money. Very
nutritious, good for cholesterol.
Galangal Root
Mars Fire Masculine
Psychic abilities, luck, money. For courage, strength, and for avoiding legal problems. Worn
or carried, it protects its bearer and draws good luck. Placed in a sachet of leather with silver,
it brings money. Powdered galangal is burned to break spells and curses. It is also carried or
sprinkled around the home to promote lust. Worn as a talisman, galangal aids psychic
development and guards the bearer’s health. A mild hallucinogenic
about three inches of the root for this effect. Use caution with this plant.
Moon Water Feminine
Wear to attract love. Use in healing spells. Use in Moon incense, use to increase spirituality.
Garlic
Mars Fire Masculine
Use is in protection spells traditionally
used to ward off vampires. Great healing properties,
antiviral, antifungal, strengthening. The ancient Greeks placed garlic on the stone cairns at
crossroads as an offering to Hecate.
Ginger
Mars Fire Masculine
Love, money, success, power. Use in love spells. Eat before performing spells to increase
your power.
Ginseng Powder
Sun Fire Masculine
Rejuvenation, longevity and sexual potency. Use the root in spells to attract love, maintain
health, draw money and ensure sexual potency. Carry to enhance beauty. Burn to break
curses or ward off evil spirits. Make into a lust enhancing tea. Useful as an antidepressant,
equalizes blood pressure, and aids digestion.
Hibiscus Flower
Venus Water Feminine
Useful as an aphrodisiac and in love spells. Also use to induce dreams, and enhance psychic
ability and divination. Soothes nerves, antispasmodic. Tea aids digestion, and sweetens
breath. Helpful with itchy skin.
Holly Leaf
Mars Fire Masculine
Luck, dream magick. An excellent protective herb, keeps away lightning, poison, evil spirits,
and other malign forces. The wood is used for all magickal tools as it will enhance any wish
you have. A powerful protection. Do not consume, for ritual use only.
Hops
Mars Air Masculine
Use in healing incenses and spells. Put inside pillow to induce sleep. Tea helps with a restful
sleep. Also drink tea after magickal practices to balance and refocus your energy back to
ordinary reality. Use in healing sachets and amulets. Also burned during healing prayers.
Horehound
Mercury Earth Masculine
As a tea to increase energy and strength, both physically and mentally it
increases
concentration and focus. Carry or burn for protection wishes. Called the “Seed of Horus” by
the Ancient Egyptians, it is excellent for blessing one’s home. Gather flowering Horehound
and tie with a ribbon, then hang it in your home to keep it free from negative energies. The
leaves and stems are used in candies, cough drops and syrups. Used to treat asthma,
coughs, colds, bronchitis, sore throats, and skin irritations. Also used as a diaphoretic,
diuretic, expectorant, laxative, stimulant, and stomachic.
Hyssop
Jupiter Fire Masculine
An excellent purifying herb. Use in purification baths and spells. Associated with serpents and
dragons, and can be burned as an incense to call on dragon energy. Aids in physical and
spiritual protection.
Juniper Berries
Sun Fire Masculine
Useful for protection magick of all kinds. Makes a nice incense for protection. It can be burned
or carried to enhance psychic powers. Attracts good, healthy energies and love. Aids in
digestion, intestinal cramps, diuretic, eases arthritis. Banishes energies injurious to good
health.
Mandrake Root
Mercury Fire Masculine
Protection, love, money, fertility, health. Mandrake intensifies the magick of any spell. To
charge mandrake root with your personal power, sleep with it for three nights during the full
moon. A hallucinogen when used in teait
has great power as a visionary herb, empowering
your visions and propelling them into manifestation. A whole mandrake root placed in the
home will bring protection and prosperity. Carried, it will attract love and couage.
Morning Glory Blossoms
Neptune Water Masculine
Happiness, peace, visions. Place under your pillow to stop nightmares and induce beneficial
psychic dreams. Sacred to the Aztecs. Do not consume, toxic.
Moss
Jupiter Earth Masculine
To ensure good luck, especially with money, carry any type of moss removed from a
gravestone. Use in prosperity spells, Gnome magick and spells to Mother Earth. Use in “Witch
Bottles” for home and business. Place in your bra When a MALE lover is near to attract
sexual attention.
Mugwort
Venus Earth Feminine
Use in dream pillows for prophetic dreams. Burn with sandalwood or wormwood in scrying
rituals. Drink as a tea sweetened with honey before divination. The plain tea can also be used
to wash crystal balls and magick mirrors. Leaves of mugwort can be placed around these to
aid in scrying.
Mullein
Saturn Fire Feminine
Protection and courage. Keeps away demons and nightmares while sleeping, also protects
against wild animals. Useful in protection and exorcism spells. Invokes spirits, use on scrying
tools to aid divination. This plant is the Original Witch’s torch, used to illuminate spells and
rites. Useful as an expectorant to clear and heal lungs, stops diarrhea and soothes
hemeroids.
Nettles
Mars Fire Masculine
Carry to remove a curse and send it back, or sprinkle around the house to keep out evil. Use
in purification baths. Highly nutritious for anemia, skin disorders and allergies, restores health,
expectorant, stops bleeding. One of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo Saxons.
Nutmeg
Jupiter Fire Masculine
Luck, money, health. Carry for good luck, and to strengthen clairvoyant powers. Use in money
and prosperity spells. A hallucinogen when made into a tea. TOXIC in large doses! Take no
more than a pinch!
Orris Root
Venus Water Feminine
Love, protection, divination. Use to find and hold lovea
powder made from the root is used
as a love drawing powder. Protection from evil spirits. Roots and leaves hung in the house,
and added to the bath are good for personal protection.
Pau d`Arco
Pluto Fire Masculine
Works best during the waning Moon can
be empowered by drawing down the Moon directly
into the herb. The active ingredient is xyloidin, a very potent antibiotic and antiviral. Can
relieve arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, eczema, gastritis, psoriasis, pyorrhoea, rheumatism, skin
and nails, ulcers. Used to treat chronic candida. Potent tonic and cell regenerator, stimulating
natural defenses and revitalizing the body. Also a sedative, an analgesic, and a diuretic.
Passion Flower
Venus Water Feminine
Promotes emotional balance, peace, attracts friendship and prosperity. Heightens libido, use
in love spells. Calming and soothing, promotes emotional balance, aid in sleep. Use to relieve
nerve pain and hysteria.
Pennyroyal
Mars Fire Masculine
Carry in a green bag to attract money and to aid in business transactions. Burn for protection
in meditation and astral travel. Use for ridding negative thoughts against you, carry when
dealing with negative vibrations of all kinds. Caution: stimulates menustration when
consumed, and can induce miscarriage.
Peppermint
Mercury Fire Masculine
Purification, sleep, love, healing, psychic powers. Promotes sleep and visionary dreams. Use
in healing and purification baths. Burn as a winter incense. Very useful for stomach upset and
heartburn, nausea, and to ease congestion during colds and flu.
Pine
Sun Air Masculine
For sacred wisdom. Prosperity,fertility, healing.The Pine tree is an evergreen, its old title was
“the sweetest of woods”. Its needles are a valuable source of vitamin C and can loosen a tight
chest. The scent of Pine is useful in the alleviation of guilt. Burn for strength, and to reverse
negative energies.
Raspberry Leaf
Venus Water Feminine
Protection, healing, love. Calming, promotes sleep and visions. Useful during pregnancy and
childbirth, eases diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Beneficial to the kidneys.
Rose Petals
Venus Water Feminine
Love, psychic powers, healing, luck, protection. Use in love spells of all kinds. Drink rose tea
before bed for prophetic dreams. Domestic peace and happiness, promotes joy of giving.
Helps clear away headaches, dizziness, mouth sores and menstrual cramps. Heart and nerve
tonic.
Rose Hips
Venus Water Feminine
Rose hips are very high in Vitamin C. Rose hips also contain A, B, E, and K, organic acids
and pectin, and have a high concentration of iron. The hips are strung like beads and worn to
attract love. A woman should eat rose hips during her menstrual period. A woman’s lover
should gather roses for this purpose. The earliest known gardening was the planting of roses
along the most traveled routes of early nomadic humans.
Rosemary
Sun Fire Masculine
Protection, love, lust, mental powers, exorcism, purification, healing, sleep, youth. Burn to
purify and cleanse. Use in love and lust incenses and potions. Use for healing of all kinds. A
tea of rosemary causes the mind to be alert. Circulatory, digestive and nerve stimulant. Heals
headache, depression, and halitosis.
Sage
Jupiter Air Masculine
Immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection, prosperity. Use in healing and money spells.
Purifying, use as incense during sacred rituals walk
the smoke to the four corners of the room
to repel and rid negative energies and influences. Especially good when moving into a new
home. Heals wounds, aids digestion, eases muscle and joint pain, colds and fever.
Saturn Earth Masculine
Prosperity, protection, purification, consecration of ritual tools. Sprinkle a few grains around
your sacred space to clear it of any unpleasant presences. Some ancient rituals call for
pouring dry salt into a receptacle of water to symbolize the dissolving of evil.
Shave grass
Saturn Earth Feminine
Also known as Horsetail. Fertility spells. Nutritious, helps the body absorb calcium, may help
to strengthen bones, hair and nails. Control excess oil on the skin. Diuretic, helps to relieve
urinary disorders. May help blood to clot, reduce fevers, and calm nervous tension. Also can
be used in snake charming!
Scotch Broom Leaf
Mars Air Masculine
A Druid sacred tree. Use in purification and protection spells and scatter to exorcise evil
spirits. Burn to calm the wind. The branches are used to make traditional besoms. The tea
can induce psychic powers, and its smoke is a sedative. Use in moderation, can be toxic.
Seaweed
Moon Water Feminine
Offers protection to those at sea. Summons sea spirits and sea winds. Uses in sachets and
spells to increase psychic powers. Scrub floors and doors of business with infusion to attract
customers and bring in positive energy. Use in money spells. Fill a small jar with whiskey, add
kelp, cap tightly and place in the kitchen window. Ensures a steady flow of money into the
household. Helps regulate an underactive thyroid. Relieves the pain of rheumtism and
rheumatic joints.
Spanish Moss
Jupiter Earth Masculine
Luck, money, banish poltergeists To
ensure good luck, especially with gambling, carry
Spanish moss. Use in “Witch Bottles” for home and business. Place around home, or burn to
banish poltergeists.
St. John’s Wort
Sun Fire Masculine
Health, protection, strength, love divination, happiness, exorcism. A Druid sacred herb. Use in
protection and exorcism spells and incenses of all kinds. Use as a tea to treat depression.
Use the leaves in a necklace to ward off sickness and tension. Carry to strengthen your
courage and conviction. Burn to banish negative thoughts and energies.
Star Anise
Jupiter Air Masculine
Protection, purification, youth, psychic powers, luck. Use for protection, meditation and
psychic power incenses. Can be used in purification baths. Wards off evil and averts the evil
eye. A pillow stuffed with anise seeds will keep away nightmares. The tree is planted by the
Japanese around temples and on graves as an herb of consecration and protection. The
seeds are burned as incense to increase psychic powers, and are also worn as beads for the
same purpose. Sometimes star anise is placed on the altar to give it power; one is placed to
each of the four directions. It is also carried as a good luck charm, and the seeds make
excellent pendulums. The tree is often grown near Buddist temples where it is revered. A
stimulant and diuretic. Promotes digestion and relieves flatulence.
Tea
Sun Fire Masculine
Riches, courage, strength. Use the leaves in money sachets, incenses and spells. A
stimulant. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and other youth enhancing compounds. The
leaves can be used in scrying.
Tobacco Leaf
Mars Fire Masculine
Sacred to the Native American Tradition. Tobacco ties wrap
tobacco leaves in pieces of
white, red, yellow and black cloth, and hang them around the ceremonial space at the 4
cardinal directions. Smoke to allow communication with spirits. Burn as an incense to purify a
space. Spirits appreciate offerings of tobacco.
Thistle Flower
Mars Fire Masculine
Represents courageous defense and deep rooted ideals. Protection spells, also used to bring
spiritual and financial blessings. Carried in an amulet for joy, energy, vitality, and protection.
Can be burned as an incense for protection and also to counteract hexing.
Thyme
Venus Water Feminine
Burn for good health and use in healing spells. Burn as purification incense. Wear to increase
psychic powers.
Valerian Root
Venus Water Feminine
A muscle relaxant and a tranquilizer. Use for dream magick and sleep protection baths. Keep
in the home or grow in the garden to aid in keeping harmony. May be used to purify a ritual
space. Useful in consecrating incense burners. Drink tea daily, in moderate doses, during
times of purification.
Vanilla
Venus Water Feminine
Love, seduction, mental powers. Use in love sachets, and wear the fragrant oil as an
aphrodisiac.
White Willow Bark
Moon Water Feminine
Love, divination, protection, healing. Carry and use in spells to attract love. Use the leaves,
bark and wood in healing spells. Burn with sandalwood to conjure spirits. Brings blessings of
the moon into one’s life. Eases muscle and joint pain, beneficial for arthritis.
Yarrow Flower
Venus Water Feminine
Use to dispell melancholy, negative energy, lingering sorrow, or depression. Carried as a
sachet or amulet it repels or rids of negative influences. Aids in divination. Good remedy for
colds. Opens the pores and purifies the blood. Said to prevent baldness as a hair wash.
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