This sweet-tasting herb is excellent in savory dishes. Basil truly grows like a weed and you should cultivate it right on the kitchen windowsill so you can snip and add to your Italian-inspired dishes. Give your basil plants plenty of sun and lots of water, and you will reap a mighty bounty to share with the neighbors. Old wives and hedge witches claim basil protects your home while it brings prosperity and happiness to any gardener’s home. Basil helps steady the mind, brings happiness, love, peace, and money, and protects against insanity (what more can you want?). The benefits of this plant are as plentiful as the plant itself; it can be used in getting and attracting love, and on the highest vibrational level, abetting psychic abilities or even astral projection.
As a kitchen witch and gardening enthusiast, I am always seeking to learn more about the power of herbs, plants, roots, and flowers that can be used in the craft. Grow your wealth, literally, with these handy money-attraction herbs.
Allspice berries bring good luck; gather seven berries and place them in a small pouch to carry in your pocket or purse for a week. On the seventh day, burn them with cinnamon incense while making your wish for whatever you want.
Basil is a major herb of abundance as well as love. Drop a few fresh basil leaves on the floor of your kitchen and sweep them out of your home with your magical broom while speaking this charm: “Scarcity is out the door; no longer will I be poor. Health and wealth, be here now. Harm to none, so mote it be.”
Cinnamon has come to be called the “Sweet Money Spice” as this delightfully scented herb brings luck and will make a business more prosperous. Sprinkle a dash of powdered cinnamon on the threshold of your front door, store, or business, and watch the wealth walk in!
Cloves are herbs of good fortune and even help in gambling. They also bring people together and bind them. If you need to turn your luck around, use cloves in spell work as an herbal element or in incense or potpourri to foment abundant energy.
Ginger root can speed up any magic. You can grind up the dried ginger root into powder and add to your money attraction spells, bringing the funds much sooner. Ginger tea brings money your way, briskly!
Nutmeg is another spice beloved by gamesmen and gamblers. Carry a whole nutmeg in your pocket and your luck will improve the same day.
Thyme is a common herb that will attract money to your home. Every time you cook with it you draw abundance and wealth toward you. Drink thyme tea for a quick fortune turnaround and fast money magic with this spell: “It is time for money to come my way; good luck is mine. Money thyme is mine with blessings for all.”
Rosemary is another of the herbs that thrive best in warm Mediterranean climes but can weather the cold. Tough to grow from seed, cuttings are an easier way to start your row of rosemary plants in your garden. Pots of this bushy plant can enjoy being outdoors in spring and summer and then come in from the cold to a sheltered porch or inside by a sunny window. As a bonus, it requires little water. Rosemary is fantastic as a seasoning for potatoes or roast chicken and makes any Sunday supper taste better and brighter. You can pinch off the aromatic needles to dress plates or sprinkle into soups and stews. Beyond all of what it can do to enhance your cookery, this is a primary plant for rejuvenation. It is prized for how it restores after lingering illness; elixirs and essential oils made from rosemary stimulate, raise mental alertness, and energize as they comfort. In Greco-Roman times, rosemary was believed to help the memory. An excellent kitchen witchery practice is to take dried or fresh rosemary and add it to a steam for an easy infusion where it aids breathing, muscle aches, and anxiety. You can accomplish the same by adding rosemary to a hot bath, either in a fresh sprig or wrapped in a little cheesecloth to keep the rosemary from scattering. Lie back and relax, remembering happy times in your life and those that lie right ahead of you.
Garlic (Allium sativum)
We have all heard that the Chinese praise garlic for health benefits. It is a powerful antimicrobial, often employed to combat colds, ease sinus congestion, and stave off digestive problems that accompany traveling. It has even been shown that regular use can help gently lower blood pressure. One to two fresh cloves daily are the dose.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
From tummy troubles to colds and flus, ginger is beloved for its curative powers. Any greengrocer or herbal apothecary will have plenty or ginger root in stock, and you should always have some around. When anyone in your family feels nauseous or senses a cold or fever coming, slice and mince a tablespoon of the root into two cups of hot water and simmer it low covered for tea. Sweeten to taste and drink twice a day for a surprisingly swift end to your suffering. It also makes a wonderful spicy iced tea when cooled, though for a respiratory or tummy bug, drink it comfortably warm.
Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius; P. ginseng)
Many people rely upon ginseng to relieve and avert mental and physical fatigue. This herb has been shown to reduce the occurrence and acuteness of colds. Some even claim it can help with issues of male virility. It can help to light the fire of vitality within your body; for this reason, if you have spells of feeling too warm, limit your intake of ginseng. Either dried or fresh will do, three times a day simmered in a cup of freshly boiled water for eight to ten minutes. (Note that Siberian “ginseng” is a different plant entirely and is in fact a distinct species from another plant family, Eleutherococcus senticocus; it is also useful as a nutritive and grounding adaptogen, but should not be confused with Asian or American ginseng!)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
Beloved for the heavenly sweet perfume of its flowers, hibiscus is also a powerful diuretic and can lower blood pressure. As if that is not enough, it can also help sore throats and colds. Similarly to other herbal applications, steeping a tablespoon of the dried flowers in a cup of freshly boiled water for ten minutes and drinking this infusion twice a day is the desired treatment.
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
As we all know, hops are used for beer-making and excel as a tincture used as a sleeping aid and stress-reliever. Women healers also claim it is very useful to calm hot flashes in menopause. The ideal dosage is forty drops before sleep. It is said it can help anxiety. Lower your dose if you wake up extra sleepy in the morning after using hops.
Kava (Piper methysticum)
This root is also said to be highly effective as a muscle relaxer and for reducing anxiety. Kava can be handled the same as ginger, with one tablespoon of minced root or dried root simmered low and taken as tea. I recommend seeing how it affects you before you raise the dose to two or three cups of tea per day, which is recommended. If you take it as a supplement, when considering taking more than 250 mg. per day (a fraction of the weight of a US penny) or for longer than a week, make sure you are under the care of a qualified health professional. As with many, many powerful remedies, if you take it all the time without breaks, it won’t work anymore right when you need it most.
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
This revered candy classic is also a wonderful anti-inflammatory which relieves the discomfort of colds in the sinuses. It can soothe sore throats and coughs and is a curative for gastrointestinal issues. Treat licorice root exactly as you would ginger with one minced teaspoon of fresh or dried simmered low covered in one cup of water twice a day to make a naturally sweet tea. Also, you can add licorice root to other herbal teas as it will sweeten them, besides adding its medicinal virtues, which tend to combine well with those of many other basic remedies.
Elephant-headed Ganesha is the Indian god who helps overcome all obstacles. What better way to start the New Year that with this mighty deity at your side? Ganesha is beloved in India, where he is also called Vighnaharta, the “Lord and Destroyer of Obstacles.” When people seek success in work or school, they turn to this jolly elephant god. I keep a little bronze statue of a supine Ganesha on my computer.
Mudra is a type of yoga you do with your hands. It is also called “finger power points.” This is a portable yoga that you can do anywhere—on the bus, on the phone, at your desk, even walking down the street. This is a marvelous way to calm yourself and handle stress. Buddha statues are usually shown with the hands in a mudra position.
The very easy Ganesha mudra begins with you holding your left hand in front of your chest with the palm facing outward, away from your body. Bend your fingers. Grasp your left fingers with your right finders bent, toward your body. Move the hands to the level of your heart, right in front of your chest. Exhale vigorously and gently try to pull your hands apart without releasing the grip. This will create tensions in your upper arms and chest area, exercising those muscles.
Now relax those muscles while inhaling. Repeat these steps six times, then place both your hands on your sternum in the Ganesha clasping position. Note the energy and heat you feel in your body. Now repeat six times with your hands facing in the reversed positions.
The Ganesha mudra opens the fourth chakra and gives us “heart”—courage, confidence, and good feelings toward others. It opens us up to fresh encounters and positive new experiences. Performed once a day, this is a marvelous way to strengthen your upper body. It is also believed to open the bronchial tubes and stimulate the lung area.
Use the rituals in this chapter to become one with yourself and find peace within. May you use this learned tranquility to better participate in other rituals that focus on important aspects of your life.
Ayurveda is the ancient Indian “Science of Life” that has become very popular in the past few years, Aromatic plants and the oils derived from them are a major part of this wellness wisdom tradition. Herbaceous species used for ayurvedic healing include tulsi (holy basil), coriander, fennel, and various sages and mints, as well as aromatic roots including vetiver, valerian, and calamus. Ayurvedic flowers include roses, jasmine, champa, marigolds, and lotuses. Woody and tree species include agar, cedar, eucalyptus, pine, and sandalwood. Fragrant resins are utilized, including frankincense and myrrh. As you might expect, Ayurveda is also rich in spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, long pepper, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. Several aromatic grasses, such as lemongrass, are found in the tradition as well.
Oxymel is a very old-fashioned tonic that dates back to ancient times but has fallen out of fashion. It remains a favorite used by herbal healers and it is made of two seemingly opposing ingredients—honey and vinegar. Herbs can be added to great effect, and when you see honey menthol cough drops on the pharmacy shelf, note their origin in traditions that began over two thousand years ago. Oxymels are supremely effective for respiratory issues. The recipe is simplicity itself: equal parts honey and vinegar poured over herbs in a canning jar. Store in a dark cupboard and give the sealed jar a good shake every day. After two weeks, strain out the herbs with cheesecloth and store your oxymel in the fridge.
Recommended oxymel herbs: oregano, elder flower, sage, balm, mint, lemon peel, thyme, lavender, rose petals, hyssop, and fennel.
Start this special mixture brewing by pouring a cup of unfiltered sweet apple cider into a big pot. Go for organic fruit at the farmer’s market, but it is even better if you can make it yourself from apples you have gathered or harvested. Take a bottle of your favorite low-cost red wine and gently heat with the cider in a medium saucepan on a low flame. Add sugar, cinnamon, and cloves to your taste, but at least a tablespoon of each, and stir every six minutes. Notice how your entire home fills with the spicy sweetness of merriment. After thirty minutes, your brew should be ready to serve.
Many enthusiasts enjoy several cups a day of their favorite herbal infusion, which is a large portion of herb brewed for at least four hours and perhaps as long as ten. I recommend placing one cup of the dried herb into a quart canning jar and filling it with freshly boiled water. After the steeping, strain with a nonmetallic type of strainer such as cheesecloth or bamboo. Herbal infusions can be made with the leaves and fruits, which provide the healing aspects of this type of comforting brew. Many favorite herbs from your kitchen garden contain minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, including the list herein.
What do you need to attend in your life now? This list of herbs and associations can be your guide; one of the smartest ways to approach this methodology is to brew right before bedtime so you will awaken to a freshly infused herb. Some of the most popular herbs and fruits used to create infusions are as follows:
Instead of composting all the herbs, twigs, and stems from your brews, you can store them in a burlap or muslin sack and allow them to dry. Keep stuffing in twigs of lavender, rosemary, mint, and all the leftover aromatic plant material until you have a big bag. On some special evening, burn it in your fireplace or an outdoor bonfire, and it will be like a gigantic incense burner with the lovely scents wafting from the flames. And the best part? It’s 100 percent free!
Garlic is well-known for its ability to protect against infection and should be used regularly (to taste!) in your cooking. It is also known to reduce cholesterol levels and can be helpful in lowering blood pressure. Rich in vitamins A, B, and C, garlic is an excellent source of minerals: selenium, iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. The active component in garlic is allicin, a sulfur compound produced when garlic is chopped, chewed, or bruised. It is powerful as an antibiotic and helps the body inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. When preparing garlic, cut or crush the cloves, then let the garlic rest for ten minutes before cooking or eating to allow the allicin to develop. Garlic is cited as therapeutic for the treatment of many health conditions, such as both high and low blood pressure, heart problems, and asthma, as well as being acknowledged as an anti-cancer agent and a preventative for colds and other infections.
Although garlic pills are available, raw garlic is just as effective and considerably cheaper. For a simple garlic tonic to guard against colds or just to boost your general health, crush a couple of cloves and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Taking a spoonful of garlic in olive oil works well if you don’t like the taste or are fearful of unappealingly garlicky breath.
At the onset of an earache, take a peeled clove, wrap it in a little fabric such as cheesecloth, and stick it in your sore ear, taking care not to insert it too deeply. Leave it there overnight, and you will feel some relief by the morning.
Here is a concise guide to the enchanted realm of herbs, essences, plants, and plant properties.
