Article contentsGuardian’s Grimoire the Fourth
Grimoire contents Article contents
Guardians in History: A Passage from Dion Fortune’s _Psychic Self-Defense_
Because the existence of the Guardian calling before Mercedes Lackey’s books is sometimes called into question, I am including this passage, written by Dion Fortune in her book _Psychic Self-Defense,_ which was first published in 1930 and is still available today. Her name for the concept is different, but the concept itself is obviously the same.
)O(
There is a very curious aspect of the occult field concerning which something must be said in the present pages, though not a great deal can be revealed, and, to be frank, I do not know a great deal about it myself, but only such aspects as I have actually come across. I have always heard it called the Occult Police; others may know it by different names but I believe it to be a very real and concrete thing, though its organization is not upon the physical plane, nor, so far as I know, are its mundane activities gathered up into any single pair of hands. I have crossed its trail upon a number of occasions, and played my part in its activities, and I have talked with others who have also been concerned in it, and they have always said as I do, that it is the inner voice and circumstances alone that direct our activities when we co-operate with this mysterious organization.
I think myself that it is organized in national units, for people seem to go in and out of jurisdictions, or to be passed on from one to another. In my experience it has no particular political bias, but concerns itself solely with occult methods applied to criminal ends and offenses against society.
One or two illustrative cases may help to make the matter clear. Some complications arose at one time over an Indian occultist who was visiting this country in order to found a school. He was deeply involved in the politics of his own country, and there could be no doubt about it that he disliked the English and all their ways very much indeed. I think that I was the only pure-blooded Anglo-Saxon who was in touch with him. As far as I know, he did not concern himself with mundane plane political activities, his idea being to organize a meditation group which should pour the regenerative spiritual force of the East into the group-soul of the British Empire, which he declared was in a very bad way indeed. I maintained, however, that the group-soul was not dying, as he held, but very tired, for it was immediately after the War. Moreover, I could not see how anybody who disliked it so very much was going to be able to regenerate it. Nor was I sure that the regeneration was going to be to our taste if we were to get it. This man, whom I will call X., was of an intense spiritual pride, and his root-idea was that England must acknowledge the spiritual supremacy of India and take her spiritual inspiration from the East. I was young and inexperienced at the time, but I began to ask myself what manner of spiritual force was going to be poured in through the channel we were constructing. Supposing during the War a group of English Occultists had tried to perform a similar service for Germany, what line would they have taken? Would they not have tried to influence the German group-mind to give up its militarist ideals and concentrate on the League of Nations? Was it not more than likely that our Indian friend was trying to disabuse us of our Imperialistic tendencies? Would it not appear to him, smarting as he was under the race prejudice of the white man, that the world would be a much better place for humanity if the English cultivated their own garden and let other people alone? I got more and more uneasy, and X., being a good psychic, detected my uneasiness, and I was asked to withdraw from the group he was organizing.
I felt quite convinced that something sinister was being attempted against the group mind of my race, but I had no means of gauging its extent or potency. This was not the kind of tale one could take to Scotland Yard; moreover, several of my personal friends believed in the bona fides of X. and were taking part in the group he was organizing, and I was very anxious not to involve them in any unpleasantness. In my perplexity I resolved to do nothing upon the physical plane and to invoke the Masters upon the Inner Planes.
At this time I was not of a grade which is supposed to have direct access to the Masters, but I determined to try and get them telepathically, though I did not know whether those to whom I was trying to telepath were human or non-human, incarnate in physical bodies or discarnate entities, for at that time I was not very advanced in my occult studies.
All I had to hold on to was an abstract idea and the knowledge that in previous difficulties I had been able to get in touch with Something on the Inner Planes which had proved a powerful friend.
In telepathing, the usual method of getting in touch is to visualize the person you want to communicate with and call him by name. I had nothing I could visualize and I knew no names. However, I determined to make the attempt as best I might and, metaphorically speaking, I put my head out of the window of this fleshly tabernacle and called for the police. And I got an answer. The Inner Voice replied to me very clearly and distinctly:
"You are to go to Colonel Y."
I was taken aback at this, for Colonel Y. was a rather eminent person to whom I had once been introduced, and the last person in the world one would invite to go mare’s-nesting. I had no desire to make myself ridiculous by bearding this formidable warrior in his den. My psychological studies had made me familiar with the workings of the subconscious mind and what it can do when dissociated, and I felt that the situation required handling with considerable caution because the results of a mis-step might be unpleasant.
I therefore replied to the Inner Voice, "I cannot trust you unless you give me a sign"
The reply came through, "Colonel Y. will be at your next lecture. Tell him then."
To this I replied, "I know that Colonel Y. cannot be at my lecture because his regiment is ordered abroad, and he will have left before it takes place."
The answer came back, "Colonel Y. will be at your next lecture."
"Very well," I said, "that shall be my sign. If Colonel Y. is there, I will tell him, and if not, I shall leave the affair to take its course."
The day duly arrived when I was to give a public lecture at a certain town. I arrived at the hall in due course, and the first thing I saw was Colonel Y. going up the stairs! So I determined to take the bull by the horns, and immediately after the lecture I went straight to him and said, "I have got a message for you."
"I know you have," he replied, "for I have been told to expect it."
It appears that he was sitting in his quarters one evening with his two dogs. They suddenly became disturbed and began to investigate something that wasn’t there. He heard a voice saying distinctly to his inner ear that I should come and ask his help and that he was to give it. He was so impressed by this occurrence that he went to a mutual friend and asked her whether I was in trouble of any sort. At his request she wrote to me to inquire how I was faring, but mentioned no names, and I, not realizing the significance of the incident, returned a non-committal answer.
He heard my story and told me to leave the matter in his hands, which I did.
This is a queer enough story of coincidence, but the sequel is even queerer. After leaving Colonel Y., I inquired once more of the Unseen whether I should take any further steps. The reply came through that for the present I was to do nothing, but that I would be told when further action was to be taken. I learnt afterwards that X. had left the country a few days after my interview with Colonel Y.
Nothing happened for about five months, and then one evening when I was sitting over my fire in the dusk I distinctly heard the Inner Voice telling me that now was the time to make a move in the matter of X., and that I was to go to Mr. Z. and tell my story. Now Mr. Z. was a very eminent person indeed, whom I knew of as being an advanced occultist, but whom I had never met. I replied to the interior voice that for me to approach Mr. Z. was impossible, I should merely be shown the door, and that unless they could open up the way from their end, I did not see how it was to be done. The answer came through very clearly that the way would be made plain. And it was.
A couple of days later a visitor was announced, an old friend whom I only saw occasionally, and after the usual greetings and exchange of news, he said, "I should very much like you to meet a friend of mine who I think would be interested in your work. May I take you to see him? His name is Mr. Z." Needless to say I agreed.
When I came to the appointed meeting, I said to Mr. Z., after I had been introduced, "I have got a message for you," thinking I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. He listened attentively, and when I mentioned the name of the Indian, my friend who was present, exclaimed, "It is a curious thing that your should be moving in this matter at the present moment. X. landed in England a couple of days ago."
It will be noted that as soon as X. left England, I was instructed to hold my hand, and as soon as he returned after an absence of five months, I was instructed to commence action again. Unless we are prepared to pull the long arm of coincidence clean out of its socket, we must conclude that some directing intelligence was at work. This is but one among many instances in my experience. Limitations of space forbid me to mention any more.
In addition to the Occult Police, who function solely on the Inner Planes, there also exist certain groups of occultists who have banded themselves together for the purpose of combating Black Occultism. I suppose they give themselves different names, but I do not know what these are; I have always heard them referred to generically as the Hunting Lodges. Upon various occasions I have skirmished on their flanks and looked on at some lively forays. I imagine them to be organized in conjunction with the Occult Police, and they certainly possess means of obtaining information which point to co-operation from the Inner Planes. They appear to possess alliances in unexpected quarters and to be able to pull a remarkable number of strings. What psychic weapons they use I do not know, but upon the physical plane they appear to rely largely upon newspaper exposes, and upon keeping undesirables on the move, never allowing them to settle down and organize. Knowing what I do of their methods, I have from time to time recognized their sign-manual in various transactions for which decent citizens have every reason to be grateful.
I came across them in a manner which serves to illustrate the way in which occultists can "call" for information they may be in need of, and the fortuitous train of circumstances that will supply it.
As a young girl, at the commencement of my interest in occultism, I came in touch with an adept whom I soon realized to be on the Left-hand Path, and with whom I soon severed my connection. Shortly after I broke with him, I was watching a gymkhana in company with some friends, among them a student of occultism, and we began to discuss matters of mutual interest. Impelled by I know not what impulse to confide in him what I had never told a soul, I told him of my experiences with the adept I have referred to. To my surprise he knew all about him. It seems that my new acquaintance was connected with a group of occultists who had taken for their work the hunting out of Black Lodges; they had already crossed the trail of my black adept and had compelled him to close down, and he had sworn not to reorganize his Order. They had had reason to believe recently that this oath was not being kept and that he had again organized a Lodge and was working his rituals, but they did not know where to lay their hands on him. Then here came I, a bit of human flotsam tossed up on a sports field to give them the information they needed at the very moment when they needed it. These things happen to regularly in occultism for one to be able to look upon them as chance.
It is my belief that it is possible for anyone who has need of them to get into touch telepathically with this occult police force. The symbol I was taught to use was a black Calvary Cross with circle on a scarlet ground. This is pictured in the imagination, and while gazing at it mentally the call is sent out into the Unseen, projecting it from the center of the forehead.
--Dion Fortune
Grimoire contentsArticle
contents
Guardians Who Do Too Much (and the Psivamps who Love Them)
by Estara Korai
(Note: none of the people alluded to in this article are the psivamps in the title. I just thought it was catchy.)
It’s the end of April. Let me tell you about my week.
I’m writing articles for the Grimoires. I’m trying to be a listmom while remaining current on three other lists. I’m reading an average of 35 emails a day, of which at least one is a request for teaching or help. I’m trying to organize and create a tradition (having fallen out from my old tradition) for the coven of five (with two more postulants) that has mysteriously fallen into my lap. I’m writing lecture material for them, on two different levels for novices and initiates, as well as answering one-on-one questions via email. I’m trying to get a bead on the growing sense of spiritual discomfort that seems to be sweeping across more and more Guardians and warriors. I’m scrambling to salvage Beltane after our choice of location has fallen through. I’m picking my brain and my library for information for a friend who has to cleanse an energy-toxic area and do soul-retrieval for one of his friends: I’m also talking to him a lot on the phone, as it’s very taxing for him as well. (There’s more, but, as it’s not my place or your concern, that’s all the details you’re gonna get.) I’m doing energy-intensive readings for all of these people and things. Oh, and I’m raising a three-year-old.
My best friend and working partner also has a full plate. She’s writing and upkeeping four Web pages, and is being asked to write a fifth. She’s taking three college courses. She’s writing her share of the material for our coven as a priestess-in-training. She’s also working on Beltane, the Guardian readings, occasional articles, and the work for our friend. She’s doing her usual work on costuming for various people, as Faire season is starting here. She also recently had to plan her grandmother’s funeral service, help sort through her belongings, and so on.
I’m barely coherent by the end of the day, and my sleep is not restful. My friend is barely sleeping at all. Truth be told, we’re starting to get a bit punchy. So, as soon as I’m done with this article, I’m taking the rest of the night off to eat junk food and watch Mystery Science Theater 3000.
As Guardians, many of us feel an unusual urge toward service, sometimes to the point where we can’t stop ourselves from taking up every cause that comes our way, as if we could single-handedly save the world. We can’t. We’ll be lucky if all of us put together can do it. Meanwhile, running ourselves to the brink of total exhaustion is not the best strategy.
Let me use an analogy. You’re driving to San Francisco, and you’re in a bit of a hurry. You can: a) stop for gas every so often, maybe check the oil, water, and tires, even though this will cut into your time a little bit; or b) drive without stopping until the car breaks down, then spend hours or days getting it back on the road.
You are in a human body. You need food and rest. You will not stop needing these things because you have important work to do--in fact, the more energy you are putting out the more refueling you will need. And the more you try to do at once, the greater the chance that your energy--and thereby your efforts--will fail. So, here are a few suggestions for keeping both your health and your workload in hand.
_Basic Body Care_
Basic maintenance of your health will give you more energy to start with: the usual suggested exercise, proper diet, moderation of alcohol intake, enough sleep, and so on.
For those who may not be familiar with the basics of personal health, I’m going to describe what they are to the best of my understanding. PLEASE understand that I am not a medical professional, and that you should consult with your doctor when contemplating a change in health strategy. I will not be held responsible if you overdo it and hurt yourself. Okay? Okay.
Exercise: Aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming, biking, etc.) three to five times a week for 20-30 minutes will improve your overall health, improve your response to stress, and help burn off fat if you are overweight. Strength training (weights, machines, sit-ups, etc.) will help you control the overall shape of your body and improve your strength. Strength training should be done on alternating days to avoid damaging the muscles by overworking them. Stretching and slow exercises like yoga or tai chi can help you relax, and can also gradually improve strength and fitness to an extent. If you haven’t exercised for a long time, consult a doctor or trainer before you start, and build up gently.
Diet: A normal diet should consist mostly of grains, fruits and vegetables, with moderate amounts of meat and/or dairy according to your principles and preferences. The balance normally suggested is a little more than half of your calories from carbohydrates, around a quarter from protein, and a quarter or less from fat. (Remember that fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein.) Try to limit sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. Also be aware that if you have a special health concern, like diabetes, this may affect what the right diet is for you--again, consult a doctor in this case.
Drink: Six to eight glasses of water or other clear, noncaffeine drinks a day will help your body work more efficiently. Caffeine is okay in moderation, but has a drying effect, so compensate with more clear drinks. Alcohol is also okay IF you’re of age, again in moderation, meaning a glass or two. Getting drunk rips up your system--as must be obvious if you’ve ever had a hangover--and drinking heavily for long periods hurts your liver and kidneys.
Smoking: Don’t. Just don’t.
Meditation: A daily practice of meditation reduces stress and helps concentration. Although we usually think of meditation as meaning sitting cross-legged and chanting, there are other ways of doing it. Tai chi and yoga can also be used as meditations, for example.
Taking care of your body will certainly improve your health, energy levels, and ability to deal with the stress of working magick and dealing with other people’s problems. However, this may or may not get you through periods of prolonged work.
_Emotional Quick Fixes_
While you’re not busy, think about what you enjoy, what makes you feel replenished. Extra naps? A nice bath? Good sex? Chocolate? Make a list if you don’t think you’ll remember, or if writing helps you think. It doesn’t matter how indulgent it is, if it is within your means. Ours is not a path of self-negation, even for Guardians.
When you start showing signs of fatigue, stop what you’re doing and go to that list. Anything that is not immediately life-threatening can wait until you’ve restored your energy levels. Remember to ground and center yourself. Signs of fatigue include disruption of sleep and eating patterns, mood swings, inability to concentrate, and clumsiness.
_Prioritize_
Also remember in your normal day-to-day upkeep that you have the right to say no. If you have too much on your plate when someone makes a request, you can ask them to wait, or refer them to someone else. Don’t swamp yourself with more than you can reasonably do.
Learn to prioritize the tasks you do take on and deal with the most important cases first. This will help you feel less overwhelmed by a large number of tasks. Other help-oriented professionals do this all the time: look at a doctor’s office. Everyone wants help, but some cases are *time sensitive* and others are not. A cold will probably go away on its own; an ear infection is more vexing, but can afford to wait if someone comes in who is having a stroke. Try to look at your own "caseload" the same way, and organize it accordingly.
If you can’t bring yourself to dismiss or prioritize clients you can’t handle right away, or if you actually *volunteer* to take on jobs you know you can’t handle at the time, you may be engaging in an addictive behavior. Remember that even if your calling involves helping others, your overall *worth* is not decided by how many people you can "save." If you have trouble with this idea, look at books and resources on codependency.Now, if you’ll excuse me, my VCR is calling.
Grimoire contents.Article
contents
Beginning Instructions on Basic Cleaning of Objects and People
by SharTasha, with additions by Estara Korai (it’s okay, we circle together!)
Everyone needs to clean the negative energy from themselves, objects, or others and you can’t always do the full ritual banishing and circle castings, or you may not know how to yet. So I am going to give you two basic simple ways of cleaning the things you wish to.
There are two basic methods to cleaning things. One is a method of taking the negative out of an object and getting rid of it by channeling it through yourself. The other is welling up the positive energy from yourself/surroundings and pushing the negative energy out and replacing it with the positive. In both cases you need to remember a very important thing...always direct and return the negative energy back into the earth so it can be refined and released back as positive energy. Never let it just "drift off", it could hit someone and make things very unpleasant for them.
OK., with that said let’s get to the basics of how to cleanse. Below I will give you both methods I’ve mentioned above and leave it to you to experiment and see which one works better for you. Feel free to add any words you feel you need to say or props you wish to add. I am only putting a little bit more than the basic outline here for you to work with. I have used the method described of taking the negative energy out and channeling it out through myself for years the way I wrote it here and it has worked wonders for me so I feel safe to say that it works. I have used the other method as well, though not as often, and have also had favorable effects. Practice will determine which is better for you.
_Cleaning negative energy from the inside out:_
Imagine a clean, pure, warm light. Imagine that light as a ball. Take that ball and surround the item with it. Imagine the ball of light surrounding the item and then entering into it, burning the bad stuff as it reaches the middle of it, then pushing it back into the earth. Then imagine the ball of light going super nova and exploding out of the item as nothing but pure and clean, pushing out any negative that's left out and back into the earth.
_Cleaning negative energy from the outside in:_
Imagine the negativity in the item coming together in a big black ball. When the ball is collected in the middle of the item imagine a thread tied to it. Pull on that thread to pull it out of the item and imagine the empty space filling with white light as it would when you're footprints fill in when the waves wash over the footprint or when you dig a hole on the waves edge. Then imagine that ball going back into the earth where it can be changed and turned into good. (A quick side note...the ball usually gets channeled through you, since you pulled it out towards you, but occasionally it will stay independent of itself, in which case you are just the "traffic cop" making sure it goes back into the Earth. But for the most part it will siphon through you.)
(Estara Korai’s note: if you choose this method, be *very sure* that you get all the negative energy out of you at the end! You don’t want it lingering inside you somewhere, making you sick. You might want to do a self-cleansing afterward to make absolutely sure it’s all gone.)
These are not the most complicated methods you’ll ever see but they are very practical. You will also find that the complicated ones will incorporate something to these effects. Again, practice makes perfect, so play with it and see what feels right to you.
A variation from Estara Korai:
Another way to cleanse something is a variation on SharTasha’s second option, that of pulling the negative energy out through yourself. (That, by the way, is a more shamanic technique, as opposed to the more "New Agey" approach of pumping positive energy into the person or object. Michael Harner, in _The Way of the Shaman,_ describes a healing technique that uses this principle: the shaman sucks out the negative energy with hir mouth and spits it out.) The variation, which shows up a lot in folk magic, is to pull out the negative energy into some item that you can either get rid of or cleanse more easily. A common folk tool for this practice is a raw egg; I have also heard of pieces of apple or onion being used. You pass the item over the body of the person being cleansed, seeing or feeling the negativity being sucked into the item. If one seems to "fill up," switch to another--use as many as you need to get everything. The items are disposed of afterward--obviously you don’t want anyone eating them by mistake! If you prefer, you can carry a crystal to serve as this tool; instead of throwing it away, you would cleanse it at home (as soon as possible) using one of the more time-consuming methods, such as burying it in earth or salt, or leaving it under running water.
Grimoire contentsArticle contents
Dream Intensive Part 1: A Method for Relaxation, Meditation, or Dream Programming
By SharTasha
People notice things in their subconscious that otherwise don’t make themselves known every hour of every day. Often you will be aware that they are there by a feeling of uneasiness, or (for example) you just know that you have to be doing something terribly important but you just don’t know what. Sometimes you are trying to get a better understanding of something that happened or that you’ve heard, and just can’t focus on it properly while in a conscious state because it is just too confusing for your mind to work out when trying to work with every other outside stimulus of day to day life. That is where this exercise comes in handy, to program your dreams to help.
One important way to get information from your subconscious, clear your mind, and better understand things going on around you is to do dream programming. Relaxation and meditation is a key part to getting to a state where you can do that. Then you can control what goes into the dreams from there. I know there are lots of subliminal tapes to do these type of things but personally I don’t trust them. This way I control exactly what goes in and how. I also get to control what environment I am in and other things that if not agreeable can cause unnecessary stress and maybe cause it not to work at all.
This is a very basic and easy way to program your dreams. It’s also got great relaxation and meditation exercises that are beneficial by themselves and are good to practice even if you Don’t want to continue on to your dreams. This is a tried and true method I have used for years myself and recently sat down and wrote in a quick bout for a friend of mine, and am now "fleshing out" and clarifying more to be able to pass it on to you.
1) Get completely ready for bed, whatever that entails, and put a flashlight, a notebook and a pen that writes within reach of your bed, turn off the lights and get in bed comfortably.
2) Do you have a walkman, a stereo that will turn off automatically or a remote control system? If so, use that so you don't have to get out of bed later. If not than skip this next part... you *DO NOT* want to get up after this unless it's after being asleep and like having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or something! If you have one of the above mentioned things pick some relaxing *NO LYRICS* music (the lyrics can sometimes get "stuck" in what you are doing, whether you are aware that you are paying attention to them or not)... dolphin sounds, children’s lullabies, "new-agey-put-you-to-sleep" stuff or something similarly calm, no dance beats or anything--again, if you don't have anything like this skip it... it’s not important just a prop if you have it.
3) Lie back and relax... take deep breaths and clear your mind. I find if I think of my breathing and say nothing in my mind except "in" and "out" in relation to my breaths I can do this. Again whatever you have to do to have absolutely nothing in your mind.
4) Now when you feel relaxed and confident that the jumble of normal stuff is shut off, I want you to start envisioning in your mind a beautiful meadow or beach or similar nature setting of your personal choice (I like the beach with a forest on its shore). You are standing in the middle of it and there is no one else there. You hear the sounds of the wind, of nature all around you but you don't see the animals that they come from. You are alone but not alone at all.
5) Now start talking out loud softly--you want to be shown the things that are bothering you. You want to know what your current path is. You would like your guide to come and meet with you in the spot in which you have envisioned. You want to know what is expected of you. Slowly repeat these things to yourself, and gradually stop saying them aloud and just say them in your mind. You want to ask to have things revealed to you while you go to sleep and dream. You want the feelings clarified and explained to you. If someone is being hostile to you, you would like to know who is doing it. Whatever you have that you want to ask, say it and put it here... word it however it comes out. *DO NOT* give it thought, just let it ramble out however it wants to be worded. If you repeat yourself then so be it.
After a while I find that I don’t have to start by saying it out loud, it just helps when you start because it gives something tangible to focus on (the spoken word) and it gives your mind less of a chance to wander to something completely unrelated and have some strange thing invade your dream. (For example, the other night I was going to bed and all I was doing was the relaxation to try to calm myself after a busy day. I found myself thinking about something that would work for a costume I’m doing, and ended up having a dream about wearing that same costume at the convention I’m planning on wearing it at. At least that one was not something bad, but I have had those experiences. So the moral here is once you get started in this frame of mind, it’s a good thing to make sure you don’t accidentally wander elsewhere--you could have some rather odd dreams as a result :)..)
6) Once you start to feel tired and like you've been heard, say that you are now going to go to sleep and thank your invisible helpers for listening. Then, go to sleep. If you wake up at all with a thought on your mind or remember a dream, write it down on the notebook you have ready, (use the flashlight so you don't have to get up out of bed) then go back to sleep without thinking about anything of the "mundane world" again until you get up in the morning.
Basically what you are doing here is programming your dreams by saying "I want to dream about blah" after you have relaxed yourself and put yourself in a meditative state in order to do that.
I would do this for a while each night so that it has a full chance to get everything out. I do it on a regular basis, targeting the things I feel are important. Even if I don’t program my dreams, I like to at least do the relaxation and meditation before I go to sleep. It clears my mind and helps me get to sleep.
Good night and good dreams!
Blessed Be!
Grimoire contents Article contents
Dream Intensive Part 2: Dream Analysis
by Estara Korai
This article, unlike some others on the concept of dream analysis, will not consist of a lexicon of symbols I think are important in dreams and the things I think those symbols mean. Why not? Because dream interpretation is a very individual thing, something that optimally you should learn to do on your own. In fact, if someone else interprets your dreams, they are very likely to be wrong. It's *your* subconscious that's making this stuff up, after all, not--say--mine or SharTasha's. What we think about, for example, spiders or Brad Pitt may be totally different than what you think, and that'll affect how each of us interprets a dream about them. Just to be silly, let's go with the Brad Pitt angle. For me, say, a dream about Brad Pitt might represent the struggle to come to terms with inner darkness, since the last thing I saw him in was Interview with the Vampire. For SharTasha (I asked about this), he might mean someone or something unclean, because of an article she read that mentioned how seldom he bathes. To another friend of mine, he might symbolize the shallowness of pop culture, since she doesn't get what everyone else sees in him in the first place. For someone else, he might be an ideal of young masculine beauty. Or a crazy guy like the one he plays in 12 Monkeys. Or any of a number of other things. I don't know which thing might apply to you, because I don't know what *you* associate with Brad Pitt. What's more, the same symbol might mean several *different* things to you, with different meanings becoming more or less important in different contexts.
So, that said, here are a few pointers for working with dreams.
1. If you're going to make a point of working with dreams, also make a point of writing them down as soon as you wake up. The longer you wait, the more details you are likely to lose. After you write down the dream, also make a note of other things you think might be important, like the date, the phase of the moon, whether you were purposely trying to dream about something, what mood you've been in, things like that. (These are optional, but might help you get a handle on dream cycles.)
2. First look at the overall *mood* of the dream, and compare it to what's going on in your waking life. Say, for example--this being a Guardian-oriented article--that you're having dreams about being attacked. Are there any situations in your life right now where you feel attacked or stressed? Or any situations from your recent past in which you felt that way? If not, gradually reach back farther into the past and into the future to see if the feeling relates to a particular time frame.
3. Go through what you wrote down and underline all the detail words that feel important to you. Start with nouns. Bob. Lion. Grocery store. Now, put one of these words at the top of a sheet of paper and free-associate. Write down everything that comes to mind about lions, say, and how you feel about them. Do you like them? Why or why not? What things about them stick out in your mind? When you're done, look through what you wrote and see if any of it might apply to you or your situation right now. If a lion means a Leo to you, for example, are you in a situation in which you know a Leo is taking part? If a lion is strength, in what ways do you need to be strong? If the important thing about lions is their living in prides, do you need help from your family or friends? Once you've done this for all the important nouns, go back for other things like colors. Then for events (verbs), like "attack a city," or "go through a maze," or "pat the kitty." If you draw a blank on a dream symbol, try meditating on it for a while, or "pretending" to talk to it.
4. Compare across the different words and see what they might mean in combination. Again, in the interests of applying this to Guardians I'll take a combative example, although these will actually be a minority of the dreams you encounter. Say, for example, that I've had a dream in which a lion attacks me in a grocery store, and I scare it away by throwing cereal at it. Despite how silly it sounds, it has actually disturbed me emotionally. I've determined that it isn't because I'm just feeling stressed out, but represents an actual potential threat. The association for lions that sticks in my head most right now is pride, and for grocery stores, abundance of supplies. I might take this to mean that the most likely source of attack is someone with a big ego, possibly showing off, and that their target is my prosperity. The cereal has reminded me of the grain-goddess Demeter (a connection with prosperity and food), so my defense may entail working with Her and invoking Her protection.
5. Over time, you can look for themes--symbols or events that tend to recur or tend to mean certain things. (This means that gradually, the process described in #1-4 becomes less of a pain, because you develop a sense of what things mean to you.) For example, a pattern of being attacked in dreams might mean various things, depending on what you can determine from the individual dreams. They might reveal that your life is too stressful, or that you are in a spiritual space where you are drawn to conflict with or questioning of certain ideas or people, or that you are a warrior type needing an outlet for your aggressive skills, or that you're paranoid, or something else. By cracking the code of the individual dreams, you will be more able to crack the pattern.
Grimoire contentsArticle contents
The Kitchen Witch Herbal
by Estara Korai
In the third Grimoire I suggested kitchen herbs for those who can’t get away with more exotic, "witchy" herbs in their cabinets. Many of them have a history of magickal, medicinal, and/or ritual use. They are also the easiest herbs to obtain, even for those of us who have the luxury of using others as well; you can get hold of them in an emergency situation at a friend’s house, or anywhere that a grocery store is open, which is a real advantage. (Do you know anyone who carries a baggie of mugwort everywhere they go? I don’t.)
It has since occurred to me that those who can’t be seen using exotic herbs probably also don’t have magickal herbal books sitting around their homes. Therefore, in this article I will give you some information about magickal uses of kitchen herbs, as well as a list of my references, so you can branch out when you get the chance. The herbs listed below should be easily obtained at your grocery store, and when sitting in your cabinet they should not get a second glance from even the most rabid anti-magickal person.
Some painless ways to include herbs in your spells are to simmer them on the stove in a pot of water, to include them in ritual foods or drinks, to burn them in a fire, or to place them in a bag, doll, or pillow. You can also scatter them on your working altar.
You will notice that some of the listings will seem to contradict themselves, especially concerning planets and elements. This is because I have taken information from several different sources, and different people and traditions will often have different uses and associations for an herb. The uses for which there seems to be a consensus will be listed first, followed by other mentioned uses. You are encouraged to experiment with herbs you are interested in, to see which properties they have for you.
*Anise*
Planet: Mercury/Jupiter
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: Contacting other planes, divination, love, passion, preventing nightmares, protection, psychic development, psychic protection, purification
Other magickal uses: Clairvoyance, cleansing, consecration, fertility, gain, good luck, happiness, money, weddings
Lore: Paul Beyerl attributes anise to Mercury and Apollo, and suggests that it be partnered with amber stones for best effect.
*Basil*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: Consecration, divination (esp. about love), exorcism, fertility, fidelity, good luck, happiness, harmony, love, money, passion, peace, prosperity, protection, psychic development, psychic protection, purification, strength, success, tranquillity
Other magickal uses: Clairvoyance, commanding, courage, dragons, grieving, hatred, honesty, Imbolc, initiation, inspiration, invocation, prevents theft, rituals for the dead, spell-breaking
Lore: Paul Beyerl says that basil is attractive to dragons, salamanders, and other fire-oriented creatures. It is sacred to the Hindu god Vishnu and his avatar, Krishna. Magickal herbals occasionally refer to it as St. Joseph’s Wort. Many cultures used basil in herbal medicine, which is not covered in this article.
*Bay*
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: Clairvoyance, consecration, divination, dreams, exorcism, healing, love, passion, protection, psychic protection, purification, wisdom, wishes
Other magickal uses: endings, good luck, harmony, Imbolc, inspiration, justice, knowledge, magic, memory, money, overcome opposition, peace, psychic development, release, spell-breaking, strength, success, tranquillity, transformation, Winter rituals, Yule
Lore: Bay leaves come from a tree also called the laurel, and have a strong tradition as a Greek sacred plant. When the nymph Daphne wanted to avoid the passions of Apollo, she turned into the first laurel tree, which Apollo then adopted as his sacred tree. Wreaths were made from the leaves, which were also chewed and burned by Apollo’s prophetic priestesses at Delphi. It is not suggested, however, that you try chewing bay leaves, as they are rather volatile, and the amount you would get from chewing might be too much for those not trained in the use of visionary herbs. Other gods include Aesclepius (the god of healing and Apollo’s son), Ceres, and Cerridwen.
*Caraway*
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: Fidelity, love, memory, passion, preventing theft, protection, retention, sensuality
Other magickal uses: consecration, fertility, gain, honesty, keeping secrets, peace of mind, weddings
*Celery seed*
Planet: Saturn/Mercury
Element: Earth
Main magickal uses: Psychic development
Other magickal uses: Beauty, divination, fertility, love, passion
*Cinnamon*
Planet: Mercury/Sun/Mars/Uranus (take your pick!)
Element: Air/Fire
Main magickal uses: Clairvoyance, consecration, divination, energy, good luck, love, money, passion, peace, prosperity, protection, psychic development, success
Other magickal uses: communication, happiness, harmony, healing, inspiration, knowledge, meditation, purification, spirituality, tranquillity, wisdom
Lore: Paul Beyerl suggests that cinnamon be paired with tourmaline for best effect. Cinnamon is important as a purification incense in China. Do not use externally on the body, as it irritates the skin.
*Cloves*
Planet: Sun/Jupiter
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, divination, exorcism, keeps away negative forces, love, memory, money, passion, peace of mind, protection, psychic protection, purification, stopping gossip
Other magickal uses: cleansing, friendship, psychic development, release, spell-breaking
Lore: Cloves were originally grown in China, and made their way to Europe in the fourth centure CE (Common Era). They, like cinnamon, are not grown in the United States, but are imported.
*Coriander* (also called Cilantro)
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: love
Other magickal uses: clairvoyance, divination, fertility, gain, health, keeping secrets, passion, peace, protection, retention, weddings
*Dill*
Planet: Mercury
Element: Earth/Fire
Main magickal uses: love, protection, psychic protection
Other magickal uses: Blessings, confidence, determination, dreams, fertility, gain, harmony, keeping secrets, money, passion, peace, prevents theft, retention, rest, sleep, tranquillity
Lore: Some hold that Dill is such a Mercurial herb that it should not be used when Mercury is in retrograde. It has a long tradition of use as a protection against magic: an old rhyme says, "Vervaine and dill/ Hinder witches of their will." (Another version says, "Trefoil, vervain, St. John’s Wrote, dill/ Hinder witches of their will." In either case, this is specifically meant against evil witches: the healers actually used all of these herbs.)
*Fennel*
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air/Fire
Main magickal uses: confidence, courage, fertility, longevity, love, Midsummer, protection, psychic protection, purification, strength
Other magickal uses: Commanding, consecration, divination, energy, gain, meditation, Summer rituals, virility
Lore: Fennel was used by the Saxons and by Jewish mystics as an asperger and purifying herb. It also had a history of use by the Greeks, Romans, and Germans, and it followed colonists to the New World. Aoumiel associates it with the God.
*Garlic*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: exorcism, magic, passion, protection, spell-breaking, strength
Other magickal uses: clairvoyance, commanding, confidence, consecration, courage, divination, healing, longevity, money, overcoming opposition, prevents nightmares, purification, stopping gossip, success, weather (fair)
Lore: Garlic is one of the few "herbs" whose powers have survived into modern superstition, where it gives protection against vampires. (Silver RavenWolf says that it is also helpful against psychic vampires.) The Greeks attributed it to Hecate, the primary goddess of magic. It is also sacred to the Great Mother, Cybele. Its use actually goes back even further to the Sumerians. Besides its strong psychic protection, it also protects health when eaten regularly. It was beloved in most ancient societies that had it, to the extent that the builders of the Pyramids were paid partially in garlic, and at one point went on strike to get more (according to graffiti inside the Pyramids, left by the workers).
*Ginger*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: love, passion, psychic protection
Other magickal uses: cursing, health, psychic development, sensuality, success
*Lavender* (a stretch, but it appears in some gourmet recipes)
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, cleansing, consecration, happiness, healing, love, Midsummer, money, passion, peace, peace of mind, protection, psychic protection, purification, tranquillity
Other magickal uses: blessings, chastity, divination, dreams, energy, gentleness, good luck, grieving, harmony, keeping secrets, magic (esp. to increase the duration of a spell), meditation, memory, psychic development, retention, ritual, sleep, stability, virility, weddings
Lore: Attributed by some to Hecate, Saturn, and snake goddesses. Aoumiel also calls it attractive to elves.
*Lovage*
Planet: Venus/Sun
Element: Earth/Water
Main magickal uses: love
Other magickal uses: beauty, cleansing, consecration, money, passion, protection, psychic protection, purification
Lore: The main uses concern love and beauty, hence, one assumes, the name "Lovage."
*Mace*
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: Clairvoyance
Other magickal uses: fertility, gain, good luck, love, protection
*Marjoram*
Planet: Venus/Mercury
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: grieving, happiness, love, money, protection, psychic development, psychic protection, tranquillity, weddings
Other magickal uses: Animals, cleansing, courage, dreams (of love), harmony, peace, rituals for the dead, success
Lore: Attributed to Venus by the Romans, but also sometimes to Aphrodite, Thor and Jupiter. In case you’re confused about the use for both grieving and happiness, it is meant to restore happiness to the grief-stricken.
*Mustard seed*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: fertility, health, love, passion, protection
Other magickal uses: commanding, cursing, exorcism, gain, good luck, sensuality, spell-breaking, strength, success, virility
*Nutmeg*
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire/Air
Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, divination, money
Other magickal uses: dreams, fertility, gain, love, meditation, passion, prosperity, protection, psychic development, rest, sleep
*Onion*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: exorcism, protection
Other magickal uses: Clairvoyance, cleansing, contacting other planes, divination, healing, lunar rites, magic, purification, spell-breaking
Lore: The link to the moon seems to be mostly due to color and shape. In protective magick, just as in cooking, onion is often combined with garlic.
*Oregano*
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: happiness, tranquillity
Other magickal uses: Animals, grieving, harmony, love, peace, protection, psychic development, weddings
*Parsley*
Planet: Saturn
Element: Earth
Main magickal uses: divination, happiness, passion, protection, psychic development, purification
Other magickal uses: clairvoyance, cleansing, consecration, contacting other planes, fertility, good luck, invocation, meditation, rituals for the dead, speed
Lore: Sacred to Persephone, parsley was used in the victory wreaths of the Isthmian games by the Greeks. Some also attribute it to Aphrodite and Venus, and with Mother goddesses. Parsley was thought to come from the blood of Archemorus, a servant of Death.
*Pepper*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: cursing, exorcism, passion, protection
Other magickal uses: commanding, sensuality, spell-breaking, stops envy
Lore: Stings the eyes when burned.
*Peppermint*
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: cleansing, consecration, dreams, happiness, healing, love, money, passion, prosperity, protection, psychic development, purification, release, renewal, rest, sleep
Other magickal uses: Animals, divination, endings, energy, exorcism, good luck, grieving, spirit offering, success, transformation
Lore: Mints are sacred to the god Hades, because (as happened with Daphne and Apollo--see *bay*) a young lovely named Minthe was transformed into a mint to keep her from Hades’ embrace. Peppermint is also sometimes attributed to Zeus. Paul Beyerl suggests pairing peppermint with topaz or chalcedony for best effect.
*Poppyseed*
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Main magickal uses: dreams
Other magickal uses: Binding, clairvoyance, consecration, cursing, fertility, prosperity
Lore: In Greece, poppies belonged to Hypnos and Somnos, sleep gods. (Remember "The Wizard of Oz?" "Poppies will make them sleeeeep!") They are also associated with Ceres. If you eat poppyseeds shortly before taking a drug test, you may test positive for heroin, which comes from opium, a kind of poppy. This kinship may also explain some of its magickal functions.
*Rosemary*
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: cleansing, confidence, consecration, courage, exorcism, good luck, grieving, happiness, healing, knowledge, love, memory, passion, peace of mind, prevents theft, protection, psychic development, psychic protection, purification, release, ritual, rituals for the dead, water rites/sea rituals, weddings
Other magickal uses: blessings, dreams, endings, energy, elves, fidelity, honesty, inspiration, invocation, longevity, meditation, new moon, prevents nightmares, sleep, strength, transformation, wisdom, Yule
Lore: Rosemary is associated in Shakespeare’s play "Hamlet" with remembrance, so its link to memory is old. Even older are its associations with general magic and healing, with feminine power--folklore had it that a healthy rosemary plant grew where a woman was head of the family--and with goddesses, especially of the sea. Catholic healers associated it with Mary. Aoumiel calls it attractive to elves. Its reputation is that of an all-purpose herb that will help with practically anything.
*Saffron*
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: Clairvoyance, divination
Other magickal uses: cleansing, commanding, consecration, exorcism, healing, magic, psychic development, purification, spell-breaking, weather (raises wind)
*Sage*
Planet: Mercury/Jupiter
Element: Earth
Main magickal uses: cleansing, healing, longevity, money, passion, prosperity, psychic development, psychic protection, purification, wisdom
Other magickal uses: business, clairvoyance, consecration, divination, domestic harmony, energy, happiness, inspiration, keeping secrets, knowledge, love, Mabon, meditation, peace, retention, Samhain, tranquillity, weddings, Yule
Lore: The kind of sage found in the kitchen was brought to the New World by colonists, and was especially popular among Germans. It should not be confused with sagebrush.
*Savory*
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: passion
Other magickal uses: Animals, attracts males, happiness, love, satyrs, sensuality, virility
Lore: Savory is ruled by and named after the satyrs, thus its many ties to sexual affairs. It was a favorite of the Romans for parties.
*Spearmint*
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: consecration, happiness, love, money, passion, prosperity, protection, psychic development
Other magickal uses: Animals, dreams, endings, exorcism, healing, good luck, release, renewal, rest, sleep, spirit offering, success, transformation
Lore: see *peppermint.*
*Star Anise*
Planet: Mercury/Jupiter
Element: Air/Water
Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, good luck, protection, psychic development
Other magickal uses: consecration, contacting other planes, divination, exorcism, fertility, gain, invocation, justice, love, money, passion, preventing nightmares, psychic protection, spiritual places
Lore: Primarily used in Japan, around temples and burial sites. It is also called Chinese Anise.
*Tarragon*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: commanding, confidence, courage, passion, protection, strength
Other magickal uses: Animals, calming, keeping secrets, love, peace, prevents theft, retention, sensuality, virility
Lore: The Latin name, "Artemesia dracunculus," means "little dragon of Artemis." It seems to carry many of Artemis’s qualities, in both her Olympian (courage and strength) and pre-Olympian (passion and sensuality) forms.
*Thyme*
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, cleansing, consecration, courage, divination, dreams, exorcism, faeries, happiness, healing, love, money, prevents nightmares, protection, psychic development, purification
Other magickal uses: compassion, confidence, contacting other planes, grieving, magic, meditation, Midsummer, passion, release, renewal, rituals for the dead, Summer rituals, wishing
Lore: Thyme has strong ties to faery lore. Paul Beyerl pairs it with pearls.
*Turmeric*
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: passion
Other magickal uses: commanding, confidence, courage, exorcism, magic, sensuality, spell-breaking, strength
*Vanilla*
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Main magickal uses: love, passion
Other magickal uses: Energy, new moon
*Wintergreen*
Planet: Mercury
Element: Earth
Magickal uses: Animals, contacting other planes, good luck, money
)O(
And now, because I’m a beautiful person, I provide at no additional cost to you, a
SPELL TYPE CROSS-REFERENCE
*Animals*
marjoram, oregano, peppermint, savory, spearmint, tarragon, wintergreen
*Beauty*
celery seed, lovage
*Binding and Cursing*
ginger, mustard seed, pepper, poppyseed
*Blessings*
dill, lavender, rosemary
*Business*
sage
*Calming*
tarragon
*Chastity*
lavender
*Clairvoyance*
anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, garlic, lavender, mace, nutmeg, onion, parsley, poppyseed, saffron, sage, star anise, thyme
*Cleansing*
anise, cloves, lavender, lovage, marjoram, onion, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme
*Commanding*
basil, fennel, garlic, mustard seed, pepper, saffron, tarragon, turmeric
*Communication*
cinnamon
*Compassion*
thyme
*Confidence*
dill, fennel, garlic, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, turmeric
*Consecration*
anise, basil, bay, caraway, cinnamon, fennel, garlic, lavender, lovage, parsley, peppermint, poppyseed, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, thyme
*Contacting other planes*
anise, onion, parsley, star anise, thyme, wintergreen
*Courage*
basil, fennel, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, turmeric
*Death rituals (rites for the dead)*
basil, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, thyme
*Determination*
dill
*Divination*
anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, fennel, garlic, lavender, nutmeg, onion, parsley, peppermint, saffron, sage, star anise, thyme
*Dragons*
basil, tarragon
*Dreams*
bay, dill, lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, peppermint, poppyseed, rosemary, spearmint, thyme
*Elements*
Air--anise, caraway, cinnamon, fennel, lavender, mace, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, savory, spearmint, star anise, thyme
Fire--basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, nutmeg, onion, pepper, rosemary, tarragon, turmeric, vanilla
Water--lovage, poppyseed, rosemary, star anise
Earth--celery seed, dill, lovage, parsley, sage, wintergreen
*Elves*
rosemary
*Endings*
bay, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint
*Energy*
cinnamon, fennel, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, sage, vanilla
*Envy, stopping*
pepper
*Exorcism*
basil, bay, cloves, garlic, mustard seed, onion, pepper, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, spearmint, star anise, thyme, turmeric
*Faeries*
thyme
*Fertility*
anise, basil, caraway, celery seed, coriander/cilantro, dill, fennel, mace, mustard seed, nutmeg, parsley, poppyseed, star anise
*Fidelity*
caraway, rosemary
*Friendship*
cloves
*Gain*
anise, caraway, coriander/cilantro, dill, fennel, mace, mustard seed, nutmeg, star anise
*Gentleness*
lavender
*Good luck*
anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, lavender, mace, mustard seed, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, star anise, wintergreen
*Gossip, stopping*
cloves, garlic
*Grieving*
basil, lavender, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, thyme
*Happiness*
anise, basil, cinnamon, lavender, marjoram, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint, thyme
*Harmony*
basil, bay, cinnamon, dill, lavender, marjoram, oregano, sage
*Hatred*
basil
*Health/healing*
bay, cinnamon, coriander/cilantro, garlic, ginger, lavender, mustard seed, onion, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, thyme
*Honesty*
basil, caraway, rosemary
*Initiation*
basil
*Inspiration*
basil, bay, cinnamon, rosemary, sage
*Invokation*
basil, parsley, rosemary, star anise
*Justice*
bay, star anise
*Keeping secrets*
caraway, coriander/cilantro, dill, lavender, sage, tarragon
*Knowledge*
bay, cinnamon, rosemary, sage
*Longevity*
fennel, garlic, rosemary, sage
*Love*
anise, basil, bay, caraway, celery seed, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, dill, fennel, ginger, lavender, lovage, mace, marjoram, mustard seed, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme, vanilla
*Lunar rites*
onion, rosemary, vanilla
*Magic*
bay, garlic, lavender, onion, saffron, thyme, turmeric
*Meditation*
cinnamon, fennel, lavender, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme (Yes, there they are! Go and meditate on "Scarborough Fair.")
*Memory*
bay, caraway, cloves, lavender, rosemary
*Money*
anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, dill, garlic, lavender, lovage, marjoram, nutmeg, peppermint, sage, spearmint, star anise, thyme, wintergreen
*Nightmares, preventing*
anise, garlic, rosemary, star anise, thyme
*Opposition, overcoming*
bay, garlic
*Passion*
anise, basil, bay, caraway, celery seed, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger, lavender, lovage, mustard seed, nutmeg, parsley, pepper, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla
*Peace*
basil, bay, cinnamon, coriander/cilantro, dill, lavender, marjoram, oregano, sage, tarragon
*Peace of mind*
caraway, cloves, lavender, rosemary
*Planets*
Sun--bay, cinnamon, cloves, lovage, rosemary, saffron
Moon--poppyseed
Mercury--anise, caraway, celery seed, cinnamon, dill, fennel, lavender, mace, marjoram, sage, star anise, wintergreen
Venus--lovage, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, savory, spearmint, thyme
Mars--basil, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, onion, pepper, tarragon, turmeric
Jupiter--anise, cloves, nutmeg, sage, star anise, vanilla
Saturn--celery seed, parsley
*Prosperity*
basil, cinnamon, nutmeg, poppyseed, sage, spearmint
*Protection*
anise, basil, bay, caraway, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, lavender, lovage, mace, marjoram, mustard seed, nutmeg, onion, oregano, parsley, pepper, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme
*Psychic development*
anise, basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, thyme
*Psychic protection*
anise, basil, bay, cloves, dill, fennel, ginger, lavender, lovage, marjoram, rosemary, sage, star anise
*Purification*
anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, garlic, lavender, lovage, onion, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme
*Release*
bay, cloves, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, thyme
*Renewal*
peppermint, spearmint, thyme
*Rest*
dill, nutmeg, peppermint, spearmint
*Retention*
caraway, dill, lavender, sage, tarragon
*Ritual (general)*
lavender
*Satyrs*
savory
*Sea/water rituals*
rosemary
*Sensuality*
caraway, ginger, mustard seed, pepper, savory, tarragon, turmeric
*Sleep*
dill, lavender, nutmeg, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint
*Speed*
parsley
*Spell-breaking*
basil, bay, cloves, garlic, mustard seed, onion, pepper, saffron, turmeric
*Spirit offering*
peppermint, spearmint
*Spirituality*
cinnamon
*Spiritual places*
star anise
*Stability*
lavender
*Strength*
basil, bay, fennel, garlic, mustard seed, rosemary, tarragon, turmeric
*Success*
basil, bay, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, marjoram, mustard seed, peppermint, spearmint
*Summer rituals (Spring Equinox through Fall Equinox)*
fennel, lavender, thyme
*Theft, preventing*
basil, caraway, dill, rosemary, tarragon
*Tranquility*
basil, bay, cinnamon, dill, lavender, marjoram, oregano, sage
*Transformation*
bay, peppermint, rosemary, spearmint
*Virility*
fennel, lavender, mustard seed, savory, tarragon
*Weather*
garlic (fair), saffron (raise wind) (Note: since you Don’t get any rain-making herbs, one of the very few shortcomings of the kitchen herbal, I will tell you that another folk method of bringing rain is to dip a broom into water and shake it out in the air. Or, you can go the modern route and wash your car.)
*Weddings*
anise, caraway, coriander/cilantro, lavender, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage
*Winter rituals (Fall Equinox through Spring Equinox)*
basil, bay, rosemary, sage
*Wisdom*
bay, cinnamon, rosemary, sage
*Wishes*
bay, thyme
REFERENCES
Beyerl, Paul. _The Master Book of Herbalism._ Phoenix Publishing, 1984. A large book that covers both medicinal and magical herbalism. It’s not usually in non-specialty bookstores, but you can sometimes find it in herbal or occult stores or catalogs. It is considered a standard.
Cunningham, Scott. _Magical Herbalism._ Llewellyn Publications, 1991. (There are more recent printings available from Llewellyn.) This is one of a few books on herbalism that Scott did: this is a good one to get first, since it includes a lot of general information about using herbs in magic, as well as some recipes (like his larger incense book) and a section on basic information about the herbs (like his larger encyclopedia of herbs).
"Herbal Notes" from _The Witches" Almanac, Spring 1993-Spring 1994._ Pentacle Press, 1993. An astrological almanac, usually available in large bookstores. They sometimes offer "back issues."
Huson, Paul. _Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens._ G. P. Putnam’s Sons: 1970. (A more recent paperback version is available.) As you might imagine from the title, this book is kind of a mixed bag. On one hand, there is some useful material, including a large section on protective magick and counterspells. On the other hand, it’s mixed in with some weird stuff, and its ethics do not match those of modern Wicca. Use with care.
M.A.B. "Useful Health Tips, Herbs, Oils, and Stones for Grieving and Death Processing," from _Crossing Over: A Pagan Manual on Death and Dying_ by the Reclaiming Collective and Friends, with Starhawk. Reclaiming Collective, 1995. Not primarily an herbal, but an excellent book on death and grieving. This first edition was only available from Reclaiming, and is apparently no longer available at all, but a second edition is in the works.
Malbrough, Ray. _Charms, Spells and Formulas._ Llewellyn Publications: 1996. Southern-style magic, focused around charm bags and candle spells. There is much use of herbs, but they are often referred to by confusing folk names. Tons of spells, though.
Moura, Ann (Aoumiel). _Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore and Herb Craft._ Llewellyn Publications: 1996. Although it has a fair-sized herbal section, it is less about herbs than about a particular, low-key style of Wicca. Possibly good for those who like the ideas of Wicca but aren’t big on groups or ceremonies.
RavenWolf, Silver. _HexCraft: Dutch Country Magick._ Llewellyn Publications: 1996. Despite the "Dutch" in the title, the system outlined here actually originates from German colonists to America. ("Dutch" in this context is Americanized "Deutsch," or German.) She has reworked the verbal parts of their spells into a Wiccan format from a more Christian one, about which you are entitled to your own opinion. Silver is more useful to Guardians than many Wiccan Llewellyn writers, in that she is less prone to shy away from issues of protective and defensive magick. In this book, for example, there is a chapter entitled "Cursing, Banishing, and Dealing with Difficult People." Though the amount of herbal lore in the book is small, It’s useful for other things.
_Wylundt’s Book of Incense._ Samuel Weiser, Inc: 1996. Focused on incense making, but contains a large herbal section with planets, elements, uses, and how the herb smells when burned.