Herb Magic for Beginners (13 page)

This spell is a good one when you need to pull prosperity and abundance to your whole family. The goddesses in this spell are good to call on in this situation, as they have an affinity for working mothers, families, and loving parents.

You will need the following supplies:

• One plain, white tealight candle

• A straight pin or nail to engrave the astrological symbol of Ceres (
) into the top of the candle

• A saucer

• A few tablespoons of dried oatmeal

• An image or symbol of Demeter/Ceres (the Mother card from the Tarot works well, or surf the Net and find a little picture to print out)

• A lighter or some matches

• A safe, flat surface to work on

Set the saucer on your work area, and place the tealight candle in the center of the saucer. With the pin or nail, carefully engrave the symbol for Ceres (
) into the top of the candle, as neatly as you can. Sprinkle the dried oats in a circle around the tealight. (Keep the oats a few inches away from the candle, for safety’s sake, but still on the saucer, for an easy cleanup.) Place the image of Demeter/Ceres off to the side of the plate.

Take a moment to focus your thoughts on the image of the Earth Mother and the Greco-Roman goddesses of the harvest. Ceres/Demeter was typically portrayed as a beautiful, full-figured, middle-aged woman wearing a blue robe. This goddess had golden hair that was braided and wrapped around her head, coronet style. Then light the candle, and repeat this charm three times:

The goddesses Ceres and Demeter I now call,
Send your abundance to this house, bless us one and all.
With this grain so simple and by candlelight,
Grant us your favor, on this enchanted night.

Allow the tealight candle to burn until it goes out on its own. (Typically, this takes about four hours.) After the candle is spent, neatly dispose of the little metal cup, and take the oats outside as an offering to the goddesses Ceres and Demeter. Put away the rest of your supplies, and set the image of the goddess in a prominent place for one week.

Enchanting Plants You May Not Know Are Herbs

He’s in clover. In luck, in prosperous circumstances,
in a good situation.

—E. Cobham Brewer,
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

Clover

Clover (Trifolium ssp.) is linked to the element of air. White clover corresponds to the planet Mercury, while red clover corresponds to Venus. During medieval times, clover was grown as a crop for animals, or cultivated as a “green manure” crop, which was then tilled back into the soil as compost. As it began to break down, it enriched the soil. Today, you can still try planting clover as green manure, but be aware that it will take a few seasons, because it’s slow to establish itself. For best results, it needs a year or two of growing before you till it under.

The clover flowers were made into wine, and were especially important to beekeepers, as the clover nectar was made into superior-tasting honey. They are also prized by children, who enjoy picking them and making a flower chain out of them for good luck.

The clover, just as you would imagine, is used in herbalism to promote good luck, wealth, and success. The charming clover may also be used to predict a coming shower. If you find that the clovers leaves are folded up tight one summer morning, then you should expect rain to fall that very afternoon. The clover closes up its leaves in the evening hours, so if you want to try to predict the weather, check it out in the morning hours. When clover grows wild in your yard, you have been blessed by the Fae, and this happy little plant will help keep negativity at bay and snakes away from your property.

The white clover flower was utilized in hex-breaking and to ward off negativity, while the red clover was believed to promote lust and to assist in financial dealings of every kind. Adding clover flowers and foliage to charm bags and herbal sachets that you make as gifts brings good luck and cheerfulness to the recipient.

Clover typically is found growing as three leaves, which can be a symbol for the triple goddesses, such as the Celtic Brigid, and for all magical trinities, such as the Maiden, Mother, and Crone, or the Mother, Father, and Child. However, the different numbers of leaves that are possible on the clover have separate magical meanings:

Three leaves—The three-leaf clover represents eternity and the trinity. The trefoil is worn as a shielding talisman or charm and also to promote prosperity and good fortune. Placing a three-leaf clover in your shoe grants visions of the faeries.

Four leaves—The four-leaf clover signifies harmony and the four quarters of the magic circle. It is especially lucky. It was believed to protect you from melancholy, allow you to sense the presence of ghosts, and strengthen your psychic abilities. If a four-leaf clover was tucked into your shoe, you were sure to meet a new love. It was also thought to lead its bearer to hidden treasures or that elusive pot o’ gold. Press a four-leaf clover in your Book of Shadows for an herbal book blessing.

Five leaves—The rare five-leaf clover symbolizes fame and fortune, and is thought to attract cash and riches.

Six leaves—The six-leaf clover conveys wealth and treasures. Since there are double the number the leaves, imagine that this uncommon clover brings double the magical oomph of the traditional three leaves.

Seven leaves—The seven-leaf clover traditionally brings to its bearer long, happy years filled with riches and joy.

Lucky Clover Spell

Well, you should know this by heart now: Cast this spell on a Thursday, for abundance and prosperity, or a Sunday, for riches and success. Cast during a waxing moon, to increase your good luck, and a waning moon, to banish bad luck. This herb and candle spell is pretty straightforward. If you have trouble finding silver-colored spell candles, then substitute with white tapers, tealights, votives, or even plain birthday candles. So don’t panic—just use white (the all-purpose color) or even green candles for luck instead. You can always figure a way to work things out. Clever magic users remember to improvise, adapt, and overcome! Here is the supply list:

• 3 silver mini spell candles or votives

• 3 coordinating candle holders

• 3 three-leaf clovers

• A safe, flat surface to work on

• A lighter or some matches

Arrange the clovers between the candles, or as you prefer. Take a moment to ground and center yourself and visualize the trinity, however you see them. Lay your hands on the clovers, and make a silent request in your own words to be granted a bit of good luck. Now light the candles, and repeat this charm:

Three silver candles burning so bright,
Bring good fortune to me on this night.
The trefoil pattern of the clover leaves,
Pulls prosperity and luck, straight to me.
By the power of earth and fire, this charm is spun,
As I will it, so shall it be, and let it harm none.

Allow the candles to burn out in a safe place, but do not leave them unattended. Once they are consumed, tuck one of the clovers into your wallet, and the other two in your shoes. Now, good luck will stroll right into your life and into your pocketbook without any difficulties.

Periwinkle

Known as lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor) or greater periwinkle (Vinca major), this perennial ground cover is associated with the planet Venus and the element of water. It is interesting to note that most plants with blue flowers are linked to the goddess Venus/Aphrodite. This flowering herb is a symbol of immortality. Historically, it was a popular motif for illuminated designs and floral engravings. Sometimes this plant is known as the “flower of death,” due to its habit of growing all over graves at cemeteries. Keep in mind that periwinkle is toxic.

The lesser periwinkle is a common ground cover that is an evergreen springtime bloomer. The blossoms have five purple petals with white stars in the center, which no doubt helped the flower earn its name of “sorcerer’s violet” and its reputation as a magical plant.

Try growing this ground cover in shady areas of your garden. Gather a few stems of this powerful herb, and keep it with you in your pocket to attract success and riches into your life.

Protecting Your Prosperity and Possessions

Well, sure, this topic belongs in a prosperity chapter. It costs money to replace stolen items or to repair damage from vandalism or from kids causing malicious mischief.

About a decade ago, my neighborhood had a problem with this type of scenario. Now while the items that were stolen from me weren’t especially valuable, it was still aggravating. After all, I wouldn’t have them on my house or in the yard if I didn’t enjoy them. And the bottom line is it did cost me more money to replace them. So being a practical Witch, I decided to use one of the most powerful, multipurpose herbs in my garden to protect my possessions and to put an end to the neighborhood vandalism problem. I used the periwinkle. What follows is the spell that I used.

Periwinkle Witch Jar

The best time to work this spell is during the waning moon. You will need one clean, glass jar with a lid. Into this jar, place some periwinkle vines and foliage from the garden, and a photo of your residence or a piece of paper with your address written on it. Add a pinch of salt, to break up negativity, and a tablespoon of dried vervain, to make the spell move quickly. If you can’t get your hands on vervain, then add some fresh rose petals to speed the spell on its way.

Screw the lid on the jar, and then, using a permanent black marker, draw on the top of the jar a five-pointed, upright star surrounded by a circle. (This symbol of positive magic is known as the pentacle.) Hold the sealed jar in both hands, and load it up with your intentions. Visualize what you wish it to do: protect your property and belongings and help catch the troublemakers. Then repeat this charm three times:

The sorcerer’s violet bears a tiny white star,
I tap into your power, placed into this jar.
Now protect my possessions, and guard well my home,
The vandal’s fun is over, no more will they roam.

Now, you have a couple options to finish the spell. You can tuck the jar inside your home, out of sight, in a room that sees a lot of traffic, like the living room or kitchen. Or, you can set it next to your front porch, behind the shrubs, or in the garden somewhere inconspicuous. Once you put the jar in place, close the spell with these lines:

Witch’s jar, guard and protect my property,
Keep safe all my possessions, most carefully.

Keep the jar in place until the problem is solved. If things are really bad, add a few protection spells (from the previous chapter) to your home, while you’re at it.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle (Lonicera ssp.), classified as a semievergreen plant, is neatly aligned with the planet Jupiter and the element of earth. Both of these magical associations are famous for increasing prosperity. Honeysuckle grows wild in many climates, and has been cultivated in gardens for its fragrance and to help draw honeybees. Its old folk name “woodbine” refers to the plant’s tendency to wrap its tendrils around neighboring trees and shrubs.

A popular plant in antique illuminated designs and engravings, honeysuckle was named for the sweet taste of the nectar from the flowers. The berries of the honeysuckle are toxic, so please leave them alone, but the blossoms are lovely and make an enchanting addition to the landscape.

According to herbal tradition, honeysuckle promotes prosperity if grown near the house. Bringing the blooming branches into the house was believed to cause a wedding to occur. Working with fresh honeysuckle flowers also increases your chances of getting that dream job you’ve been after. Another fun bit of herbal trivia says that if the blossoms are set in a girl’s room, they will encourage dreams of her future husband.