Anoint the altar with this oil at regular intervals to purify and empower it.
*
This is the best recipe I’ve been able to find.Most of the other published ones taste foul. Purists who worry about the inclusion of sugar in this recipe needn’t. It’s ritually related to Venus and has a long magical history.
An Herbal Grimoire
A guide to the use of herbs and plants in Wiccan ritual
Of Gathering Flowers, Herbs, and Plants
Before cutting with the white-handled knife, attune with the plant through visualization. Feel its energies.As you cut, say these or similar words:
O little plant of
(name, such as hyssop, etc.)
I ask that you give of your bounty that it may aid me in my work.
Grow stronger by my stroke, stronger and more powerful,
O plant of
(name)
!
If it is a tree, substitute the appropriate word (tree of oak). Gently cut only what you need, and never from very young plants or more than 25 percent of the growth.At the base of the plant, leave an offering: a silver coin, a bright jewel, a bit of wine or milk, grain, a quartz crystal, and so on. Cover the offering and it is done.
Of the Circle
The magic circle may be fashioned with garlands of flowers sacred to the Goddess and God. Alternately, flowers can be scattered around the perimeter of the circle.
The point stones may be ringed with fresh flowers and herbs suitable to the elements, such as:
North:
corn, cypress, fern, honeysuckle, wheat, vervain
East:
acacia, bergamot, clover, dandelion, lavender, lemon grass, mint, mistletoe, parsley, pine
South:
basil, carnation, cedar, chrysanthemum, dill, ginger, heliotrope, holly, juniper, marigold, peppermint
West:
apple blossoms, lemon balm, camellia, catnip, daffodil, elder, gardenia, grape, heather, hibiscus, jasmine, orchid
Fresh flowers may be present on the altar or, if none are available, greens such as ferns may be used.
When casting the circle around a tree, you can use the fruit, leaves, nuts, or flowers of that tree to mark out the circle, if desired.
All of these can be used in addition to the cord and stones.
Of the Balefire
If you wish to build a fire for an outdoor ritual, it can be composed of all or any combination of the following woods:
Apple
Cedar
Dogwood
Juniper
Mesquite
Oak
Pine
Poplar
Rowan
If these are unavailable, use native woods. Rites performed on the seashore can be illuminated with balefires of dried driftwood collected prior to the rite.
Of the Home Circle
Magical plants growing outside the home in containers can be placed around the circle or on the altar during ritual. If you primarily work indoors, choose an odd-numbered selection of sacred plants and grow these in your ritual area. If they need more sunlight, simply move them outdoors and bring inside during ritual. Give them energy and love, and they’ll aid you in your worship and magic.
Though any but poisonous plants can be used, such plants as these are recommended:
African violets
Red geraniums
Cacti (all types)
Ferns (all types)
Holly
Hyssop
Palms (all types)
Rose
Rose geranium
Rosemary
Ti
(Cord yline terminalis)
Wax plant
(Hoya carnosa)
Of the Celebrant
Wear fresh flowers and herbs in your hair and on your body, if you prefer, during the rites. Crowns or chaplets of flowers are always appropriate for spring and summer rites. Wear oak and pine during the winter rituals.
You may wish to wear a necklace of herbs and seeds, such as tonka beans, whole nutmegs, star anise, acorns, and other seeds and nuts, strung on a natural fiber. Strings of small pine cones may also be worn.
For full moon rituals held at night, wear night-blooming, fragrant flowers to suffuse yourself with lunar energies.
Of the Tools
These are suggestions for dedicating the tools prior to their first use or formal consecration, if any. Perform these with proper visualization and ritual intent.
The Magic Knife or Sword
Rub the blade with fresh basil, rosemary, or oak leaves, at sunrise, outdoors where you will not be disturbed or seen. Lay the sword or knife on the ground with its point to the south. Walk clockwise around it thrice, scattering bay leaves (preferably fresh) over it. Take up the sword or knife, stand facing east and, holding it upward but with arms lowered, invoke the God to infuse your knife or sword with his strength. Point it to the sky, invoking the Goddess to charge your blade with her love and power.
Wrap your knife or sword in red cloth and take it home. It may be stored in the cloth, if desired.
The White-Handled Knife
Early in the morning, go to a forest (or park, garden, or your indoor garden). Choose the most beautiful and vibrant plants. Touch the point of the white-handled knife gently to these in turn, forging a connection between your knife and the plants (and, thusly, the earth).
Next, sit on the earth. Ensuring that you are quite alone, draw a pentagram with the white-handled knife’s point on the ground. It is done.
The Wand
If the wand is of wood, take it outdoors at sunset and rub it with fresh lavender, eucalyptus, or mint leaves. Raise it in the air toward the east (or the moon, if it is visible) and invoke the Goddess. At sunrise, take it again outdoors, rub with the fresh, fragrant leaves, and invoke the God by raising it to the east.
The Pentacle
Place the pentacle on bare earth. Lay upon it dried parsley, patchouli, mistletoe, or fresh jasmine or honeysuckle flowers. Sit before it facing north for several seconds, visualizing the pentacle absorbing the earth’s energies. Then pick it up and scatter the herbs or flowers to the four quarters, beginning and ending in the north.
If this must be done indoors, fill a small dish with fresh earth and place the pentacle on this. Proceed as above, saving the herbs or flowers to be scattered outdoors at a later time.
The Ceriser
Fume pure rosemary, frankincense, or copal within the censer prior to its first use. Do this for about an hour.
The Cauldron
Take the cauldron to a stream, river, lake, or ocean. Gather the leaves of some plants growing nearby (at the sea, perhaps seaweed). Dip the cauldron into the water to fill it. Place the leaves in the cauldron, then set it on the water’s edge where it is on both water and sand. Place your hands on the cauldron and dedicate it to the Goddess in any words you like. Empty and dry the cauldron, and return home. The charge has been made.
If performed inside, place the cauldron in a large basin of water or the bathtub, in a candle-lit room. Add a bit of salt to the water, which should be cold. Proceed as above.
Salt water corrodes metal. Thoroughly wash the cauldron after immersion in sea or salt water.
The Cup
Anoint the base with gardenia, rose, or violet oil and fill with pure spring water. Then set afloat a sprig of ivy, a small rose, a fresh gardenia, or some other appropriate flower or herb. Gaze into the cup and invoke the Goddess to bless it. You might also wish to take it outside at night, filled with water, and catch the moon’s reflection within it.
The Broom
It can be fashioned from an ash staff, birch twigs, and a willow binding. Brush the broom with chamomile, willow, lemon balm, elder, or mallow stalks and branches, then bury these with due solemnity.You might also wish to carve a crescent moon upon its handle.
The Crystal
On the night of a full moon, rub the sphere with fresh (or dried) mugwort, then take it outside. Hold it up so that it drinks in the light and energies of the moon. Gaze at the moon through the crystal by holding it before your eyes. Repeat at least thrice yearly for the best benefits.
The Book of Shadows
Sew into the cover of the Book of Shadows leaves of the sacred herbs vervain, rue, bay, willow, or others, if you wish. They should be well-dried and secretly placed by the light of the moon. The covers of the Book of Shadows should, of course, be covered with cloth for this purpose.
The Robe
If you choose to wear one, lay it among sachets filled with lavender, vervain, and cedar when not in use. Sew a bit of rosemary or frankincense into the hem while fashioning it, if desired (and if any resulting stains won’t show after washing).
Of the Herbs of the Sabbats
To be used as decorations on the altar, around the circle, in the home.
Samhain
Chrysanthemum, wormwood, apples, pears, hazel, thistle, pomegranates, all grains, harvested fruits and nuts, the pumpkin, and corn.
Yule
Holly, misteletoe, ivy, cedar, bay, juniper, rosemary, pine. Place offerings of apples, oranges, nutmegs, lemons, and whole cinnamon sticks on the Yule tree.
Imbolc
Snowdrop, rowan, the first flowers of the year.
Ostara
Daffodil, woodruff, violet, gorse, olive, peony, iris, narcissus; all spring flowers.
Beltane
Hawthorn, honeysuckle, St. John’s wort, woodruff; all flowers.
Midsummer
Mugwort, vervain, chamomile, rose, lily, oak, lavender, ivy, yarrow, fern, elder, wild thyme, daisy, and carnation.
Lughnasadh
All grains, grapes, heather, blackberries, sloe, crab apples, and pears.
Mabon
Hazel, corn, aspen, acorns, oak sprigs, autumn leaves, wheat stalks, cypress cones, pine cones, and harvest gleanings.
Of the Herbs and Plants
of Full Moon Rituals
Place upon the altar all nocturnal, white or five-petaled flowers such as the white rose, night-blooming jasmine, carnation, gardenia, cereus, lily, iris; all pleasingly scented flowers that shall call forth the Goddess. Camphor is also symbolic.
Of Offerings
To the Goddess
All watery and earthy flowers and seeds such as camellia, lily, water lily, willow stalks; those flowers used in full moon rituals; white or purple blooms such as hyacinth, magnolia, heather, and lilac; sweet-scented herbs and flowers; those dedicated to Venus or to the moon; rue, ver-vain, and olive; or others that seem suitable.
To the God
All fiery and airy herbs and flowers such as basil, chrysanthemum, snapdragon, clover, lavender, pine; strongly scented, clean, or citrusy herbs and flowers; those ruled by Mars or the sun; yellow or red blooms such as sunflower, pine cones, seeds, cacti, thistles, and stinging herbs; orange, heliotrope, cedar, juniper, and so on.
Of the Sacred Herbs of the Goddesses
Aphrodite:
olive, cinnamon, daisy, cypress, quince, orris (iris), apple,myrtle
Aradia:
rue, vervain
Artemis:
silver fir, amaranth, cypress, cedar, hazel,myrtle, willow, daisy,mugwort, date palm
Astarte:
alder, pine, cypress,myrtle, juniper
Athena:
olive, apple
Bast:
catnip, vervain
Bellona:
belladonna
Brigit:
blackberry
Cailleach:
wheat
Cardea:
hawthorn, bean, arbutus
Ceres:
willow, wheat, bay, pomegranate, poppy, leek, narcissus
Cybele:
oak,myrrh, pine
Demeter:
wheat, barley, pennyroyal,myrrh, rose, pomegranate, bean, poppy, all cultivated crops
Diana:
birch, willow, acacia, wormwood, dittany, hazel, beech, fir, apple,mugwort, plane,mulberry, rue
Druantia:
fir
Freya:
cowslip, daisy, primrose, maidenhair,myrrh, strawberry, mistletoe
Hathor:
myrtle, sycamore, grape, mandrake, coriander, rose
Hecate:
willow, henbane, aconite, yew, mandrake, cyclamen, mint, cypress, date palm, sesame, dandelion, garlic, oak, onion
Hekat:
cypress
Hera:
apple, willow, orris, pomegranate,myrrh
Hina:
bamboo
Hulda:
flax, rose, hellebore, elder
Irene:
olive
Iris:
wormwood, iris
Ishtar:
acacia, juniper, all grains
Isis:
fig, heather, wheat, wormwood, barley,myrrh, rose, palm, lotus, persea, onion, iris, vervain
Juno:
lily, crocus, asphodel, quince, pomegranate, vervain, iris, lettuce, fig, mint
Kerridwen:
vervain, acorns
Minerva:
olive,mulberry, thistle
Nefer-tum
: lotus
Nepthys:
myrrh, lily
Nuit:
sycamore
Olwen:
apple
Persephone:
parsley, narcissus, willow, pomegranate
Rhea:
myrrh, oak
Rowen:
clover, rowen
Venus:
cinnamon, daisy, elder, heather, anemone, apple, poppy, violet, marjoram, maidenhair fern, carnation, aster, vervain, myrtle, orchid, cedar, lily, mistletoe, pine, quince
Vesta:
oak
Of the Sacred Herbs of the Gods
Adonis:
myrrh, corn, rose, fennel, lettuce, white heather
Aesculapius:
bay,mustard
Ajax:
delphinium
Anu:
tamarisk
Apollo:
leek, hyacinth, heliotrope, cornel, bay, frankincense, date palm, cypress
Attis:
pine, almond
Ares:
buttercup
Bacchus:
grape, ivy, fig, beech, tamarisk
Baldur:
St. John’s wort, daisy
Bran:
alder, all grains
Cupid:
cypress, sugar, white violet, red rose
Dagda:
oak
Dianus:
fig
Dionysus:
fig, apple, ivy, grape, pine, corn, pomegranate, toadstools,mushrooms, fennel, all wild and cultivated trees