Magic Monday, Herbal Magic

Summer and Spring are the best times to plant herbs and can also be a great time for herbal magic. There are many different types of herbs one can grow during the summer such as yarrow, lavender, basil, St. John's wort, mugwort and sage among many others. If you have a green thumb you may wish to grow your herbs from seed or you can buy already grown herbs at your local nursery. Growing from seed can sometimes be challenging but also very rewarding!

You may also wish to add some herbs/flowers to your garden that attract faeries or are good for faery magic. Herbs such as thyme, foxglove, rosemary and a rose bush are all associated with faeries and faery magic. Once you have your garden plants sorted out, call on the elemental's or the faeries to bless your garden space. Plant your magical garden and nourish your plants as they grow. Remember to leave offerings to the faeries or elemental's every so often.

Once your herbs/flowers have grown you can make magical herb sachets with them. If you are not able to have an herb garden, you may purchase dried herbs from any reputable source. If you choose to do the latter, make sure to bless your herbs before you do any magical workings with them. This will cleanse them of any energies other than your own.

Magical Herb Sachet

What you will need:

One small sachet of any color (lavender for peace, green for money, pink for love, white for protection or any color you have on hand)

Herbs you can use:

Lavender - peace and calmness. Induces sleep and peaceful dreams. Can also be used in a tea with chamomile for a feeling of tranquility. Lavender is also good for purification and love.

Yarrow - used for divination, prophetic dreams, love and psychic abilities. Yarrow can be added to a dream pillow along with lavender and mugwort for dream divination.

Basil - used for good fortune and money magic. Place a basil leaf in your wallet to attract money to you. Basil is also used in love spells.

Mugwort - used for protection, divination and dreams. Mugwort can be used with sage to make smudge sticks for cleansing a sacred space. Mugwort is also associated with travel and can be placed in your car for protection.

Thyme - enables one to see faeries. Sprinkling thyme in front of your doorstep will invite faeries into your home. Thyme can be used to cleanse a sacred space. It's also good for increasing ones courage and can be used in a dream pillow to prevent nightmares.

Rose - a rose plant will attract faeries to your garden. Roses are good for love, happiness and protection for the evil eye.

St. John's Wort - a summer herb used at the summer solstice. Used for divination, love, healing and invincibility. St. John's wort is also used for protection against faery magic. This ancient herb has been used for centuries for healing and is also said to be associated with women's mysteries.

You may choose to use some or all of these herbs in your magical sachet. Grind your herbs down and mix them together, then place them in your sachet. Bless your magical sachet in your garden or at your altar. Ask your deity or the faeries to bless your herb sachet with whatever magical purpose you are using it for. Place your sachet in your purse, car, altar, garden, hanging over your door or over your bed. You may also wish to substitute essential oils for any herbs you might not have and you can also add crystals to your sachet for extra power.

Have fun making your Summer magic herb sachets with the faeries!

Kupala, Slavic Goddess of Water and Summer

Kupala is the Slavic goddess of water and is associated with springs and rivers. Her name translates to mean "to bathe" as her worshipers would honor her by bathing in rivers. Kupala was also associated with herbs, fertility and sorcery. Her sacred trees and flowers were ferns, birch wood and wildflowers.

Kupala was honored during the Summer Solstice where her worshipers would throw flowers in the rivers in her honor. They would then bathe in the rivers as a ritual of purification. Fire was also honored at this time as the two elements, fire and water, were both seen as purifying. Big bonfires were constructed in honor of Kupala and people would jump over them or dance around them in her celebration. Also at the Summer Solstice and effigy of the goddess was made from straw and was either burned in the fires or thrown in the rivers until next summer.

On the day of midsummer people would go out in the morning and walk amongst the morning dew in the grass while gathering herbs. Or it is said that they would leave a rag outside the night before to collect the morning dew and then would bathe in it. Women would gather wildflowers, herbs and ferns to make wreaths which they wore in their hair.  Herbs in honor of Kupala were also used to help with magical visions on the night of the summer solstice.

The male aspect of Kupala is known as Kupalo and he was also honored around the Summer Solstice in the Christianized festival of St. John the Baptiste. This festival, known as Ivana Kupala, is still celebrated to this day in Russia. This modern celebration is still honored as it was in ancient times. Bonfires, song and dance, ritual to the deities of summer and and effigy of the goddess is constructed, burned and then buried. Garlands made from Kupala's sacred herbs are made, candles are put in the center and then they are put in the rivers to float downstream.

To honor this ancient goddess of purification, throw some flowers into a river or spring. Or throw some in your bathtub at home and then bathe in it to purify yourself in Kupala's magic. You may also put a rag outside at night and collect it in the early hours of the morning and bathe in the dew of Kupala. Fertility rites and summer magic can also be held in her honor. Gather wildflowers, ferns and herbs to make a wreath to wear in your hair.








Picture courtesy of Ivana Kupala Day