(Verbena officinalis: Image borrowed from http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/v/vervai08.html)
Folk Name: Holy Wort, Witch's Wort
Parts Used: flowers, leaf, stem/ shoot
Planet: Venus
Element: Earth
Gender: Feminine
Goddess/ God: Aphrodite, Eros, Hermes, Aradia
Medicinal Uses: A decoction from the leaves makes a hair tonic and an eye wash. Aerial parts of the plant stimulate the liver and can be used as a nerve tonic and is used to increase breast milk. Infusions of the flowering tops are used to treat: depression, insomnia, nervous head aches, jaundice, urinary problems, and stomach, bowl, and menstral cramps. A poultice treats wounds and skin ulcers. Certain tests have shown possible heart strengthening and anti-tumor activity.
Folklore: Vervain is renowned as an ancient, sacred herb of purification, healing, visions, and love potions; it was included in liqueurs and aphrodisiacs. The herb is revered in the occult community, affectionately called "The Witch's Herb". Vervain is a powerful plant in magickal herbalism, it is said that keeping vervain in a garden will protect your home from thieves and shades (entities of negative and malevolent energy). Vervain planted in a pot and kept in the home will keep negative energies out, and placed by the sick bed can aid in healing. It is a sacred herb especially in Italian witchcraft known as Stregha.
Magickal Effects: healing, money, prosperity,purification, empowerment, protection, love, visions, youth, peace, chastity, sleep.
Magickal Uses: Vervain is very helpful in money and prosperity spells, it is used in money attracting inscence and herbal sachets. Vervain is also well known for its healing and purification qualities, and can be used for such spells. Vervain is an herb i use most often in magick of all kinds to be honest, like Dragon's Blood, it can add power to spells and rites. Empowered with protective energies, crushed into a powder and sprinkled about the home will purify the space and protect against ill luck. Likewise, if the vervain powder is empowered with the intent for money, then sprinkled around a charged green candle will attract wealth into your life. I like using vervain in herbal charms for its power enhancing qualities. Also used in an inscense mixture or just by itself, vervain can help induce visions. The herb can also be stuffed into a pillow (known as "dream pillows") to help one ease into a restful night of sleep and can be blended with other herbs for this purpose like mugwort, to induce prophetic dreams.
Read more about Vervain at Luminearth.com
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