The harvest festival always gets me reminiscing over summers past: long days in the garden under the pear tree, the distant screech of swifts, and the scent of wildflowers drifting by on the evening breeze. Could there be anything more blissful?
I love nothing more than sticking my face in bunches of wildflowers and herbs and – luckily – they are plentiful at this time of year! I’ve been using and growing herbs since I was 13 years old and, over the years, I’ve learned to incorporate them into the rituals I perform to celebrate the Pagan sabbats.
As the festival of Lammas approaches, witches and magickal practitioners across the northern hemisphere are gearing their magickal workings towards abundance. Many plants growing wild at this time of year are associated with plenty, prosperity and luck. So, with that in mind, here are the top three herbs and plants to use in your harvest rituals or sabbat celebrations!
Meadowsweet
Possibly the most beautiful-smelling plant of all, meadowsweet has to be one of my favourites. It was once sacred to the Druids (that scent is rather heavenly) and has traditionally been used as an anti-inflammatory to treat arthritis, gout and joint swelling/pain. It can be drunk in teas and is also used as a diuretic to ease bladder and kidney infections.
Spiritually, meadowsweet symbolises peace, happiness, courtship, matrimony and inner strength, all bountiful qualities and experiences to celebrate at the height of summer when the sun has us smiling. Pick fresh meadowsweet from meadows (of course) bogs or by the side of rivers and canals. Don’t forget to leave plenty for the bees who adore this scent just as much as we do.
Mint
Stimulating and invigorating, mint is another plant with a sweet scent. Mint is a classic remedy for indigestion so always try a mint tea first if you’re experiencing nausea. It has also been used to treat eye conditions due to its high vitamin A content and can be added to a bowl of boiling water to ease nasal congestion. Overall, it’s just a great helping hand of a plant!
If you grow mint in your garden, you’ll know just how hardy is it and how plentiful it can become when left to its own devices. As a result, mint represents abundance (perfect for Lammas) as well as prosperity. Use mint in money magick and remember to give thanks for your current paycheck in order to tell the Universe you’re ready for a financial windfall.
Honeysuckle
This creeping hedgerow plant is, again, associated with prosperity. You’ll have seen it in country lanes with its upcurved pink and white petals that look like little horns. Not only does it smell wonderful, but it can help to attract financial abundance to you. Use the whole flower or honeysuckle oil in your rituals to invite in more money.
As it is ruled by the planet Venus, honeysuckle is also very well-placed in love magick. We all know that using love magick on an unsuspecting person is an ethical no-no, but using it on yourself to inspire self-love is a lovely way to enjoy honeysuckle’s effects at this time of year.
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