Mixing Essential Oils for Magic: Aromatic Alchemy for Personal Blends (30 page)

Oil and Blending Information

The leaves and flower tops are steam distilled to produce a colorless or pale yellow-green oil. It has a sweet, nutty-herbaceous scent.

Strength
: 4

Scent Group
: herbaceous

Perfume Note
: middle to base

Plant Part
: As Above/Leaves & Flowers

Warning
: avoid during pregnancy

74. Ibid., 130

75. Ibid., 61

76. Chevallier,
Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
, 163

Essential Oil Profiles 213

Magical Uses

Clary sage aids in focusing the mind, brings clarity of purpose, and strengthens memory. Its energy is instrumental in developing intuition and enhancing creativity. Inspiring inner peace, it is helpful when seeking self-knowledge and transcending spiritual boundaries. Use clary for dream work especially if you have difficulty remembering dreams.

Additionally, it supports psychic development, divination, and clairvoyance. Helpful when seeking the truth, clary also helps hold secrets. This herb aids in dealing with sexual issues including attraction and fertility. Use it in spells to invite money and prosperity into your life as well as when you need to make changes. Clary sage is also associated with balance, beauty, growth, and vitality.

Correspondences

Solar System
: Mercury, Venus

Elements
: air, earth

Sage, Common

Botanical Name
:
Salvia officinalis

Also Known As
: common or garden sage, Dalmatian sage, true sage

In centuries past, this sage was used more for medicinal than culinary purposes. Drinking sage tea was thought to promote good health and enhance longevity. For those who preferred something stronger, there was sage ale. Sage was highly valued by the Romans who called it
herba sacra,
sacred herb. Through the ages it was believed to promote wisdom.

Originating in the Mediterranean region, common sage is an evergreen herb with hairy, gray-green leaves and blue or violet flowers.

Oil and Blending Information

The leaves are steam distilled producing a colorless to pale yellow oil. It has a warm-spicy, herbaceous scent that is slightly camphoraceous.

Strength
: 3

Scent Group
: herbaceous

Perfume Note
: top

Plant Part
: As Above/Leaves

214 Essential Oil Profiles

Warnings
: abortifacient, avoid during pregnancy; oral toxin; avoid with epilepsy or other seizure disorder; do not use on the skin; avoid if you have high blood pressure; use in moderation

Sage, Spanish

Botanical Name
:
Salvia lavandulifolia

Also Known As
: lavender-leaved sage, lavender sage, narrow-leaved sage

Spanish sage is an evergreen shrub similar to its cousin common sage, but its grayish leaves are smaller and it has small, blue-violet flowers. This sage was regarded as a cure-all in Spain where it was believed to contribute to longevity. It is native to Spain and southern France.

Oil and Blending Information

The leaves are steam distilled into a pale yellow oil with a fresh-herbaceous and slightly pine-like scent.

Strength
: 3

Scent Group
: herbaceous

Perfume Note
: middle

Plant Part
: As Above/Leaves

Warnings
: avoid during pregnancy; use in moderation

Magical Uses

Sage provides focus and stability for clairvoyance, divination, and psychic work. Its grounding energy clears negativity and is instrumental for ritual purification. An aid in finding spirit guides, sage oil helps to attune with animal power while providing psychic protection. Use sage to stimulate as well as release memories to bring peace, comfort, and healing. Also use it for spells of wealth, prosperity, and making your wishes come true.

Sage oil is an aid for spiritual inspiration when seeking truth and wisdom. It is helpful for finding strength of purpose when dealing with problems. Sage is also associated with fertility, longevity, secrets, and vitality.

Correspondences

Zodiac
: Aquarius, Pisces, Sagittarius, Taurus

Solar System
: Jupiter, Mercury

Essential Oil Profiles 215

Celebrations
: Mabon, Samhain, Walpurgis, Yule

Elements
: air, earth

Goddess
: Kupala
God
: Zeus

Sandalwood

The name Sandalwood has been applied to various trees from several botanical families.

What is considered true sandalwood come from the
Santalum
genus in the
Santalaceae
family. Of these,
Santalum album
or Indian sandalwood is
the
sandalwood, but unfortunately its popularity and overuse is causing its destruction. Like rosewood (
Aniba rosae-odora
), sandalwood is becoming an endangered tree. For this reason I did not include rosewood or the classic Indian sandalwood in this book. However, the sandalwoods are magically and spiritually powerful and so I have included Australian sandalwood (
Santalum
spicatum
) because the Australian government regulates the harvest of these trees to ensure sustainability. While the scent of this sandalwood is slightly more resinous and less sweet than Indian sandalwood, it works well as an alternative.

Sandalwood, Australian

Botanical Name
:
Santalum spicatum

Family
:
Santalaceae

Sandalwood’s genus name come from the Sanskrit name for the tree.77 This sandalwood is a small tree that grows in dry regions of Australia. It has rough almost black bark, lance-shaped leaves, and clusters of small, white flowers that grow at the ends of branchlets. It produces round, plum-like fruit. Since the 1800s the aromatic timber has been harvested for incense mainly for export to China. Like its Indian cousin, the scent of this sandalwood deepens meditation and promotes higher levels of consciousness. The combination of

sandalwood and rose is one of the oldest aphrodisiacs.

Oil and Blending Information

The roots and heartwood are steam distilled producing a pale yellow oil. Its scent is rich, woody, somewhat balsamic, and slightly floral.

Strength
: 3

Scent Group
: woody

77. Rose,
375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols
, 23

216 Essential Oil Profiles

Perfume Note
: base

Plant Parts
: So Below/Roots, Wood & Bark

Magical Uses

Sandalwood is well known for supporting personal growth, providing spiritual inspiration, and manifesting peace. Its healing energy brings renewal, stability, strength, and well-being. Use sandalwood to augment element, angel, and moon magic as well as to

bring success in legal matters. This oil supports psychic work and aids in contacting spirit guides. Sandalwood is instrumental in past-life work helping to break ties with the past while protecting against emotional upset. It enhances awareness for clairvoyance, and is instrumental for banishing spells and breaking hexes. Supporting grounded energy and clarity of mind, it also aids in divination, dream, and astral work. Additionally, this oil boosts creativity and aids in expressing your desires. Sandalwood has strong purification properties that can be used for consecrating altars and magic tools as well as clearing away negative energy. Use sandalwood to stimulate sexuality, attract love, and aid in maintaining a happy marriage as well as improve relationships. Sandalwood is also associated with balance, luck, power, and sorrow.

Correspondences

Zodiac
: Aquarius, Cancer, Leo, Pisces, Virgo

Solar System
: Mercury, Moon, Venus

Elements
: air, earth, water

Goddess
: Venus

God
: Vishnu

The Savory Oils

Botanical Family
:
Lamiaceae

The genus name for these plants comes from the Latin
Satureia
relating to the mythical satyr or man/goat who was equated with sexual vitality.78 Since ancient times these herbs were used to regulate the libido. Native to Europe, they are among the plants recommended for growing near hives to ensure that bees return. The Saxons gave theses plants the common name, savory.

78. Staub,
75 Exceptional Herbs for Your Garden
, 212

Essential Oil Profiles 217

Savory, Summer

Botanical Name
:
Satureja hortensis

Also Known As
: garden savory

Summer savory is a small herb with slender, lance-shaped leaves and small, pale lilac colored flowers. This plant’s species name comes from the Latin
hortense
meaning that it is a cultivated plant and not a wild one.79 Summer savory is a popular culinary herb that is also used as a tea.

Oil and Blending Information

A colorless or pale yellow oil is produced by steam distilling the entire plant. It has a fresh, herbaceous, and slightly spicy scent.

Strength
: 3

Scent Group
: herbaceous

Perfume Note
: middle

Plant Part
: N/A

Warnings
: avoid during pregnancy; hazardous if used on the skin

Savory, Winter

Botanical Name
:
Satureja Montana

Also Known As
: mountain savory

This savory is a shrubby perennial with lance-shaped leaves and clusters of white-pink flowers. The species name comes from the Latin
montana
meaning that it grows wild in the mountains.80 The Romans used winter savory as a flavoring for vinegar and introduced the plant into England where in the 17th century it became popular to flavor meat and fish. It is one of the herbs used in the French
bouquet garni
for simmering soups and stews. Before pepper was available to the American colonists, winter savory was used in its place for flavoring.

79. Rose,
375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols
, 23

80. Ibid.

218 Essential Oil Profiles

Oil and Blending Information

Like summer savory, the entire plant is steam distilled to produce a colorless or pale yellow oil. This savory oil has a sharp, herbaceous, and somewhat medicinal scent.

Strength
: 5

Scent Group
: herbaceous

Perfume Note
: middle

Plant Part
: N/A

Warnings
: avoid during pregnancy; hazardous if used on the skin

Magical Uses

Savory is a powerhouse that boosts sexual appetite and enhances sexual expression. It aids concentration and fuels the mind for tackling problems. Savory oil promotes productivity and opens the way for creativity. Use it for healing and when you seek kindness and comfort. Savory is also associated with happiness.

Correspondences

Zodiac
: Virgo

Solar System
: Mercury

Elements
: air, fire

Snakeroot

Botanical Name
:
Asarum canadense

Family
:
Aristolochiaceae

Also Known As
: colicroot, false coltsfoot, Indian ginger, wild ginger

Snakeroot is a low-growing, bushy herb with glossy heart-shaped leaves. Three distinctive brownish-purple sepals, the outer-most part of a flower, protect the young buds and give the plant an alien appearance. Snakeroot was used medicinally for a range of ailments by Native Americans and was quickly adopted by European settlers. The common name

snakeroot may have come from the use of its European cousin (
Asarum europaeum
) for treating snake bites or possibly because clumps of young shoots look like a den of little snakes. Snakeroot is sometimes substituted for real ginger (
Zingiber officinale
).

Essential Oil Profiles 219

Oil and Blending Information

An amber to brownish-yellow oil is produced by steam distilling the rhizomes. It has a woody-spicy, ginger-like scent.

Strength
: 3

Scent Group
: spicy

Plant Part
: So Below/Roots

Warning
: avoid during pregnancy

Magical Uses

Snakeroot aids in attracting luck, money, and general prosperity. Use it for ritual purification and to build protection especially from hexes. Snakeroot’s grounding energy provides stability that augments psychic work. In addition to supporting contact with the Otherworld, this oil aids in holding secrets. It is also associated with longevity.

Correspondences

Solar System
: Mars

Element
: earth

Spikenard

Botanical Name
:
Nardostachys jatamansi

Family
:
Valeriananceae

Also Known As
: Indian root, false Indian valerian root, nard

The ancient Egyptians used spikenard to purify and raise spiritual vibrations in temples, while the Hebrews and Hindus used it for ritual and medicinal purposes. It was important to the Greeks and Romans as an ingredient in
nardinum
,
a scented oil used for anointing hair prior to crowning with wreaths at festivals. In addition, spikenard was highly valued in India for perfume. Reaching three feet in height, spikenard has wide leaves and long stems that support pink, bell-shaped flowers. It is native to mountainous areas of northern India, China, and Japan.

Oil and Blending Information

The rhizomes are steam distilled creating a pale yellow or amber oil. The earthy woody scent is sometimes described as a mix of musk, patchouli, and valerian.

220 Essential Oil Profiles

Strength
: 4

Scent Group
: woody