Upon hearing the word Wicca,
The thought of herbs comes to mind,
Almost as quickly as does that of a cauldron.
Herbs are a gift from nature.
We use them in spell work,
For healing,
And,
For the record,
We cook with them just like everyone else does.
As nature-based spiritualists,
Herbs are not a luxury.
They are a necessity.
And while there is nothing wrong with purchasing herbs,
It is even more meaningful to grow them yourself if you're a practitioner of magic.
Growing our own herbs not only further aligns our energy with them,
But it also strengthens our connection to nature.
Gardening,
Even on a small scale,
Is often both therapeutic and rewarding.
The satisfaction derived from investing your time and energy into caring for plants is difficult to describe.
To borrow a modern cliché,
If you know,
You know.
From a magical standpoint,
Performing a working with herbs you grew yourself provides an energetic attachment that is extremely fulfilling.
Some common objections to growing one's own herbs are often,
I don't have a green thumb,
I don't have enough time,
I don't have enough space.
It requires too much attention.
I'd like to address these right out of the chute.
If you have even the slightest desire to grow your own herbs,
Your thumb is already green enough.
Planting a few seeds and watering them takes a fraction of the time that we spend scrolling or talking about what's going on in the news.
You can grow an assortment of herbs even if you live in a minimalistic studio apartment.
Growing your own herbs requires far less of your attention than does preparing a single meal.
So with those obstacles now removed,
This talk will guide and hopefully inspire you to start growing just three herbs that can be used in a wide variety of workings as well as for everyday purposes.
I call these the Big Three,
And they are sage,
Rosemary,
And lavender.
Sage is a must.
Sage is associated with the elements of earth and air.
Its magical properties include banishing,
Cleansing,
Protection,
Purification,
And wisdom.
Not only is it delicious in soups and stews,
But it's widely used in workings for cleansing and protection.
Just about any variety,
Including regular garden sage,
Will work for both purposes.
It's best to plant sage in spring or fall.
It loves full sun and well-drained soil.
Rosemary is associated with the element of fire.
Its magical properties include protection and purification.
It is also an herb for remembrance,
So its energy is often called upon during workings or rituals for honoring departed loved ones and our ancestors.
Rosemary requires six or more hours of direct sunlight each day,
And it needs well-drained soil.
Lavender is associated with the elements of air and water.
The magical properties of lavender include protection,
Peace,
Spiritual connections,
Purification,
And healing.
For everyday purposes,
Lavender can be used for both cleaning and as a fragrance.
Give lavender plenty of sun and avoid over-watering.
All three of these herbs are extremely useful in the practice of magic,
And they all have either culinary or household uses.
Any of these herbs can be used for incense,
Potions,
Or added to oils.
Try any of them as a simmer pot by placing the herbs of your choice in a saucepan,
Filling it with water,
And allowing it to simmer on the stove.
These three herbs are among the easiest to care for,
And they dry and store well.
And,
If time is truly a concern of yours,
These three plants require minimal attention and do not respond well to over-watering.
All of them will do well in even a windowsill.
If time was initially a concern for you,
You might find yourself looking at time a bit differently as your garden progresses,
Especially if it has become a sacred space for you.
Connecting with nature through caring for plants is transformative.
Some who felt as if gardening,
Even on a small scale,
Would be a distraction from other things might later discover that categorization becoming reversed and the definition of value weighed more carefully.
Gardening isn't more important than our obligations in the mundane world,
But it does invite us to consider how much of our thoughts and time we are allowing those things to consume.
I invite you to spend some time in your garden beyond just planting,
Pruning,
And watering.
Really spend time there.
You can simply just go sit in your garden and watch the splendor of nature,
The divine that exists in all living things,
Working magic right before your eyes.
Whether you're already an accomplished gardener or just starting out,
You might wish to bless your growing space at the beginning of each season.
This can also be done at any point in time.
Here is a garden blessing from my grimoire that I like to use.
I call upon the God and Goddess,
The spirits of this land.
Assist me now by the powers of earth,
Air,
Fire,
And water.
Circle with me around this place for the creation of a sacred garden space.
By the powers here combined,
This garden is now a sacred space.
By elements four,
I bless this place.
Through the seasons of rain,
Sun,
And snow,
May these plants and herbs happily grow.
Winter to spring and summer to fall,
Lord and Lady bless them,
One and all.
Late at night when fireflies glow,
May magic make this garden grow.
A note on harvesting from your garden.
Some practitioners feel that it is important to first seek a plant's permission before harvesting anything from it.
This is indeed a fine practice,
And it speaks quite well to showing respect for the life of the plant,
The energy it possesses,
And nature itself.
It's up to you whether or not you wish to do this,
But I invite you to consider,
At the very least,
Giving thanks to the plant when you do harvest from it.
Many of us are not in a position to be able to garden for purposes of self-sufficiency.
Generally speaking,
This shouldn't be your aim.
Perhaps one of the biggest blessings that comes from any level of gardening is that it causes us to appreciate our food even more when we do go to the grocery store to purchase it.
It helps us to further attune to the cycles of nature and the seasons.
It allows us to have an even greater understanding of the never-ending cycle of birth,
Life,
Death,
And rebirth.
Caring for even one plant reminds us of how very sacred life is,
And we soon find that what is nourishing our bodies is also nourishing our mind and spirit.
The crow flies from me to thee to send the message,
Blessed Be.
