Hyssop, Valerian and magickal oils.

[EtherealMoonRose]

I went to my local gardening centre yesterday and picked up a Hyssop and Valerian plant (as well as some other herbs for my garden). Not knowing much about the both of them but I do vaguely remember reading about them ages ago.

The Hyssop plant was the last one there and I swear it was asking me to take it home does anyone know much about these herbs and their uses? I did do a quick google search and I found out both are used for protection (which, funnily enough, we were broken into this weekend and I now want to do a house protection spell!).

Also, I want to make some magickal oils. Do the herbs need to be dried or can I use them fresh?

Blessings

[Becks]

Typical Disclaimer *The dose makes the poison* -Paracelsus

Hyssop: infusions for chest ailments, good for inflammation of urinary tract, and externally for bruising and burns. You can eat the flowers in salad.
Valerian: Stinks a bit...hahaha not everybody likes the smell, but good for soothing/calming. It's is a sedative and anti spasmodic.

Source: Complete Herb Book By Jekka McViccar, 1997 Raincoast Books.

[Becks]

I should say it's best that fresh herbs are used in herbal oil infusions. Tinctures (in alcohol) can also be good.

[EtherealMoonRose]

Thanks Becks that's what I originally thought!

[SilverWort]

I should say it's best that fresh herbs are used in herbal oil infusions. Tinctures (in alcohol) can also be good.

Fresh herbs can spoil oils easily, and reduce alcohol percentage in tinctures. Better dried herbs for infused oils, tinctures works well with both, but fresh herbs reduces alcohol, so take that in mind.

Valerian root smell like feet, and is very strong, be careful with dosages.

[EtherealMoonRose]

Ok, thanks SilverWort. I have read conflicting information about using dried herbs vs fresh herbs.

Haha, yep, I've also heard Valerian stinks! Best not breathe in too hard when I use it

[corvidus]

There is a Psalm which talks about Hyssop, and I've used it in this context:

"Cleanse me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Psalms 51:7

It worked better than I could have ever expected.

[Kassandra]

Valerian root smell like feet, and is very strong

hahahaha


I keep a bottle on my nightstand. When I wake up during the night I open a capsule, pour it into a cup of sweetened tea (which I also put on the nightstand before I go to bed, Sleepy Time tea by Celestial Seasonings), stir it up, and have a nice cup of feet. Yum. I guess I'm so used to the smell, doesn't bother me anymore, lol. Valerian makes your muscles relaxed, and you'll get drowsy. Some people take it before they have dental work done, but I don't think it's that good (I'd still go with the Novacaine for that, lol). But, it does knock me out.

Hyssop is used regularly in hoodoo (along with a Psalm such as what corvidus quoted) for a practitioner to take a cleansing herb bath after doing negative magic, or as part of cleansing work to break negative magic done on the practitioner (jinx breaking, etc.), or for someone breaking an addiction of some sort. These workings can be kind of elaborate, but those are a summary of their uses in a nutshell. I keep some in the bathroom in a glass jar, with other bathy herbs).



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[SilverWort]

There is a Psalm which talks about Hyssop, and I've used it in this context:

"Cleanse me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Psalms 51:7

It worked better than I could have ever expected.

That's very good, never heard about, thanks.

I keep a bottle on my nightstand. When I wake up during the night I open a capsule, pour it into a cup of sweetened tea (which I also put on the nightstand before I go to bed, Sleepy Time tea by Celestial Seasonings), stir it up, and have a nice cup of feet. Yum. I guess I'm so used to the smell, doesn't bother me anymore, lol. Valerian makes your muscles relaxed, and you'll get drowsy. Some people take it before they have dental work done, but I don't think it's that good (I'd still go with the Novacaine for that, lol).

I have tincture from my own plants, 5-10 drops on your tea and you are going to dreamland. But I think tolerance is generated if used too often. If you are nervous about dental work, Valerian is good idea, not for pain, but for relax.

[EtherealMoonRose]

Great tips Kassandra. Thanks

I'm going to be drying some herbs and making some witchy potions. I'll let you know how I go

[EtherealMoonRose]

Oops sorry corvidus, I missed your post! I really like that verse and I am going to add it to my BOS.

[corvidus]

Kool to know

Additional information: I was reciting the Psalm over hyssop tea, and after I was finished I drank the tea.

[Firebird]

We use the oil of hyssop in the ritual bath and for anointing the 3 eye before circle. The fragrance is really nice and it really helps to open the gates of the spiritual realm. I had the plant in the garden at my other house, actually had valerian too. Then I found out there is an ornamental variety different than the one used in the yummy knock out sock brew. Both beautiful. Celestial seasonings has a new Sleepy Time with valerian...pretty good, knocks me on my ass. Sleep real well till 1 or 2 a.m. when it's time to pee that cup of tea
The hyssop is a pretty plant too, used the fresh leaves and flowers in tea.
Dry bundles to have leaf avaliable to crush into bath. Or whatever.
Bb, Firebird

[EtherealMoonRose]

@Corvidus- I could imagine it being a good verse for a ritual/cleansing bath.

Thanks firebird for that information. I agree the hyssop flowers are very pretty. I have insomnia most nights so the valerian will definitely come in handy for that. Definitely glad I added these two herbs to my garden.

[Kassandra]

We use the oil of hyssop in the ritual bath and for anointing the 3 eye before circle. The fragrance is really nice and it really helps to open the gates of the spiritual realm...Celestial seasonings has a new Sleepy Time with valerian...Sleep real well till 1 or 2 a.m. when it's time to pee that cup of tea...used the fresh leaves and flowers in tea.

ff, I like your and corvidus' use of hyssop as a tea. I never thought to drink it, I'll have to try that. A question, could we use freshly-picked leaves (as we can with mint leaves), or is it better to use dried hyssop leaves for tea?

And ff, the hyssop oil use as you described it is awesome. I got a chill of confirmation.

EtherealRose, I thought of another use. It could also be steeped as a tea, then added to a bucket of cleaning water. This would be for doing a spiritual cleansing of the house, but could be incorporated into physical cleaning, as well (this thread may be of interest to new members and guests viewing this board, for more about spiritual housecleaning: http://everythingunderthemoon.net/forum/topic23869.html ).




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