Rosemary Leaf

(Rosmarinus officinalis)

Perfect for all of your kitchen witchery! Magickal, medicinal, and culinary properties abound with rosemary, and this beautiful herb is one that should have a standing spot in both your magickal workings and your kitchen. Any herb or plant which is given the name “officinalis” is recognized as having significant medicinal benefits. It means “used in medicine”. In rosemary’s case, it also tastes really good. A favorite herb of witches, rosemary also has a long history of being used to counteract bad spells and block their powers. Rosemary can be used as a substitute for most other herbs in your magickal practices.

Other Names: Herb of Remembrance, Elf Leaf, Sea Dew, Polar Plant, Guardrobe, Compass Weed, Dew of the Sea, Mary’s Cloak, Stella Maria, Star of the Sea, Incensier

Composition: Rosemary refers to the fresh or dried leaf of the plant which contains essential oil.

Most of us think of rosemary as a culinary herb, and for good reason. Rosemary is extremely versatile in the kitchen. Pork, chicken, vegetables, even desserts and cocktails benefit from it’s savory addition. I’m not going to linger on that here. A quick google search will give you a million recipes to delight your taste buds. I find that I like the simplest spice rubs the best. Rosemary is also good in an herbal honey.

Rosemary Garlic Rub

from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 8 cloves garlic, diced
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Rosemary is so much more than just a culinary herb though. The herb of remembrance, as it is known, has a long history as a memory enhancer. Science has given credibility to that claim that the antioxidants in rosemary are shown to benefit the brain. Rosemary is also used for other anti-aging properties, such as the prevention and treatment of cataracts and improved joint health. The oil is also used to stimulate hair growth, another use that has been around for millennia.

Medical Properties

Holistic Uses

Rosemary Hair Rinse: Darkens Hair, Stimulates Growth

From Hair Buddha

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary leaves or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves
• 2 cups Water

Optional add-ins

• 1 tablespoon dried Chamomile flowers (stimulates hair follicles and adds luster to your hair)
• 2 teaspoons fresh Lavender or 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers (balances scalp oils)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Sage leaves or 1/2 tablespoon dried sage leaves ( helps darken greying hair and promotes healthy scalp)
• 1 tablespoon Marshmallow root (conditions, moisturizes and helps with detangling)
• 1 teaspoon Almond or Argan oil (useful for dry hair)

Contraindications, Additional Effects, and Interactions

Rosemary is safe when taken in low doses, but if consumed in very large doses if can lead to serious side effects, such as vomiting, spasms, or even pulmonary edema. Doses larger than can be found in the diet should be avoided during pregnancy as large internal doses can cause uterine contractions.

Dosage

Internal: 4-6 g herb, Tea: 1-3 cups per day (steep 1-2 grams in 150 ml water), Tincture: 2-4 ml orally three times daily (1:1 in 45% alcohol)

External: 50 g per bath OR 5-10% oil in semi-solid preparation OR Essential oil: doses up to 0.1-1 ml (6-10% oil essential oil), massage scalp for 2 minutes

Method(s) of Application: both internal and external / fresh herb / tincture / tea / other preparations

Magickal Properties of Rosemary

Simple Spells

• Place a sachet of rosemary under your pillow to bring about vivid dreams and ward off nightmares.
• Create a smudge stick from rosemary sprigs and purify your home with its smoke.
• Add to spells that prevent infidelity.
• Rosemary can remove jealousy. If you feel jealous about something, light a dried sprig of rosemary and as you watch the flames consume the sprig, visualize how your jealous energy is being consumed and transformed into positive energy by the flames.
• Hang over cribs to keep the fairies from stealing infants.
• Carry rosemary on your person as protection against the evil eye.
• Make a poppet of yourself and stuff it with rosemary to attract either a lover or healing energy.
• Burn with sage to fumigate a ritual area or to drive negativity away from any space, object or person.
• Wear rosemary around your head or neck or burn it on charcoal to enhance memory and receive knowledge.
• Wreaths of rosemary ward off negativity and encourage happiness in the home.
• Wear or carry while reading or completing tasks to improve memory of the material and aid clear thinking (great for students!)
• Use an infusion of rosemary to wash hands before any healing magick.
• Infuse a bath with rosemary for purification.
• Rub the oil into yellow candles and light on a Thursday to improve your study habits and grades.

Purchase dried rosemary in the Apothecary.

Learn more about rosemary essential oil.

Increase your herbal education by Digging Deeper into other herbs and essential oils.

Disclaimer: Please note that I am a not medical professional and everything written here is a product of my own research. Don’t take any advice given here over that of a trained doctor. If you ingest any herbs, always make sure that you’re 100% sure that they’re safe. If you’re pregnant or giving to a child, always consult a doctor before ingesting herbs and plant you aren’t familiar with. Magickal instruction and spells are for personal entertainment purposes only. The desired result/outcome cannot be guaranteed as a result of using any magickal item, and should not be used as a replacement for medical/professional assistance.