chamomile – Wicca Now – Everything You Need To Know About Wicca

Hi, my loves and welcome to WiccaNow. Recently I’ve been covering all of my favourite magickal herbs and plants including this botanical witchipedia I shared along with posts about about the magickal properties of mint and bay leaves, as well as one about roses. I want to continue down this road today by talking about the magickal properties of chamomile. Chamomile is an ancient healing herb which has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual pain and insomnia among many others. The magickal properties of chamomile include luck, purification, protection and healing among others. It’s ruled by the Sun God yet it’s element is water making it a wonderfully balanced magickal herb. Disclaimer: Any medicinal benefits given here are a product of my own research and as such should not be taken over the advice of trained medical professionals. If you are ill, please go and see a doctor. Always make sure that anything you consume is 100% safe and if you are pregnant, consult your doctor or midwife before consuming something you haven’t tried before. Please note that chamomile has been known to cause uterine contractions so pregnant women should avoid consuming it. History of Chamomile Chamomile is part of the Asteraceae family. There are two varieties of chamomile which are commonly used, known as English/Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile) and German Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita). The Roman/English chamomile is considered true chamomile and has two names because in the 19th century a botanist foun chamomile growing in the Colosseum and promptly name the plant after the city that he found it in. True chamomile is native to Western Europe and North Africa while the “false” chamomile is native to Europe and Asia. Both varieties are commonly cultivated and used interchangeably. This is a comparison of German Chamomile (on the left) and Roman/English Chamomile (on the right). You can see how confusion between the two arose as they are very similar. In Ancient Egypt, chamomile was a sacred herb to the Sun God Ra and as such was revered over all other herbs. There are many depictions of its flowers in hieroglyphics which date back over 2000 years. The Ancient Egyptians used it as a “heal-all” and wealthier Egyptian would also use it as part of their beauty routine. Chamomile also crops up in various other historic documents. It was listed as one of 9 sacred herbs in the Lacnunga which is a collection of Ancient Anglo-Saxon medical texts and prayers. It also appears in other old medical texts, Dioscorides prescribed it for various ailments and mentions it often. Herbalists during the Medieval Age revered chamomile for its healing properties and even bred double flowering varieties so they could produce more flowers as this was the part of the plant they used for remedies. Chamomile is very hardy and will grow in the tiniest crack or crevice. It was a common plant to grow as a lawn before regular turf became popular. How beautiful would a chamomile lawn be? The scent when you walk over it would be amazing! The plants reseed themselves readily and thrive on neglect as long as they get a bit of sun. Fun Facts about Chamomile The name chamomile comes from the Greek word for “ground apple”. It’s named this because chamomile flowers smell a little like apples. Chamomile was used in Ancient Egypt and was sacred to the Sun God Ra.Even Shakespear mentions Chamomile “Though the chamomile, the more it is trodden on, the faster it grows, so youth, the more it is wasted, the sooner it wears.” William Shakespeare, Henry IV. Chamomile is a wonderful companion plant in a garden bed. It prevents fungal and bacterial infections in the plants around it and also repels insects. It’s been named “the plant’s physician” by herbalist Frances A. Bardwell. Medicinal Benefits of Chamomile Can help lessen the symptoms of anxiety May reduce menstrual pain May help to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics May help those suffering from osteoporosis by promoting bone densityMay reduce inflammation Helps promote restful sleep Helps with relaxationIt’s an ancient medicinal herb whose effectiveness in various traditional medicines is currently being researched. May help to relieve symptoms caused by the common coldMay assist in the healing of wounds and eczema Can cause uterine contractions, so pregnant women are advised to avoid it. Chamomile tea is one of the most common ways to treat yourself with chamomile. I use it often if I'm having trouble sleeping. Magickal Properties of Chamomile ProsperitySleepHexesProtectionLuck PurificationHealingConfidence Associations Deities: Apollo, Ra, Cernunnos, Lugh Correspondences Zodiac: Leo Planet: Sun (but sometimes the Moon, Venus and occasionally Mercury) Element: Water Gender: Masculine Crystals: Bloodstone, Peridot, Aquamarine Sweet Dreams Charm using Chamomile Chamomile is an absolutely wonderful herb in aiding restful sleep and pleasant dreams. It harnesses the magickal properties of chamomile and lavender as well as containing some protection herbs to keep nightmares and negative energies away. The juniper berries in this are optional, they are a nice addition because they protect while also drawing love to you. If you want to swap out any of these protection herbs feel free to do so, the ones I've picked are my favourites because they draw other nice things like love, luck and prosperity while also keeping you safe. Ingredients A small blue pouch9 chamomile flowers1 tbsp dried lavender1 tsp fennel seeds3 juniper berries3 sage leaves Method Gather your ingredients in front of you and sit down somewhere comfortable.Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths. Open your eyes.Gently place all the ingredients in the pouch one after the other. Do this with intention and try not to throw everything in roughly.Close the pouch. Hold the filled pouch in both hands, close your eyes and set your intention for it. It's meant to bring you calm, restful sleep free of nightmares. Imagine yourself snuggled up in bed, enveloped by an intense feeling of comfort, warmth and protection. Imagine being held in the arms of the best hugger you know. Infuse the pouch in your hands with this feeling. Let everything else go and flood these feelings into the pouch. Open your eyes.Touch the pouch to your heart and say "Bring me slumber, bring me peace, in the arms of my bed I'll find restful sleep. So Mote it Be." Place the pouch under your pillow. If you are a light sleeper and find you can feel the pouch under your head at night, you can also place the pouch under the corner of your mattress closest to your head. Enjoy a restful nights sleep! If you feel like the effectiveness of the pouch is waning, repeat steps 6-8 to reactivate it. I hope this charm gives you the peaceful nights sleep that you're searching for. So my loves, I hope this gives you the overview of the magickal properties of chamomile that you were searching for! Until next time, Blessed Be, Amaria xx Do you want to know more about the magickal properties of lavender? We've made a beautiful full of information about lavender for you to add to your growing Book of Shadows. Click here to check it out on Etsy. Did you know that moonstone compliments the magickal properties of chamomile? Learn more about moonstone with this wonderful, hand-illustrated Book of Shadows page. Click here to shop it in our Etsy Store.