(Olea europaea)
Planet: Sun
Element: Air
Energies: Spirituality, health, peace, sex
Lore:
The olive was sacred to Aten in ancient Egypt.
Olive oil, which was in great demand in the ancient world, actually led to the downfall of Greece. Farmers began growing olives almost exclusively while ignoring food crops. This began Greece’s dependence on imported foods. When import lines were cut, Greece and its populace suffered.
Oil was used in hundreds of ways in the ancient world, but it was always linked with religion. It was necessary for the creation of the scented oils used in both religious and magical rituals. In Greece, olive oil was the most popular ingredient for these purposes. The Romans disdained the use of butter in cooking. They moistened bread with olive oil (as we use butter) and also cooked food in oil.
Magical uses:
Add olives or olive oil to spirituality inducing diets. Olives are perfect for post-ritual feasts. Small amounts of olive oil can be added to health diets. Visualize! Olives are also eaten for peace and for the release of stress. If this isn’t a problem, olives (and the oil) are suitable for arousing sexual desire.
