Basil for Business

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Many Hindu families keep a tulsi or Holy Basil
plant in a specially-built structure, which has
images of deities installed on all four sides,
with an alcove for a small earthenware oil
lamp. Here basil is used very simply to enhance
business matters. Just how widely it is used
throughout the world is shown by the use of
the second technique, which is said to ensure
that you will always be prosperous. This latter
technique owes a great deal to voodoo and the
technique of floor washing.
YOU WILL NEED
Basil seeds and plant
Pots containing compost
Small oil lamp
METHOD
✤ Place the pot and plants where they can be
safely left.
✤ Carefully nurture the seeds to maturity.
✤ Whenever practical, light the oil lamp and
keep it burning. This action honours the
goddess Tulsi who fell in love with Krishna
and calls upon her beneficence.

A Short List of Magickal Plants

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Aloe is feminine and ruled by the Moon. Its
Element is Water. Its magical properties are
protection, success and peace. Aloe has always
been known for its healing qualities, for
treating wounds and maintaining healthy skin.
It helps to combat a variety of bacteria that
commonly cause infections in skin wounds.
Amaranth (cockscomb) is feminine and ruled
by Saturn. Its Element is Fire. When used
magically, it is said to repair a broken heart, so
therefore would be useful in certain love spells
and rituals. Formerly it was reputed to bestow
invisibility.
Angelica is a masculine plant ruled by Venus.
Its Element is Fire. It is particularly useful when
dealing with protection and exorcism; the root
can be carried as an amulet with the dried
leaves being burnt during exorcism rituals.
Anise is masculine and ruled by the Moon or
Jupiter. Its Element is Air. Its magical properties
are useful in protection and purification spells.
It brings awareness and joy.
Apple is feminine and ruled by Venus. Its
Element is Water. It is used most effectively in
the making of magical wands, in love spells
and good luck charms.

Herbal Uses

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Attracting men: Jasmine, juniper (dried berries
worn as a charm), lavender, lemon verbena,
lovage, orris root, patchouli
Attracting women: Henbane, holly, juniper
(dried berries worn as a charm), lemon
verbena, lovage, orris root, patchouli
Banishing: Hyssop, lilac, St John’s Wort
Cleansing: Cinnamon, clove, lovage
(powdered root), pine, thyme (in baths),
vervain (of sacred spaces)
Courage: Basil, garlic, mullein, nettle, St John’s
Wort, thyme, wormwood, yarrow
Exorcism: Angelica, basil, birch, frankincense,
juniper, garlic, St John’s Wort
Fertility: Acorns, geranium, hawthorn,
mandrake, orange (dried and powdered peel),
pine, poppy, sage, sunflower (seeds)
Friendship: Lemon, rose, passionflower
Good fortune: Ash (leaves), heather, nutmeg,
rose, vetivert
Happiness: Anise, catnip, lily of the valley,
marjoram, saffron
Harmony: Hyacinth, heliotrope, lilac,
meadowsweet
Healing: Aloe, ash, camomile, cinnamon,
comfrey, eucalyptus, fennel, garlic, hops,
marjoram, mint, nettle, pine, rosemary, saffron,
sage, sandalwood, thyme, yarrow
Hex-breaking: Chilli pepper, galangal,
vertivert
Love: Apple, Balm of Gilead, basil, caraway,
catnip, coriander, cowslip, dill, gardenia,
ginger, ginseng, honeysuckle, jasmine,
lavender, linden, marigold, marjoram,
meadowsweet, mistletoe, myrtle, rose,
rosemary, valerian, vervain, violet (mixed with
lavender), yarrow
Luck: Apple, ash (leaves), hazel, holly (for
newly-weds), ivy (for newly-weds), mint, rose,
rowan, vervain, violet (flowers)
Lust: Cinnamon, lemongrass, nettle, rosemary,
violet
Meditation: Camomile, elecampane,
frankincense, vervain
Mental powers: Caraway, lily of the valley,
rosemary, vanilla, walnut
Money: Camomile, cinnamon, clove, comfrey,
fennel, ginger, mint, poppy, vervain
Peace: Aloe, camomile, gardenia, lavender,
myrtle, violet
Power: Carnation, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary,
rowan
Prosperity: Acorn, almond, ash, basil, benzoin,
honeysuckle
Note: There are so many herbs suitable for the
next three categories and the choice is such a
personal one that only a few suggestions are
included. Your own further research will very
much enhance your magical workings.
Protection: Aloe, angelica (root), anise, Balm
of Gilead, basil, bay laurel, black pepper,

caraway, camomile, dill (for children),
dragon’s blood, fennel, garlic, hawthorn, holly,
hyssop, lavender, mandrake, meadowsweet,
mistletoe, mugwort, nettle, periwinkle, rose,
rosemary, rowan, sage, St John’s Wort,
sandalwood, vervain, witch hazel, wormwood
Psychic powers: Ash (leaves), bay laurel, bay
leaves, cinnamon, cowslip, elecampane,
eyebright, hyssop, lavender, marigold,
mugwort, nutmeg, rose, thyme, wormwood,
yarrow
Purification: Anise, betony, cinquefoil,
dragon’s blood, frankincense, hyssop,
lavender, lemon, oak leaves, pine, rosemary,
rue, sandalwood, thyme, valerian, vervain
Success: Cinnamon, ginger, lemon balm,
rowan
Sleep: Catnip, hops, lavender, thyme, valerian,
vervain
Spirituality: Cinnamon, clover, frankincense,
myrrh, sandalwood
Wisdom: Peach (fruit), sage, sunflower

The uses of Herbs Money

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It is sometimes easier to visualize the outcome
of having money – that is, what you are going
to spend the money on – than visualizing actual
money coming to you. Certain herbs create an
environment in which things can happen. They
enable the creation of the means to fulfil your
needs – perhaps a gift, a pay rise or some such
thing.

The uses of Herbs Healing

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Many herbs have healing properties, which can
help from both a physical and a magical
viewpoint. A practitioner working from both
points of view can be of tremendous help in

managing illness. However, always remember
to advise anyone you work with in this way to
seek qualified medical assistance. Never allow
yourself to be drawn into being a substitute for
medical help.

The uses of Herbs Fidelity

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Some herbs and plants can by tradition be used
to ensure fidelity. You do have to have a firm
belief that you have a right to another’s
devotion before imposing your will on them.
Using a spell for fidelity amounts to a binding
spell and you must make allowances for the
person’s own integrity. It should always be
remembered that it is unwise, and sometimes
unhelpful, to both parties to hold anyone in a
relationship against their will.

The uses of Herbs Love

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The vibration of these herbs is such that they
can help you to meet new people, to overcome
shyness and let others know that you are open
to new relationships. They put out a particular
vibration so that those who are interested will
answer the call. The safest way to use them is to
accept that several people may be attracted to
you and you will then be able to make an
informed choice.

Herbs in Spellwork

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Most magical practices make use of herbs in
various ways, usually in rituals and other
magical workings. Often they are used as
incense, when they are crushed and powdered,
or as oils. Their properties mean that they create
a type of force field that intensifies the vibration
needed. Additionally, when the practitioner

calls upon the power of the gods and spirits, the
herbs become even more effective.
In ancient times, the duality between positive
and negative, active and passive and, by
association, masculine and feminine was
important in understanding the type of energy
that a plant had. In magical terms, plants are
categorized as masculine or feminine in order
to reflect that division. It was felt that each
plant was looked after or ruled by the gods and
goddesses and, because the planets represented
the deities through their association with
astrology, each plant could be recognized
through that rulership.
Each plant’s energies also belonged to one of
the Elements. The four Elements (Earth, Air, Fire
and Water) are the building blocks of the
universe and are found in all things in varying
amounts. The ruling Element in anything is the
most important part in its make-up. Herbs and
plants in their simplicity can be allocated to a
single Element. Each deity has its own
particular qualities, so where a plant is
dedicated to that deity, those attributes are
recognized. You can see that the more
knowledge you have of these things, in some
ways the more complex your working becomes.
In fact, having the knowledge actually makes
your spell working easier, because it enables
you to be completely specific.
When man chose to remember and make use
of these very subtle energies, he found that his
magical workings were enhanced. He called
upon the ‘powers’ from several different
viewpoints which, when combined, meant that
he was making use of a very holistic energy. It
might be said that man was calling upon the
salesman, the sales director and the managing
director of energy.
From our perspective, we can rely on the
knowledge of the ancients to help us also make
the right connections. We, perhaps more than
ever, need to make contact with the subtle
spiritual energy levels. To put it another way:
through the plant we make a connection with
its spirit and so therefore with the greater
spiritual realms that stand behind the whole of
existence. To expand further, masculine herbs
are those with strong fiery vibrations, feminine
herbs are softer in their effect, quiet and subtle.

You can see from this that, when using herbs
and plants, you need to think very carefully
about your ritual or spell.
Simply having particular herbs in your sacred
space or having them about your person is
sufficient to begin the process of enhancing the
area or your personal vibration. You can use
them in incense and dedicate them to the
appropriate Elements and deities. Many of the
herbs mentioned can be obtained from a good
herbalist, though for those of you who are truly
interested it would be worth while creating a
small herb garden or growing them on your
windowsill.

Preparing a crystal circle

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If you wish to use stones and crystals when
laying out your circle or sacred space, you can
use a mixture of both. You might mark each
quarter with a large stone, particularly if you
are outside, and then place other appropriate
stones on top. Even if you use candles to mark
the four quarters of the circle, you could
surround or circle each candle with any or all of
the following gems, either rough or polished:
North: moss agate, emerald, jet,
olivine, salt, black tourmaline
East: imperial topaz, citrine, mica,
pumice
South: amber, obsidian, rhodochrosite,
ruby, lava, garnet
West: aquamarine, chalcedony, jade,
lapis lazuli, moonstone,
sugilite
Over time, gather a number of appropriate
stones together. Beginning and ending in the

north, lay out 7, 9, 21 or 40 stones of any size to
define your circle. (These are magical numbers
and will enhance the power, so always bear in
mind the purpose of your circle.) If you
normally use ribbon or cord to mark out your
circle, your stones can be placed either inside
the cord or ribbon or in place of it.
If the magical working to be conducted within
the circle is sending the power outwards, place
any crystal with definite points facing outward.
If the magic is of a protective nature, place them
with points facing inward.
Use your good sense when constructing your
circle. If it is outdoors, somewhere you use
often and think of as your sacred space, you
may wish to leave the larger stones in position
and carry the smaller gems with you. This way,
no matter where you are, you can mark out a
circle with the small stones and have available
the power and energy of the larger space
available to you.

Enhancing your Magick with Crystals & Stones

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Crystals and stones are gifts from nature and as
mentioned above can also be used to enhance
your rituals and magic. They can become sacred,
magical tools in their own right. When
consecrating a circle, creating your sacred space
or making a shrine, you may like to search out
stones which can represent the Elements, so here
are a few suggestions:

Air
When looking for stones to represent Air, you
need to think of crystal-clear stones or
yellowish-tinged ones. A quartz crystal point
can often be picked up quite cheaply and, of
course, it does not matter if it is flawed because,
with a little imagination, these flaws can often
look like clouds. Quartz pebbles are often
found on the seashore, weathered by the water.
Fire
Stones to represent Fire should be red or orange
or sometimes black. Any stone which has the
feeling of passion or fiery emotion will do very
well – carnelian or red jasper work particularly
well. Volcanic rocks, or other very hard ones,
often signify Fire since they are the outcome of
fire from the earth.
Water
Blue or blue-green stones are good if you wish
to represent Water and if you are near the sea
you might find a piece of salt or sand-blasted
glass, which is ideal. Although glass is man

made, nature has done its work. White or
greyish pebble stones actually found in water
are also very useful, while a piece of stone with
seaweed attached is also good. Some agates are
very pretty and can echo wave patterns.
Earth
The colours for Earth are green and brown, and
many of the stones associated with Earth are
green as well. All stones are the product of Earth
so almost any stone will do, particularly if you
have got to know it as suggested above. Use it
wisely and it will always repay you. Remember
that you do not need polished stones for this –
the more natural they are the better.
Spirit
Most clear crystals can be used to represent the
fifth Element of aether, or Spirit, as can the
purple-hued ones. Amethyst is particularly
good, as it is both a transmitter and a receiver of
psychic and spiritual energy. Mostly, those stones
which are capable of representing spirit will
‘speak’ to you and if you choose more than one
you will have to use your intuition so that you
choose the right one for your purpose.