====== Rosemary ======
---- dataentry herbs---- latin_names: Rosemarinus officinalis folk_names: Compass Weed, Dew of the Sea, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Incensier, Libanotis (Greek), Polar Plant, Sea Dew gender_tags: Masculine planet_tags: Sun element_tags: Fire deity_tags: effect_tags: Protection, Love, Lust, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Purification, Healing, Sleep, Youth, Longevity, Conscious Mind, Memory part_tags: fresh leaves, dried leaves, essential oil ----
===== Magical Uses ===== Rosemary, when burned, emits powerful cleansing and purifying vibrations, and so is smouldered to rid a place of negativity, especially prior to performing magic. It is one of the oldest incenses. When placed beneath the pillow rosemary ensures a good sleep and drives away nightmares. Laid under the bed it protects the sleeper from all harm. Rosemary is also hung on the porch and doorposts to keep thieves from the house and is carried to remain healthy. Placed in the bath it purifies. A chaplet of rosemary, worn, aids the memory, while the wood, smelled often, preserves youthfulness. To ensure the latter add a rosemary infusion to the bath water. Rosemary has long been used in love and lust incenses and other mixtures, and healing poppets are stuffed with rosemary to take advantage of its curative vibrations. Rosemary infusion is used to wash the hands before healing work, and the leaves mixed with juniper berries are burned in sickrooms to promote healing. If you wish to receive knowledge or the answer to a question, burn rosemary on charcoal and smell its smoke. Rosemary is also grown to attract elves, and the powdered leaves wrapped in linen cloth and bound to the right arm dispel depression and make the emotions light and merry. Rosemary is generally used as a substitute for frankincense. ===== Aromatherapy ===== ==== Lore ==== Once burned in Greek temples as offerings to the goddesses and gods, rosemary has a long folk magic tradition as a love stimulator. Bridal wreaths were entwined with fresh rosemary and the plant has been used in countless rituals designed to promote love. Leyel (see Bibliography) records an unusual use of rosemary from an old book:
“Take the flowers thereof and make powder thereof and binde it to thy right arme in a linnen cloath and it shall make //theee// light and merrie.” (sic)
==== Magical Uses ==== Human beings have used rosemary for various magical pursuits for at least 2,500 years. This was due to its clean, resinousy odor and its energies. It currently enjoys great popularity in coventiona1 aromatherapy. The subtler energies contained with the scent of rosemary are very effective. Here are some of the ways to utilize them: Smell the scent of rosemary or of its wood while visualizing a long, healthy life, for as an ancient writer put it:
“Smell it oft and it shall keep thee youngly.”
Sniff the essential oil or the fresh leaves to clear your conscious mind. Its legendary powers of enhancing the memory, immortalized by William Shakespeare, are genuine. When studying something that you absolutely must memorize, keep the herb or a few drops of rosemary essential oil on a cotton ball beside you. Sniff it often as you study. Then, when you must recall it (such as during a test or, perhaps, when saying a prayer or chant) smell the essential oil again and the information will make itself available. As for love, rosemary can help us out there too. Inhale the crisp scent and strongly visualize it bringing love into your life. Carry some with you (or the cotton ball you’ve used) and smell it a few times throughout the day. Snips of fresh rosemary are available in the produce sections of some grocery stores, and the essential oil is available at very reasonable prices.