Herb of the Week – Ginger (Zingiber officianale)
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Deities: Durga, Sekhmet, Hathor, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite (Venus), Thor, Horus, Ra
Magical Uses: Healing, Love, Money, Protection
Tarot Card: The High Priestess
Whether using this particular herb in the kitchen, as part of an herbal tea, or magically, ginger is a warming herb extraordinaire. Who can forget the warming taste of ginger snap cookies or the sharpness of a cold ginger beer? Ginger either as a tea, candied, or as part of a meal is an excellent precursor to ritual. Ginger can improve focus, clear the mind, and can help align the chakras. The fiery elements can also set the tone and set your magical intention in motion. If your ritual is one for love, prosperity or setting your intention in motion, a few bits of dried ginger root in a ritual amulet or sachet is just the ticket. The inclusion of dried ginger root in an incense blend, or part of a simmer pot smells wonderful.
When using candle magic, particularly in spells for success and prosperity, sprinkle bits of the root or a bit of ginger powder around your candles to light a fire to your desire.
Ginger in a healing spell is an excellent addition. The tea is excellent on a cold day but has a long reputation for helping to settle an upset stomach. Finding a whole ginger root that is in the shape of a human being is much easier than finding one of Mandrake. This root has been used by Indigenous tribes in the Pacific Islands for sympathetic magic. One of the more unusual magical uses for the root in that region is to chew some of the root and spit it into the sea as a way to quell rough weather.
When working with fiery deities such as Sekhmet, Durga, Thor, or Ra, ginger is an excellent herb to help connect you to them because of the fiery element that is contained within this herb.
DISCLAIMER: Please note that all information provided on this blog is not intended to recommend, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition or to replace the advice of a qualified doctor or other healthcare professional. No statements made herein have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Photographic Image by Kaakaaduro via Wikimedia Creative Commons