Mentha
pulegium
Pennyroyal
Amongst Celts, this
magick herb is associated with the Venus-linked
Great Mother. It contains the planetary metal for Mars (iron) and has some
Mars qualities, for instance, causing sweating (heating) that has been
used to chase away a cold. It is also associated with the Moon because of its
ability to sedate and calm. As part of a charm for a silver tongue, an
infusion of pennyroyal can be touched to the lips. As a preparation for
being inititated into the Eleusinian mysteries of ancient Greece,
people drank pennyroyal in barley water. Tradition has it that this was
one of the herbs used to line the manger in which Jesus slept. The
Romans used the leaves of this herb as an insect repellent, and during
the Middle Ages, it was a strewing herb that freshened the air and got
rid of bugs. Sailors during the Renaissance purified their
drinking water with it (and it helps prevent seasickness) and according
to some, sprinkled it on the ocean itself to calm violent waves. Also,
in the Middle Ages, people believed that drowned bees could be revived
by being placed on a bed of pennyroyal ashes. These together with
mints' affinity with water imply that pennyroyal is worth investigating
for Water magick. Some Old English sources assert this plant protects
against dwarves, making us wonder if this might have been a charm worn during early
mining. This plant is also known as Pulegium, Run-by-the-Ground,
Lurk-in-the-Ditch, Pudding Grass, and Piliolerial.
Pennyroyal toxicity and abortions.
This
Venus-ruled herb has been made into a tea and drunk to start
menstruation, and it has a reputation for causing abortions. But does
it really do that? Here is an article about pennyroyal
toxicity by a registered herbalist in the UK. Besides
comparing the toxicity of this herb to that of the OTC-painkiller
acetaminophen (called paracetamol in England), he makes the point that pennyroyal does not cause
abortions.
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy agrees, asserting
that no
documented case of this herb causing an abortion exists. The idea of using this
plant as an abortifacient appears to be a misreading of Culpeper, who
said it was sometimes used to expel a DEAD fetus. This misinformation
has just been repeated and repeated, with no one even checking
Culpeper. If you need an abortion, contact Planned Parenthood for help finding one.
Scroll down on that site to a form where you can enter your zip to find
a center near you. Pennyroyal has many uses for magickal
ritual, including as a help for exploring the border between life and
death. Use this magick herb to explore that borderland magickally, not
physically.
How to grow Pennyroyal: Sow on surface and keep moist to germinate in 15
days at room temperature. Transplant to moist, rich soil in partial
shade, especially where it's hot or the sun is intense. It
likes fertilizer, so every month or so, side dress with composted
manure or organic mushroom compost. It gets 6-12"/15-30cm tall, and the
usual spacing is 18-24"/45-60cm apart. Harvest as the flowers begin to
develop. It's hardy to zone 6 (to -5F/-20C). It can be propagated by
root divisions and by cuttings once it is established. Mint
can be invasive, so keep an eye on it, grow it in a container, or plant
it where it has plenty of room. General
growing
info
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Mentha
pulegium
Pennyroyal
100 seeds $3.50
Go to the herb
Go to the
essential oil
Uses
in Witchcraft & Magic:
Honoring the
Great Mother
Mars Herb
Magick with Words
Water Magick
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