A Witch's Garden: Sage

A Witch's Garden: Sage

(salvia officinalis)

A familiar herb in our gardens I have the garden/common variety and a pretty purple sage too. An evergreen perennial shrub with woody stems and grey leaves (unless you have the purple or variegated varieties) with small lilac coloured flowers.

The white sage (Salvia apiana) that is traditionally used for smudging by many American tribes is native to the USA and Mexico. Personally I use the sage that grows in my garden to smudge because it is very similar, I also know that it is free of pesticides and chemicals and I get it for free!

Carry sage with you to ensure wisdom and aid with your intuition.

To cleanse, purify and protect your home, work or ritual space smudge with sage, although I like to add rosemary and lavender into my smudge bundles (but if you have read this book from the start you will know that by now…).

Keep sage on your windowsill to encourage abundance and success.

Write your wish on a sage leaf and place it beneath your pillow, if you dream of your goal then it will come true.

Pick Me Up Sage Tea

1 tablespoon/ ½ oz sage leaves (young ones rather than the older, tougher ones)
250ml/ 1 ¼ cups/ ½ pint boiling water

Wash the leaves then bruise them slightly with a spoon and pour boiling water on top, leave too steep for 7-10 minutes, strain and drink to give yourself an energy boost and to lift your spirits. You can also add a teaspoon of honey to make life sweet.

Sage Magical Properties:

Protection, wishes, wisdom, purification, stimulating, intuition, abundance, success.
Ruling planet – Jupiter
Sign – Taurus, Sagittarius
Element – Air
Gender – Masculine

Taken from A Kitchen Witch's World of Magical Plants & Herbs