Bay Leaves - Magickal Uses
Bay leaves – also known as bay laurel – are well-known for their magickal properties. In Ancient Greece, the bay leaf is sacred to Apollo, son of Zeus and Leto, known to many as the god of music, light, healing, poetry, truth, and prophecy. According to legend, Apollo fell inlove with the beautiful nymph Daphne, but she turned him down repeatedly. Apollo chased and chased her, until eventually, Daphne’s father transformed his daughter into a bay laurel tree, to preserve her wishes to live amongst the woodland creatures, without a man. Consequently, the bay leaf is said to several have magickal uses – some of which are listed below.
Magical uses of bay leaves:
- Granting wishes – bay leaves are well-known for their wish-granting properties, and can be used to bring you closer to your goals. Many believe if you write a wish on a bay leaf, and then burn it, your wish will come true. Bay leaves can also be used in spells to bring prosperity, luck, and success.
- Cleansing, purification, and banishing negativity – the bay leaf is commonly used for its properties of purification and cleansing. Bay leaves can be used to dispel negative entities and energies. They are also be used to purify or asperse a space, object, or person – perhaps in preparation for a ritual.
- Protection – on a similar note, bay leaves can be used as protection from negativity and misfortune, including negative magic. Some use bay leaves in spell breaking, and in exorcism rituals. Mixed with sandalwood, bay leaves can be useful in breaking curses.
- Enhance psychic ability – bay leaves are extremely useful in divination, clairvoyance, and aiding psychic development. Bay leaves are often used in clairvoyance and wisdom brews, and bay leaves placed under the pillow or used in dream work can facilitate prophetic dreams.
Example Spell – Good Health Wishing Spell by Pamela Ball:
Just a quick example of how you can incorporate bay leaves in your Craft. This spell is taken from Pamela Ball’s ‘The Great Book of Spells’ – I’m paraphrasing, and you can find the whole spell in her book.
- 3 bay leaves
- Piece of paper
- Pencil or pen
- Later - some way of safely burning paper
Best time to start this spell: New Moon
Steps: Again, the full spell can be found in Pamela Ball’s book. But the spell basically involves the following:
1. During a New Moon, write down your wish on a piece of paper and visualise it coming true.
2. Place three bay leaves on the paper, then fold the paper over these bay leaves to make an envelope. Whilst you do this, visualise your wish coming true.
3. Keep the paper somewhere safe and continue visualising the wish coming true.
4. When the wish does come true, burn the paper as a way of saying thanks.
This is just one example – there’s loads more spells you can find, or you could create your own!
I hope you found this useful.
(And just a quick side note - I do recommend Pamella Ball’s ‘The Great Book of Spells’. I’ve been reading and using some of the spells recently!)
