By Mark Piatt
Updated on June 14, 2023
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In folklore and magickal circles, the magical properties of lavender are often used for dreaming, psychic enhancement, protection, banishing and cleansing, and spirit communication.
Since the beginning of recorded history, lavender has been revered for its heavenly scent and magickal properties. Because of the unique properties of lavender, it is considered the most magical of all herbs.
As I am writing this paragraph laying on the couch because of an injury, today is the summer solstice. I can not help but admire how useful lavender is during this celebration and for everyday use.
As a general rule, the four main magickal properties that lavender is often associated with include:
- Dreaming
- Psychic enhancement
- Protection
- Love and attraction rituals
But these are not the only magickal properties associated with lavender.
Some of the other important magickal properties associated with lavender are:
- Spell enhancement
- Banishing and cleansing
- Manifesting change
- Calming rituals
- Luck rituals
- Success rituals
- Peace rituals
DISCLAIMER:
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. Occult properties of herbs and essential oils are provided for historical interest only. For possible treatments of physical or mental diseases, please seek a trained and licensed health professional. Enchanted Aromatics is not responsible for any adverse side effects resulting from the use of any suggestions, products, preparations, or procedures mentioned or from the following historical uses of herbs and essential oils.
Magickal Correspondence For Lavender
- Lavender is considered masculine.
- The vibration of lavender is considered part of the air element.
- Lavender is associated with the planet Mercury and sometimes with the planet Neptune.
- The astrological sign of lavender is Gemini and Virgo.
- Lavender is associated with Brighid (Goddess of Inspiration), Cernunnos (God of Fertility), Circe (Goddess of Magic), Hecate (Goddess of Inspiration), Selene (Goddess of the Moon), Saturn (God of Time, Abundance, and Wealth), Mother of Mary (Jesus’s mother).
- Lavender is seen as a sign of divine favor from the Gods and Goddesses.
- Chakras that work with lavender: Crown chakra, Third eye chakra, and Throat chakra.
What is lavender?
Lavender is part of the Mint family.
Out of the 47 species and 450 varieties of lavender, the one that is mainly used in magickal rituals is known as Lavandula angustifolia, sometimes also called Lavandula officinalis.
Other names Lavandula angustifolia goes by include:
- True lavender
- English lavender
- Garden lavender
- Common lavender
- Narrow-leaved lavender
- Lavender
For the remainder of this article, when we refer to lavender, we are referring to Lavandula angustifolia.
Using lavender in magick and witchcraft has been used for millennia because of its serenity-inducing compounds.
Although not named directly, it is believed that Adam and Eve took lavender out with them from the Garden of Eden as a defense against evil.
Many scholars believe that when spikenard is mentioned in the bible, lavender is the actual plant. If this is the case, then lavender is mentioned over 100 times in the bible, more than any other herb.
Lavender is one of the 11 holy herbs used to create the essence of God in the Temple of Jerusalem.
Lavender plays an important role for many pagans.
During the midsummer solstice (Litha), which occurs every June 21, and for Lunghnassadh, which occurs on August 1, lavender is used as a decorative herb on the altar.
Some of the other herbs used during the Midsummer Solstice and Lunghnassadh include:
- Betony
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- Elderflower
- Fennel
- St. Johns wort
- Lambs cress
- Meadowsweet
- Mints
- Mugwort
- Nettle
- Plantain
- Rose
- Sage
- Thyme
- Verbena
Honey also plays an important role during such celebrations.
During the beautiful symbolic marriage ritual known as Handfasting, lavender plays a role as protector of marriage. Lavender is woven into the bride’s crown and may even be added to some of the wedding dishes and drank from a ritual cup.
Since the middle ages, lavender has been used in a variety of spells and potions to ward off negative energy, and evil spirits.
Since the beginning of recorded history, lavender has been associated with purity.
Since at least the middle ages, lavender has been used in sachets and potions for warding off evil spirits, and various rituals to achieve love, peace, and happiness.
Since lavender has been considered a symbol of peace, it has often been added to coffins to provide peace, comfort, and protection for the departed.
There are many ways you can incorporate lavender into your magic including in:
- Candle spells
- Diffuser
- Tea
- Soaps
- Simmer pot and spray
- Spell bags and satchels
- Food (not too much or it can taste like soap)
- Baths
- Infusions
- Incense
- Burn lavender oil or the dried flowers
- Placing fresh or dried flowers around your space
keep in mind there is always more than one way to accomplish your magickal goals. Using the magical properties of lavender is but one tool from an arsenal of tools and techniques you should be using.
Take the following suggestions we give you as a base, and make them your own.
If a spell does not feel right, no law says you can not change your spell to fit your needs.
I prescribe to the idea that spells should not be hoarded, but shared. I also do not believe that a spell must be followed exactly. Intent is what creates a spell, not props.
But if the props help you focus your intent, then, by all means, use your herbs, wands, crystals, or whatever helps you manifest your spell into reality.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can use herbs in your magickal rituals, check out the following book by Ally Sands “Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch: An Herbalist’s Guide to Heal, Protect, and Manifest“.
Can Lavender be used for dream recall?
There are a variety of ways you may be able to improve your dream recall using lavender. Since lavender is a natural relaxant that has been used for thousands of years to improve your quality of sleep, it can improve your dream recall.
Every night when we sleep, dreams occur. You may not remember your dreams, but we all dream.
In our dreams, images from our subconscious become real. But some dreams are not from our subconscious, but instead, come from the astral plane.
Many of your dreams may have a symbolic meaning. Sometimes you can intuitively understand your dreams but other times, you need to have some knowledge of various esoteric symbols that may show up in your dreams so you can decipher what they mean.
For many people, the powerful floral and herbaceous scent of lavender can help send you off into dreamland.
For some people, lavender can increase the amount of deep sleep you achieve, and for some people, the fragrance of lavender can encourage lucid dreaming.
Inhaling the beautiful fragrance of lavender will allow the peacefulness of the floral aroma to balance the chaos going on in your subconscious.
Lavender is not the only herb / essential oil that can help you dream. To learn more about these herbs, check out our article “17 Essential Oils With Magical Dream Properties“.
Do you know why you can not remember your dreams?
There are two neurotransmitter chemicals (acetylcholine and norepinephrine) that are decreased when you are asleep.
These chemicals help your brain consolidate and store long-term memories. But when you wake up, these neurotransmitters increase drastically, causing you to forget your short-term dreams.
This is why you can sometimes remember a dream when you first wake up, but after a few minutes, you can not remember what you were dreaming about.
Before using lavender to enhance your dream recall, there are several things you can do to increase your dream recall.
To help you dream, you need to get a restful sleep. This is what lavender is well known for. If you can get a restful sleep, you may have a better chance of dreaming and remembering your dreams.
To help you remember your dreams, try some or all of the following techniques.
6 ways to remember and interpret your dreams:
- Use lavender just before, and as you are going to sleep, to help you get a good night’s rest.
- Get yourself in the right frame of mind before going to sleep. Meditate with lavender to help remove negative energy that may be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep.
- When you first wake up, do not jump out of bed. Set a few minutes aside when you first wake up to give your brain a chance to access and process your dreams.
- If you wake up from a dream, write it down right away in a dream journal. In the morning you may be surprised to see you have written something down you don’t remember writing. Reading your own writing may trigger your dream memory.
- When you wake up, write down your dreams before you forget them.
- Studies have shown that if you take vitamin B6 supplements before you go to bed, they may help you to remember to dream.
When I was in college, I signed up for a semester-long lucid dream study since I have the ability to have lucid dreams. The goal was to increase the number of lucid dreams I would have and to remember them.
One of the things that helped me was a dream diary. This dream diary had a notepad and a pen. When I would pull the pen out of its slot, a light would turn on the pad to illuminate my writing area so I could write my dream on.
Sometimes when I would wake up in the morning, I would see chicken scratch writing on the pad that I wrote during the night about a dream that I no longer remembered. The dream diary was a big help for me to remember my dreams.
Unfortunately, this dream diary is no longer manufactured, but on Amazon, you can CLICK HERE for a variety of pens that light up which would work perfectly.
For a variety of dream journals from Amazon, CLICK HERE.
From the study I took, I also discovered if I set my alarm to wake me up 1 – 1.5 hours before I am scheduled to get up, then walk around for a couple of minutes, then go back to sleep. When I do this, I tend to have vivid dreams that I can remember or an increase in lucid dreams.
After going back to bed, I would focus on my legs vibrating back and forth. First a little, then a lot. I discovered this would help me get into an altered state of consciousness that many times, would lead to lucid dreaming.
While involved in the dream study, I did not know about lavender, but it could be worth a shot to turn on your diffuser with lavender essential oil when you go back to bed.
9 ways you can use lavender to enhance your dreams
- Diffuser – Today this is probably the most popular method. Add lavender essential oil to your diffuser just before you go to bed and let the lavender do its magic.
- Lavender eye pillow – Some people swear by these. Stuff two pieces of soft fabric with several tablespoons of dried lavender and place your eye pillow on your eyes when you go to sleep.
- Smudge lavender – Light the end of your lavender smudge stick and let it burn for several minutes before you go to bed – filling your room with the aroma.
- Drink lavender tea – Try drinking lavender tea or steep lavender buds in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drink 30 minutes before going to bed.
- Burn lavender incense – burn lavender incense while meditating before going to bed. The intent is very important. Set your intent for the lavender to help you relax and recall your dreams.
- Take a lavender bath – Taking a hot bath with lavender essential oil and Epsom salts before going to bed can help cleanse your aura. The combination of lavender and Epsom salts will leave you in a very relaxed state, exactly what you want to encourage dreams.
- Burn a lavender candle – Burn a lavender candle 30 minutes before you go to bed. For safety, do not sleep with the candle burning.
- Live plant – Bring a potted lavender plant into your bedroom and inhale its wonderful aroma while you drift off to sleep.
- Spray lavender – create a lavender spray that you spray on your pillows, blankets, room, etc.
If you would like to learn about lucid dreaming and how to manipulate your dreams, I love the following book that you can purchase from Amazon, “A Little Bit Of Lucid Dreaming” by Cyrena Lee.
I wish I had this book when I was involved in my dream study.
This 128-page book will walk you through how to remember your dreams. And in Chapter 5 “Way to Lucidity” I am happy to say that she does briefly discuss using lavender as a way to remember your dreams.
She also discusses the technique I used by setting your alarm clock a few hours before your usual time.
Can Lavender be used to enhance your psychic abilities?
Since lavender is associated with air, it is often used to enhance psychic abilities and promote clarity of thought. Through lavender’s natural calming properties, lavender is often used to enhance intuition and see images in your third eye (mind’s eye).
Why is being associated with elemental air and your third eye important for lavender?
Elemental air is what governs our inner thoughts, communications, and knowledge.
It is believed that our third eye chakra (our sixth chakra) is how we perceive our inner and outer worlds. Your third eye, also known as Ajna, is the gateway to our inner knowledge and the doorway to all things psychic.
This chakra is located right between your eyebrows.
People who can access their third eye, have a variety of abilities including psychic abilities.
The third eye chakra gives us psychic hearing, clairvoyance, and other psychic abilities.
Just like everything else, some people are better at accessing their third eye compared to other people, but everyone can learn to access their third eye to some extent.
Keeping dream journals and meditating can help strengthen your third eye.
This is where lavender comes in.
Inhaling lavender can help quiet all the chatter going on in your mind.
Lavender can be used to help balance our third eye so we can see past distractions and enhance our concentration.
Lavender is well known for calming the mind, which is what you need to access your third eye.
Meditating while taking in the fragrance of lavender will help bring your emotions into balance and remove the fog from your third eye.
For maximum effect, apply lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil directly on your third eye.
Therefore, I do not recommend applying pure essential oil directly to the skin. Instead, mix the essential oil with a carrier oil such as almond oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and fractionated coconut oil to name a few.
Combine your essential oils with your carrier oil in the following quantities:
For adults:
- 2.5% dilution: 15 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons carrier oil
- 3% dilution: 20 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons carrier oil
- 5% dilution: 30 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons carrier oil
- 10% dilution: 60 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons carrier oil
For children:
- 0.5% to 1% dilution: 3 to 6 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons carrier oil
Diluting your essential oils with a carrier oil will lessen the chance of possible skin reactions, irritations, or skin sensitization.
Plus, it could save you some money since pure essential oils can be quite pricey.
Lavender is not the only herb or essential oil that can increase your psychic abilities.
14 herbs and essential oils that may increase psychic abilities.
- Cedarwood
- Chamomile
- Cinnamon
- Frankincense
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Mugwort
- Myrrh
- Patchouli
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Sage
- Sandalwood
Instead of using an essential oil, you could try burning one or a combination of these herbs in a burner or incense made of these herbs.
Do not be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you.
Veronica Varlow, the last daughter of a long line of Bohemian witches, could not state it any clearer in her book “Bohemian Magick“, “WHEN ENCHANTED BY A WITCH, INANIMATE objects are filled with a life-force energy“.
To help enhance your psychic abilities, you must be pure in your intent, and have a clear mind.
To help clear your mind, it could be helpful to make incense to enhance elemental air powers and elemental mercury magick since lavender utilizes the power of air and Mercury.
Recipe for Air and Mercury incense for clearing your mind and enhancing your psychic energy
Supplies Needed:
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil
- 1 part lavender (fresh or dry) (air, Mercury)
- 1 part lemongrass (air, Mercury)
- 2 parts birch bark powder (air)
- 2 parts benzoin resin
- 1/2 part star anise (air)
- 2 parts vegetable Glycerin to bind
- Stones: citrine, yellow aventurine, or clear quartz
- Dark-colored jar with lid (glass preferable)
- Mortar & pestle
How To Make
- Add the plant ingredients one at a time (not the essential oils) into your mortar and grind in a clockwise direction until you are left with a fairly fine powder.
- While adding each plant ingredient, invite their spirits to aid your airy work, and be sure to thank them.
- Once these are ground down, add your essential oils and your vegetable oil – stir to combine and bind these ingredients.
- Add the stone chips and continue to grind them. In the mixture draw the alchemical sigil of air with your index finger.
- Once the blend has been mixed, transfer the ingredients to your jar and hold it in your hands.
- Chant the air blessing charm three times and charge with the powers of air by picturing the tallest, most beautiful mountain with a clear blue sky in the background.
Powers of air, of Paralda, and sylphs!
By Mercury’s flight and wing-ed swifts!
Come powers of truth and clarity,
I call you forth to serene my ideas,
to clear my mind.
So that your power can flow into me,
Clarity, strength, harmony, Spirit of Air, Spirit of Wisdom,
I call you now.
As I will, so mote it be!
- Picture the natural energy flowing from the glowing sun in the east. Direct that light into your mind until you envision your blend glowing in all the beauty and power.
- Label your jar with the date and the alchemical sigil of air that you drew earlier.
- Burn this mixture over your charcoal burner whenever you wish to enhance your psychic energy.
Does Lavender have magickal protective abilities?
Lavender has long been used to ward off negative energy. Bathing in a lavender bath will purify the body and soul. It is believed that if you wear lavender somewhere on your body, this will protect you from both people and evil spirits meaning to do you harm.
On St. John’s Day in Spain, lavender was tossed upon church floors or burned in a bonfire to ward off any evil spirits.
Hanging bundles of lavender over your thresholds, beds, kitchen, etc., is a symbol of protection, purification, love, and devotion.
You will often find lavender in various protection and cleansing rituals.
Lavender is used to protect you from negative energies, malevolent spirits, and evil hexes and jinxes.
Protective magick is about guarding and regaining your power.
If you are interested in using essential oils for magickal protection, check out this informative article we wrote “16 Essential Oils For Protection“.
We also sell good quality essential oil diffusers to use with your essential oils. You can check out our diffusers Here.
Protective mojo bags and sachets filled with protective herbs, amulets, and crystals have long been worn to protect the wearer from evil and other forms of negative energies.
Some of the more popular magickal protective herbs you may wish to include in your mojo bag include:
- Angelica – Ward off evil spirits.
- Bay leaves – Offers protection against negative energies and evil entities.
- Black pepper – Repels negative energy and protects you against harm.
- Cloves – Protects against evil spirits and negative energies.
- Juniper berries – Often used to cleanse a space of negative energy.
- Lavender – Used to promote peace and protection.
- Mugwort – Offers powerful protection and is used to ward off negative energy.
- Sage – Known for its cleansing properties, is used to purify and protect spaces.
You can make your own protective bags, which would be the best choice, but if you prefer, check out this link CLICK ME for various protection and mojo bags being sold on Amazon.
Other ways you can use lavender to protect you:
- Drink lavender tea.
- Burn lavender smudge sticks to purify your space and home.
- Hang lavender charms in the four corners of your room or your home.
- Place lavender buds in your cupboards.
- Plant lavender outside in your garden to take advantage of having fresh lavender year round protecting your home.
- To purify items, you can sprinkle fresh water infused with lavender.
To drive evil spirits away, create the following ward of protection using lavender and white sage:
- In every corner of your house, hang a bundle of lavender and sage.
- Below each bundle, on virgin parchment, write the following in Latin:
Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum:
Mosen habent and prophetas:
Exurgat Deus et dissipentur inimici ejus.
English translation
Let every breath praise the Lord:
They have Moses and the prophets:
Let God arise and his enemies be scattered.
When creating this ward of protection, you must imbue your ward with intent. Without intent, your ward is as good as useless.
A simple spell using lavender candles to summon your guide or angel and ask for protection:
- Meditate to clear your mind of negative thoughts.
- Scatter a few white feathers around your altar or place of worship.
- Place 5 lavender candles around your altar in the shape of a circle.
- Light your candles in a clockwise direction.
- Visualize yourself in purple light.
- Focus on your problem for at least 5 minutes, thinking of nothing else.
- When you are ready, recite the following words out loud:
Angels of love and beauty,
I call upon you this day to help ease my burden.
With your inspiring power and influence,
Provide me the protection I seek.
- In your own words and in great detail, tell your angel the type of protection you seek and ask them for their help.
- When you are done, close the spell by citing the following:
So mote it be.
- Let the flames burn for an hour and then blow them out in a clockwise direction.
Hopefully, within a few hours to a few days, things should start to improve.
Does Lavender have magickal love and attraction properties?
Lavender has long been used to attract lovers because of its heavenly scent, and for deepening existing love relationships. Wearing sprigs of lavender can be worn to attract love or lavender can be included in love and fertility spells.
For a detailed look at how lavender is used in love magick, please check out my article “How To Use Lavender In Love Spells And Rituals?“.
I could easily have separate sections for love magic, fertility magic, attraction fixes relationships, etc., but for simplicity’s sake, I have lumped them all together in this section.
Lavender is one of the most versatile magickal herbs. Because of this, lavender is not only used to attract love but lavender can also be used to strengthen the bonds of your friendships.
Lavender symbolizes love, devotion, and purification.
On the summer solstice, lavender can be included in sex, fertility, insight, and healing rights.
For a look at 21 herbs that can be used in love rituals, check out my article “Top 21 Herbs Used For Love Magic and Rituals“.
Here are some herbs that are often used in love spells.
- Basil – Used to bring back a lover or in attraction spells. Basil represents beauty and protection.
- Bay leaves – Use to bring someone to you or make someone fall in love with you. Bay leaves represent power and life spells.
- Cinnamon – Used to bring love to you or bring back your lover. Cinnamon represents passion and attracts sensual energies.
- Cloves – Another great herb for bringing your lover back, especially a lover of the opposite sex. Cloves represent successful love and life.
- Lavender – Helps to bring new love and affection into your life or to help maintain your existing love. Lavender represents love and affection.
- Lemon – Helps to bring back a loved one into your life. Lemon represents love and passion and exudes the positive energy needed for this.
- Rose – Can be used to bind your love spells, bring back a lover, or to even break up a love spell. Rose represents love.
Following is an example of how to repair a relationship using lavender.
Of course, the relationship is not going to magically repair itself without user intervention.
But this spell can help clear the air, but it’s up to you to take the initiative and fix the relationship.
You will need:
- A glass bowl filled with water, preferably from a clean water source, not from your tap.
- A bottle of rose essential oil (rose if you can afford it but rose absolute is ok).
- A bottle of lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia is preferred).
Time:
- Friday night as the light is fading.
The Spell:
- Fill your bowl with water from a natural source
- While swirling the water in a clockwise direction with your dominant hand, say:
Troubled water,
take away the pain of thoughtlessness,
the hurt of carelessness,
this undeserved distress,
with the ending of this day.
- Pour six drops of rose oil with your non-dominant hand, one at a time while stating the following softly for each drop:
Oil on troubled waters do I pour.
Let go, let flow,
Forgive, forget
Friendship can be restored once more.
- With the lavender essential oil, repeat the above process but with your dominant hand.
- When done, empty the bowl under a fast-flowing faucet stating out loud,
Oil on troubled waters
takes away all sorrows
with the ending of the day.
- Finally, resolve to think and speak no more of the matter.
If you find yourself writing a love note, rub lavender on the paper.
Imagine your target opening their love note and getting hit with the beautiful aroma of lavender. If that doesn’t help, I don’t know what will. Men are especially attracted to the fragrance of lavender.
What does lavender smell like?
Lavender is a member of the mint family, but it doesn’t smell like mint. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a delicate sweet smell that has floral, herbal, and evergreen fragrances.
The scent of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is known to evoke a sense of tranquility and love.
Keep in mind that with the wide variety of lavenders, the aroma also varies. Some lavenders have a more medicinal camphor smell, similar to rosemary. Some lavenders can also have smokey undertones.
The most fragrant variety of lavender is Lavandula x intermedia. This variety is commonly used in perfumes and bath & body products. It is a floral but spicy scent with a hint of camphor.
English lavender is much lighter and sweeter compared to French lavender.
Spanish lavender is the least fragrant of all lavenders. Because of this, Spanish lavender is mainly used for landscaping.
Conclusion
Lavender is a highly magical herb. Although we did not discuss the topic, lavender is also highly therapeutic.
The magickal applications for lavender are endless. Unfortunately, contemporary medicine has either forgotten or ignored the spiritual and therapeutic powers of this incredible plant.
If you are interested in learning about some general magical properties of essential oils, check out my article “15 Magical Properties of Essential Oils“.
If you know of other magical properties of lavender or different ways in which you use lavender on your spiritual journey, we would love to hear from you so we may incorporate what you share in this article.