Lavender substitute

How are you using the lavender? If you just need something that's a "love herb", there are dozens of acceptable substitutes. In hoodoo and folk magic, a lavender floor wash is used to guarantee a partner will be faithful, so that's a whole 'nother set of herbs.

So I guess the short answer is "yes", but which one it is depends on your purpose.

Walked in expecting a conversation about color...

This is far more interesting.

*sits down to listen*

According to the Lesser Key of Solomon, the "nine herbs of purification" are lavender, fennel, vervain, sage, valerian, basil, rosemary, mint and hyssop. Of course, in the KOS, they are also bound together after being plucked in the morning dew by a virtuous maiden, so it's not like you really have to be a stickler for details these days. Anyway, in theory, you could substitute any of these for lavender in a purification bath. A good rule of thumb in herbal substitutions is to follow the doctrine of signatures, rather than swapping out herbs based on color or appearance.

Watch out for the fennel, though. It makes your skin smell like licorice.

Patti, you're spot-on as usual.

I've made purification baths aplenty and mine are always based on sage and hyssop. Chamomile can be used in purification, but it's more commonly used for peace.

Something you may want to think about is what you're going to attract with that cleansing. Cleansing or purification is good, but when something goes out, something else naturally has to come in. Loopholes, I call them, and it's a good idea to cya. I've known of cleansings to go horribly wrong when the purification was followed with a terrible phone call from someone in a lousy mood or leaving the bath and walking out into a chaotic household. So I always try to follow a cleansing with an invitation for peace, harmony, etc. Just a little food for thought.

It's the same thing I do when purifying a house. I push the negativity out the back door and pull in harmony through the front door afterward. Since magick tends to follow the path of least resistance, put some thought into what will naturally tend to filter in to your spiffy, clean self.

(And to plug myself a little, I have an article in Llewellyn's 2007 Magical Almanac on this topic under my pen name of ilspeth.)

Purification incense? Purification bath? These might be different herbs. Sweet grass wouldn't be in the Key, because it's a new world herb. As a rule of thumb, any sweet but sharp herb that could be eaten would be able to be used, although some might be more effective than others.

Note that I'm a kitchen witch, not a ceremonial magician, but I've never had problems with the rule I've stated above.

Do you have a copy of Cunningham's Magic of Herbs? That's got substitutes, I'm pretty sure. I can't find my copy, or I'd look it up for you.

Just an FYI, Valerian is used to help insomnia, so if you substitute with that, you might get a little sleepy

But valerian smells like sweatsocks left to moulder over the summer in a gym locker...
Jude C. Williams: Jude's Herbal Remedies is a good book too.

Medicinally, lavender is mainly helpful for insomnia. It helps you sleep, both through drinking the tea and aromatherapy. Substituting this is easy- use valerian, catnip, etc etc instead.

Spiritually, it has a number of uses. It can aid in everything from seeing ghosts, protection, love, meditation, and more. There are plenty of acceptable substitutes for lavender.

If you looking for a subtitute for a specific reason, I'd say it's always good to grab up a book.

She_wulf said:

not a love spell or anything like that. Purification use.

Here's the ingredients:

Fill the tub up with hot water (as hot as you can stand to sit in). Add 1 cup sea salt, 1 tablespoon sage, 1 tablespoon lavender and 1 tablespoon chamomile.

Can't do the lavender.

Doesn't it sound like an herbal relaxing bath to you?

Hum? I wonder...vanilla? or perhaps that's not "astringent" enough of an herb and you need something more on the order of tea tree oil?

Click to expand...

For purification, you could always go with the stronger herbs of myrrh or frankincense. Dragon's blood is good, but it also sends out stimulating vibrations. Sweet grass is good, you could also try using white sage in addition to the normal sage listed, bay laurel is excellent, hyssop, fennel, any kind of vervain works wonders- the list could go on forever.

Vervain! Yes! That's the one I was trying to think of. Thanks, Tsuki.