Lavender petals in a sachet for the bath or shower or sleep and calm. Rose petals on the altar for a love spell. Chamomile in tea. Jasmine incense. You’ve probably not thought about the many ways flowers are used in the Craft throughout the year. Flower magick is potent and connected to nature in ways other magicks aren’t. With summer flowers at their brightest, Litha is the perfect time to learn some ways flowers can be used in and for magick, as well as how to preserve them for use throughout the year.
As Part of a Spell
There are many ways to bring flower magick into a larger spell. Most of these you are probably familiar with, but it isn’t a bad idea to have a little refresher of some ways you can bring flower magick into your Craft throughout the year.
- Cast your circle with flower petals whose energies align with your spell.
- Use flowers as your representation of Earth.
- As part of spell sachets for dreaming, sleeping, bathing, or charms for the home.
- In an incense for rituals and spellwork.
- As part of your altar decorations.
- In oils you anoint your ritual firewood with.
- As a representation of the stages of the moon (seeds for a new moon, buds for waxing, full bloom for a full moon, and dried or withering for waning).
Flower Magick Alone
As pointed out above, flowers obviously have a place in larger spells and rituals, heightening the power with their energies. But flowers have a magick all their own that can be used without a complicated spell or larger ritual (though adding an incantation or blessing to firm up the purpose and more strongly release the energies is always a good idea). These focus on the flowers alone, not as an ingredient in a larger spell. Here are some examples of flower magick you can bring into your practice.
Flower Crowns
Flower crowns are recommended accessories for a few sabbats, such as Beltane and Litha. But often, there is no direction given to them. They are often pretty flowers gathered and assembled and worn to pay tribute to the season. And there is magick in that alone. But if instead, you choose each flower with purpose, craft with intention, and assemble flowers with specific energies, you have a wearable spell charm that also serves as a symbol and celebration of the sabbat.
Flower Wreaths
Similar to crowns, wreaths made with flowers chosen with purpose and crafted with intention become a charm for your home. Make a protective charm to hang on your door when you are feeling vulnerable or attacked. Make a healing charm if you need some physical or spiritual healing.
Flower Bouquets
Just as a hanging charm brings a spell into your home, a flower bouquet assembled with intention does the same thing. Create a protective barrier by assembling bouquets full of protective energy and placing them around your home. Invite love, happiness, calm, inspiration, communication, or any other energy you are working on the same way. Add an extra touch of magick by using moon water in the vase for the bouquet.
Flower Infusions
Make water infusions using flowers and use it as a spray to use around your home. A blend chosen with intention will bring those energies into your space as you spray it around your home. You can also make oil infusions to use for an added touch of power.
Paper
Pressed flowers into paper, recycled paper made with seeds, thin petals adorning stationary—these are all ways to bring flower magick into your writing by imbuing the paper with the flowers’ energies. You can use the paper to write spells, send letters (and some good energy) to family and friends, create artwork, and so much more.
Kitchen Witchery
Chamomile tea is something almost everyone has heard of, even if you haven’t drunk it. There are many edible flowers out there that lend themselves not only to teas and elixirs but also to being used in food dishes.
Preserving Flowers
In many areas, flowers don’t grow year-round unless grown in a greenhouse or indoors. So, at times like Litha, when you have access to an abundance of flowers, gather many (with blessings, gratitude, and intention) and press them for use throughout the year. There are several methods for preserving flowers. Harvest the flowers on a dry day after the morning dew is gone. You want your flowers as dry as possible before starting.
Air Dry
Air drying is best for flowers you want to display for a long time in a vase or whose petals you want to use in spellwork. Gather small bundles at the stem and tie them together. Hang them upside down in a dry, dark place (out of sunlight) that gets good airflow. Let hang for several weeks to dry.
Pressing
Pressing is a great method for dried flowers to use in spells but also for decoration. Pressed flowers can be framed or added to paper. If you press flowers between watercolor paper, you’ll likely end with the watercolor paper decorated with some of the color and design of the flowers you were pressing. Pressing works best with flat flowers. Roses will press but lose some of their shape. You can either use the book method or the press method. Remember to use unbleached watercolor paper. Press the flowers for 30 days for best results (you risk damage if you go shorter than 30 days).
Other Methods
Use silica gel/sand to dry them in the microwave. Preserve them in resin. Use a food dehydrator.
