Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Squill is a flowering plant that resembles lily of the valley or bluebell in its blossoms.  There are red, really more pink, and white varieties and the plant is sometimes called a sea onion because it grows near salt water.  In hoodoo, squill is used to not only draw money but ensure that money is always at hand.  In Wicca and folk magick, squill is also said to impart protection and be able to break curses.

In Ancient Greece, a small bunch of squill was hung over the doorways to homes to keep away the evil eye.  This practice continued in Rome and Byzantium where the first squill flowers were bunched and hung over windows to avert the evil eye.  Old wives in Medieval Europe advised carrying squill on one’s person for seven days to break suspected curses.  Scott Cunningham recommends placing a small squill plant, root and all, in a box and “feeding” it with silver coins to draw money.

Similarly, an old hoodoo trick for household wealth recommends filling the bottom of a jar with a handful of squill root powder.  To this you should add one cent, one nickel, one dime, one quarter, one fifty cent piece and a silver dollar (not a paper note).  Close the jar, shake it and speak out loud your wish for monetary security.  Keep the jar in your kitchen, and repeat the shaking ritual as often as you like but no less that once a week.  It’s said that over the course of a few weeks the money you need at any given time – no more but no less – will materialize.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Saxon Princesses Sybillia, Emilia and Sidonia by Lucas Cranch the Elder (these sisters look very much as if attracting money is not a problem for them)

2 comments:

Timmy! said...

Squill it work, Pauline?

Sorry about that. I couldn't help myself.

Good call on the sisters, too.

Pauline said...

Yes; apparently Sybillia didn't get the "wear your big, feathery hat" memo. Emilia and Sidonia do look quite pleased with themselves, come to think of it.