Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Marigolds, though generally not thought of as an herb, are treated as such in many magickal disciplines.  They are used for protection, to increase psychic power and prophetic dreams, to bring favorable outcomes in legal matters and, particularly in hoodoo, for gambling luck.  This last application is probably a result of the like-makes-like process as the round, golden flowers resemble gold coins.

Marigolds are harvested for protection in Wicca and Pow-Wow.  The flowers are strung together on thread as garlands and hung over the front door of a home to ward off evil and ill intent.  According to Scott Cunningham, prophetic dreams are encouraged by scattering marigold petals under your bed.  He also recommends adding the petals to your bath water to make yourself more respected and admired by the people you meet.

Silver Ravenwolf recommends using marigolds to detect a cheating spouse.  Put a marigold flower in church before your husband or wife enters.  If they are being unfaithful to you, they will not be able to find their way out of the house of worship once the service or mass is over.  If something has been stolen from you, she also advises putting marigold and sunflower petals in a conjure bag and sleeping with it under your pillow.  Your dreams will reveal the identity of the thief.

A similar working in hoodoo is to fill a green mojo bag with gold and yellow marigold flowers.  Put this under your pillow and you will dream of winning lottery numbers and racing animals’ names.

To be at their most powerful, marigold flowers should be harvested on a warm day in the month of August and at noon.

Finally, and perhaps most curiously of all, an old Druid teaching said that if a girl walked over marigold petals barefoot before her first menstruation she would be able to attract unicorns and understand birdsong.  I can’t vouch for that one, but it is poetic nonetheless.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Young Woman with a Unicorn by Raphael