Seven Herbs in My Hut, and What I Use Them For

By Haggath ·

Dzień dobry, moja droga. Look up — those bundles hanging from my rafters are not for show. Every summer I cut and dry the same seven herbs, the way my grandmother did, and each one has its own work to do.

Bylica — mugwort

Mugwort is the first herb I reach for when a house feels heavy. Burned slowly, its smoke clears the corners where old quarrels settle. In the villages it was tucked under the pillow on Kupała Night to bring true dreams.

Ruta — rue

Rue is the bitter guardian. A sprig of it was once sewn into a bride's wreath to keep envy away from the wedding. I use it in protection work when someone's jealousy follows you like a cold draught.

Dziurawiec — St John's wort

Gathered at midsummer, when the sun is strongest, this little yellow flower holds light in it. I use it to lift a low spirit and to brighten a home after a long winter of trouble.

Lubczyk — lovage

Its very name tells you what it is for — lubić, to like, to love. Village girls once bathed in lovage water before a dance. It goes into my love and attraction spells, always.

Werbena, szałwia, koper

Vervain for calm and clear sight. Sage for cleansing the hands and the room before I begin. And dill — yes, the dill from the soup pot — hung over a doorway, it was said to keep the unkind from entering. Simple things, moja droga, but old and faithful.

Would you like me to cast for you?

These herbs go into the spells I cast by hand. If your house needs clearing or guarding, look to my protection & cleansing spells.

See protection & cleansing spells

Results vary. A spell is a spiritual practice, not a guarantee, and never a substitute for medical, legal or financial advice.

More from the journal