Hi, my loves and welcome to WiccaNow. Recently I’ve been talking about some of my favourite magickal herbs and plants with this post about the magickal properties of sage, one about roses, another all about the lavender and an overview of magickal plants with this botanical witchipedia. I want to keep going down this path by talking about another herb that’s multi-talented and powerful, today I want to talk about the magickal properties of mint!
Mint is a magickal herb which can be used for protection, healing, luck and love among other things. It has strong medicinal benefits which include helping to reduce nausea, reducing anxiety and aiding digestion.
I love to grow mint at home because it’s super low maintenance and attracts abundance and prosperity while also providing protection. If you have a garden, it’s better to grow mint in a separate pot as it grows like crazy and will overtake a garden bed very quickly if left to its own devices.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and don’t claim to be, anything stated here is simply a product of my own research. If you are ill, please see a trained medical professional and don’t try to treat yourself based on something written here. Don’t ever consume anything you aren’t 100% sure is safe, and if you’re pregnant consult your doctor or midwife before consuming something you aren’t familiar with
If you’re interested in learning more about the magickal properties of herbs and plants, check out the herbal grimoire we’ve created! It’s filled with our 29 favourite plants and details their correspondences, associations and magickal uses along with gorgeous hand-illustrations. Check it out below or keep scrolling to read all about the magickal properties of mint!
History of Mint
Mint has a long history as a healing herb. It’s a part of the Lamiaceae family and there are around 20 different species, along with countless hybrids and cultivars. The “Mentha” variety of mint originated in the Mediterranean Region, while Mentha Spicata (or Spearmint) came from Egypt and was brought to Europe during the Crusades.
The Romans used to hold mint in high esteem and used it as a natural perfume. Fun fact: Romans used to perfume different parts of the body with different plants with mint being the “arm plant”. Both the Greeks and the Romans used mint at feasts as decorations and they would often add it to sauces. Is there where mint sauce for lamb originated? Many believe that the Romans were responsible for the introduction of mint to England.
While there are some native forms of mint growing in North Ameria, most varieties seen in the US have been brought over from Europe.
More Fun Facts About Mint
- In the 13th Century, Icelandic people used mint for whitening teeth. Many toothpastes today still come with a mint flavour
- Mint will cross-breed with other mints if planted in the same container, meaning if you want to keep all the different species of mint you need to keep them contained in different pots otherwise eventually you’ll end up with all the same type of plant
- The Key of Solomon mentions mint
- Drink mint before a speech/performance/prayer as it’s meant to increase the strength of your oration
- Mint MIGHT be an insect repellent, so people like to plant it in windows to keep mosquitoes and flies away.
- Bees LOVE mint. Rub a beehive with it and you’ll attract a swarm of bees, and if you run an already occupied hive with mint you’ll prevent the bees from leaving
- Spearmint is the most common flavouring in food. It’s a little sweeter and has a stronger flavour so works well when added as a flavour.
Mint in Folklore
Mints association with its deities actually comes from old folklore. It’s said that there was a nymph called Mentha (sometimes spelt Minthe) who caught the eye of Hades and became his lover. When Hades chose Persephone over her, she became angry and antagonised Persephone. In retaliation, Persephone turned her into the plant we now know as mint. The same story comes in many variations, with some saying that Hades loved her and Persephone became so jealous she tuned Mentha into a plant. Others state that Persephone became so angry that she trampled Mentha into the dust, after which Hades turned her trampled form into a mint plant so that she would live on forever.
Mint is also tied to Hades because the Greeks used to use it to cover any scent produced by dead bodies during funeral rites.
Medicinal Uses of Mint
Magickal Properties of Mint
The type of mint most commonly used in magick is peppermint. There are many, many different varieties of mint however and all of those different varieties would…
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