Oregano has become a popular cooking herb worldwide, particularly in Italian and Spanish cuisines. However, oregano also has a rich history of spiritual symbolism that dates back to Ancient Greece. Read on to find out about the magical properties of this herb and how you can utilize it in your own life.
What does Oregano symbolize?
The name oregano comes from the Greek words Oros, meaning ‘Mountain’, and Ganos, meaning ‘Joy’. The Ancient Greeks believed this herb was created by Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, as a symbol of joy and since then it has been regularly used in rituals and commitment ceremonies to promote love, good luck, and happiness.
Due to its strong connection with the Goddess Aphrodite, oregano was commonly used in Greek and Pagan wedding ceremonies, (either woven into a head wreath or a rope during Pagan handfasting ceremonies) to encourage long-lasting love in a relationship. If an oregano plant was seen growing on a grave, it was believed to show that the person was enjoying the afterlife.
Spiritual & magical uses of Oregano:
1. Bath with oregano to calm your nerves and attain clarity
Oregano is a herb of love and relationships which means it can be used to promote self-love too. If you are feeling worn out, stressed, or nervous about an upcoming situation, try taking an oregano bath to summon the courage to move forward. Simply sprinkle dried or fresh oregano into your bath water and immerse yourself for as long as you need. The intense woody scent of this herb will help you organize your scattered thoughts and achieve clarity of mind.
If you don’t have time for a long relaxing bath, try dabbing oregano essential oil on your wrists and behind your ears to give you courage when you need it, such as just before a long-awaited interview!
2. Keep oregano springs under your pillow for prophetic/psychic dreams
The Ancient Greeks believed that drinking a love potion containing oregano would cause the Goddess Aphrodite to reveal the name of your true love to you in your dreams. Since then, this powerful herb has been used to encourage prophetic dreaming.
Simply sleep with an oregano crown atop your head or tuck a few oregano sprigs into your pillowcase to enhance vivid, lucid, or prophetic dreaming. Just make sure you have a journal or notebook handy for when you wake up!
3. Use oregano charm bags for safe travels
As well as love, oregano symbolizes freedom and good luck which makes it an excellent herb to add to travel charm bags. So, when you are planning your next holiday or trip, consider carrying along a oregano charm bag to aid a safe journey and a joyful and relaxing break!
Here’s how to make a travel charm bag using oregano:
Take a small charm bag and add to it a few dried or fresh oregano leaves along with other herbs such as bay leaves (for protection) or Chrysanthemum (for cheerfulness) to your spell pouch. You can also add a crystal such as Citrine or Obsidian to enhance your spell. If you like, you can softly chant a short mantra when creating your charm bag to solidify your intent, such as:
“Bless my journey,
So I reach my destination with ease and flow,
Keep me protected wherever I go,
keep my paths clear and my time full of cheer,
As I travel far and near,
Bring me safely right back here.”
Alternatively, you can sprinkle a little bit of dried oregano in your shoes to ensure a safe and fun journey.
4. Keep potted oregano plants in your home to attract peace & tranquility
Oregano is a great herb for banishing negativity and promoting peace within the home. If you have had a particularly bad argument with your partner, try sprinkling dried oregano in the area where the argument took place to remove tensions and open up communications between you.
You can also keep potted oregano plant in your home to attract a peaceful argument free environment.
5. Cook with oregano to deepen love in your relationships
Thinking of cooking a meal for your loved one to rekindle the romance? Be sure to add oregano to your recipe as this will encourage feelings of lightness, affection, and happiness.
If you are feeling a little more creative you can try performing your own love spell using a few simple ingredients from around the house. Here is a simple jar love spell that can be adapted to finding a new love, or strengthening an existing one:
Firstly, light a pink or red candle; a pink candle is a good choice for spells surrounding romance or love, whereas a red candle is better for passion or attraction spells. While the candle is burning, write your intentions down on a piece of paper.
For example, to attract a new love you can write down a few attributes that you are looking for. If you are wanting to strengthen an existing relationship you can write down your partners’ name and date of birth.
Roll your paper into a scroll and place it in a suitable jar along with your chosen herbs (oregano, lavender, and rosemary are all good choices), a rose quartz crystal, and a cup of sugar.
Once combined, take out a small pinch of the mixture and sprinkle around your candle as you chant a few words to solidify your intent. Keep the jar and repeat this final step once a week.
4. Diffuse oregano oil to let go of past relationships
The scent of oregano is believed to help you let go of old lovers or failed relationships so that you can move on with your life. To do this, pinch some leaves off of an oregano plant and hold them between your fingers. Take a deep breath and inhale the heady scent of this herb as you think of the person you want to let go of. Then when you are ready, drop the leaves on the ground and walk away.
You can also make herbal tea from oregano or diffuse oregano oil for the same effect.
5. Keep a sprig of Oregano in your wallet to attract wealth
A sprig of oregano in your wallet attracts good fortune and wealth. You can increase its effects by adding other money herbs such as basil or cinnamon. You can either keep these in your wallet or you can make a pouch for your herbs (preferably made from a green material as this is the color associated with prosperity).
You can also consider adding a crystal or a coin to the pouch, to increase the potency of your spell. Carry this pouch around with you to attract monetary wealth.
According to Feng Shui, you can also place an oregano plant in the Southeast corner of your home to attract wealth and money luck.
6. Burn dried oregano leaves to cleanse your space
When you think of cleansing and purifying herbs you probably come up with white sage or Palo Santo. However, oregano is also a very effective cleansing herb as it is known to banish negativity and promote feelings of calm and happiness.
Burning oregano will also protect your home and all of its inhabitants (including your pets!). Smudge sticks are fairly simple to make yourself. All you need to do is collect a few sprigs of oregano (you can also mix a few different herb sprigs together to tailor your intent) and wrap them tightly together using natural string or twine.
Then hang them in a dry and warm environment for a few days to dry out. Once they are ready, light the end of your smudge stick and move slowly around your room, ensuring the smoke reaches into every corner. Always make sure you have a suitable heatproof bowl with you to catch any ash.
7. Use oregano with candle magic to attract good luck
Oregano is a great addition to candle magic if you are looking to bring good fortune and prosperity into your life. All you need is a candle of a suitable color that fits with your intent. For example, blue is good for peace, calm, and healing, whereas green is good for money matters and attracting abundance.
Then simply press dried oregano leaves into the side of your candle. You can also sprinkle dried oregano over your candle or lay sprigs around it. Light your candle for a few minutes every day or whenever you feel like you need a pick-me-up!
8. Keep oregano plant in your bedroom to attract happiness
Oregano is a herb of good luck, tranquility, love, and joy. So be sure to keep a few potted oregano plants in your home, especially on the kitchen counter or in your bedroom, to promote happiness and success for your whole family.
You can even plant this herb in your garden to prevent negativity from entering your home as oregano is believed to guard against toxic thoughts and negative magic.
9. Use oregano in kitchen spell bottles for protection
If you tend to experience mishaps in the kitchen, consider placing a spell bottle containing dried oregano leaves, thyme leaves and rosemary leaves in different areas of your kitchen. Make sure to charge this bottle with your intention. You can also add crystals like Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz and Amethyst.
Not only will this offer protection but also add positivity to cooked foods.
10. Wash your home with oregano for protection
For cleansing your home and for protection, grind up dried oregano, make a tea out of it, add it to your mop water and wash the floors with it.
Another option is to Keep potted oregano plant(s) in your house or in your backyard/frontyard for protection.
You can also hang sprigs from your front door or keep them near the front door.
Points to bear in mind
It is worth bearing in mind that some people are allergic to plants in the mint family (including oregano) so stop using this herb immediately if you develop a rash or an upset stomach. Oregano is a fairly potent herb so it is recommended that you always use a carrier oil and refrain from applying oregano essential oil directly to your skin.
In addition, this herb is not recommended for use by pregnant women as it is known to affect the menstrual cycle and cause miscarriage.
Conclusion
Aside from adding a wonderfully unique flavor to a wide variety of recipes, oregano has the power to bring light, love, and happiness into your life. With this impressive list of attributes, why wouldn’t you want this wonderful herb in your cupboard?
