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Lavender
Love, Protection, Sleep, Chastity, Longevity, Purification, Happiness, Peace
Lavender is perhaps most used in love spells and sachets. Adorning clothing with the herb will attract love, and rubbing lavender on paper is useful for writing love notes. It’s said to attract men in particular, and lavender oil was worn by prostitutes many centuries ago to advertise their profession and attract customers.
It’s perhaps a little ironic then that during the Renaissance it was believed that if a woman wore lavender and rosemary, her chastity would be preserved. Lavender also protects one against cruel treatment by a spouse if worn.
The aroma of lavender is conducive to long life, and can help ward depression and ease stress. Burning the flowers promotes sleep, and scattering the flowers around the home maintains peacefulness.
Lavender also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and can be used to treat minor burns and cuts, eczema and dermatitis. Washing with lavender can kill lice. Gargling lavender oil with water can ease sore throats. Drinking lavender tea can treat a number of ailments ranging from vomiting and diarrhea, to easing tension headaches and indigestion.
Sources:
Cunningham’s Encylopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham, 2016, Llewellyn Publications
University of Maryland Medical Center
I am enjoying your posts every day!
Confession, I can not walk by a lavender plant without stroking it & smelling my hands. One of the best smells on the planet. I bought some lavender salt at the farmer’s market a couple years ago. I do use it in cooking occasionally. Interesting results.
Thanks, Linda! Same here about lavender, it’s one of my favorite herbs.
Lavender is such a wonderful scent. I used to use a lavender spray on my pillow, but I discovered it irritated my sinuses so had to stop :(.
I do love the bit about being a guarantee of chastity in one instance and an indication of being availble for hire in another 🙂
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings – Shapeshifters and Werewolves
I absolutely love the smell of lavender. Yeah, the chastity/”working girl” conflict had me giggling.
Fascinating lavender details. I like it to scent dresser drawers and as a calming sachet when under stress. Has no idea about its other attributes given here!
It’s a lovely herb. 🙂
Definitely one of the nicest herbs out there. I really like the look of the plant too – very pretty.
It’s very pretty indeed. I’d love to grow some, but I’m not sure how well it’ll grow in Sweden.
I should’ve found your series earlier: I love learning about herbs.
Better late than never, Miss Andi. 🙂
I love lavender 🙂
There is a gorgeous town in Hungary called Tihany, on a peninsula in Lake Balaton. The monks who have been there for 1000 years cultivate lavender, and make things from it (like oils,soaps, etc.). I had lavender ice cream there once. It was lovely, but then I burped lavender for two days…
The Multicolored Diary: WTF – Weird Things in Folktales
Leave it to you to have the most amazing story about monks and lavender. Would love to visit there. Sounds magical. 🙂
Lavender is lovely. Nice post.
Stopping by from A to Z: L for Lightsaber
Shari
Thanks, Shari. 🙂
Now I know the secret to immortality… Happy A-to-Z-ing.
Muahaha! 😉
That’s fun, the way lavanger was use is such different ways in different times 😉
I do like lavander, whether it will give me immortality or not.
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – 1940s Film Noir
Me too! 🙂
Hi Sara – Lavender is special … and really evokes nature … lavender beds are a favourite in gardens, as too lavender plants … great tips – lavender should have been used in WW1 – to counteract the lice … cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/l-is-for-legendary-beasts-of-britain.html
Thanks, Hilary. I’m sure lavender soap would have been a lovely solution to the lice problem in WW1. Maybe not so cost effective, though. Who knows.
These are interesting posts and I lavender is always growing at our house in the flower beds and herb gardens.
http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-letter-l-is-for-lots-in-our.html
Any garden with lavender is a good garden. 🙂
I sort of have a love hate relationship with lavender – I love it outside, when there are plants in a garden, but find it a bit overwhelming in the house. Love it when mixed with geranium in massage oil – that’s a great smell.
Pamela @ Highlands Days of Fun
It has a pretty strong smell. I can see how bringing it inside might be overwhelming.
I have lavender oil and I put it in a diffuser at night because I read it helps with sleep.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
I should try that as well. Sleep and I have a love/hate relationship. 😉
Whenever I think of lavender I always remember a quote from one of Alice Hoffman’s books: “Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can.”
That’s a great quote. 😀
My favorite herb!!!
I just love the smell of lavender. I really wish I had gone to the Provence when the lavender was in bloom.
And given that I am wide awake in the middle of the night, I could use some lavender to burn! 🙂
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(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Good luck on the rest of your A to Z challenge
Sylvia @ The Creative Life
It’s one of my favorites too! I also struggle with sleeping–lavender for both of us!
I have to say that lavender always conjures the image of a sweet and gentle old lady with white hair, who carries an old-fashioned lace handkerchief.
That’s a stereotype, isn’t it?
Haha yes. I think lilacs conjure that image for me more than lavender, but it’s definitely a culprit. Add in rose to the mix as well. 😉
As I clicked onto your post I immediately thought of bees and voila and lo, there is the lovely photograph! Thank you for all your lovely posts Sara.
I love honey bees, so I was happy to find a lavender picture featuring them so wonderfully. 🙂 Thanks for reading, Susan!