Custom Formulas to Balance, Transform, Empower, and Manifest - Combining the Planetary and Elemental Influences

The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Magickal Herbs and How to Use Them - Karen Harrison 2020


Custom Formulas to Balance, Transform, Empower, and Manifest
Combining the Planetary and Elemental Influences

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Thus far we have been exploring the energies of the Planets and their associated herbs as “simples”—formulas with only one Planet's herbs—in order to fully acquaint you with each Planet's energy signature in a concentrated fashion. However, for many if not most of the goals that you are working toward or the challenges that you face, you will find that what will be the most effective is when you combine the energies of several Planets and their herbs to attain the desired end result.

The way to determine which Planets to combine and in what amounts is first to analyze and break down the individual components of your final goal. In other words, when you fully examine how you wish your goal to manifest, you will often find that the energies of several different Planets will be employed in a synergistic union.

To begin, let's review the energy signatures of the Planets:

Sun

Herbs of the Sun promote self-confidence and personal success. They impart a sense of purpose and help to develop a strong sense of identity and willpower. Sun herbs bring vitality, health, creativity, dignity, and a sense of well-being and abundance. Look for the color yellow in your Sun herbs: sunflower, calendula, frankincense, celandine, and safflower are some examples.

Sun herb keywords: personal success, health, prosperity, fame, confidence, authority, vitality

Moon

Herbs of the Moon affect the subconscious mind. They aid in the development of intuition and psychic gifts. As they help to access the subconscious, Moon herbs are excellent for dreams, recalling past lives, and bridging communication between the conscious and unconscious mind to access and interpret psychic impressions. The Moon rules the subconscious mind, where habits and attitudes reside: if you wish to break the old, ingrained habits that may be stuck in your subconscious mind, Moon herbs would be the energy you would utilize. Moon herbs are often white or pale in color, night blooming, and hypnotic in effect. Some that I use often are white sandalwood, jasmin flowers, mugwort, cucumber, and lily.

Moon herb keywords: psychic awareness, emotions, childbirth and fertility, subconscious mind, dreamwork, reflection

Mars

Herbs of Mars give vast amounts of energy to projects and health. Mars herbs promote independence and assertiveness and tend to stimulate the passions. Mars herbs can be used very successfully to protect one's person and one's home and are excellent in developing or maintaining motivation. When mixed with herbs of other Planets, they lend their immense energies to make the whole stronger and more vital. Herbs that are red and can irritate the skin or mucus membranes are often those with Martian tendencies, such as red sandalwood, nettles, ginger, mustard, and galangal.

Mars herbs keywords: courage, strength, protection, victory, overcoming obstacles through determination, motivation, sexual force

Mercury

Herbs of Mercury facilitate clear thinking and eloquent communication. They aid in business, where a clear head and clear communication is needed for success. Mercury herbs help the body recover more quickly from illness and enable the conscious mind to communicate more easily with the subconscious, thus facilitating memory and study. Using Mercurial herbs while studying the Tarot or other divination system, which visually incorporates the use of symbols, can often be quite helpful to memorization. The word mercurial is a derivative of Mercury and means to change quickly. The energy of Mercury brings fast change, and the herbs of this Planet can be added to formulas where speed or change is desired. Many Mercury herbs are those with a multitude of small stems or flowers, such as lavender. Mercury herbs tend to stimulate the central nervous system and brain. Some herbs are cinnamon, lavender, cardamom, licorice, and gum mastic.

Mercury herb keywords: communication, eloquence, intellect, persuasion, job opportunities, luck, divination, quickness, focus, humor, health

Jupiter

Herbs of Jupiter expand consciousness and opportunity. They bring growth on all levels and can be very helpful in health matters, as they enhance the body's ability to heal itself. Herbs of Jupiter also expand the mind, allowing for a greater understanding of the workings of the Universe. In this way, they also work to expand a person spiritually, as the mind's ability to comprehend the workings of the Divine leads to spiritual unfoldment. Herbs and plants of Jupiter tend to be large themselves, such as oak, pine, magnolia, but also include the smaller flowering herbs agrimony and meadowsweet.

Jupiter herb keywords: ambition, fame, honor, law, expansion, recognition, leadership, spiritual awareness

Venus

Herbs of Venus bring joy, beauty, artistry, sensitivity, compassion, and appreciation of the bounty and beauty of the Earth and all her creatures. Venus herbs activate love—romantic, familial, and platonic—as well as a joie de vivre and can be used quite successfully by those engaged in the creative arts. Venusian herbs tend to have prominent, sweet-smelling flowers or sweet fruit. Some herbs of Venus are rose, vervain, raspberry, columbine, and cherry.

Venus herb keywords: romance, friendship, beauty, the arts, artistic expression, pleasure, attractiveness, sensuality

Saturn

Herbs of Saturn give structure, foundation, grounding, stability, and an understanding of how the physical plane of existence works. They are great teachers of self-knowledge and one's karmic debts and tend to slow down and calm situations. They teach that success comes through perseverance and patience. Saturn herbs are binding herbs and protect in a nonaggressive, shielding manner. Saturnian herbs are dark and woodsy smelling, like myrrh, wormwood, patchouli, cypress, and Solomon's seal.

Saturn herb keywords: endurance, shielding, grounding, past lives, slowing, patience, practicality, structure

Neptune

Herbs of Neptune are those of the mystic and are useful in dreamworking, trance, and hypnosis. They intensify the imagination and lead to concepts, visions, and ideas far beyond the physical plane. Neptune herbs can be used to good effect for those who are developing telepathy and astral projection as well as those artists who seek the Muse directly. Many Neptunian herbs are mind-altering and intoxicating. Some Neptune herbs are orange blossoms, poppies, lobelia, peach, and lotus.

Neptune herb keywords: creativity, artistic inspiration, imagination, fantasy, mystery

Uranus

Herbs of Uranus excite, energize, and stimulate the human energy system and the thought processes. They lend themselves to inspiration, practical idealism, genius, and the development of telekinesis. Like the Mercury herbs, these plants stimulate the nervous system and, in particular, the brain wave patterns. They stimulate change on all levels and sometimes lead to unforeseen results. Some herbs of Uranus are allspice, calamus, betel, guarana, and ephedra.

Uranus herb keywords: genius, innovation, idealism, objectivity, independence, originality

Pluto

Herbs of Pluto transform and illuminate the shadow side of ourselves. They can bring about dramatic, sometimes traumatic, growth and promote insight into cataclysmic circumstances. Pluto herbs act on the unconscious levels of the brain and upon the thalamus portion of the brain, which dictates instinctual response. Pluto herbs aid the sexually impotent and help to balance the physical self with the spiritual Self. Some Pluto herbs are yohimbe, saw palmetto, damiana, rye, and amaranth.

Pluto herb keywords: endings, regeneration, deep unconscious, karma, renewal

Typically, when you formulate a blend of herbs, you consider the situation in its entirety and a combine various Planetary energies in your mixture for a holistic effect. When investigating the energy effects of a single, specific Planet, you could certainly compose a blend using only the herbs of that Planet, but in most cases the result you are working toward would encompass a blending of several Planetary influences and energies.

For example, say that you want to make an Herbal Amulet for the perfect job. You need to analyze the components of the perfect job for you: the right amount of money, the chance to learn new skills, people with whom you will be compatible, and the potential for advancement could all be parts of what you see as the “perfect job.” Therefore, you would combine Sun herbs for abundance, success, and personal satisfaction; Mercury herbs to be eloquent and clear-sighted as you interview for various positions; Jupiter herbs for expanded opportunities; and, perhaps, Venus herbs for compatible associates.

To reach the desired manifestation for your ritual, you will often emphasize one specific Planetary energy while enhancing its effects with smaller quantities of the herbs and oils of other Planetary energies. By combining your energy effects in this way, you fine-tune and heighten the entire formula.

Generally speaking, in workings involving success and attainment, always include an herb or oil of the Sun. If you want to be able to access your intuition or in areas of fertility, have Lunar herbs and oils as part of your formula. For workings involving motivation or protection, always incorporate Mars. When you are seeking to gain the ability to touch and influence the thoughts or responses of other people, utilize Mercury. If expansion in any area is sought, Jupiter is the primary energy source to tap. Love, artistry, or added harmony to your life require that Venus herbs be employed. Bindings and karmic work use the energy of Saturn. Mystical inspiration utilizes Neptune; innovation and repatterning take Uranus herbs and oils. If you see the need for transformation on deep levels leading to renewal, Pluto as a primary energy source is where you begin as you choose your ingredients.

Here are some ways that you may choose to combine the herbs, resins, and essential oils of a grouping of Planetary energies to capture all the components that will result in the manifestation of specific goals.

For example, you wish to awaken and attract abundance in your life. How do you define its components? For me, abundance is the manifestation of opportunities for growth in desired parts of one's life—both the physical acquisition of the results of that growth as well as the ability to recognize and take advantage of opportunities as they are presented. Abundance is the manifestation of growth in all areas and the recognition of opportunities that have the potential to manifest their results in a flowing, successful way.

Planets that partake of the idea of abundance would be the Sun (personal success) and Jupiter (opportunity and growth); manifestation in a physical fashion would be ruled by Saturn (structure and form in the physical world); the ability to recognize opportunities as they arise falls under the dominion of Mercury (quick mind), Jupiter (awareness of the ways that spirit is expressed in the physical world), and Mars (motivation). In looking at that detailing of the components of abundance, you will see that you have determined that the Sun is delineated once; Jupiter twice; and Saturn, Mercury, and Mars are determined to be factors once each. So your formula will be composed of two Jupiter components and one each of Sun, Mercury, Saturn, and Mars. You will then choose among the various herbs, resins, and oils of each of those Planets to create your blend. For an Incense or Magickal Potpourri, you can choose which form of herb (plant, resin, or oil) you wish to employ in your mixture for each of the Planets. For a bath formula such as a Tussie or Bath Elixir, you have the choice of both herbs and oils, or solely oils if you are creating a Bath Salt. For a Ritual Oil, you use only the oils of each Planets; for an Elixir, Condenser, or Philtre, simply the dried or fresh herbs. When blending an Herbal Amulet, you can use herbs, resins, essential oils, and the Planetary stone that corresponds the most to the desired manifested effect.

A formula for an Abundance Incense could include cedar chips and pine oil (two parts Jupiter), frankincense resin (one part Sun), cinnamon chips or cinnamon oil (one part Mercury), myrrh resin or cypress oil (one part Saturn), and red sandalwood or honeysuckle oil (one part Mars).

A blend for an Abundance Oil could take cedar and pine oils for Jupiter, frankincense or calendula oil for the Sun, lavender oil for Mercury (remember, you don't want to use cinnamon oil in a formula that might be used on the skin), cypress or patchouli oil for Saturn, and honeysuckle or ginger oil for Mars.

A combination that could be used for a Magickal Abundance Potpourri could be pine needles and cedar oil for Jupiter; calendula petals or juniper berries to incorporate the Sun; lavender flowers or oil for Mercury; myrrh resin, patchouli leaves, or either of those oils for Saturn; and red sandalwood or honeysuckle flowers or honeysuckle oil for Mars.

An Abundance Bath Salt could incorporate cedar and pine oils for Jupiter, frankincense oil for the Sun, lavender or Anise oil for Mercury, cypress or patchouli oil for Saturn, and honeysuckle or basil oil for Mars. If you plan to make a Bath Tussie, you could use any of the above herbs and oils.

When creating an Herbal Amulet to bring abundance, you could use cinquefoil herb and pine oil for Jupiter, eyebright herb for the Solar energy, licorice root to bring in Mercury, comfrey root for Saturn, and dragon's blood resin to activate Mars. Or you could replace one of the herbs with the stone of one of the Planets: turquoise for Jupiter, sunstone for the Sun, clear quartz for Mercury, onyx for Saturn, or carnelian for Mars. In addition, you would want to incorporate a color appropriate for Abundance in the bag or pouch that contains your herbal/stone mixture: green for growth or orange for activation.

As another example, what if you wanted to create a formula that would allow you to access your psychic abilities, be more intuitive, and remember your dreams? You would combine Moon, Neptune, and Mercury herbs, oils, and resins to accomplish this goal. Moon is dominant, as She rules the psychic life, intuition, and dreamworking. You would choose two Moon herbs to represent this dominance. Neptune is the mystical Planet having dominion over soul connection, trancework, and imagination; Mercury rules the conscious mind and memory, helping you to remember the information you receive in your psychic work. Your main goal is enhancing your psychic abilities and giving your subconscious mind a voice, therefore you use two Lunar herbs. Neptune and Mercury each contribute one herb to bring their energies, thus rounding out your experience of the intuitive side of your life.

To create an Incense that will open your psychic senses and intuition, draw upon the wisdom of your dreams, and delve into past life information, you could use myrrh resin and jasmin oil for the Moon energies, neroli oil for Neptune, and white sandalwood chips or powder to bring in Mercury.

When creating a Ritual Intuition Oil, you might select any of the oils in the above Incense example, or you could blend lily and fennel oils for the Moon, neroli or lotus oil to bring in the Neptune connection, and white sandalwood or lavender oil to activate Mercury. These would be the same oils that you could mix into salt to create a Ritual Bath Salt, and the same herbs—in herb or essential oil form—could be combined to create a Ritual Bath Tussie.

To blend a Magickal Intuition Potpourri, you would choose two Moon herbs or essential oils and one Neptune and one Mercury herb or essential oil. This might comprise mugwort and jasmin flowers for the Moon, lotus oil for Neptune, and cinnamon chips to incorporate Mercury. The same formula could be the base for your Herbal Amulet with the addition of a stone in place of one of the Planetary herbs: moonstone for one of the Moon herbs, amber instead of the Neptune herb, or opal in place of the Mercury herb. You would place your Herbal Amulet ingredients in a bag or pouch in the color appropriate for psychic work: light blue, lilac, or purple.

There are lists and lists of herbs, stones, colors, and metals available in a plethora of books that correspond to the Planetary energies. You are free to select the ones that you like the best, the ones that have the most meaning for you, or the ones that you simply have on hand when you want to begin composing your blend. What you want to keep in mind is, what physical form is your alchemical herbal creation going to take? Incense? Then you know you have the whole selection of herbs, flowers, roots, resins, and essential oils at your disposal. When making an Herbal Amulet or Potpourri, you again have the entire gamut of herbs to choose from, but you also might want to consider adding a Planetary stone. If you decide to create a Ritual Oil or Bath Salt, you know that you have only the essential oils to work with for best results, which might make your selection process a little trickier. And with all Ritual Oils or Ritual Bath formulas, you must be aware of which oils may not react well with skin.

If what you want to create is an offertory to a Deity to whom you have a connection now or with whom you wish to create a relationship, research the herbs, plants, and oils mentioned in conjunction with that Deity as you read the myths and lore. Find out what type of plant life grows in the geographical area favored by that Deity. Look into the herbs that share an affinity with the powers, strengths, and duties of that particular Divine figure. At any time as you are creating your formula, you might get a psychic “hit” to include a particular herb or oil in your combination. Always go with the nudge of intuition—your subconscious mind is giving you useful information.