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Plants for the Original Halloween

(or To Make a Mint, Talk to Your Mint)

When I was just a young boy, my parents hosted a neighborhood Halloween party. They took out all the light bulbs in the house, replacing them with low-wattage blue and green ones that shed a ghostly light. They blindfolded us and had us walk over Ritz crackers, telling us we were walking on eggs. They fed us peeled grapes and told us they were eyeballs. It was wonderful, and I've loved Halloween ever since.

This year, with Halloween coming, I decided to find someone who can do magic - someone who can attract love or money with plants, make a protective herb sachet, or cleanse a place of sickness or evil. I wanted to find a Wiccan to learn about their beliefs and their celebration of Halloween.

Wicca is a general term used in many different ways by people who believe in an earth-based religion. Most Wiccans believe in nature spirits, and a dual deity with both male and female aspects. Each plant used in Wiccan ceremonies is either male or female, and also has a connection with a planet. Each is also linked to one of the four elements: earth, air, water, and fire.

Luck was with me. I met two Wiccans living in Canaan, New Hampshire who were willing to talk to me about their beliefs. Niniann, who goes by just a single name, explained that Halloween is nothing like the Celtic traditions that spawned it. Samhain (pronounced Sow-een) is the name of the holiday she celebrates at the end of October, and it doesn't involve witches riding broomsticks, ghostly lawn ornaments, glow-in-the-dark skeletons or goblin greeting cards.

"Samhain is a sacred time for us," Niniann explained. "We get together with loved ones and have a feast. We think about those we've lost." Shani Woodsmoon, another Wiccan living near Niniann, added that the celebration is "one night our ancestors can hear us. We're not afraid of our ancestors coming to visit. We don't summon spirits, but we welcome them."

Plants have an important role in Wiccan traditions, and Niniann has beautiful gardens full of herbs and flowers - including many used for Wiccan ceremonies. At Halloween, for example, she uses mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris), sage, yarrow and rosemary. These are plants used to aid in remembering those who have died. The herbs are made into bouquets, or an infusion that is sprinkled on the ground where friends and family gather.

Growing herbs is not enough to give them magical powers. Intent is also important. According to Niniann, one must talk to plants, telling them what you want. "Every plant is magical, but they don't necessarily know what you want," she said. She gave the example of a four leaf clover. "It might give good luck, but it probably won't. But it might work if you talk to it, or sing to it." Her lush gardens are aided not only by songs, however, but also by liberal doses of compost and manure.

I also spoke to retired botany professor at Ohio University, Dr. Mary Louise Trivett, who told me that the ingredients used in Wiccan rituals often have misleading names based on old traditions. An infusion calling for batwings, she said, would have nothing to do with real bats. Batwing is a code for holly leaves. Adder's tongue means dogtooth violet or plantain. And since "eye" indicates the inner part of a blossom, and "woodpecker" stands for peony, a recipe calling for woodpecker's eyes is not at all what it sounds like.

Dr. Trivett also explained that many plants used traditionally for healing salves or infusions have been shown to be effective by modern science. Lavender, mints, heal all (Prunella vulgaris), colt's foot (Tussilago farfara ) and wild ginger (Asarum canadense) are commonly used in healing salves.

Herbs used for magical purposes are not ingested, according to Niniann. They may be burned or scattered, made into sachets worn for protection, or used in ritual baths and infusions. Below are some of the herbs grown, used and sold by Niniann, and the uses she recommends.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica): burn or scatter leaves to protect a place, or to chase away evil.

Dill (Anethem graveolans): add to sachets for protection, or hang a sprig at the door to protect a home. The smell of dill is said to provoke lust. Shani Woodsmoon described getting a date, long ago, after she crushed some dill and put it in the waistband of her blue jeans.

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia): an herb of love. It can be used in baths and in love sachets. It is also used to increase psychic awareness, helping one to see ghosts - if present.

Lovage (Levisticum offinale): a celery-family herb that is also a natural deodorant. It can be used in baths to attract love - which might have made sense in the days before deodorants.

Mint (Mentha spp.): useful to those wishing to attract wealth. Niniann even recommends putting a few leaves in your wallet to attract money. Mints of various sorts are good for ensuring success.

Sage (Salvia officinalis) is called the herb of immortality. It can be used to prolong life and ensure good health. It can be burned to purify or cleanse negativity from a house. It can be scatted in the garden as an offering to the earth spirits and fairies, helping your garden to grow. And, according to Niniann, it can be used to help make your money grow, too, if used in combination with other specific herbs.

St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum): used in magical mixtures and sachets to protect one's health. It was traditionally harvested at Midsummer, and burned to ward off sickness and evil.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): another magical herb with many uses, from stews to sachets. Niniann said it can be used to attract love if worn in the hair, or used to increase one's psychic powers. It can be burned to purify a home following sickness, or put in a pillow to prevent bad dreams.

You don't have to be a Wiccan to benefit from the power of plants, according to Niniann and Shani Woodsmoon. They believe that plants emit vibrations which can affect us, but that you do have to believe they can help you.

I think a couple of leaves of mint and sage in my billfold to attract money sounds like a good idea. And who knows? Since mint brings success, it might even help me find a parking spot when I go to town.

Henry Homeyer is the author of "Notes from the Garden: Reflections and Observations of an Organic Gardener." Write him at P.O. Box 364, Cornish Flat, N.H. 03746; send e-mail to gardening.guy@valley.net; his Web site is gardening-guy.com