Fairy Herbs for Fairy Magic: Working in Partnership with the 'Hidden People'
by Daniela 'Svartheiðrinn' Simina
However, fairy-beings, including elves, are also known for their ambiguity toward humans. Like other all the other types of fairies, elves too might reward lavishly or harm, sometimes for reasons clear only to themselves. In general, relationships with elves have a transactional component and are regulated by strict rules.
While the Irish tradition knows fairy doctors and fairy witches who work in close contact with The Good People[2], it also recommends extreme caution around them. Outside the specialized sphere of fairy doctors and fairy witches, the general belief in Ireland is that The Good People, Na Daoine Maithe, are best left alone.
In Romania, under the collective name zâne, two fairy groups feature most prominently: Sânziene, also known as Zâne, and Rusalii, also known as Iele. The Rusalii are overtly not fond of humans. The Sânziene, however, act benevolently and gift knowledge of herbal healing and magic. However, if offended, the Sânziene will turn as deadly as the Rusalii. And, antipathy aside, the Rusalii also have immense healing powers and knowledge of herbs which, in a very specific ritual context, they willingly share with humans. Due to such ambiguity, fairy seers from Romania recommend that everyone exercises extreme caution around fairies.
German and Scandinavian lore too warns about the potential dangers arising from interacting with the Hidden People. In Anglo-Saxon England the magic practiced by elves was called sīden and sīdsa, which words are cognate with Icelandic and Scandinavian seiðr. Elves can use their magic to harm, by inflicting the notorious ‘elf shot’. But there are also accounts of elves effecting healing on people. In Kormáks Saga, advised by a seeress/spækonna, one of the protagonists sacrificed a bull to the elves dwelling in a certain mound and received healing.
Like other fairy-beings, elves are not one large, undifferentiated category, so there is little uniformity across the breadth of the lore about elves’ likes or dislikes for specific herbs. One may need both apotropaic herbs to keep the ill-meaning beings at bay, and herbs to invite allies and propitiate good will. For everyone involved in partnerships with elves it is wise considering carefully the herbs to gather in ritual spaces, altars, and homes: it is not a good idea to inadvertently vanquish boundaries, let in the wrong crowd while in the same time upsetting close allies by using plants carelessly.
When choosing herbal ingredients, it is important to keep in mind that fairies- elves making no exception- are not set fixtures in the geographical landscape. A growing body of evidence shows that fairies and fairy-like beings can and do travel around, oftentimes accompanying humans to foreign lands (Daimler, 2023, 2024).
Therefore, when working with elven guides and/or familiars, it is important to know the lore that is specific to geographical regions or to the cultures where the said allies come from. For example, if you interact consistently with elves and other kinds of fairy-beings from two different traditions, such as Icelandic and Irish, you may want to use herbs that are agreeable to both groups. While a common denominator is usually present, there are also marked differences between these culture-specific groups of fairies.
And, things can get even more complicated than this. Similar to human communities, not all communities – elves or other fairies- get along with each other, not even when belonging to the same culture. As a concrete example, Irish lore speaks of armies of sí[3] battling fiercely one another (Evans-Wenz, 1998). Still from the Irish lore, we have numerous accounts of sport events where teams from different regional fairy groups compete against each other in matches that are as fierce as encounters on battlegrounds. (Lenihan, 2004, Simina, 2023) From the humans’ perspective, it means that being in the good graces of a certain group or elven community, may put one on the black list of another group. Within this paradigm, propitiating goodwill while also setting boundaries are vital knowledge.
Let’s look at three herbs and application of their properties in connection to elves:
Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, has a well-established reputation as apotropaic. In Romanian lore, Mugwort is known as a selectively-acting herb: it will banish the malevolent beings and not upset the goodly inclined ones. This built-in versatility accounts for Mugwort’s widespread use in both getting dangerous spirits to vacate or pre-emptively protecting a space or person.
In Lacnunga, the 11th century Anglo-Saxon medical text, Mugwort is presented as an herb with immense power over all kinds of evil. While not specifically mentioned as an elf-repelling herb, the verses in the Lacnunga’s Nine Herbs Charmmake it quite clear that Mugwort can be successfully employed against any kind of malevolent powers, which would extend to Mugwort’s efficiency in case of attacks from elves.
“Remember Mugwort, what you made known
What you arranged at Reenmeld.
You were called Una, the oldest of herbs,
You have power over three and thirty,
You have power against poison and against infection,
You have power against the loathsome foe roaming through the land.”
(Lacnunga)
During the Middle Ages, in Germany and Holland Mugwort was widely used for protection against possession and harm caused by evil spirits. According to traditions in these areas, Mugwort has maximum potency if gathered on the St. John’s Eve.
In addition to the Artemisia vulgaris which grows throughout Northern Europe, in Scandinavia a local kind of Mugwort, Artemisia norvegica, is also present. In the lore, this type of Mugwort is connected to Thor, and it is employed as protection against malevolent spirit beings. Thor’s hostile actions are described as primarily against threats coming from the jötnar, but he is a protector of people in a broader sense. Thus, the by association with Thor, Mugwort (Artemisia norvegica) should emulate the same broad-spectrum protective properties.
In my own experience Mugwort acts like a selective filter: it allows my elven familiars to come near and closes the boundaries to anyone approaching with hostile intent.
St. John’s Wort is best-known in Irish tradition for keeping the sí away. This herb, with its small golden flowers reminding of the power of the sun itself, reaches maturity around Midsummer when, according to practitioners of folk medicine and magic, is the optimal time to harvest it.
In Romania, same as in Ireland, St. John’s Wort is also harvested at Midsummer when its properties, both magical and medicinal, are peaking. The Romanian name for this herb, Sunatoare /Soo-nuh- Toah- reh/, relates to its solar associations and makes no allusion to the saint. I favor the solar association instead of the saint, and use the name Sunnawort[4],which translates as the “herb of Sunna”.
In Norse mythology the sun, Sunna, is also connected to the Álfar. In the Skírnismál, the Sun is named Álfröðul, with possible translations “elf-beam”, “elf-disc’, “elf-glory”. In my own version of Álfatrú – my spiritual practice centered on the Álfar and related vættir- I regard Sunnawort as sacred and compatible with most among the elves. It is part of my personal gnosis that at Midsummer, the Álfar and other vættir act similarly to other fairy-beings from across Europe in that they go around to bless this herb infusing it with magical powers for healing and protection.
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lavender is deeply relaxing, which makes it a valuable aid in attaining meditative, altered states of consciousness which facilitate communication with spirit allies including elves. When I lived in Italy, I heard people calling Lavender Elf Leafor Elf’s Herb which suggests an affinity that elves[5] might have for this plant. In my experience, lavender is favored by many kinds of fairies, not just elves. I am fond of lavender because it was one of the first herbs that I became acquainted with for magical purposes. My grandmother grew lavender in our yard, and I used to help her make bundles which we would then hang to dry. As a witch I use lavender for almost everything: healing magic, hallowing space in preparation for ritual, and in offerings to deity and elf familiars. It is a forgiving and very versatile herb. Using lavender by mistake as the “wrong” ingredient in a spell or ritual is not likely to backfire given lavender’s versatility and easy-going character.
Next, are few suggestions about employing herbs in elf-centered practices:
Apotropaic: Dried Mugwort, St. John’s Wort and Lavender can be burned (individually or in combination) to smoke-cleanse spaces or people. To repel unwanted attentions from Huldufólk or troublesome spirits, carry dried Mugwort, St. John’s Wort and Vervain in a pouch and if absolutely necessary, along with other apotropaic materials such as iron and salt. Iron and salt should be last resort because they could annoy some among the elf allies. Personally, I found out that seeking to understand what is the cause for animosity and finding ways to reconciliate works better than implementing extreme measures right away.
Offerings: Traditional offerings for elves include dairy, breads, fresh water, beer- but also the flowers they like. Fresh or dried flowers can be strewn around offerings of food and drink, or left at the places sacred to Them as an offering of its own. I would suggest for this purpose Lavender, Primrose, Rose, and frankincense and amber oils. Conversely, do not pick up anything from an elf mound, don’t take souvenirs from rocks inhabited by elves, or trees which are in some way connected to elves.
Healing and magic: water infused with selected herbs can be asperged or spayed around to render the space appealing to elven allies. Herb-infused oils can be applied to ritual items or other objects dedicated to working with elves. Satchels with herbs that fairy themselves favor can be worn or carried inside a pocket to invite the presence of fairy allies or, depending on the situation, to protect against harm caused by fairies.
Please keep in mind that from an animistic perspective, the herbs themselves are forms of consciousness, so do not treat any plant as an object or disposable commodity. When bringing plants into your practice, treat them as plant-people whose help you seek to enlist, not as someone who you can bossy around. Seek to work in synergy with plants, elves and other fairy-beings instead of asserting yourself and trying to dominate the scene; it rarely works, and when it does, it is short-lived and backfires badly.
This short presentation is an invitation to explore, learn, and experiment. There are countless herbs and ways to work with them. People take on spiritual paths which involve elves for various reasons. If you feel called to follow a path where spiritual herbalism and elves are involved, it is a great idea to research both plant and elf-related lore in the cultural tradition, or traditions, you associate yourself with. The words “elf” and “fairy” may bring to mind quaint and charming beings, and the make the idea of partnerships sound lovely. However, the experiences of seers, fairy doctors and witches from past and present times inform that the reality of working with elves and fairies-beings in general has nothing idyllic about it. Study and keep an open mind. Pay close attention to your own personal experiences, but whenever presented with the opportunity, also learn from the experience of those who walked this path before you.
Bibliography
Cunningham, Scott, “Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs” (1985)
Daimler, Morgan “Celtic Fairies in North America” (2023)
Daimler, Morgan “A New Dictionary of Fairies: A 21st Century Exploration of Celtic and Related Western European Fairies” (2020)
Daimler, Morgan “Fairy: The Otherworld by Many other Names” (2024)
Daimler, Morgan, “Celtic Fairies in North America” (2024)
Gundarsson, Kveldulf “Amulets, Stones, and Herbs: Studies Toward Germanic Heathenry” (2022)
Gundarsson, Kveldulf “Elves, Wights, and Trolls” (2007)
Lenihan, Eddie, “Meeting the Othercrowd: The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland” (2004)
MacCoitir, Nial “Ireland’s Wild Plants” (2016)
“Medical Writings from Early Medieval England: The Old English Herbal, Lacnunga, and Other Texts”, translation by John D. Niles and Maria A. D’Aronco (2023)
Pflanzenkunst, “Mugwort”, retrieved at https://pflanzenkunst.wordpress.com/plant-profiles/mugwort/
Simina, Daniela “Where Fairies Meet: Parallels between Irish and Romanian Fairy Traditions” (2023)
Simina, Daniela, “A Fairy Path: The Memoir of a Young Fairy Seer in Training” (2024)
Simina, Daniela, “Fairy Herbs for Fairy Magic: A Practical Guide to Fairy Herbal Magic” (2024)
Wilby, Emma, “Cunning-Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern English Witchcraft and Magic” (2022)
[1] In this context the word ‘fairies’ is a catch-all term used to represent the fairy-beings from various cultures.
[2] Euphemism used in Ireland in reference to fairies.
[3] Irish name for fairies
[4] From Gundarsson, Kveldulf “Amulets, Stones, and Herbs: Studies Toward Germanic Heathenry” (2022)
[5] As mentioned earlier, I believe that otherworldly beings are not confined by geography; I would not be surprised to find elves in Northern part of Italy