Sun Signs Everything Under The Sun!
Significance of Jupiter In Astrology
Everyone wants respect. We all want to be recognized as being great at what we do. These aspects of life are ruled over by the planetary energies associated with Jupiter. This planet is named after the Roman sky god who wielded the lightning bolt, garnering respect from gods and men alike.
Most of the time, these qualities require that we exercise our unique wisdom, which has been hard-won from years of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, trial and error, or some other equally grueling strategy. Most people do not associate wisdom with Jupiter.
However, Roman mythology tells us that Minerva (the goddess of wisdom) emerged full-grown from the head of the king of the gods. Wisdom and success are intimately linked in most cases, which is why I have chosen sage as the Jupiterian hedge witch herb to get you started.
Sage – The Magickal Herb For Jupiter
Sage’s connection to Jupiter is not linked to wisdom alone. The main reason that most sources seem to connect Sage with Jupiter energies is the scent. Sage has a scent that seems to readily expand throughout the room, and Jupiter’s energies are those of expansion.
The practice of burning sage to cleanse a space or heal an individual is an ancient practice. Today, we typically associate burning sage with the Native American Tribes. However, the ancient Romans called it Salvia, which means heal. It is the source for our modern-day word: salve.
Since they had a word for this plant, and since their word falls directly in line with the Native American understanding of this plant’s purpose, we can assume that the Romans used the plant similarly. The ancient Celtic people also made use of sage.
According to Paul Beyerl, in his book “The Master Book of Herbalism,” sage is associated with strength, mental health, and wisdom, and it banishes all forms of evil. However, this is just the beginning of its many uses. Some people say that sage can also grant us longevity (some sources even go so far as to say immortality). In his book “Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs,” Scott Cunningham references an old rhyme:
He who would live for aye
Must eat sage in May.
Sage is also used to make wishes come true and to alleviate sorrow, especially sorrow over the loss of a loved one.
How To Use Sage In Magic?
If you desire to use sage magickally, the first, and most obvious, option is to burn it as a smudge stick to cleanse the space of any negativity. However, you can also write a wish on a single leaf of sage. Scott Cunningham recommends that you place the leaf under your pillow and sleep on it for three nights.
If you dream about your wish, it is said to come true. If not, you should bury the leaf in the ground to avoid bad luck. As the above rhyme indicates, you can supposedly eat sage to increase your life span, though I cannot personally verify this bit of folklore as I am only in my 30s. You can add sage to mojo bags to promote wisdom.
The magickal uses for sage are only limited by your imagination.
On a medical level, the longevity association is worth looking into more. There are over 1,000 years of folklore associated with this medical benefit in the West alone. In the East, the folklore is much more extensive.
On a less esoteric note, sage is useful in combating respiratory infections (such as coughing, sore throat, and nasal congestion). If you wish to heal a sore throat, make a tea of sage leaves and gargle with it once it has cooled a bit. It is also useful as a home remedy for indigestion.
Sage is a uterine stimulant, so it should be avoided in large doses by pregnant women.
However, sage is safe to eat as a spice in food preparations, even if pregnant, and as a culinary spice, it is indispensable! Aside from adding a unique smokey flavor to your food, sage aids in the digestion of fatty foods, which is why it is often paired with pork.
Regardless of how you choose to use sage in your own budding hedge witch practice (whether magickally, medicinally, or culinarily), it would be very sagacious of you to do so!