Metaphysical Properties Of Yerba Santa
Official Name: Eriodictyon glutinosum
Other Names: Bear Weed, Consumptive's Weed, Gum Bush, Holy Herb, Mountain Balm, Sacred Herb
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Air
Metaphysical Powers: Beauty, Healing, Psychic Powers, Protection
Common Magickal Uses and Folklore
-
Yerba Santa is carried to improve or attain beauty.
-
An infusion of Yerba Santa and used while bathing is used for beauty as well.
-
It is carried for spiritual strength, increase psychic powers, and for protection.
Yerba Santa (also spelled yerbasanta) is an indigenous southwestern plant. The name means "holy herb". It is also known by the English names of Mountain Balm and the Miwok name Passaale (or Possalle.) It is an evergreen shrub, a member of the water-leaf family, found throughout western North America, particularly California.
Tribes in California, Nevada, Arizona, and northern Mexico areas have used Yerba Santa as a herb in bundle stick is used in traditional smudging for protection, purification, spiritual strength, courage, psychic abilities, and finding the innermost self. It is used for protection and setting boundaries.
Yerba Santa has been used for love, purification, growth, empowerment and beauty, and release of emotional pain in the heart chakra. Burning the leaves as a smudge will purify spaces and clear heavy or dark energies from people.
You can burn Yerba Santa to nurture and protect all that is ancient, sacred, and wild within yourself. Use it when there is a need for encouragement or courage. This herb is good for adorning altars, and an ingredient in charm bags carried for protection and increase divination abilities.
It makes a beautiful purifying potpourri when combined with spearmint and cascara sagrada. It can be used in a water mixture by pouring boiling water over the herb and letting it steep. This water mixture can be poured on a grave to aid in contacting that spirit in dream-work. It can be added to bathwater for magical beautification.
Yerba Santa is a delightful ingredient for incenses and smells lovely. It has a long history in being used in a tea.