Witchy Wednesday - Parsley
Witchy Wednesday - Parsley Parsley is a member of the carrot family and a well known culinary herb. It is native to the Mediterranean but is grown worldwide Parsely is found in this country only as a cultivated plant, having been introduced into England from Sardinia in the sixteenth century. It is small and has green feathery leaves, it is also biennial but needs protection in colder climates. Parsley is rich in Calcium and iron aswell as vitamin A, B and C. European folklore says that only pregnant women and witches can grow parsley properly and that it should be planted on Good Friday for the best crop. Uprooting parsley will bring bad luck to your household and will also kill the plant. Romans placed parsley on their plates to protect the food from contamination and ate it to sweeten their breath after meals. This is where its tradition as a garnish originated. Magickally parsley is used in purification baths by placing a mesh bag under the tap water and running the bath water over it. Wearing or eating parsley is supposed to protect against drunkenness and increase strength, vitality and passion. For lice infestations of the hair, using parsley oil and washing the hair will cure it, and a compress of fresh parsley will reduce swelling from an area. Finally to make a cleansing tea add 1tsp of parsley and 3tsp of nettles to boiling water, steep for 10 mins and then strain, you can sweeten this by adding honey, not sugar.
