Oregano, Parsley and Thyme

I would've included pictures of my oregano and thyme plants, but they're still growing. :)

I know, I know, I know. It should be "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme", but I'm not growing any sage.

Oregano is ruled by the planet Mercury. Its element is air and its energy is peace. Use oregano as a peace-inducer. Sprinkle it into sauces and soups, or even onto cheese pizza to give a peaceful energy. Scott Cunningham writes that using oregano on a pizza that contains meat will cancel the peaceful effect.

Parsley is ruled by the same planet as Oregano, but its energies are protection, sex, and money. Many, if not most, leafy greens (including herbs) are used to attract money. Parsley has a lot of magical uses. For example, gardeners in Europe sow curses into the soil with parsley seed to ensure proper germination.

Normally we see parsley used in restaurants and on salad bars as garnish. At one time, placing parsley on a plate was thought to protect food from contamination by evil.

For a money-attracting bath, place 2 cups of fresh parsley into a cheesecloth and tie the ends to make a parcel. Add to your bath. As you soak, visualize the herb bringing money into your life.

Source: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen

Fresh parsley is also good for preventing bad breath. It is also a diuretic. You can also eat a bit of it every day in order to strengthen your personal protective "armor".


Thyme is ruled by Venus. Its element is water and its energies are love, psychic awareness, and purification. Thyme was once used to cleanse Greek temples. Thyme is useful in purification diets. It is also beneficial when added to psychic foods (more information to come).

For love: Place one tsp of a mixture of thyme and marjoram into a tea cup. Add one cup hot water. As it steeps, visualize yourself enjoying a satisfying, two-sided relationship. Sweeten with honey if desired and drink the tea, continuing to visualize. (Cunningham)

Keep a mixture of dried basil, oregano, parsley and thyme to add peaceful, loving energy to foods. This mixture is especially good added to tomato sauce, as the tomato is a fruit of love.

Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 Tablespoons dried herb mixture (mentioned above)
2 32-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 dried bay leaves
1 - 2 tsp sugar, as needed (optional)

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, herb mixture, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered over low heat until sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Taste for seasoning. Add sugar if desired. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Note: If using fresh herbs instead of dried, add them toward the end of cooking (last 15 minutes or so), except the parsley, which should be added last. Also, if you are using fresh herbs, you will need to increase the amount to about 2 tsps. of each.