THE MIDKNIGHT GARDEN: KNIGHTS OF THE RED ORDER

DEW OF THE SEA:

Within the Craft path of the Serpent Priesthood (the Ansar) as within many magical paths, the knowledge of sacred herbs is given. On this path not only is the connection to the earthly plane taught but also of how each herb and stone connects on a universal/multiversal level to a much bigger picture. Everything connects and interacts, everything is of vibration and can act for or against depending on how it is used and from which aspect; different combinations of sacred herbs and stones have different purposes and work on a magical and alchemical level on the mundane plane as well as the spiritual.

Rosemary has been used by practitioners almost since the dawn of time and its heady, pungent, invigorating aroma can transport you back in time to a far distant land, to a time when rosemary was burned in the temples of Greece as an offering to the Goddess and God. The Greeks dedicated rosemary to Apollo, their solar deity, who was acknowledged as the god of medicine, poetry and prophecy. Rosemary is also connected to the snake (Sibbu) and the sword thus connecting directly to the Serpent Priesthood and the teachings thereof. Rosmarinus means ‘dew of the sea’ thus also connecting to the goddess Amulug, Mary Magdalene, Kiam and the universe at every level of understanding through time. The connection to Mary Magdalene who is also known in truth as Kiam is most significant.

Rosemary is a member of the mint family, growing up to one and a half meters tall; its leaves are evergreen and needle-like and it thrives in the

Dew of the Sea

sun soaked shores of the Mediterranean. Breathe in deeply that enticing aroma and be transported to the sun drenched shores of your own imagination. Rosemary was one of the earliest plants to be used for food, medicine and of course magic. The country people of ancient Greece did not have access to any prepared incense, so burnt Rosemary in sprigs on their shrines and it thus became known as the incense bush. Today, gently smoldering the sprigs on charcoal is still the quickest and easiest way of using fragrant rosemary as incense.

Traces of rosemary have also been found in Egyptian tombs which is not at all surprising considering that the Egyptians knew a thing or two about magic… During the middle ages it was used to smoke out devils during exorcism and it was also burnt in sick rooms as a fumigant for many centuries. Rosemary continued to be burnt in hospital wards in France until the present century and was abandoned at about the same time that modern research had actually proved its antiseptic properties.

Rosemary can delay or prevent putrefaction in meat but we are unable to tell if it was first used in cooking for the flavour or to preserve the meat, for in distant times there was no means of keeping meat refrigerated in hot climates. Rosemary has a long folk magic tradition as a love stimulator and many ancient charms and spells use rosemary for this reason. Bridal wreaths were entwined with fresh rosemary and bridesmaids gave sprigs to the groom to symbolize love and loyalty. The plant has and still is used in countless rituals to promote love. Nowadays we can inhale the scent and visualize its subtler energies bringing love and transformation into our lives.

It seems like rosemary has always been in our lives yet to discover its magical properties we have to find how to open a secret door to the abundant garden within….. Aroma is an important tool for magic and ritual as it facilitates the unlocking of subtle pathways to the subconscious. In ritual we transcend our daily lives and become one with our gods and goddesses. A specially prepared incense wafting around the temple or sacred space can quickly evoke an atmosphere of divine worship. In spell casting and magical rites the power to cause change in ones lives can be greatly enhanced by the appropriate incense intensifying and charging the atmosphere.

Rosemary can be used fresh or dried for incense making and the essential oil can be used as an ingredient in oil blends. The ruling planet of rosemary is the sun, its element is fire and its gender is masculine. Its powers for magical workings and spell craft are that of protection, love, lust, exorcism, purification, healing, sleep, youth. It is also burned in order to receive insight and the smoke is inhaled to promote visions. The essential oil can be sprinkled on to cotton wool balls or tissues and taken into exams or placed in a car during long car journeys to aid in concentration and awareness or while at home the oil can be used in a burner for the same refreshing reasons.

Physical Use: In healing uses rosemary assists the nervous system. It can be made into a into a paste (with olive oil) then added to water for pre-ritual cleansing. Rosemary is used as a representation of union when used within Handfasting Ceremonies, being the suitable replacement of confetti. It is appropriate to use within a Funeral Rite, where onlookers cast the rosemary to the grave. Within the higher degree workings of the Serpent Priesthood, rosemary is the plant that is a part of sacred alchemical and magical combinations.

Magical Use: Rosemary aids intellectual achievements, assists purification, protection, and love. Use rosemary within the Last Rites Service. Rosemary can be used in combinations with other herbs and sacred stones as taught in the Serpent Priesthood as part of a student’s magical training and is part of a sacred alchemical combination within the higher degrees and beyond.

When using herbs for incense making start with simple combinations and then when you feel more confident experiment a bit more. You will soon become familiar with all the correspondences and magical properties. An interesting way to start is to make the appropriate incense for each festival and rites, to be used in your own ceremonies.

Rosemary on its own does make a very divine incense but it also combines very well with other sacred herbs such as sage and lavender. An incense blend which uses half quantities of sage and rosemary or lavender and rosemary (fresh or dried) can be used for purification of the temple, chapel or home and all within including self, clothes, magical tools (if that is your preferred method). It is ideal to burn before a ritual or ceremony of any sort, whilst you are preparing. Let the smoke waft around your temple to cleanse and purify the space. It will create a lovely white smoke that will very easily add the right touch. The aroma is gentle, soothing, almost antiseptic and cleansing in its properties. This incense induces a lovely feeling of relaxation and cannot fail to put anyone in the right frame of mind for ritual, meditation or path working of any description. Please try it, and thoroughly enjoy your experience of Rosemary; the dew of the sea.

February 2013

Templar Teachings from ‘The Keeper of Scrolls’
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