The flower that makes you say relax even before you breathe it in

💧 Essential Oil

• Extracted from flowers, it is used in aromatherapy to reduce anxiety and stress.
• In cosmetics, it is included in creams, soaps, and perfumes for its fresh and relaxing notes.
• If you have pets at home, especially cats, you can put a few drops of essential oil in the water used for floor cleaning; this way, the animals will feel calm. I use it during heat periods or when they are scared by loud noises.

🍵 Food Ashes

• In small quantities, it can flavor desserts, herbal teas, and even savory dishes, giving a delicate floral touch.

This summer has truly brought me to these lands, where the medieval village of Montepulciano was enveloped by the sharp and sweet aroma of lavender, and among the workshops of Vino Nobile and shops of aglione, it is easy to find small stores selling this plant with a thousand uses in many forms.

But who doesn't like a bit of magic and legend when traveling?

Especially if you find yourself on a hilltop, with different flags on every street, seeming to catapult you directly into Romeo and Juliet as if you had crossed through the wardrobe of Narnia?

💜 The Fairy Lavandula

This legend, of Provençal origin but often told in the Tuscan countryside during events and guided tours, tells of a fairy with golden hair and blue eyes who, seeing dry and sad lands, wept lavender-colored tears. Her tears fell on the earth, dyeing it blue-violet and causing fragrant fields of lavender to grow. In Tuscany, the story is sometimes “localized” imagining the fairy flying over the hills of Siena or the Maremma, leaving trails of flowers behind her.

🐍 Protection from snakes

Everything has its light and shadow side, and lavender is no exception. It seems that among its purple bushes, snakes like to nest, and for this reason, the flower represents both protection, as it is a remedy for snake bites, and distrust, precisely because of their choice of home.

💍 Wish for love and prosperity

And if invoking fairies and snakes were not enough, Venus, the famous goddess of love, could not be missing, who is said to have used the scent of lavender to attract and make people fall in love, as if her beauty alone were not enough to cause havoc.

But precisely because of the divine touch of the goddess, in Tuscan wedding trousseaus, especially in the countryside, it was tradition to include sachets of lavender as a good omen for a happy married life.

Are you witches or aspiring ones? Or have you tried all possible remedies and, driven by despair, are looking for alternative ways? Here are some uses of the plant that might solve some of your problems, or at worst, simply make your home more fragrant.

🔮 Unexpected in-laws or stressful moments? Burn dried lavender twigs or lavender incense to ward off negative energies and create a sacred space.
🔮 Prepare a purple cloth bag with lavender flowers, rose petals, and a few drops of essential oil. Carry it with you or place it under your pillow to encourage dreams of love and romantic attraction.
🔮 A ritual bath with lavender flowers and essential oil helps release tension, transforming anxiety and pain into positive energy.
🔮 If at night instead of sleeping you are seeking a lucid dream, put a lavender bag under your pillow.
✨ Extra Wicca tip: lavender is associated with the element Air and the planet Mercury, so it is perfect for rituals related to communication, mental clarity, and inner peace.

Thank you very much for reading my article, and I would really like to know if you have ever found yourself on the Tuscan hills carried by the scent of this violet and fragrant plant or if by chance you have used it for purposes as indicated above or new ones.

p.s. let me know how your Mondays start

-V