The idea that certain herbs can be effective for general protection is an ancient spiritual folklore that's believed by many people today. Herbs like sage and lavender are thought to promote peace and tranquility, and to protect the home.
But how are herbs used for protection? Is this practice shown to be effective? Which herbs do spiritual healers recommend? And are there any better alternatives?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we explain which herbs are traditionally used for protection, share our concerns about this practice, and offer a few alternative options.
We'll also feature videos from spiritual healers about herbs they use for protection.
How Are Herbs Used For Protection?
Humans are subject to making emotional decisions rather than rational ones, especially when it comes to feelings like safety and security.
For thousands of years, herbal folklore of various disciplines has suggested that specific herbs can foster a sense of protection. This protection is usually suggested to exist in a spiritual rather than a physical sense.
In 2021, a major health publisher Well & Good featured a “green witch” in an article on herbal rituals. The witch claimed that herbs like lavender could be incorporated into “mystical self-care practices.”
Sage is another herb which is often considered to remove negative energy in an indoor dwelling when burned.
There exist hundreds of other magical remedies of herbs for protection online; some suggesting inhalation via vapor, some suggesting cultivation in a garden and some suggesting supplementation.
What you’ll notice is that all of these solutions are vague and there is no standard practice, because this is a spiritual rather than scientific approach.
We respect cultural and religious practices, and we believe deeply in the ability of certain herbal remedies like red ginseng, which are backed by significant clincal research, to be able to heal and strengthen the body.
However, we can't recommend treatments with absolutely no basis in any science at all like using herbs for protection.
Real People Try Herbs for Protection
A YouTube creator named "The Green Witch" has a video featuring three "herbal protection spells" with over 130,000 views:
A YouTube creator named "The Botanical Witch" has a video featuring nine "must have" herbs for protection:
Why it Won’t Work
For an herbal remedy to be considered effective for a given purpose, there should be published research testing it and finding the results to be successful.
We can't identify any clinical research suggesting that herbs are effective for general protection, and therefore we have no reason to believe they are.
Regardless of what an herbalist or “green witch” suggests, we would consider buying herbs for protection to be a waste of time and money.
Certain folklore remedies have actually been tested in medical studies and shown to be effective, such as ceylon cinnamon extract's significant research backing in regard to cholesterol and blood sugar support, but that is not the case with any herbs suggested to help with protection.
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