Hyssop, The Holy Herb and Its Uses
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Transcript of Hyssop, The Holy Herb and Its Uses
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Creole Moon’s Conjure ClubPublications for the Observation and Preservation
of Southern Folk Magic and Culture
Hyssop:
The holyherb and
its usesby
Denise Alvarado
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Introduction“Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean.”
The above passage is probably the most referenced statement
relating to hyssop since the word was originally written in the Bi-
ble. Talk to any rootworker and ask them to name the best herb
to use for cleansing and uncrossings and their response is likely
to be, or at least include: Hyssop. This makes sense given the
heavy influence of the Bible on modern conjure, and in particular,
the influence of Catholicism and the use of the Psalms
(specifically Psalm 51) in conjure work in New Orleans.
Although well known for its association with the Bible, the
hyssop we know today as Hyssopus officinalis is disputed as the
plant referred to in the Bible. Biblical hyssop is often called the
“unidentified plant” of the Bible. Some maintain that hyssop is
actually a type of marjoram (Origanum maru), while others posit
it is the caper-bush (Capperis spinosa). Despite the question of itstrue identity, Hyssop officinalis is the one used in both perfumery
and conjure today.
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a decorative herbaceous plant in the
mint family that is native to Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the
region surrounding the Caspian Sea.(1) Hyssop is believed to have come
to North America with the early European colonists as it is listed amongthe seeds John Win-throp, Jr. brought to the New World in 1631.(2)
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyssopus_officinalis
2. Mother Earth Living, http://www.motherearthliving.com/mother-earth-living/an-herb-to
-know-hyssop.aspx
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Figure 1. Hyssop officionalis
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Over the years, it has escaped from gardens and is now naturalized at
roadsides and in waste places here and there in North America from
Quebec to North Carolina. When it blooms, hyssop displays spikes of
fragrant blue, pink, or white flowers. Hyssop has been used in a variety of ways since Classical An-
tiquity. The classical age was a time in which Greek and Roman
society flourished and wielded great influence throughout Eu-
rope and the Middle East. During this time, hyssop was widely
used for its medicinal properties.
Historically, hyssop has been used medicinally as an antibacte-
rial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, carminative,
digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hyper-
tensive, nervine, sedative, and tonic, among other things. It has
been shown to be effective in the treatment of bruises, colds,
cough, fatigue, fevers, flatulence, indigestion, inflammation, lossof appetite, nervous tension, sore throat, stress related condi-
tions, and wounds. Hyssop should be avoided by those with epi-
lepsy and those who are pregnant.
Hyssop also has culinary uses, although it is considered a bit-
ter herb. It can be finely chopped and sprinkled on salads and
game meats, and in soups and stews as an aromatic condiment.
The leaves have a slightly bitter taste due to its tannins, and an
intense minty aroma. Due to its intensity, it is used moderately in
cooking. The herb is also used to flavor liqueur, and is part of the
official formulation of Chartreuse.
Hyssop is most commonly associated with cleanliness and
sacrifice from a religiomagical sense. It is known to have been
used in the ritual cleansing of holy places. Bundles of the herb
were dipped in sacrificial blood and water and touched upon
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doorways and other areas in need of cleansing. The dried herb
was used in bouquets and burned to fumigate areas in an effort
to ward off plagues. Beekeepers were known to rub the fragrant
Figure 2 Hyssop oficinalis. Photo copyright 2009, H. Zell, published under a GNU Docu-
mentation License.
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flowers on beehives to encourage bees to stay. In Hoodoo and
Rootwork, hyssop maintains its biblical associations with cleans-
ing, uncrossing and getting rid of negative conditions.
Hyssop, According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia
(Septuagint hyssopos).
The following is an excerpt about hyssop from the Catholic Ency-
clopedia. It makes several references to the mention of hyssop
and its uses in the Bible.
A plant which is referred to in a few passages of Holy Writ,
and which cannot be identified with certainty at the present day.
Its existence in Egypt is proved by Exodus 12:22, wherein Moses
is represented as bidding the elders of Israel to take a bunch of
hyssop and to sprinkle with it the blood of the paschal lamb up-
on the lintel and the side posts of the doors of their dwellings. In
the wilderness hyssop was also ready at hand, as can be inferred
from Exodus 24:8, completed by Hebrews 9:19, according to
which Israel's great lawgiver sprinkled the Hebrews with hyssop
dipped in the blood of victims, at the sealing of the old covenant
between Yahweh and His people. The references to hyssop con-
tained in the Mosaic ritual show clearly that it was a common
plant in the peninsula of Sinai and in the land of Chanaan, and
disclose its principal uses among the Hebrews. Thus, it is with
hyssop that the blood of a bird offered in sacrifice is to be sprin-
kled for the cleansing of a man or a house affected with leprosy
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(Leviticus 14:4-7, 49-51); it is with it, too, that the sprinkling of the
water of purification must be made at the cleansing of a tent, a
person, or a vessel polluted by the touch of a dead body
(Numbers 19:8). Besides being thus used as an instrument in the
act of sprinkling, hyssop was employed as one of the elements to
be burned in the preparation of the water of purification itself
(Numbers 19:6). It is not therefore surprising to find that this
manifold and intimate connexion of hyssop with the various puri-
fications of the Old Law led the Psalmist (Ps. 1 [Hebrew li] 9) toregard the sprinkling with hyssop as symbolical of a thorough
purification of the heart, a view which the Catholic Church has
made her own in the ceremony of the Asperges which usually
begins the solemn offering of Holy Mass. Nor is it surprising to
find that this same connexion of hyssop with the various cleans-
ings of the Mosaic Law suggested to many writers the identifica-
tion of that plant with the Hyssopus officinalis, or common hys-
sop, with which they were particularly acquainted, and the deter-
gent properties of which they not unnaturally thought had in-
duced the Hebrew legislator to select it as especially fit for the
purificatory services in Israel. However widely received in thepast, such identification is now commonly rejected for this rea-
son, among others, that the Hyssopus officinalis appears to have
been unknown in ancient Syria and Egypt. The plant, which at the
present day, is considered as more probably the hyssop of the
Mosaic ritual, is the Origanum maru. Like the Hyssopus officinalis
it belongs to the family of the labiatæ, has aromatic and deter-
gent properties, and can be easily made into a bunch for purpos-
es of sprinkling. The following are some of its particular claims to
be considered as the hyssop spoken of in the Old Testament. In
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the first place, it is to the Origanum--not to the Hyssopus offici-
nalis--that all ancient tradition points when referring to the hys-
sop of the Scriptures. In the next place, its Egyptian name of
supho, is clearly allied to the Aramaic zufo and the Hebrew
equivalent. Lastly, the Origanum maru grows on the walls of all
the terraces throughout Palestine and Syria. This last claim in fa-
vour of the identification of the hyssop of the Old Testament with
the Origanum maru, is in distinct harmony with 1 Kings 4:33
(Hebrew 1 Samuel 4:33) where we read that Solomon "treatedabout trees from the cedar that is in Libanus, unto the hyssop
that cometh out of the wall". The chief difficulty in the way of this
identification is drawn from John 19:29, where it is stated that
some of those present at Christ's Passion "putting a sponge full
of vinegar about (or rather: upon) hyssop, put it in his mouth". It
is oftentimes supposed that the stalk of the Origanum maru
would be too short and too slender for the purposes described in
this passage, and that another plant with a longer and firmer
stem, for instance, the caper-plant (capparis spinosa) is the one
meant by the Fourth Evangelist. This supposition, however, does
not appear necessary to many commentators. They think that thecross whereon Jesus lay was not such a lofty object as is assumed
by the opponents of the identification, and that in consequence
the Origanum maru, some 40 or 50 centimetres in length, and
undoubtedly near at hand on Calvary, was used either alone, or
together with a reed (cf. Matthew 26:29; Mark 15:36) to carry the
sponge dipped in vinegar to the lips of the Savior. Numerous
other plants, more or less akin to the Origanum maru are also
regarded, and indeed with some probability, as the hyssop spo-
ken of in Holy Writ (Gigot, 1919).
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FORMULAS
1. Aromatic Medicinal BathFor the treatment of rheumatism, boil several handfuls
of hyssop leaves and flowers along with a handful each
of thyme, marjoram, lavender, mint and rosemary in two
gallons of spring water. Allow to cool until warm, then
strain out the herbs and add the tea to a warm bath.
Soak for fifteen minutes.
2. Recipe for Hyssop Tea
Infuse a quarter of an ounce of dried hyssop flowers in a
pint of boiling water for ten minutes; sweeten with hon-
ey, and take a wineglassful three times a day. This tea is
said to be good for rheumatism and upset stomach and
can be drunk in conjunction with the above aromatic
bath.
3. Aromatic Cleansing Bath
Boil a handful of hyssop leaves and flowers along with a
handful of rue in a gallon of spring water. Allow to cool
and strain out the herbs and set aside. Add the herbal
infusion to a warm bath. Light a white candle and anointwith hyssop spiritual oil and set on the edge of the tub.
Tea lights or votive candles are ideal for baths because
they burn quickly. Get in the tub and pour the water
over your head seven times, and recite Psalm 51. Allow
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the water to drain and the candle to burn all the way
down.
This cleansing is good to do whenever you feel
heavy at heart, guilty about having done something
wrong, or as a preventative after doing some sort of left
-handed work, an uncrossing or handling cursed ob-
jects.
4. Formula for Holy Hyssop OilHoly Hyssop Oil is ideal for times when you are in need
of comfort, hope, and spiritual relief. It is useful in times
of grief and when you are facing despair, a sense of
hopelessness and would benefit from the reassurance of
Divine intervention.Holy Hyssop Oil is made in a base of the purest Olive
Oil you can get. Olive oil from Israel is ideal for this for-
mula. Add the dried herbs of hyssop, lavender and rose-
mary in a pan with enough oil to cover the herbs. Sim-
mer for thirty minutes. Allow to cool and strain into
smaller bottles, adding a pinch of hyssop in each bottle.
You can repeat the simmering process if you want a
stronger fragrance by straining the oil and adding fresh
herbs and boiling for another thirty minutes.
Note that this is my personal recipe and name for
the oil; you may find others calling it simply Hyssop Oil,which for me would be simply the hyssop herb steeped
in olive oil.
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5. Formula for Holy Hyssop Powder
Burn the leaves and flower tops of hyssop along with
some red cedar and save the ashes. Mix the ashes with
aloes wood powder for a powerful blessing powder that
can be used as a floor sprinkle, as a dusting powder, or
used as a barrier to keep in the good and keep out the
bad. This powder is also ideal for the consecration of
talismans.
6. Formula for Holy Hyssop Incense
To make a very aromatic cleansing and blessing incense,
combine sage, thyme and hyssop and blend well. You
can either powder each of the herbs for a powdered
herbal incense, or leave the herbs in tact and simply mix
them together and burn on a piece of charcoal.
7. Mano Poderosa (Powerful Helping
Hand) Mojo
For a powerful protection and blessing mojo, you can
make a Mano Poderosa or Powerful Helping Hand Mojo.
To make this mojo, you will need the following:
• White candle
• Red flannel bag
• Hyssop
• Rue
• Angelica root
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• Balm of Gilead
• Sage
• Holy Hyssop Powder
• Holy Hyssop Oil
• Dove’s blood Ink
• Parchment paper
Before you begin, pour a few drops of Holy Hyssop Oil
onto the palms of your hands and rub them briskly to-gether until they feel warm and electric. Touch your
forehead, your heart, and your gut with you’re your
hands. Then, anoint the white candle with Holy Hyssop
Oil and pray Psalm 51. Take each ingredient one by one
and hold in your hand and breathe just a very light puff
of air onto the herb. Tell it what you want it to do for
you. For example, “Holy Hyssop, you embody the power
of the Divine. Purge my spirit of all evil and negative
energy. In the name of the Holy Trinity, Amen.”
Once the herbs are inside the bag, add a few drops
of Holy Hyssop Oil.Next, take a small piece of parchment paper and
write a petition on the paper, specifying in as few words
as possible your needs. Anoint the paper on each corner
and in the middle (five spot) with Holy Hyssop Oil. Add
a personal concern of your own such as a fingernail or
some hair and place in the center of the petition paper.
Fold the paper closed and wrap with red thread and tie
it. Place another drop of Holy Hyssop Oil on the tied
petition and place the wrapped petition into the Help-
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ing Hand.
Hold the bag up to your mouth and pray or talk to
the bag and tell it what you need. Gently breathe into
the bag to give it your essence.
Tie the bag closed by pulling the drawstring closed,
wrapping the string around the bag a couple of times
and tying it. You may tie an evil eye bead or a cross to
the outside of the hand for added protection.
A mojo hand is a living entity comprised of all thespirits of the little herbs and ingredients placed inside
and can develop its own personality and fully developed
spirit. To be most effective, you should talk to your hand
and interact with it often. It is said that the live mojo
hand will often communicate with its owner in its own
voice.
8. Formula for Holy Hyssop Floor WashTo purge your home of evil and negativity try this floor
wash. Add to a gallon of spring water handfuls of hys-
sop, rue and lavender herbs and boil together on thestove for 15 minutes. Add the entire solution to a buck-
et of hot soapy water. You can use any floor wash for
the soapy water in the bucket, but for this formula, I like
to use Dr. Bronner’s pure lavender castile soap because
it works good and smells even better. Proceed to wash
your floors with the solution, moving from the back of
your home to out the front door. You can pray Psalm 51
while doing this or afterwards or simply say a heartfelt
prayer of your own.
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Psalm 51 (King James Version)
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multude of thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions.2
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from
my sin.3
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before
me.4
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight: that thou mightest be jusfied when thou speakest, and be
clear when thou judgest.5
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother con-
ceive me.6
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hid-
den part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shallbe whiter than snow.8
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou
hast broken may rejoice.9
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquies.10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holyspirit from me.12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvaon; and uphold me with
thy free spirit.13
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be
converted unto thee.14
Deliver me from bloodguilness, O God, thou God of my salva-
on: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.15
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy
praise.16
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou de-
lightest not in burnt off ering.
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17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a con-
trite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.18
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of
Jerusalem.19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteous-
ness, with burnt off ering and whole burnt off ering: then shall
they off er bullocks upon thine altar.
SOURCES
Gigot, F. (1910). Hyssop. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York:
Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from New
Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07612a.htm
Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal.
mountainroseherbs.com
_____________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer
The information in this article is for educational purposes
only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or, diagnose
any disease or condition, nor is it intended to prescribe in
any way. Always seek the advice of a medical professional if you suspect a serious medical condition.
____________________________________________________________________
Learn More
If you like learning about herbs and their medicinal properties, history
and folkloric associations, you may be interested in several courses
offered through Crossroads University: Folk Magic Formulary 1: Mak-
ing Magical Oils and Potions and How to Use Them; Spiritual
Baths and Cleansings; and Foundations in Southern Rootwork 1.
Please visit www.crossroadsuniversity.com for more informaon.