There are many herbs that can be used for the purposes of purification. But if you practice a European tradition of Paganism, then hyssop is the purification herb for you. This is a great alternative to white sage, which is part of a closed Native American practice, and is being used almost to the point of extinction, often by people with no ties to Native American culture.

Hyssop can be burned as incense, and has a subtle bitter scent. It can also be used in bath sachets and regular sachets, or even as an essential oil. It’s a Jupiter herb, meaning that its energies are expansive, joyful, and prosperous. It’s also masculine, and related to fire, perhaps because it has been burned for centuries to purify homes and religious buildings. It was especially sacred to Hebrews, Romans and Greeks as a purification herb, and was also mentioned in the bible as such.

I’ll be using hyssop this Samhain in place of sage to cleanse and purify my tarot and oracle cards, burning it on a charcoal disc. I’ll probably mix in some cedar and rosemary for further purification and protection and some mugwort for its psychic visionary properties. And I’ll probably make a nice hyssop tea for internal purification as well.

Happy Samhain and blessed be! <3