There’s a little bit of ‘witch’ in all of us, especially those of us who are drawn to the magic of plants. And as we enter the dark half of the year – and we approach Samhain – or Halloween – the ancient Celtic festival that marks the thinning of the veil – many of us may feel an inner stirring – or a call to the mystical and magical.
This is the season when intuition awakens and the modern “witch” within us begins to awaken.
For some, this may seem like they are drawn to a more holistic path, in alignment with the rhythms of nature: the moon, herbs, crystals or energy healing. Or it could also be the secret allure of working with essential oils for healing: the little vials of plant alchemy that feel like portals to another world. Or it could also be a kind of crisis that calls us to heal with oils.
For those of us drawn to the magic of aromatherapy, we may be secretly obsessed with it, but also feel the fear of embracing this new, “witchy” path. So if you’ve ever been fascinated by the scents of essential oils, or curious about their power – or have hidden away your little collection – then you’re in perfect company.
This article is for the ‘witches-in-training’ – aka the women who are waking up to their natural gifts, learning to trust their intuition and perhaps still feeling a little nervous about being seen as ‘magical’ – or getting it ‘wrong’. Let’s dive in and help you embrace your inner witch – with the power of essential oils. Before we do that, let’s first talk about one of the things that can arise when we open up to our gifts.
The fear of our witches’ wisdom
Many people called to aromatherapy may also feel anxiety increase as they begin to open up to a more alternative approach to healing –
- Who am I to do this?
- What if I misunderstand?
- What will people think when I talk about essential oils?
This fear is age-old – a reminder of the ‘witch wound’, where our ancestors were burned at the stake for working towards more ‘holistic healing’. It is this that causes witches in training to doubt ourselves and our intuition, seek validation and hide our natural connection to the medicinal properties of plants.
But aromatherapy is a modality that offers us a way home: every drop of oil carries with it the wisdom of the plant world and reminds us that we are part of nature, and that nature has always been our teacher. It is also now a much more widely accepted modality – and one through which we can begin to cultivate our relationship with magic.
Even more, aromatherapy is something that invites us to learn to return to our bodies – in a world where we have disconnected from them. Through the power of scent and touch – and how our bodies respond – we can reconnect with our senses, the earth and our intuition. That is the beginning of healing.
The ‘essentials’ of the witches’ pharmacy: starter pack
If you’re just getting started with essential oils—or if you’ve been secretly collecting them but aren’t sure where to start—a small, intentional set is a great place to get started.
Consider this your starting apothecary: a collection of allies to help you ground, attune, and work with plant magic. Here are my Top 5 oils for witches-in-training, to help you stay calm, grounded, open and intuitive, and to guide you through the heaviness of magical being.
Lavender – the calming all-rounder
Lavender is an oil that should be included in any ‘new’ witch’s kit – it calms the nervous system, helps regulate sleep and is also great for many physical ailments. It is especially good to make us feel safe in our witch’s fears (for example, the fear that things will go ‘wrong’).
Calming Bath Mix: Add 3 drops of lavender, 2 drops of sweet orange and 1 drop of rose to 15 ml of bath oil or shower gel and mix it in the warm running water of a bath. Soak under the moonlight, with a candle, breathe deeply and repeat, “I am safe to embrace my inner witch.”
Rose – the balanced heart opener
The oil of self-love, Rose is an oil that reconnects us with our hearts and reminds us that our strength comes from compassion. It balances our emotions and dispels fear. It is a great oil for our witch’s aromatherapy kit – with a very nurturing energy.
Nourishing massage mix: to nourish your nervous system, add 2 drops of rose, 2 drops of bergamot and 2 drops of frankincense to 15 ml of grapeseed oil and massage it into the body in the direction of the heart, with gentle, gentle movements. Repeat: “My inner witch feeds me.
Frankincense – the spiritual intuition awakener
One of the more sacred oils, used in ancient temples and rituals, Frankincense calms the mind and deepens our connection to unseen realms, strengthening our connection. This is perfect for the inner witch who wants to trust her inner voice.
Intuitive diffusion mix: Add 2 drops of frankincense, 2 drops of myrrh and 2 drops of sweet orange to water in an electric diffuser or candle burner and inhale the aroma for 30 minutes. To give you a boost, you can use this while you work with divination, tarot or moon rituals to open your intuition!
Cedarwood – the oil for grounding
A deeply grounding oil, helping us feel rooted and protected as we open up to energy work. Cedarwood is ideal before meditation, ritual or simply when we are feeling a bit overwhelmed, sensitive and ‘open’ as new witches – when you feel like you are picking up the energy of others.
Grounding massage mix: Mix 3 drops of cedarwood, 2 drops of vetivert and 1 drop of frankincense in 15 ml of grapeseed oil and massage into the body in the direction of the heart. Take a deep breath and imagine the roots anchoring you in the earth. You may also want to travel outside afterwards and stand barefoot in the earth to further ground yourself.
Sweet Orange – the mood brightener
Because when witchcraft feels a bit heavy and dark, Sweet Orange brings lightness with its uplifting, stimulating properties.
Joy Spritz mixture: Mix 15 drops of Sweet Orange, 10 drops of Lavender and 5 drops of Rose in 100 ml of Orange Flower Hydrolate in a spray bottle. Mist around your space to lift all the energy. Set your intention each morning with a little spritz and say, “Today I create
An invitation for this Halloween
As the veil thins this Samhain, I invite you to take the first steps in embracing your magic and allowing yourself to enter a ritual, using the above blends – perhaps take out your journal and ask yourself:
- Where was I afraid to embrace my witch in training?
- Where can I love myself more so I can allow myself to embrace my love for essential oils?
- Which essential oil blend do I want to play with first?
Give yourself permission to play with your inner witch!
A note on intuitive mixing
When we get started using oils, we are often afraid of using the ‘wrong’ oils – but my mission is to help secret witches know that there is no ‘wrong’. Our bodies are super intuitive and always know which oils we need, so my best advice is to let your body (and nose!) choose the oil – the ones you like the smell of are probably the oils you need.
Don’t be afraid to lean on your witchy wisdom as you practice blending – the most important thing is to keep mixing ratios consistent and within safe parameters (i.e. don’t use oils neat, but within the correct carrier to essential oil ratios). If you follow that, you can’t go wrong.
Ultimately, all of this will lead you back home to your inner witch. Proceed with caution – and remember – you were born for this magic!