This is a new series I’ve been working on where every month I go over a new herb. There will also be some downloadable content as well on what you can use this herb for and how to prepare it. As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m studying to be an Herbalist, and I realized that the information I was finding, could really help someone out. We will go over the medicinal purposes but also the spiritual purposes as well. I won’t be able to find information on every single herb but I will try to do the best I can. Since starting this journey, I’ve really grown to like catnip because that was my first favorite herb. When I first got introduced to herbalism I had no idea that catnip could be consumed let alone were is for humans. Since finding out that humans can indeed ingest catnip it has been a staple and must have, in my home apothecary.
Family
- Lamiaceae (which is the Mint Family) (1)
Key Actions
- Boost mood
- Reduce anxiety
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Sedative (2)
Associations
- Venus
- Element is water
Medicinal And Traditional Uses
- Cough, cold, and fever relief
- Catnip has antispasmodic (relief spasms), bronchodilator (relaxing and widening the airways to the lungs), and diaphoretic (inducing sweating) properties which is very beneficial for people who have symptoms of a cold. (3)
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Have been known to help women with morning sickness and babies that have colic
- Can help with arthritis, gout, headaches, and aching muscles. (4)
- Diuretic
- Catnip increases urination so be careful drinking this herb is high dosages and at night. (5)
Spiritual Properties
- Cat magick
- Happiness
- Psychic work and development
- Friendship
- Beauty
- Love
- Attracts friendly spirits
- Attracting
- Astral Projection
- Lucid dreaming
- Divination
- Dreams
- Protection (6)
How Did You Form A Connection With This Herb?
When I was first starting on my journey of herbalism, I was browsing through the collection of herbs Etsy had. That’s when I came across Catnip. I remembered Catnip from my days of working with animals and how the cat parents would buy catnip for their cats. It wasn’t until I was reading the description of catnip that I found out humans can ingest it too. Finding out that it has wonderful sedative properties not only for cats but for humans to, I also realized that people who have anxiety can benefit from this herb.
A little apprehensive at first, I studied this herb for at least two weeks before making a tincture and then a tonic (tea) with it. It has a very minty flavor and pairs nicely with other herbs such as chamomile, lavender, and rose to name a few. To be honest, this was the last herb that I thought would become a staple in my apothecary. If you have trouble sleeping at night, deal with high amounts of stress, anxiety, or just want to relax after a hard days work, then definitely purchase catnip. I don’t think you can buy this at a regular store or even a specialty store, one place I highly recommend though, is Etsy. Not only will you be helping out a small business but Etsy has a wide range of herbs that we’ll get to talk about in the future.
What Are Some Way You Can Use This Herb?
- Tincture
- You can make a tincture of this as a single herb or mixed with other herbs
- Tonic
- Tonic is another way of saying tea. You can drink this as a single herb or mixed with other herbs
- Salve
- This will be amazing to apply to the skin, especially for aches and pains in the joints. You can also add lavender to the mixture for a nice scent too.
- Maceration
- Letting this herb sit in an oil and adding an intention to it, will bring a certain type of potency to workings. I love using catnip for protection and it’s attraction properties
- Decoction
- This method consists of boiling the herb and covering it for a few minutes. It’s usually done with harder herbs like sarsaparilla root, so I wouldn’t recommend this method for catnip. What will happen is, this method will over stream the herb and the taste will come out funny.
- Flower essence
- This method is a form of herbal medicine used in flower therapy. This way consists of asking the herb if they want to work with you (herbs have spirits), soaking your choice of herb in water under the sun or moon for 2 to 5 hours, then adding a preservative such as rum, brandy, or any type of alcohol. Then you can proceed to take the herb and use it during your meditations. This method was really popular during 1930 and hasn’t come back around until now. I think catnip would make a wonderful flower essence since it can promote astral projection and increase your psychic abilities.
Final Thoughts
Remember before trying any herbs I talk about on my blog, to consult with your doctor first. Down below is a recipe that is free to download if you want to make a catnip tincture. Catnip has become one of my staple herbs. I make a tea blend for when I’m at work and it really helps me to stay calm during the day (especially since Virgo’s tend to be prone to anxiety). If you never knew that Catnip could also be for humans then here’s your chance to go out and some. Maybe you and your feline friend can bother vibe out together.
If you’d be interested on how I use this in as a tincture, feel free to stop by my Etsy shop, just click the picture below!
3 o’clock Occultis 