Chamomile

Origin: Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia

Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Anthemideae

Folk Names: Balders-brâ (Balder’s eyebrows), camomyle, chamaimelon, ground apple, roynetree.

Selected Varieties:

• German Chamomile: Matricaria chamomilla
• Roman Chamomile: Chamaemelum nobile

Magical

Arguments are presented for multiple (arguably conflicting) sets of correspondences for chamomile. Some argue it should be given solar associations, due to the bright colour and scent of the flowers, while others argue that its healing qualities suggest it should be associated with water and the moon. I have listed my personal correspondences first (which is absolutely inconsistent), with the alternate in brackets for reference.

Element: Water (fire)
Day: Sunday (Monday)
Planet: Sun, (Venus)
Zodiac: Cancer, Leo
Associated Celebrations: Summer solstice, spring equinox, St John’s Day, Candlemas, (winter solstice)
Deities: Apollo, Balder, Cernunnos, Hypnos, Woden

Parts used: Flowers & flowering tops

Magical Properties: Balance, communication, forgiveness, friendship, love, luck, meditation, peace, prosperity, protection, purification, spirituality, success, victory

Substitutions: Lavender

Lore

• Chamomile is traditionally gathered on St John’s Day, June 24th (as far back as the 1st century). It was believed that witches flew over the herb that night, taking away all its medicinal power.
• Nicholas Culpeper quotes Nechessor as saying the Egyptians associated chamomile with the sun, and while he describes them as “the arrantest apes in their religion that I ever read of”, he also doesn’t seem to dispute it, or offer any alternative. He also notes that bathing with a decoction of chamomile takes away weariness and eases pain.

Magical Uses:

• Place pressed flowers in wallet to attract money.
• Wash thresholds with infusion to keep it unwanted energies/entities.
• Wash hands in a chamomile infusion before a job interview or sales meeting to attract luck and success.
• To keep away nightmares: chamomile tea can be drunk before bed, flowers used in a sleep sachet, or 3 drops of oil placed on a tissue in your pillowcase.

Medicinal

Medicinal Properties: Anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, relaxation, soothing

Medicinal Uses

• Anxiety, diarrhoea, heartburn.
• Can help with cold symptoms, inflamed/irritated skin.
• May have sedative effect.

Beauty Uses:

• Tones up relaxed muscles.

Warnings:

• Unsafe during pregnancy.
• Ragweed allergies.

Interactions:

• Estrogen & birth control, medications changed by the liver, tamoxifen (nolvadex), warfarin (coumadin).
• May cause additional drowsiness when taken with sedative medication.