6 Magical Uses of the Mandrake
Before knowing the magical uses of the mandrake, it is very important to know exactly what is the mandrake? Well, a mandrake is a plant from the nightshade family that is full of folklore and history.
Its technical name is Mandragora officinarum, and it grows mainly in the countries closest to the Mediterranean Sea, although gardeners around the world now cultivate it for its unique aesthetics and history.
The mandrake is a perennial plant with a long stem but barely a trunk. The leaves almost look like cabbage or some kind of edible green vegetable, but they are not edible!
The flowers range in color from white to purple and bear a similarity to Belladonna blooms. The mandrake also produces berries that are yellow to reddish in color and resemble tomatoes.
Mandrake toxicity is due to chemicals inherent in the entire plant, primarily the stem and leaves: anticholinergics, hallucinogens, and psychotic alkaloids.
This plant can be found in southern European countries like Italy and Spain, but it is also found in North African countries like Morocco and Tunisia.
If ingested, mandrake can cause you to stop breathing and die at worst, at best it can cause extreme vomiting and diarrhea. Pay attention if you work with this plant!
Ancient History of the Mandrake Plant
The mandrake has been widely known in the Middle East since ancient times. The proof of this is that it is mentioned in the Bible: three times in Genesis and once in Songs of Solomon. Modern Arabs know this plant as Beid el Jinn, which means Eggs of the Jinn (Jinn are spirits in Islamic mythology often associated with demons).
From this name alone, we can deduce that mandrakes are considered dangerous and potentially evil in the modern Middle East. In the ancient Middle East, the mandrake was used for various purposes, both medicinal and magical.
Those in the medical field claim to have used the mandrake to put their patients into a sedated state in order to perform surgery or relieve pain. Others claim the use of the mandrake as an aphrodisiac (as mentioned in the book of Genesis in the story of Leah and Rachel).
Ancient legends claim that picking up a mandrake root would certainly lead to immediate illness and/or death. It was thought that the mandrake would let out a «scream» when the roots were uprooted, and so often people would tie a rope to an animal and then to the plant and allow the animal to pull the plant and kill the animal and not the human. .
Mandrake root was typically sold at a high price, as its magical properties were popularly known. Some say that the root was carved to look more like a human shape, while others claim that they come out of the ground looking human.
The root can grow up to two feet long, so perhaps both assumptions were correct.
The mandrake was also called Circe’s Drug. Circe was an ancient Greek goddess known for her transformative and lustful powers. She is mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey from the 8th century BC. C., and it is said that she was skilled in herbalism, particularly poisonous herbs such as mandrake.
He employed toxins in his practice to gain control over men, turning them into animal-like creatures and keeping them as servants in his home on a mystical island known as Aeaea.
The mandrake root in white magic
The magical uses of the mandrake in ancient times they are diverse. The mandrake plant is known as the alraun in Germany, dating back to at least the Middle Ages.
There are stories such as that it was dug up, sold for large amounts of money and hidden within families to be passed down from generation to generation. It was thought to be a very powerful talisman and protective amulet for these families, and out of respect for the plant it would be wrapped in silk and kept in a box.
The alraun was removed and carefully bathed in wine or brandy up to four times a year. The remains of the washing liquid would be sprinkled over the family home as a protective charm.
We can see that animism was a big part of the origins of this tradition, since the mandrake is treated almost like a little human being.
The mandrake has a long history in the world of witchcraft. Not only common people and royalty wore it, but so did a plethora of accused witches during the Middle Ages to the Modern Period in various countries in Europe.
While the mandrake naturally grew in the Mediterranean region, its distribution spread across northern, eastern, and western European countries over time. The mandrake became an essential ingredient in the works of witches, according to grimoires dating back to the Middle Ages.
It was thought to be a powerful hallucinogen, but also a powerful aphrodisiac (this probably relates to its use in Biblical times to help a woman conceive).
If used in conjunction with other toxic herbs and rubbed externally on the witch’s skin, it could make the witch feel like she’s «flying»…or simply drug her or send her on a «trip».
This is believed to be the origin of the image of the «flying witch» on her broomstick across the night sky. The witches didn’t actually fly physically…they got high and flew in their minds or potentially engaged in astral projection via the mandrake root along with some other well known toxic plants such as belladonna, henbane and poppy.
The mandrake was seen during the Middle Ages as a kind of anthropomorphic plant, a plant that was also human. Therefore, whoever possessed the mandrake could also possess a powerful familiar spirit to do his bidding.
This was known to many across Europe and this is why they were so sought after and expensive to buy. The witches were accused of having mandrake roots and holding them as familiar spirits, as documented in the Witchcraft Trial cases. In fact, Joan of Arc herself was accused of having a mandrake spirit familiar which she denied was true.
The leaves of the mandrake were said to glow at night, giving it an even more magical air and increasing its mystique. It would later be discovered that the glow worm was attracted to the leaves and that the worms gave the leaves their iridescent glow at night…not the plant itself.
«There is no plant as magical and mysterious as the mandrake.»
–Nicole Canfield
Uses of the mandrake in the modern era
The magical uses of the mandrake were not only a thing of ancient times, as the mandrake root is still considered magical in modern times. This is mainly due to the resurgence or revival of the «Old Ways», if you will, in the form of modern paganism and witchcraft.
Pagans and witches the world over seek their own mandrake root to use as a talisman, protective amulet, to use in salves, or simply as a collectible due to the plant’s rich history.
The magical properties of the mandrake include: love, fertility, protection, money and health. It is related to the element of fire with a masculine energy, and is also associated with the deities Hecate and Hathor.
One must warn against eating mandrakes, due to their lethal toxins. It is also claimed that a mandrake can be placed under the pillow for dream magic, and also worn on the windowsill as a protective amulet.
Mandrakes are even popular in modern pop culture, having featured in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books and movies. More specifically, Harry and his cohorts help grow and harvest the root of the «screaming» mandrake in Herbology class.
The entire purpose of the mandrake root, as stated by his Herbology professor, was to help create a medicine that would unset some of the students who had petrified themselves in the castle. You can see mandrakes scream as they are pulled out of their pots in the movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
With such a rich history and its unique characteristics, the mandrake does not seem to disappear in the annals of time. The mandrake will be commented on, written about and loved for centuries!
How to use the mandrake in magic
There are many magical uses of the mandrake and we are going to discuss more about this. Once you have obtained the mandrake root, you can preserve it and use it in your magical work.
For the extract you will need the following:
A jar
Alcohol
mandrake root
The root needs to be cut and I advise to crush or trim some parts of the root. Then, add it to the jar and fill it with alcohol. It needs to stay in the jar for at least 2 months or for 3 full moons.
The jar needs to be shaken every night asking for the root’s blessings on magical work. A simple phrase like:
“Oh sacred root, I invoke you! Lend me your magical power to bless and enhance my work.
At this point the extract is ready that can be used in any magical work.
If you can grind a part of the mandrake root, you can leave it on a cloth in a dry place to dry, and you can also use the powder in your magical work (usually it takes a lunar month). I personally recommend using one part as an extract and one part as a powder.
Magic rituals with mandrake
Mandragora as a catalyst
The Mandragora can be used as a magical catalyst in all magical works to enhance the spell or ritual. For example, the extract can be used when consecrating your ritual items for more power.
Also, a small mixture of the extract with the powder can be used to anoint candles for work. The extract and powder can be added in charms and spells for more power. Let your imagination guide you!
against the evil eye
Leaves and powder can be added to all charms to give it extra power. Witches believed that the nauseating smell coming from the leaves was capable of avoiding the evil eye.
for prosperity
A few drops of the extract can be sprinkled on your paper bills and you can add the powder to your wallet to attract money. Another powerful solution is to take a small amulet of a bat or a small plastic image of it.
Sprinkle the mandragora extract on the amulet to awaken it on the night of the Full Moon and place it in your wallet. As the bat nests in your wallet, so will the money begin to nest!
for protection
Take a piece of mandrake root and sprinkle it with holy water and salt. Place it in a cloth bag and take it with you as a charm of…