Anyone with pet cats knows the entertaining effects that catnip can have on their fun-sized apex predators.
Catnip is more than just a recreational drug to make your familiars trip their whiskers off.
This Th-HERBS-day, we honor the euphoric charm of catnip (Nepeta cataria).
It is one of 250 species of the mint (Lamiaceae) family and a great way to treat your pet cat to a moment of ecstasy.
Catnip is an aphrodisiac for most feline species, even for some big cats.
So, it’s no wonder this herb often gets associated with the Egyptian goddess Bastet.
But the magick within this herb is powerful in other ways than perking up a sleepy kitty.
It is a giving plant spirit that helps bring joy and luck into your craft.
Most notably, catnip helps thin the veils of our realm and the elemental realms allowing for easier communication between the two.
Catnip In History
Catnip is one of the oldest herbs used in medicines and is mentioned in the earliest known published book on gardening.
In the ninth-century gardening book, “On the Cultivation of Gardens” written by monk Walafrid Strabo, catnip is held as one of the most important herbs to have around.
“…The plant has long been known for its service in the treatment of several illnesses, and therefore it shouldn’t be ranked last on the list of herbs…” -Strabo
In those days, catnip treated sore throats, open wounds, and even leprosy.
English peasants often drank “Catmint” tea before there was trade of teas from China.
It was easy to grow and served as a nutritional supplement when crops were sparse.
The aerial parts of the plant are what were often harvested for tea and medicine.
The leaves were picked and rubbed on the skin to act as a mosquito repellent.
The U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1842 to 1882 included the dried leaves and flowers of catnip.
A component found in the volatile oils called cis-trans-nepetalactone acts as a mild sedative.
It is structured similar to the sedative chemicals in valerian and serves as an aid to digestion and sleep.
It’s been found to increase menstrual flow and is recommended not to be used by pregnant women.
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The Spirit of Catnip
The spirit of catnip is joyful and invites abundant energy and benevolent familiars around the home.
Catnip is especially connected to the energetic realms of the Fae and assists in shamanic journeying.
Work with it when you need assistance in meditation and an increase in luck, peace, and monetary abundance.
It’s a spirit that attracts benevolent energies and can spread wildly across your property.
It embodies the energy of Venus and Jupiter’s expansive luck when placed together in birth charts.
Keeping catnip around the property is a beautiful and cheerful way of attracting elementals around to protect the home.
Planted in rocky beds, this herb will entice earth elementals to hang around and keep out dense energies.
Catnip resonates with the number 5 in numerology because of its untamed nature and character in bringing energies together.
This herb encompasses the beauty of nature, love, friendship, and luck.
If you plan to adopt a pet/familiar (this includes all animals-not just cats), working with catnip will help bring the right animal on your path.
Pets have protected their people for centuries both energetically and physically.
In Vedic astrology, it is believed that if you get a pet, it can increase your luck.
If you have a vegetable garden, attracting more cats with catnip is one evidential way of catnip’s protecting powers.
More cats mean more protection of your garden’s assets by keeping birds and rabbits from eating your crop!
This is the essence of how catnip works to bring more love, friendship, luck, and protection to your craft.
Using catnip opens pathways to allow positive energies to flow more easily into your day-to-day and welcomes positive elementals.
Catnip Leaf Extract Organic
Catnip’s Energetic Properties
The properties of catnip and any other herb you intend to work with are helpful guides to assist you in spell crafting and rituals. When planned carefully with corresponding days, seasons, zodiacs, etc., the energy of the herb is amplified and will add more power to your intention. Here are 18 properties associated with catnip:
1. Planet: Venus and Jupiter
2. Zodiac Sign: Taurus and Libra, Sagittarius, and Pisces
3. House: 2nd, 7th, 9th, and 12th
4. Element: Water
5. Gender Energy: Feminine
6. Chakra: Heart (Green)
7. Archangel: Anael and The Lion-Headed Angel Ariel
8. Deity: Aphrodite, Chiron, Gaia (Greek), Bastet (Egyptian), Frigg, Tyr, Forseti, Freya’s cats, (Norse), Turan (Etruscan)
9. Sabbat: Beltane, Mabon, Samhain, Saturnalia
10. Season: Late Spring and Fall
11. Day: Thursday and Friday
12. Body: Skin, Throat, Veins, and Ovaries
13. Rune: Thurisaz, Ansuz, Eihwaz, Perthro
14. Numerology: 5 and 6
15. Fae: Sprites, Salamanders, Gnomes, Fairies
16. Major Arcana: The Empress, The Hierophant, Justice
17. Minor Arcana: Cups
18. Cartomancy: Hearts
Growing Catnip
Catnip is one of the easiest herbs to grow in your garden and it produces beautiful flowers that add color to your landscape.
They assist in keeping pests away from your garden but do have a chance of getting spotty leaves.
Starting your catnip in a sunny to partially sunny place will be vital in getting a good crop.
However, this depends on the initial approach to starting this herb and keeping the cats from trampling them down before harvest.
One of the keys to success with this plant is to have well-drained soil because it can easily drown from sitting water.
If it is planted in drained soil, you can successfully grow your catnip in both soil and rocky areas.
The seeds are extremely tiny and difficult to handle, but they’re the best way to grow catnip unnoticed by neighborhood cats.
Using cuttings from catnip is the easiest way to grow this minty herb.
Though, starting the herb from seed will keep the cats uninterested long enough to allow them to establish.
Once it is established, this herb is strong and sturdy and can tend to take over the garden as most mint species do.
The best time to harvest your catnip is during bloom in the mid-to-late summer season.
Lay the herbs in the shade to dry, then store in a glass jar, label, and date, then keep in a cool dark place.
Happy Th-HERBS-day!
Catnip Leaf
