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You may choose to honor the ancient Greek and Roman god of war, Ares or Mars, through the use of herbs in your spiritual practices. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as using herbs in spells and rituals, creating herbal remedies related to war or strength, or simply burning herbs as offerings to the god.
Some herbs that are associated with Ares or Mars and may be suitable for use in honoring him include garlic, ginger, and chili peppers for their fiery and potent qualities; oak, rosemary, and thyme for their strength and courage; and nettles and thistles for their ability to protect and defend.
To begin, you may want to research the specific properties and correspondences of these herbs, as well as any other herbs that resonate with you, to determine how best to incorporate them into your practice. You can also consult books on herbal magic or speak with other practitioners for guidance and inspiration.
Once you have chosen the herbs that you would like to use, you can create a simple offering by placing them on a small altar or shrine dedicated to Ares or Mars. You can then light a candle and speak a prayer or incantation, asking for the god’s strength and protection in your life or any specific endeavors you may be undertaking. You can also burn the herbs as incense, allowing the smoke to carry your intentions to the god.
In addition to offering herbs, you can also create herbal remedies or potions related to war or strength. For example, you could make a tea or infusion using ginger and garlic to promote courage and bravery, or a salve using nettles and thistles to protect against negative energies.
Through the use of herbs, you can honor Ares or Mars in a meaningful and personal way, drawing on the powerful qualities of these plants to connect with the god and invite his energy into your life.
Herbs For Ares
| Herb | Metaphysical Properties | How to Use in Ares Worship | How to Use in Magic Spells | Medicinal Uses | Additional Info |
| Dragon’s Blood | Protection, purification | Burn as incense | Add to potions for protection or strength | Wound healer | Red resin from the dragon’s blood tree |
| Ginseng | Vitality, strength, power | Add to offerings | Add to potions for vitality or power | Immune booster, stress reducer | Root of the ginseng plant |
| Nettle | Courage, strength, protection | Add to offerings | Add to potions for protection or strength | Allergies, joint pain | Stinging plant, use gloves when handling |
| Rosemary | Protection, purification, love | Burn as incense | Add to potions for protection or love | Memory booster, digestive aid | Common herb used in cooking |
| Thyme | Courage, purification, healing | Burn as incense | Add to potions for courage or healing | Coughs, colds, asthma | Common herb used in cooking |
| Belladonna | Protection, divination | Leave on altar | Add to potions for protection or divination | Highly toxic, can cause hallucinations | Also known as deadly nightshade |
| Hemlock | Divination, banishing | Leave on altar | Add to potions for banishing or divination | Highly toxic, can cause respiratory failure | Poison used to execute Socrates |
| Henbane | Divination, protection | Leave on altar | Add to potions for protection or divination | Highly toxic, can cause hallucinations | Also known as stinking nightshade |
| Wolfsbane | Protection, banishing | Leave on altar | Add to potions for protection or banishing | Highly toxic, can cause convulsions | Also known as monkshood or aconite |
| Yew | Protection, immortality | Leave on altar | Add to potions for protection or immortality | Highly toxic, can cause cardiovascular collapse | Poison used in ancient Greek and Roman times |
| Basil | Protection, courage, love | Burn as incense | Add to potions for protection or courage | Digestive aid, insect repellent | Common herb used in cooking |
| Cayenne | Courage, strength, passion | Add to offerings | Add to potions for courage or strength | Migraine relief, circulation booster | Spicy pepper used in cooking |
| Damiana | Love, courage, divination | Burn as incense | Add to potions for love or courage | Aphrodisiac, anxiety relief | Herb used by the ancient Mayans |
| Ginger | Courage, love, success | Burn as incense | Add to potions for courage or success | Nausea relief, immune booster | Common spice used in cooking |
| Parsley | Purification, courage, love | Burn as incense | Add to potions for purification or courage | Diuretic, breath freshener | Common herb used in cooking |
| Cinnamon | Love, passion, prosperity | Burn as incense | Add to potions for love or prosperity | Digestive aid, anti-inflammatory | Common spice used in cooking |
| Clove | Love, protection, money | Burn as incense | Add to potions for love or protection | Pain relief, immune booster | Dried flower bud of the clove tree |
| Mint | Love, abundance, purification | Add to offerings | Add to potions for love or abundance | Digestive aid, breath freshener | Common herb used in cooking |
| Rose | Love, beauty, divination | Add petals to offerings | Add petals to potions for love or beauty | Skin healer, anxiety relief | Flower of Aphrodite, commonly used in perfumes |
| Sage | Love, wisdom, immortality | Burn as incense | Add to potions for love or wisdom | Memory booster, antioxidant | Common herb used in cooking and herbal medicine |
Ways To Use These Herbs
To honor Ares using these herbs, one could start by setting up an altar dedicated to the god of war. This could include images or statues of Ares, as well as any weapons or armor associated with him.
Next, one could gather all of the herbs associated with Ares and arrange them on the altar. This could include herbs like dragon’s blood, ginseng, and nettle for strength and protection, as well as herbs like belladonna, hemlock, and henbane for divination and banishing.
To begin the ritual, one could light some incense made from herbs like rosemary, thyme, or basil, which are associated with purification and protection. As the incense burns, one could say a prayer or invocation to Ares, asking for his strength, courage, and protection.
Next, one could offer some of the herbs on the altar to Ares as a gesture of gratitude and respect. This could include burning herbs like dragon’s blood or ginseng as incense, or placing herbs like nettle or rosemary on the altar as offerings.
Once the offerings have been made, one could use the remaining herbs in spells or rituals to honor Ares and invoke his power. This could include using herbs like damiana or ginger in love spells to draw on Ares’ passion, or using herbs like parsley or cayenne in banishing spells to invoke his strength and courage.
Finally, one could end the ritual by thanking Ares for his presence and guidance, and by carefully disposing of any remaining herbs or incense. By following these steps and using the herbs associated with Ares, one can honor the god of war and draw on his power in their own magical practices.
How I Honor Ares With Herbs
To honor Ares, the Greek god of war, I use a variety of herbs in my rituals and offerings. One of the herbs I commonly use is mugwort, which is known for its associations with protection and strength. I burn mugwort as an incense during my rituals, allowing the fragrant smoke to fill the space and honor Ares.
I also use rosemary in my rituals to honor Ares. This herb is associated with remembrance and clarity, both of which are important when honoring a god of war. I often weave sprigs of rosemary into wreaths or garlands to adorn my altar, or I will use it in spells and charms to enhance my connection to Ares.
In addition to these herbs, I also use vervain, which is associated with purification and protection. I will often use vervain in spells and charms to cleanse the space before conducting a ritual to Ares, or I will drink vervain tea as part of the ritual to help me focus and connect with the god.
At times, I also honor Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, during my rituals. To do this, I use herbs such as jasmine and rose, which are associated with love and passion. I will burn these herbs as incense, or I will use them in spells and charms to invoke the goddess and ask for her blessings.
Overall, using herbs in my rituals to honor Ares and Aphrodite helps to create a sacred space and enhance my connection to these powerful deities. The fragrant smoke and soothing scents of the herbs create a peaceful and reverent atmosphere, allowing me to focus my intentions and offer my devotion to these ancient gods.
Timing For Leaving Offerings To Mars
When leaving offerings to Ares, timing is an important consideration. As the god of war, Ares is associated with the planet Mars, which rules over the day of Tuesday. Therefore, Tuesday is considered a particularly auspicious day for leaving offerings to Ares.
In addition to choosing the right day of the week, the time of day can also have an impact on the potency of the offering. I find that leaving offerings to Ares during sunset is particularly potent, as the blood red skies at this time of day are evocative of the god’s association with war and bloodshed.
In my rituals to honor Ares, I always make sure to pay close attention to the timing and choose the right moment to leave my offerings. I will often set an intention and focus my energy on the god as the sun sets, allowing the power of the moment to infuse my offerings and increase their potency.
Overall, timing is an important factor when leaving offerings to Ares. By choosing the right day of the week and the right time of day, I can ensure that my offerings are received by the god and have the greatest possible impact.