Top 5 Herbs To Use In January Magick

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After the festivities of December, what are the best herbs to use in January magick? Whether you’re trying to stick to your New Year’s resolution or beat the winter blues, there’s an herb that can help you this month!

The five best herbs to use in January are kava kava, ashwagandha, chamomile, damiana, and rosemary. In this post, I’ll explain why and how to use each of these herbs to make the first month of the year much more cheerful!

January can be a stressful month. After the comedown from fun holiday parties and delicious foods, there’s not much to look forward to until February. Many people experience depression and anxiety during January because of this.

If you’re one of those people, I hope that this post can help you.

What Are The Magical Correspondences Of January?

January is associated with the Roman god Janus. The month was named after him, in fact. Janus had two faces and looked both forward and back. He was the god of beginnings, endings, doorways, and gates.

Much like the god Janus, January is a time to look both forward and back. The previous year will inform how this next year goes. Will it be a good year or a bad year? A time of change or one of finding a status quo?

Only you can decide what kind of year you want to work for. 

Rituals and spells for new beginnings are appropriate in January. Embark on a new journey. Start a new business, or meet new friends. A new year is a fresh slate!

January is also the right time to do divination and ancestor work. Since this is a month of both the past and the future, you should work both kinds of spells into your regular practice.

Learn more about the doctrine of signatures and how it applies to magical correspondences.

Subject	January Correspondences
Astrology signs	Capricorn, Aquarius
Spirits	Gnomes, Brownies
Colors	True white, violet, black
Flowers	Carnations, crocus, snowdrops
Scents	Musk, mimosa
Crystals	Garnet, onyx, jet
Trees	Birch
Animals	Fox, coyote, pheasants, blue jays
Deities	Janus, Freya, Inanna, Sarasvati, Ch’ang-O, Sin, Antu, Pax, Felicitas, Irene, Venus
Magic	Protection, reversing spells, conception and creation, spells that work below the surface, spirit work, ancestor spells, divination

The 5 Best Herbs To Use In January

These herbs can be used medicinally as well as magickally. If you don’t feel comfortable ingesting an herb, it can be burned as incense or used in spell bottles.  

I chose these herbs to help with 5 common concerns we have during January:

• How to beat the winter blues.
• How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions.
• How to honor the sun as it becomes stronger.
• How to replenish our energy after stressful holidays.
• How to warm ourselves up in the dead of winter.

The Best Herb To Beat The January Blues: Kava Kava

Kava root is my number one herb these days. During the stressful holidays, I was using a kava tincture nearly daily. The relief from that tincture was almost instant.

It is more traditionally taken as a strong tea, but it can taste quite bad. 

Kava relaxes the muscles and eases tension. It stops the incessant chatter in our minds that makes us even more stressed out.

Kava is used spiritually to seek enlightenment. It has euphoric qualities and is a beautiful herb to share with others.

This plant is said to cause psychic visions, ward against evil, and is an aphrodisiac.

Instead of ingesting it, you can burn the herb to unlock its magical properties.

The Best Herb To Stay Disciplined With Your New Year’s Resolutions: Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a popular adaptogenic herb. That means it helps our body to find homeostasis: Clear, calm, focused, and energetic all at once. 

It’s important to note that some people are allergic to ashwagandha. Sadly, I’m one of them! I get very itchy if I take the herb for more than a few days.

But if you aren’t allergic to this herb, it can be taken orally as a pill. I’ve found that it gives me clear-headed energy and helps me to stay focused on my goals.

If I take it with coffee, however, I get jittery and overstimulated.

Ashwagandha has masculine, Mars energy. It’s associated with the fire element.

Use ashwagandha in spells for concentration, mental health, energy, passing tests, success at work, endurance, and physical health. 

It’s also used in love potions and charm bags. A bath made with Ashwagandha root will help with trauma recovery and stress.

The Best Herb To Honor The Sun: Chamomile

Chamomile was used in Ancient Egypt to honor and represent the sun god Ra. It was also used in the mummification process and in many medical treatments.

And it’s no surprise: this little flower has a sunny disposition. It makes us happier, calmer, and more focused. 

A tea made of chamomile can help to banish negativity.

Chamomile essential oil is lovely for dressing candles to give them the energy of the sun.

January is a month when the sun is still weak but growing. One way to be witchy this month is to light a candle dressed with chamomile oil and let it burn to strengthen the sun.

The Best Herb To Replenish Energy After The Holidays: Damiana

During January, the earth is gathering its strength to burst forth with new blooms. That makes this a very fertile time.

Use this fertility to replenish your energy and give you the strength to carry on with your life.

Damiana also increases magical energy within us and in our spells. This herb works perfectly in a charm bag or as an incense. A bath made with damiana will activate its other magical properties of psychic power and love.

When you need to be filled with vitality, damiana can’t be beat!

Damiana is used in psychic work like divination. It promotes psychic visions and increases our psychic abilities.

This little yellow flower is also a potent love herb, perfect for lust, love, and fertility magick.

The Best Herb To Help Warm You Up: Rosemary

For kitchen witches, the best magick to do at this time of year is to cook warming, wholesome stews and soups. Rosemary is a great herb to help you focus on warming the body and soul.

This multi-functional, potent herb has many medicinal and magickal properties.

A potent fire element herb, this plant is associated with the astrological sign Leo and the sun. Use the warmth of this plant in any dish you make to rekindle the fire inside everyone who eats it.

Rosemary is used around the home to ward off evil spirits and to ease nightmares. 

Rosemary was burned in sick rooms and hospitals in France to help purify the air. This plant is a great purifier.

It is also used to increase fidelity, dispel jealousy, enhance memory, remain youthful, and remember past lives.