The herb Dill  has quite an intriguing history.  It dates back to the tombs of the Egyptians.  It was often  recommended as a pain killing remedy.  The ancient Greeks covered their eyes with  large pieces of dill to induce sleep.  It’s name can be traced back to a Norse word meaning” to keep quiet.” Do you know that during Colonial times, dill seeds were chewed during church services to help people keep hunger at bay and stay awake? 

Dill’s health benefits  are immense, however the main focus of this article is on its use as a magical herb. Halloween is just around the corner. Hence, stories of spells and magic will be told widespread. Undoubtedly, Dill is quite the  magical herb for  spells. The seed leaves or whole plant were used in the ancient days to create spells. For example, leaves and seeds would be made into a spell bag and placed in a wallet to attract money. Dill was frequently used money spells. Today, dill is still used in money attracting magical spells.

Dill was also used in love spells. Ladies were told to add grains of dill to their bath before going on a date to make themselves  irresistible. For example, the scent of dill is suppose to stimulate lust so the men would hang a bag with dill seeds in the shower to attract women. 

Some believe that certain herbs could ward of evil spirits. Did you know that Early Egyptians used dill seeds to ward of witches. Dill was made into a wreath or hung over a doorway to keep the  dark forces at bay and very useful for house blessing. It is believe that dill has a cleansing ability. This  belief  is still very common today in certain cultures. It was also used to encourage and welcome prosperity into the home.

For instance, Dill is one of the important herbs used during  an old festival call Midsummer’s eve. Although this festival is not widely celebrated anymore, it is still a major holiday in places like Sweden. And there are still those who believe that this date June 23rd  is magical.  Apparently, the date is one of those times  when the pagan and Christian traditions seem to merge.  That is where dill comes in.

June 23rd is known as  Midsummer’s eve  and was  celebrated quite extensively in Scandinavia  and Ireland On the Eve of that day , witches and fairies crossed over to the other side.  Some herbs were thought to be at their most potent and dill was one of them.  Some would use dill and other herbs as protection, others would put them under their pillow to dream about a potential lover. There are numerous stories and legends surrounding this holiday.  This  day seem to have morphed  into a Christian holiday called St. John’s Day or John the Baptist Day.

Other herbs with a  magical capacity are, oregano. rosemary and thyme. No one knows whether these magical  uses of culinary herbs work. However, it is useful to learn the importance that those herbs played in the lives of those that came before us. 

Today many of these ancient spells are taken with “two grains of salt”. However, there are those who still believe in the power of Dill as a magical herb especially when Halloween comes around.