Solomon's Seal: Magical Properties & Uses

Solomon's Seal is used to seal magical workings and to bind oaths: it is the herb of the completed working, of the promise made final, of the contract that holds. In protection workings it seals a space or a person against intrusion. In love workings it binds the commitment that has been made. In spirit work it is used to bind what has been summoned or encountered: it does not banish but contains and holds. The dried root is carried as a protective talisman and used in sachets for the sealing of intentions. It is a herb of authority and finality rather than of opening and invitation.

Solomon's Seal root (Polygonatum multiflorum and related species) has been used medicinally in European and Chinese herbal traditions. It contains steroidal saponins and has been used for joint complaints, connective tissue injuries, and as a demulcent. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is considered a tonic for the lungs and kidneys. Culpeper recommended it for bruises, broken bones, and skin complaints, applications consistent with its known constituents. It has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in laboratory studies. The berries are toxic and must not be consumed. The root in moderate doses is considered safe.

Solomon

A graceful arching plant whose rhizome bears the scars of past seasons as small wax-seal marks: from which it takes its name. The seal of Solomon is associated with the legendary ring of King Solomon that gave him power over demons; the plant's marks were read as bearing this seal, giving it authority in workings of binding and exorcism. In medieval European magic it was used in exorcism and in the binding of spirits. Culpeper associated it with Saturn and gave it extensive medicinal coverage for wounds and broken bones. In British folk tradition the root was used to make a wash that removed freckles and blemishes: an early cosmetic application of its genuine skin-healing properties.