Valerian: Magical Properties & Uses

Valerian is the deep-sleep herb of the magical apothecary: used in pillows and sachets to produce heavy, restorative sleep, to still a racing mind before divination, and to quiet the kind of agitation that makes magical work impossible. Its primary magical uses are sleep, peace, and the protection of those in a vulnerable or open state. In love magic it has a long traditional use: its association with Lovers' Herb reflects its use in sachets to draw and sustain love. Cats are attracted to it as strongly as to catnip, giving it an additional association with cat magic and with feline deities including Bast.

Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is one of the most widely researched herbal sleep aids. Multiple clinical trials have examined it for insomnia, with generally positive results. It is believed to work through interaction with GABA receptors, similar to but much milder than benzodiazepine drugs. It is approved as a herbal medicine for mild sleep disturbance in several European countries and is also used for anxiety and restlessness. Side effects are minimal, though it can cause drowsiness the following morning in higher doses. The dried root has a distinctive and strongly unpleasant smell.

Hecate, Aphrodite (roots)

Valerian takes its name from the Latin valere, to be strong or well. In medieval Europe it was known as All-Heal and used for virtually every complaint from epilepsy to the plague. Culpeper gave it one of his most enthusiastic entries, recommending it for headaches, trembling, palpitations, and as a preventive against infection. In 18th and 19th century Europe it was used as a sedative and treatment for hysteria. The Pied Piper of Hamelin legend is sometimes interpreted as a reference to valerian's rat-attracting properties: rats are drawn to the root's scent as strongly as cats to catnip.