Dittany of Crete Organic Herb
This batch of Dittany of Crete herb was recently harvested and shipped to us directly from Greece.
One of the most famous herb of the Cretan land. The hidden secrets of an herb that has been known for over 5000 years to mankind. It has been prized as an aromatic, medicinal, and culinary herb.
Dittany - (Origanum dictamnus) is an endemic plant of Crete that is found naturally growing in the most inconvenient places— on the sides of cliffs and gorges. on the steep slopes of the mountains of the island which grows wild only on the Aegean isle of Crete and nowhere else in the world. Its seeds and depictions have been discovered in Minoan vessels. Hippocrates, the father of medicine 2500 years ago was the first to call it “Cretan” Dittany of Crete because the plant that existed only in Crete.
Magickal Dittany – the herb of Love
Over the years Dittany of Crete has developed quite a large magical reputation. In Cretan tradition, it symbolizes love and is thought to be an aphrodisiac. The local name for Dittany is “Erontas,” referencing Eros. If a young man wished to truly prove his love to a young woman, he would “climb any mountain” to gather a bouquet of the fragrant herb to present to her. As the legend goes, these young men were known as “Erondades” [love-seekers]. To obtain a bouquet of Dittany, it was said, you had to truly be in love. Even the people of Cretan’s name for this plant is Erontas “love herb”. Cretan women made sorcerous love magic with the herb.
It is said if you burn a Dittany of Crete blend on a charcoal disc and stare at the rising smoke, you will see the face of your intended love. This same incense can be used to spice up a stale love life in the bedroom. You can make love poppets or sachets along with other herbs to encourage love. In European folk magick, Dittany is regarded as a consummate love herb. Feeding it to your intended is supposed to cause them to fall irretrievably in love with you. There are also theories that in olden times Dittany Tea was used as an erotic stimulant.
Since Dittany of Crete is associated with the Underworld and is related to Persephone, Orris, and other deities who assist with transport into that realm it is perfect for manifestations of spirits when burned as incense. Especially at All Samhain / Hallow’s Eve when seeking communication for wisdom from the other side.
It is also great for divination, as it helps with the activation of your Third Eye, and helps with activating psychic vision. You can make a poultice of the leaves to rub on your Third Eye or use a Dittany of Crete Oil, unfortunately, this is a very difficult commodity to come by.
According to some books, the “juice of Dittany will drive away venomous beasts, so rub it on your body before entering their domains.” Presumably that applies to any kind of biting or stinging pest. Perhaps it extends to snakes and the like as well.
But perhaps the bulk of Dittany of Crete’s magical reputation comes from New York City in 1875, the Theosophical Society. Formed by a number of leading occultists, including the controversial Helena Blavatsky, and was part of a web of occultists that included the Spiritualists, the Hermetic Order of Light, the Hermetic Order of Luxor, the Mesmerists, various orders and groups.
In essence, the Theosophists considered it sacred to the goddess of the moon, and a powerful aid to achieving trance states.
This usage, in turn, impacted the magician Aleister Crowley as he mentions in his journals using Dittany of Crete as an incense to help him obtain evocation to visible appearance, as a boost to his own spirit sight as well as a source of magical power for the spirit and has since been used for exactly that.
Even in Harry Potter – Dittany is a magickal plant used in Wiggenweld Potion-Making and Hermione uses Dittany of Crete for the instant healing of wounds.
Correspondences:
Planetary: Mercury and Venus
Zodiac: Libra and Gemini
Gender: Masculine and Feminine
Element: Air and Water
Powers: Divination, Manifestation, Love, Astral Projection, Protection
Sabbat: Samhain
Deity: Eros, Venus, Mercury, Artemis, Persephone, Zeus
Other Names: Hop Marjoram, Erontas, Hop Plant
Its rarity makes it one of the most sought-after magickal herb, some even believing that is a myth and not a real herb. It can be homegrown in warm climates, but is quite difficult to harvest, even when cultivated, and the yield is small. The wildcrafted stock is threatened, and it's rarely cultivated on anything close to a commercial scale. Though I have this in small supplies, it is difficult to attain. We do sometimes have the Essential oils in stock, but in small supplies. Do hope this information is helpful in some way to you all.
Warnings: Some herb merchants are selling marjoram or oregano labeled as Dittany of Crete, even though they are technically cousins, they are certainly not the same. It is a very expensive herb, pretty much unavailable commercially.
Thank you and happy shopping!
