Senna Meaning and magickal uses
Also called Cassia Senna, Alexandrian Senna, Senna alexandrina
A yellow-flowered herb for clearing out what is stuck, worked with in charms only.
- Element
- Air
- Planet
- Mercury
- Day
- Wednesday
- Moon phase
- Waning Gibbous
- Parts used
- Dried leaves and pods (for charms only)
How to use it
- Clear the clutter
Sprinkle a pinch of dried senna in a small paper envelope with a list of what you want out of your life. Seal it and bin it on a waning moon, then tidy one corner of your home.
- Fresh start sachet
Mix senna leaves with rosemary and lemon balm in a cloth pouch. Hang it by your desk when you need to let go of old habits and make room for something new.
- Love charm
In old folk magick senna was added to love sachets. Tuck a few leaves into a pink pouch with rose petals and keep it in a drawer, never in food or drink.
Works well with
History and folklore
Senna has been traded from Egypt and Arabia since the Middle Ages, when Arab physicians made it famous across the Mediterranean, which is why it is often called Alexandrian senna after the port it shipped from. It still appears in pharmacy products today, a side best left to health professionals. In folk magick senna was used in love sachets, and modern witches also use it as a symbol of clearing out what is stuck.
A yellow-flowered herb for clearing out what is stuck, worked with in charms only.
- Intentions: Cleansing, Banishing, Love
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Day: Wednesday
- Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
- Parts used: Dried leaves and pods (for charms only)
Safety: Senna is a strong laxative. Never eat it, drink it as tea, or add it to food or drink in spellwork, and keep it away from children and pets. It is unsafe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Use it only in sealed charms and sachets, and wash your hands after handling.
How to use it
- Clear the clutter. Sprinkle a pinch of dried senna in a small paper envelope with a list of what you want out of your life. Seal it and bin it on a waning moon, then tidy one corner of your home.
- Fresh start sachet. Mix senna leaves with rosemary and lemon balm in a cloth pouch. Hang it by your desk when you need to let go of old habits and make room for something new.
- Love charm. In old folk magick senna was added to love sachets. Tuck a few leaves into a pink pouch with rose petals and keep it in a drawer, never in food or drink.
Works well with: Waning Gibbous, Yellow Candle, Wednesday, Citrine
Folklore
Senna has been traded from Egypt and Arabia since the Middle Ages, when Arab physicians made it famous across the Mediterranean, which is why it is often called Alexandrian senna after the port it shipped from. It still appears in pharmacy products today, a side best left to health professionals. In folk magick senna was used in love sachets, and modern witches also use it as a symbol of clearing out what is stuck.
The Witch's Cabinet is a free reference for your practice. Correspondences are traditional associations, not medical advice. Always follow the safety notes, especially with herbs and essential oils around children, pets and during pregnancy.