Patchouli: the official scent of every metaphysical shop you’ve ever walked into and the reason your friend Jeremy’s place smells like a Phish concert. It’s an herb that divides people—some say it’s earthy and grounding, others say it smells like wet dirt and regret.
Love it or hate it, Patchouli is a staple of the spiritual scene. It says to the world, “I meditate 30 minutes a day and hold very strong opinions on Mercury Retrograde, and Twin Flames.” A perennial with a musky scent that lingers long after you’ve left the room, Patchouli is the herbal equivalent of a house guest who overstays their welcome. A house guest who hasn’t bathed in a fortnight and was sprayed by ferrets.
Correspondences:
Patchouli is associated with the element Earth, which is fitting because it literally smells like someone bottled up a freshly dug manure and said, “Yep, this’ll do.” It’s connected to love, money, and fertility, so if you’ve ever wanted to manifest romance while also attracting cash, Patchouli is your herb. It’s also tied to prosperity, sensuality, and grounding, which sounds great—if you’re okay with smelling like a 70s commune.
There are no deities that are traditionally associated with patchouli (unless Jerry Garcia and Bob Marley count), although many modern-day witches attribute and offer patchouli to Dionysis, Pan, Cernunnos, and Gaia.
Magical Uses:
Patchouli’s magic game is strong, but you’ll have to get past its intense scent to harness its power. Whether you’re manifesting abundance or channeling love, here’s how to make Patchouli work for you (and your nasal passages):
- Sprinkle Patchouli leaves or oil in your wallet or purse if you want to attract money. Fair warning: you may also attract side-eye from people wondering if you’ve been rolling around in a pile of damp moss.
- To draw love, rub Patchouli oil on a candle and light it during a full moon ritual. Bonus points if you also use it to oil up your tarot cards for that extra “I totally know what I’m doing” energy.
- Feeling ungrounded? Smear some Patchouli oil on your feet. This will either ground you in your body or make you question your life choices, but hey, grounding is grounding, right?
- Want to enhance fertility? Use Patchouli in a bath ritual. Just be aware that you’ll smell like you’ve been touring with the Grateful Dead for eleven years, so make sure your partner’s into that kind of thing.