Rosemary Spiritual Meaning: How to Utilize This Powerful Herb

Rosemary, a powerful herb, is used every day in recipes, incense, and even in medicine. Spiritually, rosemary holds a lot of power and shouldn’t be underestimated. For centuries, our ancestors have known about the magical (and sometimes healing) properties of this fragrant, woody herb.

But how can you harness the power of rosemary today? Will it help you on your spiritual journey?

In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know, including what the rosemary spiritual meaning is, plus 5 different ways you can use rosemary to enrich your spirit and life.

Spiritual Meaning of Rosemary

Rosemary is a powerful herb with a lot of meaning behind it. We can track records of rosemary being used for spiritual purposes back to the Ancient Greeks and beyond. Once only growing in the Mediterranean region, rosemary is now grown around the world and is an easily accessible spiritual herb for you to use daily!

Memory and remembrance

Rosemary is a huge symbol of memory and remembrance. If you see rosemary or feel attracted to the rosemary scent/flavor, then this can be a sign that your spirit is trying to remember something or feels nostalgic.

It can mean:

• You are remembering or feel close to an ancestor or loved one who has passed,
• You are forgetting something important, and the rosemary is your guide to remembering,
• You have remembered who you are and what your purpose is in life (rosemary also symbolizes faith).

Love

Rosemary can also be a strong symbol of love and is commonly used as greenery amongst floral displays at weddings. As rosemary is known to ward off negative energy it is a great herb to encourage joy and happiness on your wedding day.

Regarding love and relationships of all kinds, rosemary has spiritual significance because it is a symbol of longevity. If you find rosemary is attracted to you and a partner or friend, this is a spiritual sign that your connection will be long-lasting – they’re a friend or partner for life!

You might find that rosemary at your wedding or the start of your relationship will prevent infidelity too.

Fertility

Hanging rosemary above or around your bed is not just supposed to aid with sleep (our ancestors believed that it was a cure for insomnia, when stuffed into pillows) but also improve fertility. If you have been trying for a baby, then rosemary is a wonderful natural herb to use.

Consider hanging it around your bedroom, breathing in the scent of it, or just adding a few drops of rosemary essential oil to your bath before bed.

Faith

Rosemary is strongly associated with faith and good energy. It’s used to ward of negative energies and bad omens, so carrying rosemary around with you is great for spiritual health and wellness. Rosemary around your home will cleanse the space and your faith too.

As rosemary clears your mind, you’ll be less likely to fall for temptation and sin. Although some people believe rosemary is associated with witchcraft, there’s nothing malignant about the herb and you should feel relieved, relaxed, and calm when using it.

Rosemary Symbolism

Rosemary is a symbol of love, spirituality, and memory above all else. Giving someone a sprig of rosemary or growing it by a grave is a sign that you’ll always remember this person and are passing along good energy.

It’s also a strong symbol of protection against temptation, infidelity, lack of faith, and general negative energy. Drawing rosemary, using fresh rosemary sprigs, or other rosemary scents around your home is a beautiful way to cleanse your family.

Rosemary Health Benefits

Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus (once known as Rosmarinus officinalis), is an evergreen shrub which means it’s available to use in cooking, for incense and spiritual reasons all year around. Essential oils from rosemary and the antioxidant components of the herb also mean that it’s used in plenty of medicines. Here are some of the health benefits that science has found in rosemary leaves, and a few ancient remedies that our ancestors knew of.

Proven Health Benefits

Nervous system disorders – carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid are found in rosemary leaves and can be used for therapeutic treatment of nervous system disorders, with fewer side effects, according to this review.

Treat redness, acne, and skin inflammation – this study found that applying rosemary topically is a great way to deliver its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to a specific area of the body. The study also notes that this makes it a great ingredient in skincare items that combat UV damage, aging, and cellulite.

Protect your liver – rosemary essential oil is proven to have hepatoprotective effects, which is good news for anyone with a pathological liver condition! The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of rosemary prevent oxidative stress on the liver.

Prevent hair loss – rosemary oils have proven to be just as effective as modern medicine at slowing down hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia (the most common form of hair loss for both men and women). It also makes your hair smell great!

Ancient Remedies

Rosemary has been used by numerous Mediterranean cultures, where the plant originates from. The Ancient Greeks in particular had great use for rosemary, as they believe it was a potent remedy for memory problems.

In fact, there’s evidence that the Ancient Greeks burned rosemary stalks in classrooms and academic places to stimulate memory and enhance learning. We also know that they wore the rosemary sprigs in their hair too.

This ancient belief that rosemary assists memory is also why many people were buried with rosemary, or rosemary was left by the burial site – it was a sign that the family of the deceased would always remember those who died.

When added to bridal bouquets, it signifies that the betrothed will never forget the family they came from.

Our ancestors also used rosemary to treat:

• Emotional upset and depression,
• Insomnia,
• Headaches and migraines,
• Mild pain and seizures.

Magical Properties of Rosemary

It is said that rosemary is the clarifying and purifying herb. If you have lost spirituality or are afraid of losing your faith, rosemary is said to clear your mind and help you see the truth path in front of you.

Rosemary in folklore and witchcraft is nearly always used as a tool for good rather than evil.

Everything about this plant is about cleansing, remembering and calming:

• Rosemary is also known as ‘dew of the sea’ as it originally grew along the shores of the Mediterranean, where the fresh sea breeze has a cooling and calming effect,
• Legend says that the Virgin Mary took shelter by a rosemary bush, turning the flowers from white to blue and thus giving the plant its name ‘rose of Mary’,
• Several myths and stories speak of lost souls and people with memory loss using rosemary to regain knowledge and remember their true path.

Rosemary is one of the most accessible magical herbs. Although Spain and France are among the biggest growers and exporters of rosemary, it can be grown anywhere that there’s a moderate climate and doesn’t require much attention to flourish.

5 Ways to Use Rosemary for Spiritual Health

To enhance the positive effects of rosemary and use it to ward off negative energies, here are 5 different ways you can use this wonderful herb.

Essential Oil Bath

As our scientific research has proven (see above) rosemary has amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, especially when applied topically. That’s why taking a rosemary bath is a brilliant way to cleanse your entire body, especially your lungs too.

You can either add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary to your bath or use a few drops of rosemary essential oil. You will absorb the magical properties of rosemary through your skin and breathe in the rosemary-rich steam.

Rosemary Tea

Rosemary tea is a really delicious tea to brew and you can make it with fresh rosemary, dried rosemary, or rosemary teabags. This allows you to consume the nutrients from the rosemary directly. This is perfect for helping to settle your body and restore faith.

You should drink rosemary tea during special occasions and events – this will ensure that you remember the day for a long time to come and remember the people you are with.  You can also use rosemary tea to cleanse away any negative energies, such as anxiety or depression.

Dried Rosemary Recipes

Rosemary goes well with a number of dishes and can be used as a seasoning – look out for rosemary salt at the grocery store. Finely chopped rosemary goes nicely in tomato sauces for pasta, roasts, meat marinades, and stews. It is a common ingredient in Greek, Cypriot and Italian cuisines, as well as many other cultural foods from Europe.

The main benefit of consuming rosemary in this way is mental clarity, peace, and happiness. It can also be an amazing way to harness the love-evoking properties of rosemary. Nothing says “I love you” more than a home-cooked meal containing this delicious herb.

Rosemary Candles and Incense

Burning rosemary sprigs (it’s easier with dried rosemary) can cleanse your home and your aurora. Don’t breathe in the smoke directly, just let it gently swirl through a ventilated room and enjoy the calming fragrance. Never leave burning incense or a candle unattended.

This will remove any negative marks or omens from your home and bless whoever lives there with faith, love, and clarity of mind. If you don’t have rosemary to burn, try rosemary scented soy candles (great for meditation) or an aromatherapy diffuser with rosemary essential oils (great for massage and general relaxation).

Hanging Rosemary

Many people hang herbs in their kitchen or bathroom to help freshen up the room and create a pleasant fragrance – lavender is usually more popular than rosemary for this purpose. However, you can also hang sprigs of rosemary by the entrance to your home. This will deter negative energies from entering, as well as negative people!

Rosemary isn’t a protective herb – vervain and hawthorn are more appropriate for protection – but it is a cleansing one. Just like a door mat cleans your feet when you enter your home, a sprig of rosemary cleanses your spirit and mind as you pass beneath it.

If you don’t have fresh or dried sprigs of rosemary to hand, fill a small muslin cloth bag with rosemary leaves instead.

FAQs

What does rosemary symbolize?

Rosemary is a spiritual symbol of faith, love (especially fertility and fidelity), remembrance, and clarity. It is a positive and joyful herb that brings peace and good energy. It isn’t particularly lucky and won’t bring fortune, but it will help you find your faith.

What is rosemary?

Rosemary is a woody herb that originated in the Mediterranean. It is a very common shrub that’s easy to find in grocery stores and also easy to grow at home in your garden. Rosemary has been used since ancient times by numerous cultures to cleanse minds and boost remembrance. You can identify rosemary by its evergreen needle-like leaves and soft white-blue flowers.

What magical properties does rosemary have?

Rosemary has healing and cleansing properties. It does wonders for your mind and soul, cleansing away negativity and soothing anxiety. You can also use it for insomnia and sleep troubles by placing a sprig of rosemary beneath your pillow – some people find this to be an effective homemade sleep remedy. You can also drink, burn, and bathe in rosemary to absorb its magical potential.

What does Rosemary mean as a name?

The Latin name for rosemary is now Salvia rosmarinus but it was once known as Rosmarinus officinalis, which means ‘dew of the sea’. Rosemary is a common female name with English origins. Those named Rosemary are usually good at remembering things and have a clear sense of faith, right and wrong.