Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants - Juliet Diaz 2020

Holly Ilex
A Compendium of Plants

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

protection, shadow work, new beginnings, resilience

Ilex is a genus of more than 400 species of flowering plants, and is the only living genus in that Aquifoliaceae family. Holly is such a beauty—most people think of the holidays whenever they see her. Holly also has a lot of symbolism in Christianity—the spiky leaves are said to represent the thorns of Jesus’s crown, and the red berries are meant to be drops of blood.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

While most holly is inedible, a few varieties can be used to make tea—for example, from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, or yerba maté. These leaves will reduce a fever partly by inducing sweating, are an expectorant, and a good general tonic.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Turn to holly when you are doing shadow work, or when you are seeking more resilience. Keep holly in your home, particularly during the winter months, and she will protect you from the shadows roaming the Earth. You can hang her over doors that aren’t opened very often to keep them from building up stagnant energy. And if you are going through a transition in life, work with holly—she will help you let go of your old life, to be reborn into your new one.

PLANT WISDOM

Holly will pull you to your best self even if you go kicking and screaming. She doesn’t want to hear your excuses—and that can be a good thing! Some of us need tough love in order to see that even if we are comfortable where we are, that isn’t good enough. We are evolving and ever-expanding beings, and holly makes sure we know it. Work with her when you practice self-development, and be ready for the ride of a lifetime. If you dream of holly, that means you are probably someone who gets back up whenever they are knocked down. Holly honors your resilience, and wants to make your journey a little less painful—she will get you to a place where you can finally experience some peace.