Parts Used: Leaf.

Grows With: Grows well next to tomatoes. Do not plant Basil next to Rue, as they are not compatible.

Constituents: Sedative.

Uses: Basil is used to treat stomach cramps, vomiting, fevers, colds, flu, headaches, whooping cough, and menstrual pains. It is also used to reduce stomach acid, making it a valuable part of any treatment for ulcers, and a valuable addition to any recipe using tomatoes for those with sensitive stomachs. Externally, it can be used for insect bites, to draw out the poisons. It has been used in other countries to eliminate worms from the intestines, and the oil from basil leaves is applied directly to the skin to treat acne. Basil is a popular culinary herb. It is aromatic, and carminative. It will expel flatulence and help to ease abdominal cramping. The essential oil obtained from the plant contains camphor. As a medicine, Basil is most often taken in the form of an infusion. The pungent fresh leaves of Basil are the principal ingredient of pesto, the classic Italian pasta sauce. In recent centuries, when an Italian woman placed a potted Basil plant on her balcony, it signaled that she was ready to receive her lover. And in northern Europe, lovers exchanged Basil sprigs as signs of faithfulness. Basil's flavor is particularly compatible with tomato. A pot of fresh Basil is useful in the kitchen to repel flies, and it was commonly used for that purpose in pavement cafes in southern France. Herbalists consider this herb both digestive and sedative, as well as a stimulant to the immune system. It has been successful in treating intestinal parasites and skin infections, especially acne. Hot Basil tea is said to be helpful in alleviating indigestion and stomach cramps, kidney and bladder troubles, fevers, colds, flu, headaches, warts, nausea, vomiting and constipation. It can be used to promote menstruation. The dried, powdered herb was once taken as snuff to clear the head in cases of headaches or colds.

Miscellaneous: Basil is said to protect one from evil and negativity, and to aid in attracting and keeping love. It is used for purification baths, and in wealth and prosperity rituals. Carrying a basil leaf in your pocket brings wealth, and if powdered basil is sprinkled over your mate while they sleep, it is supposed to eliminate infidelity from your marriage. An herb of Mars and under the Scorpion, and therefore called Basilicon, it is thought to carry a kind of virulent quality with it. It was once customary in Hindu homes to place a sprig of Basil on the dead before burial, to ensure their safe passage to the next world. According to medieval superstition, scorpions liked to hide beneath pots of Basil, and a sprig left under the pot would hatch into a scorpion. Basil continued to inspire fear well into the seventeenth century, when it was popularly believed that taking snuff made from the powdered leaves would allow scorpions to nest in your brain! One explanation for Basil's deadly reputation is a confusion of its Latin name, basilicus with basilisk, a fabulous reptile with a fatal glance that struck dead anyone crossing its path.

Flower Essence:  Cleansing, both physically and energetically, dispels toxins from the body; helps to resolve bitterness and resentment. For those who see sexuality and spirituality as opposing forces, Basil helps to harmonize our emotional, sexual and spiritual lives into a sacred wholeness.