In Indian cuisines bay leaf or tej patta plays a very important role whether it is biryani or Curry. The bay leaf has to be there as part of the tempering. Bay leaf gives a certain sweet and pleasant taste to culinary preparation. In western cuisine, it is used to flavor meat, seafood stews, and soups. This bay leaf belongs to the bay laurel family. Bay laurel has a special connection with the Greek God Apollo. The aromatic leaves also play a big role in spiritual cleansing and rituals.
The Legends of Bay Laurel
Daphne whose name means Bay Laurel in Greek was a beautiful nymph who only desired to be unmarried and happy. In some stories, Daphne’s home was situated below Delphi. The city of Delphi was a sacred site of the Primordial earth goddess Gaia and the great serpent Pytho guarded this place. Once Apollo arrived at Delphi with a desire to build himself a place of worship. Arriving at the city Apollo killed Pytho to reclaim Delphi.
Apollo was drunk on his victory over Pytho; when Eros approached Apollo. He started mocking the small cupid, Eros. Apollo even told him to leave large weapons like the bow and arrow to greater gods like himself.
Eros responded to Apollo’s mocking by firing a golden arrow of desire into Apollo’s chest and a leaden arrow of repulsion into Daphne’s. The moment Apollo saw Daphne, he immediately wanted her. But the more Apollo desired Daphane the more she repulsed his advances. Devoting herself to a chaste life she was wholly uninterested. But Apollo was relentless. He followed and chased her along the river banks, praising her beauty and growing in his lust.
The more she snubbed him, the more he wanted her. Exhausted and terrified, she finally called out in desperation to her father to protect her. In one story, her father, the River Peneus, hearing his daughter’s plea, transformed her into a Bay Laurel tree, so she could forever remain chaste and rest peacefully beside the river of her birth. In another version, Gaia heard her call and opened the earth to swallow her, placing a Bay Laurel tree in her stead.
Apollo, saddened by the loss of Daphne declared the Bay Laurel his emblem and sacred tree. He cut a branch from her body and wove himself a wreath of her branches and returned to Delphi, crowned in self-proclaimed victory. He built his own temple made entirely of Bay Laurel and established the Pythian Games, a yearly festival and physical competition in honor of Pytho, whom he’d slain.
Because of this, the Bay Laurel became a symbol of ritual cleansing and victory. In many Greeks and Roman paintings, coins, depict the laurel headdress as a crown of triumph. During the Pythian Games, especially, the victors were adorned with woven laurel crowns. Even today the “Nobel Laureate” and “baccalaureate” are awards of distinction.
Bayleaf in rituals and ceremonies
Dried bay leaves are used in ceremonies for clarity or prophecy. They are tied into a bundle and burnt for smudging and cleansing of Aura, house or objects for ritual. Bay leaf is often an alternative to Sage. The smoke of bay leaf rids of all negative energies. It is a powerful protector of homes by placing a leaf on the door. The bay leaf tree must be planted in the last period of our life to guarantee a dignified and painless death. A formula to summon quick money is to place yourself under the rain with a bay leaf branch and imagine that every drop that falls to us is money that falls on our heads.
Divination
It is one of the most used leaves for the use of daphnomancy or Divination with fire, which consists of throwing a leaf on fire and visualizing the messages of the leaf through its drawings and its crackling.
Bay leaf Manifestation
Bay leaf is one of the plants that have a spiritual power to make your words and intentions real. It can be used for many things such as protection, manifestation, cleansing, prosperity, and many more. It is also related to the element of fire which is why bay leaves are burned when manifesting. By doing this, your manifestations are quick to be released into the universe and into your life.
Steps for manifestation.
Write It
No matter what you want or desire to have in your life, you can manifest it using a bay leaf. Regardless of Love, money, health, or anything you desire Bay Leaf will help it fulfill. Just be clear about your desire and write it on the leaf.
Channel It
Start focusing on the emotions and feelings that you are currently feeling. Focus your attention on the energy that you have, and start channeling it onto the bay leaf.
Visualize to Have It
After channeling your energy onto the bay leaf, visualize that you have already received your manifestations. No matter what it is, you have to visualize the very thing you’re manifesting.
Burn It.
The power of the bay leaf only becomes effective when you start to ignite it using fire.