Saffron's mad about me
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me" [4]
While the song "Mellow Yellow" has nothing to do with the herb Saffron, I've have always liked it, and when I smell Saffron, it always seems to creep into my mind.
Magickal correspondences:
Element: Fire [1, 2 & 3l] (also has the nature of the "Fiery part of Fire" [1])
Planet: Sun [1 & 2] and Jupiter [3]
Zodiac: Leo [1 & 3] and Sagittarius [3]
Fixed star: Antares [1]
Lunar mansion perfume: 9th [1]
Gender: Masculine [2]
Tarot: Wheel of Fortune [3]
Deities: Eros, Ashtoreth [2]
Cunningham tells us that Saffron can be used for love, healing, happiness, wind raising, lust, and strength. Both Cunningham and Zalewski speak of Saffron's use to increase psychic powers, divination and trance work.
Because only the stigma of the plant is used, it is considered very valuable.[1] In the Far East now, and in the ancient world, Saffron was used to dye priestly robes, signifying the perfection of Divinity.[3]
Baking Saffron in crescent shaped cakes can be used to honor the Moon.[2]
Greer associates Saffron with "The Wheel of Fortune" because of the "wind raising" aspect of its nature. By using a little Saffron you can summon up the winds of change and turn the wheel to create a new fortune.
Saffron can be found as both a dry herb and an essential oil.
Greer warns us that in excess, Saffron "makes one mad with desire and corrupts the soul." [1]
"I'm just mad about Saffron
Saffron's mad about me
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me" [4]
Note: Mexican Saffron is (Carthamus tinctoria) and not the magickal Saffron.
Ref:
[1] "Herbs In Magic and Alchemy" by C.L. Zalewski (c) 1990 (pub. 1991)
ISBN: 1-85327-046-6
[2] "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" by Scott Cunningham
(c) 1985 (pub. 1994) ISBN: 0-87542-122-9
[3] "The Essence of Magic" by Mary K. Greer (c) 1993 (pub. 1993) ISBN:
0-87877-180-8
[4] "Mellow Yellow" by Donovan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki