I'm trying to learn more about creating sachets, oils, and simple potions but am frustrated with trying to figure out the reasons some herbs are associated with certain elements or gendered as they are on entries about them. Does anyone know of a resource that will tell me the "why" of these associations rather than just stating them and moving on?
I believe it has something to do with astrology. Plants are associated with the planets depending on their appearance and properties. The planets correspond to an element and possibly a gender as well (although I believe there are various gender correspondences for the planets). Most of the websites I looked at were chock-a-block full of examples with very little explaination but if I find a better explaination or resource I'll get back to you.
Try looking into plant lore, or myth and magic of plants. All plants have at least three stories associated with them. The pagean, christian, and the botanncial. So they also have many names and differnt gods, goddesses and staints associated to them. It is worth the research. I am a long time plant geek.
There is a really good documentary similar to what you've talked about, it's mainly about 2012 but this guy David Wilcock also mentions how planetary alignments cause changes to the comic environment and thus shape our spiritual biology.
Part of it is that I don't follow a particular path, I'm an eclectic witch. So both because all the different stuff you can find listed for the same plant confuses me a bit and because it strikes my curiosity pretty hard, I wanted to see if anyone knew.
A lot of it depends on the modality or paradigm they are being viewed through. Most though are based on the plant's properties and actions. If it is a warming herb it's generally linked with fire, and so on. Looking at the herbs themselves and what they are used for and the properties and actions they have is a good way to understand why they have been put in a specific category of association.