Garlic, it is synonymous with protection, vampires and the Evil Eye. It has had a place in folk magic and religion since Ancient Egypt. It has also been associated, historically, with currency, sexual health and courage. Like courage, it is available to everyone.
In order to highlight garlic's protective properties, let's spend some time in Italy. According to Vito Quattrocchi in his writings on magical Catholicism (specifically Benedicaria and The Sicilian Blade II), the plant is synonymous with Saint Michael . That being said, in Southern Italy and Sicily, garlic is Saint Michael--or it is invested with his energy. His book, Benedicaria (which I highly recommend for enthusiasts of folk magic, esoteric Christianity and faith healing), contains a procedure for imbuing a head with the Saint's power of on your altar. According to Sicilian folklore, garlic was placed at the foot of the cross to protect Jesus from demons in his "weakened state," as Quattrocchi puts it.
In an historical context, Pliny claimed that garlic was burned as a spirit during the taking of oaths. He named the plant several times in remediation and ancient medicine. It has been used around the world as an antiseptic, to dress wounds and fight off infection, well into the modern era.
On a magical level, garlic is probably best
know for its European uses. Here we have popular customs for repelling unwanted neighbors, spirits and the Evil Eye. Strings of garlic were usually hung by doorways and whole cloves or heads were placed on the windowsill. This is where the widespread link with vampires (psychic or otherwise) derives, in part.
Garlic can still be used in the magical or talismanic ways listed above. It can be incorporated into kitchen magic or protective work seamlessly. Garlic is readily available, always near us to lend a hand.
