Chamomile is an herb of Oxalá and of Ibeji. From Oxalá for its whiteness and patience, from Ibeji for the sweetness that every child recognizes.
The scene repeats in thousands of Brazilian kitchens: the grandmother puts the kettle on the fire, separates a spoonful of little yellow and white flowers, waits for the water to boil, covers the teapot, and in a few minutes serves her grandson a warm tea before bed. This gesture, repeated for centuries by mothers and grandmothers, is also a gesture of axé. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is, in the Afro-Brazilian pantheon, the sweetest herb that exists ruled by Oxalá for its patient whiteness and loved by Ibeji, the twin orixás of childhood, for the sweetness that every child recognizes. Even before Brazil existed, it was already offered to the sun god Ra in ancient Egypt. Today, it continues to be the first herb many people know and perhaps the most underestimated of the sacred herbs.
The herb of patience and sweetness
The scientific name already tells its story. Matricaria comes from the Latin matrix, uterus, for its millennial use in menstrual cramps and feminine discomforts. Chamomilla derives from the Greek khamaimelon, which means "earth apple" referring to the sweet and slightly apple-like aroma of the fresh flowers. It is not an imposing herb. It grows low, near the ground, it seems unassuming. But it is exactly this humility that makes it precious for spirituality.
In Umbanda and Candomblé, chamomile occupies a very specific place: it does not cut demands like rue, it does not open paths like rosemary, it does not discharge with a bang like the sword-of-saint-george. It calms, cradles, and sweetens. For this reason, it is mainly associated with Oxalá, the orixá of absolute peace, of creative patience, of the whiteness that organizes the world without haste. And also with the Ibeji, the twin orixás, and the line of the Erês child energy spirits that manifest in Umbanda bringing laughter, tenderness, and a wisdom that only lightness can reach.
As sociologist Reginaldo Prandi teaches in his work on the mythology of the orixás, childhood in the terreiro is not a purposeless game: it is serious spirituality expressed through lightness. The Erês are spiritual adults who choose to present themselves as children because, in axé, sweetness is also strength. And no herb understands this better than chamomile.
Some traditions also associate chamomile with Oxum, due to feminine softness and the yellow of the flower's center, the color of the mother of fresh waters. But the main regency falls upon Oxalá and Ibeji: the peace of the father and the joy of the children.
Colors: white, light yellow | Day: Sunday (Oxalá) or September 27 (Cosme and Damião / Ibeji) | Element: Air | Regent orixás: Oxalá, Ibeji | Syncretism: Saint Cosme and Saint Damião (September 27)
From ancient Egypt to the Brazilian terreiro
Few herbs have a biography as long as chamomile. More than four thousand years ago, the Egyptians already cultivated it and considered it sacred. It is no coincidence that each flower looks like a small sun: an intense yellow center, white petals in rays. Because of this visual similarity, it was offered to the sun-god Ra. Egyptian herbalists used it in both embalmings and the treatment of fevers, associating it with the solar force capable of renewing the body. Anyone who visits the site The History of Plants finds this millennial journey well documented.
Greeks and Romans inherited this knowledge. Hippocrates and Dioscorides prescribed chamomile for insomnia, digestive cramps, and nervousness. It was during this period that the name gained its definitive form khamaimelon, the "earth apple," a reference to the sweet perfume that rises when the flowers are rubbed between the fingers.
In the European Middle Ages, herbalist monks cultivated chamomile in monastic gardens, transforming it into infusions, liqueurs, and remedies for "humoral affections." There it established itself as the herb of domestic peace: the night tea, the grandmothers' tea, the tea for those who are sick. In parallel, in European popular culture, it gained fame as an herb of good luck: people who carried small bags of chamomile in their pockets believed it attracted calm and prosperity.
Chamomile arrived in Brazil through the hands of Portuguese colonizers, later reinforced by German and Italian immigrants in the south of the country. It adapted to the Brazilian climate and soon entered the popular repertoire as one of the first herbs given to babies. "Little chamomile tea" became a synonym for maternal care, a mandatory presence in haberdasheries, pharmacies, and kitchens.
Unlike African herbs brought by enslaved peoples such as akoko, peregun, or saião, chamomile did not come from Africa. It was adopted by Afro-Brazilian religions in the meeting of knowledge, a process that Candomblé and Umbanda do naturally: associating plants with orixás according to color, energy, popular use, and safety. Because of its whiteness, its lightness, its sweet aroma, and because it is one of the few herbs truly safe with children, chamomile was naturally integrated into the line of Oxalá and the Erês. It was recognized as a daughter of axé without ever needing to prove anything.
Chamomile for children, mourning, and heavy days
To understand why chamomile is so beloved, just list who it serves. The herb serves, with the same sweetness, very different audiences and perhaps that is its greatest ritual potency.
For restless babies or external colic. A warm bath with a well-strained chamomile infusion, in water at body temperature, calms the skin and the environment. When well done, it is one of the baby's first contacts with the axé of the house.
For "electric" children before bed. A very mild warm tea, with very little honey (only for children over 1 year old), becomes a bedtime ritual. The person who prepares it speaks sweet words, rocks them, tells a short story. The chamomile works together.
For the feast of Cosme and Damião (September 27). On this date, Umbanda terreiros all over Brazil celebrate the arrival of the Erês. Gentle smoke cleansing (defumação) before the gira, a peace ritual bath for the children of the house in the morning, tea offered on the white table along with the sweets. Chamomile is the herb that enters the party without scaring any child; on the contrary, it enchants. As shown by the Estado de Minas, these celebrations gather entire families around spiritual sweetness.
For adults in mourning or emotional crisis. A warm chamomile compress over the eyes, for five to ten minutes, relieves crying and visual fatigue. It is as if the axé of Oxalá entered through the eyes, teaching patience to the aching body.
For convalescence. Those recovering from illness or surgery benefit greatly from a chamomile ritual bath twice a week, combined with night tea. It is the ritual bath of "coming back to oneself," which returns calm and patience to a body that was out of balance.
For the baby's room and the house with children. A small bag of dried flowers near the crib (out of reach of the mouth) or a spray bottle with cold infusion perfumes and energizes the environment for the arrival of the Erês.
Caution: internal use (tea) in babies under 6 months only with pediatric guidance. Sensitive skin or atopic dermatitis? Talk to the pediatrician before the ritual bath as well.
Recipe: peace ritual bath for children
What you will need
- 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile (flowers)
- 500 ml of filtered water
- A clean dish towel or a fine strainer
Preparation
- Boil the water, turn off the heat and add the chamomile.
- Cover the pot and let it sit for 10 minutes, until it cools and becomes warm.
- Strain very well; loose flowers can irritate sensitive skin.
How to use
- Mix the strained infusion with the warm water of the child's ritual bath.
- Bathe from the neck down, with affection, speaking sweet words or humming.
- Do not rub, just envelop the child's body with the water.
- Do not rinse afterward. Dry with a soft towel, without friction.
- Ideal day: Sunday (Oxalá) or the eve of September 27 (Cosme and Damião).
Variation: night tea for adults
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 full teaspoon of dried flowers
- Steep for 5 to 7 minutes, strain, and drink 30 minutes before sleeping
- To enhance against anxiety, add a little lemon balm (true lemon balm)
Before bringing the cup to your mouth or bathing the child, a simple request helps align the intention. For the twins: “Bejirô! May the Ibeji bring peace, joy, and protection to this house.” For the great father: “Epa Babá! May Oxalá give us the patience of his hands.”
Chamomile vs lavender vs lemon balm
Three calming herbs, three distinct personalities. Knowing how to choose is part of the axé.
Chamomile is childlike, sweet, solar. It touches the digestive system, helps with light sleep, converses with the line of children and with Oxalá. It is the first choice for babies, children, convalescing elderly, and anyone in a state of fragility: mourning, post-surgery recovery, deep discouragement. Sweet aroma.
Lavender (alfazema) is adult, intense, lunar. It relaxes the muscles, relieves the day's heavy anxiety, converses with Oxum and Iemanjá (Yemoja). It is the choice for the adult who needs to "switch off" after work or for someone in an anxiety outburst. Striking aroma.
Lemon balm (erva-cidreira) / Melissa acts on the mind. It calms the "thought that won't stop," rumination, and the worry that won't let you sleep. Citric-menthol aroma. Modern studies place it as the most potent of the three for mild to moderate clinical anxiety; Correio Braziliense has published these researches well.
Practical rule:
- Child or convalescing elderly -> chamomile
- Adult in high anxiety -> lavender
- Mind that won't stop -> melissa
- Family peace ritual bath -> all three together
And about chamomile + honey: an ancestral combination. Honey is the sacred food of Oxum and a common offering to Ibeji. Together with chamomile, it becomes a ritual tea to sweeten life or a sweet ritual bath. Attention: honey is never for a baby under 1 year old (real risk of infant botulism).
Contraindications
Chamomile is one of the safest herbs in the world, but "very safe" is not "without risks." It is worth knowing the limits.
- Allergy to asteraceae. Those with a known allergy to daisy, chrysanthemum, wormwood, calendula, or arnica may react to chamomile; all belong to the same botanical family. Symptoms vary from skin irritation to, in rare cases, respiratory difficulty.
- Babies under 6 months old. External use (ritual bath with well-strained infusion) is usually safe with a pediatrician's approval. Internal use (tea) requires mandatory medical guidance due to the immaturity of the digestive system and the rare but documented risk of Clostridium botulinum spores in non-sterilized bulk chamomile.
- Pregnant women in large quantities. Very high doses (several liters of concentrated tea per day) can stimulate contractions. Sporadic use is safe; regular daily use requires medical approval.
- People using anticoagulants (warfarin, regular ASA) or sedatives. Chamomile has a slight anticoagulant effect and sedatives can add to the medication. Talk to a doctor before frequent internal use.
- Honey for babies. The chamomile + honey combination is traditional, but honey is never for children under 1 year old due to the real risk of infant botulism.
- Source of the herb. Prefer certified organic or steam-processed chamomile, especially for use with babies. Chamomile bought in bulk from an unknown location may carry spores and contaminants.
For detailed medical information, it is worth consulting the MSD Manuals, which maintains a complete professional entry on the plant.
Frequently asked questions about chamomile
Which orixá is chamomile an herb of?
Chamomile is mainly ruled by Oxalá, for the whiteness, peace, and patience it carries, and by Ibeji and the line of the Erês, for its natural sweetness and safety with children. Some traditions also associate it with Oxum, for the yellow of the flower's core and feminine softness. See more in What are the Orixás? Complete Guide.
Can I give a chamomile ritual bath to a newborn baby?
External use, with a well-strained infusion and warm water, is considered safe by most pediatricians in healthy babies, but it must be discussed with the pediatrician especially in babies with sensitive skin or atopic dermatitis. Internal use (tea) in children under 6 months only with medical guidance.
What is the difference between chamomile tea and a chamomile ritual bath?
The tea acts on the physical body: digestion, sleep, mild anxiety. The ritual bath acts on the energy: gentle descarrego, peace, opening for the spirit of the children. In the terreiro, they can complement each other. At home, the simple rule is: tea for inside, ritual bath for outside.
Is chamomile used for smoke cleansing?
Yes, and it is one of the mildest smoke cleansings that exist, ideal for baby rooms, homes with children, or to prepare the space before an Erês gira. It does not have intense smoke like rue or rosemary. Mix with lavender and benzoin for a complete smoke cleansing of peace.
Can chamomile and lavender be used together?
Yes, and it is traditional. Chamomile brings sweetness (child energy, axé of Oxalá), lavender brings muscle relaxation (adult energy). Together, they make a familiar peace ritual bath that serves for the whole house: adults, children, and the environment.
Where to buy chamomile and items for the Erês
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find everything to honor Oxalá and the Ibeji with quality and provenance:
- Dried chamomile in individual sachets, carefully packaged for ritual use
- White candles of Oxalá and colored candles for the Ibeji, also see the ritual candle color guide
- Statues of Cosme and Damião for a family altar or a terreiro altar
- Ready baths for children, prepared with axé by Joice Mística
- Ritual sweets for the feast of Cosme and Damião (September 27)
- Varied herbs to compose your home check the complete herbs catalog and the chamomile page
Visit the store in Extrema, Minas Gerais (R. Benedito Zingari, 460) or contact us directly on WhatsApp. We serve all of Brazil with axé and reliable origin.
References
- The History of Plants: history of chamomile since ancient Egypt
- Estado de Minas: feast of Cosme and Damião and the charm of the Erês in Umbanda terreiros
- Correio Braziliense: reports on calming herbs and anxiety
- MSD Manuals: professional entry about chamomile
