Erva-cidreira (Melissa): the herb of Oxum's consolation
Erva-cidreira Melissa officinalis is the herb of mourning, consolation, and peace in the home. Learn the history, science, and how to differentiate it from Lippia alba.
Read articleJoy, calm and relief from sadness
Melissa is the herb of good humor. It calms without knocking out and lifts those who are discouraged, being used in afternoon teas, baths of lightness, and fumigations that brighten the home.
The foundation of this herb in the terreiro, with the orixá (orisha) that rules it and what changes from house to house, is in Lemon balm (Melissa): the herb of consolation of Oxum.
💡 "Melissa and erva-cidreira are sold under the same name in Brazil, but they are different plants. Melissa has a wide mint leaf, while the native cidreira is long grass."
Navigate through the different facets of the plant: from its native biome to the ritual preparation in the garrafada and in the terreiro.
The foliage and energetic structure of Melissa (Melissa officinalis), harvested with respect to the botanical cycle and the axé of nature.
Always check the botanical origin. The legitimate Melissa root has a rustic texture, no smell of mold, and an intact woody consistency.
In Afro-Brazilian cosmology, each plant acts as a condenser of the forces of the Orixás. Melissa operates direct transformations in the subtle body:
Vibrational activation under the regency of the Air and water elements, acting on the breaking of blockages and the restoration of essential forces.
Vibrational activation under the regency of the Air and water elements, acting on the breaking of blockages and the restoration of essential forces.
Vibrational activation under the regency of the Air and water elements, acting on the breaking of blockages and the restoration of essential forces.
Discover how Melissa is traditionally used by priests, herbalists, and healers:
Consecrated use with the power of Oxum (Oshun).
Consecrated use with the power of Oxum.
Consecrated use with the power of Oxum.
Consecrated use with the power of Oxum.
Identify the energetic signs and situations in which the power of this plant is the key to restoration.
When waking up requires superhuman effort, the body feels like it is carrying lead, and you feel your vital energy being drained by dense environments or envious people.
Before difficult negotiations, competitions, lawsuits, or professional decisions where cowardice has no place and you need the courage of Ogum (Ogun) and the cunning of Exu (Eshu).
Lack of drive to achieve, stagnation of personal projects, and emotional coldness. The fiery force of this herb warms the vital centers and restores the desire to live and conquer.
Select the type of preparation to see the list of ingredients, ritual time, and detailed consecration instructions.
Recipe consecrated in the knowledge of terreiro and popular healing
Take the ritual bath on a favorable day. Ruling Orixás of this plant: Oxum, Oxalá (Obatala), Ibeji.
Joy tea: 1 teaspoon of dried lemon balm in 250ml of boiling water, covered for 8 minutes. Drink in the afternoon with a drizzle of honey on days of discouragement.
Keep your thoughts elevated and speak to the plant during the entire handling, asking it to awaken its virtues.
Strain the herbs gently and take the ritual bath from the neck down after your usual hygiene.
Return the strained leaves to a garden, flowerbed, or plant pot, thanking the axé of Ossaim (Osanyin).
Those with hypothyroidism should avoid prolonged use. It slightly interferes with thyroid function.
*"Kó s'ewé, kó s'òrìṣà"*: Without leaf there is no Orixá. Every plant is sacred and requires respect with the axé:
Discover the divine vibration that commands this herb and how to connect your ritual bath to the strength of each divinity.
Queen of the fresh waters, lady of gold
Under the domain of Oxum, Lemon Balm acts as a conductor of firmeza, opening paths and breaking stagnation.
Father of all Orixás, the great creator
Under the domain of Oxalá, Lemon Balm acts as a conductor of firmeza, opening paths and breaking stagnation.
Twin Orixás of childhood and joy
Under the domain of Ibeji, Lemon Balm acts as a conductor of firmeza, opening paths and breaking stagnation.
Melissa means bee in Greek, and the plant received this name because it attracts swarms. It arrived in Brazil through European folk medicine and became a herb of joy in herbal shops, distinct from the native lemon balm.
In the traditional garrafadas of Central Brazil, the raizeiro masters recognized in the knotted shape of the root the living metaphor of firmeza: the capacity to tie knots in adversity and remain standing even in arid lands.
Melissa and erva-cidreira are sold under the same name in Brazil, but they are different plants. Melissa has a broad mint leaf, while native cidreira is long grass.
Your safe harbor of axé, candles, and sacred herbs in Southern Minas.
At Joia Mística Laroyê, we treat every herb as sacred matter. Our melissa is carefully selected, free of impurities, weighed, and packaged with full respect for the traditions of terreiro.
No mixtures, pure with preserved axé.
We deliver to all of Brazil or for pickup in Extrema, Minas Gerais.
We create the exact combination of herbs for your ritual bath.
Ask questions about firmeza directly with Joice.
📍 R. Benedito Zingari, 460 - Bela Vista, Extrema-MG · Service Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm | Sat 9am to 1pm
Objective answers for practitioners, mediums, and spirituality enthusiasts.
By ritual safety precept, we recommend that the ritual bath be taken from the neck down, unless you have received express guidance from the priest of your terreiro to wash your head.
Erva-cidreira Melissa officinalis is the herb of mourning, consolation, and peace in the home. Learn the history, science, and how to differentiate it from Lippia alba.
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