What does a laurel wreath mean? Laurel wreath. Further history of the symbol

The sweet taste of victory, deafening applause, world fame and enthusiastic exclamations of admirers in honor of conquered peaks and new open horizons... All this is inextricably linked in our minds with such stable expressions as “to win the palm”, “to be kissed by Fortune” and “ put a laurel wreath on your head." All this has become so familiar and ordinary for us that few people even think about the meaning of the words listed, much less delve into the history of their appearance. Nevertheless, it is the awareness of the simplest truths that often turns out to be one of the most difficult tasks, and therefore it is sometimes very important to understand the essence of them.

Appeal to flora

Like many other realities of our modern life, such a concept as a “laurel wreath” dates back to Ancient Greece, at our very origins cultural traditions, beliefs and views on art and the world in general. You don’t need to be an expert in biology to understand what this expression actually means.

The name of this item is quite obviously connected with one of the most ancient symbols borrowed from the world of flora - the laurel tree, common in the Mediterranean. However, the history of the origin of this symbol much more complex and romantic. In order to understand the essence of the meaning, one should turn to Greek mythology.

Connection with the golden-haired god

For a person who understands Antiquity, a laurel wreath is inextricably linked with the name of Apollo - the son of the powerful Zeus and the goddess Leto. Traditionally, this representative of the Greek pantheon is depicted as a beautiful young man with a bow in his hand and a harp behind his back. Thanks to his amazing beauty, grace and masculinity, he is considered a kind of ideal of male stature and appearance in general. And the famous laurel wreath adorns the head of Apollo, the appearance of which is associated with a romantic, but tragic story love.

Arrow of Eros

According to myths, the beautiful son of Zeus, in addition to a keen eye and the gift of foresight, also had an excessively large conceit, for which he later had to pay. Eros, who decided to teach Apollo a lesson, pierced his heart with a magic arrow of love, and the young man was inflamed with love for the daughter of the river god Peneus, the nymph Daphne.

Fate was not favorable to the beautiful god, and the girl did not share his feelings. Obeying the torment of his heart, Apollo rushed in pursuit of Daphne, but was never able to catch up with her - exhausted, the nymph called out to her father, asking him for help and salvation. Peneus answered the plea of ​​his beloved daughter in a very unique way - Daphne’s thin frame was covered with bark, her hands turned into branches stretched to the sky, and her hair was replaced by green laurel leaves.

Realizing that he was not destined to be with his beloved, the son of Zeus wove a wreath in memory of his unrequited feelings for the beautiful nymph, which later became his symbol and permanent attribute.

First sign of victory

Nevertheless, this ending is quite sad story turned out to be not so gloomy. Everyone knows that a laurel wreath is a symbol of victory in modern world. This is exactly the meaning that the ancient Greeks put into it, rewarding the best participants in the Pythian Games, which were organized to honor the god of beauty and sunlight Apollo. Since then, the world has made it a tradition to crown the head of the winner with a wreath of this evergreen plant with a sad history.

Laurus and other peoples

This tree had deep meaning and power not only for the Greeks and Romans, who inherited their traditions. The laurel wreath also had another meaning. For example, residents ancient China he symbolized eternal life and revival.

In the Christian tradition, this tree is almost inextricably linked with the funeral ceremony, since laurel wreaths were used, as a rule, at funerals.

Becoming a symbol of victory

Few people know, but modern understanding this unique decoration appeared largely thanks to the Great French bourgeois revolution. It was then that the laurel wreath - a symbol of victory - became such, entering heraldry. In the 18th century, the branches of this plant decorated the coat of arms of the French Republic, and then the banners of other countries.

Value conversion

It is no secret that the ancient Greeks and then the Romans paid great attention to sports, organizing numerous games and grandiose competitions. Decorating the head with a laurel wreath as a reward was in those days only available to outstanding wrestlers or, for example, spear throwers.

Nevertheless, times change, and traditions change along with them - in the modern world, not only athletes, but also outstanding figures of culture, art, science and even journalism are constantly awarded the privilege of crowning their heads with a wreath of laurel leaves.

The biggest difference is that today it has become more of a common figurative expression than an actual material embodiment of the victory won. Nevertheless, medals, cups and certificates decorated with this floral ornament cannot be called a rarity at all today. The symbol of victory, which arose in the distant times of Antiquity, has survived to this day, transformed over time, but without losing its greatness.

At the request of one of federal TV channels spent historical research about the mythological significance of the bay leaf in politics, art, culture, trade and economics. Below I post the result and ask blog readers to help me with the completeness of the research, if anyone else knows interesting facts about the influence of laurel on social life, leave your comments for study. Thanks in advance.

- When did mention of the bay leaf first appear in chronicles? Where was it first used?

The first mentions of bay leaves in chronicles occur in the 21st century BC. IN historical sources Noble laurel is found quite often. Since its homeland is the Mediterranean, it found its way into ancient sources - in particular, Homer writes that Odysseus used laurel for medicinal purposes.

Why in Ancient Greece and in Ancient Rome Were many legends, beliefs, etc. associated with the bay leaf? Can you name the most popular ones?

The era of antiquity as a whole left us quite a lot of legends - the ancient Greeks naturally included the reality around them in them, tried to explain the origin of animals and plants, natural phenomena and landscape features using the pagan paradigm. By and large, all legends and beliefs come from the myth of Apollo and Daphne.

Laurel is a symbol of purity, determination, triumph and immortality. He gives vitality, success and fulfillment of desires.

The famous Ovid in his “Metamorphoses” tells that Apollo, who lived among people, fell in love with the nymph Daphne and constantly pursued her. One day, after defeating the serpent Python, Apollo met the young god of love Eros with a bow and arrows and joked with him: “Why do you need a bow and arrows, baby? Do you really think you can surpass me in the art of shooting? "

This mockery offended Eros, and he sent two arrows in revenge. The first, the arrow of love, pierced Apollo, and the second, killing love, hit Daphne. Since then, Daphne has always run away from Apollo. No tricks helped him. Exhausted by suffering and eternal persecution, Daphne turned to Father Peneus and Earth so that they could take her image away from her. After these words, she turned into a laurel bush (a curious fact is that in Rus' until the 18th century, the bay leaf was called “daphnia” (“laurel” in Greek is “daphne”).

The saddened Apollo from then on began to wear a wreath of evergreen laurel on his head. In Greece, homes were decorated with laurel leaves to refresh the room. Laurel branches were placed in mattresses to make people dream prophetic dreams. There was a belief that laurel saved from lightning strikes.

Thus, it is a known fact that the Roman Emperor Tiberius, during thunderclaps, put on a laurel wreath and crawled under the bed. Laurel was considered a sacred tree; the heads of victors were decorated with wreaths in Ancient Greece. For several thousand years this tradition has been preserved in other countries, for example in England. From the word “laurel” comes the word “laureate” - “crowned with laurels”.

There is a version that Roman emperors wore laurel wreaths to emphasize their chosenness by God, is this true? (For example, it was always worn by Julius Caesar). Emperor Tiberius was sure that bay leaves protected against lightning. What is this belief connected with?

The generic name of the plant may have come from the Celtic “lauer” - green and the Latin nobilis - noble, since in ancient times heroes were crowned with a laurel wreath.

Since ancient times, laurel branches have symbolized excellence in art and sports. The laurel wreath was awarded to winners in poetry, music and sports competitions, in particular the winners of the Olympic Games. Evergreen, it was an emblem of immortality.

Laurel in different times associated with various gods, including Zeus (Jupiter in ancient Roman culture). According to one theory, Caesar wore a wreath instead of a crown, because he never became king. He started civil war, conquered Rome and thereby did a lot for the development of the state. For this, Caesar was appointed consul for life of the empire, he was called emperor, father of the fatherland, he was praised and pleased, but for the commander himself the main symbol of power was a laurel wreath.

There is another version, according to which Caesar began to go bald early and since he was a handsome man and enjoyed success with women, he tried in every possible way to hide this flaw. A laurel wreath was perfect for this, because due to his position, Caesar could wear a wreath all the time.

In general, the laurel wreath as a symbol of victory and triumph refers us, first of all, to the myth of Apollo and Python. According to legend, the laurel tree (the only one of all the trees planted by man) was never struck by lightning - Zeus especially favored the plant associated with his son Apollo.

- Why was laurel considered a symbol of triumph in the ancient world?

According to Ovid's Metamorphoses and Greek mythology, Apollo, jokingly told Eros, the young god of love, that he would never surpass him in the art of archery. The two arrows sent by Eros found their targets. The arrow of love hit Apollo, and the second - killing love - hit the nymph Daphne - the daughter of the gods Peneus and Gaia (Earth). Naturally, Apollo fell in love and longed for reciprocity, constantly pursuing the divine maiden. And she, on the contrary, did not want to see her admirer and complained to her parents-gods. They, in order to save her from an obsessive pursuer, turned their daughter into a laurel tree. Translated, Daphne means laurel. Apollo tried unsuccessfully to disenchant Daphne. Therefore, in memory of her, he always carried a bay leaf with him, and in Delphi, after the victory over the serpent Python, he collected bay leaves for the first victorious crown. To this day, laurel gardens and groves grow on the island of Delos, where, according to legend, the god of beauty was born. Well, the decoration of laurel leaves became an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.

Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports competitions, the laurel wreath began to be awarded not only to skilled composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian Games, the venue of which was the Cryssaean Plain. From Greece, the laurel wreath was inherited by the Romans. The triumphal symbol of the laurel began to be intended not only for winners in sports competitions, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The laurel among the Romans became a symbol of peace that follows a military victory. This award was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for saving a comrade in battle, being the first to enter an enemy fortress, for a successful assault on an enemy city. The goddess of victory Nike always held in her hands a triumphal symbol - a laurel wreath, which was placed on the head of the winner.

The tradition migrated from the Delphic Pythian Games to Olympic Games in Greece. This meant that the winner, with his unsurpassed skill and ability, was awarded the great honor of approaching the host of gods. And the common expression about resting on one’s laurels speaks precisely of the opportunity to enjoy one’s uniqueness and greatness.

- Is it true to say that the bay leaf spread along with Greco-Roman culture throughout the world?

Not really - the bay leaf was still known not only to the ancient Greeks and Romans, it was also used by African tribes, and was familiar in Ancient China.

On English coins, Charles II, George I, George II and Elizabeth II were depicted wearing laurel wreaths.

As a symbol of superiority, the laurel wreath was included in the symbols of automobile companies (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz).

Laurel is a symbol of magical power. Plant of soothsayers and witches. Before making a prediction, they burned or chewed bay leaves.

IN North America The laurel is considered a talisman, and in China the laurel is a tree under which the moon hare prepares the elixir of immortality.

In the Christian tradition, laurel is a symbol of eternal life.

In Freemasonry, during initiation into the 4th degree of the Master's secret, a laurel wreath is placed on the altar.

Can we say that some cultural values ​​of Greece and Rome (including the use of bay leaves) have survived to this day?

The bay leaf does not carry such cultural values antiquity, as it may seem today. Laurel leaves were used for religious purposes or for fumigating a room, but we use bay leaves as a spice. In 1652, François Pierre de la Varenpe, an outstanding chef to the French queen Marie de' Medici, published a cookbook that was famous at the time. He wrote about bay leaf as a spice that can improve and correct the taste of a dish. I recommended using it in desserts, puddings and meat dishes. The only thing that has survived, albeit in a greatly modified form, is the use of the leaf for medicinal purposes.

However, today many signs associated with bay leaves have been preserved. Perhaps everyone knows: if a person finds a bay leaf in soup, the sign indicates that a letter will arrive soon. This superstition has been familiar to many since childhood. Of course, there are no precise statistics to determine the plausibility of this rule. However, the fact that this folk wisdom goes back many centuries speaks of a certain amount of reality. Moreover, in this century modern technologies, when few people write postal letters anymore, this sign may be interpreted differently. Long awaited email or message to social networks will not keep you waiting. One way or another, finding a bay leaf in a bowl of soup indicates that information communicated by writing text should be expected soon.

Did the Pythians in the Delphic Temple of Apollo really chew bay leaves when they made predictions? What fateful predictions were made in the Delphic Oracle? What place did this temple occupy in the life of the Greeks?

Yes, there is such a version. This custom gave rise to the symbolism of secret knowledge, allegedly transmitted to the Pythia by Apollo himself. Xenophon in his “Memoirs of Socrates” writes that one of his students named Chaerephon went to the oracle at Delphi to ask who was the wisest of people. The Pythia replied that the wisest of all, without a doubt, was Socrates.

A well-known prediction that was received in Delphi by the richest Lydian king Croesus, who fought with Persia. He was told: “If you cross the river Halys (on the sides of which there were two armies, you will destroy the great kingdom." The hopeful Croesus suffered a crushing defeat from Cyrus. In response to Croesus’ complaint, the oracle was told that the prediction did not say whose kingdom exactly. The question of King Philip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, was how to achieve victory over neighboring powers: “Fight with silver spears, and you will win everywhere.” Subsequently, Philip, who began minting gold coins before his neighbors, subjugated Greek cities one after another, saying that there is no one so impregnable. fortresses where a donkey laden with gold could not enter

Were bay leaves or other substances that contain potent aromatic compounds used in various kinds of pre-battle rituals of encouragement and motivation by Greek and Roman armies?

There was no need for this, besides, bay leaf only has calming properties, which is sometimes detrimental to warriors.

As for other encouraging and motivating properties of various substances, the Romans and Greeks mainly used various variations on the theme of nutrition: dates, honey, crushed hooves, lamb testicles, animal blood.

When did the bay leaf first appear in Russia? Why did the Mediterranean spice (as they called “daphnia” in Rus') quickly take root in our country? Can we say that innovations that came from Greece (Byzantium) were always accepted better than those that came from Western Europe? Can we say that culinary traditions were accepted as part of Greek culture, thousand years of wisdom?

The generally accepted version is that the bay leaf came to the territory of Russia 25 centuries ago - before the formation of Eastern Slavs statehood. It should be noted that laurel also grows on the Black Sea coast, so Russia gradually became one of the producers of this spice. In Greek, Daphne is laurel, so in different countries(including in Rus') until the 17th-18th centuries, laurel was called daphnia. This spice has caught on more because of its ease of use and accessibility. The popularity of the bay leaf, of course, can be associated with the influence of antiquity, in whose era it was considered a symbol of purity (and in

In Byzantium, bay leaves were later used in a ritual to identify thieves), but this is unlikely. Perhaps this was the case initially, and then habit and everyday convenience took their toll.

Why did bay leaf become the most popular (and practically the only, along with pepper) spice in the Soviet Union?

Bay leaves were easy to produce and use; they grew in the south of the USSR, and therefore were also accessible to everyone and cheap. And then, accessibility and simplicity did their job, to the Soviet people The bay leaf hit the spot in every way.

In Antiquity and the Middle Ages, many spices caused wars (tell us about it). Did they fight over bay leaves?

Ancient history is literally crammed with events in which, one way or another, spices took part. Egyptian papyri mention anise, cardamom, mustard, sesame, and saffron. Most of them were used - and not without reason - for medicinal purposes.

Gradually, the Great Spice Route emerged - from East to West. This trade artery determined the development of the world economy for many centuries. The Arabs quickly monopolized the profitable occupation.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great intervened in Arab business. He and his army reached the Phoenician city of Tyre, which was, as they would now say, the largest spice trading exchange. After the fall of Tyre profitable trade concentrated in Alexandria.

In the 4th century. , already in our era, the barbarians who subjugated Rome took tribute not only in gold, but also in pepper, which in those days was somewhat more expensive than the despised metal.

The East made a new attempt to subjugate the flow of spices to Europe in the 11th century. , when the Seljuk Turks took possession of Asia Minor. The Europeans' response was crusades. Formally, the troops went to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulcher, but the crusading knights returned with bales filled with spices.

As you know, the Crusades were not very successful, so medieval Europe experienced a great shortage of spices. It should be taken into account that coffee and tea were not yet known, and traditional drinks of that time - beer, wine, sbitni - were prepared with the addition of spices. Christian Church did not allow extensive trade with Muslims, and spices entered the European market through intermediaries - most often Jews - and small "free trade zones". This, by the way, largely explains the unprecedented prosperity of Venice, which had exclusive permission from the Holy See to trade with the East.

They did not fight over the bay leaf, since it was not monopolized by anyone - it penetrated into Europe quite quickly and was not a scarce commodity.

- Can we say that the sale of spices still brings huge amounts of money to the countries where they grow?

This is not entirely true. The demand for spices is not as great as in old times, global sales volumes are quite average. Although the export of spices is a fairly significant source of income for some Asian countries, one should not repeat the mistakes of Madagascar. True, in this case we are talking about a bet on vanilla as the main export product for the needs of the Coca-Cola company. Then the company began using artificial vanilla for its drinks, and this significantly hit Madagascar’s budget.

Laurel is associated with masculinity, strength, the will to win and power. This plant was dedicated to the solar gods. Laurel branches and wreaths woven from it served as attributes of symbolism associated with the veneration of Jupiter and Apollo. Apollo was considered the patron saint of poets, actors and musicians, so the winners of competitions in literary grace received laurel wreaths. The laurel crown symbolized the genuine, timeless talent of the recipient. Laurel was also an attribute of the god Dionysus. In this regard, he acted as a symbol of ecstatic pleasure, otherness, magical powers and supernatural revelation.

The symbolism of the laurel is closely related to the myth of the god Apollo and his unfortunate beloved Daphne. The cult of this female plant deity was quite widespread, but later almost completely merged with the cult of Apollo. There is information about holidays specifically dedicated to the laurel that took place in Thebes - Daphnephoria.

An ancient Greek myth tells the story of the beautiful nymph Daphne, the daughter of the earth goddess Gaia and the river god Peneus, who vowed to remain chaste. The lover Apollo followed her everywhere, and in order to avoid dishonor, Daphne had to ask her father to turn her into a laurel bush. Since then, laurel has become the favorite plant of the god Apollo, his attribute. The myth of Daphne echoes the motif of the dedication of the laurel to the Vestal Virgins, who took an eternal vow of celibacy. Thus, laurel symbolizes innocence and purity.

It was believed that laurel trees served as intermediaries between gods and people in the transmission of secret knowledge. There was a tradition of planting laurel bushes around the temples of Apollo. It was believed that in the rustling of these trees, initiates could read divine messages and omens of the future. Laurel was a versatile plant, very widely used in sacrifices and numerous rituals. The traditional headdress of the priest during the performance of the cult was a laurel crown. The laurel became a symbol of special supernatural power, magic, divination, clairvoyance and prophecy. Laurel branches and laurel garlands were also used in ritual actions, for example, laurel branches were often thrown into the fire along with the burnt victim, which gave the event a special solemnity.

The special symbolism of the laurel as a sacred plant of the god Apollo is manifested in its use by the Pythia, the seer of the Delphic Oracle. To find out their fate and ask advice from the prophetess Pythia, kings, heroes, and mere mortals came to the temple of Apollo in Delphi. In the sanctuary, hidden from prying eyes, on a cleft in the rock that emitted poisonous gases, there was a tripod on which the Pythia sat . She prepared for divination for a long time. This procedure was preceded by three days of fasting and ritual ablutions. During fortune telling, a laurel crown was placed on the Pythia's head, and before starting the prophecy, she chewed laurel leaves.

Laureate's wreath
A laurel wreath is a symbol of victory, perfection, complete triumph over one’s own weaknesses and over an opponent. In antiquity, laurel wreaths were awarded to warrior heroes, as well as to poets who won competitions, who were patronized by the god of arts Apollo. The goddess of victory Nike seemed to the ancients beautiful woman, placing a laurel crown on the hero's head. The word "laureate", meaning the winner of an artistic or scientific competition who has received high recognition and a prize, comes precisely from the Latin "crowned with laurel".

The famous Ovid in his Metamorphoses tells that Apollo, who lived among people, fell in love with the nymph Daphne and constantly pursued her. One day, after defeating the serpent Python, Apollo met the young god of love Eros with a bow and arrows and joked with him: “Why do you need a bow and arrows, baby? Are you really thinking of surpassing me in the art of shooting?

This mockery offended Eros, and he sent two arrows in revenge. The first, the arrow of love, pierced Apollo, and the second, killing love, hit Daphne. Since then, Daphne has always run away from Apollo. No tricks helped him. Exhausted by suffering and eternal persecution, Daphne turned to Father Peneus and Earth so that they could take her image away from her. After these words, she turned into a laurel bush (a curious fact is that in Rus' until the 18th century, the bay leaf was called “daphnia” (“laurel” in Greek is “daphne”).

The saddened Apollo from then on began to wear a wreath of evergreen laurel on his head. In Greece, homes were decorated with laurel leaves to refresh the room. Laurel branches were placed in mattresses to encourage prophetic dreams. There was a belief that laurel saved from lightning strikes.

Thus, it is a known fact that the Roman Emperor Tiberius, during thunderclaps, put on a laurel wreath and crawled under the bed. Laurel was considered a sacred tree; the heads of victors were decorated with wreaths in Ancient Greece. For several thousand years this tradition has been preserved in other countries, for example in England. From the word “laurel” comes the word “laureate” - “crowned with laurels.”

The magical properties of bay leaf

There are a lot of secrets to using bay leaves as a magical remedy, and everyone believes that it can bring him many positive changes in life. Bay leaf is used for love rituals, in order to attract a “soul mate”, monetary rituals (it is believed that the plant is directly related to financial well-being person and literally “attracts” money to itself), as well as in order to get rid of any damage and fulfill your cherished desires.

Bay leaf is often symbol of wealth and prosperity. That is why laurel branches are often hung around a home or workplace (office, store, workshop) to attract customers and cash flows into action. It is not uncommon for a bay leaf to be present in a person’s personal belongings, for example, in a wallet. This way you can attract success to yourself, which will accompany you not only in business, but also in your work.

A good sign is to take take a bay leaf with you and put it in your pocket(as close to the body as possible) to succeed in an interview or meeting, to be noticed and recognized for your abilities, to be hired or promoted. To prevent the leaf from getting dirty and sometimes tormented by an overly stuffy aroma, you can wrap it not just in a handkerchief, but in a piece of red or green color (red attracts good luck, green attracts money).

Many athletes, even before the announcement of the results in competitions, carry a bay leaf with them, which, in their opinion, brings victory and well-being in competitions, as well as recognition and a self-sufficient life.

There is one ritual that allows you to achieve the desired wealth with the help of bay leaves. This ritual should be performed at home or in the workplace. Choose a large and whole bay leaf, without holes, cracks or damage. On the reverse side (not glossy), write your wish with a pen or pencil (“get rich”, “receive a bonus” or, for example, “repay a debt”). This sheet should be burned and its smoke spread throughout the room.

Another method invites you to write your wish related to well-being on a piece of white paper and roll it up into a tube, tying three beautiful and undamaged lava leaves to the “roll.” This amulet should be kept in a secluded place at your work or home. Only after the desire is fulfilled should the amulet be burned and its ashes scattered over fertile soil (garden, vegetable garden).

There is a conspiracy for money with bay leaves. With its help, you can count on good luck in the monetary sphere and the growth of accumulated funds. To perform it, you need to take a beautiful container and put a large denomination coin into it. Each coin lining must be accompanied by a laurel leaf lining. When placing a coin in a container, you must say where the money will come from. This could be a gift, an inheritance, good earnings or a sudden find. After the ritual, the container is closed and shaken. At the same time the conspiracy is said:

“Money for money, but poverty is beyond the threshold, profit is with me like a laurel on a bush.” Afterwards, the container with the spoken coins is placed in a secluded place, away from prying eyes. If money comes to you exactly as promised, then every time it comes cash Don’t forget to gratefully put a coin and a bay leaf into your piggy bank.

There is another conspiracy to use bay leaves for money. In order for you to always have money and increase your capital, you should choose a large and whole leaf of laurel. This leaf should be rubbed between the palms of both hands, asking the laurel tree to help you in any financial matters. Then you need to apply a little of any essential oil to the plant so that its smell merges with the smell of laurel. After this, the sheet must be placed in the place where the money is stored. At the same time the words are spoken:

“Money to money, wealth to wealth.”

Bay leaf will attract cash flows and protect you from unnecessary spending. The enchanted plant can be placed in a wallet so that money can be transferred and not transferred. Such rituals attract cash flows and stimulate a person to learn how to earn good money himself.

Bay leaf is used very often to attract money. In order for there to be money in the house, there is another ritual; for it you need to take seven large and undamaged leaves of the plant. The leaves should have long stems. These legs are tied with red wool thread. Either a bill or a coin is tied to the thread, symbolizing monetary energy. This kind of amulet is hung above the front door with the words:

“Money goes into the house, but poverty is beyond the threshold.”

A bay leaf spell for money is best done and read on a waxing moon. It is believed that it is in this phase that flows open that help increase profits and material well-being.

Why do they put a bay leaf in a wallet, and with what words of conspiracy?

Putting a bay leaf in your wallet to attract money and prosperity should also be done “correctly” so as not to incur any negative energy and not gain reverse effect. Of course, you can do without any rituals and simply mentally wish yourself success, but reading a conspiracy to attract wealth will be much more effective. Such conspiracies are best read during the waxing moon, sitting alone and in silence with a lit candle.

IMPORTANT: You must believe in the ritual itself and in every word spoken, so that your ritual is sure to be effective.

This turns out to be a magical and powerful ordinary bay leaf that everyone has at home.

One of which is laurel, people have always treated it in a special way. They were seen as the personification of eternity, constancy - in a word, everything that was traditionally opposed to transience human life. The glory of the winner should be eternal - in any case, people wanted to believe so.

Apollo tree

It is noteworthy that athletes in Ancient Greece were not crowned with laurels; for them, a sign of victory was a wreath of olive branches or... celery. The award in the form of a laurel wreath was intended for the best winners of the Pythian Games, which took place in Delphi. Over time, these games also began to include sports competitions, but their main content always remained the competition of poets and musicians - in a word, those who are still called “servants of Apollo.” The laurel was dedicated to this patron god of art. Why him?

This connection had a real basis: these trees grew on Mount Parnassus, which the Greeks revered as the abode of the muses and Apollo Musagetes. But it would be strange if it did not give rise to legends explaining the connection between art.

Apollo, like many Greek gods, was distinguished by his love of love. One day, a nymph named Daphne became the object of his passion, but the beauty vowed to remain chaste and was not going to give in to his advances. The unfortunate woman begged the gods to protect her from Apollo’s persecution, and the gods heeded the plea: instead of the girl, a laurel tree appeared in Apollo’s arms. God placed a wreath of laurel on his head so as not to part with his beloved, who had been turned into a tree.

Further history of the symbol

The laurel wreath as a symbol of glory and victory was adopted from Greece by another ancient civilization– ancient Roman. In contrast to refined Hellas, harsh Rome does not recognize any glory and any victories in a military coma. The symbolism of the laurel wreath is changing: it is used to crown a triumphant commander; it was initially worn by Roman emperors as a sign of power.

Christians saw a new meaning in this symbol. For them, the lava wreath became the personification eternal glory martyrs who died for the faith.
The connection of the laurel wreath with poetic glory is resurrected in the era that succeeds antiquity. In 1341 one of greatest poets Italian Renaissance- Francesco Petrarca - in the hall of the senatorial palace on the Capitol in Rome, accepted a laurel wreath from the hands of the senator as recognition of his poetic achievements. This gave the poet a reason to play on the name of the woman he sang, whose name also comes from the word “laurel”: Laura gave him the laurel.

TO XVII century the laurel wreath has already firmly established itself as an emblem of glory in general, not only poetic. He is depicted on orders and awards for winning competitions. It is in this form that modern civilization inherited this symbol. Not only the word “laureate” goes back to him, but also the name of the bachelor’s degree.