Valerian is a perennial plant native to northern Europe and central Asia. Valerian root is used in herbal healing. The root must be dried at temperatures below 105 degrees F (40 degrees C) for its medicinally active compounds to form. In teas, it tastes sweet and spicy if somewhat bitter, but its odor is unpleasant. Ancient medical texts acknowledge the odor of the herb by calling the plant phu. This ill-smelling root can be used in protective sachets and hung in the home to protect against lightning. It can also be placed in pillows to aid in falling asleep. It is said that women who carry this herb with them will cause men to "follow them like children". Valerian root can also be added to love sachets. If a couple is quarreling, this herb can bring calm when kept close in the home. The Greeks hung valerian root on the window to keep away evil. The powdered version of this root can be used to replace "graveyard dust". Keywords: Love, Sleep, Purification, Protection