Wednesday What Herb Is This - The Curious Lore and Magical Property of Plants: Blackberry

I know this is isn’t my usual “herb” post, but unfortunately I am facing time constraints at present. Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon! My thanks to Diane Fenster for compiling this information, and saving my morning :)

 

* The Curious Lore and Magical Property of Plants: Blackberry *
Taken in entirety From: Notes from Diane's Garden By Diane Fenster; published in the Compost NewsLetter 

 
Picture courtesy of Asparagus PlantRoots

“Leaving behind the baneful herbs of the dark time, we move on into the light of Brigid, the triple goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft. Since the garden at Mount Bubba is amply supplied with bramble patches, I shall certainly make use of them for my Brigid ritual. Might I suggest that you, dear reader, do the same next year.

Brigid, also known as Candlemas, is the day that the sun comes out from behind the shadow of Mount Bubba so my house receives more light. I celebrate this day by filling the house with candles and welcoming the return of the sun. According to Robert Graves in The White Goddess, the Bramble or Blackberry is sacred to the Brigid triad of Goddesses so this months' notes will show us the folklore behind this plant. For more information on the history and symbolism of Brigid, both as a Goddess and a Saint, I refer you to Barbara Walker's Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets.

Rubus fruticosus is the Latin name, rubus meaning red. The brambles are in the same family as roses and apples. The name bramble is derived from brambel or brymbyl, meaning prickly. Culpepper tells us that it is a plant of Venus in Aries and the leaves of the plant should be gathered in the hour of the planet that governs the plant in question. Blackberries are supposed to give protection against evil runes. The whole plant has a great history of use as a charm, because it was a symbol of the triple Goddess, and for medicinal purposes.

There is a custom against eating blackberries in Cornwall since the plant is sacred to Brigid. In many other rural English areas, there is also a taboo against the Blackberry because the plant is associated with Satan. It is said that Satan was cast out of heaven on Old Michaelmas Day, October 11. Blackberries could not be gathered or eaten after that date, since they had been spit upon by the Devil when he fell into a patch of brambles and would be poisonous or bitter.

The following spell for burns and scalds makes use of the Blackberry. Since Brigid is the Goddess of Smithcraft, a profession which was filled with danger from burns, it makes sense that a charm for healing would make use of her sacred plant. It is interesting to note the two different wordings from different sources (The White Goddess and The Encyclopedia of Superstitions). For the first spell, the directions are to take nine bramble leaves and float them in a basin of water from a pure spring. Each leaf was then applied to the affected area and the invocation was repeated three times for each leaf. For the second spell, one is directed to use holy water to float the nine bramble leaves in, and to pass each leaf over and then away from the injured area while repeating the invocation three times.

Three ladies came from the East,
One with fire and two with frost.
Out with thee fire, and in with thee frost.

~A Cornish invocation to Brigid as a charm against scalds

There came three angels out of the east,
One brought fire and two brought frost.
Out fire, and in frost,
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

~The same invocation showing the influence of the Church

There are a whole series of ancient beliefs regarding the efficacy of being passed through a naturally-occurring archway of either stone or plant material. It is symbolic of a rebirth, passing through the yoni of the Great Mother, represented by the archway. The following bramble-cure, which makes use of the growth habit of the plant to root at the tip of the branch when it reaches enough of a length and weight to touch the ground, is part of that series. The resultant archway acts as a magical doorway through which people (mostly children) and animals are passed through in order to cure various ailments such as boils, hernias, rickets, skin troubles, and whooping cough. In the case of cows, it is to cure Shrew-Mouse Evil, the malady (paralysis) that supposedly results from the animal being walked over by a shrew-mouse.

The root and the leaves contain a high proportion of tannin, so the plant is much used as an astringent and a tonic. The flowers and fruit were thought to be a cure for venomous snakebites and the young shoots, eaten in a salad, were supposed to fasten loose teeth. Crusoe's Treasury of Easy Medicines from 1771 recommends a decoction of Blackberry leaves to be applied to long-standing skin ulcers.  There was even a hair dye made from boiling blackberry leaves and lye together, then applying it to the hair. It gives the hair a permanent soft black color. Blackberry juice gives us a gray dye on wool and slate blue on silk. The new shoots give a black dye.

The London Pharmacopoeia of 1696 proclaimed that the ripe berries were a superior cordial and were restorative in nature. Personally, I am extremely fond of Blackberries and one of my sweet memories is of a berry gathering expedition with my cousin through the fields of North Carolina on a beautiful summer day.

Mrs.. Grieve in A Modern Herbal has this recipe for a cordial that should restore one's spirits:

Press out the juice of ripe Blackberries, adding two pounds of sugar to each quart of juice. Add 1/ 2 oz. of nutmegs and cloves. Boil all together for a short time, allow to get cold and then add a little brandy.

A bit sweet for my taste, but as a ritual toast to Brigid on her day, well, that's another story.”

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb is This - Mistletoe

 

* The Magic of Mistletoe *
by M.L. Benton, © 2002, Echoed Voices: December 2002
   

Blessed be this mistletoe,
    With all the charms it may bestow.
    Cut the stem with the gold boline,
    As energies rise, its magic is thine.
    Never let it hit the ground,
    Or evil shall within abound.
    Herb of Apollo, Freya and more,
    Their will be done as we implore.
    With all thy healing properties,
    Grant your Blessings; hear our pleas.
    Legends and lore of old exist,
    Under the mistletoe we still kiss.
    Harvest at the Solstice and on time,
    During the festival the bells will chime.
    Bring us blessings from under the Sun,
    As this is our Will, So shall it be done.

With all the mystical legends and lore of the herb mistletoe, unfortunately the origin of its name is not so magical. The common name of this herb is derived from the belief that mistletoe comes from dung or bird droppings. The principle of this ancient belief stems from the appearance of mistletoe on branches where bird droppings had been splashed. "Mistel" is the Anglo-Saxon word for dung and "tan" is the word for twig, so in translation, mistletoe means "dung on a twig."

Botanically, mistletoe is considered a parasitic plant, It grows on branches or the trunk of trees and will bore and root into the tree for its nutrients. Mistletoe is however very capable of living and growing prosperously of its own accord and providing its own food and nutrients through photo-synthesis. As the plant spreads however it seems to be perfectly content growing as a parasitic plant.

There are two types of mistletoe. The first is found in North America, (Phoradendron Flavescens) this type is better known as the parasitic plant and is most common for harvesting for the Christmas and Yule celebrations. These can be found on the East Coast regions from Florida to New Jersey. The second type is found in Europe, {Viscum Album} This version of mistletoe is grown as a green shrub with tiny yellow and white flowers, and sticky berries which are considered poisonous. It is known to grow on the apple tree but believed not to grow on an oak tree.

The virtues of mistletoe come from the earliest of times and are just as mystical and mysterious, as they are magical. The Greeks believed that mistletoe had mystical powers and through the centuries it became associated with many folklore customs. In European history, mistletoe is one of the most sacred plants. With the many properties of this sacred herb, it was believed to bestow life and fertility would be prosperous. It was considered a protector against poisons and a passionate aphrodisiac. The ancient Druids considered the mistletoe their most sacred herb. They believed that mistletoe growing on oak trees possessed magical properties and considered it an all-heal, which would protect against all forms of evil. In Celtic traditions, on the sixth night of the moon white-robed Druid priests would cut the oak mistletoe with a golden sickle or boline. They would then sacrifice two white bulls while reciting prayers that the recipients of the mistletoe would prosper. As time went by, the ritual of cutting the mistletoe from the oak came to symbolize the emasculation of the old King by his successor. Mistletoe symbolized both a sexual emblem and the "soul" of the oak. Because of this sacred belief, the herb was gathered at both mid-summer and winter solstices.

The custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions. In the Middle Ages and later, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over the house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches. It was also believed that the oak mistletoe could extinguish fire. This was associated with an earlier belief that the mistletoe itself would come to the tree during a flash of lightning. The traditions, which began with the European mistletoe, were rationalized with the North American plant with the process of immigration and migrating. Today the belief is, in order for the mistletoe to be effective in magical spells, the herb must be cut with a single stroke of a golden sickle or boline on the Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice or the sixth day after a new moon. However you must take care not to let the herb touch the earth or the herb will lose its magical potency.

Mistletoe is known to have several names including, "all heal, devil'sfuge, golden bough, and Witch's broom. This magical herb also is believed to be sacred to the gods and goddesses, Apollo, Freya, Frigga, Odin and Venus. The mystical powers of mistletoe have long been at the center of much folklore. One is associated with the Goddess Frigga. The story is told that Mistletoe is the sacred plant of Frigga, goddess of love and the mother of Balder, the god of the summer sun. Balder had a dream of death that greatly alarmed his mother, for if he died, all of life on earth would end. In an attempt to keep this from happening, Frigga went at once to the four elements air, fire, water, earth, and every animal and plant seeking a promise that no harm would come to her son. Balder now could not be harmed by any deed from this world or below it. Balder did however have one enemy. Loki, the god of trickery and confusion. Loki knew of one plant that Frigga had overlooked in her excursion to keep her son safe. It grew neither on the earth nor under the earth, but on apple and oak trees. It was the beloved mistletoe. Loki made an arrow tip of the mistletoe, he then gave it to Hoder, the blind God of winter, who shot the arrow striking Balder dead. The sky paled and all things in earth and heaven wept for the sun god. For three days each element tried to bring Balder back to life. Frigga, the goddess and his mother finally restored him. It is said the tears she shed for her son turned into the pearly white berries on the mistletoe plant and in her joy Frigga kissed everyone who passed beneath the tree on which it grew. The story ends with a decree that who should ever stand under the humble mistletoe, no harm should befall them, only a kiss, a token of love. It is believed that this was the core for the translation of the old myth into a Christianized way of thinking and acceptance of the mistletoe as the emblem of that Love which conquers Death.

Its medicinal properties, whether real or imaginary, make it a just emblem of that Tree of Life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations and draws parallels to the Virgin birth of Christ. Kissing under the mistletoe is first found associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rites. They probably originated from the belief that it has power to bestow fertility. It was also believed that the dung from which the mistletoe grew possessed "life-giving" power. In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up. Later, the eighteenth-century English credited with a certain magical appeal a device called a kissing ball. At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, could not refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she could not expect to marry the following year. In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the Twelfth Night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry. If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life. In France, the custom linked to mistletoe was reserved for New Year's Day: "Au gui l'An neuf" (Mistletoe for the New Year). Today, kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe any time during the holiday season.

Bibliography
Holiday Spot
Herbal Magick by Gerina Dunwich, New Page Books
Botanical.com

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Holly

* HOLLY *

The berries, though eaten by birds, are injurious to human beings, and children should be warned against them.

Also called Aquifolius, Bat's Wings, Christ's Thorn, Holy Tree, Holm Chaste, Hulm, Hulver Bush, and Tinne. Holly is associated with Saturn, and the element of Fire and rules the waning half of the year, from Summer Solstice to Yule. It is especially used in celebrations of Saturnalia, from the 17th through the 23rd of December, and is a symbol at this time of happiness and health. Holly as an herb of the Yuletide season, as Grieve informs us, dates to the Druids, "who decorated their huts with evergreens during Winter as an abode for sylvan spirits. Holly was also given as a desired gift during the Roman version of Yule, called Saturnalia. In some contemporary Neo-Pagan customs, Holly which has been used to decorate the Temple at Yule is kept sacred until the fires are lit at Imbolc and then it is burned in the cauldron. Indeed, in the ogham alphabet they called the holly “Tinne”, which is thought to mean “fire” derived from the word “tinder”, in association with the holly’s timber used in the fires of the old smithies. Many Traditions work with a Holly King, a variation of the Green Man or male fertility figure - even the Green Knight in the story of Gawain, carrying a holly club whose bi-annual contest was to vanquish the "Oak King."

It is possible that it's name came about as a variation of "holy tree", and is said to have sprung up from the blood of the Christ. In an old Christian legend the holly is said to have sprung up under the footsteps of Christ as he trod the earth, the spines of the leaves became symbolic of “Crown of Thorns”, the red berries representing the drops of blood associated with his suffering. From this symbology the holly tree became known as “Christ's Thorn” or the “Holy Tree”. Indeed the red berries may represent blood and sacrifice, or perhaps the blood and light of the Sun God, believed to be reborn at the Midwinter Solstice.

Holly is commonly used all over the world as a Christmas decoration, a custom derived from the early Romans who sent boughs of holly and other gifts to their friends during Saturnalia. In confirmation of this opinion, a subsequent edict of the Church of Bracara has been quoted, forbidding Christians to decorate their houses at Christmas with green boughs at the same time as the pagans, the Saturnalia commencing about a week before Christmas. The origin has also been traced to the Druids, who decorated their huts with evergreens during winter as an abode for the sylvan spirits. In old church calendars we find Christmas Eve marked templa exornantur (churches are decked), and the custom is as deeply rooted in modern times as in either pagan or early Christian days.

In pagan folklore the Holly tree is associated with the spirit of vegetation and the waning forces of nature, to which he is personified as a mythical figure called the Holly King. The Holly King rules nature during its decline from the mid-summer solstice through to the mid-winter solstice. At each of the solstice Sabbats, the Holly King and his brother the Oak King engage in ritual combat for the attentions of the Goddess, from whence the victor presides over nature through the following half of the year. In his personification as the Holly King, he is often depicted as an old man dressed in winter clothing wearing a wreath of Holly on his head and walking with the aid of a staff made from a Holly branch. This is symbolic of the fertile interaction of the Goddess and God during nature's decline and the darkest time of the year. At Yule, after his battle with the Oak King, the new light of the sun God re-emerges to encourage fresh growth during the coming new year.

Some old stories tell us that when winter came the old druids advised the people to take Holly into their homes to shelter the elves and fairies who could join mortals at this time without causing them harm, but these stories also tell of a warning, to make sure and remove the Holly entirely before the eve of Imbolc, for to leave just one leaf in the house would cause misfortune. Sterile holly was dangerous to man and beast, and on a year when holly had no berries, it was wise to add ivy or box to a wreath or ball for good luck, for the lack of berries was a portent of infertility or death. An old Scottish traditions says that no branch should be cut from a Holly tree, but rather it should be pulled free in a method considered fit for sacred tree. It was also considered unlucky to fell a Holly tree or burn its green skinned branches. Yet luck was increased if a small branch was kept and hung outside of the house, there it would continue to protect against lightening and witchcraft. It was also said that the flowers cause water to freeze, and that the wood, if thrown at any animal, even without touching it, had the property of compelling the animal to return and lie down by it. During the winter the country folk would gather up young stems of Holly and use it as a cattle-feed to sustain them during the privations of the winter. The stems when dried and bruised were often given to cows, who seemed to thrive on it producing good milk, the butter from which was said to be excellent.

In ritual uses, Holly is associated with the life, death and re-birth symbolism of Lughnassadh/Lammas, the first harvest of the year. Holly also symbolizes holiness, consecration, material gain, physical revenge, beauty, immortality, peace, goodwill and health. Holly water (infused or distilled) was sprinkled on newborn babies to protect them. It can be used ritually to aid and help with a person’s ability to cope with death, and to ease their sleep with peaceful dreams. The Holly has always been associated with mid winter festivals and was used in old Celtic traditions for celebrating the Sun Gods re-birth at the Winter Solstice.

The wood of the Holly tree burns very hot and its charcoal was used to forge the swords, knives and tools necessary for survival and protection. The old smithies and weapon-makers were considered to be great magicians for their ability to use the elements of fire and earth to create these tools. For this reason the druids associated Holly with the element of fire. In today’s rituals, Holly is used for magic associated with the element of fire and Holly incense is used to consecrate the magical knife (athame).

Holly leaves were formerly used as a diaphoretic and an infusion of them was given in catarrh, pleurisy and smallpox. They have also been used in intermittent fevers and rheumatism for their tonic properties, and powdered, or taken in infusion or decoction, have been employed with success where Cinchona has failed. The juice of the fresh leaves has been employed with advantage in jaundice. The berries possess totally different qualities to the leaves, being violently emetic and purgative, a very few occasioning excessive vomiting soon after they are swallowed, though thrushes and blackbirds eat them with impunity. They have been employed in dropsy; also, in powder, as an astringent to check bleeding. Culpepper says 'the bark and leaves are good used as fomentations for broken bones and such members as are out of joint.' He considered the berries to be curative of colic. From the bark, stripped from the young shoots and suffered to ferment, birdlime is made. The bark is stripped off about midsummer and steeped in clean water; then boiled till it separates into layers, when the inner green portion is laid up in small heaps till fermentation ensues. After about a fortnight has elapsed, it becomes converted into a sticky, mucilaginous substance, and is pounded into a paste, washed and laid by again to ferment. It is then mixed with some oily matter, goose fat being preferred, and is ready for use. Very little, however, is now made in this country. In the north of England, Holly was formerly so abundant in the Lake District, that birdlime was made from it in large quantities and shipped to the East Indies for destroying insects. The leaves of Holly have been employed in the Black Forest as a substitute for tea. Paraguay Tea, so extensively used in Brazil, is made from the dried leaves and young shoots of another species of Holly

Holly was once held sacred by the peoples of ancient Europe; known as one of the Seven Chieftain Trees of the Druids, its very name means "holy." So important was Holly that its pagan connotations were not scorned by the Christians of long ago, but rather adopted by them. Planted around the home for protection against evil. The leaves and berries can be carried by a man to heighten his masculinity, virility and to attract a lover. Holly trees can be planted outside your house and their blossoms are excellent for hanging over the doorways to ward off bad vibes, lightning, and unwelcome energies of all sorts. Holly is a powerful Bach Flower Remedy that can help to ease jealousies, suspicions, and generally negative or aggressive feelings towards others. in magical terms, holly is generally treated as a masculine magical energy. However, in some parts of England and Germany, hollies are referred to as "he" and "she." Those with prickly-edged leaves are thought to be male, while the smooth-leafed variety signified a female tree. Holly was often paired with ivy, whose black berries symbolized night and darkness. In some regions, holly played the King and ivy his Queen. In many places in the British Isles, the burning of the holly was a big celebration to observe the death of winter. At springtime in Scotland, the Cailleach, the Death Goddess who presides over the winter months, throws Her magic rod or hammer under a holly, admitting defeat in the race of the growing light. This explains why no grass grows under holly trees. Thus the evergreen red-berried Holly and its companion the Ivy, which together symbolized the male and female elements of the mid-winter Scandinavian Yule and Roman Saturnalia, became emblems of Christmas. Some folks burn holly leaves with incense; this protects the home and draws good luck. Others tell us that they place holly above the door lintel for protection and to invite helpful spirits.

Sources: 

Owl's WIngs

Herb-Magic

Controverscial.Com

 

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Calendula

Calendula is known to affect the menstrual cycle and should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Theoretically, calendula may affect conception when taken by a man or woman, so couples trying to get pregnant should not use calendula.

Other names for calendula are marigold, summer's bride, bride of the sun, sun's gold, ruddes, ruddles holigold, pot marigold, drunkard, goldes, husbandman's dial, marybud, marygold, mary gowles, and oculis chrisi, Historically, calendula was known as “poor man’s saffron” as it was used to color and flavor foods, specifically butter, cheese, custard, bread, cookies, soups, and rice dishes. Calendula petals are also added to salads. Calendula is generally recognized as safe for food use. 

It is primarily a local (topical) remedy. Applying the petals to insect stings will reduce pain and swelling. A lotion made of the flowers is recommended for sprains and wounds and a water distillation of the flowers for sore and inflamed eyes. While the flowers are the part most often used medicinally, the juice from the leaves is said to remove warts. The flower petals of the calendula plant, or marigold, have been used for medicinal purposes since at least the 12th century. Folk medicine healers in Europe prepared infusions, extracts, and ointments with the petals to induce menstrual flow, to produce sweat during fevers, and to cure jaundice. In 19th century America, the Eclectic physicians used calendula internally to treat liver problems, stomach ulcers, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the eyelids, (commonly called pink eye), and externally for superficial burns, bruises, and wounds. Tinctures, ointments, and washes are commonly used to speed the healing of these, as well as the minor infections they cause. Calendula cream is also used to treat hemorrhoids. Animal studies show that calendula does appear to speed wound healing, possibly by increasing blood flow to the wounded area and by helping the body produce collagen proteins, which are used to heal skin and connective tissue. Traditionally, the flower was also used externally as an antiseptic and to help stop bleeding. Calendula flowers demonstrate both astringent and anti-inflammatory activity, and these preparations are used for skin and mucous membrane inflammations, such as pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat), leg ulcers, boils, bed sores, gum inflammation, and rashes. Some herbalists recommend the plant’s essential oil for treating vaginal yeast infections. Currently, the pigment of the bright orange calendula is used in the pharmaceutical industry to give a pleasant color to some medicinal preparations.

Calendula has a long history in magical lore.  It is bound to Sun and Fire.  It is believed to be useful for prophetic dreams, protection, respect, and psychic powers, and to be of benefit when legal matters arise.  It should be picked at noon for comfort and strength. One should place garlands of calendula at doors to prevent evil from entering, and scatter it under the bed for protection and to make dreams come true. In legal matters, carry calendula  to help justice favor you in court. Another belief is that if you touch the flowers with bare feet it will aid in better understanding of  birds. It's said that if you put a mesh bag of Calendula petals under the faucet when running bath water,  you will win the respect and admiration of everyone you encounter after bathing in it (...it also highlights the hair.)  There is also an old recipe that calls for mixing dried Calendula flowers, Marjoram, Thyme, and Wormwood and grinding them into a powder.  Simmer in honey and white wine, and then rub over the body to induce prophetic dreams about your future husband or wife while chanting your wishes.  If the candidate is good to you in the dreams, they will make a loving spouse, but if they treat you badly in the dream, they will be disloyal and uncaring.

Sources:

University of Maryland Medical Center

American Botanical Council

The Magickal Cat

Gardens Ablaze

 

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb is This - Mullein

MULLEIN

Mullein is found all over Europe and in temperate Asia as far as the Himalayas, and in North America it is exceedingly abundant. It is known by many names: Velvet Leaves, Mule ears, White Mullein, Torches, Mullein Dock, Our Lady's Flannel, Velvet Dock, Blanket Herb, Velvet Plant, Woollen, Rag Paper, Candlewick Plant, Wild Ice Leaf, Clown's Lungwort, Bullock's Lungwort, Aaron's Rod, Jupiter's Staff, Jacob's Staff, Peter's Staff, Shepherd's Staff, Shepherd's Clubs, Beggar's Stalk, Adam's Flannel, Beggar's Blanket, Clot, Cuddy's Lungs, Duffle, Feltwort, Fluffweed, Hare's Beard, Old Man's Flannel, and Hag's Taper.

The down on the leaves and stem makes excellent tinder when quite dry, readily igniting on the slightest spark, and was, before the introduction of cotton, used for lamp wicks, hence the basis of one of the old names: 'Candlewick Plant.' An old superstition exists that witches, in their incantations, used lamps and candles having wicks made of such, and another of the plant's many names, 'Hag's Taper', refers to this. (The word 'hag' is said to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Haege or Hage (a hedge) - the name 'Hedge Taper' also exists - and may imply that the sturdy spikes of this tall hedge plant, studded with pale yellow blossoms, suggested a tall candle growing in the hedge, another of its countryside names being, indeed, 'Our Lady's Candle.')  'Torches' is another name for the plant, since it is said that the ancients used the stalks dipped in suet to burn as torches at funerals or otherwise. Both in Europe and Asia the power of driving away evil spirits was ascribed to the Mullein. In India it has the reputation among the natives that the St. John's Wort once had here, being considered a sure safeguard against evil spirits and magic, and from the ancient classics we learn that it was this plant which Ulysses took to protect himself against the wiles of Circe. An infusion of the flowers was used by the Roman ladies to dye their hair a golden color, while according to an old authority the ashes of the plant, made into a soap, will restore hair which has become grey to its original color

Mullein leaves are excellent to use to treat asthma - a fact not overlooked by pharmaceutical companies. The dried leaves are sometimes smoked in an ordinary tobacco pipe to relieve the irritation of the respiratory mucus membranes.  Mullein is said to be of much value treating diarrhea. The seeds of Mullein are said to intoxicate fish when thrown into the water, and are used by poachers for that purpose, being slightly narcotic. It has been found to be beneficial for pectoral complaints and bleeding of the lungs and bowels. The whole plant seems to possess slightly sedative and narcotic properties and has been proved a very effective, long standing treatment for migraines or sick headaches. Mullein oil is a valuable destroyer of disease germs hence it makes an admirable bactericide. An infusion of the flowers in olive oil is used as earache drops, or as a local application for the treatment of piles or other mucous membrane inflammations  and used  as a treatment for gum and mouth ulcers is very effective. A decoction of the roots is used to alleviate toothache and also relieve cramps and convulsions.

Mullein is also associated with Witches in general. Mullein burned will offer protection from sorcery and the herb can also be used in exorcisms. It is also recommended when employing magics involving courage, general protection, health, love, and divination. Ground Mullein leaves can be a good substitute for graveyard dust in spells. Mullein can be carried in an amulet bag to keep venomous beasts wild animals away from you when you are walking in the woods, camping, or back-packing. A Mullein amulet is also good to carry for courage. You can use Mullein as a substitute for candles (but do not light them) when performing magic outdoors where no flames can be lit. Mullein is an excellent herb to use for the cleansing of ritual and psychic places before and after working there. Mullein also can be used for cleansing and purifying ritual tools and altars. It can be placed in a dream pillow to prevent nightmares. It should be carried in sachets to bolster one's  courage, for protection and to repel negativity.It can be hung over the doors and windows of the home to protect it from evil. Powdered leaves of Mullien are the ingredient "Graveyard Dust" sometimes called for in spells. Torches may be fashioned of the whole plant, dipping the head in paraffin or beeswax and these may be used as a part of the Samhain celebration.

 

Full Moon Magic Herbs

Sarah the Swampwitch

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb is This - Apple

Like last Wednesday's "herb" the pumpkin, apples aren't actually an "herb" per se, but they are strongly associated with Samhain/Halloween, from fresh apple pies, to apple butter, to bobbing for apples, so I felt it appropriate to include this here...

APPLE

From the very beginning the ancients were truly enamored with fruit. Apart from milk and honey, fruit is nature's only pleasure laden natural food. From the beginning apples have been associated with love, beauty, luck, health, comfort, pleasure, wisdom, temptation, sensuality, sexuality, virility and fertility. Stories and traditions about man's origins connect him to a garden of paradise filled with fruit trees. The stories are essentially the same whether it be the Semitic Adam, the Teutonic Iduna, the Greek Hesperides, or the Celtic Avalon, man's idea of paradise centers on an abundance of cultivated fruit, its sensual irresistibility and the consequential calamity of its seduction.

A syrup made from Apples is a good cordial used to treat fainting, palpitations, and melancholy. The Romans used ripe Apples for laxatives and the unripe ones to treat diarrhea. Ripe, juicy apples eaten at bedtime every night will cure some of the worst forms of constipation - sour apples are the best for this purpose. An infusion of the peels is good as an wash for eye infection. They are also a good source of vitamins (A, B1, C) and minerals, so are good to use in anemia and general debility. The Apple is also good for your teeth - cleansing to the teeth on account of its juices, and just hard enough to mechanically push back the gums so that the borders are cleared of deposits. Rotten apples used as a poultice is an old Lincolnshire remedy for sore eyes, that is still in use in some villages. The chief dietetic value of apples lies in the malic and tartaric acids. These acids are of signal benefit to persons of sedentary habits, who are susceptible  to liver ailments, and they neutralize the acid products of gout and indigestion. The juice of apples, without sugar, will often reduce acidity of the stomach. 

Only in Christian mythology does the Apple have negative meaning. Biblically, the apple is sometimes believed to be the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is believed by many to be the fruit Eve gave to Adam in the Garden of Eden, although the exact fruit given is often hotly debated by biblical scholars - and the term 'Adam's Apple' comes from a Christian superstition that relates that a piece of the forbidden Apple stuck in Adam's throat, and his descendants ever after had the lump in the front of the neck which is so named. The angel of death, Azrael, could accomplish his mission by holding Apple to the nostrils. Also, to eat an apple without first rubbing it clean was a symbolic gesture of challenging the "Devil."

Wassailing the orchard-trees on Yule Eve used to be a popular thing to do. The farmer and his family and workers would go out to the orchard after supper, carrying along a jug of cider and a plate of hot cakes. The cakes were placed in the boughs of the oldest or best bearing trees in the orchard, while the cider was flung over the trees after the farmer had drunk their health in some such fashion as the following:

"Here's to thee, old apple-tree!

Whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow,

Hats full! Caps full!

Bushel - bushel-bags full!

And my pockets full too! Huzza!"

The toast was repeated three times, the men and boys often firing off guns and pistols, and the women and children shouting loudly. Roasted Apples were sometimes placed in the pitcher of cider, and were thrown at the trees with the liquid. Trees that did not produce much fruit were not honored with wassailing but it was thought that the more productive ones would cease to bear if the rite were omitted.

Numerous superstitions surround the fruit of the apple tree which has most commonly been used in love magic and divinations. People once believed that apples would keep them young forever. When you cut the apple fruit breadthways you see the five-pointed star made from the placement of the seed casings. This symbol, the pentagram, is the traditional symbol of knowledge. That the five-pointed star, pentagram, is surrounded by the circular shape of the halved apple, the symbol becomes a pentacle. This is a symbol of protection, the protection of sacred knowledge. Apple is used in love, healing, garden, and immortality magic. A common folk spell says to bury an Apple at midnight on Samhain eve to feed those waiting for rebirth. Also on Samhain it was traditional for a large Apple to be given to each member of the household to be eaten for good luck in the new year. Apple has been used in spells for hundreds of years. You can substitute Apple cider for the blood or wine called for in some ancient spells and rites. The wood is good material for wands used for love spells and rituals. The branches and twigs that are pruned from the apple tree are often used for making magical items such as wands, beads, wreaths, pentagrams for the walls, and even stick birdhouses. Apples can be used for divination. The Apple can be peeled in one long continuous peeling. the peeling is then flung over the shoulder and whatever letter the peeling forms is said to be the first letter of the person that you will some day marry. The Apple seeds can also be looked at to foretell the future. One custom regarding the apple fruit is to bury a few apples, after their harvest, to appease the spirits of the dead.

Since ancient times it has been deemed unlucky to harm an apple tree. Fortunately, this does not include the yearly pruning of the apple tree which, in fact, keeps apple trees healthy by preventing their limbs from becoming overburdened with fruits and breaking.  To the Gauls, the apple tree was as sacred as the oak tree Among the Celts, the fruit of the apple tree symbolized knowledge, magic, and prophesy. The tree was of the Celtic Underworld and acted as a sort of bridge between the living and the dead.  The apple is associated with the planets Venus and the Sun, and the element of water. In Magical circles the Apple is often called the Fruit of the Underworld, the Silver Bough, the Tree of Love or the Silver Branch. In Greek mythology, Gaia, or Mother Earth, presented a tree with golden apples to Zeus and his bride Hera on their wedding day.

Is it any wonder that apples became the most sought after fruit on earth? They have taken their rightful place in the pleasure gardens of the wealthy throughout the world in spite of the almost instinctive knowledge that eating them may lead one to a life of chaos and destruction.

Midwest Apple Improvement Association

The Sacred Spiral

Contains Information Compiled by Sarah the Swampwitch

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Hazel

HAZEL

* Celtic name: Coll (pronounced: Cull) - 'C'. Coll means "life force within you".

* Folk or Common names: tree of Wisdom, Lamb's Tails Tree, Collo or Coslo (Gailic), The tree's name shares a common root with the walnut tree and its nut, or cnu and hnot in Europe and Nux in latin.

* Latin name: European hazel - corylus avellana; American Filbert - corylus americana.

* Parts used: Nut, leaves, branches, wood.

Hazel can be used as a drainage remedy and can help restore elasticity to the lungs. Hazelnuts, of course, can be eaten, and are a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, protein and fatty acids. The nuts can be powdered and be mixed with mead or honeyed water to help a cough. Cows' milk yield can be increased by giving them hazel leaves to eat. The properties of the leaves and bark are similar, astringent, tonic, sedative, valuable in checking internal and external hemorrhage, most efficacious in the treatment of piles, a good pain-killer for the same, useful for bruises and inflammatory swellings, also for diarrhea, dysentery and mucous discharges. It has long been used by the North American Indians as poultices for painful swellings and tumors. The decoction has been utilized for menorrhagia and the debilitated state resulting from abortion. It has been found to be beneficial for bleeding from the lungs and nose, as well as from other internal organs. In the treatment of varicose veins, it should be applied on a lint bandage, which must be constantly kept moist: a pad of Witch Hazel applied to a burst varicose vein will stop the bleeding and often save life by its instant application.

A tea made of the leaves or bark may be taken freely with advantage, being good for bleeding of the stomach and complaints of the bowels, and an injection of this tea is excellent for inwardly bleeding piles, the relief being marvelous and the cure speedy. An ointment made of 1 part fluid extract of bark to 9 parts simple ointment is also used as a local application. Pond's Extract of Witch Hazel was much used in our grandmother's days as a general household remedy for burns, scalds, and inflammatory conditions of the skin generally and it is still in general use. In cases of bites of insects and mosquitoes a pad of cotton-wool, moistened with the extract and applied to the spot will soon cause the pain and swelling to subside. Diluted with warm water, the extract is used for inflammation of the eyelids.

Hazel is the 9th Moon of the Celtic Year - (Aug 5 - Sept 1). The bird associated with this month is the crane, the color is brown, and the gemstone is band-red agate. The Hazel, a masculine herb, is associated with the element of air, the planet of Mercury, the day of Wednesday, and is sacred to Mercury, Thor, Artemis, Fionn, Diana and Lazdona (the Lithuanian Hazelnut Tree Goddess). Hazel wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods that is part of the Belfire that the Druid's burned at Beltane - it was added to the fire to gain wisdom. In fact, in ancient times the Hazel was known as The Tree of Wisdom. It is often associated with sacred springs and wells and salmon. Celtic legend tell of a grove of Hazel trees below which was a well, a pool, where salmon swam. These trees contained all knowledge, and their fruit contained that knowledge and wisdom in a nutshell. As the hazelnuts ripened, they would fall into the well where they were eaten by the salmon. With each nut eaten, the salmon would gain another spot. In order to gain the wisdom of the Hazel, the Druids caught and prepared the salmon. But Fionn, the young man stirring the pot in which the salmon were cooking, accidentally burned his thumb with the boiling stew. By reflex, he put his thumb into his mouth and thus ingested the essence of the sacred feast; he instantly gained the wisdom of the universe.

Any part of the plant can be used in spells to increase mental abilities. Often used for wands. Carry the nuts or hang in the home to bring luck. Eat the nuts to encourage fertility. Place twigs in the windows for protection from lightning. The Hazel has applications in magic done for manifestation, spirit contact, protection, prosperity, wisdom, divination-dowsing, dreams, wisdom-knowledge, marriage, reconciliation, fertility, intelligence, inspiration, and wrath. Hazel is a good herb to use to do magic associated with asking for wisdom and poetic inspiration since the Hazel is known as the Tree of Immortal Wisdom. In England, all the knowledge of the arts and sciences was thought to be bound to the eating of Hazel nuts. Hazel also has protective uses as anti-lightning charms. A sprig of Hazel or a talisman of two Hazel twigs tied together with red or gold thread to make a solar cross can be carried as a protective good luck charm. The mistletoe that grows on hazel protects against bewitching. A cap of Hazel leaves and twigs ensures good luck and safety at sea, and protects against shipwrecks. In England, the Hazelnut is a symbol of fertility - a bag of nuts bestowed upon a bride will ensure a fruitful marriage. The Hazel is a tree that is sacred to the fey Folk. A wand of hazel can be used to call the Fey. If you sleep under a Hazel bush you will have vivid dreams. Hazel can be used for all types of divination and dowsing. Until the seventeenth century, a forked Hazel stick was used to divine the guilt of persons in cases of murder and theft. Druids often made wands from Hazel wood, and used the wands for finding ley lines. Hazel twigs or a forked branch can be used to divine for water or to find buried treasure. The wood of the Hazel can help to divine the pure source of poetry and wisdom.

Hazelnuts can be used for love divination. Assign the name of your passion to a nut and throw it in the fire while saying:

"A Hazelnut I throw in the flame,
to this nut I give my sweetheart's name,
If blazes the nut, so may thy passion grow,
For twas my nut that did so brightly glow."

If the nut burns brightly you then will know that your love will burn equally as brightly. Hazels are often found at the border between the worlds where magical things happen, and therefore Hazel wood is excellent to use to make all-purpose wands. Any Hazel twigs, wood or nuts should be gathered after sundown on Samhain since it will be at the peak of its magical energy. Hazel must not be cut with a knife, but with a flint.

Compiled by Sarah the Swamp Witch

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Acorn / Oak

Ok, so it isn't technically an herb, but it is still strongly associated with Fall in General & Samhain in particualr...

ACORN/OAK

* Celtic name: Duir (pronounced: dur). Duir means 'door' - 'D'
* Folk or Common names: Oak, The King of the Grove, Quercus, Forest King
* Latin name: White Oak - quercus alba; Red Oak - quercus rubra; Black Oak - quercus velutina; etc.
* Parts Used: acorn, leaf, bark, wood.

Herbal usage: Oaks are known for astringent tonics and therefore tea made from Oak is a good remedy for hemorrhoids . White Oak bark tea helps in sinus infections since it helps unclog congestion. Acorns can be peeled and used to make various homeopathic potions used to treat alcoholism, bad breath and constipation.

* Associations & Magical history: The Oak is associated with the element of fire and is ruled by the sun. The bird associated with this is the wren, the color is black, and the gemstone is white carnelian or moonstone. Oak's day is Thursday and it is a masculine plant. The Oak tree is associated with the Fey. In Germany, Oak trees are the fairies' favorite dwelling place, and they are especially fond of dancing around the base of the trees. The Oakmen are male dwarf faeries with huge heads who are the guardians of sacred Oak groves. They are not very friendly towards people, but no one has ever been harmed by one. Pillywiggins are small winged creatures who resemble Pixies, and that live among wildflowers which grow at the foot of huge Oaks. Another strong association of the Oak is to the Druids. The Druids were said to have worshipped in Oak-groves in Gaul and Galatia and were also said to have eaten acorns as part of their ritual preparation for foretelling the future. Oak wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods that are part of the Belfire that the Druid's burned at Beltane - it was added to the fire symbolizing the God or male principle. The Oak tree is sacred to Bridghid, Zeus, Jupiter (his voice is be heard in the rustling of Oak leaves), Hercules, The Dagda (Chief of the Elder Irish gods), Thor and all other Thunder Gods. The Oak is also associated with the Slavic spirit Perun (called that in Russian; called Piórun in Polish, Perkunas in Lithuanian, and Perkons in Latvian) who is the Spirit of thunder and of the Oak. Another deity associated with the Oak tree is the Oak King - He is the king of the waxing year and the other half of the Holly King, the king of the waning year. England honored its famous "Herne's Oak." This Oak stood for Diana and her successive lovers, the Kings of the Wood, in Greco-Roman tradition and well into the Christian era. Irish churches used to be called dair-thech, "oak-house," an old Druidic name for the sacred grove. In the eighth century, the Xtian apostle Boniface ordered the sacred Oak Groves destroyed to prove to the local Pagans that their god was worthless since he couldn't protect his tree. After this the Oak became the tree of devils to the Xtians and many condemned Witches were burnt at the stake in fires of oak wood.

Roman awarded oak leaves to military heroes. At Loch Maree in Scotland, nails and coins were driven into the trunk of an oak tree with pieces of pilgrims' clothing, as offerings. The oak was the most sacred tree of the Aryan peoples of Europe, the provider of food, housing and fire. The Oak Cult spread across Europe, from the Caucasus to the Atlantic, encompassing Celts, Slavs and Teutons. Houses in the river valleys of prehistoric northern Italy were built on oak piles. Archaeologists have found piles of acorns next to the remains of these houses. Primitive Europeans believed that oak fire strengthened the sun. Fire was kindled in ancient times by rubbing oak sticks together. Sacrifices were made to sacred oaks in Europe until well into the Middle Ages. Ancient Prussians revered sacred oak trees. The chief oak in the forest at Romove had priests who tended a perpetual fire of oak wood. This tree, draped with a cloth, was considered the dwelling place of the god. The Prussians adored it and hung images from it. There was a sacred oak tree at Hesse called the Red Jove from which omens were drawn and to which sacrifices were made. Holy oaks were preserved in Germany into modern times. First fruits of the chase were hung on oaks in Saxony and Thuringian until the 13th century. Kirwaido, God's Mouth, ruled ancient Prussians in the name of the god. When he had become weak and sick he immolated himself atop a pile of straw and thorn bushes. The blaze was lit from the perpetual fire that burned before the holy oak tree. Estonians sacrificed oxen to oaks, with prayers for rain and good crops. They also annually smeared oak trees with the blood of beasts. Lithuanians offered sacrifices to oak trees for plentiful crops. Oak trees in Siberian groves were swathed in cloth and made offerings of kettles, reindeer hides, spoons and other valuable household articles. Orthodox Christians in Russia worshiped a holy oak until the 1870's. They fixed candles to its trunk and branches and prayed: "Holy oak hallelujah, pray for us. "

The Oak was one of the sacred Druidic three: 'Oak, Ash and Thorn' and is the tree known as "The King of the Grove". The Oak has applications in magic done for all positive purposes, men, fidelity, ancestry, lightning, weather, storms, longevity, power, balance, success, money, strength, love, protection, the sun, healing, endurance, dominion, sacrifice, triumph, financial success, fertility and good luck. Uses of Oak in protective magic include placing Oak Acorns in a window to ward off lightning by appeasing the gods. Acorns hanging in windows can also protect the house against creatures that go bump in the night. Carry a piece of Oak to protect yourself from evil, or carry an acorn to prevent illness. An acorn stuck in your pocket or carried in a purse can also protect you from storms, from losing your bearings and from evil intent. An oak leaf worn at your breast, touching your heart, will save you from all deceptions. Due to the Oaks' association with the Gods of lightning, oak can be used in weather magic. Old Magic books said thunder storms could be raised by burning a chameleon's head along with oak wood. Oak can also be used to acquire good luck. An acorn can be worn around the neck to bring good luck or carry three acorns about your person and you will have a charm for youthfulness, beauty and success in life. If you tie and bind the acorns with your own hair and bless them under the new moon and the full moon, every month of the year, the charm will stay charged. The Oak is tied to Faery magic. Legend tells us that "Faery folks are in the oaks." Oak trees and groves are believed to provide safe havens and homes for many varieties of faery. Linking with the Oak Faeries can awaken visions of your future. However, if you run into faeries intent upon causing you mischief, you can neutralize their magic by turning your coat or cloak inside-out:

"Turn your clokes
For fairy folks
Are in old oakes."

And make sure you never eat any food that is offered to you by an Oakman - since it is sure to be poisonous. Oak can be used in magic for love and love divination. Carry acorns to ensure fertility. If you wish to know whether you and your present beloved will marry, take two acorns, naming them under a full moon for yourself and your lover, and drop them into a crystal bowl of well water. If they stay close to one another, as though knit by a bond, you will be sure to marry, but if they float away from one another, that is a sign that the bond will end. Oaks can also be used in general divinations - it is said that at the summer solstice the future can be divined by listening to the wind as it blows through the branches of an Oak tree. Witches often use the wood of the Oak for Witchy tools. Oak branches can be made into wands or staves. When gathering Oak, be sure to pour wine on the roots of the tree to thank it for allowing you to take a part of it. Acorns should be gathered in the daylight, and leaves and wood by night. A waning moon is the correct time to harvest Oak.

Much Information from :

The Celtic Attic

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb is This - Wormwood

WORMWOOD

CAUTION!! Wormwood and its related variety known as Mugwort, are not only TOXIC in large doses, but WILL CAUSE FETAL ABNORMALITIES!!!! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE EITHER OF THESE HERBS IF you even SUSPECT PREGNANCY, OR ARE BREAST FEEDING!!
WARNING: The oil is pure poison and should only be used externally! Never take this herb for more than a few weeks.

Wormwood is also known as Absinthe, Green Ginger, Old Woman, Crown For A King.The Common Wormwood grows on roadsides and waste places, and is found over the greater part of Europe and Siberia, having been formerly much cultivated for its qualities. In Britain, it appears to be truly indigenous near the sea and locally in many other parts of England and Scotland, from Forfar southwards. In Ireland it is a doubtful native. It has become naturalized in the United States.

This herb has been known to be in use since 1500 B.C.E.. Dioscorides' Greek Herbal, written in the first century C.E., calls for its use as a remedy against intoxication. The ancient Egyptians used it for headaches. Wormwood tea is used as a liver remedy to dispel the symptoms of jaundice and to remove depression and melancholy. According to the Ancients, wormwood counteracted the effects of poisoning by hemlock, toadstools and the biting of the seadragon. The plant was of some importance among the Mexicans, who celebrated their great festival of the Goddess of Salt by a ceremonial dance of women, who wore on their heads garlands of wormwood. The ancient Egyptians used it as a vermifuge (to kill internal worms), as did many later cultures, and the name "wormwood" may refer to this property of ridding the body of worms. For protection, Wormwood can be burned in incense or used in potions. French Witches of the Middle Ages rubbed babies with Wormwood juice in order that "they never be too cold or hot for as long as they lived." Early American colonists stored this herb with their clothing to protect the material from moth larvae. To rid the place of fleas; or books of book lice, powder some wormwood seeds and "dust" the area where they are found.

Wormwood has the potentially addictive substance Thujone in it. (The "kicker" in the liqueur Absinthe.) Thujone acts powerfully on the nerve centers, causes delirium, hallucinations,  and in some cases, insanity. The mystique of Absinthe as a drink is helped by the fact that the liqueur has been banned in many countries since the early part of this century. What many don't know is that Absinthe was hardly the first alcoholic beverage which utilized wormwood - much earlier, wormwood was used in the production of wine and beer. Before hops were introduced in some areas of Europe, wormwood was used to bitter beer. The chemical Thujone which is found in Wormwood appears to be porphyrinogenic, which means that it increases the production of heme in the body. It is possible that this property could make the symptoms of porphyria, which is commonly (and incorrectly, I might add) known as the "vampire disease", much worse. There is speculation now that the artist VanGogh, a notorious Absinthe addict, was also a porphyric, and the two in combination led to his insanity and untimely demise.... Remember that thing about van Gogh's ear?

*Wormwood is magically associated with the planet Mars and the element of Air. Wormwood is said to be dedicated to Diana in some old witches Grimoires. The genus is named Artemisia from Artemis, the Greek name for Diana. Wormwood is also associated with Isis and the Goddess of Salt. Wormwood is an ingredient in many of the old Flying Ointments. Absinthe has been used in some Magical ceremonies in the past. Wormwood is a classic herb for the Samhain season. In October the wheel of the year stops for a magical 3 day interlude before the feast of Samhain, which ushers in the death and rebirth of the seasonal wheel of the year. At Samhain we place gifts of food on our altars, and out-of-doors, extending hospitality to the disembodied ancestors who are surely among us. We light dark candles and call our dear departed, especially those most recently dead. Wormwood, when added to herbal incense, is an aid in opening the psychic centers. When these centers are open and receptive, we may better communicate with those who have "passed over". Its been written that wormwood and sandalwood (an herb of purification and high spiritual energy) burned together near a gravesite will summon the spirit of the departed. Wormwood is a banishing herb, used to rid a person or an area of anger and negativity.

On Samhain strew it in your ritual fire as a protection against malevolent spirits. Burn it as incense to improve psychic abilities, or wear sachets for this purpose. The tea may be used to enhance prophecy and divination. It may also be carried for protection from the evil eye, and is said to protect vehicles from accidents due to dangerous roads when carried within. Used to remove anger, stop war or inhibit violent acts. Wormwood is burned to gain protection from wandering spirits. Used in divinatory and clairvoyance incenses, initiation rites and tests of courage. It is said to enable the dead to be released from this plane so they my find peace. Wormwood can be used for Magic relating to psychic powers, protection, love, banishing, and calling spirits. Witches have long burned Wormwood to raise spirits. An ancient spell calls for Wormwood to be pounded with the gall of a white bull; then with suitable ritual, a bit is placed into your eyes "to take away all impediments to sight, of both of the mundane and fabulous..." (Don't try this please). It can be used in divination and clairvoyance incenses. Wormwood can be used in love spells. An Old Love Charm says, 'On St. Luke's Day, take marigold flowers, a sprig of Marjoram, Thyme, and a little Wormwood; dry them before a fire, rub them to powder; then sift it through a fine piece of lawn, and simmer it over a slow fire, adding a small quantity of virgin honey, and vinegar. Anoint yourself with this when you go to bed, saying the following lines three times, and you will dream of your partner "that is to be":

"St. Luke, St. Luke, be kind to me,

In dreams let me my true-love see." '

In another love spell done to divine the face of your future lover, take dried Marjoram, Thyme, and Wormwood, grind them to a powder and cook them gently with honey and vinegar to make a paste. Anoint your third eye center with the mix and ask three times that a vision of your lover's face be granted to you in your sleep. Wear the mixture to bed.

Sources:

Alternative Nature Online Herbal

A Witch's Herbal part of The Celtic Connection

Full Moon Magic Herbs

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Samhain General Information Part 2

* Celebrating Halloween * by Waverly Fitzgerald © 1998 I love Halloween. It's one of my favorite holidays. When my daughter was young enough to go trick-or-treating, I loved wandering down dark streets in the crisp air, with the leaves crunching under my feet, passing strange apparitions, always with a hint of fear, the sense that something is lurking in the darkness. I remember the edge of wildness I felt in the air when I went trick-or-treating as a child. I like putting on a costume, displaying some aspect of myself (usually glamorous) that I normally hide. But over the past few years, my attention has shifted away from trick-or-treating and parties towards the main theme of this dark festival: death. Halloween is one of the great quarter-days or pagan festivals which fall midway between the solstices and the equinoxes. That makes it an agricultural festival--it marks the time of the last harvest, the winter slaughter, the death of the crops and the rest cycle of the land. The Saxons called it Winter's Eve. The Celts called it Samhain, after their Lord of Death; it was also their new year. To the Celts, the day began with night fall. Thus it was natural for the year to begin at the start of the darkest time of the year. Celtic feasts were celebrated from sunset to sunset, so Samhain began at sunset on October 31st and continued until sunset November 1st. As with other great pagan holidays, the Catholic Church found a way to claim it. The Feast of All Saints, which came into existence in the 7th century, was commemorated on November 1 under the name of All Hallows Day, from which we get the name Halloween (the eve of Hallows). The following day, November 2, is All Souls Day, a day when the priest wears black, the church is draped with mourning and the faithful pray for the souls of their departed, with the hope of shortening their time in Purgatory.   The Month of Blood There are some obvious reasons why this place on the Wheel of the Year is associated with death. The sun is approaching its nadir, the leaves are falling from trees, the death and decay in the natural world remind us of our own mortality. Martinmas, November 11th, was the traditional time for slaughtering the cattle, sheep and pigs which could not be maintained during the winter. The Welsh called November the month of Slaughter while the Saxons called it the Month of Blood. In the Odyssey, Odysseus summons the shades of the dead by sacrificing animals. Their blood drains into a pit and the restless shades come eagerly crowing up from the underworld. Odysseus holds them at bay with his sword until the particular spirit he wants comes forward, laps up the blood and then prophesies what will happen in the future. This scene combines the themes of fear, slaughter, death, the Underworld, ghosts and divination which are common to Halloween. The Days of the Dead  In Mexico, All Souls Day is called Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and is a time of commemorating the dead by decorating their tombs (with marigolds, a flower sacred to the Aztecs) and inviting them to a feast in their honor. Families go to the cemetery for a picnic and eat skeleton cookies and sugar skull cakes. Trick-or-treating derives from an ancient British custom of going from house to house begging for soul-cakes (see recipe). Some say the soul-cakes were given to the priest to buy Masses for the souls of relatives in Purgatory. Others believe they were offerings to the dead. Candles flickering in the windows (or pumpkins) were meant to serve as beacons for the dead, just as on the similar holiday in Japan, lanterns are hung by the garden gates. The custom of dressing in costume and 'trick-or-treating' is of Celtic origin with survivals particularly strong in Scotland. However, there are some important differences from the modern version. In the first place, the custom was not relegated to children, but was actively indulged in by adults as well. Also, the 'treat' which was required was often one of spirits (the liquid variety). This has recently been revived by college students who go 'trick-or-drinking'. And in ancient times, the roving bands would sing seasonal carols from house to house, making the tradition very similar to Yuletide wassailing. In fact, the custom known as 'caroling', now connected exclusively with mid-winter, was once practiced at all the major holidays. Finally, in Scotland at least, the tradition of dressing in costume consisted almost exclusively of cross-dressing (i.e., men dressing as women, and women as men). It seems as though ancient societies provided an opportunity for people to 'try on' the role of the opposite gender for one night of the year. (Although in Scotland, this is admittedly less dramatic - but more confusing - since men were in the habit of wearing skirt-like kilts anyway. Oh well...) From the document All Hallow's Eve Copyright © 1986, 1999 by Mike Nichols) This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others.) Celebrating Decorating for this holy day is easy since there are so many items available for Halloween which will set the proper tone of mortality: autumn leaves, skeletons, miniature coffins, skulls, tombstones, pumpkins carved with terrifying faces, black candles. Every year I make a pilgrimage to the Folk Art Gallery-La Tienda at 4138 University Way NE in Seattle, which carries a selection of calaveras, macabre little skeleton figures doing wonderfully unlikely things like getting married and playing in a rock and roll band. We buy one each year to add to our Dia de Muertos altar. Pumpkins, apples and nuts are harvested at this time of the year and are associated with various Halloween customs. After the apple harvest, it's time to make wassail, a drink of hard apple cider (or soft apple juice), heated with spices and with whole apples floating on top. When the apples are heated enough they burst and make a froth on the top of the wassail. While you enjoy the fruits of the harvest, you can honor their source by wassailing the trees. Go out to the trees which have shared their bounty with you and thank them, drink a toast and pour a libation on their roots. For a dramatic but simple Halloween ritual I recommend this piece of the long and beautiful Samhain ritual described by Starhawk in The Spiral Dance.

Light candles in a dark room. Take a pomegranate and hold it up saying,

"Behold, the fruit of life -"

Put it down on a plate and cut it open with a knife, saying

"- which is death."

The ruby-red juice of the pomegranate will look like blood in the candlelight. Then hold up an especially shiny red apple - one that reminds you of the apple the stepmother gave Snow White - and say

"Behold the fruit of death -"

Put it down and slice it open horizontally rather than vertically. Hold it up so others can see the five-pointed star made by the seeds and say

"- which is life."

Cut up the rest of the apple and feed it to each other or use it for one of the forms of divination described below.

Honoring the Dead There are many ways you can honor the dead, starting with the simple act of setting out food for them. While you're at home and can properly supervise, place lighted candles in the windows to serve as beacons for the spirits. Host a Feast of the Dead. Set a place at the table for the dead and offer them servings of the food you eat. Invite departed friend and relatives, ancestors and heroines. Ask the living participants to share a memory about someone who has died who was important to them. Light a candle or ring a bell for each person after you speak about them. In Feeding the Spirit, Nancy Brady Cunningham suggests a variation of a Shinto tradition: cut out or draw pictures of things the dead would like. Then burn them in the fire (or candle flame), saying something like, "George, I am sending you new clothes for your journey in the spirit world." You can also make an altar for your ancestors. Our family has a Dia de Muertos altar which my daughter began in elementary school. Each year we set it up, decorate it with marigolds and add new objects: a milk bone for a dead dog, sunflower seeds for a dead hamster, pizza for a dead grandfather. Z Budapest in Grandmother of Time suggests putting pictures of your departed relatives in the middle of the altar, burning white and yellow devotional candles and incense, and talking to them. If you feel uncomfortable talking out loud, write letters. You can burn these too and imagine the smoke carrying your message. Divining the Future After being fed and entertained, the ghosts might provide oracular advice as they did for Odysseus. Since the spirits are so close to us on this night, this is an excellent time for all forms of divination. You have more access to your personal underworld, your unconscious. Consult your favorite oracle - the tarot cards, the I Ching, a Ouija board, runes, tea leaves or a crystal ball. Request images of what you can become or what you will do in the new year. There are many traditional forms of divination practiced on this night, most of them used to reveal the identity of your future spouse. If this is not something you need to know, ask for another vision. Several forms of divination involve apples. For instance, you are advised to take a candle, go alone to a mirror in a darkened room and eat the apple while looking into the mirror, combing your hair all the while. The face of your lover - or the Devil - will appear over your shoulder. A variation of this says you only have to peel the apple while looking into the mirror. ***Side note here - I have serious issues with mirrors and dark rooms in combination, and I would never suggest someone do something that involves the two. However, in an attempt to keep the information I provide as close to original, I am including this information.**** Or you can cut an apple into nine equal parts (this seems the hardest part of this method to me), eat eight of them, toss the ninth over your left shoulder, turn quickly and glimpse your future mate. I prefer the simpler method of peeling an apple so that the skin comes off in one continuous strip, throwing this over your left shoulder and looking to see the initial it forms. Since Gypsy girls and  Celtic queens chose their consorts by tossing them an apple, you could take the ball into your own hands, so to speak, by tossing your chosen one an apple. Couples who want information about their relationship are advised to place a pair of nuts (or apple pips) in the fire and watch them. Unfortunately the advice on how to interpret them varies. Some say if the nuts pop at the same time, the couple will marry. Others say this means they will spring apart. As with all oracles, your interpretation is the most important part. If you are choosing from among several possibilities, name the nuts and then watch to see which one bursts first. In Montgomeryshire in Wales, the mash of nine sort is served on Halloween. This mash contains potatoes, carrots, turnips, peas, parsnips, leeks, pepper, salt, enough milk to give it the right consistency and a wedding ring. Everyone eats a portion of the mash and the person who finds the wedding ring will be married first. I especially like the story from Welsh Folk Customs by Trefor Owen about the girl who undertook a particularly difficult form of divination. She walked around the leek patch in the garden nine times, plucked a leek with her teeth and slept with it under her pillow. This was so effective that her lover appeared - in the flesh. There is something to be said for helping the spirits provide the answer which is in your best interest. Of all the Witchcraft holidays, Halloween is the only one that still boasts anything near to popular celebration. Even though it is typically relegated to children (and the young-at-heart) and observed as an evening affair only, many of its traditions are firmly rooted in Paganism. Incidentally, some schools have recently attempted to abolish Halloween parties on the grounds that it violates the separation of state and religion. Speaking as a Pagan, I would be saddened by the success of this move, but as a supporter of the concept of religion-free public education, I fear I must concede the point. Nonetheless, it seems only right that there should be one night of the year when our minds are turned toward thoughts of the supernatural. A night when both Pagans and non-Pagans may ponder the mysteries of the Otherworld and its inhabitants. And if you are one of them, may all your jack-o'lanterns burn bright on this All Hallow's Eve From the document All Hallow's Eve Copyright © 1986, 1999 by Mike Nichols) This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others.) References: Festa: Recipes and Recollections of Italian Holidays, by Helen Barolini Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich 1988 Grandmother of Time, by Zsuzsanna E Budapest Harper and Row 1989 Feeding the Spirit by Nancy Brady Cunningham, Resource Publications 1988 The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore, by Charles Kightly Thames & Hudson 1987 Welsh Folk Customs, by Trefor Owen Llandysul, Dyfed: Gomer Press The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, Harper & Row 1979
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