Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants (19 page)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was sacred to the Germanic love goddess because the female flowers are an outstanding aphrodisiac. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

Saint John’s wort (
Hypericum perforatum
L.) used to be called
Fuga daemonium
(ghost’s herb) because it was said to protect against ghosts, witches, and black magic. Tabernaemontanus documented the knowledge of the witches in his herbal: “The old women say that this herb is for ghosts when it is carried on the person. That is also why it is called
Fuga daemonium
” (1613). A common name for the antidepressant and mood enhancer is still witches’ herb. Naturally Saint John’s wort belongs to the ancient heathen medicinal and ritual plants of the Teutons. Saint John’s wort oil was the active ingredient in countless preparations from the early modern era (for example, in the magic balm of Pforzheim) used to treat those who were possessed, plagued by nightmares, and disoriented by the consequences of an overdose of a love potion. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

The Saint John’s wort native to the Himalayas (
Hypericum choisianum
Wallich ex N. Robson) is now, as before, a sacred plant. Its large yellow flowers are used as offerings for the “witch goddess” Kali. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

Thorn apple (
Datura stramonium
L.) takes the place of henbane in other parts of the world, such as Central and South America and central and south Asia. When the thorn apple was brought back to Europe, it was immediately recognized as an ingredient of witches’ medicine. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

Autumn crocus (
Colchicum autumnale
L.) is the first to grow leaves in spring. It is considered a plant of Medea, and belongs to the feared poisons of Colchis. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

Henbane (
Hyoscyamus albus
L.) has been ritually used in Europe since the Bronze Age. It is one of the most important plants in witches’ medicine, used as a “traveling herb,” an aphrodisiac, and as medicine for asthma and wounds. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

The “witches’ broom” on the branch of a birch tree occurs because of a degeneration caused by a mushroom invasion. (Photograph by Christian Rätsch.)

The polypores on the trunk of a birch tree are reminiscent of the steps on the shamanic World Tree.

In any event the moods of humans and animals oscillate with the weather. In the spiritual experience of humans of earlier eras, the internal and external weather was not as radically separated as is now the case in the West. Periods of bad weather, which threaten the harvest and therewith survival, or the fear of lightning and hailstorms can also influence the spiritual climate of a community and lead to an agitated atmosphere, bad mood, and accidents. In the loaded atmosphere before a storm, the sting of the horsefly is particularly harsh, the cows’ bellows more agitated as they kick the milk buckets and withhold their milk, and people themselves are nervous and stressed. Therefore it is entirely possible that, when grandmother burns in the house or barn Saint John’s wort that has been consecrated to the sun, it helps.

Saint John’s wort was not only sacred to the sun, but to Venus as well. As a woman’s herb it was mixed with aromatic herbs for giving birth. It was put in emmenagogues to bring on the monthly blood because the flower itself has “blood” in it. Menopausal women also drank it.

Because fair Freya is above all a love goddess, it is not surprising that this solstice herb was used by young women as a love oracle. Usually a girl took a handful of Saint John’s wort flower buds that had been gathered on Saint John’s Day and put them in a linen sack, squeezed it, thought about her beloved, and said:

If my dear is good, comes red blood.

If he is bad, there is only foam!

If one squeezes the gold-yellow flower buds between the fingers, red “elves’ blood” comes out—this is what the above oracle is based on. The heathens called the red juice the blood of the sun god, of gracious Balder, who was sacrificed at the solstice or, rather, who sacrificed himself to Earth. The symbolism was carried over to Saint John, the preacher of repentance, who declared at the baptism of Jesus (the sun of the soul), “He must grow, but I must diminish.” In popular Christianity, John the Baptist, who was beheaded after Salomé performed her dance of the seven veils, replaced the heathen sun god.

Many religious legends are entwined with this summer solstice flower. The plant was said to have been created when the blood of Saint John the Baptist fell on the ground. A sweet story from the Upper Palatinate region of Germany tells that Zechariah, the father of Saint John, was saddened that he had had no children, and so he went into the desert. There an angel gave him this little yellow flower, which stayed fresh until Saint John was born.

In order to explain the ancient, indestructible custom of putting Saint John’s wort in the windows and doors on Saint John’s Day, preachers invented another story. An informant discovered the hiding place of the persecuted holy man Saint John. So that the henchmen could find the place where Saint John was hiding, a spy placed a sprig of Saint John’s wort in the window of the house. But a miracle happened! On the next morning the windows in all of the houses in Jerusalem were decorated with the herb.

Another legend tells that the herb is so good and so medicinal that the devil in his wrath attacked it with a needle and punctured it thousands of times. The proof for this misdeed is in the many black spots that look like needle holes on the petals when they are held up to the light. These spots, which are caused by small oil glands, are where
perforatum,
the plant’s species name, comes from
.

The inquisitors, the Christian witch hunters, were convinced of the elevated status of Saint John’s wort. They gave Saint John’s wort tea to the brides of Satan because they believed it would negate the oaths the witches had made with the devil. Abundant amounts of Saint John’s wort were burned during sessions of “embarrassing questioning” as well, either because the inquisitors were afraid of the devil or because they assumed he would not be able to approach the frightened woman due to the presence of the herb.

Paracelsus classified the red juice and the “needle holes” differently from the priests. He saw in them the signature of Mars, the planetary war god—a sure sign that the plant was suited for slash and puncture wounds. Paracelsus, who had traveled as a surgeon with mercenary armies back and forth across Europe, knew what he was talking about. Compresses of
Hypericum
are antiseptic and heal wounds. The red hypericin oil is also outstanding for all wounds, bruises, and abrasions, and it is good for burns and scalds. But it must be kept in mind that Saint John’s wort oil should not be used as a suntan oil, because it can cause photosensitivity. A few drops taken internally are said to help gastritis and ulcers and stimulate the gallbladder.

The red oil belongs in every household pharmacy. It is very effective for neuralgia and nerve inflammation, lumbago, and sciatica when massaged into the painful areas. Saint John’s wort oil is easy to make. On a dry, sunny summer day collect the flowers and the buds, put them in a clear glass jar, pour sunflower or olive oil over them to the top of the jar, screw on the top tightly, and leave the jar in the sun for two weeks. Eventually the oil will become a burgundy color. It should be strained and stored in a dark glass jar in a dark place.

The herb is also suitable for tea. Saint John’s wort, which belongs to the same botanical order (Theales) as black tea, has a pleasant taste. Because this tea is not a diuretic, a small cup can be drunk before bedtime without a problem. It is particularly recommended during the dark days of winter, when the lack of light depresses the mood. This tea works as a tranquilizer on the limbic system (Weiss, 1991: 35).

Saint John’s wort tea works particularly well for children who wet their beds. Bed-wetting does not have to do with a kidney problem; it has mostly spiritual causes. In such cases a psychotropic medicinal plant is recommended.