St Johns Wort: The Magickal Herb

It was customary in Britain and Europe on St John's Eve (June 23), to gather certain herbs, such as St John's wort, vervain, trefoil and rue, all of which were believed to have magical properties. St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) does, in fact, have scientifically proven anti-depressant qualities. Drinks were brewed from it to cure madness, sciatica, epilepsy and paralysis. The salve made from the herb cured wounds from spears and swords - or, so it is said.

Flowers of St John's wort used to be collected in Britain and Europe on St John's Eve (tonight) and worn on the body or hung over doorways as protection against witches. It was also placed near windows as witches can look in to cast a spell. Even in recent times the people of the Landes district of France would make crosses of wort on their doors.

In Britain, one old custom was for a maiden to pick a sprig of St John's wort and wear it in her bosom until Christmas, by which time the man who was to be her husband, and he alone, would see it and take it from her.

In ancient Latvia, Jani on June 23 was the year's most important festival and it, too, was a celebration of the Summer Solstice. In preparation, everything in the town, including buildings and livestock, was decorated with garlands of papardi (ferns) and janu zali (John's grass). Children traditionally went into the woods on Jani, searching for the fern blossom (like a 'snipe hunt' in North America, since the fern blossom does not exist, or else this was St John's wort) which supposedly bloomed only at night on Jani. Searching for, and theoretically finding, the fern blossom brought good luck.

Pip Wilson is the editor of "Wilson's Almanac" http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com which has more than 3,000 fully searchable pages on the folklore of the calendar and many other topics. It is the home of the free daily ezine of the same name.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Purchasing Essential Oil

Tips on Purchasing Essential OilsIt is important to purchase your... Read More

What Does The Label Vegan Mean in Bedding Products?

Vegan, or vegetarian, organic fills and batting, are natural materials... Read More

Why Use An Aromatherapy Diffuser?

We breathe 22,000 times a day, inhaling 400 cubic feet... Read More

Holistic Lifestyle

Sometimes living that wonderful and beneficial holistic life can sometimes... Read More

Healing the Body & Mind ? The Karma of Health

Within each one of us resides the divine healer. All... Read More

Revolutionary Medicine: Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers

Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films,... Read More

About ADD ( Attention Deficit Disorder ), its Symptoms

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a condition that is usually... Read More

Sun Chlorella and the Benefit

Sun Chlorella is referred to as the Green Magician due... Read More

Home Saunas and Kits: Benefits, Pre-Planning, and Purchasing Tips

For quite some time now home saunas have gained massive... Read More

Demystifying Hands On Healing

While hands-on healing is probably the easiest of skills to... Read More

Alternative Herbal Cures for Ailments

With the increased usage of herbs for treatment of ailments... Read More

NMT: Trigger Point Therapy and What to Look for in a T Bar

Massage therapy is as ancient as noodles. People have been... Read More

You Can Stop Biting Your Nails, Heres How!

Are you tired of being self-conscious about your hands and... Read More

Fitness-related Benefits of Massage

Ask someone their reason for getting a massage and you're... Read More

Cliff Kuhn M.D.s Fun Commandments Unlock Humors Amazingly Powerful Natural Medicine

My Fun Commandments are more relevant today than ever before... Read More

The Safety of Natural Therapies

Just because something is labeled or deemed "natural' does not... Read More

10 Simple Ways to Naturally Increase Your Energy

1. Eat protein at every meal: One of the most... Read More

Plantar Warts Treatment - Is There A Natural Medication Which Gets Rid Of Plantar Warts?

Plantar Warts are growths which occur on the bottom of... Read More

Aromatherapy at Home: Beating the Cold Bug

It seems that nearly everyone I know has been either... Read More

Detoxify Your Body and Treat Your Health Ailments

If you are like most of us, you're tired, maybe... Read More

Can I Be Hypnotised?

If you are conscious, have an IQ higher than about... Read More

How to Prevent Snoring?

Snoring is noisy breathing through the mouth and nose during... Read More

Thyme: Elegance Drifting Through the Ages of Time

Thyme is a herb that has been cultivated for centuries... Read More

Natural Arthritis Pain Relief - By Doing Simple Arthritis Exercises

Treating arthritis is not easy. Apart from the regular medication,... Read More

What Is Herbal Medicine? Is It Safe?

Herbal medicine is the use of plant and herb extracts... Read More

Natural Aphrodisiacs - The Right Way

Aphrodisiacs are amongst the oldest cures, being ones of the... Read More

Low Back Pain

About 85 percent of the population will experience disabling low... Read More

That Popeye Knew a Thing or Two!

For a few weeks the lumps in my throat were... Read More

Whipped Shea Butter & Its Many Uses

Shea butter, also referred to as karite, which means "life"... Read More

Aromatherapy - a World of Frangrance

The ancient Egyptians used aromatherapy thousands of years ago. Aromatherapy,... Read More

Using Carrot Juice for Relieving Constipation

Carrot JuiceCarrot juices contain certain oils that work on the... Read More

The Benefit of Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is a milky substance produced by the worker... Read More

Green Drink For Constipation

A green drink is a powerful drink that can help... Read More