Folk Names: Amber,
Fuga daemonum (Scare Devil.), Goat weed, Herba John, Klamath, Sol
Terrestis, Tipton Weed.
Here my friends is a plant to "conjure"
with, a plant with "supernatural" powers. The ancient Greeks believed that
the fragrance of St. John's wort would cause evil spirits to "fly away".
The early Christians converted the plant into a symbol of St. John the
Baptist, as it flowers on or about June 24, the day the Catholic church
designated St. John's day. Christian priests in the middle ages continued
to follow their Pagan forebears' example by using the plant in exorcisims.
The plants use as a treatment for melancholia and madness seems to have
been based on these ancient beliefs. The medicinal part of this plant is
the herb. The organs affected are the liver, kidney, spleen and stomach.
It will work as an alterative, an antispasmodic, an anti-inflammatory,
an astringent, a vulnerary, an expectorant and as a nervine. Taken internally
it is used as a pain relieving sedative in the treatment of neuralgia,
anxiety and nervous tension. Externally, it is a specific treatment for
diseases directly affecting the spine. It is applied as a liniment or a
poultice for sciatica, neuralgia and rheumatic pains. As a lotion it will
relieve the pain and inflammation of bruises, vericose veins and mild burns.
St. John's oil is made by soaking the herb in olive oil and placing the
mixture in a warm place for a few days, and has been taken for stomachache,
colic, intestinal problems and as an expectorant for congestion in the
lungs. A tea made from the flowers is used to treat headache, anemia, insomnia,
jaundice, chest congestion and catarrh. On the esoteric side of things,
the plant is said to ward off fevers and colds. It is said to make soldiers
invincible and to attract love. It is burned in incense to keep away ghosts,
necromancers, daemons, spirits and any evil doer. Needless to say, like
Angelica this herb is great for cleansing a magick circle. It may be used
in rituals or carried to detect other mages. It should be gathered in midsummer,
or on any friday and regardless of how you decide to use it, the plant
can and will drive out all negative energy, be it from the body or the
magick circle.....
Gender: Masculine.
Planet: Sun.
Element: Fire.
Deities: Baldur