by: Cathy Peterson
The following artical contains information that might be inappropriate for the very Young or very foolish. Any information is provided in the understanding that the author warns against the use of any of these substances unless medically qualified.
Some of the earliest records that make reference to the use of substances to affect the mental and physical condition have been about Witches and Witchcraft.
The practitioners of this craft, most often women, were frequently consulted by individuals who desired a potion or charm that would ward off evil, attract love or heal an illness.
Their knowledge of the uses and misuses of plants was reknown and many modern writers acknowledge that it is these individuals who developed and retained through history, the herbal lore which has been extensively employed by modern medicine and pharmaceutical companies.
Often we are unaware of the history of the drugs we take so much for granted in our lives. A brief review of the origins of drugs such as Aspirin and Digitalis demonstrates that these drugs have plant origins and were in use long before modern medicine discovered and isolated them.
Foxglove for instance, (also known as Fairyglove and Witchesglove), was the source of Digitalis, the drug which has saved the lives of many people suffering heart conditions. Digitalis was discovered by Dr. William Withering, in his book, 'An Account of Foxglove and its Uses', (1785), he acknowledges his debt to Witchcraft herbal lore in leading him to the use of Foxglove for assisting those with Heart conditions.
Tradition has it that Witches would often go out on nights of a full moon to collect strange plants. Rather than being an obscure magical ritual, the collecting of plants at night-time and when the moon is full has a basis in plant biology. Many of the plants employed by Witches have their highest active drug content at these times. If one were to remove some of the more obscure magical aspects of Witchcraft, a deep understanding of Herbal Lore, Medicine and Psychology is revealed.
Our society, modern medicine and the multimillion pound pharmaceutical industry, owe much to the traditions of Witchcraft and the knowledge passed through the centuries by these practitioners of an ancient and persecuted art.
Unguentum Sabbati.
Nights of the full Moon are associated with Witches and as indicated above it was often at these times when plants were collected. The full Moon has special significance for Witches and at certain times of the year it coincides with the. "Witches Sabbath", when Witches are said to gather to worship their god or goddess. During these meetings it is reported that ritual ointments, made principally of plant substances, were and are employed to promote particular experiences.
Another common theme in Witchcraft folklore is Witches flying on broomsticks to go about their nocturnal deeds. In a number of texts there are frequent references to Witches flying and meeting the incarnation of their particular Goddess/God. While some may argue that these accounts were extracted by the cruel tortures of their persecutors, for instance the 'Malleus Maleficarum (1486). There are some that appear to reflect what many Witches believe they have actually experienced.
A number of written accounts are available which speak of the use of Ointments or Unguents to enable a Witch to fly. They include; ''The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abremelin The Mage', (1458), by Abraham the Jew, and 'De Miraculis Rerum Naturalium', (1560) by Giovanni Battista Porta, (both these texts are in the British Library however access to them is restricted). In the account of Abraham the Jew, he is provided an unguent by a young Witch that after rubbing on the principal pulses of the feet and hands, created a sensation of flying. Porta's account has a section which is entitled 'Laiarum Unguenta', "Witches Unguents", in this he describes the recipe of flying ointments.
An investigation of these accounts and the ceremonial ointments used by Witches at their Sabbaths, reveal a number of plants which have extreme physical and psychological effects when taken internally or rubbed on the skin. Many of them are extremely poisonous and the reports of their use by rubbing into specific areas of the body or all over, demonstrates a recognition of the lethal properties of these plants if taken internally.
The use of plants to promote a sense of flying, "out of body experience" and the ability to convene with the Spiritual World, is a recurrent theme in many ancient religious practices. The Shamans of America and priests and priestesses of religions throughout the world share the Witches use of specific plants to extend the normal boundaries of human experience.
While there are a number of recipes for Flying ointments, there are many difficulties in identifying the plants exactly. There was no universal plant classification system during these times, many plants share common names or are confused with others, finally the chances of mistranslating from these ancient texts are high.
