Spirituality
Magick Herbalism
Plants are the servants of humankind
The use of plants for herbalism goes back to antiquity. The oldest temple garden on record is one planted in the reign of the Pharaoh Mentuhotpel (c 1975BC) beneath the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari.
In 3500BC, priestesses of Egyptian temples were burning gums and resins, such as frankincense, to clear the mind. Herbs were used for embalming mummies, and for funeral rituals, as well as for medicinal purposes, as beauty products and for home and personal decoration. Images of plants and gardens are painted on the walls of the tombs of the Pharaohs.
In later years, the Copts, who were the Christian descendants of the ancient Egyptians kept the herbal traditions alive. An ancient legend tells of how vervain was used to treat Christ’s wounds from his cruxifiction, after the plants was seen, for the first time, flowering at the foot of the cross. Vervain became known as the holy herb and it was customary to make the sign of the cross before picking it. Vervain was also credited with the power of curing wounds and providing protection against ‘over-looking,’ the malicious act of someone withering ones crops.
The use of herbs for magick and healing can be seen in Native American, Chinese, Indian and Japanese cultures, as well as in African…
