Henbane: Hyoscyamus niger, was thought to be the herb, in ointment form, which when rubbed on a broomstick would make it fly. There are other herbs also associated with this age-old witch stereotype, but henbane has so many more interesting aspects about it worth learning!
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When used in combination with other plants, henbane produced an anesthetic potion and is also known for its psychoactive properties such as hallucination and the sensation of flight. The flowers are bell shaped, hairy on the outside, in shades from pale, dingy yellow to a reddish-purple towards the open end of the bell. Henbane is considered an herb of madness for its psychoactive affects. In this way is is sometimes referred to as “insana wood”. It is longtime corresponded with teeth as it was used to dull tooth-related pain.
Henbane is fatal when consumed
Though if you are very smart on how you do it, it can be used for flavoring or it can be smoked for intoxicating affects. Even so, intoxication effects can last up to days and may cause irreversible changes. So when I say “a Celtic smudging herb,”you should interpret this as an ancient practice and NT try to replicate it or you can risk SERIOUS health consequences. It also may produce hallucinations in ointment form. Henbane was used in neolithic sites of Scotland for beer flavoring.
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The rune correspondence is Is (representing statis) which is ruled by Rinda, goddess of the frozen north. The rune is also connected to Verdani, the Norn of the present. Henbane is associated with Saturn. As all Saturnian herbs, it is good for stopping activity, halting communication and unwanted affects. This is why it is considered a smudging herb. As an herb of the poison path, it is considered related to the dark side of Saturn.
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In Greek mythology, the dead wore henbane wreathes as they walk along the river styx. This was said to make them forget their former lives as they crossed the River Styx. Priestesses at Delphi would breath the smooth for soothsaying. Because of this, some consider it sacred to Apollo. That, and it is used in medicine even nowadays! Many medical researchers are very interested in henbane for its aid against pain and perhaps even Parkinson’s Syndrome.
Other deities that henbane can be associated with are Belenos, Hades, Hecate, Jupiter, Thor, and Zeus. In , henbane was thought to attract rain and/or storms. This shows henbanes duality as it is associated with death (death gods) and flight (sky gods). Thus, henbane is recommended for necromancy, spirit summoning, ancestral connection or astral flight.
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This has been a #AffectionateAir — GO TEAM AIR!
Sources:
https://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/henbane.htm
https://sites.evergreen.edu/plantchemeco/henbane-medicine-andor-magic/
https://www.white-buffalo-trading.com/henbane.html#/
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/10/witches-fly-broomsticks-2/
Comments (3)
Smudging is a Native American ceremony that has to be taught by Native Americans. Doing “smudging” is cultural appropriation. You can use the word smoke cleansing though :kissing: :v:
I am very open to this criticism. I just did some googling and they seemed to use the word “saining” historically. I will edit my article’s title— thank you for bringing this to my attention!
Another GREAT post!!! Yay!!