Verbena officinalis or Herb Venus,the old spice Vervain and Its Enchantment Use:From Black Magic to Christin Legend.

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Vervain and Its Enchantment Use:From charm to Black Magic and Christin Legend.

Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image Vervain, the Herb of Enchantment, is a scentless perennial herb of the northern hemisphere that is also called Vervan, Van Van, Ferfaen, Verbein, Verbena, Verbinaca, Dragon's Claw, Enchanter's Plant, Tears of Isis, Junois Tears, Herba Veneris (herb of Venus), Persephonion, Demetria, Mercury's Moist Blood, Peristerium, Sagmina, Pigeon Grass, Pigeonwood, Frog-foot, Simpleris Joy, Columbine, Altar Plant, Herba Sacra or Herbe Sacree, Holy Plant, Herb of Cross, Holy Herb, and Herb of Grace. It meant Enchantment? in the old Language of Flowers.

Vervain was considered a sacred plant in many ancient cultures. It was one of the sacred herbs of Greece, where it was used in sacrifices. Virgil called vervain holy and rich. Jupiteris altars were sprinkled with vervain water to purify them, or swept with bundles of vervain. Vervain was carried during peace negotiations in Rome, and used as an amulet by Germans when signing peace treaties.
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

Vervain was also a sacred herb of the Druids, who are said to have gathered it from shady places before sunrise, especially at the time of the rising of the dog star. Druids are also said to have decorated their altars with vervain flowers, and used vervain water to purify their altars and sacred places. Female Druids are said to have worn crowns of vervain.

It is sacred to the goddesses Aradia, Cerridwen, Demeter, Diana, Isis, Juno, Venus; and to the gods Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Thor. There is an old witchesi saying that ?vervain and dill lend aid to will, so vervain can be used in any spell to increase the power of the operator. Conversely, there is an old belief that vervain can strip witches of their powers. Vervain and dill were used with trefoil, to make magic hoops.

There is a theory of magic that every magical act requires a sacrifice in order to be made manifest. This once meant actually sacrificing animals, as burnt offerings to the gods, but no ethical practitioner in modern times would do such a thing. Sacrifice is now viewed as the time it takes to cast the spell, the incense or candles or spell ingredients that are consumed by burning, and so forth. Vervain is an appropriate herb to burn in order to make a spell manifest, because of its ancient connection with sacrifices.

Vervain is used in magic for balance, anointing, centering, banishing, releasing, clearing, prosperity, peace, youth, visions, creativity, love spells, protection, divination, enchantment, inner power, healing, sleep, purification, immortality, invisibility, fertility, luck (especially for brides), justice, happiness, will power, prophesy, self-control, inner power, money spells, ritual cleansing, success in court, averting evil, blessing the home, creating harmony, enchanting locks, removing hexes, making children happy and apt to learn, giving children a love for learning, and for defensive magic. Vervain is also considered a good purification incense.
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

Vervain is a charm for love, protection, safety, good fortune, and good eyesight. It is a charm against temptation, snake bite, insect bite, headaches, and the evil eye. As an herb of Thor, it averts lightning. Vervain can be woven into a wreath and placed on the front door of the house. It can also be hung above the bed, or in a barns or stable, or added to a mojo bag that is worn around the neck. Practitioners of black magic used vervain to empower the disgusting Hand of Glory.

Vervain is an appropriate herb for the sabbats of Imbolc, Ostara, Midsummer, and Lughnasadh. It is considered an aphrodisiac, and used in sex magic. Vervain is said to give men firm erections, and thereby enhance love making. It is also used in making love potions, charms, talismans and amulets, especially those meant to attract love. Vervain is called pigeonwood or pigeon grass because doves and pigeons are attracted to it. It was placed in dovecotes to attract birds. There was an old occult belief that when powdered and put in the sun, vervain would make the sun look blue.

Vervain averts incubi, succubi, demons, and other malevolent entities. Sorcerers are said to have worn crowns of vervain to protect themselves when they evoked demons. In an old ballad, a demon told a girl, "Gin you wish to leman mine, lay aside the St. John's Wort and the vervain."

Vervain root is a charm for good luck, the fertility of trees and vines, and for calming your emotions. It is also a charm against epilepsy and the plague. Placed in the house, yard, or vineyard, a vervain root is said to bring a profit every year. Worn around the neck, a piece of vervain root is an amulet for good luck. Dried, peeled, and worn around the neck on a white ribbon, vervain root was an old charm against scrofulous and scorbutic conditions.
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

Essential oil of vervain is used for creativity, success in artistic careers, obtaining material benefits, and helping warriors escape from their enemies. It is said to increase the power of magical tools when used to anoint them.

An infusions of vervain, or a bath sachet containing vervain, can be added to the bath for purification, or for relaxation in psychic work. Bathing in vervain every day for a week is said to draw money to you. An infusion of vervain can also be used as Blood of Mercury, for the invocation or worship of that god, and in spells which relate to him. It can also be used as lustral water, for consecration and ritual purification. Sprinkle vervain water in the house to cast out malevolent spirits, and to protect the home from them.

Some practitioners of black magic believe that when placed in a home or between two lovers, powdered vervain root will cause anger, ill will, and arguments. This use of vervain makes little sense, however, given the overwhelmingly positive qualities of this herb. Sprinkle powdered vervain, or vervain water, around a home to attract peace and happiness to it. Sprinkle it around the rooms where guests will be entertained, to ensure a merry time. Sprinkle it in fields to ensure healthy crops. Add vervain to dream pillows to improve the quality of your dreams. Add it to a dream pillow or hang it above the bed to prevent nightmares.

Vervain has hairy leaves with toothed edges that are arranged in pairs, and tough, erect stems that grow to two feet. Its roots are hairy and spindle-shaped. Vervain blooms from July to September with slender spikes of small blue, mauve, or purple flowers. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, or root division, it needs rich soil with good drainage. There was an old belief that if you planted vervain in fertile soil it would engender worms in eight weeks, and that a person who touched these worms would die.
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

Vervain is native to Europe. It grows wild on wasteland, in pastures, near ruins, and beside roads. Its leaves, flowers, and roots can be used magically. Vervain leaves are best gathered before the flowers bloom, or at least before they are fully open. Midsummer is a traditional time for gathering vervain. It is said to provide the strongest protection when gathered with the left hand at the rise of Sirius, the dog star. Gathered while the sun is in Aries, and combined with a grain of corn or a one-year-old penny, vervain was believed to heal epilepsy. Recite this old charm when gathering vervain:

"All-heal, thou holy herb, Vervain,
Growing on the ground;
Blessed is that place
Whereon thou art found."

According to Christian legend, vervain first grew on Mt. Cavalry, where it was used to stop the bleeding of the wounds of the crucified Jesus. Christians crossed themselves and used this prayer while gathering it.
"Hallowed be thou, vervain, as thou growest in the ground,
For in the Mount of Calvary thou wast found.
Thou healedst Christ our Saviour, and staunchedst His bleeding wound.
In the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I take thee from the ground."

There is an old Christian belief that vervain comes from the devil, but there is also a Christian belief that vervain averts the devil. In the Middle Ages, Swedes considered vervain a powerful charm against the devil.

Vervain used by Witches:

Witches were thought to have used vervain liberally. For Italian witches, vervain was considered sacred to Diana. Vervain was a necessary part to many an ointment, brew, and love philtre, and was also necessary in the preparation of a hand of glory. Vervain was also associated with invisibility (Guiley 1989 349).

"Vervain was said to give strength ('tough as iron', 'hard as steel') and to act as an aphrodisiac (the hardness of iron was said to be transferred to the penis)" (R?tsch 172).

Vervain was also considered a "lightning plant" and was sacred to Thor. It was also sacred to the Druids, "and was only gathered by them, 'when the dog-star arose, from unsunned spots'" (Thiselton-Dyer 56).

Vervain is also known as Dragon's Claw (in Scotland), Common Vervain, Verbena, Simpler's Joy, Holy Herb, Tears of Isis, Tears of Juno, Persephonion, Demetria, Frog-foot, Verbinaca, Peristerium, Juno's Tears, Mercury's Moist Blood, Pigeon's Grass, Columbine, and Sagmina (Miller - Vervain).
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

As a Ward

Vervain is an herb diametrically associated with Christianity and with witchcraft. Early Christians referred to vervain as "herb-of-the-cross" because they believed it was used to staunch Jesus' blood as he was being crucified. Because of this Christian association, vervain was long said to work as an effective charm against incubi, demons, evil spells, and witches. During the Middle Ages, vervain was hung in homes, over stable doors, among crops, and around people's necks (Guiley 1989 349).
"The Germans used vervain as an amulet during peace treaties and to protect against the evil eye and the temptations of witches" (R?tsch 172).
Sir Walter Scott gave a rhyme spoken by a demon lover who could not approach a girl because she was carrying St. John's Wort and vervain:
If you would be true love mine,
Throw away John's Wort and Verbein (K. Briggs 346).

Ages before Christians ascribed healing virtues to the vervain-found growing on Mount Calvary, and therefore possessing every sort of miraculous power, according to the logic of simple peasant folk-the Druids had counted it among their sacred plants. "When the dog-star arose from unsunned spots" the priests gathered it. Did not Shakespeare's witches learn some of their uncanny rites from these reverend men of old? One is impressed with the striking similarity of many customs recorded of both.

Two of the most frequently used ingredients in witches' cauldrons were the vervain and the rue." The former probably derived its notoriety from the fact of its being sacred to Thor, an honor which marked it out, like other lightning plants, as peculiarly adapted for occult uses," says Mr. Thiselton Dyer in his " Folk-lore of Plants." "Although vervain, therefore, as the enchanter's plant, was gathered by witches to do mischief in their incantations, yet, as Aubrey says, it `hinders witches from their will,' a circumstance to which Drayton further refers when he speaks of the vervain as "gainst witchcraft much avayling.' " Now we understand why the children of Shakespeare's time hung vervain and dill with a horseshoe over the door.

In his eighth Eclogue, Virgil refers to vervain as a charm to recover lost love. Doubtless this was the verbena, the herba sacra employed in ancient Roman sacrifices, according to Pliny. In his day the bridal wreath was of verbena, gathered by the bride herself.
Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

Also known as the Enchanter's Plant, vervain was known to be used by Celtic Druids who harvested it with only iron tools and only when there were neither sun nor moon in the sky and when Sirius was rising. Honey was then poured into the ground to replace the loss.

The tradition to revere vervain continued into Anglo-Saxon times and was included in many potions. Infusion is a sedative for nervous exhaustion, a detoxifier, and is used to treat urinary tract infections. Tincture encourages milk flow and stimulates uterine contractions during labor and menstruation. A vervain poultice is used for eczema and sores.

More spiritual uses for the plant were for protection, exorcism of spirits, healing, and peacefulness. Brushed or sprinkled across a divination area, it helps in seeing more clearly the individual's wyrd.