After a lengthy hiatus I am finally back to the Pagan Blog Project and this
week I am writing about Nettle. An
amazing herb full of power and potential, Nettle can be eaten, brewed into a
tea (or wine or beer!), used for protection and so much more!
Common Folk
Names: Stinging Nettle, Common Stinging Nettle, Ortiga Ancha, Devil’s Apron,
Devil’s Leaf
Botanical Name: Urtica
dioica
Gender:
Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element:
Fire
Powers:
Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Lust
Animal:
Serpent
Gemstone:
Ruby or Fire Opal
Some
Associated Deities: Thor, Pluto, Hades, Horus, Osiris, Vulcan, Yama
Habitat:
Nettle grows all over the world in moist, shady places as well as in gardens,
along fences, walls and roadsides. It is a bristly plant growing from 2 to 7
feet high with pointed leaves and small greenish flowers which bloom from July
to September.
While you
can easily grow nettle yourself it will quickly take over an area so it is
probably easier to purchase it from a local herbal store or if you must grow
your own, grow it in a large pot to keep it from invading the entire yard!
Medicinal Properties:
Histamine, astringent and diuretic. Nettle has been used to treat gout, painful
joints, anemia, urinary tract problems, hay fever, insect bites, as an
expectorant, a laxative and more.
Nettle is
high in iron, vitamins A and C and also rich in protein which is one of the
reason they are used to treat anemia. Nettle
can be used to make wine or beer as well as many different food items.
Nettle can
be used to make a hair rinse which will leave hair super shiny and strong
without stripping the natural oils from the hair. It restores color as well as
the health if the scalp.
Before flax,
Nettle was used to make thread, yarn and cloth; Nettle is supposed to be stronger than flax and resemble hemp in appearance.
Magically
Nettle is used to ward of ghosts and spirits, keep evil out of the home and
facilitate a quick recovery. Brooms made
of Nettles are used to sweep evil out of an area. To keep evil out of the home,
sprinkle Nettle around the house and to ward off ghosts, carry nettle in your
hand. To help a sick person’s recovery
place a bowl of freshly cut nettle under their bed. To keep negativity away
wear Nettle in an amulet and to remove a curse and send it back stuff a poppet
with nettle or carry nettle in a sachet. To consecrate an Athame, heat the
blade and then put it into an herbal bath made of nettles.
According to
Scott Cunningham, Mexican spiritualists recommend Nettle in purification baths
because it is “more carnivorous” that other herbs and will work more
efficiently.
Interesting Nettle
Lore: According to Maurice Zigmond in his book Kawaiisu Ethnobotany, children of
the Kawaiisu tribe of Southern California who wanted to study witchcraft had to
walk through nettles in preparation for the practice (of witchcraft). (The first areas of study that I was passionate about, which I explored in depth while attending Arizona State, were Archaeology and Native American studies so the above lore was one more reason for me to write about Nettle).
Sources
Books:
Scott Cunningham:
Encyclopedia of magical Herbs
Maurice
Zigmond: Kawaiisu Ethnobotany
Websites:
http://www.merciangathering.com/nettle.htm
(recipes for Nettle Wine and Beer are here)
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