CAUTION – Please fully research and consult a health professional before using any plants medicinally.
Seattle Druid Meetup
HERB-OF-THE-MONTH-CLUB
1st Thursday’s at the Sunlight Café 6 – 8 pm
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Thursday, December 1, 2011
Mistletoe
Mistletoe
Kissing under the Mistletoe, So just what is the story behind kissing under the mistletoe, is it
a purely Pagan or Christian custom?
Mistletoe, Mistletoe, from the Old English misteltãn, is a parasitic plant that grows on various
trees, particularly the apple tree, it is held in great veneration when found on Oak trees.
Mistletoe and the Ancient Greeks. According to Peter Haining in his book 'Superstitions', "The
mistletoe, was revered by the ancient Greeks as sacred, yet superstition has it that the reason
why it is so lucky to be kissed under it is that the plant once offended the old Gods, who
thereafter condemned it to have to look on while pretty girls were being kissed!".
Mistletoe and The Druids The ancient Druids believed mistletoe to be an indicator of great
sacredness. The winter solstice, called 'Alban Arthan' by the Druids, was according to Bardic
Tradition, the time when the Chief Druid would cut the sacred mistletoe from the Oak. The
mistletoe is cut using a golden sickle on the sixth night of the new moon after the winter
solstice. A cloth held below the tree by other members of the order to catch the spigs of
mistletoe as they fell, as it was believed that it would have profaned the mistletoe to fall upon
the ground. He would then divide the branches into many sprigs and distributed them to the
people, who hung them over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils.
The Druids are thought to have believed that the berries of the mistletoe represented the sperm
of the Gods. When pressed, a semen like substance issues from the white berries. Mistletoe was
considered a magickal aphrodisiac. Girls standing under a sprig of mistletoe were asking for a bit
more than a kiss, it seems.
The plant in old folklore is called Allheal, used in folk medicine to cure many ills, and indeed the
Druids considered the mistletoe to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous properties
which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect
against the ill effects of witchcraft. When taken as a form of diluted tea, it was thought as a
curative for everything from infertility to epilepsy. (WARNING, this plant is highly toxic when
ingested. You should seek expert advice before using Mistletoe in any form.)
Mistletoe and Norse Mythology The Norse god Balder was the best loved of all the gods. His
mother was Frigga, goddess of love and beauty. She loved her son so much that she wanted to
make sure no harm would come to him. So she went through the world, securing promises from
everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not
harm her beloved Balder.
Leave it to Loki, a sly, evil spirit, to find the loophole. The loophole was mistletoe. He made an
arrow from its wood. To make the prank nastier, he took the arrow to Hoder, Balder's brother,
who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart, and he fell
dead.
Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy
ending, Balder is restored to life, and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the reputation of the
offending plant--making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who
passes under it.
Mistletoe Folklore Mistletoe was a plant of peace in antiquity. If enemies met by chance
beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day. This
is thought to be the origin of the ancient custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling
and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.
According to the Anglo-Saxons, kissing under the mistletoe was connected to the legend of
Freya, goddess of love, beauty and fertility. According to legend, a man had to kiss any young
girl who, without realizing it, found herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe hanging from
the ceiling.
If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry,
as well as a prediction of happiness and long life. In France, the custom linked to mistletoe was
reserved for New Year's Day: "Au gui l'An neuf" (Mistletoe for the New Year).
It is often associated with thunder, and regarded as a protection against fire and lighting.
Shakespeare, in Titus Andronicus II calls it 'the baleful mistletoe'. It is interesting to note that
mistletoe was excluded from church decorations, probably due to its connection with the Druids
and its pagan and magickal associations. This ancient ban on mistletoe is still widely observed
even today.
Kissing-Bough (which was popular before the introduction of Xmas Trees).
A garland of greenery, shaped like a double hooped May-garland or crown, which was hung from
the middle of the ceiling in the main room. It was adorned with candles, red apples rosettes of
coloured paper and a bunch of mistletoe suspended from the centre.
The bough itself is called ' the mistletoe'. The candles were ceremoniously lit on Xmas Eve and
then every evening throughout the 12 days of Xmas.
A Riddle
I lived my life between the worlds
Neither earth nor sky would call me child
The birds were my companions
The wind and rain my mentors
Daily I grew in power and strength
Till snatched out of time by the trickster
[Answer: Mistletoe] http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/articles/mythology_folklore/mistletoe.asp
Mistletoe’s (Old English, “Misseltan,” meaning, “missel twig”)
standing as an icon of the winter holiday stems from very ancient beliefs. How did this
rather ugly, poisonous plant became so popular?
The answer lies in ancient sun worship, particularly of the Celtic Druids. The mistletoe
has several qualities that made it attractive to these tree revering ancient Celts. The
Celtic Druids were skilled in herbal medicine and magic; mistletoe was by far the most
sacred of their magical plants. It grew amongst the branches of the sacred trees,
seemingly without sustenance. Having no roots, and thus no connection to the earth, it
was considered the sacred plant of the sun.
A tree that hosted a mistletoe plant was a tree marked as particularly sacred by the
gods. With its golden color, and growing high off the ground without roots, it was
naturally associated with the sun. Most specifically, it was considered to be the sperm of
the solar deity Taranis, the promise of the sun God’s rebirth.
It was believed that mistletoe took on the properties of its host tree (this has much truth
to it, as mistletoe feeds on its host tree), containing its essence and power. The most
powerful mistletoe, of course, grew on the sacred oak. (The name Druid is believed to
be a compound of two words, Dru and Vid, strength and wisdom- oak and mistletoe!)
Old Norse tales of mistletoe’s origin blame the plant for the death of the sun-god Baldur,
who is felled by a dart made of mistletoe, the only plant his mother neglected after a
prophecy of the god’s death; some versions of the story tell that the plant became a
tree-dweller after the wrathful goddess flung it there.
Cutting the Mistletoe at the Solstice
When the weather turned cold the leaves dropped from deciduous host trees, revealing
the sacred leaves and waxy white berries- a promise of the return of the sun. During the
period of the Winter Solstice, branches were harvested with great ceremony and used
for a variety of magical and medical purposes- protection from lightning and fire, curing
of poisoning, etc. Branches would be cut from the trees on a day sacred to the moon,
and sacrifices of livestock offered in return for the precious gift. Belief in the magical
powers of mistletoe has long outlived the Druids.
In medieval times, the plant was called allheal, and used medicinally for a variety of
ailments, from epilepsy to cancer. Sprigs were hung in stables to protect livestock from
the mischief of fairies, and over cradles to protect babes from the vexation of witches. In
Scandinavia, its branches were fashioned into dowsing rods to search for treasure. An
old English superstition held that as long as a sprig was retained in the home, so would
love be retained. It became popular in some households to insure that a fresh sprig was
installed in the household every year, and this is probably where the origin of the kissing
ritual can be found.
A priestess with sickle and crown of mistletoe
The uniquely English tradition involved hanging clumps of the plant in halls and
doorways, where it served as a bit of a love charm- and as an ice breaker between
interested couples. As the superstition went, one who wasn’t kissed would not be
married within that year- an incentive for the romantically inclined to be sure to find
themselves underneath a sprig at a convenient moment. According to this same
tradition, the plant was burned at the end of the season, to prevent the charm from
backfiring and creating enemies rather than friends. As late as the early twentieth
century, a sprig of mistletoe was believed to bring dreams of a future husband when
placed under the pillow of a hopeful young woman.
http://symboldictionary.net/?p=1590
Thank the Druids for Mistletoe Kisses
MISTLETOE HAS LONG BEEN CONSIDERED A MAGICAL PLANT
By Mark Russell, Newser Staff Posted Dec 23, 2010 8:43 AM CST | Updated Dec 25, 2010 10:25 AM CST
(NEWSER) – Thank the ancient Druids for finding the magic in mistletoe, the plant that inspires
Christmas kisses, writes Christopher Beam in Slate's Explainer column. Mistletoe has long been
believed to have magical powers: For the ancient Druids, mistletoe could make barren animals fertile
again. In Norse mythology, Loki used a spear made of mistletoe to slay Baldur the Brave.
By the 18th or 19th century, mistletoe was firmly a part of Christmas lore, mentioned in stories by
Washington Irving and Charles Dickens. But back then, kissing under mistletoe was supposed to
bring good luck to the kisser. And with each kiss, you would pluck off one berry until the mistletoe was
bare. Even these days, some people believe in mistletoe's powers—actress Suzanne Somers
famously chose to treat her breast cancer with mistletoe instead of chemotherapy.
Cancer Treatment From the Ancient Druids
Extract of mistletoe proves it is useful against brain cancer March 14th, 2010 - By: Dr. David Servan-Schreiber
I'm fascinated by a recent German study. In the highly regarded department of stereotactic neurosurgery at the
University of Cologne, Dr. Doris Lenartz and Prof. Josef Beuth administered an extract of mistletoe to 19
patients with stage III or IV brain cancer, in addition to their conventional treatment (which included surgery
and radiotherapy). Another group of 19 patients received only the conventional treatment.
The complementary treatment, which lasted three months, took the form of two subcutaneous injections per
week of a very small amount (1 nanogram per kilo of body weight at each injection) of a standardized
preparation of viscum album (the Latin and medical name of mistletoe extracts).
Almost four years after their injections began, after a 50 month follow up, the patients who had received these
injections had on average lived for twice as long as those who benefited from conventional treatment only.
Druids across Europe employed mistletoe throughout ancient times. It is a parasitic plant
that attaches to certain trees, probing them with little suckers that capture the sap of their host. European druids
discovered that mistletoe had a number of medicinal properties, and used it against frostbite and disorders of the
nervous system (including epilepsy), as well as cardiac arrhythmia and digestive troubles. Incredibly, they also
discovered that they should avoid cutting the plant with a blade of base metal, and thus used a golden scythe to
harvest it. Since then researchers have discovered that when mistletoe is in contact with the rust of base metal,
its active phytochemical elements may oxydize and indeed lose their effectiveness.
Today practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine mostly value mistletoe as an immunomodulator:
in other words, it helps the immune system to work better. This may be the principal explanation for its
beneficial effect in some types of cancer. But like any natural substance, mistletoe extract cannot be patented,
and so it's difficult to find funds to initiate large-scale studies into its possible efficacy in cancer treatment.
I visited Prs. Beuth and Lenartz at the University of Cologne at the beginning of March. They confirmed that
they had been impressed with the results of their study and that they would recommend mistletoe injections of
that type especially in cancers that have a strong sensitivity to immune reactions : this includes melanomas,
kidney cancers, and cervical cancers. They suggested that it be supervised by a physician or practitioner wellversed in the uses of this ancient treatment, which, unfortunately, is not always easy to find outside of
continental Europe. http://www.anticancerbook.com/post/Cancer-treatment-from-the-ancient-druids.html
Benefits of Mistletoe plant,
From olden times, mistletoe represents one of the most mysterious,
magical and at the same time, sacred plants of the European folklore. It is a symbol of fertility, protector of life,
and an aphrodisiac.
Description of Mistletoe plant: Being a parasitical plant, mistletoe grows as a hanging bush on the
branches of trees. With its cylindrical stem, ramified in pairs and slightly thickened at the nodes, mistletoe can
reach in time (it grows slowly) up to 60 cm in height. It has oval leafs, rounded at their tip and of a yellowishgreen color. These maintain their fresh color all through the winter time. Also, in December, mistletoe fruits
mature, having a rounded shape and white color. The flowers appear late in the autumn, and soon following, the
fruits appear. The lifespan of this plant is approximately 70 years. Mistletoe can be found between tree branches
(even those taller than 4-5 meters): poplar, willow, birch, pear and apple trees, hawthorn, plum, cherry, acacia,
maple, chestnut, lime, or more rarely in ash or alder trees. The most "valuable" kind of mistletoe is that which
grows in fruit bearing (especially apple) trees. Also, the ones which grow on pear trees, fir, birch, rose and ash
trees are considered to be of superior quality. In order to unravel the origin of this plant's name, we have to
know that in old times there was a belief according to which mistletoe was multiplied through bird excrements.
The reasoning behind this belief was simple: mistletoe grew only on the branches of the trees on which the birds
stood. Anglo-Saxons have thus named the plant "mistletoe" (where "mistel" means excrements and "toe" is a
word for the expression "tree branch").
Prior to belonging to the series of symbols of the winter holidays, mistletoe was in old times considered to be
a pagan religious symbol. It had magic attributes because it healed diseases, brought good fortune, protected
against witchcraft, and was even considered to be a bringer of fertility. In the Middle Ages for example there
was a belief according to which hanging mistletoe branches on the ceiling would protect the dwelling as well as
its inhabitants against unclean spirits. Another example of mistletoe's magic properties concerns the Vikings,
who considered this plant to have the power of bringing the dead back to life. The Romans used to legalize
marriages with a famous kiss under mistletoe.
Properties and benefits of Mistletoe: Mistletoe is antispasmodic, calming, immuno-stimulator and immunomodulator, medium cytostatic, purgative, an excellent cardiotonic, strong hypotensive, vermifuge and diuretic
medicine. Because of its properties, it is recommended for treating cough (especially convulsive cough),
bronchic asthma, and asthmatic attacks because of psychological tension. At the same time it can be calming in
cases of epilepsy, nervous fits, hysteria, neurosis, dizziness, arterial hypertension, cardiac ischemia, memory
disturbances associated with hypertension, hiccups, digestive and uterine cramps, predispositions to virosis,
immunity disturbances in old age, ganglionary diseases. Externally it is efficient in leucorrhoea, gout and
sciatica.
Treatments and mixtures: Before starting a treatment based on mistletoe, one should obligatorily seek
medical advice. Generally, in obtaining mixtures based on mistletoe, the plant is used dry. It should be dried in
an airy and shady room.
Mistletoe extract: Starting from the fact that the plant has cytostatic properties, the extract based on mistletoe
was tried as a remedy for a number of types of cancer. The tests have shown important results in the cases of
these medical measures: for starters, the negative effects of chemotherapy have been reduced, and the immune
system stimulated. Mistletoe also is one of the ingredients of some treatments used for other diseases such as
arthritis, rheumatism, hypertension or epilepsy.
A few indications about the doses which have to be followed for controlling internal diseases: In case of
convulsive cough and spasmodica, one teaspoon of mistletoe extract diluted in 100 ml of water should be
consumed every day on an empty stomach. The mixture should be taken three times per day. For bronchic
asthma, asthmatic fits because of psychological tension, hysteria, neurosis, dizziness, as an adjuvant in epilepsy
and nervous fits, for arterial hypertension, cardiac ischemia, memory disorders associated with hypertension,
arteriosclerosis, vascular, ganglion diseases, only half a teaspoon is used, diluted in 100 ml of water, 4 times per
day on an empty stomach.
For external use (leucorrhoea) lavements will be made with tincture diluted in water: one part tincture for five
parts water. In cases of gout and sciatica, tincture compresses are used on the affected areas for one hour every
day. http://www.liveandfeel.com/medicinalplants/mistletoe.html