Herb of the Season - Lily by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

Herb of the Season: Lily

Lilium sp. (some of poisonous)

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Folk Names: The Lily of Faith (Dante), Meadow Lily

Deities: Venus, Juno, Nepthys, Kwan Yin

Powers: Protection

Botanical:

Folklore:

The Chinese consider day lilies the flower of forgetfulness. Temples also feature the flower in incense burnt either as an offering or to represent a prayer. An English superstition says that smelling lilies gives you freckles. Because of its white color and visual appeal, the lily is sacred to many of the world’s goddesses and consequently has come to symbolize purity. In the language of flowers, the lily represents beauty. The ancient Chinese, Japanese, Indians, and Egyptians used it as a symbol of fertility.

The cultivation of lilies dates back to very ancient cultures. Many of the mediterranean religions associated lilies with goddesses. Some believe the first lily came from the tears of Eve, shed when banished from the Garden of Eden. Some Christian lore associates the white lily with Mary, mother of Jesus. She is sometimes depicted carrying them in her arms. The white lily is also considered a symbol of purity.

From Myths and Legends of All Nations we learn the story of the purple lily. Thetis proposed that Achilles armor should go to the one who done the most to save his corpse.  When Odysseys was declared the victor, Ajax was so distraught that he killed a herd of innocent sheep. When he realized what he had done, he felt his honor could never be recovered and, despondent, killed himself.

“From his blood, according to legend, grew the purple lily bearing on its petals the first two letters of his name.” (Robinson, page 123)

Uses:

There are many ways to use this popular flower. The white lily is widely associated with Ostara, Christian Easter, and renewal and rebirth. The lily has strong association with fertility goddesses.

This is a remedy for corns on the feet: macerate the petals of a white lily in good white wine vinegar for a week.  Strain and swab the corns both morning and night with this mixture.  An ancient story says that lily roots were ground with honey and applied to torn muscles, or mixed with oil to ease aching muscles and condition hair.  Apply bruised leaves to swellings, or apply the juice to decrease the itching of bug bites.

Plant lilies in the garden to keep away ghosts and evil, protect against the evil eye, and to keep unwanted visitors from your home.  Lilies are also good antidotes to love spells; for this purpose a fresh lily should be worn or carried. This breaks love spells which have been cast involving a specific person. To bring clues to solving a crime committed in the past year, bury an old piece of leather in a bed of lilies. The first white lily of the season will bring strength to him or her who finds it.

Sources

Beyerl, Paul. A Compendium of Herbal Magick. Custer, WA. Phoenix Publishing. 1998

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul, MN. Llewellyn Publications. 2000

Grieve, M. A Modern Herbal. Mineola, NY. Dover Publications, Inc. 1971

Griggs, Barbara. A Green Witch Herbal. Rochester, VT. Healing Arts Press. 1994

Robinson, Herbert Spencer. Myths and Legends of All Nations. Savage, MD. Littlefield Adams Quality Paperbacks a division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 1976.

Telsco, Patricia. The Herbal Arts. Secaucus, NJ. A Citadel Press Book published by Carol Publishing Group. 1998