Herbs and Psalms... Healing with the Psalter

Through the centuries cunning men and women cast healing spells using herbs, blessed waters, and many potions derived from the natural world. When Christianity started to take hold, many practitioners turned to a great wealth of magickal information most commonly known as The Psalms. They would prepare their mixtures and pray a particular Psalm over it to empower the components and speed them on their way to their intended purpose.

This practice became a very common feature of cunning sorcery and also helped get a pass from the local vicar or other church official. For if one were to be found using the "word of God" in their healing, then they couldn't be of the Devil. Could they? In nearly every home of a healer, you would find the family Bible. Chocked full of births, deaths, and healing formulas. Indications of which Psalm did what and which herbal preparation gave healing and wholeness to the subject. So in effect, these Bibles would become the grimoires of the natural sorcerer, or witch. Hiding in plain sight, if you will.

Thus the local parishioners would look at the cunning man or woman as an asset to the community and blessed of God. And many were of the Christian ilk, but many  more were of an older way and their gods were draped in the cloak of those in power. In the times when no one was listening, they would call to the Master of the Art, or the Mistress of the Path to open the ways and grant them power. The horned father would be asked to bless their path and guide their hands in their work. Of the Devil? Certainly to the uninformed and crazed church official, but that was never for their eyes. Only for the eyes of those of the same blood. The same path. The same gods.

There are many very good books on the subject of using Psalms in casting spells and performing healings. One of the most popular, especially with the Hoodoo folks, is The Power of the Psalms by Anna Riva. One of my personal favorites, which also includes a bit of Kabbalah, is Secrets of the Psalms by Godfrey A. Selig. It is a bit harder to find, but well worth the effort. Within the pages of the aforementioned books you will find many uses that could take a person down a long road of craft and cunning. To some using the works of Christianity seems incongruous with the pagan path of witchery, but remember this... Power is power. Here is an example of using an herb in healing a cut from my families store of knowledge, though the language is somewhat archaic, it lends itself to the mystical use -

 "This physick I know from old times for hurts of the flesh... Take ye of an amount Old Man's Pepper and press it into the wound. Look to the North saying -

'To the lands of the departed do I cast my minds eye. Draw back the flow and staunch the flood. Hold and Heal. Wend and wane. And keep ye safe from harm.'

Recite Psalm 147 and the malady shall be remedied."

Note: The secrets of  using the Psalms is to know which passages to utter in concordance with the purpose intended.

Somewhat simple, but used for years to heal cuts and scrapes and stop the bleeding of various wounds. Old Man's Pepper is an old name for Yarrow. A very efficacious herb. And I, personally, have benefited from this spell when I was but a child. Try it and look into use of the Psalms in your work, you may be surprised at how powerful you can be.

Until next time....