Plants are considered the Romanian peasants, living beings who hear, see, feel, suffer, have souls.
Thus, by virtue of this faith willow is used to cure a hernia, Dog Rose (Rosa canina), for epilepsy, the elm, to get rid of warts, and the examples may continue.
Also popular wisdom asserts the importance of maintaining relations with the Earth. Farmers often walk barefoot in summer, especially mowing and their houses have ground on the floor and on the porches. Summer is good for children to be allowed to walk barefoot, like walking for ages the peasants'children. As their connection with the nature is more direct during the summer, the better they will protected from all diseases in winter.
Since the time of the Dacians, a number of plants growing in Romania, were known and used as herbs, some of them running reputation to the point that the popular perception appear today as being endowed with extraordinary virtues. Many of these plants are considered sacred, as is Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladona).
Other plants, such as garlic, hedge hyssop, lovage, wormwood, monkshood, etc., are nasty for the spirits or ghosts, being used as such by the peasants.
Around meadows or near streams, sometimes grows a plant with purple pink flowers called Love or Livelong (Sedum fabaria). Spring, this plant is brought from the places that grows and planted in the garden, rather than away, clean, in the belief that love is protective, that defends the house from wicked people, who want a break. In some villages, when blooming, break one wire to each house, place the beams and whose yarn is dry it said to die in that year, but if it grows and envelops the beam it is a sign that will live long.
Weeds of cure is collected both spring and autumn. Those who harvest them not necessarily take into account when the plant is in full its natural powers, when is matured, or when it is full of saps. Action harvesting of these plants is conducted by magical considerations, at some cosmic points, following a ritual characteristic.
Other plants gather precise data. Thus, Yellow Melilot (Melieotus officinale) is collected only on the day of Fairies and Cross Day and Yellow Lucerne (Medicago falcata), also known as The Vortex of the Earth is collected only time sickle.
For peasants, drying herbs gathered is simple. Once collected, are bundles up to 20 cm long, with a link between the herbs and home are put under the eaves of the house or hanging from a beam in the attic. When they are required to give patients to drink the concoction, to heal them or put them in bathing water.
Many times the sacredness of plants give the healing power and this power may be accompanied by eye-type qualities, as happens with Herb Twopence (Lysimachia nummularia), a plant that grows in forests, the meadows, through riverside coppices or shore water. The location is picked, leave offerings of bread and salt. Brought home, is used for children who do not go; is placed near the fire, on the hearth, with bread and salt together, and if it is black out is a sign that they will die, if not, is a sign that they will live.
Thus some plants play a key role in Romanian traditional medicine. For example, Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladona), is a hallucinating plant (which consumption gives visions that are similar to the Peyotl, but are accompanied by terrifying experiences, affective disorders), as are those of European Scopolia or Ms. Mrs. sea grass (Flower) Forests, Empress (of weeds), which is used in many magical practices. All plant parts, especially roots, leaves and fruits, are rich in alkaloids, with a strong action on the nervous system.
The rite of Deadly Nightshade harvest must be accomplished during the full moon in April-May, before Pentecost (in some parts even during Pentecost), thereafter ceases magical virtues of the plant.
A second phase of the rite consists in the settlement back to back to those who collected the plant, one facing east and one west. That is facing west picks up the Deadly Nightshade and hands over that is facing east.
Although dangerous, being poisonous, Deadly Nightshade is sometimes used for various long-term illness, giving them use some kind of "madness", followed by full recovery. But few are those who resort to this means, because it can even lead to death.
On purely medical purposes Deadly nightshade, collected all ritual, was put on swellings. Leaf burning shall treat cough and knead root is used against rheumatism.
Another plant hallucinogen, is European Scopolia (Scopolia carniloica), also called dumb, or even grass woods, and Deadly Nightshade (Western Carpathians).
This plant can not be picked by anyone, but only for some old women or children, because, in popular conception, children are righteous, and old women praying, fasting and contemplating the next life. European Scopolia should gather by them, to be free from worldly sin, to which could bring even worsening the patient's condition. Collection for magical uses, involves more precautions, the flashing light, incense, and bring her gifts.
This plant has a reputation that casts heavy shadows that surrounds the future, heralding life, if man will live more or less, predicted cure serious illness or death. The old's women beliefs are that the plant guess what the intentions of approaching her (especiallyintentions that concern her directly). In the face of destiny, death, its leaves are flattened. As Deadly Nightshade, European Scopolia, can be used for purposes less good, can cause death, as the enemy uses.
Another important plant in traditional Romanian culture is the Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), which is also called Grass Snake.
Folk tradition says that this plant has a white flower and bright as a star, which blooms every year only in Night of Fairies (June23 or 24), between 10 and 12 o'clock, and remain so only until the time of singing rooster. Although botanists say the fern flower is only a legend, people insist that it is a very beautiful flower that can not see by anyone, and from this flower is linked a number of fantastic beliefs.
Romanian folklore indicates that nobody can see and have fern flower, because the invisible beings desire only to have it.
Romanians miraculous herb, which is assigned the highest magical virtues, is Baneberry (grass wild animals - Actaea spicata).So, whoever embed in the skin of a hand, can not be handcuffed even the touch can open any lock. Has ownership, on the one who possess, to defend the iron weapons, attract money to its owner, gives understanding the language of animals and plants. With it you can open locked doors that lead to hidden the underground treasures.
Romanian beliefs related to this plant are unusual. It is said about it that is very difficult to find this plant, and that only few people possess, so they can open any podlock, any bolt. It is believed that there is among ordinary grass, but only one year stay in the same place, next year, rising more than three rivers, and so on, until the ninth year, when it returns in the same place.
Recalled in folk songs, Lovage (Levisticum officinale, radix) is a plant used in chants against iele, the return of milk and against the snake. Is the most important plant in the vegetable garden with a magical influence on the entire garden. Therefore it said that if you are stealing the lovage from the garden, all your greens will be dry.
It has many uses in folk medicine.
In the Romanian tradition, the balm plant, which maintains youth and health, is Wild Celery (Angelica arhangelica).
Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), also called Frisky, grows near roads, fat and moist places, including debris, garbage, generally through pathless places. Its seeds are small, black, and sit in a capsule cap above.
In the villages, Henbane seeds were used for pain to the grinders.
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a shrub, spread on the rivers, in addition to fences, through forgotten places, the forests. Flowering and pollen is recognized medical virtues, and branches have in the middle a white easily to extract, which explains their use in the manufacture of flutes.
It says that under the Elder lives an unfriendly spirit which guards the treasures buried beneath it, leaving no one to approach them.
Elder flower is used in medicine peasant against the cough, the pulmonary emphysema (drunk as an infusion), the hoarseness (is makes a concoction of Elder and Chamomile flowers to drink at bedtime, well wrapped patient to sweat), wind chicken (chickenpox) and tonsillitis.
From Elder of flowers it prepares "Socata" a refreshing drink that many Romanians consume as spring cure.
Elder flower tea increases the amount of milk in nursing mothers.
In traditional medicine a special place is occupied by Comfrey or the Grass of Tatin (Sympyhum officinale). It is a plant that rarely exceeds a height of one metre. Its cylindrical roots are strongly shriveled in long and sometimes contorted, gray in color, almost black; are used in folk medicine in bronchitis, the cough, the stomach ulcer, in halting cancer, etc.. Almost everywhere in Romania, Comfrey was used to twist and fracture healing.
Both Garlic (Allium sativum) autumn and the summer (particularly by way of transplanting) is used in various remedies, chants and spells. The autumn garlic, as connoisseurs say, is far better to cures and spells. Garlic is also the best defense against evil spirits.
For Romanian people Basil (Ocimum Basilicata) is considered the plant of love. She attracts men or women alike love to those who use it. When they went to church on Sundays or holidays, at parties and play, Romanian girls put their bouquets of Basil flower in their hair, to necklaces and breast, and the lads put him in hats and caps.
According to Romanian mythology Basil grew from an unfulfilled love. Thus, once a beautiful young girl died leaving a desperate lover. At that time it was a very great drought and heat of the sun withered the flowers. Lover girl went to her grave every day and shed tears streaming down. At the child's head, began to grow a flower, which being always wet by tears of her lover, grew and acquired a nice smell. Flower was named after the name of that young lover, Basil. This plant is essential in remedies and charms for love.
In medical purposes basil is put on cuts and sores, and in case of swollen lymph nodes its leaves are put in bundles. Smoke of basil resulting from the fire draw in the chest for cough, and on the nose against cold. The burning of stalks basil are burnt the warts. Against headaches is connected with basil seeds. This plant is generally an incentive, but taken as a tea, one cup at bedtime promotes sleep.
Category plants that reject spirits and ghosts is Hedge hyssop (Gratiola officinalis) ( also called the Merciful, or Christian). It is a poison plant with irritating properties and is considered a drastic, dangerous emetic.
The plant that in medical terms has the same pharmaceutical properties as elderberry, but more powerful is called Danewort (Sambucus Ebulus). He is directly involved in rituals to invoke the rain, while dry or in certain important days in terms of vegetation development calendar.
Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum), also called Dragaica, are among the most beloved flowers by the people, therefore their name was given to the oldest and most important Romanian holidays, Sanzienele (Lady's Bedstraw) (also called Nedeia or Dragaica), which is taken from June 24. These plants are fragrant golden yellow flowers that grow in meadows, through orchards or forest edges. Fairies'Night is the night of June 24, night today recognized worldwide as having magical virtues. In the middle of this night is appointed a moment of silence, then are in balance all the elements, is a point of contact between our world and "other world".
In Romanian traditions, it is believed that this night Sânzienele (the fairies), and now must be collected herbs to be effective. Also now using divinatory practices, young people find their future, and animals, wherever they are, gather and form the tip.Who are lurking them can listen and can learn so many secrets and can find some treasures.
Source : Floarea-vietii.ro
