蓍草的魔性資料

作者：青鳥尋‧M‧樺冠

一、蓍草的植物學

Achillea millefolium, also known as Bloodwort is part of the Asteraceae plant family. Native to Europe and North America Yarrow thrives in sunny, warm areas and is often found in meadows and along roadsides, as well as growing on dry, sunny slopes.

Yarrow has an ancient and honorable reputation as a wound herb, particularly efficacious for stopping the flow of blood. This belief was alluded to in the folknames, most of which refer to this property. The specific name, millefolium, refers to the minutely divided leaves and is reflected in names such as Milfoil and Thousandleaf, a literal translation of the Latin world millefolium.

The name Yarrow is a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon name for the plant gearwe (the Dutch yerw).

he English name yarrow comes from the Saxon (Old English) word gearwe, which is related to both the Dutch word gerw and the Old High German word garawa

The plant, Yarrow, is a common herb in Northern Indiana. It is a tall gangly plant, with yellow, white or pink flowers which bloom in mid to late summer, which is the best time for harvesting it. The leaves are featherlike in appearance. It is a bitter herb.
It is one of the most powerful plants on the planet. It is very old—found in archeological digs.
allheal, angel flower, bad man's plaything, bloodwort, cammock, carpenter's weed, devil's nettle, devil's plaything, dog daisy, gordoloba, green arrow, herbe militaris, hierba de las cortadura, knight's milfoil, milfoil, nosebleed, old man's (the devil's) mustard, old man's pepper, plumajillo, sanguinary, soldier's woundwort, squirrel's taile, stanchgrass, stanchweed, thousand-leaf, thousand weed, woundwort, yarroway

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/214607_herb-plant-yarrow#ixzz1UBq5y6YD

二、蓍草的藥性

希德嘉(Hildegard)，德國鲁帕斯堡的女修道院院長，第一個記錄將啤酒花用於調製啤酒的人，將蓍草視為可以讓身體內外的傷口都治癒的植物，可以止住血流和眼淚，並且治療失眠，此外蓍草內含的苦味成份在中世紀是啤酒的重要配方，幫啤酒增添苦味和風味。

    蓍草的化學成份有：異戊酸、水楊酸、天東氨酸、固醇類、黃酮類、苦味劑、丹寧和香豆素、甘菊環烃等，故能有發汗、止血、滋補、興奮性及些微的芳香，花冠的部份最有療效。其中丹寧酸可以收縮及止血，幫助傷口凝集，止住鼻血，但其其溫和的刺激效果則能夠暢通鼻塞，甚至反而造成流鼻血。水楊酸(衍生出阿斯匹靈)則有抗發炎及止痛效果，被拿來治療頭痛發燒、過敏咬傷等，這兩個效果同時發生，造成流鼻血在一段時期被認為可以紓解頭痛。它的滋補特性則能幫助消化，刺激膽汁分泌，刺激循環，調經，紓解經痛，以及利尿降血壓。

    蓍草自古以來被用來治療刀刃外傷及擦傷，傳說外敷或飲用蓍草汁液，能讓戰士從嚴重的創傷中恢復，故而得名”阿基里斯草”(其種名Achillea)。其他還有別名如”堅強的雜草”(staunchweed)和”士兵的傷草”(Soldier's Woundwort)。蓍草乾燥後製成粉末，和車前草或紫草科植物汁液混合，可以拿來為無法止血的傷口做濕敷，而坐在煮蓍草的大鍋旁吸收其蒸氣據說也十分有益。蓍草做成的軟膏，自古被拿來治療潰瘍，以及黏膜發炎出血的疾病，他也是婦女病的良方，用蓍草茶灌洗陰道據說能治療黴菌感染。印地安的草藥療法也常用到蓍草。納瓦伙族印第安人視其為”生命之草”，可以治療牙痛和耳痛。契帕瓦族印第安人用吸入蓍草蒸氣的方式治頭痛，卻洛奇族則用蓍草茶治感冒。

    現代的草藥療法大多用蓍草來治療過敏問題，甚至是花粉症，他們相信蒸餾夏秋採收的蓍草能萃取出抗組織胺，輸液內服能怯痰及治氣喘，外敷能消濕疹。需注意懷孕時應盡量避免使用。

Analgesic[13] Amenorrhea, antiphlogistic,[14][15] anti-inflammatory, bowels, bleeding, blood clots, blood pressure (lowers), blood purifier, blood vessels (tones), catarrh (acute, repertory), colds, chicken pox, circulation, contraceptive (unproven), cystitis, diabetes treatment, digestion (stimulates)gastro-intestinal disorders,[14] choleretic [16] dyspepsia, eczema, fevers, flu, gastritis, glandular system, gum ailments, heartbeat (slow), influenza, insect repellant, inflammation,[17] emmenagogue,[18] internal bleeding, liver (stimulates and regulates), lungs (hemorrhage), measles, menses (suppressed), menorrhagia, menstruation (regulates, relieves pain), nipples (soreness), nosebleeds, piles (bleeding), smallpox, stomach sickness, toothache, thrombosis, ulcers, urinary antiseptic, uterus (tighten and contract),gastroprotective [19] varicose veins, vision, may reduce autoimmune responses.[20]

三、蓍草的神話與傳說

1.希臘神話

(1)蓍草又稱為阿基里斯草，據說要從史詩《伊里亞德》中的特洛依戰爭開始說起。阿基里斯在凱龍的推薦下，用蓍草治療受傷的士兵。也有一說” 阿基里斯”一個研究蓍草的醫生的姓名。

阿基里斯是海神尼爾尤斯之女忒提斯和希臘東北部色薩利國王珀流斯所生的兒子。在《Achilleid》所著，在一出生後他就被忒提斯倒浸於冥河之中以獲得永生，但被抓住沒浸到水的腳踝則成為了他的致命傷：阿基里斯腱。此故事另一種解讀法則是忒提斯用”ambrosia”──可致永生的珍饈(在希臘神話中，多是花蜜類)為阿基里斯祝聖，然後再放到火上過火，讓非永生的部份被”燒掉”，但被珀流斯阻止。這部份是當時盛行的腓尼基人習俗，阿基里斯腱也是同樣沒祝聖到的地方。

這個故事雖名聞遐邇，但在《Achilleid》之前卻沒有提及類似之事，在《伊里亞德》之中更受過矛傷。在《伊里亞德》中，阿基里斯是悲傷的英雄，也是光榮的英雄。國王珀流斯曾得到兩匹神馬，西風神仄費羅斯的兒子克桑托斯和巴利俄斯。克桑托斯告訴阿基里斯他將於特洛伊陣亡，他回答：這個我知道。忒提斯女神聽到預言，將阿基里斯送出國。後來預言家卡爾卡斯對邁錫尼國王阿伽門農說”只有阿基里斯才能攻下特洛伊”，經過幾番的恩怨情仇，直到阿基里斯的好友帕特羅克羅斯為了這個預言假扮成他，戰死於殺場後，阿基里斯才百般無奈的參戰，後來在相關作《Aethiopis》中，在阿波羅的指導下被特洛伊王子帕里司用箭射殺。

他在《伊里亞德》被國王託付成為半人馬凱龍的學徒。凱龍是一位醫生並且傳授草藥的知識，他在《伊里亞德》中讓阿基里斯用蓍草治療他的士兵，蓍草從阿基里斯矛上掉下來的鐵鏽中長出來。

由於《伊里亞德》成書於第一次記載阿基里斯永生故事的《Achilleid》之前，而且即使他獲得永生之力，仍然難逃一死，最後被特洛伊王子帕里斯射中腳踝而死。雖可推斷蓍草之力並非來自阿基里斯的永生，而是和其攻無不克的戰矛，或是和凱龍有關，但或許關於永生及祝聖的記載，都是為了強調阿基里斯相較於其悲劇性的慘死，所擁有的絕對的”生”，但在希臘的敘事觀中，這樣的永生終還是敵不過”命運”，即克桑托斯所洩露的天機。

(2)阿基里斯引以為傲的神草卻無法拯救自己的性命，和凱龍無法醫治自己的傷，似乎是同一個主題。凱龍是泰坦神族的克羅諾斯化身為馬之後，強暴海洋女神菲麗雅所生的，由於半人馬的外表而被生母拋棄。在阿波羅和阿堤米斯的照顧和教導下，他成為了一個通達醫術和星象的智者，許多英雄都出於其門下。凱龍因為神族後裔故可永生，但他的腳踝在混戰之中不慎被他的學生海力克斯的毒箭射中(一說是九頭蛇的毒血，一說是凱龍自己送他的毒液)，他無法治療自己的傷口，向宙斯商討，將自己的永生送與被吊在山壁上受苦的普羅米修斯交換，從而他能從無盡的痛苦中解脫。

(3) 跟阿基里斯比起來，蓍草在大部份的巫術實踐中被認為與阿弗洛蒂緹(維納斯)及金星有關，並常出現在愛情魔法中。在某些版本的神話裡，阿弗洛蒂緹甚至幫助帕里斯王子射中阿基里斯的腳踝，而代表愛的金星與阿基里斯神話(鐵/鏽/血/戰爭)所對應的火星雖是兩兩一組，卻十分相反與對立，雖也有因蓍草能治癒傷口和皮膚紅疹，而與維納斯產生關連的說法，但和傳說部份則有所矛盾。或許蓍草與她的關連是來自於蓍草對女性及陰部疾病的療效。其舒緩肌肉和改善循環的效果對經痛和不規則月經很有幫助，用蓍草茶灌洗陰道能治療黴菌感染，並改善下體黏膜出血，蓍草在歐洲傳統上有著”女性醫療用草”的地位，而蓍草由於羽狀的葉片被叫做”維納斯的睫毛”，也首出於中世紀的詩篇。占星學中的金星植物特性是要有大而香味濃烈的花，故此典故應不是由占星學而來。

(4)也有少部份的文獻認為蓍草和赫密士與水星有關。可能是因為赫密士醫藥之神的地位，或是在占星學中，水星所掌管的植物特性：掌管神經系統(及葉多分岔的植物)，味道強烈並很快消散的香草。水星植物被認為能幫助跨界旅行和指引死靈。

2.北歐神話

蓍草在北歐神話中被認為是屬於女神弗雷雅，以及是女性的藥草。弗雷雅是愛情、情慾，亦是生產、豐饒之神，同時也是一位女巫及女戰神。民俗中在春天，人們會製作包含有蓍草的九種香草所做的湯或蛋糕奉獻給女神，慶祝大自然的回春。這個祭典也是復活節彩蛋的起源，人們把象徵生命的雞蛋包在蓍草葉中，然後泡在染料內，藉此染出精巧的花紋。北歐人也用蓍草和其他苦味香草來幫助啤酒增味及保存，是故蓍草在北歐也同時是屬於雷神索爾的草，因其掌管了酒精飲料。

但蓍草並沒有出現在現存北歐神話的篇章之中。蓍草在希臘是阿弗洛蒂緹的睫毛，但弗雷雅的淚水和秀髮，則是另一種”遠志草”。蓍草在北歐神話中的地位，到底是來自於其療效，釀酒(啤酒在北歐是一種很重要的祭典飲料)，或純粹是巧合，還需要更多資料來說明。

3.中國神話

中國所使用的蓍草是Achillea sibirica，在中國文化裡有著很重要的地位。《史記‧電策列傳》：王者決定諸疑，參以下筮，斷以蓍龜。也有「天子蓍九尺，諸侯七尺，大夫五尺，士三尺。」這樣的說法，說明了從上到下，蓍草占卜在中國古代決策過程扮演了很重要的角色。

但為什麼是蓍草呢？《晉‧張華《博物志》裡提到蓍草：蓍千歲而三百莖，故知吉兇。東漢王充所著《論衡‧卜筮篇》中亦記載：子路問孔子曰：「豬肩羊膊可以得兆，葦灼可以得數，何必以蓍龜？」孔子曰：「不然！蓋取其名也。夫蓍之為言耆也，龜之為言舊也，明狐疑之事當問耆舊也。」或許因其多年生的匍匐根，蓍草和靈龜被先民認為是特別長壽的靈物，故可以知吉兇，就像不懂的事情要問年歲高的長者一樣。在《論衡》裡雖然抨擊以蓍為耆而占卜只是取字形，但實際上應該蓍這個字是由耆而來的，源自其長壽。中國有三處聖地以生長大片蓍草聞名：孔子墓山東曲阜、紀念周武王次子叔虞的山西晉祠，及太昊伏羲陵，增添了蓍草生長在聖人墓上的神聖光輝。

相傳伏羲氏參考白龜背上的紋理”揲蓍畫卦”。以龜甲占吉凶謂之「卜」,以蓍草占吉凶謂之「筮」。商的占卜用龜骨為主，亦使用乾燥的蓍草莖，以至西周《易經》問世之後已十分普及，春秋戰國成書的《易傳》已多次提及蓍草：《易•說卦傳》昔者，聖人之作易也，幽贊於神明而生蓍。《易•繫辭傳》蓍之德，圓而神。意指蓍數的特性即是圓通能反映事物之變，而十分神妙。《繫辭傳》亦提及：「探賾索隱，鉤深致遠，以定天下之吉兇，成天下之整壹者，莫大乎蓍龜。」

「大衍之數五十，其用四十有九，分而為二以象兩，掛一象三，揲之以四以象四時，歸奇於扐以象閨，五歲再閨，故再扐而後卦。乾之策，二百一十有六，坤之策，百四十有四，凡三百有六十，當期之日。二篇之策，萬有一千五百二十，當萬物之數也。是故四營而成易，十有八變而成卦。八卦而小成。引而伸之，觸類而長之，天下之能事畢矣。顯道神德行，是故可與酬酢，可與佑神矣，子曰：「知變化之道者，其知神之所為乎?」」此為揲蓍占卜的說明。後世因於不同的易學觀衍生出各種不同占法，如南宋朱熹和郭雍就曾展開過辯論。

現代西方的巫術實踐者多以蓍草的卜卦作用而為它衍生出許多以此相關的魔性，比如說智慧之草、神諭之草等等，將它加在許多如”開啟第三眼”、”增加占卜準確度”的巫術中，私以為這樣的代換法並非非常妥當，因《易經》背後牽涉之天地數理，或許並非”神諭”、”感知”如此簡單，使用耆草做非占卜用途是否能增進”天人合一度”令人存疑。然而在中國同是長壽有別於把他想成是生命的象徵，而把他想成是擁有特別的神性及與萬物相通的智慧，這也是中國思想的獨到之處。

4.中世紀

(1)   蓍草在中世紀雖也做為醫療之用，但更在巫術價值上大放異彩，被視為和女性及女巫有關的植物。或許是因為他的苦味，蓍草也被視為與惡魔有關的藥草，他的別名有Devil's Nettle(惡魔蕁麻), Devil's Plaything(惡魔玩物), Bad Man's Plaything(壞人玩物)……等等，說明了他和巫術的關係，但同時他也常做為護身符，阻擋那些也是以其為材料施放的惡咒。撒克遜人的傳統護符草藥包之中就會放蓍草，防範包括強盜、惡狗、失明…….等等各種事情。人們在門檻上播撒蓍草，阻絕不良的影響和邪惡的咒術，並且將小蓍草枝綑在尚未施洗的嬰兒的搖籃上，防止巫婆偷走他的靈魂。蓍草也能用來安胎，讓生產中的孕婦拿著在聖約翰節或夏至收集的蓍草，按在自己的右邊，但必須在小孩子生出來後馬上拿走。蓍草被認為能夠召喚惡魔但也能將其驅除，並被用在古撒克遜的基督教驅魔儀式之中，這個記載於十世紀的儀式十分繁複但也融合了許多異教的成份在其中：”一個給患惡魔病的人喝的飲料，必須用教堂之鈴飲用：Githrife, cynoglossum(琉璃草), yarrow(蓍草), lupin(羽扇豆), flower-de-luce(鳶尾花), fennel(茴香), lichen(地衣), lovage(獨活草). Work up to a drink with clear ale(啤酒), sing seven masses(彌撒) over it, add garlic(大蒜) and holy water(聖水), and let the possessed sing the _Beati Immaculati_; then let him drink the dose out of a church bell, and let the priest sing over him the _Domine Sancte Pater Omnipotens_."這個飲料會讓當事人嘔吐，即代表將惡魔吐出來，當事人所有飲食中都必須加入這個配方。然後對著當事人吟唱詩篇Psalms 119, 67, 69，最後，彌撒祭司會對當事人訴說祝福之語。十三世紀神學家大阿爾伯特用蓍草加蕁麻來對抗自己的恐懼和自我貶抑，古歐洲人也習慣喝蓍草茶提升心靈力量，或許也與此有關。

(2)   除此之外，和很多其他植物一樣，中世紀的蓍草也擔負了愛情方面的習俗及夢占功能。蓍草常常被放入婚禮的花束或花圈之中，或放在新房的床頭，據說能夠保持心人的真愛在七年內永不變。這裡有許多的”小咒語”：將其千羽葉放入鼻子中搔弄並說” Yarroway, Yarroway, bear a white blow,If my love love me, my nose will bleed now. If my love do not love me, it won't bleed a drop,If my love loves me, 'twill bleed every drop.”(蓍草，蓍草，承載著白色的氣息，如果我的心上人也愛我，我的鼻子現在就會流血，如果我的心上人不愛我，他便一滴血都不流，如果我的心上人愛我，他便每滴血不停流)。將蓍草縫在法蘭絨放在枕頭底下，睡前唸：”Thou pretty herb of Venus' tree, Thy true name it is Yarrow;Now who my bosom friend must be,Pray tell thou me tomorrow.”(你這個維納斯的美麗香草，你真正的名字是蓍草，誰會是我的知心好友，祈求你明天告訴我)，據說可以在夢中看見未來的先生/太太的影像，但據說如果夢到萵苣，代表不幸或死亡即將來臨。

     另外有一個來自英國南邊的咒語，少女從年輕男性的墓旁撿一個蓍草枝，並唸：”Yarrow, sweet Yarrow, the first I have found,In the name of Jesus Christ, I pluck it from the ground.As Jesus loved sweet Mary and took her for his dear,So in a dream this night,I hope my true love will appear.”(蓍草，甜美的蓍草，我最先找到的，在耶穌基督之名下從地上摘來的，像耶穌愛甜美的瑪麗並將她當成親愛的，今晚的夢中，我的真愛也會出現)，然後將它放在枕頭底下。這個咒語應是來自古老的傳統，後來才用耶穌的名諱替代古老的異教神。除了跟中國的易經典故有關，這些習俗也衍生到現代，讓蓍草成為一種和占卜、超時空連結、預言夢等有關的植物。       

5.蘇格蘭傳說

在蘇格蘭北邊的奧克尼群島，蓍草茶被用來”驅趕憂鬱”及其他負面情緒。如果在採集藥用蓍草後夢到他，代表夢者將會聽到好消息。

6.美洲

北美洲的原住民Potawatomi人將蓍草的花及種子當做”活煤炭”，用花煙燻身體來驅逐惡靈，而種子放在平底鍋上煎出來的煙據說可以用來驅逐女巫。A. millefolium var. occidentalis(生長於北美洲的亞種) 便出現在Ojibwa人關於儀式蒸氣浴(Sweat lodge ceremonies)的“‘kinnikinnick”(在北美洲原住民部落中常見，具有不同配方的吸入用混合草煙)配方裡。儀式蒸氣浴是一種北美原住民中盛行的淨化儀式，在打獵、行刑或舉行祭儀前舉行。

7.基督教

基督教的傳說之中，木匠St. Joseph(聖母瑪麗亞的丈夫)曾在工作時受重傷，他採了一些蓍草放在傷口上，傷口馬上停止流血並且神奇地癒合了。故蓍草在法文中被稱為herbe de Saint-Joseph或herbe a charpentier(木匠之草)。

四、蓍草的巫術使用

Modern lore recommends waiting for the first yarrow bloom and using it to make a wish which should manifest prior to the harvest. The flowers are often included in Rituals of Union and are considered sacred to the Horned God.

invocatory

Horned God

a.k.a.

Bad Man’s Plaything, Bloodwort,

Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Nettle,

Devil’s Plaything, Milfoil, Nosebleed,

Old Man’s Pepper, Sanguinary,

Soldier’s Woundwort, Staunchweed,

Thousand Weed, Yarroway

“Yarrow was included in the medicine bundle [for the August Festival or Lammas] along with mugwort, arnica,calendula, and sage. In addition there were such well-known herbs as lovage (Levisticum officinale), which was valued as a culinary spice and an aphrodisiac, and dill (Anethum graveolens), which was trusted to ward off any illwilled spirits. Dill’s powerful aroma is probably also the reason the ancient peoples, such as the Scythians, used the herb with other aromatic herbs for the embalming of their dead. Dill, a garden herb brought to central Europe by monks, not only chased off the Buhlteufel but also suppressed fertility (Muller, 1982:77). And a bride who didn’t want to be subjected to her husband’s will could secretly bring mustard and dill seeds to her wedding and murmur, ‘I have you, mustard and dill. Husband, when I speak, you stay still!’”63

a sprig of dried yarrow flower and leaf, because it is known as natures bandaid. it heals the worst of ouchies, even deep emotional wounds. in this application, achillea millifolium refers to Achilles, the great warrior. yarrow washes out the wound and purifies the site of injury- in this case, the heart. according to matthew wood, yarrow "is suited to conditions where the mind is sometimes dim or restless", the blood stagnant or flowing ceaselessly. it is known as "the wounded warrior remedy" and is helpful for those who have been brought to their knees, despite putting up a brave fight.

Yarrow is associated with Aphrodite, Hermes, the Horned God and the hero Achilles. It is ruled by Venus and the element Water and is associated with the seventh chakra.
Yarrow is used for divination and love spells and in spells for contacting or seeking out a specific person.
The stalks are traditionally used for casting the I Ching and the flowers can be added to dream pillows to encourage prophetic dreams. Rubbing your eyelids with yarrow is said to enhance psychic abilities. It can be used in incense or oil to cleanse the aura, and for divination. Yarrow tea can also be drunk prior to divination, and to help the mind focus on a specific issue, or avoid distractions. Especially useful for psychic communication with a loved one and, when in times of strife, can help you and your loved one see things from each others' point of view.

Magical: Yarrow is said to aid in love spells, either to strengthen relationships or to attract new love, and to have the power to keep a couple together for seven years. For these uses the leaves are crushed and placed into a sachet, often with a mix of other herbs. Sleeping with yarrow under your pillow is said to give you a vision of your future husband or wife. The tea is used to enhance psychic powers, and the plant is carried to promote courage. It is also used in divination, burned or made into tea, and for protection, hung about the home or worn on the body. Some Native American tribes burned it to ward off evil spirits, and it was sometimes smoked ritually. Remains of yarrow were found in an excavation of a Neanderthal grave, suggesting that yarrow played a role in their burial ceremonies. This means yarrow has been in use at least 60,000 years, based on the estimated date of the site.

五、蓍草的魔性

GENDER: FEMININE

DIETIES: VENUS

PLANET: LIBRA/Venus

ELEMENT: WATER

The associations with love divination and other forms of ‘spellcasting’ earned Yarrow its additional names of Devil’s Nettle and Devil’s Plaything. Another form of love divination involved sewing an ounce of Yarrow in flannel an placing it under one’s pillow and repeating a certain verse, in order to cause the vision of one’s intended to appear.

A bunch of yarrow dried and hung over the bed, or used in wedding decor, will ensure a love lasting at least seven years.
Bereyl says in A compendium of Herbal Magick that "Modern lore recommends waiting for the first yarrow bloom and using it to make a wish which should manifest prior to the harvest. The flowers are often included in rituals of union and are considered sacred to the Horned God."
Considering its usefulness in combating melancholy, it is no surprise that Yarrow is also good for use with affirmations, in dealing with troubled emotions and healing, and for cleansing of depression.

This ability to 'dispel negativity' also makes Yarrow a useful space cleansing herb. In the wild, large patches of Yarrow found in a field indicate a very grounded energy spot...sit in the midst to center and relax.