Juniper
Juniper and myth
Juniper was a symbol of the Canaanite fertility goddess Ashera, or Astarte in Syria. In the Bible's Old Testament, a juniper with an angelic presence sheltered the prophet Elijah from Queen Jezebel's pursuit. A later apocryphal biblical tale tells of how the infant Jesus and his parents were hidden from King Herod's soldiers by a juniper during their flight into Egypt.
Practical uses of Juniper
Juniper will be familiar to most as being a recognised culinary herb, the berries (or cones) being crushed like peppercorns, or pressed to extract their juices.
The ground berries were added to sauces, particularly those for game, adding a bitter, spicy flavour. They were also used to flavour bread and cakes in the north of England. However the best known use of the berries is probably as a flavouring for gin (the words gin and juniper have a common root) and schnapps. In the nineteenth century Highland juniper bushes were prolific enough for their berries to be collected by the bagful and taken to the Inverness and Aberdeen markets to be exported to the Dutch gin distillers! The berries are also used to flavour other alcoholic beverages such as a Swedish health beer and a French beer-like drink called 'genevrette' made from equal amounts of juniper berries and barley. Juniper's use in alcoholic drinks and the use of its wood's smoke are drawn together neatly in the tales of illicit Highland whisky stills hidden away in the glens. These used Juniper wood for fuel so that the near absence of smoke would not attract the suspicions of the local excise man!
Juniper as medicine
In mediaeval times the berries were also used to flavour whisky in Scotland – just a wee medicinal dram, no doubt!
Juniper berries may also have been added to food for their medicinal properties, as they were said to aid digestion and to be a cure for various stomach ailments. The earliest recorded medicinal use of juniper berries occurs in an Egyptian papyrus dating back to 1500 BC, in a recipe to cure tapeworm infestations.
The berries were used by the Romans for purification of the blood, and also to cure a variety stomach ailments, while the famous mediaeval herbalist Culpepper recommended them for a wide range of conditions including the treatment of flatulence, for which juniper oil is still used today.
Chemicals in the berries also stimulate contraction of the uterine muscles and would have been administered during labour. The abortificiant qualities of the Juniper were also pressed into use. This practice gave rise to the phrase, used in Lothian in the Middle Ages, of giving birth "under the savin (an older name for Juniper) tree" - a tongue in cheek euphemism for Juniper-induced miscarriage.
Juniper was also burned during outbreaks of the Plague, and in Scotland the disease could be dispelled by fumigating the house with juniper smoke while its occupants were inside, after which the house was aired and the occupants revived no doubt with Juniper flavouredwhisky!
Juniper in Ritual & Magic
When burnt, Juniper wood produces only minimal visible smoke, however this smoke is highly aromatic, and in ancient times was used for the ritual purification of temples. The smoke was also said to aid clairvoyance, and continued to be burned for purification and to stimulate contact with the Otherworld at the autumn Samhain fire festival marking the onset of the Celtic year.
Despite the wood burning with relatively little smoke, the berries themselves produce copious amounts due to their high oil content. Using them in incense will create large clouds of rather dense smoke.
Juniper is used for incense intended for use in rituals where manifestation is an important part of the working. It can also be used in incense or "smudge" in most rituals of purification, including the blessing of houses and other buildings, and for dedicating new working areas and tools. As a charm for long term protection, a small bunch of twigs or a few berries in a pouch can also be hung in the rafters of a building or over the lintel of the doorway.
In central Europe Juniper smoke played a part in the spring-time cleansing and casting out of witchcraft. The wood itself also being used to fashion charms of protection.
Juniper was also once employed to aid divination with animal bones. A piece of Juniper would first be tied to a shoulder blade (animal unspecified, though most likely deer, rabbit/hare, or sheep) using a white linen thread or strand of wool. This act would be performed indoors, out of sight of prying eyes. The blade would then be tucked well down into the left pocket of the person’s clothing, and the person would step outside their dwelling place. The first word heard outside would then indicate the turn of events. Thus in a divination about someone’s health, if the first word heard was “long” then the ailment would be suggest a protracted recovery. Conversely, “good” words would suggest a quick recovery with a satisfactory outcome.
DISCLAIMER!
Pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding and people with kidney disorders are advised NOT to use Juniper. Repeated use can cause kidney damage as well as convulsions, and some report personality changes. As with any herbal medication, please use only under the supervision of a qualified herbalist or homeopathic practitioner.
