Belladonna/Deadly Nightshade
(Atropa belladonna)
Grandmother Belladonna has appeared as a slight fae woman with a dark purple gown, dark brown hair and pale white skin, colors that seem proper as she exists somewhere in the flux between life and death. A spirit with watery and Saturn energies, her relative quiet should not be mistaken for a retiring nature; she is dangerous because she is seductive and tempting, relaxing away defenses and good sense until death closes in.
Most people are safely able to approach Belladonna, though she seems to have her own ideas about who she is willing to work with, when, and in what way. When angered, she expresses her displeasure very clearly; such experiences leave a lasting impression. (I speak from experience; she was unhappy about my attempts to sprout belladonna seeds a few seasons ago. There is nothing quite like having a plant spirit yell at you.) I have slowly begun a working relationship with her, beginning with growing several plants from seed.
Datura /Sacred Datura/Jimsonweed/Thornapple
(Datura inoxia; Datura metaloides; Datura stramonium)
Species of datura were known in Europe after contact with the New World in the 16th and 17th centuries, though there is reference to a plant believed to be D. stramonium in the Old English Herbarium, a Latin text circulated in England by the ninth century (1). In Europe datura was sometimes used in the brewing of beer, like henbane. In North America , datura (D. metaloides and D. inoxia) had a tradition of ceremonial use, particularly in the southwestern United States , Mexico , and Central America . The plant was said to have a feminine nature (though was given the masculine name Toloache) and considered a malicious counterpart to the peyote spirit (also feminine). Even so, several cultures made use of datura's psychotropic nature and it is considered sacred for good reason.
The datura spirit has a dual nature almost to the point of being two separate beings. One is the active protection and the other is more stationary and holds the wisdom. The protective aspect, who I have seen in the form of a four-footed wolf-like beast, is the side most often encountered by those whose experiments with datura go badly (which seems to be the case a good 80% of the time). Fast, vicious, and speechless, this spirit is ruthless in tearing apart the physical and mental health of trespassers; permanent mental illness and death have been the results of some bad datura trips.
The other spirit (or the second half of the spirit, depending on your perspective) is Queen Toloache . Tall, white, and imperious, she speaks little though hers is the only voice you will hear. During my early work with the datura plant and spirit I was struck with the unexpected qualities of passion and even fertility in spite of it being such a virulent poison; it was no surprise when I discovered that datura has a reputation as an aphrodisiac. This seeming contradiction is also embodied in love Goddesses, whose favor is fickle and who have the equal ability to bestow joy and madness. Love can easily turn to obsession, the shadow side of that emotion. For this reason, I associate datura with love Goddesses, who always remind us that love is a weapon and a poison as well as a blessing; datura is the side of that blessing that carries a blade. Like love Goddesses, datura is very much a lady; she loves to be courted with music and song, and appreciates genuine efforts made to win her continued attention.
It is my firm opinion that Datura seeks you out, not the other way around. In the months before my first experience using datura , I saw the plants growing in unexpected and random places; that night my dreams would be visited by the spirit and images of the datura plant. This happened several times before it was the right time to get to know the plant one-on-one. Datura guards herself and her powers jealously; trespassers who enter her spiritual territory are shot on sight. You have to be invited into her realm and are in her control once you arrive; reckless pride has no place in working with this plant and spirit. Experimenting with datura leaves you at Queen Toloache's mercy (which is little mercy at all, since she lets her Protector take care of most concerns) and what assistance medical science can provide.
Fly Agaric
(Amanita muscaria)
Father Redcap (he told me he didn't like the distinction of Grandfather, and corrected me) is the direct ancestor of our modern image of the red-capped gnome. A diminutive spirit with a merry animated face, bright eyes, and possessing a distinctive red hat, Redcap is one of humanity's oldest plant allies. He is tricky and very clever, sometimes racing on ahead, sometimes sitting still and considering you with a mind that can find just about anything you wish to know; I think of him as a spiritual search engine or research librarian. He won't just give you the answers you seek, but he will help you find the path to locate them yourself. He can be grumpy or antisocial at times, perfectly playing the role of a grouchy old man who is stingy with his wisdom and consideration.
Like all mushrooms, fly agaric exists in a twilight space between life and death (or, as I think of it, between death and rebirth). He embodies the transition and that which transitions; it is this power that associates him with Odin. Redcap's powers suspend a person between the Worlds and cause the body and everything relating to it to be entirely forgotten for a few hours. Or a few years. You never know with Redcap. The spirit can be quite kinetic, contrasting with the physical chemistry of the mushroom, which totally removes the desire to move, and even the recollection of movement. It's the mind that accelerates and amazing things can happen under the touch of Father Redcap.
Father Redcap can be very friendly and outgoing, and it is tempting to let him convince you that he's not dangerous, but any force that can lead you to forget yourself as completely as fly agaric can is not to be ever underestimated; he is a true trickster in the most classic sense---a beguiling teacher who will lead you wide-eyed into territory beyond your control and then laugh at your struggles to go back the way you came. But he is a teacher and is willing to educate some people in the proper ways to work with his powers; keep in mind that even his willingness to help you won't keep you safe from his tricks and teasing.
Henbane
(Hyoscyamus niger)
This is a spirit with qualities and temperament similar to Mugwort , also appearing like a small elderly woman. Unlike Mugwort , which has some watery, lunar, and secretive elements, Grandmother Henbane is more direct, more bright and solar; Henbane is clear in her wishes and has a precise and discerning nature that expects those wishes carried out exactly. She is a matriarch among the Solanaceae plants and expects to be treated as such.
A bit haughty, Henbane has no patience for games or for verbal parlance. She expects to be deferred to, and rightly so. Physically, the henbane plant has several potent alkaloids present in all parts, including the seeds, which have poisoned children on occasion. The distinct odor keeps most people away, as does Grandmother's attitude; she will be very clear about her willingness to work with you, and without that any work done with the plant risks her displeasure. Some plant spirits can be courted but Grandmother Henbane can't be teased out of her shell or won by sweet words. She does have a dry sense of humor which is expressed through the use of henbane in the brewing of pilsner beer; she will not punish every fool who drinks too much of something with her plant children as ingredients, but she will laugh at how much they suffer at their own hands.
Henbane as a plant has a long history of ritual, magical, and shamanic use. The spirit sometimes favors those who work in such disciplines, though without her specific word one way or another, Grandmother Henbane will offer no assistance or protection towards those who experiment; similarly, she will not necessarily seek to punish. Henbane, with the true wisdom of grandmothers, knows that letting children learn on their own is sometimes the best way to teach them. |
