Herb Lore and the Magick of Raspberry
Raspberry Leaf ~ rubus idaeus
Element Correspondences: water
Planetary Correspondences: Venus Zodiac Correspondences: Scorpio Gender Correspondences: Feminine
Wild raspberry remains have been discovered at a variety of stone-age dig sites across Europe, Asia, and Northern America, and raspberries have been a part of our diet ever since.
In Hellenistic Troy, Raspberry was linked to fertility and young children in the story of Ida, nursemaid to the infant Zeus, who pricked her finger while picking the snow-white berries thus staining them red for all eternity. Another similar story shares that Raspberry received her name when the Olympian Gods were searching for berries on Mount Ida. Raspberry’s Latin name, Rubus idaeus, means “bramble bush of Ida.”
By the European middle ages, raspberry was recognized as a favorite women’s tonic, used to soothe many of the complaints of the childbearing years. Wealthy medieval Europeans used raspberry for nourishment and as a pigment. In early Christian artwork, raspberries were used to symbolize kindness. Raspberry’s red juice invoked the energy of the blood, which runs from the heart and carries love, nutrition, and kindness through the body.
Indigenous people of the Americas recognized raspberry’s powerful medicinal and protective properties. In the Philippines, raspberry canes were hung outside homes to protect those who resided within from any souls who may inadvertently wander in. Various first nation tribes of Northern America used raspberry to soothe labor pains, ease contractions, and ease nausea.
Raspberry Magic
Raspberry magic is the magic of patience in fertility. First year canes do not produce fruit but are essential to the fertility of the plant, establishing her root system and filling her canes with the strength and energy she’ll need. After the cane has weathered a year, she’s ready to bloom and fruit. Raspberry reminds us that maturity and proper conditioning are essential to abundant and healthy reproduction. It is best to be patient, when beginning any creative endeavor.
Raspberry’s thorny canes remind us, too, to be protective of the fruits of our labors. If we truly want to share our work, we would be wise to be picky about who will carry it into the world.
Raspberry, like her cousin Rose, offers all of us an opportunity to remember to be gentle with one another, to be loving and patient as we work our own magic in the world. It is only with care and a gentle touch that Raspberry yields her fruits. Even the magic of her leaf requires careful, patient treatment; you must wait for the leaf to dry fully before attempting to use it as medicine or nourishment because if you don’t you’re likely to end up with an upset stomach. Raspberry invites us to slow down and savor all that must occur before we bear the fruits of our lives.
Raspberry leaves magical properties include: aiding sleep, healing, protection and love. Use in the bath to keep your partner at home and carry with you to bring luck in your marriage.