A bit magic – Siberian thistle

You must admit that the commonly used name of the herb “Siberian thistle” (cirsium oleraceum) hardly sounds magical. Yet if we use the plant’s folk names, for instance: Devil’s rib, sorcerer, devilscare, meadow scraper, vegetable thistle, Tzar’s herb and many others, our imagination runs amok.

Rhizomes and young plants are edible (hence the name “vegetable”). It is called rib, because its leaves slightly resemble ribs. And it is called Devil’s rib, because it has been associated with sorcery and magic. Folk tales say that God created Siberian thistle to help people.Yet to spite God, the Devil wanted to destroy the plant. The Devil had planned to bite the root, but – being in a hurry – he forgot that it was hard and woody. So as he was biting through it, broke his front tooth and has since been missing it for eternity. It is because of the bitten root that it was called Devil’s rib.

Back to magic, Siberian thistle has been known in folk tales to have had the power to remove spells. It was believed that it had protective properties and thistle broth baths could remove negative energies accumulated in the body.

Moreover, they refresh the body by pulling diseases and dark forces from the body. The Siberian thistle decoction bath thickens and becomes jelly-like.
Greasy stains and “stuff” (sic!) appear on the water surface. If a healthy and uncursed person takes a bath, the water stays transparent and it doesn’t change its appearance. Such herbal baths are supposed to chase away – as the folk name suggests – the Devil. The bath water used to be poured out at the crossroads or in other deserted places so that the spells wouldn’t pass on to others.

Not only is a spell has been cast on you, but also if you feel like you have too much on your shoulders, if you need to blow off some steam, clear your head from overwhelming emotions – take a cleansing Siberian thistle bath.