Bursting with golden energy just like the sun, St John’s wort is the embodiment of sunshine.
Scientifically known as Hypericum Perforatum, the use of St John’s Wort dates back more than 3000 years and is well known for its effective healing properties.
The name Hypericum is derived from the Greek language and means “over an apparition”, a reference to the superstitious belief that the plant was so obnoxious to evil spirits that even a brief, gentle gust of air carrying the plant’s subtle scent would be enough to chase them away. It also refers to the practice of placing the flower above religious images to ward off evil. In Greece and neighbouring regions this practice was usually performed on midsummer around St John’s Day.
The name Perforatum comes from the perforations on the plant’s leaves. According to ancient Greek beliefs, these tiny perforations draw in the sun’s energy where it is stored in the plant’s vivid red oil. On taking St John’s Wort red oil drops internally, the plant is said to pass on the sun’s energy, dispelling darkness and heaviness from our spirit and nervous system and dissolving the depression that makes us negative and powerless. Ultimately it allows us to see light and be once again filled with positivity.
St John’s Wort has many curative attributes that have been tested over thousands of years by researchers in many different parts of the world. In Jerusalem, soldiers on the battlefields of the Crusades used St John’s Wort oil to treat combat wounds, while in modern Cuba during the country’s worst economic crisis in history, dentists who did not have access to to anaesthetic recommended their patients take a Hypericum Perforatum tincture for one week prior to an extraction or filling. In 98% of cases this practice was found to be effective in reducing the pain of dental procedures.
Hypericum Perforatum is also known to have anti-viral, anti-depressant, relaxing nervine, anti-inflammatory, cardio-tonic and analgesic properties tested throughout the centuries. Externally it works well in localised nerve pain such as sprains and cramps, sciatica, muscle and joint inflammation like tennis elbow, neuralgia from post-operative pain, and for the tingling of fingers or feet. It is also used to treat depression, anxiety, stress, PMT and menstrual cramps.
St John’s Wort grows wild in Ireland’s Burren region and surrounding areas and is used liberally in Bee Loved’s St John’s Wort Oil and Winter Oil natural body products.
This blog post appeared first on the Bee Loved Skincare blog.