Sunday 27 September 2015

A Ramble about the Bramble

Oh my!  It's been months since I posted anything on my blog.  I do have an excuse though not only has it been an extremely busy year so far.  We've also moved house.  But not just a small move we've moved all the way from Reading to Norfolk.  So after a lot of upheaval we're finally all settled in and the cats have also found their feet, or should I say paws, in their new territories.  Life is starting to return to normal ... whatever that is :-)

Today we went for a ramble around the country lanes.  We were looking for blackberries to make some wine and maybe a crumble or two.  A few hundred yards outside our front door we were gifted with hundreds of bramble bushes heavily laden with juicy ripe berries.  It was so relaxing to be out in the fresh air, listening to the birds singing and picking the fruits that had been gently warmed by the autumn sun.

As we picked I couldn't help but think back to our ancestors who picked the succulent berries thousands of years ago, suffering the same scratches as a sacrifice for reaching between the thorns to grab the most luscious looking berry.  Blackberries were eaten in Britain as far back as Neolithic times as pips have been found in the stomach of a Stone Age man that was found buried in clay on the Essex coast.

There is a lot of folklore that surrounds the blackberry.  Some tales say that you should not pick the first fruits of the season but leave them for the fae instead.   If you've ever picked the fruit early in the season you will know how bitter they can taste.    It is also said to be unlucky to harvest them after a certain date.  From childhood I always remember being told you couldn't pick them after 1st November because the devil has touched them.  In other parts of the country it is unlucky to pick them after St Michaelmas Day , 29th September or 11th October because the Devil would have spit on them.  The connection with the devil and the blackberry comes from the tale that when he was expelled from heaven he landed in blackberry bush on his way to hell.

Magically blackberry can be used for protection.  Just think of those thorns!  Planted around the boundaries of your home is obviously a natural deterrent again burglary but the thorns can also be added to mojo and charm bags for protection too.


 The leaves of the blackberry can be added to incense and charm bags for wealth and prosperity.
Passing beneath a natural arch of brambles is said to cure hernias, rheumatism, whooping cough and boils.  We did this today so we will wait and see if it has an effect on hubby's hernia.
Blackberries are classed as a superfood.  They are rich in vitamin C, Potassium and Calcuim.  Making a tea using the leaves is helpful for colds, or use as a gargle for sore throats or a mouthwash.

Blackberry Correspondences


Blackberry - Rubus fruticosus
Folk names – bly, bramble, bramble-kite, bumble-kite, cloudberry, dewberry, goutberry, high blackberry, thimbleberry.
Gender – feminine
Planet – Venus
Element – Water
Deity – Brigit
Powers – healing, money, protection