Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A song to invoke the powers of Saint John’s Wort, based on Scots Gaelic traditions! St. John’s Wort is also known as the plant of Saint Columba in parts of Scotland. This plant is named for St. John the Baptist (with “wort” being an Old English word for “plant”) because its beautiful yellow blossoms would usually be out at Midsummer, which coalesces with the feast day for the saint. The Irish Saint Columba- who lived much of his life in Scotland- also has his own lore associated with this plant.
In the Anglo-Celtic Isles, St. John’s wort has many beneficial gifts, and has often been seen as providing protection against bad spirits or those with malicious intent. In parts of Scotland, for example, it’s been placed over doorways for protection, and under pillows for blessings. It’s believed that the plant has its greatest power at Midsummer, making that the most beneficial time to harvest this yellow-petaled beauty. It has been an adored companion to many for thousands of years.
This simple prayer is one of my own, created by borrowing phrases from the Carmina Gadelica, a compendium of Scots-Gaelic lore, mostly collected from the Hebrides Islands.
If you’ve been looking for more songs to incorporate into your pagan practice, check out my virtual course Singing the Wheel of the Year! We’ll be learning a big mix of new and old songs drawing on pagan/folk tradition for each of the holidays of the Wheel- from the Celtic holidays like Samhain and Bealtaine to the quarter-days of Midsummer, Yule, and the equinoxes. We’ll enjoy 8 weeks of learning together (all classes are recorded and shared with students in case you miss some dates), followed by bonus materials and review sessions for the rest of the year!
We begin Thursday, April 17th. Get all the details by going to the link on my home page at sarosings . c o m
Lyrics:
Blossoms of Saint Columba
Plant of the joyful feast
Guard me at the threshold
Bringer of sleep and ease
A song to invoke the powers of Saint John’s Wort, based on Scots Gaelic traditions! St. John’s Wort is also known as the plant of Saint Columba in parts of Scotland. This plant is named for St. John the Baptist (with “wort” being an Old English word for “plant”) because its beautiful yellow blossoms would usually be out at Midsummer, which coalesces with the feast day for the saint. The Irish Saint Columba- who lived much of his life in Scotland- also has his own lore associated with this plant.
In the Anglo-Celtic Isles, St. John’s wort has many beneficial gifts, and has often been seen as providing protection against bad spirits or those with malicious intent. In parts of Scotland, for example, it’s been placed over doorways for protection, and under pillows for blessings. It’s believed that the plant has its greatest power at Midsummer, making that the most beneficial time to harvest this yellow-petaled beauty. It has been an adored companion to many for thousands of years.
This simple prayer is one of my own, created by borrowing phrases from the Carmina Gadelica, a compendium of Scots-Gaelic lore, mostly collected from the Hebrides Islands.
If you’ve been looking for more songs to incorporate into your pagan practice, check out my virtual course Singing the Wheel of the Year! We’ll be learning a big mix of new and old songs drawing on pagan/folk tradition for each of the holidays of the Wheel- from the Celtic holidays like Samhain and Bealtaine to the quarter-days of Midsummer, Yule, and the equinoxes. We’ll enjoy 8 weeks of learning together (all classes are recorded and shared with students in case you miss some dates), followed by bonus materials and review sessions for the rest of the year!
We begin Thursday, April 17th. Get all the details by going to the link on my home page at sarosings . c o m
Lyrics:
Blossoms of Saint Columba
Plant of the joyful feast
Guard me at the threshold
Bringer of sleep and ease
