Thorns and thistles have a profound association with aggression, pain, and feebleness, when experienced from the pointy end!. But that may not be the entire description. Looked at or rather experienced from the plants perspective it is its protection, allowing it to thrive in a hostile environment with do cause to inflict on a predator a lesson on boundaries. Within this plants are properties that are sought after for their extraordinary properties. With good reason they have served and continue to serve as medicines and food. Thus this plants require extraordinary mechanical adaptations to insure their survival. This adaptive quality may serve to transfer their defensive spirit through healing modalities like homeopathy as one example. Let's now contemplate on this, would it be possible to invoke this protection by sympathizing or resonating with this unsung hero of creation. Their is a mystery hear to unfold perhaps, their usage as occult symbols go back into antiquity and have garnered many stories of transformation and heraldry. e.g. solar crown that protects and radiates the temple (mind, spirit), orders of ancient chivalry, emblems of protection displayed at city gates in some western cities. Celts, Basques, pagans and others used thistles to ward off evil, purify and was a symbol for bravery and strength.