Introducing the wonders of mugwort
I’ve been working with my garden a lot lately, to support my soul path, using my dowsing rods as I was invited to do by the head gardener at Chalice Wells. It’s been really helpful, insightful.
One day the garden led me to the mugwort, which I have grown for a few years now, but never actually harvested or indeed used. I had it in my head that it would taste bitter, like wormwood, but this is far from the truth.
In fact it’s a really lovely taste and it has been rather life changing working with it and I appreciate the reason it is dubbed the "mother of herbs", being used traditionally in teas and poultices.
It has many benefits which I have listed below. For me it has been really helpful in positively shifting my sleeping and dreaming, supporting digestion and uterine functions, soothing my nerves, and opening me up to my receptive side.
In fact it is something of a magical herb and not grows prolifically too, which is not so great if you are trying to grow other herbs as it tends to take over, but it certainly makes its presence known. I had tried to cut it back last year but it has appeared abundantly again.
By way of background, Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a tall, aromatic perennial weed native to Asia and Europe. It is known for its deeply lobed green leaves with silvery-white undersides, and has a rich history of culinary, medicinal and folkloric uses.
It has many uses including:
Burning mugwort creates a protective energetic shield around the body, guarding against negative influences during deep meditative or healing work.
Preparing baths or performing ritual steams with mugwort is believed to clear energetic hurt from the reproductive region, leaving the spirit feeling feeling safe and cleansed.
As an anti-inflammatory its soothing properties help calm irritated skin, which makes it a popular ingredient in Korean and East Asian skincare routines.
Because of its bitter taste, young mugwort leaves are traditionally used to flavour fatty foods (like roast goose) and sticky rice to aid digestion.
In the Middle Ages, mugwort was believed to protect travelers and repel moths. Burning it is also a popular natural method for repelling insects.
Deeply rooted in lunar magic and named after the Greek moon goddess Artemis, this ancient plant acts as a bridge between the conscious mind and the spirit world.
Lastly, mugwort is a powerful visionary herb used spiritually to enhance lucid dreaming, amplify intuitive and psychic abilities and provide an energetic protection and purification.
It is easy to grow - I really recommend. Unless you are pregnant and then must avoid due to the effect it mason the uterus.
Love Emma
