Bonfire Offerings: A Summer Solstice Tarot Spread

The Summer Solstice is a time of illumination + mirth!

Our tarot spread for the Summer Solstice (known also as Midsummer and Litha) focuses on our brightness and how we shine (or shadow) in our relationships with ourselves, our families, friends, and lovers, and to the land.  We take a look at where the shadows lie and prepare ourselves for the coming harvest as the wheel turns towards Lammas or Lughnasadh.

1. SUNRISE.  What is your source of abundant growth?

2. BONFIRE. Where do you shine brightest?  How do you illuminate the world?  Adversely, what do you fear to show the world?  What holds you back from exposing your greatness?

3. SUNSET.  What is it that you have to give?

4. SUMMER SUN. Overview of the strengths of your relationships between friends, family, and lovers.

5. SUMMER SHADOW. Overview of the weaknesses of your relationships between friends, family, and lovers.

6. SACRED HERBS.  Overview of your relationship to the green world including the food you eat.

7. LAND SPIRITS. Overview of your relationship to the land spirits.

8. STIRRINGS. What part of you is awakening as the wheel turns towards the first harvest?

Looking for more magickally inspired Tarot spreads? 

You're invited to peruse my tarot + divination series. Or do you want to learn about herbalism and tarot? Check out The Tarot Apothecary. Find all the tarot spreads in my Wheel of the Year series via the links below:

• Hallowing: Samhain Spread

• Darkest Night: Winter Solstice Spread

• Quickening: Imbolc Spread

• Brightening: Spring Equinox Spread

• Fire + Fields: Beltane Spread

• Bonfire Offerings: Summer Solstice Spread

• First Harvest: Lammas

• Balancing: Autumn Equinox Spread

Blessed Midsummer, sacred ones!

background image via creativecan.com. design by Alexis J. Cunningfolk.

Gemini: The Astroherbology Profile

It's time to explore the sign of Gemini! You're getting a snapshot into the ever expanding astroherbology magick of the Lunar Apothecary - lucky you! 

I will be exploring all twelve signs from a medical astrology perspective with an emphasis on herbal healing. Learn more about the series, find more sign profiles, and what all the correspondences mean via The Introduction to Astroherbology Zodiac Series. 

Element: Air
Mode: Mutable
Guardian Planet: Mercury
Direction: East
Season: Spring (NH), Autumn (SH)
House: 3rd House / Cadent
Lunar Mansions: 6th Mansion + 7th Mansion 
Solar Gemstone: Agate
Tarot: The Lovers, The Magician, 8 of Swords (5/21 - 5/30), 9 of Swords (6/1 - 6/10), 10 of Swords (6/11 - 6/20), King of Swords
Tissue State: Tense/Constriction (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: Arms, Shoulders, Hands, Fingers, Lungs, Nerves. The Nervous System. Breathing. Tubes, tunnels, and connectors of the body including fallopian tubes, urinary tubes, bronchial tubes, etc. Blood capillaries. Sensory receptors.

Imbalances + Diseases: Diseases of the lungs including  bronchial complaints, nervous system disorders, chronic fatigue, asthma. Carpal tunnel, stiff shoulders, and pinched nerves. Sensory disorders and issues, including damage to the sensory receptors. Injuries or issues with the hands, fingers, arms, and shoulders. Blocks, lack of tone, spasms with the tubes of the body including infections such as UTIs. Hearing and speech disorders. Learning difficulties or a need for radically different learning styles than presented by the dominant overculture. Disorders of the blood capillaries including Raynard’s disease and blood diseases in general (with Pisces). Social anxiety. Depression and lack of inspiration. High blood pressure. Out-of-balance nervous system - either overactive or underachieve or moving back and forth between both states (a sign of the Tense Tissue State). Neurological conditions such as epilepsy. Diseases of the eyes and poor or damaged eyesight. Lingering illnesses. Hyperactivity. Over reliance on social life for self-worth. Dishonesty, lying, and manipulation through the spoken and written word. Oversized ego and selfishness. Social media addiction. Lack of focus and mindfulness. Lack of perception on the truth of the situation. 

Disease Degrees: 1 degree: trachea; 2 degrees: oesphagus; 3 degrees: upper right pulmonary lobe, pulmonary inflammation; 4 degrees: lower right pulmonary lobe, pulmonary inflammation; 5 degrees: upper left pulmonary lobe; 6 degrees: lower left pulmonary lobe; 7 degrees: apex of lungs, heart; 8 degrees: bronchi, eyesight; 9 degrees: pulmonary arteries, typhoid fever, rheumatic fever; 10 degrees: typhoid fever, hilum of lungs, enteric fever; 11 degrees: thymus gland; 12 degrees: tracheal mucosa; 13 degrees: pulmonary arteries, rheumatic fever; 14 degrees: clavicle, muteness,  impaired speech or impaired speech organs; 15 degrees: muteness, impaired speech or impaired speech organs, scapulae, asthma, pneumonia; 16 degrees: pleura, asthma, pneumonia, AIDs, bright’s disease, sleep and trance; 17 degrees: First rib, asthma, bright’s disease, sleep and trance; 18 degrees: Second rib, chronic glomerulonephritis, asthma, bright’s disease, sleep and trance; 19 degrees: Laryngeal muscles, bright’s disease, sleep and trance, defective sight; 20 degrees: Third rib, defective sight; 21 degrees: Arm muscles, enteric fever, defective sight; 22 degrees: Upper arm, appendicitis, insanity, defective sight; 23 degrees: Head of the humerus, spine, defective sight; 24 degrees: Olecranon; 25 degrees: Radius, nervous debility; 26 degrees: Wrist bones, suicide; 27 degrees: Finger; 28 degrees: Metacarpal bones, tuberculosis; 29 degrees: Fourth rib; 30 degrees: Fifth rib.

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Gemini: Speaking from a place of authenticity. Learning how to be accountable and owning up to shortcomings. Building long-term relationships. Valuing the input of others as much as their own. Speaking less and listening more. Learning inclusive communication techniques. Creating regular time and space for intellectual pursuit and performance. Meditation and mindfulness practices.

Gifts of Gemini: Communication, intellectual prowess, articulation of the mysterious. Distillation of knowledge to a wider audience. Performance, the gift of a good story, and the power of naming. Friendliness, playfulness, and community-minded. The ability to verbalize what is happening and help others find their words, quick-witted, and the gift of perception.

Rituals of Gemini: Release, giving up the outmoded, inspiration cultivation, successful contracts, confident communication of ideals and emotions.

Gemini Guardian Herbs: Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Gingko (Gingko biloba)

Gemini Remedy Herbs: Oats (Avena sativa), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), California Poppy (Eschscholzia california), Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Flower + Gem Essences: Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Cerato (Ceratostigma willmottianum), Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Aquamarine, Citrine

The Sun in Gemini

Say “hello!” to Gemini because Gemini is sure saying “hello!” to you! Gemini is the first air sign and mutable sign of the zodiac and they’re super stoked about it (apologies to the Gemini folk for whom stoked is not their choice of words - I know how important that is to you). If you thought Aries was fast moving, Gemini is the quickest moving sign of the zodiac. One of the friendliest signs of the zodiac, Gemini is also very concerned with their social life because that is where they find (or think they’ll find) their since of self worth. Those with a Gemini Sun can be quite long-lived if they were to pay attention to taking care of their bodies as much as they do their latest social media account. The talkative twins can be pulled so many directions at once that they can lose focus quickly, including to their long-term wellbeing. All that said, if you haven’t gone on an adventure with a Gemini you are missing out! Not only is their playfulness superb but they can distill the lessons of your journey into shareable wisdom.

One of the quickest way of figuring out if you have found yourself in conversation with a Gemini is their inexhaustible chattiness. They are talkative and they process their surroundings and thoughts through verbalization. Gemini folk can be very perceptive, quickly putting together details and disparate pieces into a coherent whole. Part of the reason they place such importance in their social life is because their social life is one of the most important components of their connection-making. Hire a Gemini if you’re looking to get the business connections you never dreamed of. Hire a Gemini, too, to help you find a romantic partner (as long as they realize they are searching for you, not for them). Being recognized for their verbal offerings if very important to Gemini folk as they want to hear that what they have said has been heard. The feedback loop can be both their best friend and their frenemy all at once. 

So our busy, buzzing, quick-witted, and changeable like the wind Gemini folk have a few lessons to learn so that their amazing ability to articulate the mysterious to the masses can be truly realized. First, Gemini folk need to pay attention to their nervous system feeding it with nourishing foods and healthy living habits.  I would suggest that Gemini folk imagine that their nervous system is their ultimate personalized social network of connectivity. Meditation and mindfulness might be some of the most important practices a Gemini ever commits to. The more they take care of their nervous system the better able ideas and insights will be able to travel through their body and out into the world. The gifts of Gemini folk include the uncanny ability to name what needs to be named and make connections where no one had yet dreamed to put together. Catch the wind and ride free, it’ll be amazing what you’ll see, is what our Gemini folk teach us.

Gemini Guardian Herb

Happy Peppermint seedlings chatting it up!

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

The scent of Peppermint speaks to the power of Gemini to enliven the mind and spirit to inspiration. Peppermint assists with mental focus and is very useful for clearing out brain fog. It is one of my favorite essential oils to spray in a room when I need a creative pick-me-up. 

Peppermint contains a number of healing constituents including rosmarinic acid and menthol which both help promote respiratory health. In fact, Peppermint has been used for centuries in folklore recipes for the flu and common cold, most commonly mixed with Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Elder (Sambucus nigra).

The herb is tension relieving and is a great herbal ally forreleasing nervousness especially when it settles in the stomach and intestines. Peppermint relieves intestinal cramping and can be taken before and after meals as a digestive tonic. Additionally, the Peppermint is useful in cases of nervous tension headaches and migraines. Peppermint embodies the brilliant qualities of Gemini! 

Want a full Peppermint profile and access to more information on a variety of healing herbs? Join the Lunar Apothecary!

 Gemini Remedy Herbs

Skullcap via wikipedia

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Gemini folk need to pay special attention to their nervous system and Skullcap is a fantastic nervous system tonic. For those thoughts that spin round and round and round in your head, keeping you from focusing or falling asleep at night, Skullcap might be an ally. A powerful nervine, Skullcap restores strength to an overwhelmed nervous system (by working on the cerebrospinal centers), relieving spasms, nerve pain, and cultivating calm. Sometimes Gemini folk spin out so fast they have trouble coming home again to their bodies and the restoration of being chill. Skullcap helps promote healthy sleep patterns as well as a desire to reconnect the mind to the body through rest.

For Gemini folk prone to feeling overwhelmed and anxious, Skullcap stimulates the brain to produce more endorphins in the system due to the presence of scutellarin in the plant which becomes scutellarein in the body. Pretty darn sweet! 

You’ll notice that I placed Skullcap in both the Remedy and Guardian which makes perfect since if you’re dealing with the twin-ergy of Gemini. Skullcap both remedies the lack of focus that Gemini folk might find themselves in, but it also gifts the important Gemini gift of not fearing your words and thoughts but finding power in them. 

Sun in Gemini Flower Essence

Milkweed thinks you're grand.

The sacred words of Milkweed Flower Essence are “I am nourished.” Milkweed is an incredibly nourishing essence, one that feeds the roots of our soul. For Milkweed, nourishment is getting exactly what we need by being exactly who we are - which is a wonderful lesson in living in maintaining the “I” in the myriad of roles we live as lover, friend, child, teacher, partner and community member. Milkweed helps Gemini folk to integrate strong personal identity with a common community vision.

Ready to learn more?

• Check out the rest of my Astroherbology series including Starry-Hearted + Wild-Rooted: An Introduction to Astroherbology which includes additional study resources and the other posts in my Astroherbology series.

• Need a visual guide? Starmaps: The Astrological Body is for you!

• The Lunar Apothecary is a full length course using the tools of moon-centered herbalism and ritual to help you discover who you are as a healer.

A Crown of Roses: An Introduction to Tarot + Herbalism

I am doing a guest post series on the amazing Little Red Tarot blog all about Tarot + Herbalism. Little Red Tarot is the home of Beth Maiden who has created an intelligent and inspiring alternative community to us Tarot folk who are queer, rebellious, multi-cultural, and rad. I hope you enjoy the new series!

Tarot and the art of herbalism have always gone together for me. The year that I started creating my first herbal remedies was the same year that I also purchased my first tarot deck. The Smith-Waite deck that I began to learn to read with was lush with plant life and symbolism. In addition to becoming a tool for me to translate what I was feeling in words and concepts to other people, the cards were a way to connect with my plant kindred in new and meaningful ways. Finding roses growing in my neighborhood suddenly was an opportunity to step into the world of the Magician or Strength or perhaps even Death - all three cards are but some of the landscapes that roses appear in the deck of cards I had.

As I developed my practice as an herbalist and witch, I began to understand and value that our emotions and experiences are not independent of our bodies. Our feelings flow through the neural pathways of our entire body and they can pool, stagnate, or run amok like any other fluid or energy in the body. One way tarot and herbalism are such useful complementary tools is that they are both addressing the underlying emotional story of our lived experiences. If tarot is a map of our internal landscape, herbs are the nourishment for our journey as well as keys to new lands, while our will and desire is the compass which guide us.  

While knowledge of tarot does not make up for lack of knowledge about herbs, there are many ways that each of, experienced in the practice of herbalism or not, can connect with our plant allies through tarot. Over the next few months, I’ll be looking at the tarot cards starting with each suite of the Minor Arcana and then the Major Arcana, exploring how the energy of the cards connect with specific plants and herbal actions. At the end of the this post, I’ll look at three simple ways you can start connecting with plants through your tarot practice.  

As Traditional Western Herbalist, my perspective on herbs and their energetics are based in the six tissue state framework and the elements of earth, air, fire, and water. The six tissue states of Traditional Western Herbalism (TWH) can be seen as comparative to the three doshas of Ayurveda or the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. My own personal practice also includes the concept of stella and terra energies or “as above, so below” which is a concept that many tarot folks are familiar with. What this means, is that based on the elemental association of each of the suits of tarot we can make herbal energetic connections. So, the swords are a suit of air and might work with herbs that focus on the lungs, while the pentacles are a suit of earth and we might work with the roots of herbs the skin. The use of herbal energetics within a tarot framework will become clearer as the series progresses, but I have found it to be a very useful way of connecting the elemental system of tarot with the energetic properties of herbs.

For our journey through the Minor Arcana I’ll be using the following format for each of the suits of tarot in my posts.

Receptive Herb: Our receptive herbs bring in the energy of the element of the suit. A receptive herb for the suit of cups or water might be moistening and oily in nature, bringing moisture to a dried out situation.

Diffusive Herb: Our diffusive herbs diffuse or bring balance to the element of a suit. A diffusive herb for the suit of pentacles or earth, which tends to be slow and stagnant when out of balance, might be stimulating and energizing.

Herbal Actions: Each element has a tendency towards certain herbal actions. Herbs of the suit of wands which is related to fire, for example, are generally stimulating and warming.

Herbal Remedy: A simple herbal remedy technique that relates to the energy of the suit being discussed.

While I’ll look at the pips of each suit as a whole, I will explore the court cards individually recommending flower essences for each one. Flower essences are a very accessible, inexpensive, and safe form of herbal medicine that are easy to make on your own or purchase at your local health shop or favorite online seller. The amazing thing about flower essences is that by their very nature they can do no harm - an essence that isn’t right for you will do nothing whereas the correct essence may affect profound change that you are ready for. I’m recommending flower essences for each of the court cards because I want folks who have little to no herbal experience or training to have a very accessible medium of plant medicine to access and use. Also, heck, they’re amazing magick and lots of fun!

For the court cards, I will be using the language from the Collective Tarot which I think describe the energies of the cards in a fantastic and understandable way. The court cards will be named as followed:

Page = Seeker
night = Apprentice
King = Artist
Queen = Mentor

Now, let’s look at some ways that you can begin to connect with plant allies through the tarot whether or not you’re an experienced herbalists or have never had a cup of herbal tea in your life!

3 Ways to Connect with Plant Allies through Tarot

1. Tarot + Tea. Whether a black tea or herbal tisane, if you are so inclined to brew a cup before beginning a reading, you can also begin to connect with the energies of the plant releasing its medicinal and magickal energy into your cup. One way to do this, is to sit quietly while holding the cup between your hands and speak your intention for the reading ahead. Focusing on your intention, blow it across the surface of your brew, letting the water ripple and shift, connecting with the power of the plant to charge your intention with energy. Take a sip and then begin your reading.
2. Choose an herb featured in tarot and learn about it. The Smith-Waite-Rider deck is full of herbs that play a prominent role in the western esoteric tradition including Roses, Lilies, and Sunflowers. Begin researching the medicinal and magickal uses for any of these herbs. Botanical.com is a free searchable materia medica of Maude Grieves and includes both folkloric and traditional uses for plants.
3. Pull a card for a plant. Get into the garden, the local park or visit the plant growing on your windowsill, and say “hello!” Pull a card asking what healing gifts the plant possesses, what message it might have for you specifically (especially if it has been sitting in your house and watching you for a while, it might have some useful insight), or any other question you might have. Always connect with the plant first and ask permission to do a reading with it and be sure to say thanks afterwards, perhaps even offering a bit of water or a song. If you’re looking to pull more than just a card, you can check out my Wild Tongue: Plant Ally Spread for a more in-depth reading.

Herbalism and tarot are two fascinating arts which offer us incredible tools of change and connection in a world that desperately needs both. I hope that some of you will find the practice of tarot and herbalism to be useful in your own lives and in the lives of the communities you serve.

The decks featured in this post are the Smith-Waite deck, more commonly known as the Rider-Waite-Smith or RWS tarot, Thea’s Tarot by Ruth West, The Greenwood Tarot by Chesca Potter, and The World Spirit Tarot by Jessica Godino and Lauren O’Leary.

Taurus: The Astroherbology Profile

It's time to explore the sign of Taurus! I will be exploring all twelve signs from a medical astrology perspective with an emphasis on herbal healing. Learn more about the series and what all the correspondences mean check out the introduction to The Introduction to Astroherbology Zodiac Series. Missed the first sign of the Zodiac? Find out about the astroherbology wisdom of Aries!

Looking for inspiration and plant allies for the season of Taurus? Come this way!

Element: Earth
Mode: Fixed
Guardian Planet: Venus
Direction: East (traditional)
Season: Spring (NH), Autumn (SH)
House: 2nd House / Succedent
Lunar Mansions: 3rd Mansion, 4th Mansion, + 5th Mansion (Learn more about the Lunar Mansions)
Solar Gemstone: Amber
Tarot: The Hierophant, the Empress, 5 of Pentacles (4/12 - 4/30), 6 of Pentacles (5/1 - 5/10), 7 of Pentacles (5/11 - 5/20), Knight of Pentacles
Tissue State: Cold/Depression (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: Throat, neck, vocal cords, thyroid, voice, and middle ear. Metabolic system, medulla oblongata, and hearing. Salivary glands, taste buds, and teeth of the lower jaw. Jugular veins, cervical nerves of the blood vessels, and bladder. Procreative desire. Base of the skull. Find out more about the astrological correspondences to our bodies.

Imbalances + Diseases: Including sore throats, tonsillitis, thyroid conditions (especially hypothyroid), and overindulgence. The formation of tumors. Slow digestion, excess weight, and weak metabolism. Hearing loss and ear infections. Excess mucus in the upper respiratory system. Apoplexy, loss of coordination between organ systems, erratic movements, and paralysis. Glandular swelling, goiter, gout, bad blood. Loss of voice and vocal cord conditions. Sore throat, bronchial complaints, dry cough, tonsillitis, ulcerated throat, and diseases or injuries to the larynx and vocal cords. Accumulation of toxins especially in the intestinal tract and congested colon. Overly cold and dried out. Tend towards more persistent and chronic conditions - through their stubbornness they can tend to hold onto disease. Resisting change, ungrounded stubbornness, avoiding conflict, hurtful, brutish, brooding, lack of reflection on their emotions, and melancholic. 

Disease Degrees: 1 degree: palate; 2 degrees: pharynx - oral part; 3 degrees: uvula; 4 degrees: Pharyngeal cavity; 5 degrees: larynx; 0 - 6 degrees: drowning; 6 degrees: vocal cords; 7 degrees: cervical nerves; 8 degrees: alcoholism, jugular veins; 9 degrees: cervical veins, neurasthenia; 10 - 13 degrees: cervical and bravial plexi, neurasthenia; 14 degrees: true vocal cords; 15 degrees: epiglottis; 16 degrees: carotid arteries, abscess; 17 degrees: thyroid glands and tonsils; 18 degrees: lymph vessels, hair; 19 degrees: maxillary artery, alcoholism, goiter; 20 degrees: occiput, goiter, alcoholism; 21 degrees: arteries of the nasal cavity, alcoholism; 22 degrees: tongue muscles, rheumatism, alcoholism; 23 degrees: teeth, rheumatism, alcoholism; 24 degrees: upper jaw, fractures, broken bones, alcoholism; 25 degrees: lower jaw, fractures, broken bones, alcoholism, adenoids, suicide; 26 degrees: nasal bone; 27 degrees: atlas, alcoholism; 28 degrees: alcoholism, deltoid muscle and main neck muscles; 29 degrees: deltoid muscle and main neck muscles, eyesight; 30 degrees: Trapezius muscle. 

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Taurus: Warming and stimulating activities, with emphasis on detoxifying activities. Eating a whole foods diet is important to all signs, but Taurus folk need to be especially mindful of the quality of their food and eating mindfully. 

Gifts of Taurus: Resourcefulness, grounding and centering, body knowledge, long-term planning, and consistent energy.

Rituals of Taurus: Expressing body-positive sensuality, fertility and abundance, successful long-term plans, such as business endeavors or big material investments, stability, and invoking or supporting long-term romantic partnerships. Artistic and musical rituals in which the pleasure of the senses are indulged.

Taurus Guardian Herbs: Sage (Salvia officinalis), Rose (Rosa spp.), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Plantain (Plantago major), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), Nettles (Urtica dioica)

Taurus Remedy Herbs: Gingko (Gingko biloba), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Ashwaghanda (Withania somnifera), Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Flower + Gem Essences: Aspen (Populus tremula), Gentian (Gentiana amarella), Peacock Ore, Willow (Salix vitellina)

The Sun in Taurus

Taurus is the first earth sign and fixed sign of the zodiac and they embody these energies well. Where Aries is quick-moving, Taurus is slow and steady. The bulls are typically the longest lived of all the signs of the zodiac even with their tendency that when they do get sick for it to be a permanent or chronic condition. Earthly, sensual, and indulgent pleasure (as opposed to the more artistic and balanced pleasure of Libra) can be a focus of Taurus folks. Overindulgence is something to be wary of if you your Sun or Ascendent is in Taurus or if many of your other planets are in the sign of the Bull. Typically, Taurus folks tends towards the materialistic such as the garden growing in their backyard versus a mystical garden of new age enlightenment located halfway between paradise and nirvana. 

If you have known someone with a strong Sun in Taurus, you have probably met the legendary stubbornness of the sign. Think about the idea of being “bull-headed” and you’ll begin to understand the Taurean temperament. They very much need to believe that something is their idea before they commit and if they aren’t interested or perceive something to be not useful, they can be hurtful in how they express their opinions. Learning to connect with their emotional world and not just the physical world is a challenge for most Taurus folks but well worth the effort if they want as enduring and fruitful a relationship with others as they have with their garden. All that said, Taurus folks are very loyal in relationships, their endurance for seeing a project through is matched only by their stubbornness, and they can be profoundly inspiring when it comes to helping folks re-member and re-connect to the sacredness of physical embodiment. 

As mentioned earlier, Taurus folks are typically the longest lived of all of the signs (again, it could be said that they stubbornly refuse to depart their physical form until they damn well want to). They can tend towards diseases and imbalances of congestion, cold, and impurity - they need to be very aware of what they eat and being sure to engage in regular energizing activities. The gift of Taurus Sun folks is that they are so blessedly grounded. They remind us to take pleasure in the physicality of life and not get so lost in our heads and the abstraction of pleasure or whether we should be desiring it. Be your pleasure, is what Sun in Taurus folks teach us.

Taurus Guardian Herbs

Rose by Alexis J. Cunningfolk

Rose (Rosa spp.)

18th century herbalist, J. Quincy, wrote that Rose “raises the spirits and gives sudden strength and cheerfulness” and categorized Rose as primarily a Cardiac and Cephalic or relating to the head. (1) In addition to strengthening the heart, Roses assist with memory and promotes clarity of mind, heart, and spirit by connecting all three. Rose nourishes the body and is sweet medicine which calms the nervous system. Within Ayurveda, Rose is considered a rasayana (rejuvenative tonic) and medhya (brain tonic + nervine) for all of the doshas. A very Taurean herb, indeed!

As an aphrodisiac, Rose is an opener - it opens the heart and body to sensual experience. Like many aphrodisiacs, Rose has nervine and nourishing qualities which help to relax and soothe the body so that it may become ready and desirous of intimacy. Additionally, Rose has also been shown to increase sperm count if fertility has been compromised because of lackluster sperm.

The benefits of Rose for the skin are manifold (anti-inflammatory, astringent, vitamin and mineral rich) and can be used in oils, scrubs, and baths for skin health and beauty. As a humectant, Rose Water adds and maintains water to the skin. Keep Rose Water in a spray bottle to use as a mild antiseptic for first aid needs.

As an herb of Venus, which is Taurus’ Guardian Planet, Rose and other Venusian herbs typically balance and cool the fiery energies of Mars in a chart. 

The latter was a sample from the much longer Rose Plant Profile available to my Lunar Apothecary students. Learn about the Rose Plant Personality, Rose Remedies, and a more in-depth exploration of Rose’s healing qualities as a member of the Lunar Apothecary!

Taurus Remedy Herb

image via wikimedia.org

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

While warming herbs might be needed for Taurus folks who have fallen out of balance (such as Rosemary or Ginger), I generally reach for a tonic herb such as Ginkgo which connects with the underlying of wisdom of Taurus. Ginkgo is the oldest living plant species on earth and has more or less stayed the same for 200 million years. I mean, come on, how much more Taurus can you get? A longevity herb for a sign known for its longevity helps Taurus folks relax into and connect with the healing qualities of Ginkgo.

Ginkgo is an antioxidant-rich, blood-clearing, memory sharpening teacher. Taurus folk can have difficulty connecting the physical reality with their emotional experiences, so Ginkgo can help them learn to interact with their emotional and spiritual landscape. I have also found the plant to help open up pathways to useful communication which Taurus folk can struggle to find when they feel apathetic, depressed, or ignoring and/or confused by their emotions. Ginkgo is clearing, moving out stagnation that may have settled in the body as pain, whether the slow healing of wounds or painful pre-menstrual tension. 

As a longevity herb, Ginkgo not only helps us live longer but live longer with vitality. My experiences with the herb is that because it connects the brain and heart (via the blood) so well it helps us to make better choices that will support vitality into our elder years.

Sun in Taurus Flower Essence

Peacock Ore supports the foundational gifts of Taurusfolk – making spirit into matter – and helps keep them from feeling that they are stuck in the mud when life feels burdensome and challenging. The stone itself looks like a healing Taurean aura - dark and rich with rainbow gleams of fertile promise. The stone aligns the energy centers of the body and creates energetic motion which can be very useful for Taurus folks who feel stuck or bogged down. Peacock Ore helps connects us back to hope in times of hopelessness and joy when it is needed most.

Ready to learn more?

• Check out the rest of my Astroherbology series including Starry-Hearted + Wild-Rooted: An Introduction to Astroherbology which includes additional study resources.

• Need a visual guide? Starmaps: The Astrological Body is for you!

• Looking for inspiration for Taurus season? Come this way!

• The Lunar Apothecary is a full length course using the tools of moon-centered herbalism and ritual to help you discover who you are as a healer.

• Want to create a healing Taurus recipe? Check out my Beautiful Sustenance Chaga Chai!

---

Footnotes

(1) Tobyn, Graeme, Alison Denham, and Margaret Whitelegg. The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2011.

A million easy steps to a more magickal life...

Begin (again).

Re-member and dream anew.

Shift towards the sacred.

Set your head on fire. 

Follow your desire.

Forget.

Re-member.

Fight with teeth bared.

Love with hands open.

Speak the name of your Beloveds.

Hear your name being spoken.

Forget.

Re-member.

Avoid your shadow if you don't want to discover anything.

Pay attention to the moon, stretch towards sun.

Count every star that has ever wished on you.

Forget.

Re-member.

Get really, really scared.

Come undone.

Get really, really brave.

Come undone.

Forget.

Re-member.

Practice your art with every intake of breath.

Gift your art with every outbreathing.

Forget.

Re-member.

Take another step.

Begin (again).