Virgo: The Astroherbology Profile

It's time to explore the sign of Virgo!

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 Astroherbology Zodiac Series. Missed the other signs of the Zodiac? Find out about the astroherbology wisdom of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.

Element: Earth
Mode: Mutable
Guardian Planet: Mercury
Direction: West
Season: Autumn (NH), Spring (SH)
House: 6th House / Cadent
Lunar Mansions: 12th Mansion, 13th Mansion, + 14th Mansion
Solar Gemstone: Moss Agate
Tarot: The Hermit, the Magician, 8 of Pentacles (8/23 - 9/1), 9 of Pentacles (9/2 - 9/11), 10 of Pentacles (9/12 - 9/22), King of Pentacles
Tissue State: Tense Tissue State (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: Abdomen. Gut brain and intelligence. Intestines, lower liver (especially the purifying functions), alimentary canal, spleen. Digestive enzymes. Absorption and assimilation. The nervous system as related to digestion. Diaphragm. Spleen. Pancreas.

Imbalances + Diseases: Indigestion, malnutrition, intestinal weakness and disease, colic, constipation and diarrhea, flatulence, colitis, ulcers, acidity and reflux. Nervous stomach and indigestion caused by emotional upset. Irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Intestinal parasites, worms, and dysentery. Hernias and ulcers. Dysfunctional liver. Pancreatic diseases including pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis. Diabetes, hypoglycemia, and blood sugar issues. Thymus and immune system dysfunction. Hernias of the diaphragm. Melancholy, anxiety, and depression. Premature gray hair. Hepatitis. High-strung energy. Overly critical, picky, and trivial. Selfish and difficulty feeling sympathetic. Workaholic, neurotic, self-denying, and lack self-confidence. Obsession with “cleanliness” from germs to deep feelings of being “dirty” or what is labeled “disgusting.” Too fastidious and feeling confused. Not listening to their gut.

Disease Degrees: 1 degree: duodenum; 2 degrees: small intestine; 3 degrees: appendix, caecum, appendicitis; 4 degrees: ascending colon, appendicitis, asthma; 5 degrees: transverse colon, asthma; 6 degrees: descending colon; 7 degrees: rectum; 8 degrees: abdominal cavity; 9 degrees: right hepatic lobe, rheumatic fever; 10 degrees: left hepatic lobe, bile, enteric fever, rheumatic fever; 11 degrees: falciform, coronary, ligament of the liver, bile; 12 degrees: abdominal aorta; 13 degrees: hepatic arteries; 14 degrees: cystic arteries, feet; 15 degrees: bare area of liver, feet; 16 degrees: groover for inferior vena cava, appendicitis; 17 degrees: abdominal muscles, appendicitis, diabetes; 18 degrees: oblique abdomen muscles, appendicitis, diabetes; 19 degrees: esophageal groove; 20 degrees: bile duct; 21 degrees: cystic duct, enteric fever; 22 degrees: gall bladder, insanity, appendicitis; 23 degrees: capsule, ligaments of liver, spine, appendicitis, defective vision; 24 degrees: capsule and ligaments of liver, defective vision, cancer, gout; 25 degrees: liver, cancer, gout, arthritis, neurasthenia; 26 degrees: abdominal veins, suicide, neurasthenia; 27 degrees: iliac veins, chronic glomerulonephritis, Bright’s disease, eczema, tuberculosis, diabetes; 28 degrees: hepatic plexus, tuberculosis, Bright’s disease, eczema, tuberculosis, diabetes, drowning; 29 degrees: quadrate lobe of liver, tuberculosis, drowning; 30 degrees: hepatic duct.

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Virgo: Inviting a softer perspective on life beyond “this or that” or “clean or dirty.” Creating spaces of healing through your organizational gifts. Finding a cause to be of service to or pursuing a healing, service-oriented discipline.

Gifts of Virgo: Purification, practicality, discernment, organization, analytical pursuits, discipline, health-conscious, and efficient.

Rituals of Virgo: Healing and creating new healthy habits, goal-setting, creating functional systems of change and well-being, developing discernment.

Virgo Guardian Herbs: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Lavender (Lavandula officinalis), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Anise (Pimpinella anisum), Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Bee Balm (Monarda spp.).

Virgo Remedy Herbs: Lavender (Lavandula officinalis), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Milky Oat (Avena sativa).

Flower + Gem Essences: Fig (Ficus carica), Centaury (Centaurium umbellatum), Rock Water (Aqua petra), Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Crab Apple (Malus pumila), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Moss Agate, Amazonite.

The Sun in Virgo

Stubbornly kind might be one of the most succinct way of describing Virgos. I think it is interesting to know that the Virgin has not always been the default symbol of Virgo. Judith Hill has pointed out that the one of the alternatives to the symbol of the “Virgin” for Virgo was that of the donkey (blessed be the Sacred Donkey of Holiness). I agree with her, that the donkey, which is a highly intelligent, herd-oriented animal that is stubborn and ready for challenge describes Virgo better than that of a mystical virgin. Not because a virgin is any less powerful or clever, but because there a virgin is a person “unto themselves” while most Virgos, even through their stubborn grumpiness, are far more community-oriented. 

I think many Virgos are identified as and would self-identify as introverted, but I think there is something a little more complicated going on. First of all, none of us are solely introverted or solely extroverted - we’re all some sort of mix, no matter how slight. Instead of understanding introverts and extroverts as “the quiet ones vs the loud ones” I think it is more useful to understand where each seeks recognition or feedback most of the time. Introverts are often more directed to seek inner feedback and self-recognition, or those same things from a much smaller group of people, whereas an extrovert often seeks feedback and recognition outside of themselves or from a much larger group of folks. So how does this tie back into our beloved Virgos? Virgo folk can appear to be introverted since many tend to be more quiet (initially, at least, when meeting them), but because of their community-bound loyalty, they act far more like extroverts when seeking feedback, recognition, and satisfaction with self. Such a disposition is part of the reason Virgo folk make such good community healers, organizers, and heart-centered rabble-rousers - they feel deeply and are acutely aware of the needs of others at the same time. They get in trouble when they misplace their loyalty, overcommit, and feel a lot, but don’t take time to really understand what they are feeling.

Virgo folk have to be very conscious of not getting in their own way. They can be detail-oriented to a fault, have difficultly seeing the broader vision, and let their stubbornness turn into stonewalling. They have to learn how to be flexible, give way, let go, and be gentle with themselves as much as they are to others in their most centered moments. Once they get over their skepticism and tone down their cynicism, their magick can finally have enough space to unfold. For Virgo folk teach us how to create the healing temples and spaces we so desperately need in these times of growing complexity and conflict. They remind us, as wisely mutable earth signs, to come home to ourselves again and again, wherever that home may be.

Within medical astrology Virgo folk need to be very conscious of their digestive help and paying attention to their second “belly brain.” A disturbed digestive process, from missing a meal or chronic issues of malabsorption, can lead to disease and illness. Virgo folk need to provide themselves with the same healing and attentive care that they provide others in order to experience longevity. The sign does have a tendency towards melancholy and retention of emotions, so making sure that they are practicing regular release-oriented activities in their life (whether exercising by spending time in the woods or a beautiful city park or regular therapy). Good food choices are paramount. The gifts of Virgo folk are discerning what we really need in a noisy world, practicing balanced selflessness in service of others, and living the wisdom that Sweet Honey in the Rock has so succinctly summarized, “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Virgo Guardian Herbs

Fennel from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Many Virgo herbs are fragrant and sweet with just the right amount of bitter and usually containing a high volatile oil content. They are herbs meant to sweeten the disposition as well as the digestion, which Fennel does very well. A classic carminative, Fennel soothes inflamed intestines, alleviates nausea, clears toxins from the gut, and relieves cramping. Chew the seeds after meals to relieve flatulence and distention of the gut because of gas and irritation. For those with sluggish and stagnant digestion (which can be brought on by the tightening and dampening effect of the Tense tissue state that Virgo folk are prone to), Fennel can help to reignite the digestive fires.

As a sign of Mercury, Virgo guards our body’s physical intelligence, including the second brain in our gut as well as our consciousness filter or the brain settled in our skull. Fennel helps nourishes both brain centers by acting as a nervine on an overworked nervous system (and it is very, very common for Virgo folk to be overworked).

Fennel also supports the gift of Virgo folk which is learning how to be a source of nourishment for others within a balanced and healing context. One way that Fennel does this in the body is by supporting breast/chest feeding by increasing milk flow, alleviating mastitis and clearing out tension and obstructions in the body. Ultimately, Fennel is very calming and grounding and helps us to glow from the inside out.

Virgo Remedy Herbs

Lavender by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis)

When Virgo folks feel out of balance, Lavender can be a great herb to help them find their center again. The herb reduces anxiety, soothes the nerves, alleviates agitation, and has an overall calming effect on the mind, body, and spirit. While Thyme is a warming digestive herb (discussed further in the full Virgo profile in the Lunar Apothecary), Lavender is a cooling digestive herb, when the digestion is too hot, leading to nausea, heartburn, and irritation of body and mood. 

Lavender is similar to Lemon Balm (which we look at in-depth in the Lunar Apothecary) in its ability to uplift the mood and release poor self-esteem. It is excellent for stress and tension accompanied by headaches and migraines.  The herb is also clearing - clearing congestion from the chest, remnants of colds from the body, and brain fog from the head. The topical uses of Lavender seem endless and it fulfills its duties as a topical panacea well. The herb can be used for a variety of skin irritations such as eczema (a common skin complaint for Virgo folks), bug bites, burns, infections, varicosities, and acne. It relieves the pain of arthritis, bumps, bruises, and sprains, and it excellent in baths and steams. In mouthwashes it is great for infections of the mouth and throat, including tonsillitis and mouth ulcers.

Sun in Virgo Flower Essence

image via wikipedia

Moss Agate is an earthy, grounding stone for our earthy Virgo folk. It enhances their ability to ground and, more importantly, re-connects them to their ability to ground when they are too caught up in their heads. Moss Agate is the security of forest floor and rock bed, breeding in our spirit a mobility of gentleness that allows our soul to move while still feeling secure. It is very useful for Virgo folks who have forgotten or denied their inherent earthiness. Moss Agate is especially good as dissolving the false dichotomy of nature versus culture. The essence is for when someone is afraid to come home again, helping them to re-connect to the gift of profound vulnerability.

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 myAstroherbology 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.

Plant Ally Project Thirty Day Challenge

Welcome to the Plant Ally Project : Thirty Day Challenge!

Just what is the Plant Ally Project : Thirty Day Challenge? I’m glad you asked!

This project is for those who:

Are ready to learn how to build meaningful and powerful relationships with a plant ally. Plants are powerful whether or not we’re involved in their lives. Yet, when we do choose to journey more mindfully through the world of the green kingdom as herbalists and plantfolk, learning how to connect with a plant beyond the ground up material in a tea bag can have a profound affect on who we are and how we connect with the world around us. The Plant Ally Project : Thirty Day Challenge is about growing, celebrating, and honoring our plant allies and plant selves beyond knowing what something is used for and into the realm of how do we live meaningful and useful lives.

Want to transition from a casual interest in herbal medicine to a more invested one. I After a few weeks or months, maybe even a year, of dabbling with plant medicines, you’re feeling a calling to connect with the plant world and your herbal practice in a more committed way. The Plant Ally Project : Thirty Day Challenge will help you stretch your herbal muscles, teaching you the many ways of connecting with a plant and its medicinal and magickal qualities. In the process you’ll learn more about who you are as an aspiring herbalist and what gets you really excited about your growing practice.

Are seeking to reinvigorate and find new inspiration in their herbal practice. An herbal practice is just that - practice - and sometimes practice gets monotonous and uninspiring. Hopefully, the Plant Ally Project : Thirty Day Challenge will re-inspire the ways you connect with your plant allies and your herbal practice.

During the challenge, some days will be busier than others, so I encourage you to read through the whole list before starting your journey so you can plan ahead for busier days (such as buying the supplies you’ll need for making tinctures or tea). You won’t need much to participate in the challenge: a notebook, some simple drawing supplies will get you started, and later on you’ll be asked to seek out your plant in the (urban)wild and procure a dried or fresh plant material by either ethical wildcrafting or from a reputable source.

I encourage you to have fun with your Plant Ally Project, comment below with questions and discoveries, and enjoy the process of humbling yourself to the wild and growing your fierce green heart.

Keep scrolling to find all of the details for the project as well as a quick guide computer wallpaper for you to use. Be sure to share the Plant Ally Project with your friends and post about your adventures with #PlantAllyProject. I can't wait to see what plants you meet!

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Use the following quick guide wallpaper to help you keep track of all 30 days of the Plant Ally Project.

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Day 1: Set your intention for the month.

I have found that getting clear on what it is you hope to accomplish at the beginning of a project helps see it through. What are you hoping to learn in these thirty days? How will you be challenging yourself?

Will you learn everything about your plant ally in 30 days? Nope. And that’s wonderful. What you can accomplish in 30 days, however, is significant and meaningful. You can connect with a green ally in ways that will continue to shape and form your practice for years to come. The adventure, clever one, is just beginning.

I encourage you to write your intention down in a place that you will see it often. You might put it in the front of your journal for your Plant Ally Project or tape it to your mirror. Make sure you are affirming it often for it to serve as a tool of change and success.

One final note. It might seem like a lot of work some days or a big commitment to work with one plant for 30 days. There is an art of sacrifice involved in the pursuit of knowledge, which may include sacrificing free time spent on the computer or watching tv to pursuing your herbal studies. Or rearranging your schedule to allow more time for your herbal medicine-making. I would encourage you to be mindful of the work ahead and how committed you are to it, even if it involves a bit of sacred sacrifice. What are you willing to give in order to receive?

Day 2: Choose the plant you’ll be working with or let it choose you.

You might already know what plant you want to work with for your 30 day Plant Ally Project. It may be the mint growing in a pot on your windowsill or the Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica) spreading out in the marshy land in the park by your house. Or you might have no idea what plant you want to work with! If you’re in the latter situation, you have a few options for choosing the plant to work with. The first is simply looking around your garden or neighborhood for local flora. Or you can flip open one of your herb books and see what plant profile you land on. It might be fun to look at the ingredients of some of your favorite tea blends and choose an herb from there. You might choose an herb that is culturally significant to you and, even if it has not been used in your family in modern recollection, was probably used by your ancestors.

My one tip is that once you choose an herb for your Plant Ally Project is to stick with it. It can feel overwhelming and exciting to know that there are hundreds of thousands of herbs for us to learn about. Right now, you are making a commitment to connect with one herb over the next 30 days, and while this does not exclude working with other herbs, it does place emphasis on one plant relationship in particular. For those of you who may feel like they’ve chosen the “wrong” herb after a few days, I strongly encourage you to follow through with your original commitment. Herbs that are difficult to decipher or might take a bit of extra study on our part can appropriately challenge our analytical and emotional skills to connect with the plant world.

Day 3. Learn the latin binomial + folk names of your plant ally.

One plant can have a multitude of names and it is important to be familiar with the Latin binomial as well as common or folk names for a plant. Latin binomials allow herbalists to identify the same plants regardless of language differences. Latin binomials can also help us learn about some of the folkloric stories associated with a plant as well as its medicinal qualities. Motherwort, which Latin binomial is Leonurus cardiaca, tells us about the plant’s association with the heart in two ways. First, Leonurus, connects to the plant’s astrological correspondence of Leo the Lion which traditional guards the heart. Cardiaca again refers to Motherwort’s affinity for heart health.

Day 4. Learn about the habitat of your plant ally.

Where is your plant native to? Where has it naturalized? Does it grow locally? What type of environment does it thrive in?

Day 5. Learn about how to harvest your plant ally.

What are the ideal harvesting conditions for your plant? What time of year? What parts of the plant are used medicinally? Should you harvest from a mature plant?

Day 6. Smell and taste your plant ally.

One of the easiest and most essential ways of connecting with a plant ally is to breath deep its scent and to taste its flavor. If you have access to a fresh plant (and it is safe to nibble on the fresh plant) use that, but you can also used a dried plant. Be aware, though, that a dried plant will often smell and taste different than when it is fresh.

What does the plant smell like? Sweet? Pungent? Strong or soft? What does the plant taste like? Does it dry the mouth or encourage the production of saliva? Taste is a way of understanding a plant’s medicinal qualities. Astringent plants, for example, dry the mouth while bitter plants often produce saliva.

Bonus! Learn about the tastes within Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine traditions.

Day 7. Read three different materia medica profiles on your plant ally.

You have already been reading about your plant in order to complete the last week’s tasks, but now it is time to read multiple materia medica profiles about your plant ally to understand the multiple ways of engaging its healing qualities. Check out my LibaryThing materia medica catalog for book recommendations as well as free resources such as botanical.com which is the complete materia medica of American herbalist Maud Grieve. Searching for {your plant’s name} plant profile online should also turn up resources. Remember, though when searching the mighty internets to find reputable sources. It is amazing the wide range of (mis)information there is about herbs online, so I encourage you to purchase or check-out from your library a few quality materia medicas to start your herbal studies as opposed to relying solely on search engines.

Day 8: Meet your plant ally in person.

You may have already done this, but whether or not you have, spend some time connecting with a live version of your plant ally. It can be a plant growing in a garden, in the wild or in an urban park. Spend time being still with the plant, observing its environment, and talking aloud or silently to it. You might be surprised by what the plant shares with you!

If such is not possible at the moment due to the season or accessibility, reserve this exercise for another day and spend time connecting with an image or remedy of your plant ally.

Day 9: Draw a picture of your plant ally.

One can learn a lot about a plant from drawing it because the act of drawing engages our observational skills in new ways. It doesn’t matter if you can “draw well” or not. If you can hold pen to paper you will be able to roughly sketch a plant. I encourage you to get creative and use color, adding energetic observations, and any other doodles that you find inspiring. Have fun with it!

Day 10: Study the best ways to prepare your plant ally medicinally.

How to extract plant medicines depends on the constituents of a plant and whether or not they are extracted in water, alcohol, oil, vinegar, or additional menstruums (which is a word for a solvent that is used in extracting medicinal constituents from plants). Learn what the best method of preparation is (such as an infusion versus a decoction) and whether your plant ally can be used externally, internally or both.

Day 11: Make a tea or decoction of your plant ally.

Your first medicine-making day! Depending on what you learned yesterday, create a tea infusion or decoction of your plant ally. I recommend that you do not add other herbs to the tea - simply create a one herb infusion or decoction so you can fully appreciate the taste, smell, and effect of your plant ally in your body. Pay attention to the initial taste, the aftertaste, and how the herb feels in your body. Do images, memories, or words come to mind? Spend a half hour or more in contemplation with your tea.

Day 12: Learn about your plant ally’s magickal qualities.

Some materia medicas will include a plant magickal qualities or folkloric stories, but there are also materia medicas dedicated to the magickal qualities of plants including Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham, A Compendium of Herbal Magic by Paul Beyerl, and The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Plants, Revised by Susan Gregg.

Whether or not you are a practitioner of magick, learning a plant’s magickal qualities and accompanying folklore can enrich not only our understanding of how our ancestors connected with the plant and the plant connected with them, but there is often insight into a plant’s medicinal qualities. Plants used in love spells, for example, are often aphrodisiacs and affect the sexual organs, libido, and/or nervous system (such as Damiana Turnera diffusa).

Day 13: Learn about the astrological correspondences of your plant ally.

You may have already discovered the astrological correspondences of your plant ally yesterday, but if not spend today learning more about them. Traditional Western Herbalism and astrology were intertwined for centuries and it has only been in recent generations that the two arts have been split apart.

A physician without a knowledge of Astrology has no right to call himself a physician.  - Hippocrates

Learning the astrological correspondences of herbs further deepens our language to be able to talk about herbs and understand their healing qualities. It also helps us to understand better traditional western herbal energetics and why certain herbs have been classified in certain ways historically (and whether or not that still makes sense today). Books discussing the magickal quality of plants often has astrological correspondences list as well, but you should also check out the historical works of Nicholas Culpeper including his still in-print Herbal. You can also check out my Introduction to Astroherbology which includes additional online and offline resources.

If no astrological information exists for your plant ally, that’s ok! You can either have fun doing a little research and assign your own astrological correspondence (check out my ongoing Astroherbology series and especially my blog on the Astrological Body for insight) or maybe get in touch with your favorite medical astrologer for some guidance.

Day 14: Learn about your plant ally’s emotional qualities.

Plant medicine affects the whole spectrum of our lived experience whether physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, because it is a holistic medicine which recognizes that all of our parts are interconnected. Just as plants have medicinally healing qualities, they have emotionally healing qualities. Books on flower essences are great places to look when researching the emotional qualities of plants as well as materia medicas which take into account the emotional symptoms of dis-ease.

My recommendation for learning a plant’s emotional qualities is to ask the plant directly. I usually enter into a light meditative state and gently ask the plant to share with me its emotional story, sometimes while ingesting plant medicine (such as a tea), but not always. Sometimes I get words, other times images, and most often I feel the response in my body. Make sure to record your experience and don’t rush to “validate” or compare it to the writings and experiences of others. I will say, though, that very often there is overlap between one person’s emotional experience of a plants and another’s.

Bonus! Create a flower essence from your plant ally. Flower essences are easy and accessible forms of herbal medicine. You can find out how to make an essence of your own here.

Day 15: Take a break!

You’re halfway through your Plant Ally Project and it’s time to take a break! You deserve it. Sit back and relax, clever one.

Day 16: Make a tincture or glycerite of your plant ally.

Tinctures and glycerites are great for creating high-potency herbal medicines that have a relatively long shelf life (alcohol extract tinctures can last for many years, while glycerites can last up to 2 years). There are two primary ways to create an extract; the first is the folk method and the second way is by weight-to-volume measurement. Below I have listed out a simple folk method to create an extract. Some plants require a higher percentage of alcohol to extract properly and not all plant constituents extract well in alcohol (such as vitamins and minerals). You can learn more about plant constituents and extractability here. Michael Moore has a some amazing free resources on his website including clinical manuals with extraction recommendations. Lisa Ganora is one of the leading herbal experts on plant constituents and you can check out her short guide to solubility and choosing appropriate menstruums (PDF). For further herbal medicine-making study James Green has written a great book called The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual which I highly recommend.

Simple Folk Extraction

For both extractions (either glycerite or alcohol) you should have a clean jar with a well-sealing lid. Add in your fresh or dried plant material into the jar. You can add the plant material in whole or chop it up to help the extract penetrate the cell walls of the plant and pull out the plant medicine. You’ll want to mix some water with either your alcohol or glycerite - a few dashes is usually sufficient. If you’re using fresh plant material with a plant that has a high-water content be sure not to add too much extra water and compromise the levels of alcohol or glycerite needed to act as a preservative. For glycerites, be sure to mix the water and glycerite together before adding it to your herbs.

Pour your alcohol or glycerite over the herbs so that there is about ¾ of an inch of the menstruum floating above or below the herb. Let your extract brew for at least three weeks - I brew most of my extracts for a minimum of one complete moon cycle, but usually three moon cycles in total. Shake your extract daily and speak to it, charge it up with song, or keep it in a sacred spot in your home. Be especially mindful of glycerites and air bubbles which can lead to spoilage. When it is ready to be decanted, use a nut mylk bag (my favorite method), a fine mesh strainer, or cheesecloth to separate the extract from the plant material. I think it is important to respect the plant body remains and to compost it or add it back into the earth in some way. Now you have an extract! Extracts of both varieties are best stored in dark bottles away from direct sunlight and in a cool location. It is especially important to keep glycerites cool - I keep mine in the refrigerator. If you are not worried about keeping a glycerite alcohol-free you can always add in some alcohol during or after the brewing process. Honey and maple-syrup can be added, too, to alcohol extracts during or after the brewing process to sweeten the tincture. As for dosage, you should research what is the recommended dosage for your plant ally in your materia medicas. In my own practice, I use drop dosages, which is traditional within western herbalism, and in general recommend a dosage of 1 - 10 drops up to three times daily for many of my extracts.

Day 17: Meditate with your plant ally.

For those of you who practice mindfulness, meditation or other contemplative practices, or those of you who have been wanting to start a meditation practice, meditating with your plant ally will hopefully sound like an exciting endeavor. For those of you who read that line and thought, “I can’t meditate!” I would like to first reassure you that this is a common response to many folks who go on to find out that they can indeed meditate. Furthermore, we fall into meditative patterns every day without even knowing it. Have you ever daydreamed? You’ve meditated. Have you ever zoned out while walking, exercising or washing the dishes? You’ve meditated. Have you have taken a break from an overwhelming situation to close your eyes and take a deep breath? You’ve meditated. The folks who may not be able to meditate or should not meditate are those experiencing certain states of psychosis and should seek out the assistance of their health care team to figure out what is best for them and their health.

Meditating with plants is a gorgeous experience and I really encourage everyone to try it out. It can be as simple as sitting with your plant ally, either next to it in a physical context whether as a living plant or plant material such as the dried herb, an extract, oil, or tea, or visualizing the plant in your mind’s eye. You can close your eyes or softly gaze at the plant. Energetically greet the plant before beginning - ask to be invited into their space. Meditating with plants (heck, meditating with anyone!) is an opportunity to open up to the plant beyond the written or spoken world and into intuitive connectivity. You can spend just a few minutes meditating with a plant or a whole afternoon. Do what is comfortable and in a way that encourages openness and vulnerability between you and the plant. Afterwards, be sure to offer the plant something in thanksgiving, whether some water, a song, some sacred incense or another heart-centered gift.

Day 18: Find a poem, quote, song, painting, that embodies the quality of your plant ally.

After your meditation experience with your plant ally, you have hopefully received additional insight about the plant and your growing relationship. Spend some time today finding a poem, song, painting, or additional media that embodies the qualities of your plant ally. For example, I think the following poem by Mary Oliver speaks to the amazing gifts of Milky Oats (Avena sativa).

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Mary Oliver

You might choose to keep the a copy of whatever you find on your altar or in a place in your house where you will see it often. Herbalism is not just a science - it is an art. It is through art that we can find profound healing and when we are artfully able to speak of our plant allies we move beyond the habit of “{x} plant does {this}” to “let me tell you a story of Chamomile, the littlest brightest sun.”

Day 19: Plant personalities. Who in your life is most like your plant?

In my personal materia medicas I include a section on the plant personality which describes both the personality of the plant, but also the personality of a person best served by the plant’s medicine. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), for example, is a plant for a colic-y child (or adult) who complains of an upset stomach when their emotional world feels unbalanced. Elder (Sambucus nigra) is known as the Elder Mother in many European countries and she has a fiercely protective, no-nonsense personality so she is often good medicine for folks who have difficulty setting up boundaries and are invested in self-deluding practices that don’t serve their health and wellbeing.

Discovering plant personalities doesn’t always feel intuitive at first, but that is why it is good to reference back to the work you did on Day 14 when you learned about the emotional qualities of your plant ally. You might discover that you are the plant personality that your plant ally best serves or a close friend or family member. Plants come into our lives most often for a reason, even if we don’t understand for many years to come, and exploring plant personalities can be one way of discovering why we are drawn to our plant ally.

Day 20: Create your own folk name for your plant ally.

As discovered on Day 3, most plants have a few, if not a multitude, of common names. Create your own folk name for your plant ally based on your experience so far with them. They may have already shared a name that they like to be called with you. Have fun with it and reference back to Day 18 if you need further inspiration.

Bonus! Create a folk name for you.

Day 21: Read a new materia medica profile on your plant ally.

Today it is time to find a new materia medica profile to read about your plant ally because tomorrow you’ll start creating your own personal materia medica.

Day 22: Write a materia medica of your plant ally - Part 1

Whether or not you continue to write your own materia medicas throughout your practice, it is important to learn how to gather information on your plant ally, synthesize that information, and add your own experience and study to it. Reference your favorite materia medicas found in books and online for creating your own, including the type of information included, as well as formatting.  I've created a materia medica for Angelica (Angelica archangelica) as an example of how I typically create my plant profiles. For part one of your materia medica complete the following information about your plant ally:

• Name (folk + latin binomial)

• Habitat, Growing Conditions, and Harvesting

• Parts used of the plant for medicine-making

• Flavor

• Plant Constituents

Optional:

• Astrological information

• Energetics

Day 23: Write a materia medica of your plant ally - Part 2

Today you’ll continue to work on your materia medic, focusing on the heart of the materia medica.

• Herbal Actions

• Main Uses

Day 24: Write a materia medica of your plant ally - Part 3

Our final day of materia medica crafting!

• Magickal Uses

• Contraindications

• Drug interactions

• Dosage

Optional:

• Plant Personality

• Recipes + Charms that feature your plant ally

Day 25: Create a plant ally charm.

You’ve completed your materia medica, meditated with your plant ally, and learned about its many uses, now its time to stretch your magickal muscles and create a plant ally charm. You might choose to create a small herb bundle to wear around your neck or keep on your altar. You might make a charmed herb candle or an herbal dream pillow including your plant ally. Engage with your plant ally magickally and follow the path of enchantment that unfolds!

Day 26: Write a plant ally song or poem.

Take time today to write down a song or poem, whether short or long, for your plant ally. It may be a song of thanks or medicine-making. You might write a poem describing the plants healing qualities. Or a short rhyming verse calling on spirit of the plant. What do you want to say to your plant ally?

Day 27: Create a Plant Ally immersive experience.

You’ve created a charm and written your poem, now it is time to immerse yourself in the world of your plant ally. If appropriate, create a bath using your plant ally or bathe with them in your shower. You could also burn the plant as an incense and sit in meditation with them or create a room and body spray with the plant’s essential oil. If you are so inspired, create a ritual of connecting with your plant ally where in addition to the immersive experience, you speak aloud your poem, create medicine, and charge up your charm. The path you choose is up to you...

Day 28: Write about your unique ways of connecting with herbal medicine.

We are very near the end of our 30 day challenge. What have you learned about yourself and the ways that you connect with plant medicine? What has your plant ally taught you? Are you super exciting about creating plant medicines? Do you want to grow a garden of herbal wonder? One day do you think you want to serve others as an herbalist in a private or community practice? Describe what it is about your experience of herbal medicine that gets you excited.

Day 29: Write your values as an herbalist or user of plant remedies.

I think it is important to know and state your values as a humyn creature living on our ocean planet, especially when entering into a mindful relationship with the powers of the plant world. Spend today creating a set of values that describes who you are as an herbalist or user of plant remedies and how these inform the ways that you move through the world. You can read my values here.

Day 30: Review your month!

Wow! Congrats! You did it! Take time to review your month and take a look at all that you have accomplished. Make sure to leave a comment below about what plant ally you worked with and your experiences, including favorite recipes, herbal wisdom insights, and recommended reading.

The Well of Memory : The Herbal Wisdom of the Suit of Cups

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 latest installation in the series all about the herbal wisdom of the suit of cups!

All cards shown in this post are from the Collective Tarot.

Check out the other posts in the Herbal Tarot Wisdom Series:

• The Windswept Garden: The Herbal Wisdom of the Suit of Swords

• The Well of Memory : The Herbal Wisdom of the Suit of Cups

• The Flame of Desire: The Herbal Wisdom of the Suit of Wands

• The Foundation Bones: The Herbal Wisdom of the Suit of Pentacles

We started our journey with herbs and tarot in the sharp and illuminating suit of swords - now it is time to visit the suit of cups and the realm of water. We find ourselves in western quarter, where the sun sets each night, and we enter the realm of dreams, intuitive instinct, and the dissolution between “us” and “them.” The Cups are the cards that look at what lies beneath the surface including secret pains, emotional heartache and triumphs, memory, and the stuff that makes up our inner world. The Cups can be sources of great nourishment and healing, helping us to reach depths we did not think possible, and revealing to us the complexity of our emotional resilience. They can also show us where we are struggling to stay afloat and how our inner and emotional world can feel out of control, far away or a sea storm of confusion. When there are lot of Cups in a spread, I pay attention to what is brewing.

Seven of Bottles (Cups) from the Collective Tarot

As someone with a lot of water in my birth chart and as a creature who grew up in coastal cultures, I’m always surprised by the overemphasis in tarot of water’s “wishy-washiness” and lack of ability to set boundaries or be tough. If you have ever been bowled over by a crashing wave and feel the force of our ocean planet slam you down into the sand, you have experienced the fierce strength of water. Water is formless and therefore has the freedom to make many forms, whether that be the hammering might of a waterfall, the soft gurgling of a brook or hot, angry tears. Now, there are certainly moments when cup cards come up because someone has become too diffusive and need to set up firmer boundaries in their life, but they also appear to signify stagnation (where the emotions are not flowing and being released with ease) as well as emotional intelligence and strength.

In the realm of Cups, I turn to herbs that are soothing and moistening, helping the us to travel through the realm of water with clarity. I welcome in plants that bring focus and pull energy in as well as herbs that bring release for it is very important that water has the freedom of ebb and flow. I also think about herbs that cultivate love which is something which we all deserve in great abundance.

Burdock (Arctium lappa) is a classic oily herb of traditional western herbalism, helping to move fluids throughout the body efficiently and with great ease. Paying attention to the fluids of our body is key - we are fluid-rich folks and rely on fluids (such as the blood) to deliver nutrients and warmth to all parts of our bodies. Too much stagnation of fluids in your body? Burdock helps get the fluid passageways of our bodies in shape. Too much dryness and lack of moisture? Burdock is a supreme moistening herb (remember, its often more fun with lubrication!). What Burdock does, as a mucilaginous herb, is re-establish a healthy ebb and flow of the fluids of the body and in the process it clears the blood and passageways of toxic buildup and assists with the assimilation of nutrients. Skin complaints such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin can often be added by incorporating Burdock root into the diet or as a tincture or decoction. Whether you’re feeling emotionally dried out or stuck in the muck, Burdock might be the watery herbal ally for you.

Rose (Rosa damascena) has been in recorded medicinal use for thousands of years and I always think it is important to pull in ancient herbs when working with the element of water from which we all emerged on our ocean planet. The many-petaled flower is my herb of choice for diffusing the energies of the Cups suit. Rose is an astringent and cooling herb, making it an important remedy for excess water and fluid which has dampened the internal heat and vitality of the body and spirit. Rose is uplifting, soothing, and nourishing medicine for those who are weaker in their vitality, including some children, elders, and those in recovery from illness. Cold conditions that include sign of runny, drippy noses are especially helped by Rose. Rose can be used in cases of an overactive bladder, bedwetting, night sweats, and general excess excretion of fluids. Since we are in the realms of cups, we must speak of Love in all its myriad forms, including romantic love, sacred love, righteous love, and sexual love. Rose is a delicious and effective aphrodisiac and it opens the heart and body to sensual experience. The herb and the flower essence is especially useful for those whose hearts have been closed (sometimes appropriately so) after years of struggle and heartache - it helps them find ways to love again and I feel that it very much pulls in the resources and community we need to grow that love. 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 in all its forms.

The Cups Court Cards

Seeker of Cups: Mimulus

The Seeker of Cups is soft around the edges, contemplative, and inward-gazing. They have realized that their inner world is as interesting, if not more, than the world around them. These are the cloud-gazing kids, the quiet readers, the open-hearted sweeties who don’t always understand why everyone isn’t just kind to one another. The contemplation that these swimmers are engaged in requires a level of vulnerability most of us are taught to disavow and shut down from a young age. Sometimes, their vulnerability leads to them being taken advantage of in relationships, give away their power out of a sense of misplaced generosity, and never learn how to or forget how to stand up for themselves. The flower essence of Mimulus helps our cup-bearers to realize that speaking up for themselves and setting up clear boundaries in their lives allows them to be kinder and more vulnerable in ways that they are still supported in the long run. Mimulus is also an excellent remedy for all Cup cards in general because it alleviates anxiety, especially anxiety around known fears.

Apprentice of Cups: Lavender

The Apprentice of Cups has learned to deliver messages of an emotional nature with a slow and steady beat. Along the way they probably stopped for tea, watched the water of a river run gently by, and appreciated the way that sometimes when they’re really happy they cry. They are beautiful, sweet, and sensitive souls - the Apprentice of Cups has not been ground down by the emotional weight of the world which they sometimes try to carry. I find that folks who pull the Apprentice of Cups often can experience the “messenger syndrome” a lot in which they deliver messages of beauty, wisdom, and emotional vulnerability that freak other people out to the point that the messenger is blamed for the discomfort or difficulty of the revelation. Lavender Flower Essence is armor for Apprentice of Cups folks - it protects the most vulnerable areas of our emotional life while still allowing for vulnerability. Lavender also helps to protect from unwanted psychic burdens of friends, family, and strangers on the street, so Apprentice of Cups folks can continue taking time enjoy the sunlight glinting off the water without feeling burdened by the feelings of others walking by. For those experiencing a stagnation of emotions in their life and feel like they are swimming through murky waters, Lavender can be a light of clarity. Ultimately, Lavender strengthens our brave Apprentices, protecting their gentleness, and teaching them how to deliver their messages with a centered will.

Artist of Cups: Mugwort

While the Seeker and Apprentice of the Cups court can fall into the more diffused and vulnerable energy of cups, the Artist and Mentor of Cups represent water at some of its most powerful. The Artist of Cups pities no fools, though they certainly invite many in. Their focus is on understanding the power of their dreams, visions, intuitions, and not only their inner world, but the multiplicity of worlds that exist. The Artist of Cups is on a journey to the land beyond the waves and sometimes it can feel like the waves will never stop coming - there is just so much feels. When you are on a journey of knowing your dreams and the powers they bring and better understanding your intuition, Mugwort Flower Essence is a welcome guide. Mugwort delivers the right amount of bravery needed to journey to the depths, but also helps us not to get stuck below. The essence pulls energy inward and then up and outward in a oceanic ebb and flow helping us to go within and them come back to shore. It can remind the Artist of Cups that they should take a break for tea and cake every moon or so...

Mentor of Cups: Lotus

The Artist has looked up from their cauldron pot and now they are staring right at you. Right at the very core of your being. The Mentor of Cups can be intense and emotionally unwavering. They have come to tell us that it is time we felt our way through this and stop hiding from our own depths. The Mentor of Cups is not afraid of the emotional turmoil that they might face - they are afraid of not facing it. The Mentor of Cups embodies the great gift of the Cups suit to surface from the depths and have something to share with the world about what they learned. Lotus Flower Essence walks the same path helping us to arise from the deepest depths with brightness and clarity. I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason but I do believe we can choose to learn from what happens to us and how we happen to others. Lotus essence helps us find the wisdom we need to travel back and then move forward again with our lives. The essence can also help Mentor of Cups folk connect with others on a gentler emotional frequency - I like to think that the essence helps them to blink.  

Herbal Tea

Water-based medicines are the remedies of Cups and herbal tea is one of the easiest forms to enjoy! The quality of your tea will be based on the quality of your herbs, so source the bestest herbs that you can using reputable companies if you’re buying or learning how to grow your own. Here’s how you make great tea:

• Good herbs that have been properly stored in an airtight jar in a dark and cool location will keep the taste and medicinal quality of your herbs top notch. In general, flowers and leaves should be used within a year of drying, while roots, barks, and berries can last for about two years.

• Start with fresh, cold water. I used purified water and I do not reboil water that has been sitting in the kettle. Use fresh, cold water each time for your tea as the oxygen-quality in the water is important for taste.

• Put the kettle on and boil your water. For most herbal teas (also known as tisanes), you’ll want to use boiling water.  Different black, red, green, and white teas require different tea temperatures. While having exact temperatures of your water does make a difference, it’s not required. For the curious, here’s an example of a tea temperature chart.

• Before you put your tea in the teapot, warm up the teapot with some hot water and then pour the hot water out. This not only improves the consistency of the brewing, but wakes up your teapot. A groggy teapot is never a good thing.

• Add your herbs of choice to the teapot and cover them with your boiling hot water.  For every 1 cup of water, use 1 teaspoon of tea.  For a medicinal dose of herbal tea, use 1 tablespoon of tea per 1 cup of water.

• Brew times vary greatly, but generally for black, green, red, and white teas you should allow the tea to steep between 3 - 5 minutes. Herbal teas should be brewed for much longer - at minimum 15 minutes, but overnight can be optimal for many medicinal teas.

• Finally, strain your tea, add any additional sweeteners or milks (I’ll let you decide if the milk should be poured into the teacup first or into the teacup after the tea has been poured - the debate rages on!) and enjoy!

How will you drink deep the liquid wisdom of the suit of cups?

Post your experiences below as well as any questions you might have about the information already shared. Next time we’ll be exploring the suit of wands and the element of fire. Until then, journey well, clever ones!

Leo: The Astroherbology Profile

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

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 other signs of the Zodiac? Find out about the astroherbology wisdom of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer!

Element: Fire
Mode: Fixed
Guardian Planet: Sun
Direction: Southwest
Season: Summer (NH), Winter (SH)
House: 5th House / Succedent
Lunar Mansions: 10th Mansion, 11th Mansion, + 12th Mansion
Solar Gemstone: Citrine
Tarot: Strength, The Sun, 5 of Wands (7/22 - 8/1), 6 of Wands (8/2 - 8/11), 7 of Wands (8/12 - 8/22), Knight of Wands
Tissue State: Hot/Excitation, Dry/Atrophy (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: Chest, spine, and upper back. Dorsal region of the back and spine including nerves and specifically the second dorsal vertebra. Marrow of the spine. Heart, vena cava, and aorta. Myelin sheaths. Cardiac system. Circulation and distribution of nutrients and vital energy through the blood. Radius, ulna, wrists, and forearm. Constructive forces of the body.

Imbalances + Diseases: Cardiac complaints including palpitations, heart disease, enlargement of the heart, hypertension, weak circulation, and a nervous heart. Heartburn. Painful and violent fevers. Vertigo and dizziness during fevers. Convulsions. Plagues and jaundice. Eye strain, inflammation, soreness, and diseases. Backache, spine complaints, scoliosis, diseases of the spine and myelin sheaths. Injuries to the back and spine. Pain in the ribs. Heatstroke and sunburn. Dehydration. Stroke. Alcoholism. Anaemia, thin blood, and blood disorders. Eruptive skin complaints. Epidemic and plague diseases. Hardening of the arteries (particularly due to dryness). Measles, shingles, and meningitis. Diseases arising from excess pleasure, indulgence, and amusement.  Overexertion and overstimulation. Fear of love and being loved in return. Taking up too much space. Excess or overbearing passion. Patronizing, dogmatic, and arrogant. Inability to perform their stories truthfully. Fixity and stubbornness.

Disease Degrees: 1 degree: left coronary artery; 2 degrees: aorta; 3 degrees: right coronary artery; 4 degrees: left carotid artery; 5 degrees: right carotid artery, hair; 6 degrees: entrance of pulmonary artery, eyesight; 7 degrees: anemia, fevers, left coronary vein; 8 degrees: inferior vena cava, hearing, anemia, fevers, burns; 9 degrees: superior vena cava, alcoholism, burns, bladder imbalances; 10 degrees: jugular vein, bladder imbalances; 11 degrees: subclavian veins; 12 degrees: vertebral column; 13 degrees: right ventricle of the heart, rheumatic fever; 14 degrees: left ventricle of the heart; 15 degrees: right atrium; 16 degrees: left atrium; 17 degrees: right auricle; 18 degrees: right cardiac activity, azimene; 19 degrees: ventricular septum, spine; 20 degrees: mitral valve; 21 degrees: left atrium; 22 degrees: left auricle, appendicitis; 23 degrees: left auricle, appendicitis, rheumatism; 24 degrees: papillary muscles, rheumatism; 25 degrees: pericardium, abscess, alcoholism, poisoning, drowning, asphyxiation; 26 degrees: myocardium, poisoning, drowning, asphyxiation, goiter; 27 degrees: chordae tendinae, azimene, goiter, poisoning, drowning, asphyxiation, goiter; 28 degrees: chordae tendinae, azimene, neuritis, poisoning, drowning, asphyxiation; 29 degrees: neuritis; 30 degrees: back.

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Leo: Learning before doing or assuming leadership. Sharing and creating supportive space for others. Cooling and moistening herbs. Cooling sedatives. Water-rich herbs. Cardiotonics. Water therapy.

Gifts of Leo: Willpower and the ability to say what you need. Confidence and charisma. An enthusiastic generosity that is contagious. Strengthening and taking care of inherent vitality.

Rituals of Leo: Sacred theatre and performance. Success and prosperity charms. Promotion and acknowledgement. Fire and sun rituals. 

Leo Guardian Herbs: Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), St. Joan’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Rue (Ruta graveolens), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Linden (Tilia europea).

Leo Remedy Herbs: Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Cleavers (Galium aparine), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Rose (Rosa damascena), Lemon (Citrus x limon).

Flower + Gem Essences: St. Joan’s Wort, Vervain, Aloe Vera, Goldenrod, Gold.

The Sun in Leo

Leo Suns are bright and radiant! Which makes a lot of sense considering that Leo’s Guardian “planet” is the Sun. Self-expression and the recognition of their expression is a central to their identity. They know themselves through their performance and when wisely attuned, the gift of Leo is revealing that we are all performing, so why not choose what role we want to play? It’s time to write your own lines, the lion tells us. Bigger is often better in the world of Leo and they don’t always have an inner voice nagging them about “too much of a good thing.” What is that, the lion asks.

Where Leo folk fall into trouble is when they allow their pride to trip them up. When they mistake confidence for competence. Many a lion can get carried away with the need for being the center of attention that they forgo the effort it might take to earn being paid attention to in the ways they want. Sometimes Leo folk are perceived to lack emotional maturity. While there are Leo folk who do need to spend time developing themselves emotionally, many possess a child-like enthusiasm and emotional clarity that resists overcomplicating everything. If you’re in love, be in love! If you’re angry, be angry! Yet, emotionally complicated situations are a fact of life and can become confusing, aggravating, and defeating to Leo folk and their companions. Understanding that embracing complexity does not mean they will jeopardize their purity of expression is an important lesson for Leo folk to learn. Then, their theatre begins to take on the gifts of sacred expression and their stories become timeless.

Within a medical astrology perspective, Leo are one of the most inherently vital signs of the zodiac. Yet, it is very important for Leo folk to not spend all of their energy in the wildness of youth, but learn how to temper their energetic output in a way that will keep them vital until the end of their days. They are a fixed fire sign which means that they burn hot which can very easily lead to burnout. Physically, Leo folk need to be very mindful of drinking lots of fresh water to keep their inner heat from burning them up from the inside out (and prevent the all too common imbalance of dehydration). The gifts of Leo is a spirit of generosity so big that is might just change the world. Leo folk help us to connect with our innate will, our truest desires, and to find the confidence we need to actually go after our dreams.

Leo Guardian Herbs

Rue by Kurt Stüber

Rue (Ruta graveolens)

The name Rue is derived from the Greek rueo which means “to set free” which tells us about Rue’s ability to set us free from disease as well as magickal crossings. The traditional cimaruta charm of Italy is shaped like the Rue plant and protects against the evil eye. The herb is hot and dry, embodying the Leo qualities of Sun. Leo values emotional expression and Rue can be a helpful herb for those who struggle to express emotions that they feel are volatile, such as anger and frustration. 

Rue is an herb that should be used with respect and is a step beyond some of the more accessible herbs of the western herbal tradition. It is an herb best used at low doses as higher doses can cause unpleasant side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and cramping. Rue should be used in moderation and those who are especially sensitive-skinned should be mindful of touching the fresh plant with bare skin or ingesting the herb in remedies as it can cause blistering. In general, excessive handling of the fresh plant with bare skin should be avoided. It is an herb of the Sun and it’s heat should be respected.

While it was an herb used widely in the ancient world of traditional western herbalism, its use has decline during the modern era. Yet, one of the continued uses of Rue is as an emmenagogue and anti-fertility herb. It can help to bring on menses, ease premenstrual tension, and prevent pregnancy. Rue is used widely in Latine communities as an abortifacient. The herb also has a traditional use for cancer, especially uterine cancer, which may stem from its cleansing qualities of the uterus.

Rue is also used for eyestrain and imbalances, helping sooth overworked eyes whether taken internally or topically as a an oil. Look for signs of wateriness and sensitivity. Digestive congestion, colic, and a cold digestion may be aided by Rue’s drying, warming, and stimulating qualities. It’s Sun powers also make it effective in the relief of arthritis especially when the condition is made worse during times of damp and cold.

Cimaruta by Frederick Thomas Elworthy

I use the herb most often in my practice in magickal charms and as a flower essence. It is an herb of protection, bringing luck, steadfast will, and the abundance of love. I also use the flower essence for helping folks return to a state of grace (one of the Rue’s folk names is Herb of Grace). It is especially useful for folks who feel like they lack support in their life and they are having to deal with all of their problems on their own. Rue can help folks who may feel paranoid that they are always under attack - the herb helps them release a victim-mentality and find their strength. 

Leo Remedy Herbs

Hawthorn flower by Eugene Zelenko

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

Hawthorn is heart medicine of the most nourishing variety. The herb strengthens the heart, improved blood flow, dilates the blood vessels, and increases nutrient absorption. It is an excellent herb to take after a period of illness or physical strain to protect the heart from further upset. For our lion-hearted Leo folk, Hawthorn is cooling, without dampening, helping Leo folk to return to their center. It is a calming herb, excellent for cases of attention-deficit, nervousness, and anxiety. Drink Hawthorn tea before bed in cases of insomnia caused by excess of agitating heat in the system. An added bonus, is Hawthorn’s ability to help us ride the hedge or travel purposefully in our dreams between the worlds.

As a digestive tonic, Hawthorn clears the gut of toxicity and build-up as well as helping with metabolizing of fat. Look for excess heat and fluids. The flower can be used in steams for acne and a lack of lustre in the complexion, while the berry can be used in a gargle for sore throats and bleeding gums. The herb has a long association with the Good Folk and magick within Celtic cultures. Use it in your magickal workings for trance and journey work, as well as connecting with the liminal spaces between.

Sun in Leo Flower Essence

image via wikipedia

Vervain is the flower essence for Leo folk who let their enthusiasm get the best of them. They take up too much space, whether dominating conversations or trying to always take the lead, and can end up trying to convince everyone that their opinion is the best way forward. Now often their need for everyone to get on board their enthusiasm train is driven from a belief that everyone will benefit, they need to learn how to share space effectively. Vervain helps Leo folk realize that commonality of purpose is more important than everyone having the same opinion as them. The essence helps Leo folk take a step back, relax, and become a better team player.

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.

The Sliding Scale: A Tool of Economic Justice (aka The Green Bottle Method)

Class and economic justice are topics that lots of folks struggle to talk about in the United States because most of us aren't educated in schools or the culture at large to talk about money, access to resources, and what class actually is. Class, of course, cannot be understood as an isolated experience, but is part of the complex interactions of race, gender, ability, privilege, sexuality, and the myriad of identities we all hold. I think the sliding scale is a great way to begin a conversation about class because it frames the discussion from the standpoint of access. I wrote this article, in part, because it was really hard to find any online resources about creating and using a sliding scale. So, these are my thoughts, and they are a work in progress.

Want to know my updated thoughts on the sliding scale including troubleshooting and alternatives? Come this way. I’ve also written about ways that I focus on creating access and not scarcity in my marketing.

Please feel free to share, cross-post, and incorporate information (including the graphics) from this article onto your site - I just ask that you give credit (using my name Alexis J. Cunningfolk and link back to this post) to keep the conversation going. 

If you’d like to support my work because you’ve found my writing on the sliding scale useful for your own endeavors, consider offering a donation, becoming a patron, buying my book or joining a course. Your support means I’m able to continue offering most of what I do for free or at a low-cost. Thank you!

🌿

Offering a sliding scale for classes and products comes from a desire to create multiple access points for the wild and big hearted creatures called to learn from us. I have always strived to offer products and services at a variety of price points as well as multiple free offerings throughout the year, including keeping my online programs purposefully inexpensive (you can find all my courses here) so that folks from a diversity of economic backgrounds might take part. In meditating on what tools I could use to create multiple financial access points that would reflect the multiple economic realities of my students, I use a sliding scale system for some of my products and services. 

First, if you're unfamiliar with what class is and why it matters, please visit classmatters.org to learn more and check out the additional resources listed at the end of this post.

The sliding scale is a tool that allows for a product or service to be obtained at multiple price points based on the circumstances of the purchaser. Typically, the scale will be set in a chart and some form of income verification is provided by the purchaser to an authority figure who determines where on the scale the purchaser falls. This method allows folks who would most likely be priced out of something to have the chance to take part in it. It also seeks to address the systemic inequalities of class in our culture.

The sliding scale represents the idea that financial resources, including income, are not and should not be the only determining factor in whether or not someone can access services/care/etc. Service providers and institutions usually offer sliding scale because there is a commitment to serving individuals and/or communities that would otherwise not be able to afford the services. Often, these organizations actively seek external funding to establish financial stability and fill in the economic gaps that sliding scale does not provide for. For a small business like Worts & Cunning Apothecary, I do not receive any outside funding to supplement sliding scale discounts, so I must take into account what I am able to offer and still be able to support my family. I'll talk about implementing a sliding scale in your own business in future posts.

For a sliding scale to work it relies on the principles of truthfulness, respect for complexity, and accountability. I do not ask for income verification. I trust my students and clients to be honest. Community thrives when accountability is a central value, because that is where trust grows and depth work can be done. Teachers deserve to get paid and students deserve classes which recognize the multiple realities of economic access and privilege that exist.

Recently, someone shared with me the idea of sacrifice versus hardship when examining access. If paying for a class, product, or service would be difficult, but not detrimental, it qualifies as a sacrifice. You might have to cut back on other spending in your life (such as going out to dinner, buying coffee, or a new outfit), but this will not have a long term harmful impact on your life. It is a sacred sacrifice in order to pursue something you are called to do. If, however, paying for a class, product, or service would lead to a harmful impact on your life, such as not being able to put food on the table, pay rent, or pay for your transportation to get to work, then you are dealing with hardship. Folks coming from a space of hardship typically qualify for the lower end of the sliding scale. I find the idea of sacrifice versus hardship to be a very useful nuance when talking about class and access because it recognizes and respects that paying for something might still be a challenge even if it is just a short-term one, while giving appropriate space for those who are dealing with financial hardship.

A Basic Foundation

Here is a general guidelines about how I currently price my sliding scale and to help you determine where you fall on it.

• The highest dollar cost reflects the true cost of the class or service. It is the cost that the practitioner would charge all students in the absence of a sliding scale. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. If you are able to pay for "wants" and spend little time worried about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.

• The middle cost (when there is one) reflects the practitioner's acknowledgement that paying the full cost would prevent some folks from being able to attend, but who do not honestly find themselves reflected in either descriptions for the highest cost or the lowest. If you are struggling to conquer debt or build savings or move away from paycheck to paycheck living but have access to steady income and are not spending most of your time thinking about meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, child care, etc., you belong here. If you, however, can ask others for financial support, such as family members, partners, or friends, please consider using those personal resources before you use the resources of the sliding scale and limit opportunities for others.

• The bottom cost represents an honest acknowledgment by the teacher and practitioner that there are folks whose economic circumstances would prevent them from being a part of classes if there was not be a deliberate opportunity made for them to access services at a cost that is reflective of their economic realities. If you struggle to maintain access to needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and are living paycheck to paycheck or are in significant debt, you belong probably belong here and you deserve a community that honors your price as equal an economic offering as the person who can pay the highest tier. Even when the lower tier is still prohibitive, I will work with folks to offer extended payment plans and other solutions.

There are a limited amount slots for products, services, and classes offered at the middle and lower end of the scale. Please be mindful that if you purchase a price at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher ticket prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself and your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of teachers and creators, like myself, you have families to support and rent to pay. Additionally, when I am paid fairly, I am able to invest more time and resources to free and lower cost offerings.

The Green Bottle Method

In the spirit of access and supporting those who appreciate visual learning tools I've created a graphic to illustrate how the Worts & Cunning Apothecary sliding scale works.

Above you'll find a graph illustrated with three bottles (click to enlarge but the full text of the image is below). Each bottle contains sentences that describe a person's current financial experience and class. The bottle on the far left is full of beautiful green potion representing the upper end of the sliding scale spectrum. Folks who identify most with the statements in the far left bottle qualify to pay for class tickets at the upper end of our sliding scale. The middle bottle represents folks who sometimes can pay for the upper end of the sliding scale, sometimes the middle, and sometimes the bottom half (depending on how many sliding scale options are available). The bottle on the far right represents the lowest end of the scale and folks who qualify to purchase class tickets from the bottom of our price spectrum. 

For ease of reading, here is the text from each of the bottles in the above graphic:

Top of the Scale (or the left bottle):

• I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs

• I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs

• I own my home or property OR I rent a higher-end property

• I own or lease a car

• I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs

• I have regular access to health care

• I have access to financial savings

• I have an expendable** income

• I can always buy new items

• I can afford an annual vacation or take time off

Middle of the Scale (or the middle bottle):

• I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them

• I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs

• I own or lease a car

• I am employed

• I have access to health care

• I might have access to financial savings

• I have some expendable income

• I am able to buy some new items & I thrift others

• I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden

Bottom of the Scale (or the right bottle):

• I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them

• I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs

• I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing

• I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but I am not always able to afford gas

• I am unemployed or underemployed

• I qualify for government assistance including food stamps & health care

• I have no access to savings

• I have no or very limited expendable income

• I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them

• I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden

* Basic Needs include food, housing, health care, and transportation.
** Expendable Income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concert, buy new clothes, books, and similar items each month, etc.

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At the end of the day, the sliding scale thrives on trust. Trust is a pretty amazing thing. I trust you to be honest in your assessment of your economic reality. Since the sliding scale is a tool of accountability, it is an ongoing conversation and I remain committed to helping folks figure out how to talk about their own economic experiences, since it has been such a helpful language to learn on my own journey.

Additional Resources

• How to Make the Sliding Scale Better for You + Your Clients

• The Sliding Scale: How To Implement a Sliding Price Scale Online

• Beyond Scarcity: Marketing Access Not Fear

• I really enjoy additional language for the scale developed by the Britt Hawthorn at Embracing Equity

• Beth Maiden’s My Business is A Garden is endlessly inspiring.

• Ride Free: Fearless Money Management Sliding Scale Discussion

  • Check out Hadassah Damien's exploration of the sliding scale which includes a number of sliding scale examples for everyone to learn from.

• Read Patty Adam's of Durham Healing Arts and Yoga for Queers + Misfits thoughts on the sliding scale and donation-based classes.

• Check out Kammaleathahh Livingstone's Tip It Forward program to make sure bodywork and massage can be available to everyone.

• Working Definitions of Class

• Where We Stand: Class Matters by bell hooks

• Class Matters: Cross-Class Alliance Building for Middle-Class Activists by Betsy Leondar-Wright

Please feel free to share, cross-post, and incorporate information (including the graphics) from this article onto your site - I just ask that you give credit (my name, Alexis J. Cunningfolk, and link to this post) to keep the conversation going. Because we need to keep talking about money, equity, and how we make it better for all.