The Magick of Thorns

I’ve been talking a lot about thorn magick this summer within the Lunar Apothecary, in my readings, and within community conversations. The summer of 2016 has been rough. In the United States we are wrestling with ourselves, searching for our center, and coming undone. The work of repairing the world is hard stuff and it takes more than a little bit of vulnerability and grit. There are those who are learning about privilege for the first time and grappling with that heavy knowledge. There are folks who are realizing that they have too long normalized or denied or hidden the pain of the violence they face on the daily. There is a lot of opening up and difficult realizations occurring and there are a million hearts breaking in the process.

To do this work of unraveling, we need to be able to feel vulnerable in ways that allow us to still feel supported. 

Thorn magick can play a powerful role during times like these when we are opening up, whether for the first time or all over again for the hundredth. So, what is thorn magick? It is herbal remedies that open us up while establishing a steady and protective boundary so that we can do the work that needs doing. Thorn magick allows for vulnerability and support to exist simultaneously instead of feeling vulnerable and too far exposed. I recommend thorn magick to those who are doing the hard work of creating change in their communities and in their lives; who are recovering from a difficult breakup and looking to be vulnerable in love again; to those who are experiencing difficult emotions that they have long denied but are now finally coming to the surface.

Working with herbs that possess strong thorn energy, such as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Rose (Rosa spp.), can be as easy as preparing and ingesting a tea or tincture or the plant. Especially if that tea or tincture is made, in part, from the thorns of the plant. Adding a single thorn to your Rose tincture can powerfully shift the brew to being not only a heart-opener but a heart-protector. Sitting and communing with living thorny plants can be another way of working with thorn magick. If neither or those two options are available, even meditating on an image of a thorny plant (such as placing a picture of a sacred Hawthorn tree on your altar) can do a lot of good.

image by Oliver Pacas

However, you work with the plant, I encourage you to visualize two things occurring at once. First, see a beautiful and protective shield of thorns encompassing your whole body. The thorns are turned outward from you allowing only that which of benefit to you to get to you. Second, within this protective space, visualize your heart blossoming open like a flower, knowing that it is supported and guarded within the sanctity of your thorn space. I encourage you to move slow with the second part of the meditation - don’t force movement, but allow the unfolding of your heart to occur at an easy and kind pace. It can take time for our hearts to feel safe enough to open up again. That’s ok. Give yourself time. The plants are patient and wise and will stick with you. 

While there are many thorny plants in the world, I have profiled Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Rose (Rosa spp.) below which are two common and well-loved plants within Traditional Western Herbalism. I’ve listed some of the more prominent medicinal uses of each plant, but have primarily focused on their emotional and magickal gifts. Other thorny plants you might consider working with include Agave (Agave americana), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.), a great variety of cacti, and many other plants.

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

Hawthorn is one of the first herbs many Traditional Western Herbalists turn to for supporting cardiovascular health. The herb nourishes and feeds the heart working best as a long-term tonic (i.e. multiple months of use if not longer). In other words, Hawthorn is a cardiac tophorestorative which is a restorative tonic for the heart, bringing the hard working muscle back into balance whether from an illness, stress, or the affects of aging. Hawthorn is a powerful but gentle herb meaning that children, seniors, and all between can benefit from its use. Part of Hawthorn’s heart healing gifts is its possession of antioxidants which prevent and reverse damage caused by free radicals as well as reducing oxidative stress on the capillary walls and improving circulatory tone (whether by relaxing or strengthening). The herb should be considered when there is a case of congestive heart failure, angina, irregular heartbeat, hardening of the arteries, enlargement of the heart from excessive exercise or overwork, hypertension, both low and high blood pressure, and too much cholesterol.

Hawthorn shares a common characteristic found in many TWH heart herbs - it possesses beautiful flowers and protective thorns. Hawthorn helps the heart to open to new possibilities, especially after a period of heartbreak and distress such as after the loss of a loved one whether through death or a break-up. The herb protects our emotional vulnerability with its thorns. In fact, we are able to feel more vulnerable in a way that is healing and restorative when we feel protected by plant allies such as Hawthorn. Add a thorn from the plant to your tincture or glycerite preparations for extra protective energies. I have used Hawthorn many times in my practice for those recovering from heartbreak and have seen beautiful transformations occur with this plant’s amazing healing gifts. I love the language used by Judith Berger to describe Hawthorn: “As guardian of the hinge, hawthorn wisely discerns the right timing for the wounded heart to open” (Herbal Rituals, 134). Combine with Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) to help the Wounded Warrior, Wounded Healer type recover after a long period of giving and overwork where they has exhausted their mental, physical, and emotional resources. Hawthorn is also a good herb for those who feel wild and overstimulated in their grief and heartbreak. It calms, it soothes, and it protects, which is what we need more than ever when we feel raw. My favorite way to use Hawthorn as a daily tonic is as a glycerite that combines the leaf, flower, and berry.

Within an astroherbology context, Hawthorn is most often connected with the planet Mars due to its thorns. Other planetary correspondences include the Sun, because of Hawthorn's affect on the heart and overall vitality of the body, and Saturn since Hawthorn is hedgeherb and boundary-marker with strong connections to the otherworld.

image by Jana Illnerová

The brokenhearted and grieving have a special place in the Hawthorn circle, for Hawthorn opens the heart after a period of despair. It is an ally for those who feel the grief of the world most readily, even if a personal tragedy is not currently present in their life. They recognize the tragedy of living on a planet that we pollute without regard to our shared sacredness and amongst endless wars and conflicts. Feeling wild in grief is a sign that Hawthorn may be needed and for some their journey with Hawthorn will be significant but relatively brief as they are able to move on with their lives with a newly opened heart. Those who need Hawthorn in the long-run tend towardsrestlessness and irritability, they are easily overstimulated and can sometimes lean (or fully reside) in the domain of the Type A personality. Often they are categorized as having attention disorders as children, whether or not this is warranted. They are children who appear to be more like changelings than a fully humyn child. Sometimes they are punished for the everyday acts of being an energetic child and disdained for their enthusiasm - they close up their heart to protect it from the hostility of a world that would prefer they sit quietly at a desk for hours following directions. Hawthorn re-opens the heart and helps folks connect with their resiliency, their capacity to forgive those who have harmed them, and to remain protected as they begin to express themselves and all their energy with pride and focus. The herb will bring calm to what has felt like a tumultuous existence, helping folks to find the tools they need to express themselves honestly and beautifully. 

Rose (Rosa spp.)

Rose is an ancient plant with fossils have been found across Europe, North America, and Asia dating back from as early as the Miocene period (7 - 26 million years ago). The flower has been used medicinally for thousand of years, with Dioscorides recording Rose as a cooling and contracting medicine. The three varieties of Rose most often used for medicine-making is Rosa gallica (also known as as Provins or Apothecaries rose), Rosa damascena (or Rosa x damascena to denote its hybridity, also known as damask rose), and Rosa centifolia (also known as Provence Rose). More modern uses within TWH includes Rosa canina and Rosa rugosa.

Roses strengthen the heart. 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 (relating to the head). The herb assists 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 and nervine) for all of the doshas or body types. 

image by Jeffrey Wegrzyn

As a plant of Venus, Rose is a classic 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. Venusian magick, though, reveals desire on more than the physical level. It reveals the desire to engage mystery where there has only been the acknowledgement of the mundane.

Rose is especially useful for those who have lost their spark of desire. They might have trouble sleeping, restless and exhausted, but not enough energy to go out into the world. The desire to create and experience is low along with their vitality. What they think they should be doing dominates their thoughts more than what they want to be doing. Sometimes they are not even sure they know what they want to be doing. There can be a disconnect in relationships and not necessarily a feeling of isolation, but of distance. Rose folks often experience sudden overwhelming feelings of despair and being lost without a light in the murk. Sometimes, unresolved anger simmers deep below the surface - Rose teaches us how to use both our thorns and petals to set up boundaries and supportive spaces to express how we really feel. Rose reconnects to wildness, fierceness, and determined desire. To dream and want and feel and growl and move and connect with each other. One thing that I have seen again and again that is particularly powerful about Rose, is its ability connects us back to the secret excitement of mystery. So much of our unresolved and stagnant pain arises from a false notion that we know it all or at least know that our pain is permanent, what caused it is unchanging, and that this is all that will ever be. Rose reminds us that we, in fact, know very little, acceptance of which opens the path of possibility faster than a heart that has forgotten the importance of mystery will ever achieve.

Whether or not you use thorn magick and medicine in your practice, I hope that you have a space that you feel protected and held so that you are able to be vulnerable, soft, and open to the wisdom of your heart.

Do you use thorn magick in your practice? What is your favorite thorny plant to work with? Share your stories in the comments below!

My Top 3 Herb Books for Absolute Beginners

Edit: You can find an ever-growing list of resources on my list of Herbal Books for Beginners & Students.

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If I had to choose only three books to recommend to someone just beginning their Traditional Western Herbalism (TWH) studies I would first cry about having to choose only three books, then, after a period of tears and snorfeling, I would get on with it.

(Looking for my recommendations on astrology books for beginners - come this way!)

So why do I recommend the following three books to an absolute herbal beginner? First, they are easy to read and are broad in their scope. They are written with the beginner in mind with plenty of tools to help someone understand basic TWH terminology as well as simple instructions for making herbal remedies. Second, each book addresses common health complaints that can be addressed with simple herbal remedies like a cup of tea or basic herbal oil. And, finally, they are inspiring as any great herbal book should be. All of these books are easily a series of classes within themselves and are ones that I still reference. Of course there is a special magick and the benefits of oral tradition when you sit in-person with a teacher during a live class, but the first few years of my herbal studies were solely within the realm of books (youtube hadn't even been created yet, kiddos, and you would travel around the interwebs via things called webrings to find related sites). Books are brilliant gateways to start (and continue and develop) your herbal studies through. I hope you're feeling inspired!

My Top 3 Herb Books for Absolute Beginners

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family by Rosemary Gladstar

Rosemary Gladstar is a legend within the TWH community and rightfully so. She revived modern TWH in the United States, creating California School of Herbal Studies, the International Herb Symposium, the New England Women's Herbal Conference, the Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center, and United Plant Savers. She did all that while writing (and continuing to write) some of the best herb books you could have the honor of gracing your bookshelves. Oh, and Traditional Medicinals tea that you see stocked in most holistic food stores - she co-founded that company, too. 

I could've recommended a number of Rosemary's books for this post (including a newer one geared specifically towards beginners called Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use which is really great), but her Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health is such an excellent compendium of knowledge. She covers everything from everyday complaints to creating your own beauty products to making remedies for all stages of life and the end of the book is a very user-friendly materia medica. The recipes are excellent and one of the appendixes is dedicated to remedy-making techniques including dosage information. My copy of her book (which was previously titled Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal: A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health, and Vitality) is well-loved and I have been recommending it to my students for years.

The Complete Herbal Tutor: The ideal companion for study and practice by Anne McIntyre

I am such a fan of Anne McIntyre. She has written more than one of my favorite books on herbalism. McIntyre also possesses deep knowledge within both TWH and Ayurveda helping both traditions to converse with one another (her book Dispensing with Tradition: A Practitioner’s Guide to using Indian and Western Herbs the Ayurvedic Way is a treasure!). What is great about McIntyre is that she possesses a very organized mind which lends itself well to print. Her Complete Herbal Tutor is concise, clear, abundantly useful, and is one of the books that I ask my apprentices to buy.

The book covers a brief world history of herbalism, herbal preparation techniques, and a healthy materia medica. What I really love about The Complete Herbal Tutor for beginners is that she organizes her study of herbs by body system so that you are given a coherent introduction to body systems along with looking at herbal remedies for common complaints all from a holistic, the-body-is-an-interconnected-intelligent-being (instead of a machine) point-of-view. The chapter on the respiratory system, for example, looks at general health of the respiratory system and then discusses herbal remedies for such complaints as the common cold, asthma, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and more. The book is also beautifully illustrated with easy to understand graphics as well as photos of the herbs featured in the book. 

Anne McIntyre is a practitioner who is both deeply comfortable with medical studies, terminology, and perspectives as well as being enamored with the more mystical sides of herbalism. If you're into herbal remedies with a floral focus, she has also written another one of my favorite herbals, Flower Power: Flower Remedies for Healing Body and Soul Through Herbalism, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Flower Essences. 

Herbal Rituals by Judith Berger

I wanted to include at least one book that focused more on herbal stories than recipes. A book on herbal being rather than doing. I had heard about Judith Berger's book and how wonderful it was supposed to be long before I ever held a copy in my hands. It had been out of print for a long time and used copies were ridiculously expensive. I got lucky one day, though, and thrifted a cheap copy. It is truly as delightful as I had been told and I am so happy that it has been re-released as an ebook. Berger writes a chapter for each month of the year, weaving in reflections of her Brooklyn childhood, with stories of plants friends she has made of the years along with sweet and simple recipes. It is important to be told and read stories about herbs for that is the way that we have collected and passed on herbal knowledge for longer than our modern materia medicas. To re-member how to be plant stories and be materia medicas and be the possibilities of healing. 

It was hard choosing which herbal book that focused on story to put on this list, but in an agreement to myself (#selflove) I have promised to write about some of my favorite herbal stories and autobiographies in a later post. Berger's book is one of the friendliest which is why it made the list - it feels like a warm cup of tea and a chat with a good friend.

So those are my top three recommendations, my brave-hearted beginners!

If you can, support your local bookshop by purchasing these titles from there or from other indie online booksellers (Better World Books and Powell's* are lots of fun!). 

* LET'S ALL GO TO POWELL'S AND BE AMONGST THE BOOKS AND BUY TOO MANY AND THEN GO AND GET TEA TOGETHER. OK? OK!

Make Your Own Lovely Lughnasadh Brew

Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, is the first harvest festival of the wheel of the year.

Traditionally, the day is a time of athletic competition and funeral games in honor of Lugh's foster-mother Tailtu, an ancient earth mother and incredibly powerful queen, who cleared the land in Ireland, died from her efforts, and became the life-sustaining grain that sprang forth from the fields. The intermingling celebrations of life and death is a common theme in both ancient and modern Pagan festivals. Lughnasadh is a reminder to celebrate our harvest and show off the skills we have developed over the previous season. It is also a period to remember the ancestors whose shoulders we stand upon - those who have given their lives in the struggle so that we may be sustained and grow. May we be able vessels of their memories, may we speak their names, and may we carry on their work for the betterment of our communities.

Modern celebrations of Lughnasadh is typically take place between July 31 and August 2. Astrologically speaking, Lughnasadh is marked by the Sun reaching the midpoint of the sign of Leo (or 15 degrees Leo). Which basically means that you can celebrate the First Harvest for a whole week if you like, which would be quite lovely. You can learn more about the significance of Leo within astroherbology over here.

My tea of the season celebrates the slow burning end of summer with some spicy heat and beautiful berries. Make a big community pot to heal the hearts of your kindreds after a long, hot summer season. If you don't have blackberries available, use another local sweet berry in its place - especially if you've harvested them yourself!

The tea features Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) which is an amazing African herb that is a rich source of antioxidants and it's a great daily tonic tea. The tea is a beautiful red color (it's name is Afrikaans for "red bush") and is rich in flavonoids which do all sorts of great things in our body from reducing inflammation and easing tension. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a great digestive herb helping to soothe angry intestines while Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) is well known for its ability to manage blood sugar and is another digestive aid. Black Pepper (Piper nigra) harmonizes and sparks the blend, again, helping with digestion (specifically awakening a sluggish digestive system) and having an overall clearing affect in the body.

Lovely Lughnasadh Brew

Blend together the following herbs:

• 5 parts Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis)
• 1/2 part Fennel Seeds (Foeniculum vulgare)
• 1/2 part Cinnamon Chips (Cinnamomum spp.)
• 1/4 - 1/8 part Freshly ground Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Add 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of hot water. Then add 2 - 3 Blackberries to each cup of tea and allow to steep for 5 - 7 minutes. You can adjust the level of spiciness by adding or reducing the amount of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) or omitting it all together. Want it more sweet? Add more Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). No fresh berries available? (That's a shame.) The tea is still good without them (but really find some berries if you can).  You'll be set for some Lughnasadh feasting with this cuppa in your hands! 

Looking for more recipes? Sure thing! Check out my recipes + tutorials section. You can also find out more about what is ripening in your life, what is changing, and what needs to be given with my First Harvest Tarot Spread.

I hope you have a blessed and magickal first harvest festival! Do you have a favorite Lughnasadh recipe? Share in the comments below!

Making Herbal Medicine by the Moon

Have you ever looked up at the full moon and felt a shiver run down your spine?

It’s a tingling of excitement.

A sudden familiarity.

A magick that is wordless and wise.

Many of us, myself included, have found ourselves enchanted by Moon magick. I am a true lunar devotee and as part of my Moon magick, I teach a course on the Moon, herbal healing, and personal magick. Learning to make magick by the Moon is one of the easiest, yet most profound ways of re-enchanting your life. 

I’ve outlined some of the simple ways that you can start making herbal remedies in alignment with the Moon, whether you measure the length of your brewing time by the Moon’s cycles or create specific remedies depending on what sign the Moon is in. Paying attention to lunar cycles is another way that we can practice engaged herbalism that holds simultaneous awareness of both our inner and outer worlds and seeks to work with both to create a harmonious way of healing.

Do you have a favorite way of working with the Moon in your remedy-making? Share below in the comments - I would love to read your stories.

How Many Moons?

One of the simplest ways to begin working with the Moon is to measure the length of your brew or infusion by the Moon’s cycle. A full cycle of the Moon is about 29 and a half days. I often let my herbal extracts brew for three full cycles of the Moon, while other herbalists brew their remedies for only one full cycle or from one phase to the next (such as from the Waxing Quarter Moon to the Full Moon). It is up to you how long you let your herbal remedies infuse, but I encourage experimentation! There is an inherently magickal rhythm that occurs when your remedy-making becomes linked up to the cycles of the Moon. It is a very old and ancient humyn practice to do so and feels deeply connecting to our ancestors when we align ourselves with lunar rhythms and imbibe remedies that were brewed with attention to the Moon’s passage in the sky.

The Moon in the Sky, the Moon in the Bowl

Another simple way of incorporating some lunar magick into your remedy-making practice is by exposing your remedies to moonlight. I like to sit my jars of brews, whether oils, extracts or teas, to moonlight on a regular basis when they are in the process of infusing or coming together. I’ve infused some lunar oils where I do not allow them to be exposed to sunlight at all, putting them out when the sun goes down and removing them before the sun comes up again. The Moon has an ethereal and powerful energetic quality bringing a unique magick to any brew that it touches. If you want to be a bit more precise in your magick, you can choose to leave your brews under the Moon during a specific phase or sign which will explore below. 

image by jake hills

Shifting Shapes + Changing Phases

While the Moon changes shape every night, there are eight distinct phases of the Moon:

• New Moon :The Sun and Moon are conjunct. It is 0 - 15% waxing and 0 - 4 days from the New Moon.

• Crescent Moon : The Moon is 45 degrees ahead of the Sun. It is 15 - 50% waxing and 4 - 7 days from the New Moon.

• Waxing (or First) Quarter Moon : The Moon is 90 degrees from the Sun or square the Sun. It is 50 - 85% waxing and 7 - 11 days from the New Moon.

• Gibbous Moon : The Moon is 135 degrees from the Sun or a waxing sesqui-square. It is 85% - 100% waxing and 11 - 15 days from the New Moon.

• Full Moon : The Moon is 180 degrees from the Sun or opposite the Sun. It is 85% - 100% waning and 15 - 19 days from the New Moon.

• Disseminating Moon : The Moon is 135 degrees from the Sun or a waning sesqui-square. 50 - 85% waning and 19 - 21 days from the New Moon.

• Waning (or Third) Quarter Moon : The Moon is 90 degrees from the Sun or square the Sun. 50 - 15% waning and 21 - 26 days from the New Moon.

• Dark (or Balsamic) Moon : The Moon is forty-five degrees behind the Sun or semi-square with the Sun. It is 0 - 15% waning and 26 - 29 days from the New Moon.

Most folks work with two phases: the Full Moon and the New Moon. I work predominantly with five phases of the Moon (the Full Moon, the Waning Quarter Moon, the Dark Moon, the New Moon, and the Waxing Quarter Moon), but do work with all eight distinct phases at one point or another throughout the solar year. Each phase of the Moon carries it’s own unique energetic signature and it is worth going out each night during these phases for a complete cycle of the Moon to appreciate the different feel each phase gives off. When I am making remedies, I work with the phases of the Moon to enhance their healing qualities. I might make a remedy that is about pulling toxicity from the body and thinning out build-up of waste during the Waning Quarter Moon. Or an energizing blend for enhancing psychic ability at the Full Moon. I rarely make remedies at the Dark of the Moon, a period of rest for me, but on occasion there is a charm that requires the depth that only the darkest of nights can provide.

The following is a short list of correspondences for each phase, including references for when to make remedies to strengthen or diffuse the energies of the six tissue states of Traditional Western Herbalism.

New Moon + Crescent Moon : Excellent for most any remedy-making endeavor as the power of the brew will grow with the Moon’s waxing. Stimulating brews, warming bitters, energizing nervines, restoratives, alteratives, remedies for new beginnings, for children, and to jumpstart vitality. Traditionally, a time of hot and moist herbs. Strengthens the Hot/Excitation and Damp/Relaxation tissue states. Alleviates the Cold/Depression and Dry/Atrophy tissue states. Read the full Herbs of the New Moon post.

Waxing (or First) Quarter Moon + Gibbous Moon : A good time for brewing daily tonics that are building and nutritive in nature. Traditionally, a time of hot and dry herbs. Strengthens the Hot / Excitation and Dry/Atrophy tissue states. Alleviates the Cold/Depression and Damp/Stagnation tissue states.

Full Moon : The Full Moon is an excellent time all-around for making any kind of remedy. The Moon is at the peak of its maturation and power, offering a well-rounded (ha!) energy for your remedy. Traditionally, herbs are cold and dry. Strengthens the Cold/Depression, Dry/Atrophy, and Tense/Constriction tissue states. Alleviates the Hot/Excitation and Damp/Relaxation tissue states.

Disseminating + Waning (or Third) Quarter Moon : Grounding and relaxing remedies do well when made during the Disseminating + Waning Quarter Moon. Relaxing nervines, sleep aides, cooling bitters, mucilaginous brews, and remedies that disperse excess energy. Traditionally, a time of cold and moist herbs. Strengthens the Cold/Depression and Damp/Stagnation tissue states. Alleviates the Dry/Atrophy tissue state.

Dark Moon : The time for shadow work and going to the depths. As I already mentioned, I rarely make remedies during the dark of the Moon because it is a time of deep rest for me. On rare occasion I make remedies for calling the soul back home to the body when there has been profound loss. The Dark of the Moon embodies herbs of all temperaments: the cold of the grave, the heat of a compost heap, the dryness of old bones, and the moistness of the deepest depths of earth.

Twelve Lunar Paths of Healing

In addition to the phases of the Moon you may also choose to work with the different signs of the Moon. Each one of the twelve signs of the zodiac offer a unique energetic pattern that you can connect with when making your remedies. A Full Moon in Scorpio, for example, is going to be very different than a Full Moon in Taurus. 

If you are familiar with the order of the zodiac and know what sign the Sun is in you can figure out what sign the New Moon and Full Moon will be in rather easily. If the Sun is in Aries the New Moon will be in Aries since that is when the Sun and Moon are conjunct and sharing the same sign. The Full Moon, which is opposite the Sun, will be in the sign opposite the current Sun Sign. The Full Moon will be in the sign of Libra is the Sun is in the sign of Aries. The Quarter Moon are found square to the Sun and so will be in the sign square to the Sun sign. So the Sun in Aries will have a Waxing Quarter Moon in Cancer and a Waning Quarter Moon in Capricorn.

The Moon moves through the entire zodiac during its 29 and half day cycle, moving through each sign roughly every 2 and a half days. So each month you have an opportunity to work with all signs of the zodiac if you so choose. A nervine brew made during the New Moon in Pisces will carry a different soothing energy than the same brew made during a Waning Quarter Moon in Taurus.

The following is a short description of each of the sign’s of the zodiac and what they have to offer when they are dancing with the Moon:

Aries: I bring the power of starting. Beginning a project. Being the first. Bravery and courage. The spark to start a new period in your life. Check out the Aries Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Ram guards.

Taurus: I bring the power of grounding. Becoming a greenhouse of energy. Steadiness and certainty. Long-term vision and growth. Finding pleasure in the physical form. Check out the Taurus Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Bull guards.

Gemini: I bring the power of storytelling. Changing your mind. Telling your story. Clarifying your communication. Check out the Gemini Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Twins guard.

Cancer: I bring the power of emoting. Emotional maturity and intelligence. Healing wounds of the past. Finding and knowing security. Check out the Cancer Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Crab guards.

Leo: I bring the power of performance. Setting the stage for you to emerge. Being who you truly are in the world. Acting out your dreams. Check out the Leo Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Lion guards.

Virgo: I bring the power of service. Creating healing spaces. Being of service to others in their times of need. Making healing choices. Check out the Virgo Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Virgin guards.

Libra: I bring the power of beauty. Finding the beauty within and around you. Creating beauty. Harmonizing and balancing. Check out the Libra Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Scales guard.

Scorpio: I bring the power of depth. Exploring mystical depths. Developing psychic gifts. Trusting your intuition. Check out the Scorpio Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Scorpion guards.

Sagittarius: I bring the power of movement. Going on an adventure. Following your desire. Trusting your inner compass to guide you home. Check out the Sagittarius Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Archer guards.

Capricorn: I bring the power of structure. Creating structures and foundations. Organizing disparate pieces of your life. Allowing space for revolutionary change of outmoded models and ways of being. Check out the Capricorn Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Goatfish guards.

Aquarius: I bring the power of innovation. Inspiring change. Seeking new ways of being. Embracing eccentricity without losing sight of one’s roots. Check out the Aquarius Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Waterbearer guards.

Pisces: I bring the power of empathy. Blurring boundaries. Cultivating connections. Knowing yourself and others on a profound soul level. Check out the Pisces Astroherbology Profile for a full description of the body systems that the Fish guards.

And many Moons more…

These are only a few ways to work with the Moon when making herbal remedies. I also work with (and teach others how to do the same!) the 28 Mansions of the Moon when creating herbal remedies as well as creating natal Moon and progressed Moon remedies. We explore all of this and more in the Lunar Apothecary, my in-depth and in-expensive year-long ecourse and private online community for those ready to learn more about their own wisdom and the art of herbal medicine and magick.

It is not only through herbal arts that we can  connect with the magick of the Moon. Another one of my favorite ways of working with the Moon is project planning and implementation. Check out Moonpath to learn more.

The Moon is a shapeshifter, teaching us how to shift and change in our own lives, and working with them allows us to become more expansive and open to the possibility of what if and what might become.

May your Moon magick endeavors be successful and full of enchantment.

I hope you are inspired as I am to work with the plants and the stars, moons, and planets which populate our galactic home.

You Are Indispensable (and why that matters)

I think we need to spend more time recognizing how we’re indispensable to one another.

I know that I talk a lot about the sacred interconnectedness between plant, people, and creature, but when we say that something is indispensable there is a new level of necessity that appears. We can be interconnected, but to be indispensable is to fall in love with our interconnectedness. 

Having posted recently about creating an indispensable herb list right around the same time that a continuing and powerful resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement swept across the US, I wanted to offer a spread that helped us to recognize the indispensable in our lives (Curious about your role as a healer, card reader or magick-maker in #BlackLivesMatter? Come this way). Because if we recognize that our plant kindred are indispensable, we’ll stop destroying our common home planet. If we recognize that Black lives are indispensable, we’ll stop the senseless, grinding violence against our Black kindred. If we realize that we are indispensable as individuals, we’ll begin to love ourselves more honestly and unhesitantly. 

Now a tarot spread certainly isn’t going to change the world. But those who are casting cards will. 

You can use The Indispensable Interview spread to talk with a plant, animal, God/dess, ancestor or living person to help you figure out and communicate the indispensable and necessary relationship you have with them. If you are reading with another person, I suggest working with two decks (or three or more if you’re working with more than one person). Each person involved pulls a card for each question. So if there are three folks casting this spread together, person 1 would pull a card for their relationship with person 2 and another card for person 3, with person 2 and 3 doing the same. Take time to cast this spread, pour yourself some tea, pull out a journal to write in, and allow yourself to settle into the story that’ll emerge. Additionally, you can use this spread to understand your relationship to a cause or movement such as #BlackLivesMatter or a local community cause.

design by author | background image by matthew wiebe

1. Why are you indispensable to me? Get intimate in your knowledge of the other. Sometimes this card comes up a bit challenging, sometimes it is just a mushy love note, and often it is a bit of both.

2. Why am I indispensable to you? You need to know and love your indispensableness in the lives of others and this card will help you do just that.

3. What can we expect to experience together? A bit of a pick into the future with this card. Emphasis is on the experiencing more so than the doing.

4. How can I best share our wisdom in the world? This is a big question. We can become stewards and caretakers and seed-casters of the wisdom that others share with us, but we must learn to do it responsibly, effectively, and with accountability. This card will help you to discover how to do just that. I carry, for example, the wisdom of my herbal teachers and I am responsible for how I share and use the wisdom they have revealed to me to others.

I would love to know your experiences with The Indispensable Interview and ways that you tweaked the spread to fit your needs - comment below to share! If you're looking for more tarot spreads, I have a whole lot more.

My hope for you is that you may know how truly indispensable you are.

May the world around you reflects this truth back to you every moment of every day.