The Four Elements of Traditional Western Herbalism

The energetics of traditional western herbalism are fascinating to study and useful to know when it comes to working with the people we serve as herbalists. In my practice, traditional western herbalism energetics help to shape my work with plants and people.

Studying energetics, and especially the four elements, we can begin to synthesize the vast and varied traditions and cultures of traditional western herbalism from its astrological roots, its magickal foundations, and its modern breakthroughs. The language of energetics also offers us another way to speak of the experiences we have as people, serving to connect us back to our bodies, our thoughts, and our feelings so that we understand ourselves and our world better.

In this series I'll be focusing on one part of traditional western herbalism energetics: the four elements. We'll look at where the four elements intersect with humoral theory, the zodiac, and how we might begin to apply four element theory to our practice. My hope is that this will be a useful and clarifying introduction to the four elements of traditional western herbalism and that you'll feel inspired to bring some aspect of this theory into your own practice. Engaging with the four sacred elements helps to connect our practice as herbalists more deeply to the sacred and deeply interconnected aspects of our work - and that is healing in and of itself.

image sources: @a2eorigins, @joshuanewton, @zoltantasi, @saadchdrhy

Traditional Western Herbalism Energetics

The four elements are part of the energetic system of traditional western herbalism which also includes concepts like the three spirits, the six tissue states, and other esoteric and astrological principles. The phrase "herbal energetics" gets used in a number of ways, including as an interchangeable term for herbal actions (i.e. astringent, digestive, emollient, etc.). In this course and my work in general, I use the term energetics to describe the ways that herbs are defined primarily through an elemental based system codified by ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Arabic scholars (i.e. the foundational cultural traditions of traditional western herbalism that made their way through Europe and eventually the United States). It's important to note that there are many variations of how the four elements are defined and applied in practice within traditional western herbalism - and even the ancient Greeks laid significant foundations of the elemental practice within traditional western herbalism that you see today contradicted themselves and each other when defining the elements.

In addition to ancient Greek and Arabic tradition, the works of Galen and Culpeper, my elemental practice is influenced by my training in the United States and the Physiomedical tradition. My magickal training and practice as a modern Pagan and Witch also shapes my understanding of the energetics of the four elements as the four elements are not only foundational in my healing practice, but my spiritual practice (which are inextricably intertwined). Ancestral and indigenous tradition as well as direct experience shape my understanding of the elements, too. It is important when studying any modality, but especially a culturally diverse and living tradition that is traditional western herbalism, that we seek out what works for us, engage with but not become hindered by what challenges us, and ultimately choose the path most relevant and inspiring to our work as herbalists and the land, people, and creatures we serve.

As always, I am trying to share with you what I have found useful and inspire you to improvise and adjust as needed.  

Understanding herbal energetics is essential for understanding traditional western herbalism, astroherbalism, and the broader scope of medical astrology and lunar-centered healing work. What follows is a description of the four elements, starting with some of their ancient traditional western herbalism origins. Not all of these concepts will feel relevant to your own practice or maybe even of much interest, but I do think it is good to have passing familiarity with these concepts as they show up again and again in older texts on traditional western herbalism and medical astrology. Even though I don't use the language of the four humors in my practice, for example, understanding them has helped me better grasp the roots of healing philosophies of traditional western herbalism and informs my understanding of the six tissue states which I do use in my practice. 

In other words, we'll be strolling through older concepts that describe the fundamental roots of traditional western herbalism practice, get to know the four elements from an ancient and modern perspective, and then conclude our tutorial with a look at ways we can become elementally-centered in our own life and practices.

Defining the Four Elements

Let's start with defining the four elements. In the Greek tradition (which was most likely influenced by older Egyptian practice) the four elements are categorized by the primary qualities as follows:

• Hot

• Dry

• Moist (alternatively called Wet or Damp)

• Cold

The four elements were further defined by secondary qualities moving from heavy to light as follows:

• Earth: heavy, firm, stable, dense, sustained and enduring energy that centers and moves downwards

• Water: moderate heaviness, soft, slippery, smooth, easily adapts to different shapes and spaces, receptive

• Air: light, thin, subtle, adaptable, porous, moves energy upwards

• Fire: absolute lightness, bright, very rare, transforms and transmutes energy into other qualities

There are also two interpretations, one more traditional and one more modern, for where Water and Earth correspond with the seasons and stages of life. A traditional correspondence that aligns with the humoral system places Water in the North, corresponding with winter and old age, with Earth in the West corresponding to autumn and middle age. Modern interpretation, that makes more sense to Pagan practitioners, for example, places Earth in the North with winter and old age and Water in the West with autumn and middle age.

Both systems of correspondence work and I suggest working with either or both correspondences depending on what makes the most sense for your practice. There is no one official form of traditional western herbalism and even the ancient traditions that we draw upon as modern practitioners, disagreed and contraindicated themselves.

View fullsize

To understand the Qualities and how they show up in modern western herbalism we have to do a bit of "yes, and" thinking. Yes, Hot is descriptive of temperature in some ways and it is far more than that. Within traditional western herbalism the vital spirits which give life to the body (also known as pneuma and similar in nature to prana or chi) was understood as warm and radiating life-giving breath. So Hot is describing the heat of life as opposed to the coldness of death. The element of Air, seen as delivering the breath of life throughout the body, is viewed as Hot in nature because life requires heat. In modern western herbalism we would describe many Air herbs as circulatory tonics helping to deliver nutrients, warmth, as well as strengthen the heart (one of the seats of pneuma in the body), carrying on the ancient tradition of viewing Air as an element of Heat.

Next, the four humors describe the processes of synthesization of the elements in the body and are a way of describing chemical reactions of the body (i.e. metabolic function). Developed during the Greek period of Hippocractic medicine, the Four Humors are:

• Blood

• Phlegm

• Yellow Bile

• Black Bile

The humors were seen as the human scale equivalent of the four elements found in nature. The Blood Humor, for example, corresponds to the element of Air which is Hot and Moist, plentiful in a healthy body, seen to be produced by the liver, and supportive of circulation and distribution of nutrients. In modern terms we would see the Blood Humor as, in part, a key component in the function of cellular metabolism in the body. As we'll see in a moment, even if the concept and language of humors is not widely used by herbalists trained in the western tradition (at least here in the United States), the way we talk about Air and its energetics in herbalism is still influenced by humoral theory. If you're wanting to learn more about humoral theory I recommend Graeme Tobyn's excellent book Culpeper's Medicine (full details in the resources below).

View fullsize

Finally, we have the concept of temperaments which is the way that the elements manifest in the body and personality of a person. In other words, the temperaments described a person's inherent constitution. Everybody is a mix of temperaments, though typically one or two temperaments are more prominent. Again, for more on the temperaments, I highly recommend reading Culpeper's Medicine by Graeme Tobyn. The four temperaments are:

• Sanguine (Air-predominant Temperament)

• Phlegmatic (Water-predominant Temperament)

• Melancholic (Earth-predominant Temperament)

• Choleric (Fire-predominant Temperament)

The four elements are also linked to the four seasons of the year because the body is a reflection of the world around it and the world a reflection of the body. The four seasons and elements are:

• Spring: Air

• Summer: Fire

• Autumn: Earth (traditional) or Water (modern)

• Winter: Water (traditional) or Earth (modern)

Finally, the four elements were applied to the zodiac with each of the twelve signs seen as embodying one of the elements. The elements of each sign of the zodiac are as follows:

• Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

• Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

• Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

• Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Now for a slight deviation into a bit more astrology but something which is very useful when understanding the nuance of the four elements. Each of these three signs within the four elements embody different aspects of the elemental quality. Within astrology there are three Qualities (also known at Modes as in "modes of energy") known as Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable.

Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) mark the beginning of a new season (Aries marks the start of Spring, Cancer the start of Summer and so on) and their energy is initiating. So Aries embodies the swift and initiating energy of Fire, like a sudden spark of flame or intense rise in heat like in a fever. Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) mark the middle of a season and their energy is slower and steadier (think of the phrase "fixed in their ways"). The energy of Leo embodies the steady and sustaining energy of Fire, like a long summer days or an oven fire. Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) mark the end of a season, when energy is starting to change direction and are very adaptable in nature. Sagittarius embodies the unexpected and adaptable nature of fire, at one moment lighting the tip of a small candle and the next burning through a forest. 

So, as you can see, the quality of the element adds nuance to how it appears in a person, a plant or a condition. Looking at the qualities when it comes to healing work, cardinal energy can manifest in short-acting, acute conditions that quickly arrive but just as quickly pass. Fixed energy can manifest in chronic, inherited, ancestral, and difficult to treat conditions. Mutable energy can manifest as illness that lingers, brings about weakness, and is prone to recurrence.

View fullsize

What emerges from all of the element-based correspondences is a way of seeing the world and ourselves within it. The elements of our inherent constitution interact with the elements of disease (which the ancients would consider an excess or lack of one or more of the humors), the elements of plants, the elements of the seasons, and the elements of the planets and stars. For our ancient traditional western herbalism ancestors, wellness was obtained through elemental balance and attention to the ebb and flow of elemental lack and excess throughout the year and the entirety of one's life. Later on I'll give examples of how we apply this four elements based model to healing care.

The Elemental Temple, Garden, and Seasons

Since storytelling and metaphor is an ancient way of sharing knowledge and we are trying to study ancient wisdom for modern times, here are a few simple ways to imagine the four elements. The first two metaphorical meanderings are borrowed from my lunar rituals and healing series.

Imagine creating a temple out of clay. We need warm and damp (Air) material to initially build the walls of the temple. The heat begins to "cook" the clay that will eventually harden, but it is still early in the process where moisture is present, allowing for the malleability needed to form foundations and walls. Next increased heat and the arrival of dryness (Fire) transforms damp clay and dirt into increasingly sturdy and permanent boundary walls of our space. The walls are still fragile, not yet cool and completely sturdy, but they begin to give shape to our desire of what we hope to bring into our sacred space. After the heating and drying energies of Fire, cooling along with continued dryness (Earth) is required to enable the walls to completely harden - now the temple space is ready to be lived and loved and held in. Cool and damp energies (Water) are necessary for redesigning and reworking a temple space after it has been lived in for a while, bringing back the cool damp of malleability to reshape a space. 

For my garden-minded folks trying to create the best batch of compost, the right balance of heat and moisture (Air) are essential to beginning the process of breaking down plant and food material into rich and nutritive soil. Next is the height of heat with the right amount of dryness (Fire) to burn off excess damp. Cooling and drying (Earth) happens next and the compost is ready to be used in the garden. Finally, cool and damp (Water) compost that has been watered and seeded is ready to support the growing cycle in the garden.

Finally, we can think of the elements in terms of the four seasons. The element of Air brings exuberant, outward-moving energy of new life through heat and just the right amount of damp to warm up the land and waters after winter. In summer we are in the height of heat and dryness where the element of Fire reigns and the energy moves upwards. Autumn brings much welcome coolness and moisture, often with rains and the start of the decomposition of plant life that started to die back at the end of summer and through fall. Autumn energy is diffusive, helping the energy of summer settle back down towards the earth. Cold and dry energies of Earth are found throughout winter as energies slow and turn inwards.

None of Us Perfect, All of Us Whole

Having worked with the four sacred elements since the beginning of my studies starting with their magickal application and then their medicinal one, I've come to appreciate one of the lessons reflected back at us when working with this particular system. Each of us are born whole and holy with certain elemental dispositions. Some of us are more fiery and quick to act, others of us are slower, steadier and more considered in our actions. Some of us have an ocean's worth of capacity to feel, others an endless line of energy for philosophizing and storytelling. Each of us have all four elements within us, but we are not born perfect and completely realized. We come to know ourselves and our world by seeking out what we need to support our self-awakening and the greater consciousness of our communities. Within the framework of traditional western herbalism we do that, in part, by finding ways to support the elemental energy we have in abundance and seeking out ways to enrich parts of our elemental self that need extra support. 

Your abundance of water nurtures the spaces within me which need to be filled up with Water's wisdom. My earthiness supports the longevity of your airy visions. We feed and hold and support eachother by allowing ourselves to come into balance through engagement with the earth, its people, places, and creatures. We are meant to find one another and heal together. We are meant to come into balance - and fall out of balance - within beloved community. 

The Earth of me loves the Earth of you
The Air of me loves the Air of you
The Fire of me loves the Fire of you
The Water of me loves the Water of you
All is whole
whole and holy

🌿

I hope you enjoyed part one of our exploration of the four elements of traditional western herbalism. In part two, I explore what happens when elements are out of balance in the body and how that helps us understand disease. The ancestral philosophies which have formed traditional western herbalism are fascinating and I think that the four elements offer a lot of room for innovation and inspiration. Be sure to check out the additional resources below if you’re looking to dive in deeper.

If you are curious about exploring the seasonal nature of the four elements, my witchcraft and weeds series does just that - check out the posts for:

• Spring

• Summer

• Autumn

• Winter

Sign-up for Magick Mail to get notified when part two comes out and we look at elemental imbalances. Until next time, be well!

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

📚

Additional Reading

For a more in-depth list of Traditional Western Herbalism books, come this way.

Culpeper's Medicine: A Practice of Western Holistic Medicine by Graeme Tobyn

The Humoral Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Western Energetic System of Health, Lifestyle and Herbs by Stephen Taylor

Traditional Western Herbalism: As Above So Below by Elisabeth Brooke

Traditions in Western Herbal Medicine: The Development of Theory in North America by Peter Mackenzie-Cook, DBTh, FETC

The Sensory Herbal Handbook by The Seed SistAs

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism by Matthew Wood

Greekmedicine.net

The Astroherbology Series

Rooting: Dark of the Moon Ritual and Healing Practices

On the land I live with, it is a time of seeking shade and cool places. The height of summer buzz is only gently starting to wane as the nights begin to flow further into the hours while daylight starts to ebb. The great swell of energy leading to Midsummer is only just starting to dissipate and I find myself slowing down as I find restful places to be still with my thoughts, my feelings, my dreamings of the land of my body and the land around me. During these unprecedented periods of heat during our current climate emergency, I have struggled to be restful, worrying that I should be in constant movement, but it is in the pause that we are able to refocus, breathe more deeply, and reconnect to what needs to be done to protect life and the land. And so the Dark Moon beckons, calling us to the shade before we spend any more time in the heat of the day.

The Dark of the Moon is an interesting time, not one observed as broadly as say the Full Moon or New Moon, but a period of time during the lunar cycle that I cherish in my own personal practice. (1) The Dark Moon is a period of profound rest before a new lunar cycle begins. If the New Moon is re-emerging onto a stage, the Dark of the Moon is when we are behind the curtains, waiting backstage, grounding and centering before we re-emerge back into the world. Without this period of rest we are unable to sustain the work and energy of the rest of the lunar cycle - though the importance of rest in magickal work and healing can often be overlooked or made difficult to access by capitalist-driven overcultures that pervade both institutional and personal spaces. There is a reason why, in this time of climate emergency, when we are confronting global patterns of consumption, waste, and destruction, that the call for rest as restorative justice has been growing. We need to rest for rest's sake, not to rest in order to become more productive to work, but to rest as a path of self-realization and community resilience. That is the magick of the Dark Moon.

For those who move through the world as womxn or somewhere on the spectrum of femme identity, however that manifests for you, there is a transgressive and radical magick to working with the Dark Moon. In patriarchal cultures, a womxn’s worth is tied up to her fertility and the Dark of the Moon is a time of un-fertileness, the barren field, the Hag who is unconcerned with what society says of Her, allowing her to move freely throughout all of the worlds. It is a time of breaking the hex of the male gaze (which hurts all of us, no matter our gender) and conjuring the collapse of oppressive systems of power. It is beautiful and wild and if this magick calls to you,

Just before the New Moon takes to the sky and far from the fecundity of the Full Moon, the Dark Moon marks the time of greatest dark during the lunar cycle. It is a time to be slow and still, joyfully unproductive, fertile to nothing else but our own needs, and to tend to the boundaries and edges of our wild spirit that help to shape who we are. Descending and returning, shedding and stillness, remembering and forgetting are all key energies of the Dark Moon.

Herbal Traditions

There is not an official correspondence within Traditional Western Herbalism to the Dark Moon. If we were to think of the Moon phase as a cycle of building a sacred structure, the Dark of the Moon is the temple completed, but empty of movement, waiting to be filled up with the sounds of life that people bring, but content and whole unto itself to be still and quiet at this moment. It is the point of the process of creating sacred space that we realize that the spaces we inhabit in are living and breathing and exist beyond us and our needs and our process of coming to respect that. For my garden-minded friends, the Dark Moon is the period between the end of one compost cycle and the beginning of the next.

As I've shared throughout this series, lunar work is deeply personal and I encourage you to trust your intuition and spiritual callings when creating when it comes to working with the Moon and interpreting Her cycles. For me, the Dark of the Moon is a time between work, as lengthy or brief as that may be, where I pause from doing and rest into being. It is both one of my favorite parts of the lunar cycles and one of the most challenging ones as I continue to undo patterns of overwork in my own life. If you believe you do not have time to rest it is a sure sign that you need to rest more. And I recognize that rest is more accessible to some, which is why it is so important for all of us to create cultures which recognize the sanctity of fallow periods as much as fertile ones.

In my own practice I very rarely make herbal remedies at this time and I try not to schedule classes, consultations, or other outer world work. For remedy-makers I think it is really important to have regular time off from making remedies and I invite you to explore what that might look like in your own practice, whether it becomes a Dark of the Moon practice or another lunar phase practice, during your Lunar Return, or perhaps tied to physical cycles like menses (another traditional time to pause from medicine-making). I don't have any specific plant parts that I work with during the Dark Moon. Personally, it's a time of Crone and Hag Goddesses, so I am more likely to reach for plant allies that I associate with elder, haggish, fiercely independent energy.

Examples of Dark of the Moon Herbs: Elder (Sambucus nigra), Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), Rose (Rosa spp.).

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, spp.)

To be perfectly honest, Mugwort is the lunar herb in traditional western herbalism so it can be easily called upon during any Moon ritual. I'm writing about it here, at the Dark of the Moon, because Mugwort is referred to as the "oldest of herbs" within Old English herbal and spiritual tradition and the Dark Moon is a time of Hags. (2) Mugwort is an herb that has a strong effect on me so I am very intentional when I choose to use it and the period of the Dark Moon is one of my favorite times to engage with their magick. 

Mugwort's latin binomial clues us into some of its healing qualities. Artemis is a Goddess of all womxnfolk and their magick, with a particular resonance with womb-bearing womxn and the cycles of menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.  Mugwort is a warming and opening herb, helping to warm up the uterus and clear out stagnant blood. Take just before your menstrual cycle to release tension, ease cramping, and soothe back pain. After a birth, Mugwort helps cease postpartum bleeding and hemorrhage.

As a fiercely protective herb, the Artemisian qualities of Mugwort help guide us back to the sanctity of our sexuality as fully our own, defined by our own parameters, and expressed however we please within the holy boundaries of consent. Along these same lines, Mugwort has a special affinity for womxn who have experienced trauma, especially of a sexual nature, where they feel isolated from their spiritual power, have difficulty feeling their emotions, and feel frozen in their anger and despair. The herb helps us to step back into our power.

As a warming Moon herb, Mugwort is especially good at moving emotions that have stagnated or frozen up in the body. Mixed with the anger and frustration of past or current traumas, indications that Mugwort can be useful include intermittent fever resulting in both hot and cold conditions in the body. Mugwort increases circulation and warmth throughout the body, clearing out stagnation. It wakes up a sluggish digestive tract and stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids making it a valuable ingredient in bitters blends. If the sleep is disturbed with vivid and disruptive dreams, Mugwort is a night ally, bringing deep sleep and growing a dreamer’s ability to be lucid. 

One of the ways that Mugwort works its magick is by opening us up to our own psychic gifts and ability. In small regular doses (i.e. 1 drop daily) or by using the flower essence on a regular basis, Mugwort can help to establish an appropriate protective barrier around our psychic senses to help us avoid psychic overwhelm and burnout. The herb can help us articulate our psychic and emotional experiences to ourselves and others in a way that helps us feel connected to our self and our community.

image via @tishine

Altars + Rituals

Cover your altar, your body, with a veil. Be hidden away from the world, known only to yourself. Let yourself be completely naked to the eye of your spirit, to your love, to your own deep way of being that can only be you.

A Simple Dark of the Moon Ritual

To honor the roots of your power

The following ritual helps you to reset as the lunar cycle comes to an end and before it begins again, reconnecting you to what it is that keeps you rooted in your power so that you can more deeply rest your whole self. This ritual can be performed at any time of day or night, but I recommend performing it just before a period of rest (including bedtime) and relaxation.

The charm that you'll be speaking during this ritual starts with "I root my power in…" Examples of how you might complete this sentence might be:

I root my power in the wisdom of my ancestors.
I root my power in the courage of self-love. 
I root my power in the hope of the land.

You can choose a few statements before starting the ritual or be guided by what arises during the ritual. In my own tradition, I would recommend three, six or nine statements, but work with the numerical system that is most meaningful to you and your cultural and/or spiritual traditions. 

To begin, remove all of your jewelry and sacred adornments that you wear daily, including scents like perfumes. As you do this, begin to soften your breath until you are breathing in a way that is filling and easeful, guided by your own rhythm. Place all your sacred adornments in a bowl (or bag or on a cloth) that you can comfortably hold in your lap and lift above your head. If you can, sit cross-legged with the bowl centered in your lap, but choose the position that is most comfortable for you with the bowl low in your body or placed on the ground or table in front of you. 

Take a deep breath in and out.

On the next in-breath, lift the bowl above your head, the objects in this bowl symbolizing how you present yourself to the world, the crown you wear for all to see. Speak the first of your charms (I root my power in the way of…), as you lower the bowl before you, maybe circling it softly, moving it through your energy centers before resting again on your lap (if the items are on an altar before you or not easily lifted, you can lift just your arms and hands instead).

Continuing to breath deeply, look at the items in your bowl, perhaps picking them up one-by-one and asking yourself if they align energetically with the charm you just spoke. Perhaps everything is in alignment, but if something feels like it doesn't quite match up energetically, remove it from your bowl and set it aside. The item might need to be cleansed and/or recharged, just need a break for a lunar cycle or longer. In some cases an item is ready to move on and be gifted or disposed of in a sacred manner.

Repeat the process with all of your daily adornments until your bowl is full of items that help reflect your inner values and principles with your outer appearance.

Take a deep breath in and hold the bowl above your head. Breathe out and lower the bowl to your heart. Breathe in. Breathe out and lower the bowl to your lap. Breathe in, reveling in the alignment of your energy.

Once the ritual is done, take a few more deep and centering breaths before retiring to rest. I often like to take a moment at the end of any magick, but especially when I am grounding and centering to be grateful for the people, places, things, and experiences which have affirmed who I am and helped me to rest, whole and complete.

View fullsize

A Simple Dark of the Moon Tarot Spread

To help you find the path of rest

Card 1 · Restless

This card highlights what is hindering your ability to rest deeply.

Card 2 · Restful

This card shows you what tools or practices can help you to rest fully.

Card 3 · Story

The overall message of the Dark Moon in your life. If you are familiar with your birth chart and how to find the transiting Moon in your chart this card can help you to understand the message of the Dark Moon in the context of where it lands in your chart.

I hope you enjoyed this fifth and final post in my series exploring simple ritual practices of the lunar phases (and thanks to my patrons who requested this series!). You can find the posts for the other phases here:

• Waxing Quarter Moon

• Full Moon

• New Moon

• Waning Quarter Moon

If you’re looking for more lunar magick, start by finding the Moon in your birth chart. I also teach a full course centered on lunar herbalism and astrology to help you discover your unique gifts as a healer called The Lunar Apothecary.

Wherever the Moon finds you I hope you find yourself and the kind spirits who inhabit the dark places of the night, holding up a mirror to your brilliance as you reflect the back the brilliance of the stars to them.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

Notes

(1) The New Moon and the Dark of the Moon are sometimes used interchangeably, but in my practice they are two distinct, though closely situated, periods of time and space. I was taught that the Dark Moon is when there is no Moon visible in the sky for a day or two before the New Moon when a crescent becomes visible. The Dark Moon corresponds to the Balsamic Moon in astrology. Honoring the Dark Moon is a tradition passed down through Goddess spirituality and feminist circles that places emphasis on honoring not only the bright energy of the Full Moon but the beautiful dark depths of the Dark Moon (of course, the honoring the Dark Moon is not exclusive to those spaces and traditions, but that is where I learned it).

(2) I highly recommend reading the full Nine Herbs Charm in both modern English and in the original Old English. Read the Old English out loud to get a feel for the deeply trancey rhythm and pace of the spell (though you can listen to it in modern English here).

Nourishing the Soul: Milky Oat Plant Profile

I’m not exactly sure when I met Milky Oats as plant medicine. I feel like it was probably during my first few herbs classes, but it took a few rounds of meeting them for me to recognize how profoundly healing their gifts are. Milky Oats grow abundantly and are easy to harvest making them a great and versatile ally for many plant folk, especially those just starting our on the path. I find endless inspiration with Milky Oat and some of my most beloved memories of making herbal remedies are with Milky Oat.

So let’s meet the remedy for the soul known as Milky Oat.

Milky Oats
Avena sativa

Folk Names : Dousar, haver

Element : Water, Earth

Moon Phase : New Moon

Zodiac Signs : Cancer, Capricorn

Planets : Moon, Venus, Jupiter

Parts used : Unripe seeds (milky oats) and stem (oatstraw)

Habitat : An annual grass that has naturalized throughout much of North America and is indigenous to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa.

Growing conditions : Full sun and rich soil with moderate water.

Collection : Collect the Milky Oat tops in early spring, when they excrete “milk” when squeezed. My favorite time to harvest Milky Oats is on the Spring Equinox or a New Moon (better it be when both are happening at the same time!).

Flavor : Sweet

Temperature : Neutral to Warm

Moisture : Moist

Tissue State : Cold/Depression, Dry/Atrophy

Constituents : Beta-carotene, B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, silicon, zinc, lipids, alkaloids, vitamin E

Actions : Antidepressant, alterative, demulcent, diaphoretic, nervine, nutritive, reproductive tonic, diuretic, endocrine tonic

Main Uses : Milky Oats are the best example of a trophorestorative for the nervous system found in traditional western herbalism. I love them because not only are the nourishing to the nervous system, but nourishing to the soul. Milky Oat is best used over a long period and even when you stop using the herb they body remembers the medicine, continuing to act as if it were still taking it. Rich in calcium, iron, manganese, and zinc, Milky Oats are very nourishing when the body feels depleted and exhausted. The herb is a great ally for convalescence and recovery after a period of debilitation whether from the flu or longterm illness or from a heightened period of stress and anxiety (like living through a global pandemic).

Milky Oats have a combination of qualities that make them useful for folks suffering from nervous tension whether brought on by anxiety, depression, injury, overwork or excess stress from a variety of life circumstances. They are mildly anti-depressant, helping to increase energy without being overstimulating which is great as insomnia is often a symptom of nervous tension. The herb can be very useful for those who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction as it will help to rebalance their damaged nervous systems. Seniors benefit from Milky Oats, especially if they are experiencing paralysis and wasting diseases. In general, Milky Oats helps the frazzled personality who have become oversensitive to life. Oats are helpful, too, in increasing stamina and helping with overall endurance.

image via @outimarjaana

They relieve tension headaches and melancholic states that might occur before and during menstruation and also help to relieve menopausal symptoms as they are gently balancing to the hormonal system. High in silicon, Milky Oats are strengthening to hair, nails, teeth, and bones when used internally and externally. Deeply healing to the nervous system, Milky Oats help us to experience life through a more pleasurable filter. The herbs are great postpartum, helping support the big life transitions that happen in the fourth trimester. 

Milky Oats can help with digestion as many restorative herbs are, and especially useful when constipation is present, as they are mucilaginous and can help with the passage of stools. Oat meal can help with the regulation of blood sugar as well as assist with digestion and being an overall good choice for folks looking to increase energy.

We’ve been using Milky Oats for a long time in traditional western herbalism and I wanted to share an interesting historical description of their use. Hildegard of Bingen was a 12th century herbalist, writer, composer, and mystic amongst many other things, wrote about Oats in her book on health, Physica. Using the limiting language of the time, Hildegard describes using Oats within a sweat bath for those suffering from mental illness which has brought on feelings of emptiness and a “split mind.” Her advice is:

“But let whoever is worn out with paralysis and as a result has a split mind and empty thoughts, so that the person is somewhat insane, be in a sweat bath when the wheat in the hot water in which it has been cooked is poured over the hot stones. Let them do this often; they will return to themselves and gain sanity.” (Hildegard’s Healing Plants, 7)

Her description aligns with modern understandings of Milky Oats usefulness: it is rebalancing to the nervous system, helps in recovering energy after a period of debilitation, and is a general restorative. Would a sweat bath as Hildegard described it be useful today for supporting someone struggling with nervous exhaustion? Probably - sweat baths used to be much more common in traditional western herbalism and eclectic medicine and I support their re-emergence. A bath of Milky Oat would be useful, too. Use Milky Oats in baths or as part of an herbal oil blend to relieve itchiness (eczema, psoriasis), lessen pain, and strengthen the skin’s elasticity. Neuralgia, rheumatism, eczema, and fibromyalgia are all helped by Milky Oats.

Milky Oats can be prepared in many ways and its mild flavor make it easy to add to most blends. As I look back on my time training and working as an herbalist, it is Milky Oat which has taught me a lot about how one plant can be prepared in a multitude of ways to bring about healing. I don’t use a lot of alcohol-based remedies for myself, but I always make sure to have Milky Oat tincture around because it is so effective in helping to settle the nerves and restore a sense of peace. You can prepare Milky Oat as a standard tea infusion, but it really shines as a decoction, helping to draw out its nourishing qualities. It is great in baths (either as an infusion or grinding up oatmeal). Oatmeal is also a great topical treatment for a variety of skin complaints and I like to combine ground oatmeal with Milky Oat tea to make a healing paste. Homemade oat milk can be wonderfully healing, too. Of course, you can also get a lot of similar benefits of Milky Oat by eating Oats as oatmeal or in other baked goods. Milky Oat is a versatile plant to befriend and I hope you’re feeling inspired to welcome them into your healing practice.

Magickal uses : Milky Oats are not generally associated with the moon, but as a warming nutritive tonic that builds the blood and alleviates nervous exhaustion, I find Milky Oats to have a special affinity for the New Moon. The white milk of fresh green Oat seeds makes me think of magickal Moon milk and the herb helps us to deal with the ever-changing experiences of life, much as we learn when working with the lunar rhythms. As the New Moon calls us to begin a cycle of emergence and to slowly expand our energy after a period of waning contraction, Milky Oats are richly nutritious lending us foundational strength for the work ahead. The generous nutritive qualities of Milky Oats give us a hint to its magickal uses, which are primarily for prosperity and abundance rituals. 

image source

The Oat Personality : The Milky Oat person is exhausted. Completely and utterly. They feel debilitated and lacking in energy, unable to sleep and struggling to wake. It is as if they move through a waking, blurry dream. Unable to focus for long on any one thing, Milky Oat folks struggle to determine their sense of purpose in life. Their energy seems to be flung far and wide with little to harvest in return. Even though they are exhausted they can be excessive in the way that they expend energy and fine themselves prone to regular burnout. Part of the struggle of Milky Oat folks is that they are interested and good at many things, yet fall prey to the idea of having a singular and sudden epiphany of their purpose and calling that they might even over-use drugs in an attempt to access such a “instant breakthrough.” The beauty of Milky Oat folks, though, is that they are good at so many things! Milky Oat medicine will help them learn to embrace the diversity of their passions into an interconnected melody of calling.

Contraindications : Generally regarded as safe. Be cautious with the use of oats if you have a gluten allergy.

Dosage : Standard dosage. Decoction is one of the best ways to enjoy Milky Oats. Decoct 1 tablespoon of oats per 2 cups of water for at least 15 minutes.

🌿

Milky Oat is one of my favorite herbs for eclipse season and during the summer months I like to use Oat milk it to my rainbow lattes. And if you want to explore more about the connections between plants and the Moon, here’s a good place to start.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

The Healer’s Celtic Cross Tarot Spread & Plant Allies

As with any form of self-inquiry, the tarot helps to create space for healing to occur.

From sacred symbols with multilayered meaning to esoteric tradition and magickal practice, the tarot is abundant in possibilities for how it can be used to aid us in our own becoming and the returning home to ourselves and beloved community. I like to say that the tarot is a book of healing - it's just a matter of learning how to read it.

But where to begin our journey with tarot as a tool of healing? How about with one of the most common tarot spreads out there: The Celtic Cross. I and many tarot readers I know learned how to read the tarot with the Celtic Cross spread. This makes sense as it's the spread that's included in the little white book of one of the most popular tarot decks out there, the Rider Waite Smith Tarot (alternatively and increasingly more commonly known these days as the Waite Smith or Pamela Colman Smith tarot). The Waite Smith deck was the most easily found in bookstores and psychic shops to many of us before our current tarot publishing renaissance and so A.E. Waite's description of the Celtic Cross as the way to read the cards was foundational for many tarot readers of mine and earlier generations (you can read his full description of the Celtic Cross spread here). Published in 1911, Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot has been shaping the divinatory skills of tarot readers for over a century and the Celtic Cross has been in use for at least that long and probably longer. So where did it come from?

A Brief Mystery

Waite was not the originator of the Celtic Cross Spread and most likely learned it during the First Order teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, of which he was a member. I've seen it suggested that he based his work off of that of Florence Farr (here's a good short summary about her). In fact, Farr and Smith knew each other, with Smith designing scenes for a play by William Butler Yeats at the request of Farr. I've not seen an official Golden Dawn document (or letters between members) confirming Farr's creation and original teachings of the Celtic Cross spread, but a) it would match up with what is known about her and b) the Golden Dawn is not my area of expertise so the resources may be out there I've just not come across them yet. I've also thought that it would not be too much of a stretch to imagine that Moina Mathers may have had some role in the spread's creation. (1)

I get the sense with the tarot training in the Golden Dawn that if you could handle the complexities of the Celtic Cross you could progress to the very complicated (but so worth learning) Opening of the Key. Or someone in the Golden Dawn was frustrated with the overly complicated (and sometimes, let's be honest, not useful) Opening of the Key and created a much more convenient spread. 

After I wrote that last sentence I found a new resource - Secrets of the Celtic Cross by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin - that has some incredible research and discoveries in it pointing towards another Golden Dawn Member, F.L. Goodwin, as a possible source (or at least earlier transcriber than Waite) of the Celtic Cross spread. It's well worth the read, not only for the primary documents Katz found but the techniques for reading the Celtic Cross are really interesting, too!

With that brief look at the possible origins of the Celtic Cross, let's get into some practical work.

View fullsize

The Original Celtic Cross Spread

I love the Celtic Cross spread. It's not the easiest spread to learn (especially for beginners) and can be obtuse and tricky to interpret at times. And yet, for many years it was the first spread that many beginners learned. The spread requires flexibility of thinking and an ability to stretch between the inner and outer worlds of the querent. But it never feels dull or outdated to me and has provided consistently useful spreads and insights since I started casting it as a wee little witchling. If you haven’t tried learning the Celtic Cross spread yet, I recommend it.

It's also a flexible spread that can be adapted to the needs of the reader and querent with relative ease. If you look up Celtic Cross spread online you'll be met with (mostly) the same interpretations for card positions with plenty of folk's preferences and adaptations thrown in (this site does a good job exploring many of the variations you'll find). I've always read the Celtic Cross as proposed by Waite with one exception - the first card and the significator are the same card in my readings. Why? I either misread the text when first learning the spread or somewhere along the way forgot that the two should be separate cards and it just became my style of reading the spread. Also, the order that I deal the cards is different from Waite - again, I probably just mixed up the original technique along the way but this is the way that the flow of the reading makes more sense for me.

Mistakes were made and yet the magick persisted.

So here is how I cast the Celtic Cross in a typical reading. 

• Card 1. The significator and card which represents the querent and the heart of the matter. 

• Card 2. The primary obstacle the querent is facing.

• Card 3. The recent past as relevant to the current situation (i.e. no further than 3 to 6 months in the past). 

• Card 4. The near future as relevant to the current situation (i.e. no further than 3 to 6 months in the future).

• Card 5. The best to be achieved in the current situation. 

• Card 6. The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles. 

• Card 7. Feelings about the matter. 

• Card 8. Home and environment (including opinions of people around the querent). 

• Card 9. Hopes and fears.

• Card 10. Outcome.

A quick note: I follow Waite's technique for positioning the past and future cards. The position of card 5 and 6 change depending on what way the primary figure in Card 1 is facing. So if the figure in Card 1 is facing towards the right, Card 3 goes to the left of Card 1 (signifying the past is behind them) and Card 4 goes to the right (signifying the future before them). 

Now, the spread as described above (or by Waite in his original description) has amazing potential for supporting yourself or the person you are reading for on their path of healing. What I've done with my adapted spread below is to weave in extra focus around healing as well as apply some simple astrological insight to each card position. By applying astrological correspondences to the reading we can bring in corresponding herbal allies to guide us. I’ve made note of the correspondence between card positions and the Houses of the birth chart below with a more in-depth discussion on what that means and how to apply it to healing work later on.

The Healer's Celtic Cross

Card 1. The card which represents the querent and the heart of the matter. 

This card can reveal a lot about the querent's view of themself, their situation, and what is really going on for them. It's ok if this card doesn't make sense immediately and it can be helpful to compare it to Card 10 to help it make sense (comparing the first and last card drawn in any spread can be a very useful and insightful practice). This card corresponds with the self and the filter that shapes how we are perceived by and perceive ourselves and the world (First House).

Variation: Choose the significator card purposefully as opposed to a random draw. Waite suggests choosing a significator based on correspondences between physical appearance of the querent and the court card, but choosing a significator card on appearances alone is a pretty limiting approach. Instead, you or the querent can look through the whole deck and choose a card which either looks like what their current healing concern feels like or resembles the vision they hope for themselves when it comes to feeling more whole.

Card 2. The primary obstacle the querent is facing.

This is the card that crosses the querent creating a source of difficulty, conflict or challenging energy in their life. Here we can really begin to tell a story about the ways that the dis-ease, imbalances or other health concerns that the querent has are impacting their life in a way that creates discomfort, unrest, suffering, and so on (all issues of the Sixth and Eighth House). 

Card 3. The recent past as relevant to the querent's current healing path.

Here we have a timing card which can help the querent understand some of the ways they've been affected by their healing path recently. If there is a sense that it would be helpful to explore issues further back in the past (i.e. the querent knows that this current healing crisis stems from childhood, etc) additional cards can be pulled to explore the energy of the past underlying the situation. With this card we're exploring the thread of where this healing imbalance may have originated from (Fourth House).

Card 4. The near future as relevant to the querent's current healing path.

With our second timing card it can be helpful to read the 3rd, 4th, and 10th card as their own mini spread highlighting important timing along their querent's healing path. This card can also reveal concerns that the querent may have about their future, where they might be headed, and their own personal (often rooted in philosophy and spiritual practice) opinions of what their illness says about them and what is possible moving forward (Ninth House). 

Card 5. The best to be achieved in the current situation.

This is the card which crowns the querent and highlights what might be achieved given the current circumstances.(2) Along with Card 10 we can begin to see what is possible for the querent when it comes to their healing. A challenging card here can highlight shortages of hope or a challenge with connecting with the tools shown by Card 6. The energies of this card can also be tied up to questions of worth and worthiness (Second House) and what the querent believes they have access to and a right to on their healing journey.

Card 6. The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles.

This is the card which serves as the foundation for the querent and the skills they can use to support their healing. Here we get to see what skills, gifts, and insights the querent has developed throughout their life so far and how they might put all of it to practical use (Tenth House). I consider this to be a really important card to help instill hope in the querent. Challenging and inverted cards here can highlight the ways that the querent has forgotten or denied their own power.

Card 7. Feelings about the matter.

The next three cards focus on the feelings of the querent. With so much going on in the spread (looking back and forwards in time, considering obstacles, finding tools and skills to use, preparing for what lies ahead), here is a card that is really important to spend some time with. This card helps us to connect with how the querent is feeling about everything that is going on - it can be a card that can help to put into words what is hidden (very Twelfth House energy) and maybe tie into larger patterns of life experience or where the querent is feeling extra sensitive or sensitized (again, Twelfth House issues). 

Card 8. Home and environment

This card is about how the querent connects to their environment (Third House) and who is in it (Eleventh House), including the opinions of people about the querent. Are they feeling supported or challenged in the places that they spend a great deal of time (home, work, school, etc)? Are they feeling supported or challenged by the people in these spaces? Often a particular person or place is being illuminated with this card but sometimes it can be more general such as feeling overwhelmed working in customer service and that the querent may need a less people-oriented position at work for their own wellbeing. 

Card 9. Hopes and fears.

This card highlights the intertwined feeling of what the querent hopes for in their given situation and what they fear. An example is that the qurerent might be hoping for healing but fear that feeling better is impossible to attain. We are looking for this important intersection of feeling which highlights what the querent desires and hopes to achieve (Fifth House) alongside the energies of how we are shaped by the actions of others, especially in close relationships, that are beyond our control (Seventh House). It can be very useful to read Card 7 and Card 9 side by side as they are often conversing with one another in the spread and in the querent's life.

Card 10. Outcome.

This card reflects on how much there is resonance between what the querent hopes for and is capable of imagining for themselves. By referring to the querent's capacity for imagining what is possible for themselves I'm not trying to do some sort of backhanded insult that they haven't achieved the right “mindset” for health. Health and wellness and healing is not something earned or manifested through sheer individual willpower alone. Healing and wellbeing is a process of being able to access and receive good care, rest, and a safe place to heal all while being supported by the community along the way. By imagining wellness for ourselves we are not trying to manifest a cure, but create an emotional landscape that helps someone to feel hope and joy, loved and held, no matter the circumstances they find themselves in (all First House issues of self-worth and love).

The Houses + Plant Allies

If there are one or more cards that stand out as particularly challenging, you can begin to explore different ways to support someone by exploring the corresponding astrological area of their life. In addition to untangling challenging energy, you can also support the corresponding astrological areas of the querent's life that are really beneficial and nourishing in order to bring more of that energy onto their healing path. I don’t recommend trying to find an herbal ally to work with for every card cast (that’s a lot!) but instead to practice discernment to find clarity and focus on the one to three herbal allies that might best support the querent.

I've given some very general herbal recommendations based on the astrological correspondence each card position and zodiacal house correspondence, but of course, you need to consult your materia medicas and work with an herbalist for the best recommendations for your needs.

Card 1. First House + the Sign of Aries 

The significator and heart of the matter. 

How we instinctually act including our instincts of self-expression, to mask, and the ways that we act and are acted upon (i.e. things like microaggressions to micro-kindnesses that aren't thought out ahead of time, but arise swiftly in the moment). Nutrient rich herbs like Nettles (Urtica dioica) can be a good choice for supporting our First House needs which correspond to the ways that we take care of ourselves on a daily basis. I like incorporating Nettles into daily wellness practices because it has so many bioavailable vitamins and minerals and is gentle enough to use daily supporting the practical nature of the First House to take care of ourselves in a consistent manner.

Card 2. Sixth House + the Sign of Virgo and Eighth House + the Sign of Scorpio

The primary obstacle the querent is facing.

While the obstacles they are facing may show up in multiple areas of their life, astrologically we're looking at the Sixth House of Health, guarded by Virgo, and the Eighth House of Healing Crises and Transformation, guarded by Scorpio. Both houses and signs help us to recognize and embrace our mortality and how we perceive ourselves and filter consciousness through our physical form. Heart tonics that help us to deal with the highs and lows of living as well as create space for us to recognize our own resilience can be really useful here. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) comes to mind as both embodying the deep thorn magick of Scorpio as well as the heart-opening healer's magick of Virgo.

Card 3. Fourth House + the Sign of Cancer.

The recent past as relevant to the current situation.

There are a few paths one can take to find an herbal ally of the Fourth House. Since we are dealing with the past, memory, ancestral heritage, and childhood we can reach for herbs related to any of those areas. So, perhaps the querent was served comforting cups of Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) tea as a child and to bring that herb back into their practice may be very healing or there is an ancestral herb that is asking to work with the querent. I actually like Chamomile for Fourth House issues as it is such a friendly herb and is often in traditional western herbalism, one of the first herbs that a child will receive as a remedy. It is also a wonderfully Cancerian herb that helps soothe upset stomachs and calms the nervous system after a period of emotional upheaval. The herb also has a wonderful quality of helping bring us back to the present moment, putting everything in perspective. It can also be really helpful to  focus on comfort (including the comfort of herbs that taste good to the querent) and healing parenting for Fourth House plant allies.

Card 4. Ninth House + the Sign of Sagittarius

The near future as relevant to the current situation.

The first approach to take with an emphasis on this part of the reading is focusing on remedies that practice good preventative medicine. So, if the querent is dealing with a lot of stress which looks like it is aggravating their current healing challenges, then focusing on consistent stress-reducing remedies and practices in the querent's life. Another approach is to work with the philosophical, wisdom nurturing aspects of Sagittarius that help us to adapt to whatever may come. Sage (Salvia officinalis) can be a wonderful ally in this respect, especially if the querent is feeling like their future has been altered in unwanted and irrevocable ways due to their illness or health challenge. 

Card 5. Second House + the Sign of Taurus

The best to be achieved in the current situation.

When it comes to exploring issues of achievement alongside self-worth and what makes us worthy of healing (which can be answered through exploring cultural narratives as well as our own internalized beliefs of worthiness, but however you get there, the answer is that we're all deserving of our healing), my absolute favorite plant ally is Rose (Rosa spp.). Rose is a Taurus plant and one of our most ancient plant allies, helping us to explore our own inner mysteries while supporting rejuvenative health. Whatever plant ally you choose to work with for issues emphasized by Card 5 in the spread, I encourage you to choose an herb that is restorative in nature, having a broad spectrum of healing qualities that help bring the body back into balance.

Card 6. Tenth House + the Sign of Capricorn

The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles.

When there are Tenth House issues, there is a call to work with structures and systems in the querent’s life. This can be from supporting the structural integrity of the body through bodywork and herbs like Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), which support bone and muscle health. In general, mineral rich herbs are very helpful. It can also arrive in the form of examining how the querent structures their day, their work or school schedule, and their life in general and how in alignment with their healing desires it is. Capricorn and the Tenth House can be really practical when it comes to healing work but don't forget that we're working with the energy of the goatfish - what is practical for one person can seem impractical and strange to another. It is about discovering the systems that work best for the querent not for what the querent thinks others will approve or disapprove of. 

Card 7. Twelfth House + the Sign of Pisces

Feelings about the matter.

When it comes to formulating a remedy or working with plant allies, this card can help to keep the heart and the feeling self in focus. You might support the actions of clearing out old energy practices, and beliefs in order to cultivate regenerative energy. These are deeply personal sorts of plant allies that are going to change from querent to querent. One of my favorite Pisces herbs that has widespread healing qualities and can be useful for many folks is Milky Oat (Avena sativa). One of the ways that we can begin to feel our feelings is to support our nervous system and Milky Oat is food for the nervous system and the soul. It helps to create a feeling of safety within and around the body, which is ideal when it comes to being able to open up about what you’re feeling.

Card 8. Third House + the Sign of Gemini and Eleventh House + the Sign of Aquarius

Home and environment.

Here we can work with plant allies that are more about shifting the energies of the home environment including herbal incense, floor washes, and room sprays. Plants with strong and beautiful scents (i.e. full of volatile oils) like Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) can be great to work with. I also like plants that help to set appropriate boundaries both in our homes and interpersonally (something that Gemini and Aquarius as Air signs can be skilled at).

Card 9. Fifth House + the Sign of Leo and Seventh House + the Sign of Libra.

Hopes and fears.

With Card 9 energies we are working with the heart - how we find our bravery (Leo) and our harmony (Libra) all while overcoming our fears. Heart tonics, heart openers, heart guardians are all beautiful allies to work with here. I've already mentioned Rose (Rosa spp.) and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) which are two wonderful heart herbs. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Damiana (Turnera diffusa) can be great allies, too, as the former helps to harmonize the querent in relation to the collective and their own needs, while the latter can be a really beautiful ally in knowing love through physical pleasure.

Card 10. First House + the Sign of Aries

Outcome.

Refer to Card 1 for suggestions as the first and final card of the spread are deeply connected. No matter where the querent is headed, how they care for themselves day-to-day is foundational to wellness.

In Practice

Here's an abbreviated recap of how I read a recent casting of the Healer's Celtic Cross (you can see a picture of the full spread at the beginning of the post). The querent was struggling with a chronic inflammatory condition that was turning into burnout after an extended period of trying to hide from friends and family (and themselves to a degree) how serious of an impairment their condition was in letting them live their life. In the reading all but one of the cards was inverted which reflected how the querent was feeling - stuck with a chronic inflammatory condition that was invisible to the world and often left them isolated in pain. This trapped heat which isolated them was reflected in the many cards, but especially all of the Wands that showed up inverted.

Right away it was clear that the pendulum of the querent's thinking and feeling had swung far into the territory of feeling unworthy of healing, unseen by their friends and family and that they believed that this was only going to get worse (Three of Cups inverted), and they felt stuck on what to do next (Two of Pentacles inverted) unable to see any options available to them as they were lacking creative vision (all of the inverted Wand cards). Fortunately, hope was present in a few areas of the spread which is what we focused on when seeking out herbal allies.

The two primary cards that offered insight into a way forward featured water - the Two of Cups (Card 5) and Temperance (Card 2). Temperance was both the obstacle and much needed as the querent was struggling to find a balance in their feelings about their current situation and their need for community. They admitted that it was easier to feed the belief that being isolated was their fate instead of being more vulnerable about the accommodations and considerations they needed from their family and friends. It sounded like they did have folks who would be all too willing to adapt, the querent just felt a lot of shame - again that internalized hidden heat - about asking for help. The Two of Cups points directly towards reaching out to others as a path of healing, while Temperance counsels a more balanced outlook about the situation. 

Finally, the Three of Swords inverted (Card 10) is a rather hopeful card. It's the only energy of Air (besides Temperance) in the spread and pointed towards the querent speaking of their vulnerability (the broken-heartedness the querent felt about their condition) as a path back into community and a greater sense of wellness.

At this point I've also done an herbal intake of the querent and I've also looked at their birth chart to see what was happening. I don't depend on the reading alone when suggesting plant allies (though if you are using purely vibrational remedies like flower essences you certainly can). Remember, facilitating connections between plants and people is a multilayered and intersectional path.

So focusing on the three cards already discussed, we have the following guideposts to help us determine what herbal allies may be of aid for our querent: 

With Card 10 and the First House + the Sign of Aries, Nettles (Urtica dioica) felt like a very good choice. In fact, the querent had already been using Nettles as part of their anti-inflammation protocol so we talked about connecting with Nettles as a teacher through meditation and pathworking (the querent had experience with both and was interested in trying). 

With Card 5 and the Second House + the Sign of Taurus, I turned to Rose (Rosa damascena), which will bring additional anti-inflammatory properties, but will also help with the needs of the heart and opening up to feeling worthy of the love and care that the querent deserves (and that it sounds like their friends and family would be willing to give). 

With Card 2 and Sixth House + the Sign of Virgo and Eighth House + the Sign of Scorpio, it was Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) who spoke up as an ally. Hawthorn helps to repair broken hearts and protect the heart when opening up again to the possibilities of being loved and loving in turn. It can help to walk with some thorn magick when one is feeling vulnerable and needs support in turning that vulnerability into an opportunity for healing.

As you can see, using the Healer's Celtic Cross is an interesting and hopefully useful way to help connect folks with their own healing potential, a bit of hope, and the beauty of our plant allies. There can be even more depth to the reading if you know how to read the birth chart and can follow the paths that the cards cast are leading the querent in their own natal constellation of planets and stars. For those familiar with the astrological correspondences of tarot you can add another layer to the reading by exploring the astrological correspondences of each card cast as compared to the houses I suggest for each card position. If you like it complex, make it complex! There’s a lot of way to make the Healer’s Celtic Cross work for you and your community and I hope you get creative with it.

✨

You can download a printable copy of this post and access many other resources exclusive to my subscribers by signing up for Magick Mail (it’s free!).

If you’re looking for more tarot inspiration, check out my tarot + divination section. I also teach a course on the intersections of tarot and herbal healing if you’re ready for a deeper dive. If you want to learn more about plants and astrology, come this way.

I really love the traditional Celtic Cross tarot spread - it shaped me as a tarot reader and has remained a reliable tool in my practice for many decades. My variation focused on healing is a way to celebrate the versatility of this spread, honoring those who first envisioned it, and hopefully inspiring readers to come up with ways to expand their practice and be of compassionate service to those they are reading for.

And maybe, someone years from now will be casting the Healer's Celtic Cross on their table, but in a slightly different way because they couldn't quite remember what order the cards were meant to be in and came up with something fantastically all their own.

May the magick persist no matter its path.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

🌿

Footnotes

Decks used: Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck (in a tin version) and The Arcana of Astrology Oracle.

(1) If you want to learn more about the women of the Golden Dawn I recommend checking out tarot reader, teacher, and scholar extraordinaire, Mary K. Greer’s book Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses.

(2) Directionally in the tradition that the Celtic Cross was born from, the place above us and the crown represented the gateways to accessing the holiest parts of ourselves, often connected to angelic energy. Holiness is multidirectional in my own practice and in many feminist Pagan traditions which are reclaiming the holiness of the deep below. It can help to imagine this card like a star or lantern raised above the head which illuminates all of our energy bodies as well as the path around us - it helps us to see what needs to be seen.

Finding Your Moon Sign in Your Birth Chart

When I learned what my Moon sign and how to find it in my birth chart it was an unexpected act of transformative magick. While I had been observing lunar cycles for years at that point, I was intimidated by how complex birth charts looked like, so I avoided diving into my own. I realized through a bit of study and practice that the birth chart is far less mysterious and complicated than it appears.

What I hope to do with this tutorial is demystify the process of finding the Moon in your birth chart so that you can begin to connect with your lunar flow in even more insightful and powerful ways. For the Moon represents the ways that we channel the vastness of consciousness into our life, how we are shaped by our most true yearnings and desires, and ultimately, helping us find our way back to the inner place that we call home. It’s powerful stuff, so let’s dive in.

Generating Your Birth Chart

Finding your Moon sign (also known as your birth Moon sign or natal Moon) is an essential part of your lunar journey. Use one of the free resources listed below to get your birth chart - my favorite site to do this on is Astrodienst at astro.com. Another option for calculating your chart is Chani Nicholas' beautiful chart generator. It is a great teaching tool for those of you super new to looking at and reading birth charts and works well with her book You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance (which I highly recommend). If you have the resources to, I also recommend printing out a copy of your birth chart and writing all over it as you learn more about what it means and who you are as reflected back to you by planet and star.

image via @anniespratt

Finding The Moon in Your Birth Chart

First let's start with a quick definition. The Natal Moon is the position of the Moon (including its Sign, House, and Lunar Mansion) at the time of your birth. Your Natal Moon is what we are referring to when we talk about your Moon Sign. Your natal Moon (and all of the positions of the planets and other celestial players in your chart) will never change throughout your lifetime. If you were born under a New Moon in Aquarius, you will always have the New Moon in Aquarius as your Natal Moon. This tutorial is all about helping you find your Natal Moon and its position in your birth chart.

So, once you've generated your free birth chart, you can find your natal Moon by looking for the crescent moon symbol - ☾ - on your chart. Below I have highlighted the two places on a free chart from astro.com that information about your Moon sign will show up. On our sample chart, our friend's natal Moon is in the sign of Capricorn. In other words, our friend's Moon sign is Capricorn. You can see the glyph of the Moon - ☾ - located in the sign of Capricorn and numbers next to the glyph which are the exact degrees (i.e. position) of the Moon in that sign. These degrees are also listed below the birth chart along with the degrees of the other celestial players in the chart - I've highlighted its location with an orange box and arrow.

For our sample chart, the natal Moon is located at 19° (degrees) 39' (hours) and 46" (minutes) Capricorn. You'll also see this written as 19 Capricorn 39'46" or 19°39'46" Capricorn in various astrological texts and apps. Most of the time, unless one is making very precise astrological calculations beyond the scope of this course, you only need to know the degree and hour numbers of a sign (i.e.19°39' Capricorn). Knowing the degrees of your Moon sign will help you calculate the position of your natal Mansion of the Moon - but more on that in a minute.

View fullsize

Finding Your Moon Phase

The simplest way to find your Moon phase is to use an online Moon phase calculator such as Moonpage or Chani Nicholas' birth chart generator. You can calculate your Moon phase with an ephemeris and math, but that type of manual astrological technique is harder and harder to find in books these days. The one book in my collection that teaches this technique is Phases of the Moon: A Guide to Evolving Human Nature by Marilyn Busteed and Dorothy Wergin in case you want to learn it.

Whole Signs House System

You'll see that I use whole signs for my house method. If you have a preferred house method for your charts, please use what you are comfortable with. If you don't have a preference, I recommend using whole signs. The whole signs system for measuring houses is one of the most ancient and the style that many of our traditional western astrology ancestors used. I find it to be very accurate and easy to read for beginners and advanced students of astrology alike.

To select whole signs for your birth chart on astro.com, go to the "My Astro" section and click on your name to generate your chart. You'll be taken to a page where you can select the type of chart you want - choose the "Extended Chart" option. Scroll down and you'll see a section labeled "Options for Zodiac and Houses" - use the drop down menu to select "whole signs." Once you do that you can click the "show the chart" button to generate your whole signs chart.

View fullsize

The House Your Moon Is In

You'll notice that the circle of the birth chart is divided into 12 sections (and if you are using the whole signs house system this will be 12 equal sections). Towards the center of the chart you'll see numbers 1 through 12 marking each of the twelve Houses. The Houses always start with the First at the left hand side of the chart and then move in a counter-clockwise direction through the other eleven.

Looking at the sample chart above, we can also see that our friend's natal Moon falls in the 11th House. You can see the number 11 in the center of the chart. The Houses coordinate to different areas of our life - come this way to learn more about the Houses as places of healing rest. 

The Mansions of the Moon

Don't worry if you've never heard about the Mansions of the Moon before - while it is an ancient form of astrology it's not used much within modern astrological practice. The Mansions of the Moon (also known as Lunar Mansions) add another layer of auspicious timing to works of magick and self-discovery.  We explore the Mansions of the Moon in my course, The Lunar Apothecary, but if you search around there are a few books and websites on the subject that can get you started on learning more (I've listed a few here). 

Remember how I pointed out where to find the degrees of your natal Moon? We'll use those degrees now to figure out which Mansion of the Moon your natal Moon was in at the time of your birth. If you look at the list below you'll see that each Mansion is defined by an area of degrees between one to two signs. So the boundaries of the 1st Mansion is from 0°00' Aries to 12°51' Aries. If the degrees of your natal Moon is on or between the degrees of 0°00' Aries to 12°51' Aries then your natal Mansion is the First Mansion. 

Using our sample chart, we can determine that our friend's natal Moon - 19°39' Capricorn - is located in the 23rd Mansion.

• 1st Mansion - 0°00' Aries to 12°51' Aries

• 2nd Mansion - 12°51' Aries to 25°42' Aries

• 3rd Mansion - 25°42' Aries to 8°34' Taurus

• 4th Mansion: 8°34' Taurus to 21°25' Taurus

• 5th Mansion: 21°25' Taurus to 4°17' Gemini

• 6th Mansion: 4°17' Gemini to 17°8' Gemini

• 7th Mansion: 17°8' Gemini to 0°0' Cancer

• 8th Mansion: 0°0' Cancer to 15°51' Cancer

• 9th Mansion: 12°51' Cancer to 25°42' Cancer

• 10th Mansion: 25°42' Cancer to 8°34' Leo

• 11th Mansion: 8°34 Leo to 21°25' Leo

• 12th Mansion: 21°25' Leo to 4°17' Virgo

• 13th Mansion: 4°17' Virgo to 17°8' Virgo

• 14th Mansion: 17°8' Virgo to 0°0' Libra

• 15th Mansion: 0°0' Libra to 12°51' Libra

• 16th Mansion: 12°51' Libra to 25°42' Libra

• 17th Mansion: 25°42' Libra to 8°34' Scorpio

• 18th Mansion: 8°34' Scorpio to 21°25' Scorpio

• 19th Mansion: 21°25' Scorpio to 4°17' Sagittarius

• 20th Mansion: 4°17' Sagittarius to 17°8' Sagittarius

• 21st Mansion: 17°8' Sagittarius to 0°0' Capricorn

• 22nd Mansion: 0°0' Capricorn to 12°51' Capricorn

• 23rd Mansion: 12°51' Capricorn to 25°42' Capricorn

• 24th Mansion: 25°42' Capricorn to 8°34' Aquarius

• 25th Mansion: 8°34' Aquarius to 21°25' Aquarius

• 26th Mansion: 21°25' Aquarius to 4°17' Pisces

• 27th Mansion: 4°17' Pisces to 17°8' Pisces

• 28th Mansion: 17°8' Pisces to 0°0' Aries

And that's it! You now know your natal Moon Sign, House, and Mansion.

image via @anniespratt

Knowing Your Moon

When you learn your Moon sign you can start to read about the ways that your inner Moon shapes the world you live in, the way that you feel at home, and your truest, often hidden, desires. When I say "desires" I am thinking of that which we yearn for most. Very few folks in our lives get to meet our lunar selves as it is such a personal and intimate part of who we are as opposed to our more outward facing Ascendant or Rising Sign and Sun Sign. Our Moon teaches us how we observe, participate in, and perceive our own consciousness - it's a big deal in the birth chart and how we are shaped as individuals. 

When you know your Moon sign, you can begin to learn more about the healing gifts of each sign of the zodiac. You can also practice the profound magick that is your monthly lunar return. By knowing your natal Lunar Mansion, you can engage with your shadows for healing and clarity. Of course, those are only just a few ways that learning about the Moon in your birth chart can be of use to you and your practice of healing and magick. I wrote a whole course of study centered on lunar herbalism and magick as a pathway to helping folks discover their unique gifts as a healer because the observation of the Moon in my life has been so profoundly useful. I hope you find it useful, too!

🌙

Wherever your journeys with the Moon takes you, may the path be filled with the sort of insights and tenderness that come from looking into the darkness and finding how holy it is and how sacred we are.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎