Mugwort
Artemisia Douglasiana
Mugwort is one of my favorite dream herbs and is found in abundance on every continent (with the exception of Antarctica:) There are between 200 and 400 species of Artemisia and in this video we will identify Artemisia Douglasiana, the California Mugwort variety. (Found throughout California and the Northwest United States). I find this variety to be sweeter than Artemesia Vulgaris (the more common Mugwort) and delicious as a tea with Nettle and Rose. I know this plant as a potent Lucid Dream and Astral Projection facilitator, as well as a powerful plant ally belonging to the domain of the Moon, Venus, and The High Priestess.
A classic herb in both medicine and magic, mugwort has a long history of use in both herbal medicine as well as more esoteric practices.
Mugwort is the herb that becomes Moxa, a traditional preparation used in Traditional Chinese Medicine in very similar ways to acupuncture. The prepared herb is placed on acupuncture points and burned to bring energy to the spot, sometimes directly on the skin, other times on top of a barrier or even on the tip of an acupuncture needle. It is also used in stick form to warm larger areas of the body.
Mugwort also has a long history of use as an herb of dreaming, helping to bring about lucid and pleasant dreams. It can be used both in tea and in dream pillows to achieve this effect, and pairs nicely with nettle, lavender, and rose to enhance these effects.
Mugwort, and all Artemesia species, can be used as a substitute for white sage in smudge bundles as they too have a clearing effect on both spaces and people; which is a nice option for those who don’t have white sage they can harvest locally or sustainably (White sage, Salvia, is an endangered plant and is illegal to harvest in many places.)
Medicinally, mugwort is most commonly used as an emmenagogue to help bring about menses, particularly in those who run on the cold side. It is also considered an abortifacient and should not be used during pregnancy.
Mugwort's powerful anti-parasitic and anthelmintic properties make it perfect for cases of parasitic bacteria or worm infections in the gut. Not only will it assist in the killing of the pathogens, it is strongly astringent and drying and will help slow or stop diarrhea that often accompanies these types on infections. It’s warming carminative and bitter properties will also aid in the soothing of gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort that may also be present.
Mugwort has a strong calming and clearing energy when used internally, lending itself well to being a nervine when one needs to clear their head and calm their senses, but it should be used in small amounts for this purpose, and may be good to combine with other plants to avoid over-aggravating your digestive system.
Mugwort is the herb that becomes Moxa, a traditional preparation used in Traditional Chinese Medicine in very similar ways to acupuncture. The prepared herb is placed on acupuncture points and burned to bring energy to the spot, sometimes directly on the skin, other times on top of a barrier or even on the tip of an acupuncture needle. It is also used in stick form to warm larger areas of the body.
Mugwort also has a long history of use as an herb of dreaming, helping to bring about lucid and pleasant dreams. It can be used both in tea and in dream pillows to achieve this effect, and pairs nicely with nettle, lavender, and rose to enhance these effects.
Mugwort, and all Artemesia species, can be used as a substitute for white sage in smudge bundles as they too have a clearing effect on both spaces and people; which is a nice option for those who don’t have white sage they can harvest locally or sustainably (White sage, Salvia, is an endangered plant and is illegal to harvest in many places.)
Medicinally, mugwort is most commonly used as an emmenagogue to help bring about menses, particularly in those who run on the cold side. It is also considered an abortifacient and should not be used during pregnancy.
Mugwort's powerful anti-parasitic and anthelmintic properties make it perfect for cases of parasitic bacteria or worm infections in the gut. Not only will it assist in the killing of the pathogens, it is strongly astringent and drying and will help slow or stop diarrhea that often accompanies these types on infections. It’s warming carminative and bitter properties will also aid in the soothing of gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort that may also be present.
Mugwort has a strong calming and clearing energy when used internally, lending itself well to being a nervine when one needs to clear their head and calm their senses, but it should be used in small amounts for this purpose, and may be good to combine with other plants to avoid over-aggravating your digestive system.
Mugwort - Materia Medica
Latin Name:
Artemesia - There are between 200 and 400 species of Artemisia, for the purposes of this article we will be focusing on Common Mugwort (Artemesia Vulgaris), and California Mugwort (Artemesia Douglasiana aka Dream Plant)
Plant Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Other Names:
TCM Name – Ài (or àicǎo)
Ayurvedic Name – Nagadamani
Native American Name - Dream Plant
Geographic Distribution: Europe, Asia, northern Africa, the United States
Botanical Description:
Mugwort is a tall perennial that can reach up to 3 feet in height with pinnate leaves that are downy and silvery-gray on the undersides. Tiny yellow or reddish flowers appear in late summer are distributed in clustered branches. The root light brown, woody, and about 8 inches long.
Harvesting Guidelines:
For internal use, harvest mugwort leaf in spring and summer. For use as an incense or in a dream pillow, harvest anytime.
Key Constituents:
Volatile oils, sesquiterpene lactones, tannins, flavonoids, coumarin derivatives, triterpenes
Energetics: Warm, Dry
Taste: Bitter, Aromatic
Direction in the Body: Relaxing, Outward, Downward
Herbal Actions: Digestive, Emmenagogue, Nervine, Anti-parasitic, Anthelmintic, Abortifacient, Carminative, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic
Body Parts Affected: Digestive tissues, Female reproductive tract
Uses:
Mugwort's anti-parasitic and anthelmintic properties lend it well to cases of infection, particularly in the digestive system where it’s bitter and astringent properties will also aid in toning of the digestive tract tissues;
Good for cases of diarrhea;
Helpful for those with scanty or absent menses, particularly if they are a ‘cold’ person;
Moxibustion is a common practice in TCM and is often applied before acupuncture or sometimes in conjunction with acupuncture; Moxa is a special preparation of Mugwort that makes is easy to use for burning. It is fragrant, flammable, and when burning brings heat and warmth to an area. This heat and warmth are good for warming associated channels to dispel cold, strengthen Yang-Qi, remove stasis of the blood, and to dissipate stagnation;
It can be seen as the Yin alternative to the Yang practice of acupuncture;
Moxa is very commonly used postpartum to bring warmth back into the womb space.
Methods of Use:
Tea: 1-2 teaspoons steeped in hot water for 15 minutes in a covered vessel.
Moxa – direct or indirect application topically, also great as a moxa stick, particularly postpartum
Safety:
Toxic in large doses; Avoid during pregnancy
Artemesia - There are between 200 and 400 species of Artemisia, for the purposes of this article we will be focusing on Common Mugwort (Artemesia Vulgaris), and California Mugwort (Artemesia Douglasiana aka Dream Plant)
Plant Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Other Names:
TCM Name – Ài (or àicǎo)
Ayurvedic Name – Nagadamani
Native American Name - Dream Plant
Geographic Distribution: Europe, Asia, northern Africa, the United States
Botanical Description:
Mugwort is a tall perennial that can reach up to 3 feet in height with pinnate leaves that are downy and silvery-gray on the undersides. Tiny yellow or reddish flowers appear in late summer are distributed in clustered branches. The root light brown, woody, and about 8 inches long.
Harvesting Guidelines:
For internal use, harvest mugwort leaf in spring and summer. For use as an incense or in a dream pillow, harvest anytime.
Key Constituents:
Volatile oils, sesquiterpene lactones, tannins, flavonoids, coumarin derivatives, triterpenes
Energetics: Warm, Dry
Taste: Bitter, Aromatic
Direction in the Body: Relaxing, Outward, Downward
Herbal Actions: Digestive, Emmenagogue, Nervine, Anti-parasitic, Anthelmintic, Abortifacient, Carminative, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic
Body Parts Affected: Digestive tissues, Female reproductive tract
Uses:
Mugwort's anti-parasitic and anthelmintic properties lend it well to cases of infection, particularly in the digestive system where it’s bitter and astringent properties will also aid in toning of the digestive tract tissues;
Good for cases of diarrhea;
Helpful for those with scanty or absent menses, particularly if they are a ‘cold’ person;
Moxibustion is a common practice in TCM and is often applied before acupuncture or sometimes in conjunction with acupuncture; Moxa is a special preparation of Mugwort that makes is easy to use for burning. It is fragrant, flammable, and when burning brings heat and warmth to an area. This heat and warmth are good for warming associated channels to dispel cold, strengthen Yang-Qi, remove stasis of the blood, and to dissipate stagnation;
It can be seen as the Yin alternative to the Yang practice of acupuncture;
Moxa is very commonly used postpartum to bring warmth back into the womb space.
Methods of Use:
Tea: 1-2 teaspoons steeped in hot water for 15 minutes in a covered vessel.
Moxa – direct or indirect application topically, also great as a moxa stick, particularly postpartum
Safety:
Toxic in large doses; Avoid during pregnancy
From the Apothecary
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