Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris and A. douglasiana) has a magical feel to it: The silvery green leaves that shine in the moonlight; the distinctive scent used for dream time. Then there’s the botanical name “Artemesia,” for Artemis with her silver bow and arrow, goddess of the hunt associated with the moon and things wild. Mugwort seems to put one into a different space.
Thank your liver daily. The liver deals with almost everything that enters the body via the mouth, nose, and skin, sorting out the good from the bad and processing the bad so that it doesn’t damage the rest of the body.
When I was 16, I started going to a small Buddhist temple in the city I was raised in. Across the street from the city bus stop that I was deposited at around 3:30 every week day, this small zen center had guided practice for about an hour and a half. I was young and only attended temple occasionally, but my interest in meditation was piqued. A book by thich nhat hanh taught me basic technique and practice. And then I forgot. I never finished that book and I stopped going to temple altogether.
Botanical names of herbs sometimes tell you what the herb does. Motherwort’s botanical name is Leonurus cardiaca, meaning “lion hearted.” It is, indeed, a supreme herb for the heart.
Here are some of the things Motherwort does for cardiovascular health:
Ah, winter—the season of retreating indoors, finding every way to keep warm, and snuggling up with your favorite book or Netflix show for a slow descent into hibernation, solitude, and a fair amount of seasonal down time.
While the frigid cold winter weather outside can affect your energy levels and leave you with the sluggish winter blues, there are seasonal winter herbs that can also lift you out of your winter funk to revitalize your well-being and mood with some natural herbal supplements.
When I first started studying botanical medicine, I was at work and got a call from my then-boyfriend asking which plant in the yard was yarrow. He had cut his hand and wanted to do some first aid to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. This wasn’t the first time. Having a garden of first aid plants really comes in handy. Beyond adding beauty to your surroundings, you have at hand easy and effective remedies for everything from cuts and abrasions to insect bites, burns and digestive distress. H
Herbal medicine making is a powerful practice rich with intention, connection, and healing. In our modern world, the potency of plant medicine is often overlooked. Yet when we trace its roots, we see that Mother Earth’s remedies are long honored across many traditions and cultures.
So you find yourself unable to sleep at night, and you’ve tried everything. What’s next? How about aromatherapy! But what exactly is aromatherapy you may ask? Aromatherapy uses fragrant parts of aromatic plants to help revitalize and relax the body.