Mugwort
Folklore Friday
Mugwort and its cousin wormwood are both named Artemisia in Latin for the Greek goddess Artemis of the moon and the hunt. Mugwort is thus a deeply feminine herb, associated with the moon and divination, and has been used as a healing herb for millenia. Medicinally, it’s quite a strong plant that nowadays is not used for long periods of times. It can aid with menstrual complaints and pain, and must never be taken while pregnant, as it causes uterine contractions which can trigger birth. It’s been thought to cure opium dependence and helps with insect problems - until the 1900s, a hair rinse of mugwort was used to treat lice.
Mugwort picked on midsummer night is thought to protect against misfortune and disease, and a wreath made on this night and passed over the midsummer fires, hung in the home, will keep all evil from entering. It’s not only the midsummer-blessed mugwort that protects; if placed within any building, it is said to prevent elves and “evil thynges” from entering.
Carrying it with you will keep tiredness away and protect you from poison, wild beasts or sunstroke. If placed in the shoe, you will gain strength during long walks or runs. For this purpose, you must pick it at sunrise, saying: tollam te artemisia, ne lasus sim in via.
Its foremost use is in all manner of divination practices. A pillow stuffed with mugwort and slept upon will produce prophetic dreams, just as drinking an infusion before bed. It can be burned with sandalwood or wormwood during scrying rituals, and an infusion can be used to wash crystal balls and magic mirrors. Mugwort leaves can also be placed at the base of crystal balls to aid in psychic workings - if you’ve gotten a tarot reading from me, you’ll have noticed I always keep a sprig of dried mugwort on the table!
This happens to be one of my favorite herbs, and the first one to appear within my garden without me planting it. I gather it all summer, mostly at night and especially on midsummer night, and I dry it to have for ritual infusions and as smoke-cleansing bundles. Whenever I sit by my fire-pit in the garden, I will burn one of the bundles to purify the area and call upon Artemis and the power of the moon to aid me. Her scent is as wonderful as it is powerful. Do you work with this herb?