Mugwort for Dark Times

Feels a little cliche to say that Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) was my initiatory plant into herbalism, but she was. I say she because that is the energy I work in alongside mugwort, the goddess, the dark goddess, the witch. My first ever experience with Mugwort I was at a women's retreat at a farm in the middle of nowhere. I was in a smaller group sitting in the grass, nestled in a wild garden created by the natural growth in the river valley. We were ritualistically making little herbal dolls to support releasing some old energies and making space for a new. At the end of the ritual the women began speaking about mugwort, we all got a messy bunch of it and as they spoke they began to howl. Then there was a pause, and together we were instructed to let out a sound, whatever comes forward was encouraged. As we let out our sounds mine turned into this guttural howl, it moved from my throat deep into my body and reached to my sacrum at the base of my spine. I instantly began to sob. Everyone dispersed and I sat there in shock over what I had just experienced. Something reached deep inside and moved something very ancient in my cells. I was mystified.

Diana with the Mugwort in the front garden.

Years later, in my own garden, I planted mugwort and began learning more. In my meditation with her, I sat in stillness within the tall fluttering leaves and went deep into a vision state. I introduced myself and the energy was returned. Amongst the darkness in my mind emerged a dark goddess. She was fierce and shadow like. She began reaching inside me and extracting things, energies, emotions, I wasn't sure. I just felt it. It was scary, overwhelming, fascinating and powerful. I gave my thanks as things winded down and began to come back to consciousness. I sat there looking around in the quiet garden wondering who I had just met and what that vision meant.

Since then, Mugwort has become a major part of my life, my work, and my self healing work. In fact it is currently all over my house, swaths of it hung from the walls drying, some harvested in jars, bits of it here and there on the floor, stems snuck into dried flowers from the summer months. I even have a massive arrangement of it outside at my front door covered in twinkle lights.

This protective, extractive power of mugwort feels especially vital right now. In this moment we are in, the horrific things we are witnessing and feeling, the inexcusable violence and hatred, brings an energy to this realm that is not good. One that can make us sick with dysregulation. This is what psychic attack is, a swift cloud or blanket of incoherence or inharmonious energy sweeping along meant to harm you on however level for whatever purpose. I bring you Mugwort for this reason. For those of us in the plant world we hear about Mugwort so commonly we simply forget just how powerful it is. How it can absolutely extract energy from you, your spaces, and your psyche. Beyond that she can extract this from the collective, battle the shadows, and remove what must be shapeshifted or transmuted.

For someone like me, who feels it all no matter what I am or am not seeing, I keep Mugwort with me always. When I mix it up with sage and other potent plants the clearing can become even stronger. Right now this should be an every day practice in your homes and spaces. We must be vigilant for ourselves and others highest good, this is one way to fight back.

These are painful times. It's not just what is currently happening, it's how we repeat patterns as a collectively traumatized humanity. How right now I can read about people's lives during the horrific reign under Hitler in WW2 and see how that directly mirrors what is happening to people right now. It's an overwhelming understanding that until we truly heal, do the work, work on our ugliness, create accountability in our spaces, reflect on our internal narcissism, learn to love each other and honor individual stories, we may always remain in this cycle of abuse and toxicity.

I cried for days at the murder of Renee Nicole Good. Not just because she was an innocent and beautiful woman, a mother, a beloved community member and a very important part of the threads of humanity. Also because I know that man well. The toxic, abuser, the sociopathic narcissist who knows that there is no accountability for him, so murder and rape is ok. This is what we perpetuate as a society and here we are now. The evil we have created is right here and always has been. We allowed in into our systems, our schools, our communities and now it has risen to the top. We have so much to learn right now, this is brutal, this is real.

I keep thinking of my great grandparents, all of them. Each an immigrant from another country coming to America for some kind of opportunity. A different life, a new life for themselves and their children and grandchildren. I wish I could speak to them sometimes, I wish I could hear their stories. My heart cracks in today's war against all immigrants no matter their story. This is not who we are. We are made of immigrants, old cultures, stories and recipes. We have lost so much already, so much connection gone. We can not sit and watch a bunch of good ol boys and thugs take what we have left.

Love is a frequency that can not be stopped or defeated. I felt this when I saw people gathering all over the world for Renee, it was so palpable. I see it when small communities come together after a sudden death with children left behind. People of all walks instantly come forward and pray, love, and hold each other. They make sure the spirit of the dead is well and properly crossed into their next journey. We are so powerful together, please don't forget that in the wake of fear that is being thrown at us harshly right now.

I believe in you, no matter your adversities.

I believe in the power of the plants.

I believe in spells, prayers, and intention.

I believe the heart of the good soul is the most powerful thing on the planet.

Like many of you, I am sick, horrified, scared, preparing for the worst, getting through each day as best I can, some days feel so heavy, like walking through mud. But each step has meaning, holds power, offers resistance to a long history which has tried over and over again to destroy the soul of this place.

I am sending you all strength as we move through this and pray that you can put aside differences and hold each other tight, fight like hell for what is right, protect your community, gather and organize.

Holding the dark goddess within,

Diana