This time of year, we like to embrace the shift of energy made so apparent with the strong winds of Spring. The Equinox has passed and the days are growing longer. Life is brimming beneath the Earth, in every tree branch, and in the songs of the birds. It’s a great time to cleanse your home, mind, and body from anything stagnant so you can embrace the new season with an open heart and a clear path. That’s why our March herb is the powerful mugwort!
A Cleansing Herb
Mugwort, or Artemisia vulgaris, has been a staple of folk medicine for millennia. A versatile plant, people use mugwort in tinctures, oils, smudges, culinary creations, and more, favoring its abilities to move, protect, and relieve. The Greek goddess Artemis gave her name to the plant.
You may also hear mugwort referred to as St. John’s plant. Don’t confuse it with St. John’s Wort, which is frequently used by herbalists to support mental health. It earned this nickname for its legendary association with John the Baptist, who was said to have worn it to ease stomach pain.
Our apothecary lead Nikki McClane advises burning mugwort as a smudge when tackling your spring cleaning. Burn it to cleanse your space, ridding it of any unwanted energies and creating a protective barrier. This is a wonderful alternative to sage and palo santo. (Both can be accessed responsibly but are generally over-farmed, often to the detriment of indigenous communities.)
Internal Uses
While John the Baptist may have worn the herb and ancient people were said to carry it in their shoes, you can access its effects more directly when you ingest mugwort. You can use every part of this powerful plant to create holistic medicines.
We love it for its support of the liver. The liver is our natural detoxifier, and it’s incredibly good at its job. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t benefit from dietary assists. We use mugwort to stimulate and support the liver to move toxins out of the body. Additionally, mugwort moves things along with your digestion.
Other uses of mugwort include supporting mental health to reduce anxiety and depression, relieving pain, and helping to improve sleep quality and overall energy. Just watch out—many people have an allergy to this herb. We encourage you to explore the many wonderful uses of mugwort this Spring!
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