Plant Magick: Wormwood - Artemisia absinthium
from Episode 36
My decision to include Wormwood in the same podcast episode with the Devil card was much more intuitive than practical… Because while the Devil card is ruled by Capricorn, Saturn and Earth, Wormwood is actually ruled by Mars, Pluto, the Moon and the Fire Element. These connections aren’t always about corresponding qualities, however. Sometimes the connections are about the solutions a plant spirit can being to the lesson of the Tarot. Let’s explore that.
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a bitter herb that has a long history of medicinal use, particularly in traditional herbal medicine. It's known for its strong and distinctive aroma, as well as its bitter taste. While native to Europe, it grows readily across various climates, including parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the United States. It has velvety white or greenish-silver stems, yellow-green leaves, and bulbous flowers that are bright or pale yellow.
All parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicinal practices and a variety of other purposes throughout history and continues to have some limited medicinal uses today.
However, it's important to note that the herb contains compounds that can be toxic in large amounts, so its use should be approached with caution and under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional.
Historical Medicinal Uses:
Digestive Aid: Wormwood was often used to stimulate digestion and alleviate digestive issues such as bloating, indigestion, and loss of appetite. Its bitter compounds were believed to stimulate the production of digestive juices and enzymes.
Parasite Treatment: Wormwood has a long history of being used as a natural remedy for intestinal parasites and worms because Its compounds, particularly thujone, were thought to have anti-parasitic properties.
In traditional medicine, wormwood was used to reduce fever and manage febrile conditions.
And finally Wormwood was sometimes used to alleviate anxiety, depression, and nervousness. However, its psychoactive compound thujone can also have neurotoxic effects, so caution is advised.
Modern Medicinal Uses: Wormwood is less commonly used in modern herbal medicine due to concerns about its potential toxicity. However, it still has some limited applications which include:
Digestive Health: Wormwood is still sometimes used in herbal formulas for digestive support, particularly for individuals with sluggish digestion or poor appetite. It's often combined with other herbs to create balanced formulas.
Topical Use: In some cases, wormwood extracts or essential oil are used topically for their potential antimicrobial properties and they may appear in herbal salves or ointments.
Traditional Spirits and Liqueurs: Wormwood is an essential ingredient in the production of absinthe, a highly alcoholic spirit with a long compelling history. The use of wormwood in absinthe production is highly regulated due to concerns about thujone content however….
* About Thujone *
The toxic compound found in Wormwood – Thujone - can be problematic when taken in high doses. Excessive consumption or use of wormwood can lead to adverse effects such as convulsions, kidney damage, and other neurological symptoms. Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals should avoid wormwood due to its potential toxicity.
As with any herbal remedy, it's crucial to consult a qualified healthcare professional before using wormwood for medicinal purposes. If you're interested in incorporating wormwood into your health regimen, it's best to work with a trained herbalist or healthcare provider who can guide you on safe and appropriate usage.
Witchcraft & Magickal Application
Wormwood or Artemisia absinthium, named after the Greek goddess, Artemis; the goddess of hunting and childbirth, belongs to the family of Compositae, a group consisting of 180 species, and has a rich history of use in various witchcraft and folk practices, often due to its potent and mystical associations. It has come up in various bits and pieces of folklore and even in religious texts:
According to Christian folklore, wormwood sprang up in the trail of the serpent when he left the Garden of Eden.
In the Book of Revelation, a star named Wormwood is said to plunge to Earth, turning one third of the seas bitter.
In Slavic folklore, carrying a sprig of wormwood repels rusalki, malicious water spirits.
It has been regarded as a sacred herb with both protective and metaphysical qualities. Here are some of the different ways wormwood has been used in witchcraft and folk practices throughout history and even today:
1. Protection and Banishing:
Wormwood has been employed for its protective properties in various forms. It has been used to create sachets, amulets, and charms to ward off negative energy, spirits, and malevolent influences. Burning wormwood as incense or placing it around the home was believed to create a protective barrier and repel unwanted energies.
2. Divination and Psychic Enhancement:
With it’s ability to enhance psychic abilities, clairvoyance, and divinatory practices, wormwood is sometimes incorporated into rituals or potions to help open channels of communication with the spiritual realm, aiding in scrying, tarot readings, and other forms of divination.
3. Dream Magic and Lucid Dreaming:
In some traditions, wormwood has been associated with dreams and altered states of consciousness. It's believed that placing wormwood under the pillow or using it as a component in dream pillows can enhance dream recall, induce vivid dreams, and even promote lucid dreaming.
4. Astral Travel and Spirit Work:
It's thought that the herb can help practitioners achieve altered states of consciousness, making it easier to connect with spirit guides, ancestors, or other spiritual entities.
5. Ritual Cleansing and Purification:
Wormwood has been used in smudging and cleansing rituals to purify spaces, objects, and individuals. Its strong, aromatic scent was believed to drive away negativity and purify the environment for magical or ritual work.
6. Anointing and Spell Work:
Some Wormwood-infused oils or tinctures have been used for anointing candles, tools, and the body during spellwork and rituals. Its associations with protection and banishing have made it useful in spellcasting that involves removal of obstacles, negative energies, or unwanted influences.
7. Sabbats and Rituals:
Due to it’s strong presence during the beginning of summer, Wormwood has been used in various summer solstice (Litha) celebrationsIt has been incorporated into rituals that honor the changing of seasons, connecting with nature, and seeking guidance from the spiritual realm.
8. Caution and Ethics:
Again, it's always important to note that wormwood contains thujone, a compound that can be toxic in high doses. When using wormwood in witchcraft or folk practices, practitioners should exercise caution and moderation. Additionally, ethical considerations should be taken into account, including the sustainability of wild harvesting and respecting the ecosystems where wormwood grows.
A plant from the Witch’s Garden…
Another very important quality of wormwood, and particularly how I’ve been working with it lately, comes to me from the Magickal Botanical Oracle – Plants from the Witch’s Garden by Maxine Miller and Christopher Penczak.
If you’re an A is for Agrimony Patreon member, you might recall that I use this oracle deck (when I’m not mixing it up for the seasonal changes) along with Tarot to provide weekly collective readings and the magick and medicine of Wormwood has really shown up for me lately, so here is an excerpt from the guide book, on Wormwood:
Affirmation: I purify myself from all toxic influences.
MAGICKAL MEANING: Wormwood is one of the most fiery bitter herbs of the Artemesia genus, linked by name to the sphere of the Moon, but in most forms of magick and medicine, considered an herb of Mars. Its nature is to warm and protect. Its bitterness sets a boundary, and while it can be strewn about to prevent vermin and pests and in small amounts consumed to kill off intestinal worms, giving it its name, magickally it expels parasitical entities and harmful energies. In charms and talismans, its used for protection in general, but specifically against biting and stinging creatures, such as snakes. Paradoxically, it can be mixed with its "sister" Mugwort in an incense to help call the good and helpful spirits while Mugwort helps you perceive these spirits. The Wormwood in the blend prevents malicious spirits from appearing
PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE: The spiritual power of Wormwood is very useful for dealing with obsessions, helping us purify our energy and release any attachments we have from other people or other spirit entities. Wormwood adds a fire to our aura, granting purification and protection, allowing us to drop toxic habits and people. Wormwood is one of the key ingredients of the liquor Absinthe, known as the Green Fairy, and is credited with granting poetic inspiration and the mysteries of life and death through the psychoactive essential oil thujone, though its attributes are a bit poetically exaggerated
DIVINATION MEANING: Wormwood will appear when we need to purge and protect ourselves from toxic forces, ranging from simple "pests" to more poisonous serpents in our life. Wormwood urges us to put more energy into our active boundaries and speak out when they are being crossed by others. With this vitality reserved for ourselves rather than the parasitical forces of our life, we have renewed connection to our inspiration, our muse, taking form here as the Green Fairy of the Wormwood, butterfly-winged, inspiring the musician and offering the cup, yet framed in the swords of truth and the skulls of mortality and rebirth. What song are we called to compose? To sing? Follow the passion and don't let anything get in your way.
Correspondences:
Planetary Ruler: Pluto, Mars, Moon
Elemental Ruler: Fire
As with any magical practice, it's vital to approach the use of wormwood with respect, knowledge, and a clear intention. If you're new to using herbs in magical practices, consider studying under an experienced practitioner or herbalist to learn safe and effective ways to incorporate wormwood into your craft.
