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By Jemma Foster
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Jemma Foster is an inter-disciplinary artist, writer and creative director. Her work researches human and more-than-human consciousness at the intersection of art and technology. With a background in plant and vibrational medicine, her practice draws from alchemy, geomancy and dreaming. She is founder and director of transmedia art collective and publishing house Wild Alchemy Lab, co-founder of award-winning creative studio Semantica, and the author of Sacred Geometry (Octopus, 2020), Wild Alchemy Lab: An Astro-botanical Remedy Deck (Laurence King, 2023), Wild Alchemy: An Astro-Botanical Guide to the Magic, Myth and Medicine of Plants (Laurence King, 2024)
By Jemma Foster
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Jemma Foster is an inter-disciplinary artist, writer and creative director. Her work researches human and more-than-human consciousness at the intersection of art and technology. With a background in plant and vibrational medicine, her practice draws from alchemy, geomancy and dreaming. She is founder and director of transmedia art collective and publishing house Wild Alchemy Lab, co-founder of award-winning creative studio Semantica, and the author of Sacred Geometry (Octopus, 2020), Wild Alchemy Lab: An Astro-botanical Remedy Deck (Laurence King, 2023), Wild Alchemy: An Astro-Botanical Guide to the Magic, Myth and Medicine of Plants (Laurence King, 2024)
By Jemma Foster
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Jemma Foster is an inter-disciplinary artist, writer and creative director. Her work researches human and more-than-human consciousness at the intersection of art and technology. With a background in plant and vibrational medicine, her practice draws from alchemy, geomancy and dreaming. She is founder and director of transmedia art collective and publishing house Wild Alchemy Lab, co-founder of award-winning creative studio Semantica, and the author of Sacred Geometry (Octopus, 2020), Wild Alchemy Lab: An Astro-botanical Remedy Deck (Laurence King, 2023), Wild Alchemy: An Astro-Botanical Guide to the Magic, Myth and Medicine of Plants (Laurence King, 2024)
By Jemma Foster
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Oneirogens are plants that assist with dreaming. These may be psychoactive plants that contain chemical compounds that support altered states of consciousness on a physiological and neurological level, but they may also be plants that open up these pathways energetically through the psycho-spiritual sense. Plants also have a traditional use in rituals and spells for dreaming, such as wearing a wreath of oregano in bed to encourage psychic dreams or placing a sprig of yarrow under a pillow to invoke visions of a future lover.
Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Tilia X Europea (Lime Blossom), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Verbascum species (Mullein), Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile), Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), Ruta graveolens (Rue), Viola odorata (Wild Violet), Papaver rhoeas (Field Poppy), Betonica officinalis (Wood Betony), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel), Lavandula spp. (Lavender), Oreganum vulgaris (Oregano), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus Flower), Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea), Calea ternifolia / syn. Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb), Heimia Salicifolia (Sun Opener), Asparagus racemosus (Wild Asparagus Root/Shatavari), Silene Capensis (African Dream Root, Calliandra angustifolia (Bobinsana), Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a sacred plant in many traditions and a visionary herb of enchantment and divination. It is associated with immortality. Thought to be a cure-all, it is a nourishing tonic that dissolves rigidity of thinking, and inspires and strengthens connection to the liminal realms.
It is thought that the druids used vervain to cleanse and consecrate a space for ritual, and to sweep the altar of Jupiter. Sacred also to Venus and Mercury, it is a herb dedicated to artists and musicians, supporting creativity and self-expression. It is linked to the Welsh goddess of poetry, magic and transformation, Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron of Awen, the source of all wisdom. Egyptians thought vervain flowers to be the tears of the goddess Isis, as did the Greeks and Romans, naming them Hera’s or Juno’s tears respectively, names which are still used to describe the plant today. According to Pliny the Elder, the plant must be harvested at the rising of Sirius, when neither Sun or Moon is visible in sky, and cut with an iron blade after an offering of wax and honey is made to the earth. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes enchantment, temptation and desire.
METHOD
1 Take a clear glass bottle and place amethyst, selenite and rose quartz crystals at the bottom (or 3 drops each of the crystal essences of these).
2 Add 8 dried stalks of vervain, fill with pure spring water and leave outside overnight.
3 Strain the water at dawn and equal parts alcohol (vodka or brandy at 40%) to the water to preserve it into an essence.
4 Make a tea infusion of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), using 1 tsp per cup, which will be a bright blue colour. Add 7 drops of the vervain elixir, and a spoon of raw honey. Watch it turn a pink-purple colour.
APPLICATION
Before meditating, dreaming or creative practice, drink a cup of this elixir and set your intention for exploring the liminal realms.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) corresponds strongly to the moon and dreaming. It is named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, the huntress who guarded the forest, women and childbirth.
Mugwort is a warming nervine herb and mood enhancer that encourages flow and guides energy around the body, facilitating travel to otherworldly realms, lucid dreaming, psychic guidance and intuition. It is used as a lucid dream and sleep aid, and for divination and accessing altered states of consciousness. Use this smokestick to prepare your space for mediation, dreaming or creative practice, or sleep with the bundle under your pillow to encourage lucidity and prophetic visions in your dreams. Energetically, it is a powerful protector and cleanser of psychic channels. In the language of flowers, mugwort symbolises joy and good fortune.
METHOD
1 Gather mugwort on Venus’s day (Friday) when the moon is waxing (approaching a full moon). You may also add other sacred wild plants, such as yarrow, vervain, meadowsweet, rosemary, lavender and thyme.
2 Bundle your stems together, cut to an even length. Wrap the herbs tightly with twine or string, making sure you have enough string left to hang it up to dry in a space where there is a good source of warm, ventilated air, and no damp.
3 Leave to dry completely.
APPLICATION
Once dry, burn the bundle to cleanse the energy of your home and create a sacred space:
Open a door or window for the energy to flow outside.
Light the tip of the smokestick then blow out the flame.
Waft the smoke around the room with the intention of cleansing the space of unwanted energies or lower vibrational states, and to create a sacred space for dreaming and divination.
Extinguish in sand or soil.
Caution: Pregnant women are advised to avoid mugwort, even in this external form, as it is a powerful herb and may cause uterine contractions.
Check herbs for legality in your region and any contraindications or allergies, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an existing health condition. Consult a physician before taking any herbs you are unfamiliar with.
Jemma Foster is an inter-disciplinary artist, writer and creative director. Her work researches human and more-than-human consciousness at the intersection of art and technology. With a background in plant and vibrational medicine, her practice draws from alchemy, geomancy and dreaming. She is founder and director of transmedia art collective and publishing house Wild Alchemy Lab, co-founder of award-winning creative studio Semantica, and the author of Sacred Geometry (Octopus, 2020), Wild Alchemy Lab: An Astro-botanical Remedy Deck (Laurence King, 2023), Wild Alchemy: An Astro-Botanical Guide to the Magic, Myth and Medicine of Plants (Laurence King, 2024)