Becoming Dreams : The New Moon in Pisces

Who can read the dampened leaves
in the tea bowl of the world
when the wind has sipped
the rain away?

- Karen Ethelsdattar -

The New Moon in Pisces is a time of rooting dreams from the realm of the in-between to our shared reality. Dreams are potent agents of change - but in order to make full use of their power we must be able to ground and root them so that they may grow. I love the energy of the New Moon in Pisces - the veils between waking and dreaming part just enough so that we're able to interact with our dreams in a new way. If you have a dream of practicing full time as a healer, now is an excellent time to pull that dream closer towards you and ground it in sacred earth so it may manifest. But you can pull any dream closer to you. Dreams which support your work as a healer such as the dream of financial stability or the perfect office space are great to focus on. Maybe the dream is the ability to connect with the pleasure of your bliss with ease every day. Or you have a dream of speaking with your plant allies in clear and understandable ways.

No dreams are too dreamy for a Pisces New Moon. And that is one of the biggest gifts of this New Moon - we are encouraged to dream big and wild and with abandon. Better yet, we are encouraged to become our dreams. It is good then, in the work of becoming waking dreams, that we have plant allies, ways to create change through ritual, and the power of divinatory introspection. Because though we are the only ones who can become our individual dreams, all of us are dreamers dreaming together.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
New Moon in Pisces Plant Ally

Angelica is a Guardian herb of Pisces, meaning that it promotes the healing qualities of the sign. I like Angelica when a energetically watery remedy is needed, but it needs to be warming instead of cooling. As a warming and oily herb, Angelica helps to move oils and fats through the body more effectively, including their metabolism and break-up of excess fluids. With its affinity to Pisces, the herb also works on the lymphatic system, clearing out congestion through its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. The herb is also a diaphoretic, opening the skin and improving peripheral circulation. 

Angelica calms both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, finding balance between the two. I have found that folks who get stuck in the world of dreams or have a hard time accessing dreams need some extra support with their nervous system. Angelica calms anxiety (including the anxious worry of whether one will be able to manifest their dreams) and helps to rebuild the protective sheaths of the nervous system as part of its ability to move oils effectively through the body. As a brain tonic, Angelica improves mental clarity, uplifts the mood, and stimulates the imagination.

Continue reading the full Angelica Plant Profile.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon in Pisces: Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium), Purple Monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii), Clematis (Clematis vitalba), Southern Cross (Xanthosia rotundifolia), Amethyst.

Essential Oils for Pisces: Lamon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Birch (Betula lenta), Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) , Pine (Pinus sylvestris).

image via 贝莉儿 ng

Becoming A Dream

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). If you are able to, perform this ritual outside on the bare earth with a bowl of water. If performed indoors you may choose to have a bowl of earth in addition to a bowl of water - but these can easily be visualized if not available. If using a bowl of water and earth, make sure that there is less water than earth so that the bowl of earth does not become oversaturated.

Choose a dream or desire to focus on. It should be something which feels just out of reach.  

Hold the bowl of water in your hands (or visualize a bowl full of water in between your hands). Say:

 I call to me the dream of {speak your dream clearly and concisely}.

Take a moment to settle into the feeling of your dream. What would it feel like to make it real? By feeling this dream you are pulling it towards you. Breathe in deep and embody these feelings. Visualize the dream taking up space within the water. Put the bowl of water down and place your hands upon the earth (or hold or visualize a bowl of earth). Say:

I call to me the earth's power to root and grow my dream of {speak your dream clearly and concisely}.

Take a few centering breaths here. Let your energy sink into the earth. Feel the solidity and structure. Feel the possibility and power. Visualize the first step you need to take to manifest your dream. It is not necessary that you know how a dream will be accomplished, but only necessary that you know the next step to take. If you are having difficulty determining this, perform the oracle before this rite.

When you feel that you and the earth have opened up to receive the dream seed, pour the water onto the earth, reserving a small amount to use to anoint yourself. The dream passes through water and into earth to be made manifest. Seal the spell by anointing your belly button (your original root) with the water left in the bowl. Say:

The dream awakens and becomes me. So mote it be!

It is important to do the first step that you visualized by the Full Moon in order to help manifest your dream. If you have used a bowl of earth in this rite, be sure to give it to the earth outside within the next 24 hours. 

The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journalling.

What is my most desired dream of healing?

Additional queries to consider:

• What dreams do I ignore because they seem to big or unattainable?

• What dreams have I already made manifest?

Tarot Cards of Pisces

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Pisces magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Pisces).

• The Sign of Pisces: The Moon

• Saturn in Pisces: Eight of Cups

• Jupiter in Pisces: Nine of Cups

• Mars in Pisces: Ten of Cups

• The Water Signs of Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio: Ace of Cups

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Pisces by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. For those of you ready to learn how to work your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join The L unar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

To Ignite the Imagination : Angelica Plant Profile

It has been a while since I posted a full plant profile, but as part of the Plant Ally Project: Thirty Day Challenge, I wanted to share with folks what a full plant profile in my personal materia medica looks like. The following format is not only what I use for my personal materia medica, but is also the style of plant profile that I hand out to my students both online and offline. For ease of online reading I have changed the order of how I list information on my printed materia medica for those of you who are really curious. I also add additional space for notes at the end of my materia medicas for quickly jotting down thoughts and observations.

I love getting to look at other herbalist's plant profiles and how they organize information. I usually am inspired to add to or adjust my own plant profiles after viewing them. While the following plant profile of Angelica is my long form version, I do create two other styles of plant profiles. The first is my one page, at-a-glance form that I create when first meeting a plant and for easy reference later on. The second type is half-way between the short and long form and is my homage to herbals of antiquity where everything is drawn and written directly into one hard-backed book (unlike my long and short form plant profiles which I keep in three-ring binders) and is as much a Book of Shadows as it is an herbal guide or plantbook. I'll be posting a free ecourse on creating your plantbook in the future!

If you're just starting out on creating your own plant profiles, a few tips:

• It takes time and experimentation to figure out what works for you. You might love the style I've created below or find it doesn't have the flow you're looking for. It took me a few years to find a style that I really liked and wanted to use consistently.

• Write in your own words. I reference multiple materia medicas when creating my own plant profiles, in addition to recording my own personal experience with the plant. Instead of copying and pasting, I try and use my own voice and language. When I do copy passages, I cite the source so I can reference back to it easily (for those grammar nerds who are afraid I might not know that I'm not doing it correctly, you'll notice below that my citations below are my own hybrid style). You can check out my favorite herb books, including the materia medicas that I most often reference, on my LibraryThing.

• Have fun! Putting together plant profiles should be fun, not a chore. If it feels burdensome change the way you're doing it until it becomes a pleasure. Be creative as you like - these plant profiles are for you and your practice so don't worry about how well someone else might like them.

Other items that you might find in my personal materia medica would be poems and images (often cut out of magazines or postcards that I've found) that I tuck in with my plant profiles. I love being able to add as many avenues of storytelling when it comes to connecting with plant allies and helping others do the same. Be sure to check out the Plant Ally Project: Thirty Day Challenge for examples of plant-inspired poetry and how to put together your very own materia medica!

Common + Folk Names : Angelic herb, archangel, masterwort, holy ghost root, wild celery, choraka, ground ash.

Planet : Sun (particularly when placed in Leo), Jupiter, Moon

Element : Fire

Sign : Leo, Pisces

Moon Phase : Full Moon, New Moon (traditional)                       

Parts used : Root, leaf, stem, seed

Habitat : Native to Europe, North America. Enjoys swampy and marshy areas, including meadows.

Growing conditions : Enjoys deep, moist loam and partial shade. Grow near water if possible and keep soil damp.

Collection : Harvest from mature plants (2 or more years old). Maude Grieve, however, recommends harvesting the roots in the first year. Harvest stems in April and May and leaves before flowering. Harvest roots in the fall.

Flavor : Pungent

Temperature : Warm

Moisture : Oily, through some sources say Dry.

Tissue State : Dry/Atrophy, Cold/Depression

Constituents : Flavonoids, furanocoumarins, essential oils, coumarins, acids, caffein acid, citric acid, fatty acids, phthalates, sugars, resins, sterols, tannins, vitamin C.

Actions : Alterative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antiemetic, antispasmodic, aromatic, antioxidant, astringent, bitter, circulatory stimulant, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, nervine, rejuvenative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, uterine stimulant.

Contraindications : Not for use in pregnancy and those with bleeding disorders, GERD, reflux, peptic ulcers, hypertension. Use with caution with diabetics as the plant can increase blood sugar levels. Large doses affect blood pressure, respiration, and can overstimulate the nervous system. Avoid in cases of heavy menstruation. Avoid a week prior to surgery. The fresh root of Angelica atropurpurea is said to be toxic and should only be used dried.

Drug interactions : Avoid with Warfarin, salicylates, and anticoagulants (McIntyre).

Dosage : 1 - 10 drops (1:2 fresh root or 1:5 dry root 75% alcohol extract), 1 - 3 times daily. As a tea, 1 teaspoon of root, soaked overnight, per cup of water.

Angelica archangelica by Kat

Main Uses

Angelica is a classic herb in the Traditional Western Herbalism materia medica with long uses for digestive complaints, fever (including typhus), and menstruation. As a digestive tonic, Angelica stimulates sluggish and cold digestion. Look for additional signs of gas, distention, and colic. Lack of appetite may stem not only from digestive complaints, but from sluggishness of the spirit and low vitality. Angelica is specific to hypochlorhydria, which is a condition of the stomach in which the production of hydrochloric acid in gastric secretions is low. The bitter content and sugars present in the herb help to stimulate the appetite and produce bile necessary for digestion. Angelica also helps clear toxins from the gut and assists with the metabolism of fats. Angelica should be used with caution for those with diabetes as it can raise blood sugar levels in the blood and urine through its stimulation of the adrenal cortex which releases cortisol in the system. The scent of the crushed leaves can alleviate nausea.

As a warming and oily herb, Angelica helps to move oils and fats through the body more effectively, including their metabolism and break-up of excess fluids. As an expectorant, Angelica is useful in cases of excess phlegm in the lungs. It is especially good when a respiratory complaint is worsened by cold or an illness has turned into a low-level chronic cough leading to exhaustion. The herb also works on the lymphatic system, clearing out congestion through its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. Use in cases of sore throats, where the throat is raw, and for coughs, bronchitis, and asthma - especially if these conditions are made worse by cold. Angelica’s anti-inflammatory qualities can also be used in cases of arthritis and gout. The herb is also a diaphoretic, opening the skin and improving peripheral circulation. 

Angelica calms both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, finding balance between the two. The herb calms anxiety and helps to rebuild the protective sheaths of the nervous system as part of its ability to move oils effectively through the body. As a brain tonic, Angelica improves mental clarity, uplifts the mood, and stimulates the imagination. It can be a helpful part of someone’s herbal and healing regimen for depression.

Angelica is a useful herb for congested, cramping, and cold menstruation. The herb offers pain relief and regulates the cycle. It can help bring on delayed menses and is useful in the treatment of amenorrhea. After birth, Angelica has been used traditionally to expel the placenta and bring on milk. The essence of Angelica is excellent to have on hand for any type of life passage including death, birth, and initiations. It can also be used as a tonic to help the spirit return to the body after a traumatic or shocking experience.

In general, Angelica offers a reparative action throughout the body as a circulatory tonic. While I haven’t used Angelica for this yet, it is said to reduce the desire for alcohol which would make it useful for folks dealing with alcoholism. I think the herb would be good to use with those family members and partners who are affected by their loved ones alcohol abuse as well, as it is supportive of the nervous system and helps all parties imagine a new path forward and bring on optimism for recovery.

Externally, the oil of Angelica can be used in massage blends to relieve joint stiffness and pain. It can also be used in baths with the same effect. Brigitte Mars recommends using Angelica for victims of electric shock by giving them a Angelica sponge bath using gentle upward strokes (Mars, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, 33). Additionally, Angelica oil can be used in magickal salves for trance work. 

Magickal Uses

Angelica connects us to our spiritual nature, whether that is through our guardian angels, our guides or our ancestors. Furthering the plants connection to the imagination, in the language of flowers Angelica represents inspiration. Traditionally, Angelica was used in protection spells against poisoning, contagion, and malefic witchcraft. Culpeper recommends harvesting the herb when the Sun is in Leo.

The plant has a connected to the archangel Michael, where its latin binomial stems from, after being revealed to a monk in a dream during a time of plague. Additionally, the herb may be associated with Archangel Michael as the flower blooms around the day (May 8) of Michael the Archangel. The herb is sacred in Saami culture and is used as part of their religious ceremonies. I use the extract as a base for blends meant to enliven psychic centers of the body.

Angelica archangelica from Franz Eugen Köhler's Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen

Angelica Personality

The Angelica spirit has forgotten that they have a spirit. The world feels like a cold, sunless, and unkind place. They lack trust that they will ever feel better and part of that lack of trusts stems from an inability to connect with their vision for a brighter future. Generally speaking, a trauma has occurred and they have not yet dealt with its reverberations in their life. The spirit, in a sense, has been squeezed into a tight space. Self-medicating with drugs and alcohol may have become an unhealthy coping mechanism. Angelica helps reconnect them to their spiritual world, unfurls the spirit, and acts as a nourishing tonic for the imagination. It is an herb of transitions, too, so it not only helps them to imagine a new possibility for themselves, but then to transition towards their vision with ease. 

Remedies + Charms

Typhus Fever Syrup
Traditional from Maude Grieve

Pour a quart of boiling water upon 6 oz. of Angelica root cut up in thin slices, 4 oz. of honey, the juice of 2 lemons and 1/2 gill of brandy. Infuse for half an hour.

Tarot Elixir
Alexis J. Cunningfolk

I created the Tarot Elixir for students of my tarot class to enjoy before conducting readings. The Tarot Elixir awakens our psychic centers and helps us think creatively when engaging with divinatory tools. The essence is best made when the Moon is in Pisces.

To 1 ounce of Angelica Root extract add the following essences: 

• 3 drops Nuummite Gem Essence

• 3 drops Pink Yarrow Flower Essence

• 3 drops Angelica Flower Essence