The Astroherbalism Apothecary: Crafting Herbal Charms for Your Ascendant
Just what is the Ascendant?
Unlike our Sun signs or our Moon signs with their familiar language and symbols, the Ascendant, also known as the Rising Sign, can feel abstract. As a position on the birth chart the Ascendant is the sign of zodiac that was rising or ascending from the horizon at the time of your birth. Just like the Sun and Moon, stars rise up from the horizon, too, including the constellations of representing the twelve signs of the western zodiac. While many of us might know our Sun and Moon signs, the Ascendant isn’t as commonly known (though our current renaissance of astrological culture is certainly shifting that), yet it’s often the sign that feels more like us when we do become acquainted.
As with my last two posts in the astroherbalism apothecary series, I'll share recommended plant allies to connect with the energy of your Ascendant, but more importantly, I'll offer you a framework for creating your own unique herbal charms using ingredients readily available to you.
To do that, we'll explore how our Ascendant shapes our energy and the common ways that our Ascendant energy can get disrupted. I view astrology as a story-telling-listening tool and helpful way for folks get to know and name the healing needs of their body (and by "body" I mean physical form, emotional and mental experience, the psychic body, and so on).
Within traditional western herbalism, our Ascendant represents perception including how we perceive ourselves and want to be perceived by the world, including our physical appearance and the ways we our purposeful in our physical presentation (i.e. clothes, hairstyles, makeup, patterns of speech, gender affirming care, and so on). The concept of perception is one of the reasons that many folks identify easier with their Ascendant than their Sun sign when it comes to descriptions of personality.
Our Ascendant helps us to understand the choices we are drawn to making, the relationships we find ourselves again and again, and the patterns of connection we rely on the most and whether any of those aspects of our life need adjusting. For some of us, the inner world of our Moon and the outer world of our Ascendant are deeply aligned, where others have a sharp distinction between their inner life and outer presentation. Working with our Ascendant helps us to shift through the perceptions of others, and the ways we have shaped ourselves in order to hide away or be seen, and how we can choose to perceive ourselves in ways that feel empowering no matter the expectations of the world around us. Through our Ascendant we can adjust the lens by which we view our lives, channeling the energy of our Sun and the wisdom of our Moon in a way that helps us feel interconnected and part of life.
While our Sun helps us understand our inherent energy and our Moon helps us to understand how our energy is expressed (i.e. our inner truths and wisdoms), our Ascendant channels the energy of our Sun and the expression of our Moon into our engagement with the world (i.e. the stories we tell, the communities we connect with, and the identities we hold).
When it comes to supporting our Ascendent there are three primary paths that I focus on: enhancing our Rising Sign energy, reorienting our energy when we feel disconnected from our sense of self, and how we can bring ourselves comfort. To help you identify what path may be most useful for you at this time in your life, I've created brief descriptions of each path as well as key phrases that you may or may not connect with. I encourage you to read these phrases out loud and if something resonates, to consider pursuing that path of magickal healing. Once you've identified what type of path will be most useful for you at this time, you can choose a few suggested herbs and then follow the guide below to creating your custom Ascendant sign charm.
Crafting Your Ascendant Charms
I’ve suggested a variety of herb types and plant allies to create your own Ascendant sign charms. The simplest approach would be to use whole dried herbs, combining them together to create an herbal charm bag or spell bottle. You can also build an Ascendant sign altar, adding your chosen plant allies to it. If you have the flower essence version of whatever plants you resonate with, you can easily craft your own flower essence potion. For those of you with herbal experience, you can choose herbs to make your own Ascendant charm tea, tincture or topical herbal oil, taking into consideration appropriate individual needs and contraindications.
When available I’ve linked to the full plant profile of any of the plant ally suggestions below that are available for free on my community blog - they all contain additional magickal information you might find useful. You can find all of my plant profiles in The Plant Ally Library (which is available on a sliding scale as well as to all of my patrons for free).
image via @mooncolonytn60
Enhance Your Ascendant Energy
Herbs and essences that help us to step into the true power of our Ascendant, where we make the choices about how we present ourselves to the world that feel liberating, reducing the tension of having to hide behind a mask we no longer want, and honoring the pace we want to move at.
Key phrases that indicate you might benefit from an enhancing charm include:
I don't feel like people know the real me.
I feel like I'm in a slump when it comes to my appearance - I don't know what my style is.
I'm tired of pretending I'm something I'm not.
I'm ready to be braver in being who I am, but I don't know where to start.
The masks I've relied on aren't working anymore.
Herbs for an Enhancing Ascendant Charm
An enhancing charm should bring out and energize what you already have within you, helping to make space for that part of you to emerge by clearing out stagnant energy. Plant allies that are traditionally associated with cleansing, such as Vervain (Verbena spp.), Juniper (Juniperus spp.), and Sage (Salvia officinalis), combined with plant allies that are restorative, such as Milky Oat (Avena sativa) and Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). In general, seek out herbs that are associated with the folkloric magick of glamours, with energizing body systems, and with illuminating the aura, including plants with scents that you love, and any herb that makes you feel happy when you work with them.
Here are a few plant allies for an enhancing Ascendant charm to consider:
Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
Milky Oat (Avena sativa)
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Pine (Pinus spp.)
There are a number of stone allies to consider when trying to enhance your Ascendant energy and, if you have them already available, you might include Amber, Citrine, Orange Calcite, Red Jasper, Lapis Lazuli or Turquoise in your charm. You might also consider choosing warm tones for any candles, fabric, bottles or other items that you incorporate into your charm.
image via @barbydalbosco
Reorient Your Ascendant Energy
Herbs and essences that help us reset our compass to our true north (our Moon) and reconnect to ways of expressing ourselves that are more conducive to our inherent energy (our Sun), giving us perspective amongst all the cultural and social noise by seeking ourselves within (rather than through a screen or someone else's lens).
Key phrases that indicate you might benefit from a reorienting charm include:
No one understands me.
I feel like a stranger in my own life.
I have a constant fear of missing out.
I spend too much time letting myself be influenced rather than investigating my own desires.
I feel like I need a fresh start.
Herbs for a Reorientation Ascendant Charm
A charm that helps us reorient our Ascendant energy should include plant allies that help us to think clearly and focus, while supporting our ability to change direction. Nootropic (i.e. brain tonics) plant allies like Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica), and Sage (Salvia officinalis) support cognitive health and mental clarity support our ability to cultivate inner wisdom while adaptogens like Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum), and Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) help us reorient to our actual desires and needs. In general, seek out herbs that are associated with wisdom, intuitive connection, and confidence, helping you to feel sure in your choices and how you present yourself to the world.
Here are a few plant allies for a reorienting Ascendant charm to consider:
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum)
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
If you already have them available, there are a number of stones you might work with to help reorient your Ascendant energy including Obsidian, Nuummite, Onyx, Garnet, Smoky Quartz, Red Jasper, and Bloodstone. You might also consider choosing earth tones for any candles, fabric, bottles or other items that you incorporate into your charm.
image via @harrycunningham
Comfort Your Ascendant Energy
Herbs and essences that help us feel held and at ease within ourselves, healing the places that feel most exposed in our life, and gently guide us back into a state of homeostasis, after experiencing all of the challenges that come with being perceived by others.
Key phrases that indicate you might benefit from a comforting charm include:
I'm so tired of everyone else's opinions.
I just want to exist without being hassled or harassed.
I just want to be taken care of.
I feel worn down by the world.
I want to be loved for who I am, instead of who I'm expected to be.
Herbs for a Comforting Ascendant Charm
Our Ascendent is the part of ourselves seen the most by the world and that can create a complicated concoction of the benefits and challenges that come with being perceived all the time. Sometimes what our Ascendant energy needs more than anything is to be comforted - whether it is after years of living under the shadow of other people's perceptions of you or from the energetic wear and tear of all the ways we're dragged down by the micro- and not-so-microaggressions against who we are. Nervines (i.e. nervous system tonics) are great for a comforting charm, helping to tend to the needs of a worn out, overwhelmed, and/or overstimulated nervous system. One of the best things that you can do for your Ascendant energy is to get to know and regularly use your favorite nervine. Some of my favorite nervines are Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), and Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis).
Here are a few plant allies for a comforting Ascendant charm to consider:
Linden (Tilia x europaea)
Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis)
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Stone allies that you might consider working with to help comfort your Ascendant energy if you already have them available are Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Amethyst, Blue Lace Agate, Kyanite, and Sodalite. You might also consider choosing soft color tones for any candles, fabric, bottles or other items that you incorporate into your charm.
image via @danfarrell
Creating Your Ascendant Sign Charm
Decide on the form that your Ascendant charm will take (i.e. a spell bottle, a charm bag, an ascendant sign altar, flower essence potion, tea, etc.) and gather all of your ingredients and items. You should also find a clear stone (the clearer the better) or piece of glass, a bowl of water, a candle, incense or burning herbs of your choosing, and a wand or branch (included a flower or herb stem). While I don't personally know of a traditional elemental correspondence for the Ascendant, we will be drawing on all of the elements, with special attention to the element of Air, since it embodies many of the qualities of the Ascendent, with its focus on perception and connection.
You can choose if you perform this spell under sunlight, moonlight or starlight - let yourself be guided by your intuition and what feels most empowering. I like to place all my items on a tray and bring them to the ideal location where I'll be able to catch sun, moon or star light.
Go to the place that you'll be performing this ritual, ground and center (perhaps with a tree of life meditation), and settle into sacred space through your preferred method. Lay the bowl of water in the west, the candle in the south, the incense in the east, and the wand or branch in the north (or arrange them to the corresponding cardinal directions that makes the most sense to your cultural, spiritual, and/or personal traditions). Place your stone or piece of glass in the center.
Light the candle and the incense. Take up your stone and hold it to your solar plexus, connecting with it on an energetic level, letting it bathe in your energy. Then, hold the stone before you, and blow your breath gently on it, waking it up with your breath of life.
Once you feel ready, pass the stone through the smoke of the incense, saying:
The breath of life connects us all
within, without
around and about
Weave the stone around the incense and then around you. Bring the stone back to your solar plexus, letting the energy of Air mingle with your own energy. When you feel ready, pass the stone through the flame of the candle, saying:
The flame of wisdom connects us all
within, without
around and about
Weave the stone around the candle and then around you. Bring the stone back to your solar plexus, letting the energy of Fire mingle with your own energy. When you feel ready, hold the stone over the bowl and anoint it with water, saying:
The water of dreams connects us all
within, without
around and about
Weave the stone around the bowl and then around you. Bring the stone back to your solar plexus, letting the energy of Water mingle with your own energy. When you feel ready, place the stone down, take up the wand and tapping the stone as you say:
The earth of renewal connects us all
within, without
around and about
Weave the stone around the wand and then around you. Bring the stone back to your solar plexus, letting the energy of Earth mingle with your own energy. When you feel ready, weave the stone around all of the elements, saying:
The elements of life connects us all
within, without
around and about
Weave the stone around you once more before bringing it back to your solar plexus, connecting with the interwoven energy of the elements flowing through, around, and between all. When you feel ready, hold the stone up to the sun, moon or star light. For the following spoken charm upon saying the first here, hold the stone against to your heart, letting the spell sink into your energy, letting every repetition of here grow stronger as you say it:
By the light of brightest {Sun, Moon or Star}
By earth, by air, within and without
I see and am seen with great love and care
By water, by fire, around and about
When I am lost, I'll be guided back here
By water, by fire, around and about
When I am lost, I'll be guided back here
By earth, by air, within and without
When I am lost, I'll be guided back here!
So mote it be!
If you are crafting an herbal charm, spell bag, flower essence, etc. do that now and then either add or place your stone with that charm. Let the candle burn down, the incense burn out, return the water to the earth, and wand to your altar (or if a flower or herb stem, return it to the earth).
You can also choose to carry your stone with you if you like, re-energizing it with this ritual and adding layers of intention as you go (i.e. visualizing improving your interpersonal communication skills when passing the stone through incense or releasing an old way of being perceived when channeling the energy of earth into your charm).
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I hope you feel a little more empowered and inspired about connecting with the energy of your Ascendant and the ways that energy flows through your life.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the first two posts in this series on your Sun sign and your Moon sign. Having an understanding of these three elements of your birth chart will open up so many pathways of exploration and wisdom-growing within the world of traditional astrology.
If you're looking for more resources for your astroherbalism studies, come this way.
This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎
