The energies of the Moon effect the activities of the subconscious, the
intuition, dream work and the emotions. The plants attributed to the Moon
act principally on the major fluids of the body and on the stomach
(attributed to Cancer, ruled by the Moon). Their fluidic action is primarily
regulatory and eliminative. Much of the digestive activity seems also to
influence the individual's moods - the emotional effect of stomach action
being well known so this dual action of several of the herbs makes a great
deal of sense.
Several herbs bear marked resemblances to the Moon in her various phases,
both in color and shape of plant, fruit and flower. The white fruits of
fennel grow in pairs of curved oblong shapes that seem to represent the
waxing and waning lunar crescents. The lily, long an associate of Lunar
Goddesses, has round, bell-shaped flowers that are frequently bright white
and it bears oblong to crescent shaped leaves. The fruit of the almond
generally is also pure white and oblong to crescent shaped.
Those herbs that deal with fluidity generally act upon water and blood most
specifically even as the Moon herself controls the tides and the flow of
blood. Cucumber helps eliminate excess water from the body and is an
anti-constipatory diuretic, particularly effective in dissolving uric acid
accumulations such as kidney stones. Fennel and lily are eliminatives,
laxatives and diuretics and while the lily acts as a digestive antispasmodic,
fennel is commonly used to stimulate the flow of milk in nursing mothers.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is particularly apt in its lunar attribution in
that in addition to its digestive and purgative qualities, a decoction can be
used quite effectively to regulate the flow of menstrual blood.
Several Lunar herbs act on other fluids of the body (generally to eliminate
excess) as well as acting as digestives. Camphor, by reducing fluid
accumulation in the lungs and pleural sac, is an excellent remedy for
whooping cough and pleurisy. Bitter almond is used as a cough remedy while
sweet almond is used internally as a soothing syrup and externally as an
emollient. Meanwhile, white sandalwood is used to reduce inflammation of
mucosal tissue as well as being a diuretic - a decoction of the wood can also
be used for indigestion.
Myrrh and Sandalwood share both astringent and stomachic properties, but
along with jasmin and bitter almond, they share qualities ascribed to the
Moon that surpass the simply medicinal. Bitter almond and jasmin both have
sedative effects, calming the nerves and allowing a more intuitive, psychic
lunar mode of brain function to manifest. It is probably also this aspect
that has earned jasmin its reputation as an erotogen, the resultant intuitive
empathy credited with aphrodisical properties and the ability to overcome
inhibition. Almond, jasmin, sandalwood and myrrh seem when used in incense
to also possess the ability to trigger olfactorily the subtle, lunar mode of
perception that is so effective in work of intuition, psychism and
pathworking.
Magickally speaking, herbs of the Moon affect the subconscious mind. They
are a very good aid in the development of the intuition and of psychic
abilities as well as in remembering dreams. As they have such a primary
effect on the subconscious, they can be used to successfully influence it to
break old habits and to recall past lives. Traditional Lunar herbs include
anise, cabbage, camphor, cucumber, iris, jasmine, lettuce, lily, poppy,
violet, willow, lotus, moonwort, mugwort, pumpkin and white sandalwood.
BOOKS & GIFTS
