Herbs Witchcraft

Mugwort Magic Properties & 9 Powerful Witchy Uses

Mugwort is one of this witch’s favorite magical herbs. I know I’m not alone as a mugwort fanatic! Witches have used mugwort for centuries magically and medicinally for a multitude of reasons. Learn all about mugwort, mugwort’s magical properties and 6 powerful witchy uses in this exciting herbal post.

What is Mugwort?

Mugwort, species Artemisia vulgaris, is a flowering perennial herb with a long history in the medical and magical realms. Notice anything special about the genus name Artemisia? Artemis-ia. Artemisia is a popular Greek name for girls and means “Gift of Artemis”, tying this powerful herb to the Wild Goddess of the Hunt herself. Other names for Mugwort include Motherwort (which means mother-herb), Saint John’s Girdle, and The Red Goat. Now that’s an interesting folk name!

Mugwort grows wild throughout Europe, Asia and North America and has been used for culinary, magical and medicinal purposes for centuries.

Mugwort As Food & Medicine

In Europe, mugwort is used to flavor the Christmas goose. It has a bitter taste that is typically used to flavor heavy meat dishes. In Japan and Korea, mugwort flavors soups, stews and traditional desserts. Too much of mugwort is not a good thing, though. Then again, I don’t think you’ll want to eat it in high quantities!

Medicinally, mugwort is used in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine for various ailments including cardiac complaints and Prenatal care. The indigenous tribes in North America used mugwort for various medicinal purposes, as well. Mugwort oil is effective as a pesticide and has been used as such for years.

In Europe, mugwort has been used for centuries in female reproductive remedies including to stimulate menstruation and to terminate pregnancies. It was believed to help a woman’s cycle align with the moon’s cycle, therefore bringing her in tune with the goddess. Mugwort is one of the 9 Sacred Herbs as listed in the Lacnunga, a book of remedies written by the ancient Anglo-Saxons. Mugwort was deemed the Mother of Herbs, aka motherwort, and is listed FIRST in the 9 Sacred Herbs prayer. They believed it was the most powerful of all herbs.

Mugwort Magical Properties: Dreams, Magic, and Protection

We’ve talked culinary and medicinal properties of mugwort, now let’s talk about the mugwort’s many magical properties! The most popular magical property of mugwort is dream work. Mugwort contains a constituent called thujone, which is also present in Wormwood. Wormwood is the Mildly psychoactive ingredient in absinthe.

WARNING: thujone is toxic in high amounts or over a prolonged period of time!

Drink mugwort tea before bed and you’ll receive vivid and sometimes prophetic dreams. In addition to mugwort being a dreaming herb, it is also effective for the following: opening the third eye/psychic abilities, attracting and ridding ghosts, divination, protection against witchcraft, and cleansing.

Mugwort is a traveler’s herb and therefore can be carried on one’s person during journeys by land, sea, or sky. I keep a bag of it in my car at all times.

WARNING FOR PREGNANT AND BREASTFEEDING PEOPLE

Mugwort is dangerous to those who are pregnant or nursing. And also dangerous to those who are attempting to conceive. Mugwort Essential Oil also called Armoise is also dangerous to EVERYONE.

9 POWERFUL Mugwort Magical Uses

How you use mugwort in your personal practice is entirely up to you! However, if you need ideas, here are 9 powerful mugwort uses for magic:

1. Burn Magic Mugwort for Spirit Work

One of the most potent mugwort magic uses is to burn it in a bundle to attract spirits. This is a particularly favorite method for paranormal investigators and mediums alike. Burn the bundle and use it to smoke-cleanse yourself before spirit work. Then when you’re done with spirit contact, cleanse yourself again and step over the burning bundle (carefully!) This ensures no spirits follow you home. Mugwort has long been associated with spirit contact.

2. Drink Mugwort Magic Tea for Dreaming (Plus a Mugwort Tea Recipe)

Drinking a bit of mugwort tea before bed will often provide lucid and prophetic dreams. Mugwort is well-known in the magical community for being a dream-inducer. Personally, it sometimes also induces waking spiritual visions. Be careful with mugwort tea, though: don’t drink it too often and if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding do not drink it at all!

I’ve found it is a rather bitter tasting herb, so if I add a bit of spearmint or peppermint to the mixture, it cuts down on that shocking taste. My recipe is as follows:

  • 8 ounces hot water (moon water, if you’d like to amplify your results!)
  • 1 tsp mugwort
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint or spearmint
  • Pinch of sugar or dash of honey (optional)

Mugwort doesn’t taste good. Most medicine doesn’t taste good…and mugwort is medicine and should be treated as such. If you’re unsure as to whether mugwort is safe for you, please consult with your licensed healthcare provider or qualified herbalist.

3. Mugwort Magic Uses: Protection Spell Bag for Travel and Anytime

Mugwort is not just an herb for psychic abilities and piercing the spiritual veil, it is also protective when used with intention. Add mugwort to a small sachet or muslin bag and hold it between your hands. Visualize the bag acting as a protective amulet. Then charge the bag in the moonlight and keep it on your person to protect against negativity. This is an effective amulet to keep in your vehicle for protection from accidents and car troubles.

4. Mugwort Divination Hand Wash

Our good friend and blogger here at Otherworldly Oracle, Allorah Rayne, gave me this idea recently in our latest podcast. Make a magical mugwort hand wash to use for divination purposes. Set a small pot of water on the stove and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of mugwort (fresh or dried). Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes then remove from heat. Allow to cool. Prior to a divination session (particularly helpful when reading cards or pendulum work), wash your hands in the mugwort magic infusion to increase the energy flow.

5. Mugwort Magic Spray to Cleanse

Just as you made the infusion for the mugwort hand wash above, make another infusion for a different use. Set a small pot of water on the stove and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of mugwort (fresh or dried). Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes then remove from heat. Allow to cool. This time, add the mugwort infusion to a spray bottle. Gently spritz the mugwort magic spray around your home or sacred space to cleanse of negative energy and entities.

6. Mugwort Magic Dream Pillow

We’ve already discussed how potent mugwort magic is for dream work. The safest way to engage in this mugwort magic is to use a dream pillow. You can make one yourself. This is as simple as cutting two equal squares of fabric (can be new from the store or from an old t-shirt, etc.). Turn the fabric insides out then sew almost all the way around, leaving an inch or two at one corner open. Then flip it right-side out. Fill with dry mugwort herb matter. Adding lavender or mint is an aromatic addition. Sew the opening closed. Then sleep with the pillow nearby to increase dreams.

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7. Mugwort Spell Jar Amulet

One way to carry and use mugwort magic in your practice that is safe for everyone is within a spell jar. This spell jar can be placed anywhere in your home to protect against witchcraft and ghosts. Or can be worn as a spell jar amulet. Either way, it’s known to protect against all sorts of spiritual maladies and entities.

8. In a Besom

If you’re a lucky witch and can grow mugwort in your garden, consider harvesting your mugwort in the Fall and creating a besom with it. Also called the witch’s broom. Mugwort is a traditional witch’s herb, as we’ve discussed, and there is speculation that it was used as part of witch’s brooms in Austrian lore.

9. As Offering to Artemis and Other Lunar Deities

Since Mugwort falls under Artemis’ domain, it is often used in conjunction when working with this moon goddess. Lay it on her alter as offering, add it to any spell that invokes Artemis, and so much more! Consider since mugwort has a long history in witchcraft that it can also be used to honor various lunar and witchcraft deities like Hecate, Selene, Circe, etc.

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Mugwort Uses Magic and Mugwort Magic Properties

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5 Comments

  1. Suncerae

    July 20, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    How much mugwort tea should be drank?

  2. poonam

    April 7, 2022 at 4:49 am

    hi, I have mugwort oil, which I have taken for my spiritual spell work but since I couldn’t get leaves, I am at a fix how to use oil for my protection spell work for my clients.

  3. Medieval Magic: Alchemy, Witchery and Magic from the Middle Ages

    December 6, 2020 at 3:01 pm

    […] you mugwortwhat you disclosedwhat you renderedat RegenmeldeThe first you are calledoldest of plantsyou mighty […]

  4. Valerie Chacon

    November 13, 2020 at 5:50 pm

    I have read that there are many types of artemisia, which is the best to use?

    1. admin

      November 13, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Artemisia vulgaris. common mugwort.

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