mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). Mugwort is spiritually celebrated as an herb of the unknown, the hidden, the underworld. This plant ally gives us access to the hidden realms which is why it’s just as popular as an herb for intuition and divination as it is an herb for dreaming more vividly. Burning a smudge bundle of mugwort before bed or applying an infused oil of mugwort to the pulse points inspires visionary dreams and cathartic dreamtime adventures.
While plant medicine can be helpful in all ways, the green world really shines in helping harmonize our most essential needs: sleep, digestion, peace, nourishment and protection. Sage (Salvia officinalis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) are all herbal allies I call on when people have a hard time bringing the messages or meanings of their dreams back to waking consciousness with them.
Lullaby herbs For the little ones, many of the herbs mentioned above can be fantastic allies when given in doses and in formats suggested by your herbalist. One of my favorite herbs to help children embrace bedtime is chamomile (Matricaria recutita). It can be made into a warm or cool tea to sip as the evening winds down. A little apple juice added to chamomile tea brings out the naturally apple-like flavor of these sweet flowers and makes them more palatable for kids who may not otherwise enjoy the taste.
Crafting sleep A fun and surprisingly effective way to work with many of the herbs listed above is to create a small sachet or pillow stuffed with the dried herbal material. These herbal bundles can be tucked into pillowcases, hung above the headboard or set on a nightstand. Try stuffing a small linen sachet or sewing up quilting fat quarters (approximately 18-by-22-inches of fabric) with hops, lavender and sage. Good night, and sweet dreams! â—† Josh Williams is a traditionally trained clinical herbalist and owner of Greenthread Herbs, a full-service herbal apothecary in the Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City.