Guest post by – Hazel Osborne, Transpersonal Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, animist and artist
Do you have witchy ways? A sense of magic and mystery in your bones and cells?
When I was a child, I used to love running wild and feral in the woodland next to our house in the heart of Wales. Partially, I had no choice because we lived in the sticks and I had no friends nearby. While it often felt very lonely, I loved being with the moss and the faery worlds amongst the trees and bracken.
As I grew, I enjoyed collecting shells and stones, crystals. I also discovered herbal teas and began foraging.
I was intrigued by this world. It felt good, its ‘earthiness’ spoke to me – spoke of a connection which I wasn’t always receiving in my relationships. I couldn’t believe that food and medicine were growing freely in the wild hedgerows. What a gift!
I now know the benefits and rich opportunities to connect with nature that this allowed me.
These interests always stayed with me, ‘bubbling away’.
I have been coming back to my beloved foraging and herbs in the last decade, which although has always been sprinkled through my life as side as a hobby, has now become a passion and an obsession again. This is re-membering. Not only to connect with these plants for their incredible healing properties, but also as spirit medicine teachers and kin. I feel so excited as I write those words – connection to mystery does feel wonderful!
I wanted to know MY indigenous culture that sadly was not written down or spoken openly about.
So, I listen to living indigenous elders to discover how I might relearn what has been lost or just forgotten.
And, that’s the way for me now, listening and being with plants. Noticing what feelings or images or sensations I find within me when connecting to a plant friend. What do they want me to know?
This is modern day mysticism and witchery to be sure. It is exciting! And also nourishing.
Part of my ‘Reclaiming Wytch and Healing the Witch Wound’ retreat has been reinvigorating visionary opportunities through ‘seeing’ and ‘journeying’ with my inner guidance, and ‘medicine walks’ in communion with the land and creatures.
I have received powerful messages of love – trust – and feelings of humility in receiving the bounty nature offers us freely.
Why working with Mugwort is inspiring to me
I have been drawn to work with Mugwort (Atemesia Vulgarris), a sacred plant to pagans and druids.
This beautiful silvery leafed beauty is linked to Venus, and the goddess Artemis’ of ‘moon and childbirth’. A drink of her tea before you sleep – performed in ceremony with yourself and the spirit of this plant – setting your intentions – asking for guidance and protection – can bring deep insight and support.
I have also made sacred smoke bundles to cleanse and clear my space and body.
It is such a beautiful wild craft experience.
Simply wrap the green plants and flowers with a natural fibre twine and add lavender, rosemary or thyme to create different sacred smokes to work with.
Medicinally, mugwort can be infused into oil (flower), drunk as tea (leaves), added in cooking a roast dinner (leaves) or in a tincture (roots and leaves). Mugwort is a support for menstrual issues, aids digestion and has a relaxing sedative effect on the body to promote sleep. In Japan, working with mugwort is expressed as ‘moxas’ burned for smoke and heat over pressure points to remove congestion and treat rheumatism.
I dearly love this plant. What a gift!
Working with her feels sacred and connective work indeed. She graces many a hedgerow with her silvery presence. So, if you find her, stop a while and listen to the wisdom she whispers.
You can find Hazel on:
Instagram: @celebrate.life.soulwork
Facebook: Hazel Osborne
Hazel Osborne is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor offering talking therapy, nature therapy and arts for wellbeing sessions where each process is uniquely considered to whatever best fits you and we negotiate this journey together.
