How to Use Mugwort in Magic

The Magic of Mugwort

Part of the artemisia family, mugwort was used in Anglo-Saxon Britain to cure people who had fallen victim to “elf shot,” which appears to be a catch-all term used to apply to people who had become sick, their illness being blamed upon the invisible arrows of the Fae. Bald’s Leechbook, an herbal from around the ninth century, refers to the use of mugwort to cast out demonic possession. The author also recommends heating a large stone in the fireplace, then sprinkling it with mugwort, and adding water to create a steam for the patient to inhale.

Amanda from Locust Light Farm says,

"Mugwort can be burned as incense or smoked to ease you into a deeper meditation or trance state. It's not an herb that makes you high, persay [sic]; perhaps it opens a more direct channel to the lunar magic that is always there, latent in the brightness of the sun. I usually blend it with other herbs such as sage, mullein, and motherwort for smoking. It can be a lovely, spiritual experience... Mugwort helps us to release our wild, untamed selves. It encourages both men and women to connect with the divine feminine within, to open our third eye to our visions and dreams."

In some magical traditions, mugwort is associated with divination and dreaming. If someone has overactive dreams, they can be balanced out with a ritual bath made from mugwort and indulged in prior to bedtime. To bring about prophecy and divinatory success, make an incense of mugwort to burn at your workspace, or use it in smudge sticks around the area in which you are performing divination rituals.

Mugwort in Ritual

Author Raven Kaldera follows a tradition of shamanism rooted in northern European practices, and refers to mugwort as one of nine sacred herbs. He says, 

"This is the plant of Midgard, burned at the start of a ritual. One starts and ends with Mugwort, as one starts and ends with Midgard. Its shamanic purpose is purification. We tend to think of purification, in these days of advanced medical antisepsis, as being sterile. To us, "pure" has come to mean "without life." When we use something whose basic power is purification, we expect, on some level, for it to clean everything and leave it a blank slate. However, that's not what magical purification actually does. Perhaps a better term for it would be "sanctification."

Native American tribes used mugwort leaves to rub on one’s body as protection from ghosts. The leaves could also be worn as a necklace.

8 Other Magical Ways to Use Mugwort

• Use mugwort baths or incense in rituals focusing on treating depression.
• Make a set of smudge sticks using dried mugwort, to use in ritual settings bringing about prophecy or divinatory needs.
• Place mugwort under your pillow to prevent astral attacks, or to ward off psychic attacks from those who would do you harm.
• Plant mugwort in your garden to attract the Fae.
• Burn mugwort as part of an incense blend celebrating Litha.
• Make a wash by steeping fresh mugwort in hot water, and then use it to clean your magical space or your ritual tools. 
• Make protection oil for your home and property with mugwort.
• Create a magic broom or besom with mugwort woven into it, and use it to sweep negative energies from your home.