Mugwort: softening, grounding, soothing, opening. This silvery wild herb has always held my rapt attention, even before I learned about its powers of intensifying dreams.

I stumble upon it here and there - out in the woods, along the greenbelt, at the end of a trail. When I am feeling overwhelmed, frazzled, and spacy, I reach for mugwort to pull me back to earth, to focus my thoughts, to wash me in peace. When I am looking for subconscious exploration, I reach to mugwort to help pull me into those spaces between, the hidden realms that are so beautiful to explore. Sometimes I keep a bundle of it by my bed to bring on vivid dreams. These dreams seem to have an ethereal solidity to them for me; I’m often visited by certain animals or lost loved ones who bring specific messages to share. Mugwort seems to be a soothing guide to other realms, holding your hand and guiding you gently into spaces beyond your own subconscious.

I’ve been doing a lot of work with mugwort this year and it seems the more I learn, the more it pulls me in, entrancing me constantly with all of the magic it contains. Comfort, guidance, peace. At one point I had mugwort drying overhead, filling my studio with its scent and then I bought a jasmine plant covered in fragrant blossoms. The way these two scents seemed to perfectly harmonize and go dancing around that room was all the inspiration I needed to develop this elixir. I added in sweet vanilla and soothing lavender to make a brew that is as seductive and sensual as it is transformative.

The base is honey and brandy, which both contribute their own delightful flavors and counteract the bitterness of the mugwort while soaking up its magic. To use, take a few drops under the tongue or stirred into a drink before bed. Mugwort is powerful, so start low and build up slowly. Keep in mind that it is not recommended for pregnant women and can interact with some prescription medications. Also, its dream-enhancing power is definitely not enjoyable if you tend to trend towards nightmares.

Mugwort Dream Elixir

Ingredients:

½ jar dried mugwort

2 Tbs. fresh jasmine blossoms

1 Tbs. dried lavender

¼ c. vanilla extract

1 part brandy

1 part honey

Directions:

1. Fill a sterilized quart mason jar halfway with dried mugwort leaves. Add the jasmine blossoms, lavender, and vanilla. Pour brandy to fill the jar halfway, then top with honey.

2. Use a chopstick to mix everything well and remove any air pockets.

3. Let infuse in a dark place for 2-4 weeks (depending on strength - less pungent mugwort will take more time than the Silver Queen variety I used.) Give the jar a shake every few days.

4. Strain out the plant material and bottle the elixir. I like to use containers with droppers so I can accurately measure out the dose that works for me.

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