Astro herbalism — introduction to planetary energies and healing plants
For me, there’s a magic in the stars that sparks my curiosity, just as there’s a wonder in the healing properties of plants. As someone who has always been drawn to both nature and the cosmos, I’m excited to share my exploration of Astro Herbalism here in my Astro diary as well!
How and why you may wonder?
Besides growing up having my own family garden and a beehive, I also work as a content creator/marketing manager ‘till this day since 2019. for an eco-social company called Ekonaut, where I work on various projects related to urban gardening and beekeeping, and herbalism courses, where I learned A LOT throughout these years. I love how Ekonaut was with me through all of my life and career phases, and now is the time to connect the dots between my two favorite topics, by making a special corner for it around here, and I am so excited!
First, let’s briefly explore the past
Astro herbalism might sound like a modern buzzword that I just made up, but it’s not — it actually has deep roots in history. For centuries, people have been exploring the relationship between the stars and the healing powers of plants. If you are interested in researching this topic, I highly recommend you dive into the rabbit hole of astrotheology and ethnobotany so you can make your own conclusions.
One of the most influential figures in this field was Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th-century English herbalist and astrologer. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal was groundbreaking because it connected herbs to planets, signs, and the body’s natural rhythms. He believed that understanding the astrological influences on the body could help in selecting the right plants for healing.
How astro herbalism aligns with my beliefs and practices
Picture proof of my lavender addiction! 🪻💜
For me, Astro Herbalism is more than just a practice; it’s a way to connect the dots between my whole birth chart and the herbs that can support my well-being, especially with my Mars being in my 6th house, house of health, and routine, in a fire element (Sagittarius), being connected to my 10th house where my Saturn is in Aries (ruler of my 10th house is in my 6th obviously). Meaning Saturn, the father planet that teaches us valuable lessons, is connected in my birth chart to the topics related to health, wellness, daily routine, and work. It’s also a philosophy that resonates deeply with my beliefs about health, nature, and the interconnectedness of all things (which also resonates with all of my 6th house placements — Mercury, Pluto, and Mars). Working through these themes on a daily basis with Ekonaut and connecting them now to My Astro Diaries, I would also like to help others and expand my knowledge and experiences further. The most fun and exciting thing about both astrology and herbalism is that you are a student for life. I also love the wordplay of plan(e)ts.
On the other side, life is filled with changes, and managing these waves and tides of life can often feel overwhelming, we can all agree. I personally find comfort in knowing that the cycles of the planets and the seasons of nature can guide me through these times. This is why I love how astrology provides psychological insights, while herbalism adds a practical framework for aligning my choices with the energies in my life. Whether I'm managing a challenging Saturn transit or a personally hilarious one like a Venus return, having herbal allies that connect with these influences gives me a sense of grounding and support.
Exploring the connection to ancestral wisdom
Repeating cycles throughout history, astrological cycles, genealogy, ancestry, family trees… I am not quite sure which topic gives me a bigger dopamine hit (says a typical 4th house Libra placement). I can’t wait to move to my Sun IC line in astrocartography to feel the presence of these topics even more!
What truly resonates with me is the sense of continuity in our relationship with nature and the cosmos. There’s something grounding about knowing that generations before us turned to the same plants for healing and understanding. When I think about Astro Herbalism, I see it as a practice rooted in the same natural rhythms that our ancestors experienced. It feels like tapping into an ancient conversation that’s still happening today, and when I explore how different planets and signs correlate with specific herbs, I feel a spark of inspiration. It’s as if the universe is handing me a toolkit, inviting me to blend these influences in my own life. Isn’t that truly magical?
The connection between planets and plants in astro herbalism
So how these ancient practices actually work? Think about it like this: each planet has its own characteristics, and so does plants. The goal is to align by matching specific characteristics to our planets, signs, houses, degrees of the placements and aspects to other planets with matching characteristics of plants. Of course, you can focus only on a specific area in your birth chart or to work with your annual profection house and placements of the year for example. If you are new to Astro Herbalism, you can begin by embodying the ruler of your chart. The ruler of your birth chart is the planet that rules your Ascendant sign. For example: my ASC (first house) is in Cancer at 29º, which means my birth chart ruler is my Moon in Aquarius at 28º. So, my dominant combination of plants that I use daily and work for me is chamomile, which is related to my Cancer Ascendant, because it has associations with soothing, sleep, and even childhood, which are all Cancerian qualities, which is directly connected to my Moon as well. For further soothing of my Moon in the 8th house, I use lavender as a bath oil, for daily aromatherapy, and even spreading drops onto my pillow combined with camomile tea (and magnesium as an extra). In more turbulent periods, such as when Saturn transited my 8th house, I was using a combination of valerian root and mint, which both resonate with calming (sometimes erratic) Aquarius energy.
Keep in mind that there are no strict rules in astro herbalism
Like in any philosophical approach, there is nothing set in stone. The goal is to experiment with your placements and the herbs that resonate. Of course, planet meanings are as they are, as well as the properties behind the plants that are a fact, but as a birth chart is so complex, it doesn’t mean that if something works for me, that it will work for you and vice versa. Just like with people, some plant mixes are like you are trying to combine oil and water. They just won’t work. There’s a lot of learning, trial, and error in Astro Herbalism. For certain periods some plants won’t work, and that can even be due to your transit period being dominant (Mercury retrograde happening in a concentrated house, going through a Saturn return, etc.) The main goal is to listen to your intuition!
Learning is important because for example, if you are pregnant, you need to pay special attention to which plants can you use and which you can’t. Also if you have certain allergies, reactions, and similar. Informing yourself first and combining afterward is the key!
A gift to get you started — astro herbalism cheat sheet
For the first diary entry about astro herbalism, here’s a free cheat sheet so you can join me through next diary entries and sync in with more ease!
Until the next diary entry,
xx Ang ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
