Herbascopes featuring ecological / folkloric considerations and lessons from the Mallow plant family: New Moon | Lunar New Year, February 2, 2022
Later this month, I will be sharing a monograph of the Cacao plant with subscribers of Tiers 2 and 3; Cacao is in the Mallow family. Catch my drift?
Amongst Cacao’s siblings and other kin are Hibiscus, Marshmallow, Okra, Baobab, and others, all of which have extensive use and application within black, indigenous, and (ab)original melanated cultures and communities. I trust that these Herbascopes will spark your curiosity regarding the plant families you are unfamiliar (or familiar) with and help you gain a deeper innerstanding of the natural world around you.
As an introductory note to this way of sharing Herbascopes and Florascopes: every month I will be sharing Herbascopes which include lessons and considerations from the family that the plant I will be sharing a monograph for is in; Florascopes will feature family members of the poison plant I will be sharing a profile for. The additional notations for each of these plants is not exhaustive and there are many ecological, folkloric, mythological, and otherwise expansive considerations in their offerings. If one or several of these family plants call to you, I advise going deeper in research about the layers of these medicines.
For this installation of the scopes, I invite you to look at your sun, rising, moon, Mercury, Venus, and north node signs. The messages can be applied to sidereal and/or tropical placements and any stellium signs in your natal chart.
Finally, as a general house-keeping note: if you decide to share these scopes with family, friends, loved ones, please be mindful and do not share the entirety of this document. Direct them, instead, to the site where they can sign up for a tier or just read to them their sun sign scope. For at least this moment in time, I am trying to keep the scopes within the community that is willing to exchange for them in some sort of equal measure. Thank you.
ARIES | yarrow flower + mullein leaf || there is an offer for you to ‘defend your knowing’, while simultaneously you are being called to protect the parts of you that have been deemed “too sensitive” or unacceptable – defend the intuitive impressions born in you through connection to the child aspects of self. information is coming through for you suddenly, almost abruptly, which enables you to check and shift your position. perhaps you are moving out of a situation and time when you have been in relation with someone or a group of people who played a part in you not fully trusting your inklings and knowings; perhaps you have gaslit yourself, but in the coming times you will be able to fully integrate the layers of your awareness so that you can know what you know without the shadow of a doubt. yarrow and mullein are also offering you the medicine needed to clear any head and heart/throat congestion that may be present, all the while reminding you of the importance of boundaries and consent in relations.
mallow family plant : cacao :: something striking about cacao’s ecological implications is that they are a shade plant and thus provide habitat for animals and other plants who are typically dependent upon tropical forest. as deforestation becomes more rampant in many spaces, cacao serves as a protective species within the ecosystem. the medicine and lessons that cacao can offer is clear for you – step outside of only thinking about your own needs and wants, and consider what you can offer to heal your community.
TAURUS | horsetail + maypop || while your perspective on certain matters is shifting, you are being asked to suspend judgment and allow this season to be one of observation; a sacrifice needs to be made as you transition into deeper clarity. this is a time for you to consider what it is that you are giving attention and energy to – what have you been worshipping? what or who is held as valuable in your life at the expense of your own psychoemotional balance? it seems some of you are even being guided to take a break from social media or other such streams of communication and interaction; if the nudge is there, follow it – you won’t be led astray. develop concentration and refine your focus. this period of suspension is one when your perception benefits from a complete altering and you allowing it to be turned upside down so to speak. some or a lot of this moment may feel uncomfortable for you and will feel like you are prioritizing head over heart decisions. maypop comes forward to offer you a sense of peace and a centering force as you sit in the eye of your inner swirling. in essence form, maypop flowers are particularly ideal for activating and inciting higher order thinking, and in combination with horsetail is useful for reducing any anxiety that can show up during such times.
mallow family plant : cuban jute :: a self-supporting growth form in plants is one which implies that the plant relies on its own supportive tissue rather than a climbing habit to achieve vertical form. in other terms, it is having the inner resources to survive without requiring too much external help. cuban jute is a plant who grows like this. are you aware of your own resources? have you approached others primarily thinking of how they can benefit you, foregoing consciousness of their own humanity and what they may need? where you are too dependent or forming imbalanced attachments? some of what you seek can only be acquired by going within – remember this.
GEMINI | gentian root + ginger root || yeah, you know you got power, but what are you going to do about it? what are you going to do with it? a wide array of ideas serve as inspiration for you at this time, and it is wise for you to sit and think through each consideration without immediately taking action. you may feel a restlessness or motivation toward a particular outcome, but with gentian and ginger roots making their appearance for you, the digestive act of processing the information you are receiving is the most important task for you right now. there are several energies indicating that you are holding something in your hands, whether figuratively or literally, and this thing is loaded with potential, yet sitting before acting with it is highly advised. a final point to sit with as you sift through uncovering more of the wisdom of gentian and ginger roots – feel the heat within and about you. consider energies of rage, anger, despair, overwhelm, or other such hot and wild cognitions which will allow you to work through (digestion : process) accompanying shame from stories contained which have reinforced within you that these were things you should not have felt – that is a lie; let it die. these are all powers/forces; engage them internally and then redirect them productively. fire is a primary element for alchemists.
mallow family plant : linden :: in many traditions, linden is regarded as a holy tree. the heart-shaped leaves of this tree is part of the reason why it is regarded as a tree of love – gemini, where can you be more loving, whether of self or other? in certain other traditions, such as pre-christian germany, communities gathered and danced under the linden tree, and furthermore held judicial assemblies meant to restore justice and peace. gemini, who are your people? what are the spaces you can go to and be guaranteed to find peace, love, and harmony? go there.
CANCER | wormwood + cat’s claw bark || be careful here – you could get into an argument, decide to enter into competitive dynamics, or otherwise engage in combative circumstances which will bring abrupt, unexpected, and perhaps unwanted changes to your experience. proceed with caution; don’t allow others to take you off your square. the combination of wormwood and cat’s claw speaks to a deep healing needing to happen; a checks and balances overdue within both the immune system and your overall energetic field. are there aspects within yourself that find themselves in conflict and discord? are there aspects of yourself that you see mirrored in others and feel repulsed by? these plantas call you into honesty and ask you to consider the intentions behind your words and actions. another layer of their message involves the need for you to assess feelings of anxiety born of comparing yourself to others and the self-sabotage that can ensue when your movement is motivated by competition and envy. the work here is clear for you: check yourself, consider the validity of the sources of any anxiety / worry, or prepare for a ‘rude’ awakening.
mallow family plant : cotton :: oh, cotton, such an intense, long, and strong history we have with you, and thus there is so much that can be said and written about your medicine and messages. succinctly, this plant is one that seems to weep and calls to heal. currently, cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed (with pesticides, etc) plants. the result of this is a depletion of soil nutrition and eventually a lack of productivity within the land. cotton plant produces a widely used material, so perhaps you, cancer, can ponder your habits regarding what you consume and how it impacts the ecosystem around you.
LEO | hawthorn + elderflower || you are encountering the awareness that a thing, relationship, living arrangement, job, etc has come to an end and feel a call to do the work around releasing it. sometimes we get stuck in situations for longer than we would have simply because we had a hard time accepting that something is not what we may have thought it would be, and we hold fast to the illusion that we have the capacity to “change it” even after multiple failed attempts. you are ruminating, deliberating, thinking through options in circumstances that have shown a certain completion – the promise here is that the release will bring you a sense of ease and balance. with hawthorn and elderflowers as accomplices in this portion of your voyage, you are gifted with tools to strengthen your heart and body, and to be brave enough to go forth in the name of your heart’s truest desires. hawthorn also shows up here to support you through whatever grief may surface as you move forward, helping you get unstuck all the while honoring the calling. this moment is as much about change as it is about self-acceptance. the disappointment that may accompany the motion away from the familiar and once treasured will be a source of liberation with you actualizing into more of who you have always been. nevertheless, elderflowers offer you support if you need to spend a bit more time contemplating before you decide to finally make that move.
mallow family plant : pachira :: it is more likely that you know this plant as “the money tree”. pachira aquatica gets their nickname from the story about a poor chinese farmer who prayed for wealth and later came across pachira growing in his field. enamored with the beauty of the plant, he decided to grow more of them, and soon after became one of the wealthiest people in his community through the sale of the money tree. while the story is not entirely true, this plant has been regarded as a symbol of prosperity. so it would be wise for you to contemplate your gifts and what you can do to bring more abundance to your experience from within yourself.
VIRGO | meadowsweet + angelica root || offers of love and healing are steadily flowing in. within the body, this is showing up as a need to look closely at your digestive and reproductive systems. there may be some sort of discharge or other secretions occurring which need to be checked. whatever the case, it is ideal for you to focus on treating and seeking to heal any imbalances showing up within those regions. meadowsweet is particular for alleviating aches and pains associated with colds, flus, and other such conditions. angelica root is a plant part which can bring on delayed menses, also showing great benefit for conditions such as excessive urination and even decline in memory and cognitive capacity. honestly, it seems here like your whole body is overdue for some toning and healing work. furthermore, the aspect of love is showing up as someone perhaps making a proposal (asking you out on a date, wanting to take the relationship to the next level, etc) – the advice for you is to trust what is being offered and presented to you as beneficial for your current process. for some of you, this could simply be a call to deeper self-love and the healing benefits that being self loving affords you. revitalize your sense of hope and faith; if you have felt any sense of depression, the incoming time is ripe with renewal in your emotional landscape.
mallow family plant : hibiscus :: it is not uncommon to find hibiscus growing very close to water. likewise, hibiscus also has a particular affinity for the watery organs in our body, so you could very well need to look more closely at the kidneys or your reproductive center. that has already been said, right? that’s how loud this message is for you. consider lingering (sexual) trauma, and meditate on how to transmute. cry if you need; indulge in baths, and spend time in / with the ocean.
LIBRA | dong quai root + red clover flower || whether male or female, nonbinary or agender, your feminine energy is expanding. there seems to be a graduation here; an elevation of your creative, nurturing, and magnetizing powers. you are appearing attractive or magnetic to what you have been calling in for a while. dong quai root and red clover flower are plants which tend to be used specifically for female reproductive concerns. with these medicines, the summoning is to look at the ways your creative, sensual, and sexual energies are expressing themselves and furthermore consider how it is that you seek to more intentionally channel that into the processes you are in. a fire is surging within you, and it would be wise to consider the connection of that element to the aspect of sustenance and even nutrition – how are you nourishing yourself? are you allowing yourself to be nourished by others? what / who do you love? where are you failing to honor the spark that inspires you? the balancing act here to to work with both the inner mother and inner child to generate something that transcends the barriers of time.
mallow family plant : ambrette / muskmallow :: muskmallow is such an interesting plant for so many reasons. one thing that feels ‘outstanding’ is how often they have gotten mistaken for okra, so much so that they are also known as “musk okra”; the other thing here is how they are a variety of hibiscus and are regarded as a deeply sensual and sensualizing plant due to their aroma. combining these two aspects brings to mind the yoni and its moisture. okra is lovely for promoting vaginal wetness and simultaneous cleansing, and while we are not talking about okra here, it may be ideal for you to consider the parts of your body which could use more lubrication and perhaps playing around with scent and noting the memories that surface when sniffing something and where that memory ‘lands’ on your body.
SCORPIO | eleuthero root + chamomile flower || something is being revealed; a light is being shone upon a ‘thing’ that you may have been prying into, researching, investigating for some time. for what it’s worth, you may be ‘surprised’ to realize that it reveals more about you than anything or anybody else, and what a blessing that is because the idea here is that you can be more authentically you. this almost feels like a “finally!” it also seems like you are learning to relax enough to properly respond as opposed to reacting – integrating the wisdom that even the most trying of moments hold. mental health is also a matter of concern with these plants showing up, and both of them (in combination or separate) gift you with clarity of mind and perhaps that is just the unveiling that needs to happen if you have been feeling particularly clouded in your thinking and perception. chamomile is especially ideal for moments when there is a dullness in your cognitive processes, though, again, it does appear that you are coming out of a kind of rut. trust that what you need to know in each moment is going to be present for you; do not attempt to force exposure and steer clear of tendencies to overwhelm yourself with to-do lists and constant scrutiny. ground into your body; dance, play, laugh, sing.
mallow family plant : okra :: perhaps you already know this, but okra is a traveler who has moved across continental coasts and the oceans with our ancestors. a usually unknown fact about okra seeds is that they are sometimes toasted and ground and used as a substitute for coffee – there lies the medicine of okra for you; what can you do with what you already have? in how many ways can you alchemize with the same elements? this has been a repeating message for you; it’d be wise to heed it.
SAGITTARIUS | slippery elm bark + parsley leaf || at the forefront of your current experience is family + community activity and activation. a key factor of the moment you are in now is balance – you are contending with your desire for a communal experience, all while considering how to undo the hold that certain ideologies have had on the way that you express yourself. perhaps these were imposed by family, (past and/or present) lovers, and even friends, yet you feel called to get unstuck and move into realities where, while honoring your awareness of existing within a complex ecological web, your style is unique to personal purpose and path. it could also be the case that the relationship with a father (and/or maybe even a mother) figure is being scrutinized. the thing is that while it is clear that breakthroughs have been made, the necessity to dig deeper (perhaps even searching through the archives / photo albums / documents to gather certain information) is showing up as a genetic imperative for further upgrading your coding. this season is ripe with opportunity for you to get into some much needed genealogical research; healing will come from newfound knowledge of the familiars. (someone here may also have/have had a dog or other animal kin which figures heavily in what you are uncovering, whether symbolically or otherwise).
mallow family plant : baobab :: an ancient tree, the baobab, is dying / endangered. the climate shifting into increasing warmth has contributed to this plant’s gradual disappearance. for long, baobab has been revered in africa as a symbol of life and longevity. a question arises from this knowing – what will be born in its place? for you, sagittarius, there is a lesson in death, rebirth, and life / living. what parts of you are due for a revival? what stories in your lineage have stopped being told? are you in tune with your benevolent ancestors? how can you more clearly hear their voice?
CAPRICORN | parsley leaf + milk thistle seed || something about your eyes – are you “seeing red”? do you need to refocus and sharpen your vision, physical or spiritual? the skin, liver, and sight are calling for your attention, and it is no coincidence that we are currently in the spring season which, according to the 5 element theory, is associated with the liver and the element of wood. you may find yourself called into enacting greater flexibility and employing concepts such as “bend but do not break” while simultaneously growing down (rooting) into the earth and extending yourself upward and outward. some of you may be needing to find a stable home space or reconfigure the feng shui in your dwelling but, whatever the case, it will serve as medicine for you to find play in these moments that can feel more serious and demanding. parsley and milk thistle seed help to clear excesses of various kinds within the body and throughout our general life experience. part of the harmonizing act for you could be as simple as drinking more water or spending time around bodies of water in meditation as you ponder concerns and questions you have regarding the next leg of your journey. there is equilibrium in play, all while organizing surroundings and the internal landscape. there is a sense of coming home to self, most importantly, through all of these contractions.
mallow family plant : aguaxima :: what are you hungry for? in various parts of the world, aguaxima / caesarweed has been used as a famine food. it is not particularly sought as a source of nourishment, but when times are tough, this one has been imported to various spaces as something to eat. you don’t need to settle for scraps, but maybe spend some time considering what is the ‘thing’ that will truly satiate you. the message of aguaxima is to call in exactly what you need.
AQUARIUS | aniseed + calendula flower || changes are happening very fast and will be cause for celebration. some things you might not even see coming but it is ideal that it be this way so that your desire to control won’t stifle the progress that may not be presently visible. there may be incoming communications that bring good news and rewards long worked and yearned for. remember to breathe. something that is very clear here is that wherever you land next will be a space where you can be fully you, where you can inhale and exhale without tension. a sense of wanting to belong and be loved is present here – know that, as strange and outside of things and circles as you are used to feeling, that is not something to be ashamed of. in a lot of ways, you have mastered aloneness which means you are well-suited to navigate healthy ways of relating if you so choose to. considering the appearance of calendula flower also insinuates that it would be ideal to attend to the tender spots in the body – throat/vocal cords, womb/reproductive organs, and the other aspects of your physical body which figure heavily in creative expression. the other layer here is the fact that you are needing to look more closely at the fires which drive and motivate your action. both aniseed and calendula are useful for digestive function and tend to cause heat in the body to rise to the surface whether for expulsion or to furthermore fuel certain processes. tend to the home, the hearth, your heart. reorient your sense of direction and be conscious of impetus.
mallow family plant : marshmallow :: in hoodoo, marshmallow root is regarded as a remedy effective for inviting benevolent and helpful spirits. an ancestor once revealed to me a recipe for a marshmallow root (and other roots and flowers) balm effective as an uncrossing and unjinxing remedy. furthermore, it served well as an auric shield. aquarius, you can really benefit from that in these moments. as you make major strides and much needed upgrades in your experience, it will be useful for you to conjure a root or two, perhaps burning the leaves of marshmallow, to protect your body and home.
PISCES | blessed thistle leaf + meadowsweet || this is a deep learning period, and it appears as if elements of the past are coming forward to grace you with reminders of lessons and also good tidings. there is a strong earth element present here and juxtaposed with your more watery, romantic, imaginative, and neptunian dispositions. a need to sustain a certain demeanor is called for so that you can see things through to fruition. it almost feels like you’re having to consider whether an intimate and perhaps romantic connection is worth the energy you have thought about giving to it or whether it’s most ideal for you to tunnel vision your concentration into matters relating to personal craft and life’s calling. it does seem like part of what you’re contemplating is the way you perceive love, or how you have been taught love through what you witnessed and experienced with parents and/or caregivers, older siblings, and other family members who served as models for you in one way or another – that is the lesson. the beautiful thing about this moment is that because your awareness is so clear, you are able to make new, renew, and create something different in your personal experience. patterns that you have observed as detrimental do not need to remain your story. blessed thistle is especially suited to break any longstanding generational habits that you know do not serve you, your work, or your intimate connections.
mallow family plant : durian :: the fruit bat is currently endangered in southeast asia, and durian, who depends on it for pollination, could suffer as a result. the task is clear: invite who and what are ideal for your expansion and growth. do not push them away.
P O T I O N S FEATURING THE P L A N T S THAT SHOWED UP FOR EACH SIGN –
(use the code GRATITUDE for 10% off any order)
ARIES: currently none in stock featuring yarrow, mullein, or cacao
TAURUS: currently none in stock featuring horsetail, maypop, or cuban jute
GEMINI: the great wave / winter elixir , brighten / womb glycerite no. 2, and remedio de candelo / supernatural defense oxymel all include ginger root; mother of all lands / kiskeya’s womb tonic includes gentian root; sun bu’er’s poem / summer elixir includes linden leaves
CANCER: mama drops no. 2 / yemaya contains cat’s claw bark
LEO: remedio de candelo / supernatural defense oxymel, ancient elder hues / berry ink both contain elder
VIRGO: mother herb elixir and money flow mojo oil contain angelica root; madre flores / postpartum essence blend, witness of the crown / birthing essence blend, and clear water, fertile earth / hibiscus essence (3) all feature hibiscus flower essence
LIBRA: mother herb elixir features dong quai root
SCORPIO: mmodb elixir / plant vibrations potion no. 1, brighten / womb glycerite no. 2, mother of all lands / kiskeya’s womb tonic, and mama drops no. 2 / yemaya all feature chamomile
SAGITTARIUS: currently none in stock featuring slippery elm, parsley leaf, or baobab
CAPRICORN: the great wave / winter elixir contains milk thistle seeds; eye of the storm / aguaxima essence (10) is made with aguaxima flower essence
AQUARIUS: mama drops no. 2 / yemaya contains aniseed; golden eye / calendula tincture is made with calendula flowers
PISCES: currently none in stock featuring blessed thistle leaf, meadowsweet, or durian