MAGIC OF THE MUGWORT

Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris. There are about 200- 400 different species of Artemisia, but Mugwort & Wormwood are most often used for magical rituals. It is very difficult to distinguish between Wormwood & Mugwort. These plants do have quite similar qualities, but the legendary Mugwort properties are wider & treasured by herbalists, while bitter Wormwood has more pronounced anti-demonic qualities & at the same time is much more dangerous in everyday terms. Take care when using these herbs as they can cause allergies, nervous problems, liver damage & convulsions.
Mugwort flower pollen can trigger hay fever attacks in sensitive people.
Usually, the magic of Mugwort is revealed through the smudging of rooms or the creation of amulets.
I will here only talk about the Common Mugwort.

Mugwort can be used for rituals with other herbs like Nettle or Dill.
The protective properties of Mugwort increase on the growing moon & at the end of August, collected at this time has not only strong magical properties, but also healing. It grows slowly & grows poorly from seeds, so when cutting this herb, try not to cut it to the very root. Cut off only the top - this plant has the greatest strength in its buds, the stem is not needed for work.
Store dry herb with your scrying tools as well as any tools you use for dreaming or journey work, such as drums, beater sticks & rattles.
Oil from dried leaves or infusion made from fresh Mugwort can be used to anoint these objects also.
Use herbal tea made of Mugwort to cleanse ritual tools, especially those used for divination.
Mugwort stems also make very nice wands, though they aren't very sturdy.

In its early flowering stage Mugwort can be harvested for smudge sticks & dream pillows. 
Since the old days, Mugwort has been used to protect against ill-wishers & evil spirits, to attract wealth, used in divinations, love spells & healing decoctions. Such a wide range of applications was explained by the versatility of Mugwort herb - its magical properties affected many areas of people's life.

Mugwort has the ability to restore our harmony with nature.

Local Mugwort is the best choice for centering, clearing & grounding because it incorporates the resident spirit of our home soil & speaks to our roots.

Mugwort is mostly famous for being considered a “dream herb", enhancing remembrance of dreams, both during sleep & in trances & precognitive dreaming or dreaming of future events.
Sleeping on a pillow filled with Mugwort would cause a person to see his entire future in his dreams.
Make your dream pillow with a lot of Mugwort & use it consciously; with intention about what you want to find in your dream.
Don't do it every night. Mugwort promotes dreaming, but prevents deep, restorative, rejuvenating sleep. Too many nights in a row sleeping with Mugwort pillow leaves you feeling more or less like you hadn't slept at all.

Mugwort can be used as a sacred smoking or smudging herb for protection or divination.
Mugwort contains thujone which is toxic & has been used to induce trance states, enhance clairvoyance & cause prophetic dreams.
With a strong concentration of its smoke, susceptible people can begin to see beings of the subtle world. It is best used only by magicians who are not afraid of otherworldly contacts.

It is safe to smoke by itself, mixed with tobacco, or other smokeables in a ritual context & is said to enhance astral projection, lucid dreaming & other altered states of consciousness.

Mugwort is almost always included in the nine sacred herbs of the summer solstice & plays an important role in as an incense for the blessing of shamans before entering the flight of the soul.

Burn Mugwort in an incense burner as you use divination tools to help open your mind to any messages coming in; or consider using it to make a smudge stick.
Used for smudging & incense in the same manner as the other Artemisia & Salvias.
Burn near your bed before sleep for protection & dream enhancement.

Mugwort is one of the strongest magical herbs that exorcise evil spirits. Evil spirits do not like the smell of Mugwort & leave the house.
Hang Mugwort in the bedroom, living room or in the hallway. Even a small bunch of herb in the house protects the household not only from otherworldly entities, but also from quarrels & scandals, negativity & accidents.

Mugwort is also used in protective sachets, especially those created in relation to travel. 
A sprig of Mugwort with you on a journey will help prevent delays & other annoyances associated with traveling, as well as to protect from accidents, thieves & other dangers associated with traveling & general protection against the evils of the spirit realms. Everything will go easily, without trouble. Safe return home. 

During a long walk, put Mugwort in your shoes for a positive effect on well-being & health, giving strength & protects against injury. Carrying Mugwort with you relieves back pain. 

Mugwort amulets will protect lovers during trips from all troubles & will contribute to a safe return.

A sprig in a child's pocket protects from envy, anger, childish aggression & falls. 

Mugwort hung on the rear-view mirror protects the driver from accidents.
A branch in the wallet will help protect against thieves.

Make swags or wreaths from dry or fresh branches to place over your doors for protection against negative energies & also to ward off negative entities.
Hang Mugwort above the door for a protection against lightning; best of all, place it under the doorstep to ensure that no annoying person would come to your door.

Toss into a burning fireplace or wood stove & it will protect you from lightening.

Adding Mugwort into the bath removes external negativity from yourself & setting your thoughts in a positive way.
Bathing with Mugwort helps you gain confidence.

A good herb for clearing negativity from the home.

Mugwort smoke can be used to purify a sick household.
You can smudge with Mugwort all rooms clockwise 3 times to cleanse the house of negative energy, cleanse the Dreamcatcher, pendulums, crystals, black mirrors, a deck of Tarot cards. In combination with Sandalwood, Mugwort will enhance the rituals of foresight.

Mugwort infusion for cleansing your home:
You will need:
deep bowl, plate
Mugwort leaves - 100 g
1 cup boiling water
1 spray bottle
Take the leaves of Mugwort, pour over with 1 cup of boiling water.
Cover with a lid or plate, steep for 45 minutes.
Strain, cool, pour into a spray bottle & refrigerate.
It can be used for a couple of weeks, then it is worth preparing a new one.
Simply spray your Mugwort infusion after a general cleaning on cabinets, tables, furniture, house doors, etc. The negative energy accumulated in the house is removed with a decoction of Mugwort. Tensions in the family should decrease, conflicts will become less frequent. People will be more tolerant of each other's shortcomings.
This infusion can also be used to wash the mirrors that accumulate the negative energy.

Cleanse the house of negativity if relations between people suddenly deteriorated sharply, quarrels became more frequent & irritation increased:
Set 1-2 dry branches of dried Mugwort on fire from a candle, holding the plate under, so sparks & ashes won't fall & set the place in fire.
While Mugwort is burning, you need to quickly go around the whole house, paying special attention to the corners. If it burns quickly, it can be replaced with new branches & continue until the aroma of the herb fills the house.
After that, say 3, 9 or 12 times:
"Mugwort, taken from the ground, full of magical power!
Smoke smoky,
burn brightly,
cleanse me & my house & my loved ones & relatives.
Drive away the dark forces & evil thoughts.
Negativity will not enter the house, the evil eye will not pass.
Drive everything bad out, into empty places, into dense forests.
May it be so."

Ritual to lift the the energy of your home:
weave the Mugwort into a broom & use it to sweep negative energies from your home.
Smudge with Mugwort every corner of your home, quietly saying:
“As the smoke from my house leaves,
so do the troubles, illnesses, all the negativity - will also leave.”

Mugwort oil is used to consecrate crystal balls, prisms, magical mirrors & other divinatory instruments, especially those made of silver.

Mugwort candles against black magic:
Add crushed dried Mugwort flowers to melted beeswax & make a candle.
It is enough to burn a candle & the house is filled with an aroma that neutralizes any negativity. Burn a Mugwort candle before going to bed when suffering with nightmares.

A banknote smudged with the smoke of Mugwort attracts material well-being.

Midsummer Day:
Unmarried girls can weave a wreath with Mugwort, Wormwood &/or Sagebrush, Hops, Poppy, Mint, Chamomile.
Send bundles to float down the river
Drowned herbs promise celibacy.
If the plants unraveled or the wreath sailed back - no marriage this year.
Herbs sailed away -wedding is on the way.

Decorate a scarecrow with Mugwort wreath & place in the threshold for protection from quarrels & negativity. Then sprinkle your threshold with salt. If the amulet falls, this is a sign of an attempt to send some attack towards the family.

The plants gathered on St John's Eve, made into a crown & worn to protect from possession, disease & general misfortune.

A garland or girdle of Mugwort can be worn while dancing around the midsummer balefire & thrown into the fire at the end of the night to ensure protection throughout the year.