Herbal Allies for Sagittarius Season + A Recipe

As we enter Sagittarius Season, I wanted to think about some herbs that can be allies for us in the coming weeks. The deeper I go into my herbal studies, the more I am thinking about astroherbology and archetypes; how astrology, the planets, the tarot, etc. all correlate to the different systems and tissue states of our bodies and the different herbs that relate to this.

For most of us in the northern hemisphere, Sagittarius Season starts at the latter part of fall, when the deciduous trees lose their colorful leaves, the days are significantly shorter and colder, and the holidays tend to signify the consumption of richer, heavier foods and alcohol. This tendency for overindulgence, coupled with the inherent stress of the holidays, affects our liver and digestive functions.

Jupiter-led Sagittarius rules arterial circulation, the liver, and the metabolism; anything involved with the process of distributing nutrients in the body. Low digestive fire or excessive food intake can cause poor digestion, gas and bloating, liver stagnation and lowered bile production. When the liver isn’t able to effectively detoxify the body, this leads to a damp/stagnation state, and therefore, an imbalanced metabolism.

Like the liver and liver functions, arterial circulation relates directly to Jupiter and Sagittarius. Just as Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion, our arteries expand and fill with blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells so that they can be optimally nourished.

Two herbs that best serve Sagittarius are dandelion and lemon balm, providing support to the liver, bloodstream, and digestive tract.

Sagittarius Correspondences

Element: Fire

Mode: Muteable

House: 9th

Tarot: Temperance, Eight of Wands (Mercury in Sagittarius), Nine of Wands (Sun in Sagittarius), Ten of Wands (Saturn in Sagittarius)

Tissue State: dry/atrophy + hot/excitation

Systems: liver functions, digestive system, circulatory system, functions of growth and preservation

Remedies for Imbalance: liver tonics, anti-inflammatories, carminatives, moistening herbs

Dandelion - Leaves & Root

“The seeds of Dandelion are a notable Jupiter signature, as a radiant orb of lightweight, airborne seeds that travel long distances to repopulate themselves (long-distance travel relates to Sagittarius, a Jupiter-ruled sign).”

-Sajah Popham, Evolutionary Herbalism

Sagittarius and Jupiter directly correlate with the functions of the liver and the systems that connect to it. As a Guardian herb of Sagittarius, dandelion provides support by detoxifying the internal organs and helping vitality move more freely throughout the body. All of the plant parts can be used in healing; dandelion tea with its mild, yellow blooms, a moderate infusion of the leaves or a decoction of its roots, and tinctures and elixirs of all three.

Dandelion is a nutrient herb, high in iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A and E. It is a diuretic, a mild aperient (laxative), and a purifying tonic for the blood, liver, kidneys, lymph system, and related organs. It stimulates the production of bile in the gallbladder, and also helps our bodies absorb nutrients from our food and move those nutrients throughout.

Lemon Balm - Leaves

Jupiter operates under the principle of expansion, and the core nature of lemon balm is its uplifting and heart-opening qualities. It is a gentle nervine, boosting your mood and helping you relax. It provides a cooling action for the heat and irritation of the mutable fire sign that is Sagittarius, and carminative support for the digestive system.

Some carminatives, like lemon balm, can be considered “liver relaxants.” When the liver is hot, tense and stagnant, it can manifest as headaches, irritability, frustration and anger. Lemon balm, one of the Remedy herbs of Sagittarius, assists in cooling this heat and relaxing the tension in the liver.

One of the best ways to extract the healing qualities of these herbs is to make bitters. Bitters are highly regarded for their ability to stimulate digestive function. These dandelion root and lemon balm bitters will support digestion and liver function to get us through Sagittarius Season - and will also make a great addition to mixed drinks!

Recipe: Dandelion & Lemon Balm Bitters

Adapted from this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs. Makes about 10 oz. bitters

Ingredients

2 oz. dried dandelion root

1 tbsp dried lemon balm leaves

1 tbsp dried orange peel

10 - 14 oz. vodka (80 proof)

Directions

1. Place dandelion root, lemon balm leaves and orange peel into a pint jar and fill the rest of the way with the vodka.

2. Secure the lid on the jar and label.

3. Place jar in a dark place and infuse for one week, shaking daily.

4. Strain and discard solids, bottle the infused liquid and label.

Works Cited

I cannot say enough about the following books and blogs; Paul Beyerl's Master Book of Herbalism is a great resource for the magickal uses of herbs, and Sajah Popham's Evolutionary Herbalism is an absolute beast; both outline astrological and archetypal correspondences of different herbs, the former being a great starting point and the latter providing an in-depth look at the planets and their relationship to herbal healing.

Alexis J. Cunningfolk, of the blog Worts + Cunning, is also a great resource for anybody interested in astroherbology. She provides ample information on the signs and their herbal allies for free on her blog, and an opportunity for even deeper study with her Lunar Apothecary course, a self-paced e-course and online community devoted to herbal magick and developing as a healer. Enrollment begins February 2021 and you can find more information here. I will be enrolling myself in February and am thrilled to expand my astroherbology knowledge.

Beyerl, Paul V. Master Book of Herbalism. Phoenix Publishing, Inc., 1996.

Blankespoor, Juliet. “DIY Dandelion & Orange Bitters for Digestion.” Mountain Rose Herbs Blog, Mountain Rose Herbs, 11 Dec. 2018, blog.mountainroseherbs.com/tummy-bitters-recipe.

Cunningfolk, Alexis J. “Sagittarius : The Astroherbology Profile - Worts + Cunning Apothecary: Intersectional Herbalism + Magickal Arts.” Worts + Cunning Apothecary | Intersectional Herbalism + Magickal Arts, 16 Dec. 2015, www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sagittarius-the-astroherbology-profile.

Popham, Sajah. Evolutionary Herbalism: Science, Medicine, and Spirituality from the Heart of Nature. North Atlantic Books, 2019.