Plant of the Month: Motherwort

Common name: Motherwort

Latin name: Leonurus cardiaca “Lion Hearted”

Element: Water

Gender: Female

Process: Involutions (Brings spirit into Matter)

Energy: Neutral and drying

Planet association: Venus, Sun

Part of plant used: Ariel Parts

Day of the week associated: Friday (Day of Venus), Sunday (Day of the Sun)

Taste: Bitter

Body: Female tonic, stimulates urination, reduces muscle spasms, nervous system tonic and calms the nerves while increasing calcium to the nervous system, increases Mother’s milk, relaxes womb, helps with female imbalances, steadies irregular heartbeat, calms an over-active thyroid, relieves constipation, stimulates digestion, used to regulate menstrual cycles, relieves PMS symptoms, reduces hot flashes and decreases night sweats

Mind: Motherwort promotes our inner trust in ourselves and increases our confidence in knowing the outcome we do want in life is possible to create. She helps to soothe our emotions, overcome heartache and grief, rid us of frustrations and resentments we cling to by helping us digest our emotions. She helps to calm and soothe while decreasing anxiety. She helps to feel at home in our bodies and in the world. Motherwort helps us to stay open to the love and support of family and friends in the here and now and helps us to let of the fear of getting hurt.

Soul: She helps the Soul to remain open with a sense of innocence and trust helping us along our path. She brings the nourishment of Mothering all aspects ourselves home to our Soul and into the world around us. Motherwort nurtures the heart and spirit of woman and allows our voices to heard and carried. She stands tall and reminds us to do the same by releasing fears of the future, regrets and resentments of the past to remain present and filled with a sense of ease.

Motherwort is the Mother herb. Wort is the Anglo Saxon meaning for herb. Her Latin name translates to lion hearted. Leonurus “Lion” and cardiaca referring to the heart. Her texture is furry representing the Lion’s tail. As Mother’s we protect our children, Mother Earth protects us as we protect her, when we are fully present with ourselves we Mother ourselves the way we need and open to the nourishment we deserve within and around us. She reminds us to be fierce and committed to our hearts with courage like the Lion. She helps us digest experiences in life so we can open to wisdom. Motherwort relaxes all three types of muscles in the body-smooth, skeletal and cardiac so we can move through life with ease, peace, love and joy.