Black Moon Lilith + Reproductive Healthcare Rights // Mugwort

Oct 26

Hello friends!

We are at an interesting point in our relationship with the medical establishment in this country. In the wake of COVID-19, we have seen scientists and medical professionals openly flaunted and mocked. We have bore witness to the fact that health is reflective of social, economic and racial privilages as evident in the populations that have been most severely affected by COVID. But what I want to take some time to talk about is the conversation of reproductive healthcare rights, the potential backsteps we may take with the changes occurring in our Supreme Court and the ways in which reproductive autonomy intersects with herbalism.

With Amy Coney Barrett’s induction into the Supreme Court now confirmed, healthcare advocates are fearful of a heavily stacked conservative force undoing Roe v. Wade and the resulting repercussions on women's healthcare rights. Like many astrologers do, I examined the natal chart of Ruth Bader Ginsberg when I first heard that she had passed, and I noticed a strongly prominent Lilith placement (opposite her Scorpio moon, forming a t-square with Aquarius saturn). This combination is perfect for someone who judges (Saturn) the fairness (Aquarius) of women's reproduction (moon in Scorpio).

That's when my interest in this myth was piqued.

Understanding the Archetype

Lilith is a frequently maligned character in the canon of western mythology, either fairly or unfairly depending on who you're talking to. She's also not a formal astrological body, rather there are a couple of different "lilith's" that astrologers refer to when reading (I tend to use Black Moon Lilith, and so that's what I'll be referring to in this article). Here is a great synopsis of the history of her myth, as well as an explanation of the various incarnations in which she shows up in a chart.

The story of Lilith has been grossly simplified over generations of being smoothed over by our gemstone tumbler patriarchal culture. Whether we refer to her as the Succubus--a child-killing demon who sexually prays on unsuspecting men, the original feminist or simply a rule-breaking contrarian, her true nature is far more complex that any of those descriptions. She is not a deity nor is she an anti-god--she represents a cyclical process rather than a point, which lends to her contradictory nature. For example, she lives as a vague, shadowy fear related to miscarriages or stillbirths that exists in our communal psyche. Conversely, she is also the ecstatic excitement that exists with the termination of life and the reabsorption of that energetic potential back into it’s source.

The religious origins of her myth are important because it gives us some context to better understand this contradiction. In the heliocentric religions (monotheism), the sun is worshipped as an anthropomorphic "god" and our origin tale as a species begins with the earth, who is personified as Adam. Eve, created from the flesh of Adam, represents the moon, who most likely was formed from a piece of the earth that was struck and cast off by a passing asteroid. Lilith, as an entity not under the dominion of God, therefore, is representative of something less tangible. She is the dark space--the pure, uncontrollable energy of chaotic potential where the light of consciousness cannot permeate. In essence, she is the womb that holds the moon's embryo.

The energy of Lilith describes the process of creation to destruction and back again, in the same way that the decay of organic matter in the soil in turn generates an increased fertility. A common manifestation of this is the menstrual cycle, an aspect of women’s health that has traditionally fallen under the dominion of the moon. This attitude is largely cultural. Monotheistic religions, which worship the yang aspect of life and birth, only honor the part of the woman that denotes fertility. Therefore, menstruation is valued only as an indicator of child-bearing status. But for those of us who have a moon time, we know that there is something deeper, something darker to this time. It is it's own death of sorts, and is often a time of inner violence.

Lilith in Astrology Readings

Lilith is not commonly referenced in medical readings. As a psycho-emotional archetype, she represents an area in our charts where we cycle through this process of death and rebirth, oftentimes needing to carve out our own path and rebel against traditionally established norms. For example, Lilith in the 4th house may have a normative family or house structure, but shift between radically untraditional parenting styles or living situations as a way of breaking down the structure of the 4th house itself.

The more I researched, I also found Lilith to be prominent (angular or aspecting a personal planet) in the charts of those whom i knew to have gynecological or hormonal issues (gender notwithstanding). Her rebellious nature seems to upset the balance of the sign and house in which she resides, potentiating health issues related to the organ ruled by the house but ultimately showing up in the reproductive system.

For example, Lilith with Mars or the sun indicates an inflammatory state. Couple this with Jupiter and you may find inflammatory cystic growths in the breasts, uterus or testicles, as well as the potential for surgical removal, as Mars is associated with the energy of cutting or severing. Lilith with the moon suggests an inherited condition as in some cancers. Uranus, Neptune or Pluto involves an epigenetic inheritance, as is often times the case with sexual abuse and reproductive issues in future generations. Lilith/Mercury indicates spasming or cramping, as well as change in the case of trans individuals. Saturn’s involvement means a state of coldness or depressed vitality, blocking the release and flow of important hormones. Conversely, Lilith/Venus can mean an overabundance of hormonal activity, where the native might be aided by a meat/dairy free diet coupled with moderating phytoestrogenic or diuretic herbs.

In general, a good rule to keep in mind when studying your Lilith placement is:

Fire sign - inflammation or dryness would be a component

Earth sign - stagnation

Air sign - tension

Water sign - tissue laxity

Lilith as the Herbalist Midwife

With the rise of our hyper-masculine commodity culture wherein producing babies as a way of keeping the economic and ideological wheels turning is of paramount importance, Lilith’s connection to herbal midwifery was perverted from medicine woman to baby-killer. Lilith represents a vital role in the healthcare world--that of the herbal midwife, the person who held the knowledge of not only how to bring life into the world but how to end it if the mother so chose.

This aspect of herbalism is contentious, as both pro-life and pro-choice individuals frown upon herbally induced abortions. Most herbalists steer clear of this topic, as it could land them in legal trouble. Herbal abortions are a potentially unsafe, unnecessary risk with no guarantees compared to the legal alternatives--surgical abortions and the abortion pill. In the US, a long and hard battle was fought for the legality of abortions, a right not honored in many other countries, and so choosing an herbal abortion undoes some of the work of our feminist predecessors in the eyes of some. However, as we are seeing today, laws can change in the blink of an eye.

Still, herbal abortion is a path that interests women for a multitude of reasons, and the fact is that women have been using herbs to terminate pregnancy for as long as our species has been using herbs for medicine. In today’s climate, where access to an abortion may be barred by financial reality, age restriction or simple physical proximity to an abortion clinic, I believe that it is important to talk about ALL options. After all, that is the basis of informed consent and empowered choice, although I must make the disclaimer that if you are pregnant and seeking a termination, please do not rely on internet searches or articles alone, and do not try to do anything on your own that might put your own health at risk.

Herbal Abortifacients

Herbal abortion is not an exact science. Results depend on a number of factors, including how advanced the pregnancy is, the herbs available, the dose required by the individual’s particular metabolic makeup, the emotional and mental state of the woman and the experience of the practitioner. But here also lies the beauty of this practice--this high number of variables makes it essentially non monetizable.

It is no surprise that a woman’s autonomy over her own body intersects with many other equal rights issues, as regulation of pregnancy has been used as a weapon and tool by oppressors to perpetuate inequality and exploitative institutions. Take the case of slavery in the US, wherein the practice of human breeding was implemented by slaveowners as a way to insure future generations of strong slaves. Clinical herbalist Karen L. Culpepper writes about the use of cotton root bark as an abortifacient in this setting, a vital piece of herbal history in the US and part of the cultural legacy of African American herbalists.

Herbs like cotton root bark and wild carrot are abortifacients because of their ability to block progesterone, an essential hormone for maintaining pregnancy. Progesterone levels naturally rise during a woman’s luteal phase (after ovulation and before the period) in order to thicken the uterine lining, preparing it for a fertilized egg. Therefore, if you block your body’s production of progesterone, you can trick your uterus into thinking that there is no egg in need of nourishment, effectively beginning menstruation.

Combined with the blocking of progesterone, “helper herbs” are employed as well to stimulate uterine contractions. There herbs are known as emmenagogues, or herbs that will provoke the onset of menses. Herbs like rue, pennyroyal, mugwort or angelica root are frequently used to jumpstart a sluggish period via the same mechanisms that would induce an abortion if you were pregnant, which is why they are contraindicated during pregnancy. Herbs that are high in phytoestrogens are also used as helper herbs as high estrogen levels can disrupt fertility.

The history of herbal practice is interwoven with pregnancy, fertility and abortion, and there is a plethora of information out there if this is a topic that interests you. If you have a strong interest, chances are you have a prominent natal Lilith which might be important for you to take a look at. As a last note of interest--Amy Coney Barrett also has Lilith in a t-square with her lunar nodes and her sun, and at 9 degrees Scorpio is going to be opposed by Uranus quite soon! So be prepared for some contentious conversations on reproductive healthcare rights in the years to come.

I want to talk a bit about this much-loved herb because if there was an herb I would associate with Lilith, it would be mugwort! We might all do well to carry around a bit of it as a talisman during these rocky times…

I was recently gifted a species of Mugwort native to Mexico and since then her presence has been tangible in my household. The man who gave it to me called it “estafiate,” but I have learned since that she is known as Uksuk by the Zoque people on whose land I am currently living. She is found in many places and grows abundantly--I remember in my early years of studying to be an herbalist I was shocked to see how prolifically she spread in New York City, a true testament to her spirit’s strength and a reminder that the most potent medicine can be found right underneath our own noses. I met her again in my father’s backyard garden, when we both pointed to her in a moment of recognition. He called her by his known name, “yomogi.”

Wherever she lives, she is loved as a “women’s herb,” a grandmother plant that understands the innate wisdom in the inner tides of the female body. She is an herb associated with trance and dreamtime--a single leaf under your pillow at night will indeed produce a night of intense dreaming. Many cultures also use her in burning rituals either in moxa (from the Chinese tradition) or as incense or ritual smoke. This effect is thought to be produced by Uksuk’s thujone content, a compound that is also most likely responsible for Uksuk’s emmenagogic effects as well as her use as a digestive system aid.

Uksuk is also antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, and is traditionally used for ailments of the digestive tract such as food poisoning, parasites, diarrhea, gastritis or colitis. As an oil she can be used in the treatment of wounds, burns, bruises, and muscle or joint pain. The Aztecs consumed the insides of the stems to induce a light, euphoric feeling as well as a tonic for cough. They also ate the flowers for low energy. As an herb traditionally associated with the moon, she can help when one has become taken over by lunar forces--fright, mania or epilepsy, for example. Probably the most well-known use of this plant is for PMS and menopausal symptoms which run the gamut from bloating, cramping, fatigue and irritability to headache.

As a flower essence, Uksuk opens up one’s psychic abilities in a safe container that drives out or protects one from unwanted psychic attachment entities. She strengthens the energetic solar plexus, which gifts one with confidence in using their innate intuitive faculties. She is a useful ally for one doing shadow work or work that necessitates communing with unseen forces. Dream life is activated and the intuition becomes sharpened. This essence is specifically indicated for repetitive dreams, sleepwalking or night terrors.

Uksuk is so wide-spread that you can probably find your own local native variety with a bit of searching--next time you come across her, ask for a leaf to carry with you. Her spirit is so strong that you will undoubtedly feel her presence as a watchful and wise elder grandmother protector.

Until next time, I wish you all health, safety and lots of love.