Botanical Oracle: Juniper, Juniperus communis

Botanical Oracle: Juniper, Juniperus communis

Juniper and juniper berries were one of the first plants I ever worked with as an herbalist. Juniper essential oil is also a great part of the plant to work with, and I’ve used it in many of my blends.

A lot of people may think of gin when they think of juniper, but the berries from this tree also has a deep-rooted history as far back as the Roman Empire (and probably even further back than that). They are also used in cooking, medicine, and in some cases, flavoring.

Juniper is a wonderful plant, and in essential oil format, it works for pain and upper respiratory issues. It has a sharp, woody smell with a touch of that medicinal scent.  Working as a wonderful anti-inflammatory, we even use juniper essential oil as a prominent ingredient in our pain cream, Kalo-Prophen.

Hedgewitch Botanical Oracle card deck by Siolo Thompson

In their Botanical Oracle card deck, Siolo Thompson pairs the word invigorate to the juniper plant. Juniper berries certainly do invigorate things. They invigorate people, especially through the libations. Medically, they invigorate the mucous membranes, supporting sinusitis and other upper respiratory infections. Juniper also invigorates our musculoskeletal system and blood flow, which is why it is great in supporting pain relief. 

The irony of this card for me was when I chose this card a few days ago, I was looking at my formulation calendar, which tells me when it’s time to make new batches of my products, Kalo-Prophen was on queue to be made. Maybe just a silly coincidence, but all the same, it made me pay more attention.

What does the word invigorate mean to me? To be honest, I'm not sure. I feel like certain acts are invigorating; a long swim, a hike in the woods, running in a marathon. Those are invigorating.

woman meditating by lake surrounded by nature

What is spiritually invigorating? Perhaps for me it's finishing a project or thinking about a new one to stimulate my brain that is invigorating. But I also like to look at the plants from a spiritual aspect or a mental aspect, and I'm trying to figure out where invigorate comes in.

How can I invigorate my spiritual practices? Perhaps simply by doing them more. Be grateful for the act of being able to practice spiritual acts. Perhaps meditating every day to get answers could be invigorating for me. Perhaps meeting an old friend for coffee and hearing about their life is invigorating.

The deeper I get into the words of this Botanical Oracle deck, the more interesting it becomes for me. If you are interested in getting one for yourself, check it out here, then share below what helps to invigorate you mentally, physically, and spiritually.

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