Angelica archangelica
Do you know the story behind Angelica archangelica’s latin name? Legend has it, a European monk received a vision of Archangel Michael during the Black Plague. The angel shared that the root of this plant would help them battle the pandemic.
Quickly word spread of Angelica’s effectiveness, and people— peasants to wealthy alike— flocked to the countryside to harvest it. If someone chewed on the root throughout the day, they reportedly did not catch the plague.
Though for centuries before, Angelica has been honored for food & medicine— especially in the Nordic isles, where this plant is thought to have survived the last Ice Age. Vikings traded the root as currency; it was an old law that digging up your neighbor’s Angelica was a punishable crime. Revered by the indigenous Sami people as a healing & visioning ally, they even created flutes, called Fadnos, out of Angelica’s hollow stalks.
Indeed this hollow stalk is a primary signature of Angelica, who strongly roots down then shoots up a hearty, hollow stalk that blooms into an antennae-like flower. Energetically, she shows us: when we deeply ground into our bodies & the Earth, we may open our crowns to insights and messages from beyond. Through embodiment, we come to trust in the unknown; and through this trust, we are graced with synchronicities that guide us in life’s unfolding. (You can find Angelica essence in my Spirit Speak vibrational remedy.)
On a physical level, Angelica is incredibly potent. A touch of the fresh root on the tongue leaves it tingling— a signature of how this warming, circulatory stimulant wakes our bodies up. Angelica enlivens all numbness with her aromatic oils, which are antifungal, and antibacterial. I love to use Angelica herbal oil to reclaim any part of my body that may have lost sensation due to trauma, whether that be in this life or a past one. In Chinese medicine, "ghosts" are thought to be past hurts and traumas that we hold in our bodies, which especially tend store in the womb or solar plexus areas. Angelica is an incredible ally for releasing these "ghosts", helping us to reclaim our bodies and strengthen our energetic boundaries. It is a key plant in my I Weave My Web Oil, which speaks more to this.
Also diaphoretic & expectorant, Angelica can help us combat sickness and expel fluids from the lungs, making this plant a key ally during this Pandemic.
An infusion or decoction of Angelica can be strong for many, so I love to recommend this medicine as a syrup. Here's an image card with the recipe. I personally prefer to make this syrup with turbinado sugar to maintain most of Angelica's delicious flavor, though I know for sugar-sensitive folks that's not always possible. Even with maple syrup or honey, this syrup is warming and medicinal. I love to add it to chia pudding, tea, oatmeal, or enjoy it by the spoonful.
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