Herbalists have used astrology to characterize plants since at least the 1600s. Nicholas Culpeper, famed English herbalist, wrote a book on the subject called Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the Sick (1655). Plants can be related to astrological signs and planets based on their morphology (how they look), growth habits or preferred environments, energetics, the organs they target, etc. Those astrological relationships can be used to connect people with the plants that will best support their health. If you want to learn more about combining herbalism and astrology, I highly recommend the Botanical Constellations course offered by The School of Evolutionary Herbalism. (I am not affiliated with the school, but I have taken 2 of their courses, including Botanical Constellations, and they are amazing.)

One of the most effective ways to match plants and people is by looking at the energetics of the plant and the constitution of the person. Plants can have energetics that are sympathetic to the constitutional energetics of a particular sign. For example, Aries constitutional energetics tend to be hot and dry. A plant with hot/dry energetics, along with certain morphological traits, may be sympathetic to an Aries constitution. Sympathetic plants increase and support those energetic qualities.

Likewise, plants can have antipathetic, or opposite, energetics. For Aries, antipathetic energetics would be cold and moist. Plants with antipathetic energetics can be used to reduce an excess of that energetic in the person, thereby bringing balance and health.

In astrology, we see that signs in opposition to each other (directly across from each other on the astrological chart) are like two sides of a coin. The signs can be paired and considered in tandem to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and energetics of each sign. Taking Aries as an example again, we see that Libra is its opposite on the chart, and its opposite energetically.

Speaking of opposites, what could be more opposite than the sun and the moon? The sun’s energetics are hot and dry while the moon’s energetics are cool and moist. The sun is light, the moon is dark. The sun is yang, and the moon is yin.

I have used these phenomena of opposites, along with plant energetics and morphology, and local availability of the plants, to assign specific plants to each sign’s sun and moon. For each sign, a sympathetic plant was chosen for the sun sign and an antipathetic plant was chosen for the moon sign. Within each pair of opposite signs, the plant assigned to one sign’s sun is also the plant of its opposite sign’s moon. Taking again the Aries/Libra pair as an example, the plant for sun in Aries is the same as the plant for moon in Libra, and vice versa. This means that if your sun is in Aries and your moon is in Libra (or sun in Libra, moon in Aries) your custom oil will be made with an infusion from a single plant.

The three pieces of information you need to have an oil custom made for you are your sun, moon, and rising sign. Most people know their sun sign, which is determined by the month and day of your birth. Your sun sign represents you at your core, your ego. It is the deeper part of you that is usually only seen by those who know you well. Your moon sign represents your emotional nature, your subconscious. Your rising sign is what you put out into the world, and it is how most people will experience you. If you don’t know your moon and rising signs, you can go to the Café Astrology website and use their free natal chart tool. You will need your date, location, and time of birth. If you don’t know the time, you can estimate it. (I am not affiliated with Café Astrology in any way, I just really like their website!)

Your sun and moon sign will each be represented by a plant-infused oil that matches the energetic and morphological qualities of your sign and has skincare benefits. Your rising sign, the part of you that is most out there in the world, is represented by an essential oil. A unique essential oil was selected for each of the 12 signs. All are safe to use on skin and have known skincare benefits. And they smell great! I use a low concentration of essential oil in your custom blend (around 1%) so the scent should never be overpowering, nor should there be any skin irritation.

I am offering these custom-blended oils for a limited time only. Pre-order begins November 27, 2023 and runs through December 11, 2023, or until supplies last. There are only 40 available, so don’t wait! These oils would make a wonderful gift for any skincare or astrology enthusiast. Here’s a peek at the lovely oils I’ve prepared just for you: