I'm blessed to live in a cottage on a tiny island on the west coast of Canada, surrounded by ocean, mountains, and forest. Over the seven summers I've called this magical place home, I've nurtured a Witch's herb garden that now spans an acre, and thus, our micro herb farm Folklore Farm was born.

Although I've been an astrologer for over thirty years and the richly layered symbolism of the Moon, planets, and stars was my first love, plant medicine is a natural fit with my practice. My first astrology teacher was both a clinical herbalist and a practicing astrologer, and she imparted her wisdom on me when I first set out on this path. Over the years, I've studied with a couple of wonderful plant medicine teachers, but much of what I've learned is through independent study, growing and getting to know the plants, and making my own tinctures and teas.

Perhaps the most valuable thing I've learned is that plant allies can bring beneficial support when someone is facing a significant transit to their birth chart. Plant medicine can also help us cope with the kinds of themes and feelings that often accompany stressful world transits.

What Is a Transit?
First, let's take a brief look at what a transit is. There are two kinds of transits: personal transits (to your own birth chart) and world transits (in the collective). You'll know when there's a world transit happening because everyone in the astrological and witchy communities will be talking about it on social media. But to pinpoint the dates when you'll be experiencing significant transits to your own birth chart, you can either use a transit app like Time Passages or book a consult with a reputable astrologer.

A transit is the interpretation of the movement of the planets within a specific time frame, when a planet or body forms an angular relationship with another planet or point, by sign and degree. A transit describes the archetypal energy that is activated either in our personal lives or in the collective.

Not All Transits Are Created Equal
Transits are happening in the world and in our birth charts and lives all the time. Some are barely a blip on the radar, and others are serious, intense, and potentially life-changing. Typically, if the planet making the transit is an outer planet (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto), we're going to feel it. When an outer planet transits a planet or important angle (e.g., the ascendant) in our birth chart, it can last for up to two years. With world transits, again, keep your eye on the outer planets to get an idea of the archetypal energy playing out on the world stage.

We also need to look at the relationship between the planets involved in a given transit. These relationships are called aspects.

There are soft aspects and hard aspects. Soft aspects include the trine, sextile, and some conjunctions. They tend to be easygoing, supportive, and constructive. On the other hand, hard aspects include the square, opposition, and some conjunctions, and they tend to be challenging and intense or bring an issue to light that needs resolution.

And finally, we need to look at the archetypal nature of each planet activated. Each planet brings its own field of symbolic resonance that blends with the energy of the other planet it encounters. Specific themes tend to show up when certain planets are activated. If we know the thematic tone that is likely to arise in a given time frame, we can source the best plant allies for our apothecary and have them on hand for when we need them. Most of the following herbs are typically taken as a tea or tincture. Some can also be burned or used in the bath as essential oils.

If one of the outer planets is transiting a planet or point in your birth chart or is coming up as part of a world transit, here are some of the themes that can arise, along with some helpful plant allies. The following guidelines usually align with the hard aspects (the square, opposition, and some conjunctions) rather than the soft aspects. And while some transits from the outer planets can also deliver gifts, it's during the difficult times that we often seek support

Although all the plant allies listed here are readily obtained in most natural foods stores as well as online, check with your healthcare provider to make sure that a particular herb is right for you, and note that this article does not take the place of medical advice from your doctor. Some herbs have contraindications and don't mix well with other medications. If you are depressed or suicidal, please seek help and see your doctor or healthcare provider.

Medicine for Saturn Times
If you have a Saturn transit on your horizon, be prepared for a reality check. The planet known as Lord Karma can bring depression, melancholy, and divine discontent in its wake. During a Saturn transit, it's not uncommon to feel bouts of loneliness, frustration, or overwhelm. You may feel between a rock and a hard place, up against limitations, blocks, or dead ends. You might feel run down or exhausted and be more susceptible to colds. Whatever the scenario, it's not unusual to feel disconnected, rejected, alone, fragile, withdrawn, overworked, or more serious than usual. Saturn's medicine teaches us the cause and effect of living in a body in a physical world. It embodies the way we have consciously or unconsciously structured our life.

Herbal support for Saturn times can include St. John's wort, which has been shown to be helpful with mild depression but does have potential serious side effects when used with other depression medications. See your doctor before taking St. John's wort.

Schisandra berries are an adaptogen that can help with the mental fatigue that can accompany a Saturn transit and may also help with increasing vitality. Ginseng, rhodiola, and maca may help boost energy and combat fatigue and brain fog. Lemon balm and damiana can be beneficial allies that act to gently uplift the mood during Saturn transits.

Medicine for Uranus Times
Uranus times are known for bringing the unexpected and can deliver sudden news, upheaval, and unforeseen change. Although the change that often accompanies Uranus transits can also bring breakthroughs and open new doors, it's sometimes associated with shock or crisis. During a hard Uranus transit, it's not unusual to experience stretches of nervous exhaustion, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. Uranus's medicine teaches us that change is necessary to keep growing.

Plant allies for Uranus transits include nervines, herbs that support the nervous system, promote relaxation, relieve anxiety, calm circular thinking and panic attacks, and take the edge off in acute situations. They can also be beneficial to take before bed if you're having trouble sleeping. Some helpful nervines include milky oats, passionflower, skullcap, and wood betony. Other allies that can help during high-stress Uranus transits are adaptogens, herbs and mushrooms that can help balance the body and help you cope with mental, emotional, and physical stress in the long term. They can be taken as a daily tonic in tea and include ashwagandha, holy basil, reishi, lion's mane, and cordyceps, among others. B12 and magnesium can also be beneficial for the nervous exhaustion that often goes along with Uranus transits.

Medicine for Neptune Times
During a Neptune transit, things may not be quite what they seem. These transits can bring confusion, disillusion, and projection (we may see someone or something for what we want to see, not necessarily what is). We can feel emotionally flooded and more sensitive than usual. We may yearn to escape the hard edges of reality. During Neptune transits, our perception can be temporarily distorted. We may lose focus, experience ennui or existential angst, or feel lost in a fog. Neptune's medicine teaches us about surrender, to connect with a transcendent sense of the sacred and bring more meaning into our lives. During Neptune transits, we may feel vulnerable and have the urge to retreat, rest, and gather our strength.

If you have a Neptune transit on its way, you can stock your personal apothecary with two different kinds of allies. On one hand there will be times when it feels appropriate to make space to surrender, let go, dream, and soften the edges. At other times, it will be important to focus, face reality, and clear the fog. For dreaming times and smoothing the rough edges, you might wish to explore the calming, sedative qualities of wild lettuce, chamomile, lavender, motherwort, and valerian root. Rose petal tea has a gentle, uplifting quality that can be helpful for soothing sadness. You can also steep rose petals in a bath. For times you need extra focus to cut through the fog, try peppermint, rosemary, guarana, gotu kola, or ginseng.

Medicine for Pluto Times
If you have a significant Pluto transit coming your way, be prepared for a meeting with the Shadow that can bring catharsis and profound transformation in its wake. Hard Pluto transits are sometimes accompanied by endings and grief. Whatever the specifics, Pluto times can be intense and may bring us into contact with extreme people and situations, drama, and power struggles.

Herbal support for grief that can arise during Pluto transits can include sustainably harvested ghost pipe, which may help us detach from overwhelming acute emotions. Motherwort can be a soothing balm that provides comfort, and holy basil can be beneficial for working through trauma and diffusing intensity.

Excerpted from Llewellyn's 2024 Magical Almanac.