The Herbal Tarot – 3 The Empress – Dong Quai

The Herbal Tarot – 3 The Empress – Dong Quai

The Herbal Tarot Booklet:

Dong Quai (Angelica sinensise)

Dong quai is the supreme tonic for women, and is called female ginseng. It is an emmenagogue and a tonic for blood and hormones. It regulates the menses, relieves cramping, and aid fertility. (Venus)

Symbolically used for: Emotional and physical coldness. Lack of warmth and compassion for others. Poor circulation. Lack of fertility.

Divinatory Meaning: Mother nature. A person pregnant with ideas. New life and possibilities. Abundance and fruitfulness.

Reverse Meanings: Inability to concentrate. Flightiness.

The Empress

A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray

“The Empress is the Earth mother, here seated in a blooming garden (in the Herbal Tarot a forest)…behind her is seen the stream of consciousness flowing between cypress trees, sacred to Venus.

She wears a crown of twelve stars, each with six points, denoting dominion of the macrocosm, as does her scepter surmounted by a globe.

The High Priestess symbolizes the virgin state of the cosmic subconscious, but the Empress typifies the productive, generative activities in the subconscious after it has been impregnated by seed ideas from the self-conscious. The subconscious has control over all the steps of the development in the material world; therefore the Empress represents the multiplicator of images.

She is the Goddess of Love, Venus, the symbol of universal fecundity. As the High Priestess is Isis veiled, the Empress is Isis unveiled."

The Encyclopedia of 500 Spells:

Fertility Dream Incubation Spell (2) Tarot Cards

Place the following cards under your pillow:

• The Empress
• The Sun
• The Ace of Cups

"Sometimes the conventional information available regarding your situation isn't sufficient. You need a dream to divine exactly what's going on or to plan your solutions. To incubate a fertility dream remove the (previous cards) from a brand new deck. Place them under your pillow and wish for a dream before going to sleep. 

Repeat, using the same cards (you don't need new decks), until you've received the dream required, or until the issue is resolved."

Dong quai

The pictured Dong Quai roots are offered through Charm City Conjure on Etsy. They provide the following description:

"Queen of all herbs, angelica is said to enhance feminine strength and power. It is also used by many people for protection, divination, healing, peace and invoking the angels. The root has a small hole so it can be worn as a protective amulet, used as a pendulum, added to a female power conjure bag, or worked on an altar."

Also read:

"Angelica Root (also known as Holy Ghost Root, Archangel Root, and Dong Quai) is widely thought to be a powerful Guardian and Healer, and to provide Strength to Women. We believe that Angelica Root is used by many people for the purpose of Warding Off Evil and bringing Good Luck in Health and Family Matters.

Some folks tell us that they place the root in a white flannel bag, anoint it with Blessing Oil and keep it near the Baby for protection. Others use it in a ritual magic spell called the Fiery Wall of Protection. It is also widely claimed that dressing a whole Angelica Root and a pinch of Lavender Flowers with Peaceful Home Oil and carrying them in a blue flannel bag will bring Peace to the Home and Faithfulness to the Marriage.

In America, Angelica root is commonly found in African-American mojo bags prepared for protection from evil, for uncrossing, and to break a jinx. In powdered form, it is an ingredient in sachet powders used for healing and blessing. It may also be dusted on magic candles used for protection and prayer in matters of spiritual peace and blessing.

In Mexico, when an adolescent girl has suffered a bout of susto (a form of supernatural fright), she may be given a white flannel bag containing an Angelica Root and a small print of Saint Michael Archangel to carry for protection.

There are actually seven Archangels in the Jewish belief, four of whose names are mentioned in scripture. Two of them are symbolically connected to this root. Archangel Michael, the eldest, is used with Angelica Root as a defender of women. Archangel Gabriel is concerned with the announcements of pregnancy, is allied with this root in its role as an herbal tonic for women's reproductive health.

Many more spells utilizing Angelica Root and its close relative, Master Root, can be found in the book Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic."