It all started with a sleepless night and a search bar. You know the kind—when chamomile feels too predictable and green tea has let you down for the hundredth time. That’s when I stumbled upon mugwort tea, a name that sounds like something out of a Tolkien novel but is, in fact, a real herb with a deep, mystical past.
Honestly, I didn’t know whether to drink it or perform a ritual. Turns out, you can do both.
So here’s my mugwort tea journey—how I went from clueless to cautiously obsessed, with a few dream sequences and boiling mishaps in between.
🌿 What Even Is Mugwort?
Let’s rewind a bit. Before I invited mugwort into my teacup, I had to Google it about 47 times.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a perennial plant with jagged leaves, a strong scent, and a reputation bigger than most Netflix stars. It's been called the “dream herb,” the “mother of herbs,” and sometimes just “that weird plant witches use.” Charming, right?
Its uses span centuries and continents:
In Europe, it was believed to protect travelers and ward off evil.
In East Asia, especially Korea and China, mugwort is used in cuisine and medicine alike.
In North America, Native communities regard it as a sacred herb, often burned in smudging rituals.
And now… it’s in my kitchen.
🍵 The Day I Decided to Brew It
I found a packet of dried mugwort in a Korean grocery store. It was tucked away near some fermented radish and rice crackers, almost like it didn’t want to be found. The shopkeeper smiled when I picked it up—half curious, half like she knew something I didn’t.
“You’re gonna dream tonight,” she said cryptically. No further explanation. I was intrigued and mildly spooked.
🫖 My Mugwort Tea-Making Adventure Begins
Now, full disclosure: I’m not a tea sommelier. I’ve scorched green tea and brewed chai so strong it could double as paint thinner. So I approached mugwort like a cautious first date—excited, but ready to back away if things got weird.
Here’s the simple setup I used:
🔹 What You’ll Need
1 tsp dried mugwort leaves (less if you're a beginner)
1½ cups filtered water
Saucepan or electric kettle
Tea strainer, mesh sieve, or infuser
Optional: honey, lemon, or lavender for taste
No fancy teaware. Just me, a saucepan, and a strong desire to feel like a forest witch.
🔥 Brewing Mugwort Tea (The Pajama-Friendly Way)
If I can do it while half-asleep, so can you.
Step-by-step:
1. Boil the Water
Bring your water to a gentle boil. Not roaring, just hot enough to get the herbs to dance.
2. Add Mugwort (and Turn Off the Heat)
Once boiling, remove the pan from the flame and toss in your mugwort leaves. Trust me on this—boiling mugwort directly can make it bitter enough to summon your ancestors in protest.
3. Cover and Steep
Let it sit for 5–7 minutes, covered. You want the mugwort to infuse slowly, like a sleepy conversation. Anything more than 10 minutes and it starts tasting like forest floor. (I say this with love.)
4. Strain and Serve
Strain the tea into your favorite mug. Add honey or lemon if you’re new to the mugwort party—it has a strong, earthy flavor.
5. Sip Slowly
This isn’t a chugging tea. It’s a lean-back-and-reflect tea. Maybe even journal afterward, if you’re feeling whimsical.
🧠 The Dreamy Bit: Mugwort and Lucid Dreaming
Now to the part that intrigued me the most.
Mugwort has long been associated with dream enhancement and clarity. People use it to remember dreams, encourage lucid dreaming, and even have spiritual visions. Ancient Greeks burned it near beds. Native Americans used it for dreamwork. And I… well, I just hoped it would help me sleep through the night.
So, what happened?
I’ll be honest: I didn’t time travel or speak to my ancestors. But I did have the most vivid dreams I’d had in months—colorful, detailed, and oddly comforting. Was it placebo? Was it mugwort? Who knows. But it felt... sacred. Like my subconscious got a gentle nudge to wake up and tell its stories.
🥴 The Taste Test: Like Tea From a Storybook Forest
Alright, let’s address the mugwort in the room—it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
Here's what it tasted like to me:
Earthy (like walking through a damp forest trail)
Slightly bitter
Aromatic, with hints of mint and sage
Imagine if green tea and chamomile had a cousin who smoked a pipe and read tarot cards. That’s mugwort.
Pro tips:
Add a slice of lemon for brightness
Blend with lavender or spearmint to mellow the bitterness
Sweeten with raw honey if you're new to herbal infusions
🧘♀️ The Cultural Deep Dive: Mugwort Across the Globe
Once I started sipping, I couldn’t stop researching. Mugwort is one of those herbs that shows up everywhere, like coriander in Indian kitchens or garlic in Italian ones.
🔮 A few fascinating uses:
China: In moxibustion, mugwort is rolled into sticks and burned over acupuncture points to stimulate energy flow.
Korea: Known as ssuk, it’s added to rice cakes (ssuktteok) and soups for health and flavor.
Japan: Mugwort-infused baths are popular in traditional onsens for their supposed anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties.
Europe: It was believed to offer protection against evil spirits, especially during travel. Roman soldiers supposedly put it in their sandals to ward off fatigue.
Every cup of mugwort feels like drinking from a shared cultural memory. Ancient and wild. I loved that.
🧩 The Odd Moments and Learning Curves
Let me tell you, mugwort is not subtle.
The first time I brewed it, I left the leaves steeping for too long. It tasted like liquid bark. I tried again with a shorter steep and a bit of lavender—so much better.
Then came the dreams. One night, I dreamt of floating down a river in a wooden boat shaped like a cat. I’m not saying mugwort caused that, but I’m also not saying it didn’t.
Oh, and I learned this the hard way: never drink it before a work Zoom call. It's deeply relaxing. I nearly replied to a client email with “Peace and love from the dream realm.”
⚠️ Important: Is Mugwort Safe for Everyone?
Here’s the serious bit—mugwort is powerful, and not for everyone.
Don’t consume mugwort if:
You’re pregnant or nursing (it can stimulate the uterus)
You have allergies to ragweed, daisies, or similar plants
You’re on medication that interacts with herbs
You’ve had seizures or epilepsy (check with your doctor)
Always start small. Think of it like an intense yoga pose—you don’t start with a headstand. Ease into it, see how your body reacts, and listen to what it tells you.
💡 Final Mugwort Tips from a Tea Newbie-Turned-Fan
Start with half a teaspoon if you’re unsure.
Don’t expect miracles—approach it as a gentle ritual.
Mix it with other herbs like passionflower, lemon balm, or peppermint.
Use it during journaling, meditation, or moon rituals (if you're into that kind of vibe).
Make it a weekend tea—not something for hectic work mornings.
🍃 Will I Keep Drinking Mugwort Tea?
Yes. Not every day, but definitely on the nights when I want something more than just a warm drink. When I want intention, slowness, and maybe a whisper from a past life. Or at the very least, a weird dream about a boat-cat.
Drinking mugwort tea makes me feel like I’m part of something older and wilder than myself. It’s herbal, it’s historical, it’s a little weird—and honestly, it’s perfect for my inner forest witch.
🌙 Final Sip Thoughts
In a world where everything moves fast—where teas come in neon-colored cans and claim to give you abs in 10 days—mugwort tea is refreshingly unbothered. It’s not trying to sell you a lifestyle. It’s just here, doing what it’s done for centuries: calming minds, supporting dreams, and making you feel just a little bit magical.
So if you’re ready to step into the ancient, sip something bold, and maybe meet your subconscious halfway—brew a cup. Trust me, it’s a journey worth steeping in.
And if you have your own mugwort stories or dreamy adventures, leave a comment below. I’m all ears. 🫶
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