Learn about the wondrous dreaming herbs we use to master the art of Lucid Dreaming & how visionary herbs help to thin the veil between the conscious & unconscious to support inner adventure...
We've been huge fans of these wondrous dream herbs that mother nature has created for us, and we're feeling like it's about time to share a bit of our stoke about them! As you know, we’re herbalists at heart. In fact, Naomi Nash, our amazing co-founder & visionary, is an Australian accredited naturopath & herbalist AND a seeker of spiritual awakening and altered states of consciousness. She brings the best of her experience & expertise from both worlds to support your journey with herbs as old as the earth. As we see them, these are Ancient Herbs Used In A Modern Way.
Our chosen herbs are multifunctional & multidimensional.
What’s vibing in the collective consciousness is to utilize herbs for dreaming, for visions, and for elevation to access and bridge higher frequencies here on earth. These plants are great ways to thin the veil between the conscious and unconscious and are wise guides for supporting the inner adventure. This is a major part of what we love about the multifaceted world of herbs!
We will throw to our creatress, Naomi, to explain the how & why:
The plants that I work with have a number of actions, but today I want to discuss the aspects of these plants as it relates to dreams and dreaming. It’s a hot topic in California at the moment. To explain this better, I want to first speak briefly to what lucid dreaming is, and why it’s an important technique to master.
The subconscious mind is a mysterious and powerful place that has a considerable effect on our waking lives. As we bring our awareness to the topic of dreams and align ourselves to working with them, the power of intention is more powerful than you think. While lucid dreaming can be a complex conversation; it’s simply an access point to the subconscious mind, to bring about change, growth & evolution to your waking life.
Did you know that the subconscious mind has 95% control over our lives, and thus our conscious mind is only involved in 5% of our actions and decisions. When it comes to our evolution, we like to focus on bridging those worlds - and the dreamworld is an amazing space for doing that work. We believe that we can live in a more awakened state by accessing the work your subconscious has done while sleeping. Here are some tips for doing so!
How to Access Your Subconscious Mind
STATE: Saying out loud as you put your head on your pillow "I remember my dreams", or "I'm remembering my dreams'' and saying the same thing in the morning to yourself, and or out loud as you wake, while you're still in that liminal space in bed. Trusting that just asking and being open to what may arise. Doing this as a discipline you may find that over time you will begin to just start recalling your dreams more frequently. This is without the use of any plants.
ANCHOR: You can also say the same words "I remember my dreams”' or “I'm remembering my dreams", as you take a small sip of water from your bedside table. This is called creating a physical anchor in the NLP discipline. The physical anchor being to take a small sip of water. You create the anchor by doing the said thing while repeating your instruction to your subconscious.. So, you would also repeat the words and sip the water on waking. Then just be open and wait.
REPETITION: The key with both of these dream recall techniques is repetition. You're basically talking and giving your subconscious an instruction. Try it for a couple of weeks as a minimum and test it out and see what you discover. I've found it quite profound in the work I've done with my dreams over the years.
ADD HERBS: The next layer you could either pair with the above practice, or just do on its own for your inner exploration and dream journeying desires is to try some of the amazing plants that are available to us that can really support our dream recall, dream vividness and lucidity, and even dream divining.
What Are Dreaming Herbs For Lucid Dreaming? My chosen dreaming herbs are as follows:
Calea - Calea zacatechichi
Our Blend Lucid Dream also features Calea.
Native to Mexico and Central America. This plant has traditionally been drunk as a tea, and inhaled as an incense before bed to enhance lucid dreaming. Doing both before bed will usually create the best results. It's been used traditionally for dream divination also so if you have a dream work practice this plant is certainly worth including in your practice in some way.
PRO TIP: What I've found with this plant is that it's a little temperamental, sometimes it works, and sometimes it has no effect. So, trying this over a period of time and not giving up after the first try is key. Let me just say that when it works wow I have had some very realistic dreams.
TASTE: Just know the taste is VERY bitter so honey will be your friend, and don't expect it to be delicious!
Mugwort - Artemisia vulgaris
Our Blend "Lucid Dream" also features Mugwort.
This plant of protection and dreaming is helpful with dream recall and enhancing the vividness and colorfulness of one's dreams. Working with this plant also offers support with your digestion, circulation, menstrual discomfort, and chill vibes with the cherry on top of dream enhancement.
PRO TIP: Try some mugwort under the pillow. The scent of this plant can have a powerful effect on your dream state. This dream plant is also VERY bitter so sweeten as needed, and don't expect it to be delicious. Also, inhaling this plant as an incense may also have enhancing properties for your dreaming and offer a dreamy relaxing vibe.
CAUTION: Please be aware that this plant is not to be ingested by pregnant people, or anyone wanting to conceive.
Guayusa - Ilex guayusa
Guayusa derives from a beautiful Ecuadorian tree from the Amazon and is related to the well known energy plant Yerba Matè. As such it also contains a form of caffeine and therefore provides a good focused energy. This plant is well known for and traditionally used for its ability in enhancing dreams, the recalling of them, as well as the occurrence of lucid dreaming.
Of all the other dream herbs this is the only one that is also a stimulant, and what's also special about this plant is its potentially the only caffeinated plant that has a naturally smooth and subtly sweet flavor unlike the tannic and astringent feel all other caffeinated plants are known to have (such as coffee, green tea, black tea, guarana, yerba mate, kola nut, cacao).Traditionally, this plant is revered for its ability to enhance dreams and inspire the remembering of them. Some tribes in the Amazon are said to take this herb each morning to discuss their dreams and potential interpretations of them, while gathered around a fire.
PRO TIP: For those less affected by consuming caffeine late at night drinking a cup of this tea before bed can stimulate the dream realm.
CAUTION: For those sensitive to caffeine I would not suggest drinking this herbal tea before bed. This plant is particularly high in caffeine (second to coffee out of all the caffeinated plants) so if you are sensitive I would stick with the other dream herbs to play with, or only drink this one in the mornings.
NOTE: Drinking this plant in the morning can also have effects on your dream space that night.
Damiana -Turnera diffusa
Native to southern Texas, Mexico, and central America. This plant is one of our favorite sensual, sexy herbs, however Damiana can have subtle effects on dream recall and has been known to help bring back peoples dreams that may have disappeared over time from the long term use of cannabis, and may increase the probability of feeling good dreams or even an erotic dream.
Blue Lotus - Nymphaea caerulea
Nymph Capsules (100x Blue Lotus Extract)
Blue lotus is one of our favorite herbs at Twisted Thistle. The one that grows in mud and water. Often shared as being a plant that can connect us to the underworld and subconscious or open up the door between these worlds. Highly revered by the Egyptians, this plant that grows in the murky waters can help us enter the liminal realms, navigate the subconscious, and can activate and enhance our dreaming.
The Lotus has the magic of really helping give us what we need, and take us where we need to go. So with that, many people find that this plant can appear as a number of different experiences which keeps things interesting. However, in general, it tends to be relaxing, meditative, elating, sensual, exciting to the libido, with gentle intoxication and dreamy effects. This can be a great herb to work with if you're doing dream work, or have a meditation practice.
PRO TIP: If you're curious consider trying White Lotus and Red Lotus. We suggest quieting yourself to feel into the subtle differences that the different lotus's can offer in the meditation and dream spaces.
+ Also featured in Lotus Love, and Lucid Dream
BLEND IT
We also have some incredible dream tincture blends that we call on to access our dreaming state. Our favorites are:
Lucid Dream | Enhance Dream Realm
This is a beautiful & playful in-house blend of lotus’ that opens the heart with a blissful mood lift. Ideal for enhancing dream vividness & dream recall; it even allows you to become lucid within the dream realm. We take this blend before bed to invoke dreamy vibes & to enhance our dream practice.
The Blend: Calea, Mugwort, Red Lotus, White Lotus, Blue Lotus, Lotus Stamen.
Lotus Love | Vivid Dreams
We are lovers of all forms of Lotus. Due to plants' watery growing environment, many report experiencing a softening and sensitizing sensuality, enhancing dream vividness and dream recall, and a greater ease in dropping into deep meditative states. We reach for it as a tea in the evening to enhance your dreams as you sleep.
The Blend: Red Lotus, White Lotus, Blue Lotus, Lotus Stamen.
Cosmik Wink | Tranquility Elixir
We love this light-hearted formulation as it’s enriched with soothing botanicals such as sacred Blue Lotus flowers, and delicate Jasmine blossoms to nourish an exhausted nervous system—leaving a feeling of deep tranquility and universal connection.
The Blend: *Jasmine Blossoms, *Lemongrass, *Milky Oats Tops, *Passionflower, *Coconut, *Blue Lotus Flowers, *Butterfly Pea Flower, *Ginger Root, *Tremella Mushrooms, *Vanilla Bean Extract. Extracted in artisanal well cane spirits & *vegetable glycerin. (* = organic)
Mystic Tincture | Third Eye Tonic
We reach for this tonic to awake our Third Eye. It’s an effective way, as well as a gentle way, to purify the Pineal Gland and ready it for expansion & metaphysical connection.
The Blend: *Rosemary, *Peppermint, *Lemonbalm, *Blue Lotus, *Mugwort, *Holy Basil, *Red Reishi Mushroom, *Ashwagandha, Gotu Kola, *Calamus Root. (* = organic)
Dream your dream,
The Twisted Thistle Team