Anise

The sun is in Libra, ruled by Venus. Aesthetics, pleasure, and harmony are accentuated. However, Venus herself is square the moon, adding a little discord, making things harder than they need to be.

How does the moon affect you? The moon represents our peacefulness, our own inner harmony and alignment. When it is at odds with Venus, we feel out of place, we feel resistance to a natural sense of ease. We want things to flow but we just can’t let them. We can feel attuned to the wrong things, the wrong people, and the wrong scenarios.

Learning to calm the moon’s energy is crucial to achieving a sense of contentment – even when it doesn’t come easily. Because the moon affects us emotionally, physically and spiritually, we want to address all three aspects with one plant.

Anise seed comes in handy here.

The physical benefits of brewing an anise seed tea – or chewing on the seeds, or cooking with it – are many. They include helping fight insomnia (great during full moons), regulating women’s menstrual cycles, and easing stomach issues. Get some anise seed tea here.

The sweet licorice taste of anise appeals to our emotional centers, and ingesting anise tea or seeds after a meal can make us feel light and refreshed. Spiritually, keeping some anise in the bedroom protects against bad dreams, and provides a safe space for our psychic abilities to blossom.

The moon rules our physical cycles, our intuition, and our sense of safety. Anise seed, or star anise, provides support for all three.

Original drawing by Small Spells.