Plant psychopomps: herbs to survive the underworld

by Amanda Cain

Editor’s note: This post is taken from Amanda’s larger final project of creating and decorating a battle jacket with miniature embroideries. Though they are tiny, each individual embroidery is estimated to take 40 hours.

Hearing stories about Persephone and Hades, Orpheus and Eurydice, and more since childhood, we know that in the underworld, we transform, or we die. To make it through the underworld, one needs guidance, a psychopomp, a spirit being to guide the journey. Hermes can tell you the back way to get into Hades; ravens will carry your message to the spirit world; and tobacco will lift your prayers to the heavens.

Often understood within the larger context of birth, death, and rebirth in the spirit world, this cycle can be witnessed—and applied—in all of the rites of passages in life, in the smaller deaths and rebirths we experience, which can include so many things: a move, change of job, the end of a relationship, etc. While we often honor transition periods such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings (which are typically public and loud), we tend to shy away from the deeper, more personal transitional periods like first menses and puberty to menopause and end-of-life. We also often completely ignore the natural cycles, the dieback of autumn, the coldness of winter, the rebirth in spring, and the sun in summer. The un-acknowledging of the rites of passages throughout our lives can leave us feeling like we are in a perpetual state of separation and liminality and not able to reincorporate back into our own lives. We can feel lost, stagnant, unable to transition back into society. 

We are always moving—always in the process of balancing—and similarly our life force should also always be moving and flowing. Change and fear can act as a wind, pushing us to become unbalanced. Working with plants can help to honor and acknowledge this shift, preventing us from becoming stuck and stagnant. We can maintain a sense of equilibrium by practicing acceptance of change, and can use herbs to help us maintain that balance when these changes become too much to handle.

As introduced by Arnold Van Gennep in The Rites of Passages (1960), the three stages of the rites of passage are: 

• separation: the realization you no longer belong in your previous life; 

• transition: liminality, crossroads; decisions need to be made; and 

• incorporation: reincorporating back into community and into the world, but now as a changed being.

Each round of phases, a cycle, typically encompasses a sense of having to go at something alone, become a different person, and then incorporating oneself back into one's community as a new person. Plants can act as guides in each stage of transition. In addition to using these herbs in ways that are familiar, such as tinctures and teas, a few specific rituals for each of these phases/plants are included.

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Separation

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)

As a border plant, hawthorn helps to show a boundary that may need crossing. Telltale thorns show an open but protected heart. The berries are slightly sweet and sour, a mild and warming cardiotonic that strengthens, tones, improves circulation, and can help remove blockages of the heart. Similar herbs include Rosa multiflora, Rubus spp., Berberis spp., and other brambles and hedgerow plants

Ritual: Recognize the threshhold and cross the hedge; the practice of stepping over the border line and into the underworld or otherworld.

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Transition

Mullein (Verbascum spp.)

Mullein helps to light the way, illuminating what needs to be worked on in order to clear the path and push forward. Mullein assists with stagnancy, pooling, and trapped water in the body, providing a cooling, moistening, upward energy. It helps to loosen things up, allowing for a steady flow. 

Ritual: One can use mullein (gromnica) candles to provide a guiding light. They represent illumination, hope, and renewal of life.

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California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

California poppy can help us to move on, to not dwell; to focus and tame the fire, especially in cases where the build-up of fire leads to no pay-off. A cooling nervine, California poppy helps us to clear heat, irritability, anger, and stuck energy. 

Ritual: Massage using oil infused with California poppy. It can help to bring embodiment, relaxation, and a clear mind to aid in the decision making process.

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Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Black pepper helps to inspire movement and action, to spark life. Not a gentle nudge, it offers a push into action. Pepper can help with stagnant, cold conditions, including depressive states. Pungent, spicy, hot, and dispersive, it enhances the absorption of herbal constituents, foods and nutrients, as well as flavor.

Ritual: Black pepper tea and planning. It can offer slight kick in the pants to get someone to get going and start dreaming of the future. 

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Incorporation

Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)

Ghost pipe can help to bring you back, to help you cope, and to reconnect with nature, providing support from the other side. It is grounding in the body, yet expanding of the mind.

Ritual: Go for a walk in a wood-covered area and sit with the plant. One can also use very low-dose tincture or flower essence made with thoughtfulness, respect, and care. 

A word of caution: Only use ghost pipe under professional guidance from an herbalist and with great care; the plant is endangered, deserving of protection, and also quite powerful. 

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Linden (Tilia spp.)

A connection to our ancestors, linden provides emotional support for re-entry and for reconnecting to society. Moistening and cooling, it can help us reintegrate into our community, and to come home.

Ritual: Tucking notes into or creating shrines/altars in natural tree holes. 

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The battle jacket

The idea of a battle jacket comes from World War II where pilots wore bomber jackets with patches

of their plane nickname or other “souvenirs” of the war. These jackets were then brought to biker

clubs/gangs after the war, incorporating their group’s name along with patches and pins of various themes that signified their allegiances or likes, including bands. The punk and metal scenes in the 1970s took this idea and those who identified as such created jackets and vests, as well as pants and other articles of clothing, decorating them with patches of bands they had seen and political statements. The term “battle jacket” became synonymous with this type of clothing in the 1980s in the metal scene. 

A battle jacket, to me, is a protective piece of clothing. You can add things to the jacket such as

specific stitches, patches, artwork, pins, etc. to let yourself feel protection from the outside world.

When you wear something like it you know who you are, and others immediately know too.

References/Resources:

Van Gennep, Arnold. The Rites of Passage. Chicago: Chicago Press, 1960.

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An ArborVitae alum, Amanda Cain is a clinical herbalist and fiber artist. You can connect with her at www.verdantpathny.com and on Instagram @verdant_path.