What are the trees and herbs sacred to the Moon in ancient Greece? The answer might surprise you! In today’s episode, we meet the three moon goddesses of the ancient Greek world — Selene, Artemis, and Hekate — and discuss the plants, stones, and other entities to invite into a Moon Garden in honor of ancient Greek lunar power.

Journey down, into the depths of the earth, to meet the plants of the Greek Underworld — the trees, flowers, herbs, and shrubs that ancient Greek mythology associates with the Realm of the Dead. Along the way, we meet the Underworld rivers and entrances to Hades; learn about the sacred kykeon of the Eleusinian Mysteries; discover a shocking truth about Persephone's connection with the seasons; and meet the botanical allies for navigating through death, grief, and the Unseen Realm.

The Poplar is a fast-growing, deciduous tree in the Willow family found near freshwater rivers and streams. Sacred to Hades, as well as to Herakles and his father, Zeus, in relation to the hero’s success in an Underworld trial, the Poplar is said to grow at the entrance to the Realm of the Dead. Not only tied to death, the Poplar is also connected to many stories of metamorphosis and freshwater, particularly the nymph Leuke and the grieving Heliades. With ghostly bark — whether white or black or both — this liminal tree indicates the location of life-giving waters, while also appearing burnt or parched. Able to survive both flood and drought, the Poplar reminds us to seek the Source: to reach deep to the flow of groundwater that nourishes the root of being.

The Nereids are nymphs of saltwater, steady as a current, yet changing like the tide. They are guardians of the sea — its surface waves and its underwater depths. Read my free guide below to discover how you can deepen your communion with the Nereids and invite them into your daily practices and ceremonies.