Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a Scorpio

Today’s Full Moon in Scorpio, with the accompanying partial eclipse, is an opportune time to discuss taboo topics. Scorpio naturally rules secrets and taboos, and the symbolism of the eclipse “hiding the light of the Moon” only underscores the theme of hidden topics.  In this blog post, there will be discussion of genitals, urine, and other unsavory themes which are, nonetheless, important for health. If details about the colors and textures of bodily secretions bother you, go ahead and skip this article!

Today I will focus on the plant commonly called Horsetail.

Materia Medica Data

Latin Name: Equisetum arvense

Other Names: Horsetail, Bottle Brush, Shavegrass

Plant parts used: dried stem

Energetics: Cooling, both moistening and drying, tonifying

Herbalistic Properties: nutritive, vulnerary, astringent, diuretic, antispasmotic, galactagogue, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, antimicrobial, antifungal

Incomplete list of ailments traditionally treated: benign prostate hypertrophy, prostatitis, incontinence, wounds slow to heal, bedwetting, swollen lymph glands, infected wounds, hemorrhage, excess menstruation, internal bleeding, weak hair, skin / hair / nails growth, hair loss, nose bleeds, prevent kidney infections, aging skin, spastic bladder, sprains, broken bones, blood in urine, stretch marks, nightmares, rheumatism, bruises

Astrological Rulership

Culpepper gave it to Saturn, I’m guessing because of its excellent support for the skin, bones, and connective tissues in the body.  In addition Horsetail thrives in soil that is of poor quality, where other plants struggle; this is a very Saturnian feature. I don’t think Culpepper would have had a way of knowing this, but Horsetail is a very ancient plant, dating all the way back to dinosaur times. How fitting that Saturn, ruler of old age, rules this ancient plant.

In addition to Saturn, I feel strongly that Horsetail is also a very Scorpio-influenced plant. It tends to grow in bogs and swamps, and it has a strong affinity for the genitals. The Scorpio association is my own opinion; I haven’t seen other astrologers make this connection.

Astute readers may perk up reading this, and say, “Wait a minute, Saturn and Scorpio don’t have much in common. How could one herb be ruled by differing astrological signatures?”  Well, the astrological rulerships of plants are meant to be heuristic. They point us towards general principles to help us remember them in practice. There is a lot of conflicting information (and I do mean a LOT!) in the field of medical astrology. Giving Horsetail to both Saturn and Scorpio would hardly be the first association that makes things a bit confusing. 

But here’s the thing— herbs often have actions that also seem contradictory! Herbs are complex, and they have complex relationships with the human body. Having a contradictory astro-rulership helps us remember what’s going on. To name one example of a complexity to bear in mind: Horsetail is an excellent diuretic (meaning it increases your urine output). So you would think that it would dry you out, since you are releasing more water, but that is not the case. Horsetail also contains silica and mucilage, which are moistening. So Horsetail coats the inside of the digestive tract with the soft, slimy, moistening constituents to help you retain the tissue moisture you need, while also tonifying and stimulating the urinary system, to help you squeeze excess water from places where it may have pooled.  So Horsetail is BOTH drying AND moistening.

Side note: with the name “horsetail,” you would think that maybe the plant would be ruled by Sagittarius the centaur! But no, unfortunately, the heuristics don’t go that far. Horsetail is actually toxic to horses! (Thankfully, it is not toxic to most Sagittarius humans!)

How to work with Horsetail

Cautions

One symbolism that both Saturn and Scorpio share, is an element of caution.  Generally, all the herbs I share on my blog are quite safe, and while that is true for Horsetail, you do have to bear a few extra things in mind, to be sure you are taking it safely. 

First, horsetail is extremely high in minerals. It is 10% silica by weight!  It also contains high doses of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, and potassium. This is a good thing, of course, but you do have to be careful. High doses of minerals all at once can stress out the kidneys, and for some people it can lead to developing stones.  Ironically, horsetail can help prevent kidney stones as well, as long as you don’t take too much at once. (This is another complexity of this herb.)  The bottom line is, take lower doses of horsetail than you would other herbs. (“The dose makes the poison,” as they say.) 

There is the possibility that Horsetail may deplete Vitamin B1. If you are concerned about this, simply combine it with a B-containing herb (for example, Dandelion, Sumac, or Burdock), or take it with a B-complex supplement.

And the final caution is medical contraindications:  Avoid internal consumption of Horsetail if you are taking ace inhibitors or prescription diuretics, or if you have congestive heart failure, or if you have a kidney stone already active. As I mentioned, Horsetail can help prevent the formation of stones for some people, but it is not as talented at removing them once they are there.

Water Water Water

Equisetum contains minerals, mucilage, and tannins, none of which extract well in alcohol. Thus, a water infusion (tea) is the best way to get Horsetail into you, if you want to work with it internally. As you have seen me mention before, minerals are slow to extract, so infuse it overnight to get full mineral content into the tea!

The tea is a deep, greenish murky color— fitting for swampy Scorpio! It has a very mild, non-offensive flavor. If you don’t like the taste, you can easily cover it with something nice, like peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, or whatever you like!

The first thing you will notice is the silky coating it leaves on the inside of your mouth. This is mostly due to the silica.  Thus, if you are suffering from dry mouth, Horsetail may be helpful, as part of a holistic regimen. Swishing the tea may also help recalcify weak teeth.

The next thing you will notice is a difference in your urine output very quickly! 

Now is a good time to discuss the concept of “diuretics.” 

Not all diuretics are the same! Prescription diuretics stimulate the kidneys powerfully; they will deplete your potassium and dry you out.  But herbal diuretics tend to be gentler than medications, and they have subtle differences in how they function.  Most herbs contain potassium, so if you drink herbal tea that is diuretic in nature, you most likely do not have to worry about losing potassium. The plant is giving you more than it will flush away through the kidneys. 

You will also notice a difference in the feel and quality of your urine, depending on which diuretic you are taking. Dandelion leaf, another very good herbal diuretic, makes the urine feel velvety and warm, and it gives the urine a golden yellow color.  Horsetail, on the other hand, makes the urine feel silky and (relatively) cool, and it gives the urine a greenish hue.

Emotional effects

Emotionally, I noticed a shift in my relationship with Fear, when I made Horsetail my tea of the week.  With all the layoffs happening in our economy lately, I have noticed a creeping anxiety about what will happen to my job, and by extension to my family’s ability to survive. When I drank Horsetail for a few days, I noticed the fear subsiding.  It wasn’t like it gave me a rush of courage; it was more like a calm acceptance, and a relaxing of the clenching that happens when Fear takes hold.  I have not noticed other herbalist monographs mention this emotional effect. Perhaps it was a unique outreach just to me.

Who might take Equisetum and why?

If there are no contraindications, I like to give Equisetum to people with Scorpio rising, as part of a nutritive herbal blend—meaning a daily tea that is taken for its high nutrient content, as part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. I find that the Scorpio energy of horsetail seems to jive well with Scorpio risings, and they feel really empowered by it!

Horsetail tea can be helpful for nourishing and strengthening all parts of the body that require minerals: bones, skin, and connective tissues. If you have a broken bone or a sprain, Horsetail can encourage strong growth and healing. It can also encourage more robust hair growth. As people move into older ages, the collagen levels in the skin tend to diminish; the silica content in Horsetail can support healthy collagen growth and restore elasticity to the skin. 

Equisetum is known for being helpful with children who struggle with bedwetting. And here is another complexity! Horsetail increases urine output, but reduces bedwetting? Yes! This is because it has a calming, relaxing effect on the system overall, and it reduces spasms of the bladder. This helps return control of the bladder to the proper channels, instead of making it susceptible to random spasms.  I also wonder if Horsetail’s emotional effect on fear that I experienced might be applicable to children as well.  Fear and anxiety, which often proliferate in the darkness of night, can be a complicating factor in bedwetting. (All that said, I recommend checking for food sensitivities in children with bedwetting, as well, as this is a very common connection for this ailment.)

Horsetail has also been used with good effect for diarrhea. It reduces inflammation and cramping, which exacerbate the digestive malfunction, and it blocks acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that promotes colon output. What this means in layman’s terms? If your poop is overactive, Horsetail can slow it down.  This does NOT mean that Horsetail will produce constipation, if you aren’t having diarrhea.  Don’t worry about creating that problem; herbs are great like that!

Equisetum is also a traditional remedy for enlarged prostate. It can also be helpful for hemorrhoids, as well as post-birth tearing of the genitals.  For any of these cases, I would recommend drinking the tea daily, and also applying it externally in a sitz bath. Basically, a sitz bath means you’d make a quart or two of warm Horsetail tea, put it into a shallow basin, and then lower your bum into the basin for about 20 minutes. (You can purchase a sitz bath at a pharmacy for not very much money. Otherwise, some people just use buckets or large pans. You just need something big enough to get your rear end into!) A sitz bath gets the constituents of the herb directly to the part of the body you want to target (the genitals)

External applications of Equisetum

A sitz bath is only one of many ways to work with Horsetail externally.  It has been noted for its excellent powers of healing wounds for thousands of years, even back to Dioscorides.  If, gods forbid, you ever find yourself in the wild and you get injured, you can chew up some Horsetail leaves and apply them as a poultice to your wound. The skin will heal rapidly. Traditionally, it is famous for helping stop nosebleeds. Simply place some tea onto a cottonball and apply inside the nostrils. If you have weak fingernails, you can soak your fingertips in Horsetail tea daily for a few weeks, and notice how they become stronger.

Today I am starting a recipe for a salve from Horsetail. It will take about three days to finish. The salve should not be used on open wounds, because of the oil content, but it can be helpful for stretch marks, sprains, chilblains, and bruises.  Instructions:

• Place 3 tablespoons dried, powdered horsetail into a shallow baking pan.

• Pour 1 cup olive oil over the herbs

• Place into a cold oven. Turn the heat on to the lowest possible temperature. Before the oven reaches that heat level, turn it off. Let the oil infusion sit in the warm oven several hours.

• Repeat the previous step several times throughout the day, for about 2 or 3 days. This is to infuse the horsetail constituents into the oil.

• Strain the oil into a small saucepan.

• Turn the heat on low. Slowly mix in about ½ cup beeswax crumbles. Cool a spoonful in the fridge to test and see if the consistency of the salve is right. If it is too thin, add more beeswax.  Too thick, add more oil.

• While it is still warm and melted, pour the salve into small jars or chapstick tubes, and let them cool.

If you try it and feel Horsetail is a good ally for you, I hope you will let me know how it goes!