What are dream herbs—and how can plant allies support dream recall, dream incubation, creativity, healing, and spiritual connection? On this episode of The Dream Journal, host Katherine Bell speaks with author, herbalist, certified hypnotherapist, dream guide, and intuitive coach Audrey Gilbert about her book Herbal Dream Magic: Spells and Rituals with Plant Allies.
Audrey explains the difference between sleep-supporting herbs and oneirogens, discusses familiar plants such as chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, mugwort, blue lotus, skullcap, blue vervain, and ginkgo, and shares practical ways to prepare for intentional dreaming. The conversation explores nighttime rituals, setting a clear question, keeping a dream journal, building a bedside altar, reconnecting during a “dream drought,” and working with dreams during a second sleep.
In the second half, the conversation expands into collective dreaming, dreams with the land, and a striking linden-tree dream in which the name “Tilia” becomes a doorway to connection and care. Audrey also tells the story of choosing her name through a vivid tree dream and describes how science, folklore, psychology, tarot, animistic spirituality, and herbal practice come together in her work.
In This Episode
- What plant allies are—and why relationship matters more than treating herbs as tools
- Dream herbs versus sleep herbs, including oneirogens and nervines
- Dream incubation practices for questions, guidance, healing, and creativity
- Simple rituals: journaling, intention-setting, tea, bedside altars, sigils, and reconnecting after waking
- Plants associated with relaxation, vivid dreams, cognition, and dream recall
- Audrey’s origin story and the dream that inspired her chosen name
- Collective dreaming, dreaming with the land, and shared imagery
- The relationship between folklore, personal experience, and emerging dream research
BIO: Audrey Gilbert is an herbalist, certified hypnotherapist, dream guide, and intuitive coach helping people cultivate healing, creativity, and spiritual connection through the wisdom of plants and dreams. Audrey weaves together science, folklore, psychology, and animistic spirituality into practices that are both practical and deeply meaningful.
Her book is Herbal Dream Magic: Spells and Rituals with Plant Allies.
Contact our guest: AudreyGilbert.com BotanicaMystica.org
This show, episode number 380, was recorded during a live broadcast on September 12, 2026 at KSQD.org, community radio of Santa Cruz.
SHARE A DREAM FOR THE SHOW or a question or enquire about being a guest on the podcast by emailing Katherine Bell at katherine@ksqd.org. Follow on LI, IG, YT, FB, & LT @ExperientialDreamwork #thedreamjournal. To learn more or to inquire about exploring your own dreams go to ExperientialDreamwork.com.
Video podcast available at youtube.com/@experientialdreamwork. Popular playlists: “Dream Journal shorts” and “FULL LENGTH VIDEOS”.
Here are links to some other Dream Journal episodes you might be interested in:
The Dreaming Way with Toko-Pa Turner
Rewilding the Dream with Laura Smith-Riva
Dreaming Back to the Earth with Mary Kay Kasper
Intro and outro music by Mood Science. Ambient music new every week by Rick Kleffel. Archived music can be found at Pandemiad.com. Many thanks to Rick for also engineering the show and to Erik Nelson for answering the phones.
The Dream Journal aims to:
Increase awareness of and appreciation for nightly dreams.
Inspire dream sharing and other kinds of dream exploration as a way of adding depth and meaningfulness to lives and relationships.
Improve society by the increased empathy, emotional balance, and sense of wonder which dream exploration invites.
A dream can be meaningful even if you don’t know what it means.
The Dream Journal is produced at and airs on KSQD Santa Cruz, 90.7 FM. Catch it streaming LIVE at KSQD.org 10-11am Pacific Time on Saturdays. Call or text with your dreams or questions at 831-900-5773 or email at onair@ksqd.org. Podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms the Monday following the live show. The complete KSQD Dream Journal podcast page can be found at ksqd.org/the-dream-journal/.
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