Arctium lappa
You know the burrs that get matted into your dog’s coat in autumn? The ones that prick your fingers and refuse to come untangled? That’s Burdock. She’s a tireless companion, and, yes, she sticks with you, cheering you on when you’re running low on steam (or self-esteem!) or recovering from a lingering ailment. Burdock’s a nurturer, building you up with gentle sweetness and asking nothing in return. Her taproot runs deep; once she sets her sights on breaking up crusty soil or shifting old habits, she’s persistently relentless. She’s the friend of your childhood, the one you could always count on to have your back. Trust me, she says, all will be well.
Ritual 
Burdock helps you find strength when you think you have none, warming you from the inside and nourishing deeply. In this way she’s a hearth fire: she offers gentle heat, warm light, and the promise of a home-cooked meal.
Reflection
We’re not always kind to those who love us best and nurture us deeply. It’s easy to neglect, accidentally or cruelly, the friend or loved one who’s always present and never demanding. Who do you count on when you’re feeling burned out and your soul is malnourished? This person is your hearth fire.
Once a year the ancient Celts would extinguish their individual hearth fires and relight them from a communal flame. Does your hearth fire need to be tended or relit?
One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.
John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes