The Magical Side of Herbs~ Yarrow

   Achillea millefolium is the botanical name for Yarrow. The name comes from the Greek hero Achilles who was said to have carried the herb with him onto the battlefields to heal wounds and staunch bleeding. Yarrow has been known as ~

Yarrow The Wound Healer by Sue Sierrulupe

“Yarrow has a vast array of medicinal properties. The volatile oils work as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and diuretic agents. The tannins are aggressive astringents. Yarrow even has coumarin in its cells which works as an anti-thrombotic to reduce high blood pressure. The bitter compounds that the tongue detects are due to flavonoids such as saponins and unpleasant tasting but powerful alkaloids like achilleine, trigonelline and betonicine. These are the secrets to yarrow’s actions in the digestive system, tissues and the blood stream.The use of yarrow for treating bruises and pain due to inflammation is legendary. Yarrow has many common names that reveal its history on the battlefield: soldier’s woundwort, bloodwort, and nosebleed plant are just a few.The strengthening effect on the blood vessels make yarrow a wonderful plant to add to administer as a daily tonic for patient that easily bruise. Yarrow makes an excellent first-aid poultice for deep cuts and wounds, too. It’s been known to help deep cuts heal with little to no scarring and can help the flesh even and connect after puncture wounds. ”

Yarrow Magic by Candace Hunter

“Yarrow has been long recognized as a protective, healing plant. Achilles, after whom yarrow (achillea millefolium) is named, was reputed to have used yarrow to heal wounds on the battle field. In fact, yarrow has a long-standing reputation among herbalists in Europe, North America, and Asia for its ability to slow and stop the flow of blood. Part of yarrow’s magic is the ability to slow the flow of energy going to a wound to a rate that aids in healing. Yarrow magic is the magic of intentional restraint.
Intentional restraint, one of yarrows lessons and skills, is about recognizing that wounds, especially deep ones, benefit from slow and carefully protected healing. Yarrow reminds us to give energy to our healing process, but not to allow the energy to overwhelm us. Likewise, yarrow reminds us to protect ourselves and our vulnerable places so that they can heal.

In creative projects, yarrow reminds us to move with careful and steady intention. Yarrow magic is the magic of regulating the creative flow, the blood of our work. In this, Yarrow is complex, guiding us toward managing our energies as they come in and as they flow out with careful precision. Yarrow teaches us to draw energy from our environment as she draws her energy from the hot, dry, sunny climates she likes best, to store that energy and later to uses it to regulate and shape our passion as we create.”

What has captured my interest in Yarrow is the magical, energetic qualities of this wonderful herb. I know that with my creative and artistic projects, I am quick to plunge right into them in such a way that I can burn up what energy I have. Sometimes I can get so involved in a project that I dry up my well of creativity and forget to fill it back up with creative play as well as hard work. I like that Yarrow can remind me to slow down my mad flow of energy and pause and focus for greater clarity in my purpose. I am one that keeps draining my well without taking the time to refill it. I know I need to slow down and have a steady flow into my creativity as well as taking out scoops from my well. We all need to draw energy and creative juice from our enviroment and as Julia Cameron says, we need to have artist dates where we can refill our wells.

How is your creative well? Is it stocked up with much water, fish and plants?

Please note you can visit http://www.thepracticalherbalist.com/ for more information about Yarrow and other herbs.