Flower Remedy Study: Yarrow
Warrior Medicine
The plants are wise women keepers. They tend to our bones, our emotional and physiological landscapes. They ask us to become. Deeply and authentically. They ask us to fill ourselves out, to eat, to drink, to feel joy. Not from baseless meaningless things- but from the deep well that we have cultivated through resilience, deep love, heartbreak, death, life, pain and everything in between. They ask us to live the entire human experience and release the shell between us and the world.
For me, and many, that could be scary. It is scary. All the little gremlins come out and pull your hair when you desperately need to fall asleep. It’s a process, a force inside to be reckoned with that can’t be met with ignorance. But- I will let you know from experience- that it is made much more enjoyable, dare I say, I look forward to those dreams- with plant help.
When we stop playing the victim and start playing with strength and courage- now that is when you make huge strides in the journey. Like little gold coins falling out of the sky for you to catch and spend on the most delicious coffee or matcha you’ve ever had.
And then… you properly grieve. It’s loud, its messy, raw and sometimes primal. You feel the moment, not the past, or future. You are finally in your body. Now. You can feel your fascia release the event that made them tight. You feel the muscles release tension, your lungs, heart, brain and shoulders, pelvis, bones- for everything you let slide, and everything you couldn’t control that happened even when you said no. For every little and big boundary crossed. You then realize- the people, places and things that hurt you are taking up too much space. You want to let it go. For now. Or for good. Your choice, darling.
All of this creates a gratitude flower in the heart that is difficult to tame. And how amazing to feel that, to feel your ribs expand finally after years of shallow breathing, to feel weight fall off, to see your hair grow back, to have more energy to play with your babies and pets.
Yarrow is The Shield. For Those whose boundaries are paper thin, ghostlike and porous. When using this remedy, you can expect to feel reinforcement from the plant world, like someone is standing with you holding the boundary line.
A Warriors herb, sacred to the Vikings and Norseman, Yarrow was used as protection while going into battle. Translated to modern times, it helps Women especially, add NO to their vocabulary, stop emotional hemorrhaging, and ease volatile emotional weather that feels like an unavoidable flood taking over the entire nervous system. Having an affinity for blood, life force energy and Qi- it adds structural integrity to protect it even when you can’t or forget to. Yarrow ignites the life spark within when it has dwindled or gone out completely which is an absolute godsend for Mothers who feel completely undernourished and unprotected.
When life feels heavy, energy is lacking, emotions are dense and immovable, you can call on Yarrow to move it all through, to help you digest and reclaim yourself gently over time. Use Yarrow Flower Remedy and Yarrow Botanical Oil together as a symbol, a cloak, a sacred form of protection in ritual.
Folklore:
There are many magical ways Yarrow weaves itself into Folklore. I want us to keep in mind that the brain is a phenomenal tool, and when this strong plant is present it seems to have an affinity for protection, boundaries, psychic attacks, and negative energies. These all have to do with the Amygdala/Emotional brain. Physical boundaries such as homes, security systems, and self-protection measures are essential for safeguarding ourselves and our families. This is the common thread of how Yarrow works in the brain, body, outer world and dream world. We can use it in many ways to create inner and outer safety through medicine and Folklore stories.
Yarrow is known as a protector of boundaries, traditionally hung in doorways and windows to ward off fear, psychic attacks and negative energies. Symbolically, this mirrors the amygdala’s
role in scanning for threats- Yarrow can be taken as a tincture to calm our minds while actively staying alert.
Yarrow was known by ancient soldiers to stop bleeding, also giving the soldiers in battle a calm demeanor. Emotionally, this translates into quieting fear and having grounded courage- which is exactly what needs to happen when the Amygdala is processing too quickly or in a hypervigilant state.
In folk traditions, Yarrow was drunk as a tea to aid in divination practices, helping diviners see clearly, calmly and without fear of outcomes. Symbolically it can increase intuitional awareness and aid Oracular Consciousness to shift ones perception to see past this world and into the Upperworld and Underworlds.
Energetically, Yarrow is a shield of light, the Flower Remedy is used for highly sensitive, empathic folks who “absorb” others energies and emotions, protecting the emotional body, in tandem with the tea or tincture it can soothe and balance emotions and the fight/flight/freeze response together.
Since ancient times Yarrow has helped us respond with clarity instead of panic, courage instead of fear and protect us from overwhelm even in intense situations that require calm and clear thinking. It has created a clear structure for us to understand ourselves in without projections from others or the outside world. This is a perfect herb for postpartum, difficult menstruation, grief, depression and the need to dream as medicine especially in concert with mugwort.
If you want to have a 12 page PDF full of the Folklore, Vitalism and Wise Women Teachings I have collected from years of studying Yarrow, here is the link to the free Masterclass I created. You can also find Yarrow Medicines on my website: basecampbotanicals.us
xx
Danielle at Ghostflower Journal
Perfect timing as I'm planning to distill yarrow tomorrow. Thank you 🥰