Yarrow | Fanning the Flame Within

On this chilly June morning, here in coastal BC, I find myself drawn, as I often am, to the seaside. I am captivated by the sound of tidal symphony rolling back and forth in the pull of the waning moon. I take in the alluring aromas, feeling my breath deepen and chest open to the exhale of the ocean’s salty breath.

As I walk along the driftwood laden beach, the winds whisper of anticipation, as the sky ushers in a looming storm. I decide to find a seat, to watch. I stop to rest in the grassy meadow spanning along the shoreline.

Here, I sit. I close my eyes. At first, I can feel the emotions bubbling up, sitting in the stillness with the discomfort and heaviness of the times. I open my chest wider, with a full and deep inhale, exhaling audibly with the ocean’s vast encouragement. I continue consciously breathing as I begin to feel my energy shift, as my heart attunes to the vital pulse of the earth. 

Wispy greetings from a friend, gently tickle my arm lovingly. My eyes gently open to the joyful wave of feathery Yarrow, blossoming so vibrantly near me.

The ocean’s sparkling movement is echoed by this playful spirit, and likewise as my vision widens I see two elegant Herons playing gracefully in the fervent ocean wind. My mouth widens purely into smile, witness to such lightness.

Wow, I think to myself, the Heron always seems so serene, sturdy and resolute, yet here in this moment I get to witness such joyfulness and beauty. 

Yarrow, also watching, queries: “What if you could be so light to jump as Heron does into unpredictable wind freely, trusting you would be able to land again?”

Hummmmmm….I pause… listen.

I continue sitting silently with Yarrow for some time and slowly I start to feel a spaciousness envelop my chest. The grief I arrived with now feels lifted, and gratitude has settled in its place. The heaviness has shifted. I am at peace.

As I breath deeply once more I feel the profound medicine in my body and know it as the fan of my ally Yarrow’s fierce love, coaxing from the depths of my being, a fire of embodied resilience. 

~

The profound medicine of Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium) has long been revered and respected, considered a plant richly endowed with spiritual magic, thus preserved in temples and tombs from the Isle of Man to Fertile crescent of Ancient Mesopotamia.

It is said the common name ‘yarrow’ can be traced back to hieros, latin for sacred; because of the plant’s association with protection, ceremony and healing.

Yarrow’s medicine is truly timeless, found all over the world in early Neanderthal burial sites, ancient Egyptian tombs, manuscripts from Imperial China, and mentioned in various texts from Greek Antiquity. Clearly the ancients knew the abundance of yarrow first hand, as it has accumulated a magnificent healing reputation carried forth through history by oral tradition, myth and magic. 

The genus name Achillea, derives from the Greek story of the warrior Achilles, (written about in The Iliad), who used Yarrow to staunch the wounds of his soldiers on the battlefields of the Trojan war.

As the legend goes, some say Achilles was dipped in a pot of yarrow tea as a baby, held by his heal, giving him an invulnerable armour; except of course for his heal, where he was morality wounded by an arrow. It is said that Achilles became aware of yarrow’s gifts while under the tutelage of his mentor Chiron. We often refer to Chiron as “the wounded healer” and thus Yarrow has earned a relationship with this archetype as well. 

Yarrow’s species name millefolium  means “thousand-leaved” and is indicative the finely-divided foliage that is distinctively feathery. Yarrow has also earned a number of folk names such as Millefoil, Soldier’s Woundwort, Thousand Weed, Nose Bleed, Carpenter’s weed and Staunchweed.

Here on Vancouver Island, we can start to see this PNW native wildflower budding up in late May. Though June’s naturally mercurial weather patterns waiver with certain unpredictability, Yarrow seems to show up sturdy and beautiful regardless of the weather.

Likewise, Yarrow doesn’t seem particularly picky on where it likes to be. It can be found growing in the harshest of conditions, thriving in extreme places with very little water or soil. Yarrow is often considered a ‘weed’, and treated as so, though it is in fact indigenous all over the Northern Hemisphere. Yarrow is also an important early summer ally for our pollinators!

Around the beginning of June, Yarrow really begins to shine, as its delicate white, and sometimes pink-blushing, blossoms begin to dance across the landscape. Yarrow can be found in full sun or shade, sprawling along beaches, in open meadows, lawns, fields, pastures, roadsides throughout June and July. The medicine of Yarrow is most fragrant and potent when the plant is growing in full sun.

One of the easiest herbs to grow from seed, Yarrow can be sown in spring or fall. Once established the plants spread gracefully by lateral rhizomes often forming dense, abundant patches that return to bloom prolifically year after year.

Yarrow’s medicinal affinities are vast, with long histories of use to support the digestive system, reproductive system, urinary system, as well as the circulatory system. In my herbal practice, Yarrow is a chef ally. I have seen profound healing first-hand within each of these organ systems. 

Yarrow can be an extremely powerful ally for severe colds and flus, especially where heat (fever) is trapped in the body and the mechanisms of cooling obstructed. Yarrow’s diaphoretic action helps to open the pores, move the blood and increase detoxification by releasing excessive heat and toxins though the sweat. The flowers are most potent in their diaphoretic properties. 

Fantastically supportive for the digestive system, Yarrow’s bitter taste stimulates stomach secretions and pancreatic juices and increases the production and flow of bile. This action aids in the absorption of nutrients, assimilation of food and helps relieve stagnancy in the liver.

Yarrow’s carminative and antispasmodic actions help to soothe cramps and digestive tension, such as gas, bloating, colic, or nervous digestion. In addition, the astringency of Yarrow helps tone the digestive tract while the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties can help heal up and bring down any laceration or infection such as leaky gut, gastritis, or enteritis. 

We have fresh Yarrow Tincture available in 50ml-500ml sizes.

Yarrow also has a beautiful affinity to the urinary system. Through its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent and diuretic actions, Yarrow is often the perfectly balanced medicine for cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) and urinary tract infections.

Through its diuretic action, it promotes urine production and flow, helping to improve kidney function. Our Bladder Benefit Tincture Blend combines Yarrow with Arbutus (A. menziesii), St. John’s Wort (H. perforatum), Goldenrod (S. lepida), & Horsetail (E. telmateia) offering a synergistic team of herbs to clear infection in the urinary system, and strengthen and tonify the urinary tract. 

A very supportive herb for the menstrual cycle, Yarrow can ease cramps, heavy bleeding, or very scanty menstruation (amenorrhea). Yarrow has a balancing effect on the menses; it can reduce bleeding in one body and increase flow in another. In this way Yarrow is a great harmonizer and uterine tonic.

Yarrow’s nervine action also supports to calm PMS symptoms. Our Moon Mender Tincture Blend, combines Yarrow with Crampbark (Vibernum spp), Motherwort (L. cardiaca), Holy Basil (O. sanctum), and Ginger (Z. officinale) to offer amazing moontime support.

Yarrow may also be used externally in pelvic steams or as a sitz bath for painful cramping during menstruation or after birth to heal tissues and stop bleeding.

For me, one of Yarrow’s most profound effects can be felt as a tender and strong heart herb, both through its physiological medicine and as an energetic medicine to lift heaviness from the heart. Yarrow helps to tone and improve function of the blood vessels, supporting the body in regulating blood pressure.

Our Heart Harmony Tincture Blend is a wonderful tonic of Hawthorn (Crataegus spp), Linden blossom (Tilia spp), Motherwort (L. cardiaca), Rose (Rosa spp) with Yarrow to support healthy heart function. This blend is also magnificent at supporting the mind, body and spirt to come into aliment, allowing the body to remain grounded while moving through grief.

Yarrow in particular calls us to face the hard truths and shadows; and rise to meet them with an integral spirit. Yarrow seems to extend an invitation to celebrate and find peace and wholeness with who and where we are, presently.  Yarrow leads by example solidifying strength and determination in the self, enhancing its ability to remain content and express such contentment. 

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.” - Kahlil Gibran

Lastly, one of Yarrows most renown and timeless properties is as an astounding styptic (to stop bleeding) and antiseptic wound healer. The leaf may be chewed and applied as a poultice to any laceration, scrape, or bloody nose bleed. In my experience Yarrow almost seems to work better the deeper the wound is or the more freely blood seems to be flowing.

Yarrow contains anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and anti-microbial oils, as well as astringent tannins and resins. With this medicine chest of virtues, it possesses profound wound healing ability. Yarrow staunches acute bleeding rapidly, by promoting coagulation while also astringing the wound and encouraging the edges to come together; ALL while preventing infection and excessive inflammation (swelling) through its stimulating circulatory action.

As the blood from the injured tissues is kept moving and dispersed to the periphery taking the burden off the wound, fresh blood rich in clotting factors is returned to the wound to promote speedy healing. By decongesting the blood, yarrow also acts to cool and sedate, providing incredible pain relief as well. Yarrow also contains the mineral silica which aids the body in repairing those damaged tissues, minimizing scars. 

We have both Yarrow Infused Oil and Yarrow Salve available in the shop.

Yarrow is the ultimate herb to have on hand for emergencies and in your herbal first-aid kit as a one-stop heal-all medicine chest for acute injury. Making a poultice or compress with the fresh or dried herb is the best way to treat acute injury. One preparation I always have with me, regardless of the season is Yarrow wound powder (see recipe at end).

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Yarrow dances, stretches out and wavers in the wind, with pure delight. Just looking at the plant makes me want to throw out my own arms and say “yessss! Whoohoooo!” Yarrow's spirit reminds us to celebrate how far we’ve come along our journeys, without denying how far we still have to go. Gifting ourselves the chance to celebrate little victories offers the spaciousness to replenish and move forward with renewed conviction and stamina.

Life is a culmination of small moments, and Yarrow asks us to be present with the joy that resides in those moments. The more willing we are to be honest and content with the now, the more we can put forward love instead of judgement. Yarrow shows us that despite our experiences, woundings, and traumas, we are all able to transform our hardships into medicine for ourselves and for our communities. Pain is an invitation to extend more love, compassion, and gentleness towards oneself and intern hold that space more profoundly for others.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

Now,  I am brought back to the breath once more, as Yarrow asks what if you could trust life like you trust your breath? What if you could take in the nourishment of the moment and then let it go, trusting that more will come?

This is Yarrow’s innate spirit, just as the Heron’s innate wisdom guides it to trust when to be still and wait and when to take flight and soar, we too can trust the light of nature within. It takes courage and presence to do so, to transmute heaviness into spaciousness, so our bodies become more alive, our minds more clear and our hearts more compassionate. 

Let us all be guided by yarrow’s wisdom inviting us to let go and pack lightly for our journey in this life, all while caring deeply; enjoying fully.  The flame of resilience is ablaze in our hearts, fuelled by the grace of gratitude and fanned by our fierce and feathery friend. 

~

Yarrow Wound Powder Recipe

This multi-purpose wound powder is made with the dried leaves and flowers of Yarrow. It is helpful to relieve pain, stop bleeding, and prevent infection.

Start with fresh Yarrow, if possible, then lay out to dry for a week. Air dying on a drying rack works best, rather than drying with a dehydrator, as this will preserve the aromatics much better. Once the yarrow is dry, the leaves and flowers may be stripped off the stalks, and the stalks discarded. Using a blender or herb specific coffee grinder, grind the herb into a powder. To produce the finest powder, sift through a fine-mesh sieve.

To apply to a wound, you may take a small pinch of the powder pour it directly into the bleeding wound, or you may wish to add your own saliva or water and pack it onto the wound. This application would also be helpful for nose bleeds. 

Yarrow wound powder will keep it properties for up to one year if stored in an air tight container and kept out of the light.