Yarrow has many spiritual uses, including:
Healing
Yarrow is one of the world's oldest medicinal plants, and has been used since ancient times to help with healing for the body, mind, and soul. In The Iliad, Achilles is said to have used yarrow to heal his soldiers in battle. Yarrow is also associated with the archetype of Chiron, sometimes called "the wounded healer".
Protection
Yarrow can offer protection from negative energies and toxic influences. Some say that you can gather fresh yarrow, add it to a bath with black tourmaline or obsidian, and trim it into smaller pieces to add to the water.
Awareness
Yarrow can help you build boundaries and awareness of yourself and others. It can also help you gain insights into your own weaknesses and understand yourself better.
Love
Yarrow is associated with the planet Venus, which represents love, beauty, and harmony. It's also traditionally associated with youthful love, and was involved in various courtship rituals in many European cultures.
Compassion
Yarrow is believed to have a calming and soothing energy, and can be used to promote love and compassion.
Yarrow is a guardian, a heart protector, and a teacher. It assists in allowing us to work when our cups are full, and not when we are depleted, by creating an energetic boundary. It is an excellent healer for healers. It propels us towards lightness, roots us in the earth, and fortifies the spirit.
What does the yarrow symbolize?
Yarrow's symbolic meaning is traditionally associated with healing which originates from Ancient Greek mythology. Yarrow also developed into a symbol of youthful love. Numerous European cultures where the plant is native independently involved the herb in various rituals of courtship.
What did Native Americans use yarrow for
Numerous tribes in North America used yarrow for a variety of ailments. The crushed plant was applied to wounds and burns. The dried leaves were used as a tea to soothe colds, fever, and headache. Yarrow beer has been brewed in Europe since the middle ages.
Why is yarrow called Devil's Nettle?
The intriguing common names for yarrow such as Devil's nettle, Devil's plaything and Bad man's plaything stem from an old superstition that Satan used to walk the streets at night and shake yarrow at homes of those he wished to curse.
