Herb Journal: Yarrow

My first reaction to yarrow is that it is incredibly cooling. I had been running on fumes all day and felt just burnt out. The yarrow tea was a friendly hug. For some reason, I didn't remember yarrow to be a reasonable tasting herb, but drinking it this time, was a really pleasant surprise. Yarrow is so good for you for so many different things, I even remember saying to myself, whenever it would come up that yarrow was good for this, or good for that... too bad it doesn't taste good at all. I don't remember where i got that idea from. Its actually one of the more pleasant tasting teas that I have had in quite some time, that have been on the "herb of the week" list at least. It tastes a little minty, but generally pleasant and soothing. It is not harsh, but not too weak either. It is calming, comforting and just like a pet on the head. The energetics include "diffusive", and I think that would explain the feeling that I have right now, diffused the overload of nervous energy, intensity, worry and neurosis that have been plaguing me at the time. I felt that it took it out of my brain, or out of one specific place, and let it run out into my body, dissolving it, just making it able to "let go". Not sure if that was the meaning of the word in that context, but it works for me right now. Interestingly enough, it says yarrow is indicated for the wounded healer. I find this absolutely perfect right now, especially because my kind nature has been in question, and in the context of a long relationship, where I felt I had given so much. The fact that it is my nature to heal people, and being told I am self-centered and do not care about the well-being of others has been a terrible thing to grapple with. Perhaps yarrow can be the spear (as the leaves appear to be, little spears) with which I can fight off those demons of self-doubt and self-blame. Also for me, I must have overlooked the indication for inflamed ovaries. I should have been taking this over the past few months, for sure, to help with all of the swelling in that part of my body. Also, restlessness. I had a harder time falling asleep last night than usual. So another thing, that makes yarrow a tea that resonates with me at this time. My favorite thing about yarrow are the leaves, they are so unique and pretty, that combined with the white puffball flowers on top, that look a lot like puffy cotton balls.. it was the first plant that I was able to identify with some degree of certainty in the wild. I wonder if this indicates that I will have a long, prosperous relationship with it. I really don't know what it means, and it just occurred to me just now, since I haven't been using it for much, or drinking it at all, since we first got the bag of it for class.