YARROW, Blue (Achillea millefolium)
THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES: anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant, diaphoretic, digestive, expectorant, hemostatic, hypotensive, stomachic, tonic
AFFINITY FOR: skin, tissue, and scalp, respiratory system, digestive system, bladder meridian, stomach meridian, wood element, metal element
RESONANCE: physical, emotionl, spiritual
PLANT FAMILY: Compositae
PART UTILIZED: flowering tops
EXTRACTION METHOD: steam distilled
APPLICATION: Yarrow essential oil is applied neat (without a carrier oil) to close a wound. It should be applied diluted for other applications and circumstances.
AROMATIC CONSIDERATIONS: The aroma of Yarrow oil balances our highs and lows, externally and internally, physically and mentally.
EMOTIONAL - SPIRITUAL - MENTAL ASPECTS: In Chinese folklore, the aroma of Yarrow is said to bring about the meeting of Heaven and Earth in our lives. With our head in the clouds, we have far-reaching vision and inspiration to guide us, but we have the stability and common sense of having our feet firmly planted on the ground.
Just as Yarrow oil pulls together the edges of a deep wound, Yarrow pulls together and heals the damaged places in our energy and psyche. Yarrow, emotionally, is for those times when we feel that there are important parts of ourselves that have become lost or fragmented. We feel the pain of loss, like the pain of a wound. Yarrow pulls the emotional and energetic edges together and allows us to heal. Folklore of several countries states that Yarrow is associated with love and fidelity.
PHYSICAL ASPECTS: Yarrow is one of the truly great healing oils! Applied topically to a cut, even a very deep one, Yarrow will pull the edges together and help the cut to heal almost miraculously. Yarrow’s antiseptic properties are strong enough to prevent infection, no matter how dirty or contaminated conditions were at the time of the injury. Yarrow, known for centuries as an herb to stop bleeding, is even more effective in the concentrated essential oil form.
The anti-inflammatory properties of Yarrow are effective whether the inflammation is in the nasal or respiratory passages, the digestive tract, along the gum line, the uterus or ovaries, or anywhere else.
Like the anti-inflammatory properties of this essential oil, the astringent properties of Yarrow work throughout the body. Astringents cause the tightening of tissues. This makes Yarrow very helpful for such things as dandruff, hair loss, setting the teeth firmly into the gums, or firming up areas of sagging skin. Astringent oils such as Yarrow are beneficial as face washes for oily skin and acne. Yarrow is an excellent oil for the female reproductive system where astringency and a mild hormonal action combine to make this oil vital in treatment programs for ovarian cysts and uterine fibroid tumors.
It has been reported recently in several publications that Yarrow’s use with cancer and diabetes has been known throughout the ages. I can find no scientific studies to back these claims, but anecdotal evidence is certainly abundant. Yarrow essential oil also acts on the bone marrow to stimulate the creation of red blood cells and enhance the coagulation of the blood.
Yarrow is gently diaphoretic and a febrifuge. When you are ill, the use of Yarrow holds the fever from getting dangerously high and stimulates perspiration. Fever and perspiration are the body’s way of killing the microbes and then carrying them out of the system.
Yarrow improves digestion by stimulating the secretion of bile and restoring the liver and other organs. I could go on for several more pages about Yarrow. It has been one of my favorite herbs for many years and is one of my favorite essential oils. Enough cannot be said about the benefits of this amazingly versatile healing oil.
CAUTIONS: Reasonable caution should be taken during pregnancy. There are no other cautions connected to this oil. It is possible to find a use for it every day of our lives.
GENERAL INFORMATION: Many essential oil companies carry more than one Yarrow essential oil. A Yarrow oil which has a pale green color seems to be slightly stronger in hormone balancing properties than a deeper blue one.
Deeper Blue Yarrow oils have an advantage as an astringent and in pulling the edges of wounds together. The blue one is the one sought after most frequently as a single oil.
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