Wortcunning

The founders of Vespertide Apotheca practice traditional witchcraft and are heavily influenced by the principles of wortcunning, herbalism, animism, and green witchcraft. Alignment with the natural world helps elevate the individuals higher self and creates oneness with the universe. We are all connected; every form of life is tied to another from kith and kin to chromosomes and molecules. When you connect self to the universe and harness the powers of its fruits you are able to tap into the divine. 

With these principles in mind the Apotheca seeks to incorporate as many natural products as we can. We hand harvest most of our botanicals here at the coven and try to incorporate them into every item we sell at the apothecary. This year we have decided to plant a large amount of Yarrow. We use yarrow for many things in our craft and it is a superstar ingredient in the line of skin and body products we have coming in midsummer and fall. 

Yarrow Achillea Millefolium is native to the northern hemisphere and is found in folk medicine dating back thousands of years in North America, Europe and Asia. Fossils of yarrow have been located in Neanderthal burial sites dating back 60,000 years! While many sources state that yarrow was only found in Europe and Asia it is actually found all over the northern hemisphere including North America or Turtle Island which is this lands first and true name given by the Indigenous peoples from whom this land rightfully belongs to. The Ojibwe people used a decoction of yarrow leaves on hot stones and inhaled it to treat headaches in a sort of nasal steam bath. The Ojibwe word for yarrow is ajidamoowaanow+ag.

Yarrow gets it's current scientific namesake from the Greek hero Achilles who was said to have used the flower to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers during the Trojan War and he was also said to have bathed in it to imbue him with impenetrable power save the heel.

Yarrow is a truly recuperative and benignant flower that possesses antibacterial, antimicrobial, and pain relieving traits and it is wonderful for soothing skin that is prone to irritations. The flower is deeply nourishing and restorative and it works to help heal broken capillaries. Additionally, it's ideal for sensitive skin as well as problematic skin that suffers from conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Yarrow contains several compounds that are helpful for both skin and wound treatment. The chemical constituents found in yarrow include a volatile oil comprised of azulene, caryophyllene, thujone, eucalyptol, α- and β-pinene and borneol, as well as lactones, tannins, and alkaloids. It is important to note that Azulene is not found in every species of Yarrow. Achillea millefolium  or common yarrow is the variety that contains Azulene. The reparative properties of blue yarrow which is high in azulene are more intensive than that of blue German chamomile and blue tansy. 

In folk magic yarrow is classed as a feminine plant, ruled by the planet Venus and the element of both air and water. Yarrow possesses the magical properties of love, courage, protection, and psychic powers. A decoction of Yarrow can help clear the mind and help you  prepare for divination rituals or help you seek out or contact a loved one or spirit. 

The Carmina Gadelica is a Scottish folklore encyclopedic tome that makes reference to an incantation to be spoken by a woman when foraging for yarrow:

I will pick the smooth yarrow that my figure may be sweeter, that my lips may be warmer, that my voice may be gladder. May my voice be like a sunbeam; may my lips be like the juice of a strawberry. May I be an island in the sea; may I be a star in the dark time., may I be a staff to the weak one. I shall wound every man, and no man shall hurt me. 

The Carmina Gadelica was written in between the years 1860-1909 so naturally the language is exclusionary to current gender norms, However, the incantation can still be used to harness the divine feminine for protection and for keeping ones solitude, whether you identify as a woman, non-binary, or simply a feminine presenting person; hexing the patriarchy is for all of us! In these modern times women need all the help we can get and all the protection we can muster to fight the injustices we face every single day, so why not fill your flower picking with a little protective magic?

Some usage ideas for this flower include making garland for your altar to summon love luck and courage. Dried yarrow encapsulated into an amulet can be a gift for a lover who loves witchy presents filled with meaning and mystery. You can also create a tea with valerian root and mugwort combines with a healthy does of hibiscus flower, lemon balm, and sugar to give you a restful lucid dreaming experience. 

In conclusion, stay tuned with updates on our growing yarrow seedlings and stick around to see all the lovely skin care ritual items I create for all of you to try. 

Other names for yarrow: common yarrow, gordaldo, nosebleed plant, old man's pepper, devil's nettle, sanguinary, milfoil, soldier's woundwort, thousand-leaf, and thousand-seal, old man's mustard

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Sources:

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Llewellyn Publications, 2016.

Wm, Kowalchik Clare and Hylton. Rodale's Illus . Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press, 1987.

Beyer, R. (2022). Wild witchcraft: Folk herbalism, garden magic, and foraging for spells, rituals, and remedies. Simon Element.