Can You Care About the Earth Without Cultivating a Relationship with It?
Why it’s important that we pay attention to the living beings that surround us
Do you know my name? Can you recognize my face, my body, when you see me out in the world? Do you know how I feel? Do you know what I smell like? Do you know my strengths and weaknesses?
My name is Yarrow.
I have white flowers. Sometimes pink. I’m tall and skinny with rough leaves. Some say I smell balsamy. Some say more woody.
I’m good with blood. You can make a tea out of me and I’ll make your blood quicken to help you sweat out a fever. I can help with menstrual issues. And if you are injured, you can put me on your abrasion and I’ll help stop the bleeding.
Some people call me Achillea millefolium. Do you know why? Do you know my story? Do you know who I am, or how I came to be?
Millefolium means “thousand-leaved,” because my leaves have so many tiny fingers.
Achillea comes from a very old story about a war hero you might have heard of — Achilles. During the Trojan War, he used me to help heal his soldiers’ wounds after battles.
And he wasn’t the only one to use my medicine in this way. In fact, you might be here…
