Card for Friday, July 7th, 2023
Ace of Air (Swords) paired with Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
TODAY'S READING: Our third Ace in a week, today's Ace of Air is here to remind us to take yet another look at our situation. Are we ordering our thoughts and using recent insights to find our way, or are we still tangled in overthinking and outdated imprinting?
Aces always call to us to heed direction from Spirit, to mind our connection to the Universe, to objectively pursue Truth in all its forms. Yarrow, which has several deadly lookalikes, cautions us to choose carefully, to not overlook that which is right in front of us. Start with what you already know and go from there.
TODAY'S CARD: The Ace of Air, while at first glance appearing rather dreary with its grey sky overhead and barbed wire fence in the foreground, is actually considered a card of great power and strength. It represents victory, change and peace; the possibility of moving from a bleak or taxing situation to a positive resolution.
The Ace of Air calls to us to seek wisdom from the Ancestors. It brings us the first seeds of an idea, expansion and illumination of thought, clarity of mind, enlightenment. With the Ace of Air we find a renewed sense of our calling.
TODAY'S PLANT PAIRING: Much has been written about Yarrow. A plant of the ages, found on all continents, this humble, easily overlooked roadside “weed” has a long history as both a medicinal herb and a plant of divination.
Medicinally, Yarrow has been used to treat almost every body system. Warming, bitter, and spicy, Yarrow is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, nervine, diaphoretic, and sedative. Traditional uses include promoting healthy sweating during fevers, colds and flus; relieving muscle tension, pain, and stress; controlling excessive bleeding in wounds, body tissues, and the menstrual cycle, and supporting all manner of digestive complaints.
Yarrow has long been thought of as a tonic to initiate healing in multiple body systems: both central and peripheral nerve pathways, cardiovascular, GI, urinary tracts, and in women’s health issues. Ever versatile, Yarrow can both support the blood to clot as needed, and act as a blood thinner to the peripheral vasculature, treating clots, high blood pressure, clearing circulatory congestion, and promoting optimal circulation. Yarrow also exerts a protective mechanism on the blood itself, supporting the function of red and white blood cells, and protecting cells from oxidative damage.
As a Flower Essence, Yarrow brings us compassionate awareness and inner strength, allowing us to safely expand our current boundaries. Yarrow is said to bring the light of Spirit through the human Soul as a healing force, helping us to reach deep into the Earth, to ground and direct us.
It is said that Yarrow's rigid stems, symbolic of strength and power, were the original stalks used in the divinatory system of the Chinese I Ching. Energetically, Yarrow helps us to see into the hidden, the obscure, to clearly read the signs before us and discover deeper meanings. We are being called to objectively face The Truth within whatever it may be, without prejudice, judgement, or attachment.
Focusing today on Yarrow, we can incorporate its ability to “knit together” porous tissue to visualize unifying the essential Self. The beauty of life is its Mystery. Yarrow, with its healing roots, strong backbone, fluid, feathery leaves, and gentle flowers, reminds us that we have all that we need no matter what life brings. We have only to use it well.
THE ACES: The Aces are the beginning of each Suit. With the Aces, the Fool or Herbcrafter begins their deeper exploration of each of the Elemental Suits, gathering gifts and learning along the way. Aces, as their position in the beginning of each suit suggests, are the pinnacle of possibility. All is yet to be, anything could happen next. The outset of any new experience can feel exciting, unnerving, challenging but also offers us the opportunity to develop our skills and delight in our creativity.
In the Herbcrafter’s Tarot the Aces are paired with herbs most commonly referred to as weeds, the first plants we often meet as herbalists. With the Aces, state the authors of this deck, we embark upon our initiation into the world of plant medicine.
THE SUIT OF AIR: Often represented by Swords in other decks, the Suit of Air is also equated with thoughts and ideas. Swords give one the opportunity to "cut away" that which no longer serves, specifically viewpoints and attitudes created or adopted, sometimes unintentionally or unconsciously, as a consequence of old imprinting and erroneous information. Swords themselves tend to depict a stormy path to self-realization.
In the Suit of Air, the Herbcrafter spends time observing and discerning. The Suit of Air blows through us, bringing us medicines for the mind. Here the plants are shown in their natural habitats so we may uncover their identities and behaviors through objective observation. The Herbs of Air frequently pierce the sky with their sword-like appearance. Using the Suit of Air, the Herbcrafter gains understanding by means of scrutiny, clarification, and consideration.
Information shared on herbs and their historical or traditional uses is meant for point-of-interest only. None of the above is meant to diagnosis, treat, or cure any health imbalances.
Each plant to which we are introduced within the Herbcrafter's Tarot has a long and celebrated history across cultures, continents, and eras. Remember that plants are rich in lore as well as nutrients and medicine, that sometimes our meeting with that specific plant at that exact time IS the medicine. To that end, focus on how and when a plant shows up for you, not just what that plant can do for you. Observe how it behaves in Nature. Its message may be in its properties, but it may just as easily be found in the relationship that Plant has with its surrounding environment.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot written by Latisha Guthrie Artwork by Joanna Powell Colbert Interpretation by Teri “Cricket” Heinichen Owens, RN, BSN, MS












