Agrimony

What this is

Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). A slender, yellow-spired field herb the Anglo-Saxons called garclive and prized as a wound-staunch and a charm against the night-hag. The Lacnunga lists it for elf-sickness and broken sleep; medieval leeches steeped it for the liver and for arrow-wounds.

What it governs

Agrimony answers to Jupiter and the element of Air. Its seat in the zodiac is Sagittarius, and its day is Thursday, when its virtue runs fullest. It strengthens with the waning moon. In the old practice its office is plain: Carry a pinch in the left pocket to turn ill-wishes back to their sender.

Its properties

In the Galenic reckoning agrimony is warm and dry, and that temperament is the whole key to its work. The part you take is the aerial in flower. Its working colour follows Jupiter, royal blue and purple; its metal is tin, its stones are amber, sapphire, its number 4, and on the Tree of Life it threads up to Chesed. It carries well on the body, kept in a pocket or a small sachet and it is gentle, safe to use as the practice describes.

Where else it appears

The same office repeats across skins: in English cunning-craft a bag of agrimony under the pillow sends ill-wishing back to its sender; in conjure it is the turn-back herb for the very same purpose; the Galenic physician used it to bind a wound shut. Bind, return, close the breach, one gesture wearing three faces.

Where you meet it on the Oracle

In the Green Kingdom you meet Agrimony on Today's Herb, Angelic Herb, Today's Gathering, and Herb of the Hour. When it surfaces it counsels you toward its one office: carry a pinch in the left pocket to turn ill-wishes back to their sender. As the Angelic Herb it stands under Sachiel; read its rising as that intelligence laying a hand on your day, with Jupiter's expansion and good fortune. As Today's Gathering it marks a plant to take up now, while the waning moon and the day are with it.

Why it matters

Agrimony works at the seam between you and what comes at you. Where a thing leaks, sleep, the liver, the edge of your own field, it knits the edge and turns the harm home.

Correspondences

planet

Jupiter

element

Air

zodiac

Sagittarius

number

4

sephirah

Chesed

day

Thursday

colour

royal blue, purple

metal

tin

stone

amber, sapphire

tarot

Wheel of Fortune