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Meadowsweet - Courtship is sweet, marriage more challenging. Comfort is given at no cost. Peace in the home.
photo by sten porse
The Meadowsweet card, with it's mention of courtship and marriage, sounds like a card of romantic relationships, and so it may be, or it may be a metaphor. The flower of this plant smells very sweet, indeed, while the leaves are different and more pungent. There is an old adage comparing this to courtship and marriage. This could also apply to beginnings and middles, generally. We often begin things with rosy enthusiasm until we get to the part where we are required to step up and grow. It is part of maturing as individuals to attempt to meet these challenges if we can, and if we consider them worth meeting.
The other aspect of this card is the free gift with no strings, no "payback". The drug we call aspirin is a synthetic version of a chemical found in several plants - willow bark, birch bark and Meadowsweet flowers. People used to take willow bark tea for aches and pains, but just like aspirin, it can make your stomach hurt or even give you ulcers. However, Meadowsweet flowers contain the same pain killer, plus another compound which protects the stomach lining. So while other comforts may have a sting, this one truly doesn't! I think that this aspect of the card can be relevant for those who are afraid to try to remedy their problems for fear of making things worse.
In times past, people used many different plants to strew the floors of their dwellings. Some were chosen for their sweet smell, others for their texture, still others helped to repel fleas and other insects. There was also lore attached to many strewing herbs regarding moods they could create or protection that they might bring, and so on. Meadowsweet was used for strewing. No doubt its aroma had a lot to do with this, but it was also believed to have the power to bring a peaceful atmosphere to bear in a home. Peace is such a healing thing, in the home, in relationships and within ourselves. It is a great vantage point from which to make plans, talk things over, and a great environment in which to work or rest. Challenges are always easier to meet when we feel calm, whether this is the challenge of getting a project or relationship back on track, or even ending one with grace and humanity, so much less damage is done in a peaceful atmosphere.
Further reading: Filipendula ulmaria - Meadowsweet from "Growing Hermione's Garden
The other aspect of this card is the free gift with no strings, no "payback". The drug we call aspirin is a synthetic version of a chemical found in several plants - willow bark, birch bark and Meadowsweet flowers. People used to take willow bark tea for aches and pains, but just like aspirin, it can make your stomach hurt or even give you ulcers. However, Meadowsweet flowers contain the same pain killer, plus another compound which protects the stomach lining. So while other comforts may have a sting, this one truly doesn't! I think that this aspect of the card can be relevant for those who are afraid to try to remedy their problems for fear of making things worse.
In times past, people used many different plants to strew the floors of their dwellings. Some were chosen for their sweet smell, others for their texture, still others helped to repel fleas and other insects. There was also lore attached to many strewing herbs regarding moods they could create or protection that they might bring, and so on. Meadowsweet was used for strewing. No doubt its aroma had a lot to do with this, but it was also believed to have the power to bring a peaceful atmosphere to bear in a home. Peace is such a healing thing, in the home, in relationships and within ourselves. It is a great vantage point from which to make plans, talk things over, and a great environment in which to work or rest. Challenges are always easier to meet when we feel calm, whether this is the challenge of getting a project or relationship back on track, or even ending one with grace and humanity, so much less damage is done in a peaceful atmosphere.
Further reading: Filipendula ulmaria - Meadowsweet from "Growing Hermione's Garden
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