Re: The Wild Green Chagallian Tarot

11
Wow, I got The Muse card. I didn't realize that you associated plants with these cards too Pen. Fabulous. Now I can look up Vervain (Verbena officinalis)

I've never had vervain in my garden. I think I tried a perennial verbena but it wasn't hardy in my zone and died off after the first year. That was years ago so I don't know the particular Latin name. I think it might have been Lemon Verbena which is in the Verbenaceae but different.

Wikipedia has this notation:

"According to the William Faulkner short story An Odor of Verbena, vervain is the only scent that can be smelled above the scent of horses and courage."

That is actually the last chapter of a novel called The Unvanquished, but they sometimes publish it in short story form apparently. Ah, the scent of verbena on a woman. . .

I'm off to look it up in my herb book--I like the history of the various generic names for it. Tears of Isis, Juno's Tears, and Simpler's Joy being my favourites although Turkey Grass and Pigeonweed or Pigeon Grass conjure up delightful images.

Vervain is like a classic witches plant, perhaps Bella was a witch? <g> It's supposed to ease depression and melancholia, something I'm sure Chagall appreciated about Bella. I wonder if she wore verbena as a scent ever?

Oh, Three new words for me: emmenagogue (stimulating the pelvic region and menstruation) and galactagogue (something used to promote lactation) in relation to uses of verbena. Also vulnerary (for healing wounds) which comes from the Latin vulnus (wound.) I never realized our word vulnerable comes from that and that the term is used in herbal remedies.

See what you can learn from a ramble with a card? Let's spritz some verbena water around the house and dance with armfuls of flowers and our black dress with the white collar.

Such a charming deck.

Re: The Wild Green Chagallian Tarot

12
There's more information (than on My Divination) on the properties of the different plants of the Wild Green Chagallian in the LWB, but I had to limit it somewhat, or it wouldn't have stayed L.

Chagall always said that there was a part of Bella that she kept hidden - that even he couldn't know. I think this may have been the secret of her fascination for him over the years, what kept her as his muse. And there's a saying - Every woman is at heart a witch...

Pen (~~)
He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy...
cron