As I was driving for the first time through the most magnificent desert terrain I was in awe w/ the cacti and plant life which went on for infinity. The Saguaros were the most profound in quantity and size, “king of the desert plants”. There were also these whimsical, furry, (* furry as in covered in spiky needles that you would not want to touch) Dr. Seuss looking cacti creatures which were tall talks posed bending and bowing like playful children. Lastly, in the distance, and up on the ridges were these gigantic vertical rods that stood up so mighty like they were the “guardians” of the desert realm or of the Knights of the Sun....

The imagery reminded me of the “Wands” suit in the Tarot also called “Rods” which represent:

Spirit
Creativity
Divine Spark
New Beginnings
Ruler of Aries, Sag, and Leo
Channeled Focus
Energy that drives us and fuels our passions

Maybe this is why I felt the most connection w/ these mystery plants as I was on an adventure, driven by a spirit essence to make a new beginning/home/life in a warm, sunny place outside of the US. I had no clue what kind of desert flowers these were, but I really felt like a character from my favorite Tarot deck, a vintage one called the “Aquarian Tarot” w/ dreamy illustrations by David Mario Palladini. I was either the “Queen of Wands” or I was driving to that place in the Four of Wands card which embodies:

“When you act upon a vision it will have far reaching effects”

I eventually found out these stalky, tall rods belonged to the Yucca plant. Yucca elata to be exact though there are many species of yucca which look very similar. I didn’t even have to look it up, but just simply arrive at my destination/new home in the southern part of Baja which was surrounded by the Yuccas. Of course I knew these plants! They were planted around our home as a kid. That might be an understatement. The yuccas lined the boulevard near the street of this childhood home and wrapped around the entire property which was on a corner lot. In the summer the stalks of the yucca would shoot up tall and blossom w/ these cream colored flowers. They were only 2-3ft here as Central Illinois was not there ideal climate compared to the 20ft monster rods of the desert.. The yucca was out of place in this childhood home of mine in a concrete jungle, suburbia in the midwest which made them that much more interesting to me as a kid. Not desert climate at all. I had not recognized this from the car, on my recent desert drive in the distance because I could not see the botanical bases which the fatherly, stalks sprung. I could only see these amazing towering silhouettes which took up strong black negative space contrasting the light.

Speaking of “fatherly” I have a fond memory of my own father and the Yucca plant. In the summers he would camp outside w/ a baseball bat to guard the yucca’s blossoms. They were a target for the teenage boys riding by in cars who waited all year to play baseball w/ the plants as they drove by. My dad was successful many a year of chasing off the boys and keeping the yucca’s in tact. This is even more interesting to think about now because my dad is not a plant person at all.

Soaptree Yucca as a flower essence activates our assertiveness in the expression of our own will or intention, especially if we tend to allow the will of another to dominate us. It helps us to keep sight of our long-term goals with faith, perseverance and endurance. Just the medicine I need as I have always had an issue w/ being assertive as well as speaking up - throat chakra kind of stuff.

Currently, I am taking Art Journaling class w/ Zoe Dearborn http://zoedearborn.net exploring any possible shadow shelves that split away into my subconscious for fear of being unloved (usually happens as a young kid) in order to heal, grow, know more of myself, and have more authentic relationships. We worked on our "Inner Child" this week. I am sure I have hidden away my super chatty, assertive, dominant side somewhere!. My dad used to always say.. “Girls are meant to be seen and not heard”, because he came from a conservative, “old-fashioned” upbringing himself where he was taught this. I was so strong willed though and was excellent at pushing this boundry of his authoritive, dominant dad self. I lost part of my wild when my ass became to know "the belt". I continued to push and question authority, and I continued to receive the punishment of a few lashings from "the belt". My sweet innocent child soul became wounded on the inside though I always had a poker face, fuck you attitude on the outside. Though still wild heart, somewhere I lost my "voice". So as I work on myself, as well as generational healing and issues in particular w/ my father I find this connection w/ the yucca, which has just come back into my life to be auspiciously perfect in timing.!

Here is some general information about the Yucca: The yucca has at least 40 species, and Yucca plants are tree-like succulents of the lily family (Liliaceae) with stemless stiff, pointed leaves that end in a sharp needle. Native American Indians also used yucca plants for a variety of uses including making sandals, belts, cloth, baskets, cords, and mats. Such uses can still be found today among Papago, Hopi, and Ute Indians. The Zuni used a mixture of soap made from yucca sap and ground aster to wash newborn babies to stimulate hair growth. The primary medical use of yucca is to treat arthritis and joint pain and inflammation. Native Americans used sap from the leaves in poultices or baths to treat skin lesions, sprains, inflammation, and bleeding. Teas made from yucca mixed together with other herbs are still brewed by folk healers to treat asthma and headaches.

This plant seems to be planted out in every view of my current home. When I am trying to take a photo of the sea or sky, the yucca stalk is there in the photo as well. So besides working on issues around generational healing, and upgrading my assertiveness by making a personal flower essence from the Yucca when the blossoms are at the ready I am also receiving the healing energy of this plant simply from just having them planted outside my door. Obviously, I was meant to have them in my life early on since they also surrounded my childhood home. The magical desert drive I described above was also some of the most potent plant medicine I have experienced and I highly recommend the drive through Baja to All.