Myrtle

When I began the hard work of finding my voice after years of abuse, one of the first things I wanted to do was change my name. 

My first name on my birth certificate was a name that meant “little lamb”.  I felt like I had been forced to be the sacrificial lamb offered up, over and over, for the mistakes of the men in my life.  I was done with that. 

I considered using my middle name, a version of Esther that meant “star”, but that didn’t really feel like it fit either. 

Then I looked up the ancient story of Esther (one of the few stories with a female shero that wasn’t completely removed from our modern-day Bible, although it was edited severely by a group of men.) 

Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, which means “myrtle tree”. 

After learning about the myrtle tree’s symbolism, medicinal uses, and purposeful beauty, I decided my new first name would be a version of Hadassah. 

Since both my married name and my “maiden” (what a demeaning term) name had been forced upon me by the patriarchal system that I grew up in, I also needed something different for my last name. 

I now call myself Hattie Knew.  Hattie (for myrtle) and Knew (because I am new, and I believe that deep down my true self always Knew that I deserved a better life). 

I wanted to include Myrtle in the title of this website because my hope is that the feminine wisdom shared here can help heal some of the wounds that we’ve all experienced as women.  Listed below are some of the amazing facts about the myrtle tree.

Myrtle is an evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and starry white flowers, but its true power lies in the stories, symbols, and herbal lore that have surrounded it for thousands of years. Across cultures, it has come to embody love, renewal, and the quiet, steady work of healing.

In the ancient Mediterranean world, myrtle was sacred to the Goddesses of love, especially Aphrodite in Greece and Venus in Rome.

Over time, myrtle’s symbolism deepened beyond romance. It came to signify youth, fertility, and even immortality, suggesting a love that does not fade when circumstances change.

In many cultures, the plant was also associated with peace and “bloodless victory,” hinting that true strength can be gentle rather than destructive.

Myrtle also has a long practical history of being used for healing.  Ancient physicians like Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny the Elder wrote about it.  Boiled leaves and fruits were used as antidotes for scorpion and spider bites, as well as for healing wounds, treating infections, and alleviating headaches.

Modern herbal and folk traditions still draw on these gifts. The leaves contain aromatic essential oils and salicylic-acid-like compounds, giving them mild pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and decongestant properties.

Myrtle is cleansing, calming, soothing, and helps you breathe.

Mythical stories tell of priestesses and other women who used myrtle during times of passion, grief, or transformation.

In Jewish mysticism, myrtle is connected to Tiferet, the harmonious heart of the Tree of Life, balancing compassion and judgment like a spiritual “middle path.”

Through it all, myrtle remains a trusted companion of the sacred feminine — rooted in the earth, fragrant in the air, bridging the worlds of body and spirit.

The symbolism of the myrtle reminds us that healing and love are often subtle, steady processes instead of sudden miracles. Its evergreen leaves represent resilience, while its delicate white flowers speak of new beginnings after grief, like a heart choosing to open again.

Whether as an herbal remedy, a mythical symbol, or a living presence in the garden, myrtle invites us to cultivate harmony: between passion and tenderness, body and soul, our own needs and the needs of those we love.