Because the willow is associated with Imbolc and the coming of spring, working with this beautiful tree at this time of year will allow us to gain many new insights into what is happening in your life. This is because its qualities include dreaming, intuition and deep, deep emotions and it is connected to the element of water. The willow tree will bless you with the energy of flexibility and the energy of the water element it holds shows you how to flow… or how you are not flowing.
If you look at a willow tree, it is abundantly clear what it brings into your life. It can bend in the most astonishing ways, but it won’t break, so it is the perfect visual representation of the fact that it is always so much better to surrender to what is happening and go with it rather than fight against it. It is a very smart tree!
Another thing a willow can do is not only survive in challenging conditions but thrive… so if you are stressed out at the moment, take a few minutes to talk to a willow tree and see how it can help you.
A broken branch will also grow wherever it falls, so this tells you to just keep growing wherever you end up being planted!!
If you sit with this lovely graceful tree or meditate with it, it will put you in touch with your feelings and help you deal with them. Its energy encourages the expression of deeply buried feelings, easing any sadness through tears and, if necessary, grieving. It will help you move through all the pain you are holding anywhere in your Four Body System and release it. It is a blessing in so many, many ways!
One way you can use a willow tree is to visualise it and take a really good look at the image. The look of the tree will give you all sorts of information about yourself.
What do the following things look like…
The roots – this shows what is nourishing you. Are they strong? Are they long or short? Are there any roots there at all?
The trunk – this gives you an idea of what sort of state you are in at the time of the meditation. Is it healthy? Is it thick or thin? Does it have many branches?
The branches – this shows how you are reaching out into the world – Are there lots of branches? Do they look healthy with lots of leaves? Do they move in the wind or are they stagnant?
The leaves – this shows you how you are growing and expanding. Are there any leaves? Do they look healthy?
Also, the roots and the branches connect you to the Great Above and the Great Below … the Earth and Source… or any other reference you are more familiar with. So, look again and see what the image of your willow tree tells you about these connections.
And, please always remember that the questions are only my questions. If you think of something else or realise that the parts of the tree mentioned above mean something else to you – go with your deep intuitive knowing, not mine. This is your journey and you need to be using all your innate wisdom as you learn to return to wholeness.
Then, when you have looked, ask the willow tree to help you understand what you have seen, how you can restore balance to all areas of your life by learning to express what you feel. It is a bridge to all the things you store in your unconscious and it gives you access to them so this will enable you to understand why you think and behave in certain ways… and, happily, working with the tree once you have this knowledge will help you change all those conditioned responses.
This year will be a year of changes, so learning to work with the energy of a willow tree will help you in ways you cannot possibly imagine, and it will allow you to become more flexible. It will give you the ability to adapt to the changes rather than be constantly challenged by them. It allows you to move smoothly and swiftly from confusion into clarity – and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that!
I could go on writing stuff about this magical tree. It does lots of wonderful things, but that will only give you knowledge. It won’t give you wisdom, which is how you apply knowledge in your life… you need to work with the energy of a willow tree in meditation. Or if you can, go and sit under one and absorb its energy. But, if you do this, always remember to thank the tree and give something back as a blessing for the help it has given to you.
May the lovely willow tree bless you and bring magic back into your life!
Bright blessings!
Gailx