THE WILLOW TREE
If The Willow were a Tarot card, she would be The High Priestess. She reminds me of a wise, benevolent, worldly witch, she is mysterious, magical; she speaks in whispers, in thoughts, in dreams. She envelopes you in her foliage, cradling you from the world, so you can tell her your secrets, your sorrows, your hopes and your wishes.
There are a family of Willow Trees that I love just three blocks from where I live, they face the river and the first time I saw them I said these were my favorite trees in the city. They were so grand, so elegant, and just looking at them made me so happy. I walk the dog there almost every morning, and we usually sit under the tree and watch the water, or the people jogging by. He loves them too, he walks under the branches and the leaves graze him gently. Unfortunately he likes to pee on the trees, but he doesn’t damage them.
When I was going through my identity crisis, or spiritual awakening as some would call it, feeling overwhelmingly lost, I would meditate under the tree to ground myself. I felt so much energy radiating throughout my body, and it made me feel extremely anxious. The higher frequencies were being integrated into my system, preparing me for the work I would eventually do. It was like drinking gallons of coffee, and I never drink coffee, caffeine does not agree with me. I would touch the trunk, or the weeping branches, and ask The Willow to siphon the excess energy from my body and ground it back to the Earth. I felt at east immediately, I would take deep breaths, and it felt like I was breathing with the wind, and The Willow was dancing with my inhales and exhales. This would bring me to the present moment in such a powerful way, even though people walking by would look at me with confusion. I felt the frantic, high vibrational energy releasing into The Willow, and I would stabilize. This was almost a daily practice over the summer.
Mother Nature is constantly recycling energy, she heals, she gives birth, she decomposes. We can tap into her cycle by spending time with her, asking her for assistance, and becoming aware of the subtle shifts in our energetic bodies. The Willow has a special place in my heart, because it’s as if her branches are literally reaching down to us humans, asking us to communicate with her, to hear what she has to say, if only we’d be still and quiet enough to listen. You’ve seen Pocahontas, you know what I’m talking about.
In Celtic lore, The Willow is associated with The Moon, because of her relationship with water, and the psychic realm, the feminine energy, that which receives. She bends, not in servitude, but in grace. She can maneuver and adapt to the circumstances that befall her. She teaches us to be flexible, not submissive, still strong, still majestic, but flexible. How can we use our intuition, our psychic senses, our inner knowing, to keep growing, to keep reaching for the stars, even when obstacles continue to block our progress? No matter what happens on our journey, what are the inherent truths within that can never be taken from us?
Meditating and confiding with her, I’ve learned that life comes in cycles. The difficult moments prepare us for our soul purpose, and with each difficulty we are fortified, strengthened, and equipped for our next experience. When we are faced with challenges, turn to your friends and family for support, look within for answers, but don’t forget to ask Mother Nature for help. She has wisdom, she can console us, she can guide us. Press your bare feet into the Earth, place your hand on the powerful trunk of a tree, and whisper to her your concerns. Feel her, truly feel her, you can sense her frequency, she is gentle and comforting. You think it’s crazy to converse with a tree? I think it’s crazy we don’t do it enough, I mean, we interact with little lifeless screens all day don’t we?