Willow
The Queen of the Waters
I sat beneath a willow tree,
Where water falls and calls;
While fancies upon fancies solaced me,
Some true, and some were false…
Have you no purpose in the world
But thus to shadow me
With all your tender drooping twigs unfurled,
O weeping willow tree?
With all your tremulous leaves outspread
Betwixt me and the sun,
While here I loiter on a mossy bed
With half my work undone;
My work undone, that should be done
At once with all my might;
For after the long day and lingering sun
Comes the unworking night…
The amazing White Willow is a tree of druids and witches. She likes to dip her feet in the water while she reaches for the sun. A tall tree, she can climb to a height of 80 feet and can have as many as four trunks, each one as wide as 3 feet. This makes her a very substantial lady indeed. Her bark is a grayish-brown, and deeply fissured with narrow lines when she gets older. Her twigs are yellowish-brown and quite silky when young. Willow’s trademark is her elegance and flowing flexibility. With lanceolate shaped leaves, she looks dark green from above, and almost whitish from below. In the autumn, her leaves will turn a golden yellow and are very long lasting. Her longevity is marked more by the length of her season than her length of years, as she is one of the first to arrive in the spring and one of the last to depart in the fall. Beloved by many cultures, rest encircled by this grand lady and you will find comfort and ease.
The Magic of Willow
Correspondences
Element: Water
Gender: Feminine
Sabbat: Imbolc
Planet: Moon, Venus
Chakra: Sacral
Spellwork
Balance
Create
Love
Heal
Divine
Ogham
Name: Saille “Willow”
Aicme (Tribe): Beith
Morainn Kenning: Lifeless pallor
Letter: S for Sallow
Class: Noble
Lunation: Fourth
Gods: Cerridwen, Brigit
Wand: Flexibility
The Medicine of Willow
Ayurvedic
Ayurvedic Name: Vetas
Vata: Balance
Kapha: Balance
Pitta: Increase
Taste: Bitter
Herbology
Analgesic
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-rheumatic
Antipyretic
Astringent
Febrifuge
Sedative
TCM
TCM Name: Liu Shu Pi
Botanical Name: Salix alba
Common Name: Willow
Energy: Cool, Dry
Flavor: Astringent, Slightly Bitter
Organs: Bladder, Kidney, Heart
Movement: Stabilize and Bind
Science of Willow
Botany
Botanical Name: Salix alba
Family: Salicaceae (Willow Family)
Type of Plant: Deciduous Tree
Habitat: Moist soil, Sun/Shade
Zone: 2-8
Bloom Time: April-May
Height: 50-80 feet
Spread: 40-70 feet
Propagation: Cuttings
Harvest: Spring when leaf buds appear
Part Used: Bark
Constituents: Salicin, polyphenols, flavonoids
Native Region: Asia, Europe, N. Africa
Sustainability: Good
Leaf
Structure: Simple
Arrangement: Alternate
Shape: Lanceolate
Length: 2-4 inches
Margins: Finely toothed
Surface: Pubescent, esp. underside
Flower
Inflorescence: Compound Catkin
Sexuality: Imperfect, dioecious
Stamen: 2-7 fluffy
Petals: Single Pistolate
Color: Light green/yellow
Size: 2 inch
Sacred Story
In ancient China, the story goes, a mighty king chose a wealthy man to marry his daughter. She said that she would obey his command, but only if her proposed spouse could ease three misfortunes. The king asked his daughter what the three misfortunes would be. The princess replied, “the first misfortune that marriage should ease is the suffering of aging. The second is the suffering when ill. The third is the suffering caused by death.” If the marriage could not ease these burdens, then the princess would choose a life of religious devotion. Thus begins the tale of Kuan Yin, goddess of Mercy. Kuan Yin translates to “The One who perceives the sounds of the world”, and she is often depicted carrying a willow branch in her left hand. In addition to the music made as the wind rustles the branches, the willow symbolizes flexibility, being able to bend but not break.
