My pink pussy willow (Salix discolor ‘Rosea’), a cultivar of the North American native plant, Salix discolor, is blooming.  The catkins are now elongated with tiny, yellowish flowers — a valuable early nectar + pollen source for bees, and food source for songbirds.

As I look at my willow, I am in awe of its healing abilities and the insight it provides.    They encourage us to be flexible with our thoughts, to learn and explore. 

Medicinally, willow has been a source of medicine for over 3000 years.  Its leaves and bark contain salicin, an anti-inflammatory agent and the active ingredient found in aspirin.

Willows are water loving plants and typically grow in moist areas along ponds, streams, marshes, and wetlands.  Because of their relationship to water, they have a strong connection to both the moon and the feminine energies of birth, creation, and intuition. 

I am grateful for willow’s presence in my life.  Sharing space with willow provides me with opportunities to heal, explore, and expand my knowing.

How can you ask willow to be present in your life?