| Saille Salix Alba Image by Drew Morton | |
| The Tree | Saille – Willow |
| Moon | Fifth Cycle |
| Place on the hand | Tip of the Little Finger |
| Color | Sodath – Fine colored |
| Stone | Ruby, Moonstone |
| Bird | Seg – Hawk |
| Goddesses | Hecate |
| Planet | Moon |
| Metal | silver |
| Day of the Week | Monday |
| Musical Note | b |
| Message | Enchantment. Symbolizes death as changes and bringer of life, lucky for journeys |
| Word Ogham | Flow, hue of the lifeless, activity of bees, beginning of honey |
Beautiful Lady who weeps
by the water’s edge
On a dream
Send me the gift of eloquence
To flow
With you
Whispering one
Your silvery hair
Swirls about me
in your healing depths
Poem by Carmen Reyes
Willow is sacred to Hecate, Circe, Hera, Minerva and Persephone who are all death aspects of the Triple Goddess. The words Wicca, witchcraft, and witches all possibly derive from an old word for willow. Willow gave its name to Helicon, the abode of nine muses who were orgiastic priestesses of the Moon Goddess. A willow tree grew outside Zeus’ Cretan cave when he was born. It is a tree that loves water the most. It is sacred to moon goddesses, givers of dew. The bark is good for pain, arthritic and rheumatic. It is the tree of enchantment. If we look at the beautiful weeping willow, think of the magical hidden place under her boughs!
Saille is feminine, the moon, water, is used to line burial places, and has a symbolic association with death. It is used to attract love, magical wands for moon magic, guard against evil, healing spells, brooms/besoms traditionally bound in willow.
The Willow is a sign of intuition and imagination. It is the unfolding of our powers, including psychic and intuitive. From its bird, the hawk, we are made mindful of the possible need for cunning, the skillful and subtle use of mental powers to have your aims met. We are urged to seek out the hidden forces in our lives. The challenge of the Willow is the tendency to ignore the unconscious, hidden aspects of the personality. We may be ignorant of an important aspect of ourselves. Awaken to possibility and embrace the fertile aspects of your mind.
The Bird
“I am a hawk on a cliff” from The Mystery, The Song of Amergin
The hawk lives within certain boundaries – and hunts at liminal times – at the “edge” of day at dawn, as well the second “edge”, at dusk. The hawk is the final catalyst in the change from dark to light: it is her decisive, willed action that liberates our growth-energy from confinement and allows this action-filled and fertile season of summer to become manifest.
Hawk is the messenger, attributed with responsibility. She teaches us to observe, receive signals, and grab opportunity. Hawk brings a connection with the far-reaching memory. Hawk is the ancestor soul.
The energies of this lunar cycle are bringing desire for action. We gradually gathered ourselves while germinating in the dark. We have taken in the energies of water, air and fire, and now we are ready to take form, bursting out of our shells, expressing our own will, to manifest what it is we have been storing within ourselves. Let us follow her on our quest, enjoying the warmth of summer, growing into our fullness. Grab hold of this wondrous sense of adventure she offers!
Hecate as an Archetype for this Cycle
From Hecate, who is a lunar goddess and of things hidden, we learn about shadows as well as making choices for She is the Goddess of the Crossroads.
In figurines of Hecate, she takes on the form of a pillar called Hecterion. One statue shows her with three heads and six arms, bearing three torches and three sacred emblems, a key, rope, and dagger. With the key to the underworld, Hecate unlocks the secrets of the occult mysteries and knowledge of afterlife. The rope symbolizes the umbilical cord of rebirth and renewal.
The Stones
Ruby is a stone of passion. Care must be taken when using this crystal, because it can bring negativity and anger to the surface. Ruby should be used with knowledge of how to gain from the experiences it brings. Allow the anger or negativity to come to the surface, and then let it dispel, never to trouble you again. Be purified by the experience, not overwhelmed.
Ruby can also amplify positive energies. It is said to boost the positive aspects that you already possess. Use this reserve of positive energies to help you overcome the negative energies that ruby might allow to surface.
Ruby’s vibrations energize. It is said to stimulate visualization and motivation. This effect can allow you to be more realistic in your expectations, and more honest in your intentions. Ruby intensifies the life-force energy that we all possess, stimulating the will to live and enhancing your innate survival instinct.
Moonstone’s energies are soothing and nurturing. They can help calm and prevent over-reactions to personal situations that involve emotions.
Moonstone’s energies are feminine in nature. They can help us all become more sensitive and loving. The subtle energies of moonstone can help to open and cleanse your heart. They are soothing and healing to the mind, emotions, and body.
Although moonstone is seen as a feminine influence, it can also help balance aspects of yourself, making moonstone a good choice for men who could benefit from being more sensitive and better able to express love.
In India, moonstone is considered sacred. It is said to bring good fortune, but, more importantly, it is seen as a tool to promote spiritual enlightenment. Moonstone can help you become more intuitive. It can also boost psychic ability.
Moonstone has a powerful effect on women’s menstrual cycles. Women are cautioned about wearing or carrying moonstone at times of the full moon or when they are menstruating.
In summary, Saille is a sign of intuition, imagination, flexibility, balance and sometimes deception. It is the unfolding of psychic powers. The Willow is the gift of cunning, of the skillful and subtle use of mental powers to have your aims met. Saille may indicate that there may be unseen forces or danger for you or those you love. You have something to learn from an unseen or unknown person, possibly a woman. This lesson may be unpleasant, but it will be of great benefit. You are urged to seek out the hidden forces in your life. The challenge of the Willow is the tendency to ignore the unconscious, hidden aspects of the personality. You may be ignorant of an important aspect of yourself.
Willow is a tree of immortality, and it teaches us to take control of our destiny. It is especially good for clearing discontentment, both with one’s self and with others. It is strongly associated with water, and it strengthens intuition and gives inspiration.
The lunar cycle of Saille is clearly about stepping out – getting ready and taking flight, but it comes with its cautions – to be cunning and to be aware of deception and all things hidden. It is about choices and letting go. The lessons of the Hawk, the Ruby, and The Moonstone all lend their useful energies to us, as our kindred, to help us through what can be a glorious cycle. As spiritual feminist women, it teaches us to learn from the Earth, to learn from our brothers and sisters in nature and to be self-reliant in the work we bring to the world.
(Meet Mago Contributor) Deanne Quarrie.
Enjoyable reading! I would add Lady Yuhwa (Willow Flower) who gave birth to Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo (37 BCE-668 CE), through a variation of parthenogenesis, according to the myth, to the list of Willow Goddesses:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Yuhwa
Deanne – here in Northern New Mexico the willows by the river are pale green and oh so beautiful and this year I am celebrating spring along with their unfolding… Willows and water are in intimate relationship and they may be associated with death but also very much with life, because it is easy to begin growing a willow by sticking a twig in a damp place… willow fences are common in some corners of the world…. Red willows along the river’s edge are used to make baskets…love this shrub/tree! Thanks.