Willow | Tree Wall Art

Adaptability | Fertility | Grief

The name ‘weeping willow’ comes from the way raindrops run down its long leaves, making it look like the tree is crying. The weeping willow is therefore associated with grief and mourning in many cultures. The willow encourages the expression of deeply buried feelings, easing sadness through tears and grieving, and teaching the consequences of love and loss in matters of the heart. Through emotional expression, and through the sharing of feelings of ecstasy and pain, our ancestors believed they could help heal the human spirit. The willow enables us to realize that within every loss lies the potential for something new.

The willow tree also symbolizes flexibility. The branches are capable of bending in outrageous ways without snapping. We as humans are also capable of doing the same on a mental, emotional and spiritual level. But we must surrender to the process of life and be flexible with what we go through, as hard as that can be. The willow reminds us of the need to let go sometimes, to surrender completely to the watery world of the emotions and the subconscious, so that we may be carried toward a deeper understanding of our inner-most feelings, toward a better appreciation of our hidden motives and secret fears and desires.