The Medicine of Trees

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The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

The Medicine of Trees

I started a plant spirit medicine thread back in December of 2017, and thought about just adding this there. But, as there are many trees with metaphysical and physiological healing properties, I figured I’d just start one for trees too. The world’s gone nuts, so it would seem walnut is the perfect place to start.

Walnut – Discernment

https://treespiritwisdom.com/tree-spiri ... symbolism/

Genus: Juglans – Family: Juglandaceae
Walnut reminds us to use discernment as we navigate through times of challenge, loss and misfortune.

The name walnut comes from the Old English wealhhnutu meaning “foreign nut” or nut of the Roman lands. Walnut trees are also defenders of the land they stand on. Their fallen leaves and husks contain juglone, a toxic chemical that acts as a natural herbicide. This direct alignment of walnut with powerful and destructive forces has long associated it with loss and misfortune. Walnut reminds us to use discernment so we can better understand a situation from all angles before making decisions.

The common walnut, Juglans regia, is an Old-World species native to Central Asia, known as English, Persian or Circassian walnut. It is one of the oldest tree foods that trace back to 7000 BCE.

The genus name Juglans, is Latin for Jovis glans, the “nut of Jupiter.” Jupiter, the Roman sky god was the chief deity of the Roman religion prior to Christianity. Jupiter, originally known as Zeus, was the Greek father/sky god. Regia in Latin means “regal.”

Alexander the Great (356 – 323 BCE) is credited with introducing this “Persian nut” to ancient Greece. The Romans then brought it to Europe and North Africa. Walnuts were introduced to China via the Silk Road and eventually English colonists brought it to the Americas in the 1600’s. It was known as the “food of the gods”.

As we look deeper into the structure of a walnut, we see that it resembles the human brain. In fact, walnuts are considered one of the best foods for brain health and longevity. They are packed with antioxidants, Omega-3, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber and we only need to eat seven a day to reap its benefits.

Black walnut, Juglans nigra, is native to eastern North America. Its nuts have a distinctive and desirable taste. The tree is more valued for it beautiful hard wood known as black walnut.

Walnut husks have been a source of ink for master artists such Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.

Message: The walnut spirit reminds us that during times of adversity we must rely on our inner ability to discern between the forces that will help us and those that will not. Right now, our focus is better spent on emotional and spiritual development versus power or financial gain. By improving our personal sense of worth and having faith in our self we will be better equipped to discern our next step.

Challenges: Neglecting our emotional and spiritual health by placing all our emphasis on financial gain, which ultimately leaves us feeling hollow.


Health Benefits of Black Walnuts
By Joshua Rogers

https://www.naturalalternativeremedy.co ... k-walnuts/

The black walnut is particularly well-known for its medicinal properties, even though the advantages of walnuts are several. This walnut is an essential ingredient of conventional medications. The Romans frequently called it the ‘Imperial Nut’, since it was used to handle a number of conditions. Because of its enormous medicinal worth, many Russian hospitals have been using this for centuries. Indigenous Americans also recognized the significance of black walnuts, and consequently have been making use of it for decades to help with numerous skin problems.

Health Benefits of Black Walnuts 
There are individuals who consume these on a regular basis, but don’t even know of the wellness benefits of the black walnut. Black walnuts can help treat a wide variety of health issues. This is due to the fact that walnuts are a wealthy supply of nutritionally essential elements. Black walnuts have substantial quantities of potassium and magnesium. Essential Omega 3 is contained by it, and Omega 6 essential fatty acids which are very advantageous for the health; especially the heart.

Having a few walnuts regularly can be great for your heart’s health, and decreases the opportunities of stroke and heart attack. This is actually the best way to guard your heart. Studies show that consuming walnuts can help our cholesterol levels to stay in a healthy range, therefore making sure we keep our hearts healthy. In a single study, it was apparent that black walnuts can perform a critical part to keep damage to the heart at a minimum after a heart attack.

There has been research that supports that black walnuts can eliminate candida, which is a fungus similar to yeast. This is due to the fact that black walnuts are alkaline forming, and fungi and other parasites aren’t capable of living in an alkaline environment. Ergo, consuming these nuts does quite a bit to help with candida and other fungus/parasites. The research demonstrated that black walnuts are much, much better than most antifungal medications. Therefore, those attempting to protect their intestinal health from these types of attacks can surely rely on black walnuts.

Black walnuts have also been shown to have laxative qualities, and thus can help with constipation. Eating black walnuts is an all-natural means to get respite from any sort of debilitating bowel issue.

Black Walnut Hull
The black walnut hull is the dry outer shell of this nut, and it helps to eliminate intestinal parasites and tapeworms. Black walnut shell powder is extremely abundant with iodine. When taken internally it’s also available in capsules, and frequently aids in the proper function of the thyroid gland. Skin issues such as acne, blisters, eczema, and even ringworm are frequently handled with a black walnut husk ground into a powder. On a number of skin conditions black walnut husks (in powder form) can perform wonders.

Exterior use of black walnut is also helpful in treating epidermis problems like canker sores and psoriasis. It can effectively treat skin conditions that happen as a result of fungal infections. Some physicians also suggest internally using walnut extracts for problems like gout, glandular disturbances, and rheumatism that happen because of parasites.

Fascinating Information and Advantages of Natural Black Walnut
Remember how we mentioned that the early Romans described this as the “Imperial Nut” for its several uses in holistic medicine? Well, here’s a quick summary of a few of them that we discussed:

* Aids in healthy digestion
* Supports regular bowel movement as an all natural laxative
* Antiseptic healing qualities (both internally and externally)
* Assists in balancing blood sugar and decreasing cholesterol
* Helps to clean out any toxins and dangerous pathogens
* Kills Parasites

The various parts of the black walnut help to decrease or deter the development of several organisms within the digestive system. Because of its purgative properties, natural black walnut shell has been utilized in several indigenous cultures to aid your body in rejecting what shouldn’t be there.


This one has slightly different info...

Black Walnut Benefits & Uses

https://www.jonbarron.org/herbal-librar ... s-benefits

Besides being one of the most effective herbal laxative remedies and also being rich in Vitamin C, black walnut hulls have a long history in herbal medicine. Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist, talked about their healing power in the first century A.D. Seventeenth-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper prescribed walnut to draw poisonous venom from snake and spider bites. It was the Native Americans, however, who first used black walnut hulls as a laxative and as a treatment for eliminating parasites in the intestine. This use, as a laxative, is how it is most commonly implemented today. But its use as both an anti-pathogenic and anti-parasitic, may be its most important roles.

Bactericidal and Virucidal Effects of Black Walnut Hulls
One study from 2012 screened plant quinones for inhibiting effects on the bacterial fire blight pathogen. The most active compound discovered in walnut hulls was juglone. As the study said, “juglone has a potent and specific bactericidal effect on E. amylovora…Juglone is a promising candidate for the development of a new environmentally friendly plant protectant to replace the antibiotic streptomycin currently used in fire blight control.”

Another study published in Phytotherapy Research found that juglone showed significant inhibition of RNase H activity in the HIV virus. This is a big deal. HIV-1 replicates itself through reverse transcription, a process that produces new double-stranded DNA from the viral genome’s single-stranded RNA. During DNA synthesis, a DNA/RNA hybrid is formed as a replication intermediate and must be cleaved by RNase H before the process can continue. Inhibiting this inhibits replication of the HIV virus, and the study showed that juglone from black walnuts did just that.

Anti-parasitic and Anti-fungal Effects
Juglone also exerts its effect by inhibiting certain enzymes needed for metabolic function. It is highly toxic to many insect herbivores (it is often used by organic gardeners for pest control), and studies have shown that it can expel parasitic worms from the body. Black walnut hull is reported to be effective against pinworm, ringworm, tapeworm, and other intestinal parasites. While there are very few scientific studies on black walnut hulls, the ones that exist are very interesting and suggestive.

In addition to the previously cited study above in support of black walnut hull’s benefits with helping to expel intestinal parasites, the following studies are strongly suggestive. For example, a 2008 study identified types of wood that were resistant to the Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive pest that eats the inner bark of trees. The study found that ash borers that normally fed and developed on ash logs had no larvae and were not able to survive, grow, or develop on any black walnut trees or logs.

In truth, this is one case where experience trumps lack of studies. Any good herbalist who has used black walnut hull tincture, either internally or externally, can tell you how effective it is. Dr. John Christopher tells a great story about how when serving in the army, he used it to cure jungle rot in just four days.

It is also important to understand that many parasites do not confine themselves to our intestinal tracts. There are at least 1000 species of parasitic organisms that can live in humans, including Giardia, flatworms, hookworms, ringworms, nematodes, and a whole host of funguses. Incidentally, medical labs only check for about 50-60 of them. Some encamp in the liver, and others, such as Cryptococcus gatti, invade the lungs, nervous system, soft tissue, lymph nodes, and joints. Anti-parasitic and anti-fungal herbs such as black walnut (not to mention heavy doses of garlic) can help drive all of them out of the body. This is while you’ll find black walnut hull as an ingredient in Jon Barron’s Liver Tincture formula.

Black Walnut Hull as a Vitamin and Mineral Source
Before vitamins and minerals were commonly used, herbalists were known to use black walnut hull for a variety of conditions including easing scrofula, ulcers, wounds, rickets, scurvy and as a gargle. In more recent times, Russian military hospitals also used it as a cleansing and quick healing medication for wounds and ulcers.

More Natural Health Benefits of Black Walnut Hulls
It may also help with lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The black walnut hull’s tannin content is thought to help shrink the sweat glands and reduce excessive sweating. It may also help with menorrhagia and diarrhea.

Other uses include:
* aiding digestion
* helping relieve colic
* helping relieve heartburn
* helping relieve flatulence
* stimulating bile flow
* easing pain in spleen
* balancing blood sugar levels
* warding off heart disease
* combatting malaria
* helping with syphilis
* helping with skin conditions such as boils and acne

How to Take Black Walnut Hulls
Black walnut hulls can be found as a liquid extract and in capsule form. You can also order black walnuts or find them in some natural food stores. Side effects associated with black walnut supplements are uncommon, and it is generally safe to use unless you are pregnant or allergic to nuts. Use while pregnant could theoretically cause birth defects or negatively impact the growth of the fetus, or potentially cause a miscarriage. The odds of any of these things happening is extremely low, but it is recommended that you not use it while pregnant.
I see your love shining out from my furry friends faces, when I look into their eyes. I see you in the flower’s smile, the rainbow, and the wind in the trees....
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Re: The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

Pine trees seem a good pick for this time of year, and we are surrounded by them out where I live, along with fir trees and tamarack. It is amazing to me how they seem to grow in such harsh conditions, often times. When there are successive drought years, some of the other trees suffer, but not pine! We used to have more cedar trees, too, but they are not fond of hot dry weather, so many not close to a source of water have not done well. I think you will be surprised at the many uses for pine. I know I was!

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-ben ... /pine.html

What Is Pine
by John Staughton (BASc, BFA) last updated - September 01, 2020 ✓ Evidence Based

Pine trees are one of our best-loved trees. The sloping branches have been immortalized in art and been part of our holiday traditions. But these are not just of aesthetic value. They are also used in many forms, from pine needle tea, essential oil, to its pollen. The different parts of the tree hold many health benefits.

What is Pine?
Pine is actually a broad term that encompasses around 120 different species of coniferous trees that fall within the Pinaceae family. You can find its species in most of the Northern hemisphere, but there is only one that is native to the southern hemisphere. While some species have been introduced to tropical climates for lumber or ornamental purposes, pines are very hardy and tend to become invasive in these regions. Hence, they are usually discouraged. These trees can have long lifespans, some stretching to 1,000 years of age. The oldest known pine tree in the world is in California. It is over 4,500 years old. [1]

In terms of medicinal benefits, pine needles, [2] cones, bark, and resin all hold medicinal qualities. Its essential oil is also highly valued. The innermost bark can be dried and eaten. It is valued for its high nutrient content, while the needles can be brewed into a popular tea that has a number of beneficial qualities. You can read about the individual products in our articles:

* 6 Proven Benefits of Pine Pollen
* Pine Needle Tea: How To Make It & Benefits
* 9 Amazing Benefits of Pine Essential Oil

Uses of Pine
* Its needles are used to brew tea.
* Its pollen is available as a powder and can be taken with drinks or added in baked goods.
* Pine cambium, or the layer just beneath the outer bark can be eaten raw or cooked. Pine bark extract is also available commercially.
* The resin is used for skincare and treating wounds.
* Pine nuts are eaten widely.
* The sap is used as a glue and for making candles.
* The wood is used extensively for making furniture and ornamental items.

Health Benefits of Pine
Pine and its various extracts are used in many ways in traditional medicine. While its parts like bark and pollen are more extensively researched, the benefits of pine needle tea are less known. However, these are used quite extensively in traditional medicine.

Rich in Antioxidants
Pine and its various constituents are rich in antioxidants, which help to protect you against diseases. So, whether it is a tea, the bark extract, or the pollen, as multiple researches have shown, you will get a good dose of immunity. The pollen extract was found to contain potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. Similarly, different studies have validated the presence of antioxidants commercially available bark extracts, like flavangenol. A Berkley study found that the antioxidants in the bark were so potent that they could boost the effect of vitamin C and other antioxidants in our food. [3] [5] [4]

Pines are conifer trees mostly native to the northern hemisphere.

Improves Vision Health
Pine needle tea is believed to contain vitamin C and A, both of which help in improving vision. Even more powerful is the bark extract, which prevents damage to the eye. It proved highly effective against complications like diabetic retinopathy, a progressive condition where the retina of the eye gets damaged. [6] [7]

Skin & Hair Care
Vitamin A does a bit more than helping your vision; it also prevents oxidative stress in your skin, helping to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle-free by eliminating free radicals. Furthermore, the vitamin C helps to speed the healing process and vitamin A reduces the appearance of blemishes and scars, even from skin conditions like acne. In terms of your hair, vitamin A and C both help give a rich luster to your locks and prevent hair loss and dandruff. [8]

Pine bark and essential oil have shown efficacy in dealing with various skin conditions in different studies. The essential oil is used in dermatology as an antiseptic for cuts, eczema, psoriasis, and sores. Pine bark extract was found to be photoprotective, preventing damage from skin exposure and aging. [9] [10]

Protects Against Pathogens
Pine products are known for their protective properties, which are effective in dealing with pathogens and microbes. The essential oil has antiseptic properties, which are used [9] to treat wounds. It is used extensively for its antibacterial properties. You can find pure pine oil disinfectants that are used to kill viruses and bacteria. Some pine needles have also shown antibacterial properties in lab researches. [11] The antibacterial properties of the bark extract have shown promise [12] against multiple drug-resistant bacteria. The resin is well-known for its antimicrobial properties. [13] It was used in many folk medicines to [14] treat wounds.

Improves Circulation
Studies have shown that pine bark extract could improve blood circulation. A 2018 Italian study found it was effective in treating thrombosis, a condition where the blood starts to clot in the circulatory system. The needle extract, on the other hand, can lower blood cholesterol and improve blood circulation. [15]

Maintains Respiratory Health
One of the most common applications of pine needle tea for treating respiratory conditions, such as inflammation of the respiratory tract, which helps to relieve coughing and sore throats. It was used by the Native Americans as a nasal decongestant. A 2017 study found that the bark extract can be used to treat cigarette-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. [16] [17]

Word of Caution
The potent mix of chemicals and active ingredients in pine can be dangerous for pregnant women, as it has been known in some situations to cause miscarriages (*). Some species can be toxic when consumed. So, always get your pine needles and bark from a certified herbalist. Avoid picking needles in the wild if you don’t have any knowledge of the local flora and fauna. You can’t be sure what other environmental or atmospheric factors may have contaminated the needles or roots.

*my note - I do take the goats out to forage, but when they are pregnant they should not be allowed to eat as much as they want of the plentiful pine needles that are dropped in the fall, as it is said they can also be harmful to their pregnancy if they eat too many. I allow them to eat some, and have never had a problem. I would guess that they would be better if gathered far off well traveled roads due to the environmental factors mentioned. Some plants do pull toxins out of the soil, such as Knapp weed, although I never thought about trees doing the same.
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Re: The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

To continue with Pine....

http://www.thegoddesstree.com/trees/Pine.htm

Pinus
Tree of Nativity
Birthday of the Divine Child, the King of the Waxing Year - December 23rd
First vowel of the Ogham alphabet - Ailm

Planet: Mars
Element: air, fire
Stone: Emerald
Symbolism: Birth, Abundance, Health, Fertility, Fortune, Love
Birds: Crow, Jackdaw, Raven
Colors: Black
Deity: Artemis, Ariadne, Rhea, Cybele, Druantia, Erigone, Dionysus, Bacchus, Merlin, Pan. Attis
Runes: Ken, K
Folk Names: Windmill Palm, Blume (dragon's blood)

Magickal Properties:
Attracting prosperity, purifying ritual areas and new homes, helping "stay the course" during difficult times.
A pine wand or pine cone kept on the altar wards off evil influences. Carry pine cones to increase fertility and have a vigorous old age. Floor washes with pine oil cleanse a space of negativity and ward off illness. Throw pine needles into winter fires for protection, or burn pine incense for purification and divination. Place pine branches over the bed to keep sickness away, or to aid the ill. Hang a pine branch over the main door of your house to ensure continuous joy within.

Medicinal Properties:
It is an antiseptic, expectorant, and tonic. An infusion of the pine needles makes an inhalant for relieving congestion. Pine needle tea can aid with healing bladder, urinary tract, and kidney problems. The needles and shoots are rich in Vitamin A and C. Use the cones and needles in a bath for breathing disorders, skin complaints, and rheumatic pain. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy for its antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, deodorant, and diuretic properties.
Meditate with Pine to help alleviate your dark moods.

It is also good if you suffer from guilt, and if you have a hard time being satisfied with your achievements.
A renewal of energy can be obtained by sitting under a pine.

The pine tree seems to listen, the fir tree to wait: and both without impatience:
- they give no thought to the little people beneath them devoured by their impatience and their curiosity.
- Friedrich Nietzsche, The Wanderer and His Shadow, # 176.

Blessing Spell

Gather needles and cones.
Tie a small bundle of needles together
with thread and burn them in your cauldron.
Pass the cones through the smoke
and then place them in a location
where you will see them frequently
and be reminded of your blessings.

Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes


The Great Goddess
Mary

With the rise of Christianity and Patriarchy, devotion to the Goddess could not be completely converted.
The deep Love for Her was resurrected in the hearts of many through Mary, the christian version of The GreenMan.

She is the Divine Feminine, Life-Giver, the Great Goddess, Lady of Light, the Mother of God. Through Her, the Divine Feminine persisted, survived, and thrived.

The Pine Fairy
is and ancient spirit indeed, for pines are conifers and are among the oldest of plants, flourishing just after the glacial period and before the advent of broad-leaved trees. Scots pine is the only tree from northern Europe to have survived the Ice Age. Clumps of pine are believed to act as ley-line markers.

Pine is associated with Attis, love of the goddess Cybele. When he was unfaithful, she changed him into a pine tree. Her son, Zeus, seeing her regret decreed that the pine should stay green throughout the year as a consolation. Attis is one form of the dying and resurrecting god of Nature, giving pine (despite its evergreen status) a strong link with the cycles of living. The pine fairy may be solitary and a little melancholy, but he has a healing presence and can banish negativity. The pine fairy has seen so many things come and go, and one of the things he likes to see gone is your lack of confidence! The wind in the pines is blowing up a new future that can help you leave your mistakes behind, for the past really is the past.
I see your love shining out from my furry friends faces, when I look into their eyes. I see you in the flower’s smile, the rainbow, and the wind in the trees....
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Re: The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

I am going to be making a salve using a recipe from one of my favorite books, Advanced Treatise in Herbology by Dr. Edward E. Shook (unfortunately out of print but you can find a PDF of it online). The salve contains echinacea root, calendula flowers, walnut leaves, and eucalyptus leaves and has many applications. I love these beautiful trees, that I got to enjoy when living in California. I never see them up here in NE Washington State.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF EUCALYPTUS
By Vinita Jaiswal  Posted April 22, 2019  In Health Tips

https://www.aahaarexpert.com/medicinal- ... ucalyptus/

Nature has gifted us lots of miracles. The eucalyptus tree is one such wonder that offers lots of medicinal properties to mankind.

Eucalyptus is a tree. The dried leaves and oil are used to make medicine. Eucalyptus oil comes from the dried leaves of the eucalyptus tree. The oil is a colourless liquid with a strong woody and sweet scent. Eucalyptus leaves are steam-distilled to extract the oil. Eucalyptus oil contains 70-85% 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) – an ingredient in some mouthwash and dental preparations.

Though eucalyptus is used medicinally for many purposes.

Eucalyptus leaf is used for infections, fever, upset stomach, and to help loosen coughs. The leaf is also used for treating respiratory tract infections, whooping cough, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, osteoarthritis, joint pain (rheumatism), acne, wounds, poorly healing ulcers, burns, bacterial dysentery, ringworms, liver and gallbladder problems, loss of appetite, and cancer.

Eucalyptus oil should not be taken by mouth or applied to the skin full-strength. It must be diluted for safety. The diluted oil is taken by mouth for pain and swelling (inflammation) of respiratory tract mucous membranes, coughs, bronchitis, sinus pain and inflammation, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory infections.

It is also used as an expectorant to loosen coughs, antiseptic, fever reducer, and in vaporizer fluids. Other uses include treatment of wounds, burns, ulcers, and cancer.

Diluted eucalyptus oil is applied directly to the skin for pain and swelling of respiratory tract mucous membranes, joint pain, genital herpes, and nasal stuffiness. It is also used as an insect repellent.

The oil has multiple different uses –
Eucalyptus oil also has flavouring, pharmaceutical, and antiseptic uses.
1. Eucalyptus oil may also have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties – people use eucalyptus oil to help treat a wide range of medical conditions.
2. It is used to help relieve symptoms of the common cold and is found in many cough lozenges and inhalants.
3. Eucalyptus oil vapour acts as a decongestant when it is inhaled and is used to treat bronchitis.
4. Eucalyptus oil was used in traditional Aboriginal medicines for treating fungal infections and skin wounds. Eucalyptus tea was also administered to reduce fevers.
5. Towards the end of the 19th century, eucalyptus oil was used in most hospitals in England to clean urinary catheters.
6. It is also an effective insect repellent. In 1948, the U.S. officially registered eucalyptus oil as an insecticide and miticide (kills mites and ticks).

MEDICINAL USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF EUCALYPTUS
1. Antibacterial properties -One study found that eucalyptus oil may have antibacterial effects on pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract.
2. Relieving pain – there is research to indicate that eucalyptus oil has analgesic properties. One study concluded that Eucalyptamint produced significant physiologic responses that may be beneficial for pain relief and/or useful to athletes as a passive form of warm-up.
3. Promoting good dental health -eucalyptus has antibacterial activity against cariogenic (causing tooth decay) and periodontopathic bacteria. The use of eucalyptus extract chewing gum may promote periodontal health, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology which examined the effect of chewing-gum containing eucalyptus extract on periodontal health.
4. Stimulating immune system response – eucalyptus oil extract is able to implement the innate cell-mediated immune response.

OTHER POSSIBLE CONDITIONS THAT EUCALYPTUS CAN TREAT INCLUDE:
* Arthritis
* A stuffed nose
* Wounds and burns
* Acne
* Ulcers
* Bladder diseases
* Diabetes
* Fever
* Flu

PRECAUTIONS AND SIDE EFFECTS
It is unsafe to take eucalyptus oil orally or when it’s applied on the skin before being diluted.
Side effects may include:
* Diarrhoea
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Stomach upset
* Signs of eucalyptus poisoning:
* Dizziness
* Feelings of suffocation
* Small pupils


And here is another good link that includes some of the spiritual benefits:
https://www.soulofthebadlands.com/eucalyptus-oil/

EUCALYPTUS BASICS
Please note that I am not a medical professional, and these tips should not be used as a replacement for a physician or medical professional. I hope you enjoy this article and find some guidance and help to better your physical, spiritual and mental health.

Eucalyptus oil is one of my go to oils in my medicine cabinet. Eucalyptus works great for boosting our immune systems, allergies, sore throats, congestion and is a natural analgesic. My favorite use of Eucalyptus is for spiritual protection and cleansing my home.
 
EUCALYPTUS FOR SPIRITUAL HEALTH.
Eucalyptus Oil works really well for our spiritual health and well being by working to naturally calm the mind and reduce worries by reducing tension. By diluting eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil such as jojoba oil, we can begin to see massive impacts on the spiritual healing properties.

Eucalyptus works best as a protection oil and when used properly can help clear out negative energy from our homes. To use eucalyptus oil for this intention, we must set our intentions and practice respect and gratitude.

Begin by praying for protection in a way that honors your faith and practice. Once you have said your prayers, gather your diffuser, water, eucalyptus oil, and any secondary oils you'd like to add such as lavender oil and ylang ylang.

Bless your water by praying over it. Focusing your intentions on protection and removing negativity from your energy and home. Pray over this water, and slowly pour it into your diffuser. Add 5 drops of eucalyptus, praying for protection and cleansing, then add 3 drops of Lavender oil praying for protection, and finally the ylang ylang oil. Once you are completed with this, say a prayer of gratitude and thanks for spirits assistance, and focus on finding gratitude in your day to day lives.

Diffuse this blend for an hour. You can diffuse this blend periodically throughout the day, diffusing for 1 hour at a time to get the most benefit from the blend.

Diffusing for longer will not hurt, but you will no longer be receiving aromatherapy benefits after the 1 hour period.

This blend would be beneficial to use prior to a meditation ritual to help not only protect you, but offer calming and peaceful energy into your space.

Eucalyptus works to clear our energy and aura, which allows us to work through our shadows and raise our frequency or "vibrations" into a higher level of consciousness. Applying a similar blend into a bath, a rollerbottle or a room spray would bring the same benefits as a diffuser.

EUCALYPTUS AND MEDITATION
By utilizing protection and cleansing oils into our practice, we can help work through spiritual blockages in our wellness. By utilizing tools such as eucalyptus oil in meditation, we can help ourselves heal faster, grow, and develop as individuals. Using a protection oil during meditation can offer extreme benefits for our wellness by protecting us from negative entities, removing toxic attachments, and assisting us in creating a connection to the divine.

It's vital that we establish this protection, as spiritual attachments are becoming more prevalent as the world around us become more chaotic and hateful. Because of this, the collective energy struggles with raising vibration. This energy surrounds us at all times, in the grocery store, at work, in the media, and it follows us into our cars and our homes. By working to create these safe spaces where our energy is not only protected, but cleansed, we are able to find temperance within us, which facilitated the natural desire for homeostasis of our wellness- mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

By utilizing this spiritual protection in addition to mindfulness, exercise, diet and spiritual development we can see this wellness begin to improve, thus raising the vibration of our souls.

EUCALYPTUS FOR RELATIONSHIPS
Eucalyptus is a great oil to use to diffuse situations because of it's energy cleansing properties. By diffusing eucalyptus oil after (or before a fight if you know you are full of tension or anger) we can help cleanse our space and move forward past negative energies and instead work towards mending relationships.

Eucalyptus oil works to remove negative energies and heal our souls. By using this oil when we are in conflict, it will work to bring everyone together not only because it works as a calming agent but because of these cleansing properties. In addition, fights with our significant others welcome in negative spiritual attachments which eat away at our relationships and drag our souls into lower frequencies and vibrations. This can lead to violence, abuse, depression and addictions. By using eucalyptus oil, we can help create a primary prevention system for our souls. Spiritual protecting us in addition to our Faith and prayers.
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Re: The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

Willow has always been one of my favorite trees, since childhood. It’s always seemed magical and connected to the unseen realms, a doorway of sorts. We have a lot of scrub willow out here, several varieties, and the goats love it! Moose are said to like it too.

The Power of the Willow Tree

https://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/willow.htm
By Glennie Kindred
(Originally Published at Imbolc 1997)
The Willow is the tree most associated with the moon, water, the Goddess and all that is feminine. It is the tree of dreaming, intuition and deep emotions. Symbolically it belongs to the beginning of spring, when all of life is stirring in the depths and begins to shoot outwards once again. In the ogham alphabet, the willow is Saille which became anglicised to "sally" which means a sudden outburst of emotions, action or expression (to "sally forth"). The Old French "saille" also means to rush out suddenly and the Latin "salire" means to leap. This is the underlying energy of the willow, and the key to understanding the powerful spirit of this beautiful tree.

The early spring festival of Imbolc, Oimelc or Imolg is one of the two great female fire festivals among the yearly cycle of four. Imbolc is celebrated at the beginning of February and, like the willow, is sacred to Brigit, Brigantia, Bride, being the maiden aspect of the triple Goddess. It celebrates her re-emergence as a young virgin from the mountain fastness of her mother Cailleach - she who is of winter, the burial mounds and dark places. Cailleach, the crone aspect of the triple Goddess, drinks from the well of youth and is transformed into Bride/Brigit who is her other self. This is the Celtic version of the Demeter/Kore story, representing the mysteries of life, death and rebirth. Imbolc is sacred to women and the power of the feminine principles of inspiration, illumination and seership. In Ireland, Bride is the Goddess of healing and smithcraft. The church transformed this festival into Candlemass and kept much of the pagan symbolism. It is a time of initiation and of beginnings and celebrates the renewal of the potency of the Earth Mother and the union with the male principle of the returning light.

The willow has much to teach us in its associations with our feminine aspects. By spending time with willows, or using the wood to make a talisman or wand, by taking it herbally or as a Bach flower remedy, we can deepen this connection. Spending time with willow trees at the full moon can only increase the potency of the insights and understanding to be gained. Working with the willow in the early spring, when the willow energy and the Earth's energy are aligned, is also a particularly potent time to explore its aspects.

The willow has always been known as a tree of dreaming and enchantment, and it was associated in Celtic legend with poets and with spells of fascination and binding. This is the willow moon energy, which puts us in touch with our feelings and deep emotions, and it is the ability of the willow to help us to express these, let them out, own them and charge them in fantastical leaps of inspired eloquence and understanding. Our deep unconscious thoughts speak to us through our dreams. If you have lost touch with your dreams or wish to increase their potency, make yourself a willow wand and sleep with it under your pillow. You will find your dreams will immediately become more vivid and meaningful. Studying your dreams, writing them down, opening your intuition to interpreting them can lead to healing emotional problems and releasing tensions in your life.

This movement on the emotional level, of allowing the emotions to come through to the surface, is the power of the willow's essential energy. Deep emotional pain blocks the energy of the body and can cause many illnesses. The willow will allow the person to move through the many levels of sadness, express the pain though tears and grief, and, by moving through these emotions, facilitate healing. The Bach flower remedy Willow is to be taken by those who have suffered adversity or misfortune in life and remain embittered by it. Willow will help the movement out of this negative state to a greater interest and involvement in the present.

When you are either over-stimulated by your feelings or cut off from them, connecting with a tree with a water attunement will greatly help. If you are attracted to a particular tree, then follow this and reach out to the tree with an openness and a willingness to accept your intuitive responses. Physical contact with a tree will help balance your body's energy, and as you stand or sit with a tree you might receive some insights and inspirational thoughts. If you feel you have made a deep connection with a tree and want to end that communication, move slowly out of it and focus some love-light around the tree. It has been proven that the plant world is greatly enhanced by this. An attitude of thanks and gratitude for nature is also a sure way of opening up the channels of communication with trees and plants.

On a herbal level, willow bark has been used for its pain-relieving qualities for at least 2,000 years. The Salix alba (white willow, withe, withy) contains salicin, which is converted to salicylic acid in the body. Salicylic acid is closely related to aspirin, the synthetic drug that has displaced willow bark from popular use. Willow bark reduces fever and relieves rheumatism, a common ailment in these damp isles. A decoction can be used for gum and tonsil inflammations and as a footbath for sweaty feet. The bark is collected in the spring time, being careful not to ring the tree or it will die. The decoction is made by soaking 3 teaspoons (15ml) of the bark in a cup of cold water for 2 - 5 hours. Then bring to the boil. Strain and take a wineglassful each day, a mouthful at a time. The bark can be dried, powdered and stored in an airtight container.

Black willow (Salix nigra) is the pussy willow and has black bark as opposed to the light greens of the white willow. Its properties are much the same, but herbally it was used in the past as an aphrodisiac and sexual sedative.

Goat willow or sallow willow (Salix caprea) is used in very much the same way as the white willow, but sallow bark tea is recommended for indigestion, whooping cough and catarrh. It can also be used as an antiseptic and disinfectant.

Culpeper says in his Complete Herbal "The moon owns the willow" and it was known as the witches' tree and the tree of enchantment. Robert Graves suggests that witch, wicker and wicked are all derived from willow. Willow rods are certainly used for binding magical and sacred objects and the popular witches' broom is traditionally made with an ash handle and birch twigs bound with willow.

Willow wands are used for any ritual associated with the moon and as a protection on deep journeys into the underworld and the unconscious. The willow will always enhance inspired leaps of the imagination and is recommended to be used when seeking to assimilate the teachings of a wise woman or master, because understanding another person's enlightened place is made easier. Also when seeking to understand ancient ways, so that you can assimilate these past levels of information, and quickly move through the underlying emotions, to appreciate humankind's patterns and utilise this information for change.

By working with the moon and the cycles of the moon, we reconnect to the duality of the light (waxing) and the dark (waning) and the tides, the seas, water and the qualities of water which include flowing, surrender, harmonising and accepting. Moon magic puts us in touch with our emotions and unconscious, which balances out our solar rational conscious views. The moon represents the Goddess and everything which reflects and suggests the power of women.

Willow is used for charms of fascination and binding, and during the spring moon we have the power of the Spring Maiden who fascinates and binds the power of the young King. Aphrodite is associated with the spring and the bright half of the moon, courtship and the union which blesses the land with fertility. British and Irish mythology is also rich with legends of the beguiling, Willowy Spring Maiden who is called Olwen, Niwalen, Gwenhyver, Cordelia, Blodeuwedd and many others, who initiate the young King into a deeply sexual experience.

Tree magic generally falls into the class of sympathetic magic which operates through the doctrine of signatures. This states that a plant will act on that part of the body which it most resembles. This can be sub-divided into homeopathic magic (the Law of Similarity) and contagious magic (the Law of Contact, using a magically charged object).

Homeopathic magic words on the principle that "like begets like", and by using willow wood for a wand or talisman it will be charged with the properties of the willow. The flexibility of the willow's twigs inspires us to move with life, rather than resist what we are feeling, and can also help you to let go of conditioned responses to life's experiences and to move towards a greater acceptance of self and others.

Willow's weeping stance reflects its association with grief. By wearing a piece of willow (as in the popular song "All around my hat I will wear the green willow") a person will be able to access all the levels of grief connected with a loss, and be able to move through all these different levels, expressing the whole deep emotional experience, to gain healing and inner strength.

When one of the willow's branches or twigs becomes disconnected, it will easily grow into a new tree if it finds some soil and water, teaching us that contained within a loss, or a new direction, is the capacity for growth and healing. Willow is one of the best water-divining woods, along with hazel and birch.

Homeopathic magic and contagious magic can be combined in the making of wands, talismans and any other objects made for personal or ritual use. Making a wand from willow means that all the willow's qualities are naturally contained within the wood, although you may want to charge or empower certain aspects for specific use. Willow wands are used whenever there is a need to connect with intuition, dreams, seership, visions, poetic and inspired writing or images, and whenever there is either an emotional numbness or emotional excess, or where there are negative emotional feelings which need to be worked through. Use a piece of fresh willow, cut from the tree with appropriate reverence and ritual, or a newly fallen piece which the tree has recently shed. You may like to take the bark, or some of the bark, off and carve it with magical symbols or anything else you may wish to use to energise your wand. It is easier to carve fresh wood and then let it dry out. Small twigs will dry out quickly without cracking in a house, but it is better to let larger pieces of wood dry slowly in an outhouse or shed, or under a hedge. When it is dry, it may be polished with several layers of beeswax to protect the wood, or left natural.

Talismans may be made in the same way, perhaps using the natural shape of the wood to suggest and inspire a carving. Talismans may be worn round the neck or as a brooch, or carried within a pouch and kept close. They may be magically carved with symbols relevant to their use.

Symbolism is not fixed, there are no correct versions of anything, and the willow particularly stimulates our ability to follow our intuitions and find out own meanings behind the symbols. It is true there are traditional meanings associated with things, but traditions must evolve and include new insights and ways of working. We may evolve a new set of symbols, particularly relevant to ourselves, which others may adopt and integrate into a new system. What was meaningful to people in one part of our evolution or history may no longer apply. Interpretations may no longer speak to the conscious or the unconscious. The patterns which a seer can unfold need to be potent and meaningful to our present spiritual evolution. We have been taught to regard our intuition as unreliable but we know that this isn't true and we must use it more in order to develop our ability to use it to the full. The power of the willow can enhance this resolve.


Willow - medicinal
http://wildfoodsandmedicines.com/willow/

Harvesting and Preparation
While all willows are medicinal, the medicine strength can vary depending on species and where the plants grow. I am careful to harvest willow in an uncontaminated area and give the bark a taste and smell test. I want it to smell a bit like wintergreen and taste wickedly bitter like an aspirin tablet with a tart Vitamin C after kick. This is the good stuff. Many herbalists have their favorite variety of willow, and once they find a stand, they go back to it to harvest year after year. It is useful to develop a relationship with a specific stand and watch how it changes over the years due to your foraging and changes in the environment.

Willow bark and the small branches are the most potent part of the plant and can be harvested in spring or fall. I prefer harvesting in February and March when the twigs are growing fast and the buds are swelling. If you are harvesting from a large willow tree, cut the newer branches then peel the bark and large twigs with a knife. Small twigs can be easily cut with garden scissors or clippers.

To make willow oil, cut the bark and stems into small pieces and place them in a double boiler. Cover completely with extra virgin olive oil or another oil of your choice and heat very gently for several days, turning the oil on and off so that it does not boil. Strain with a piece of muslin cloth, then place the oil in a glass jar. It will last about a year in a cool dark place.

To make willow tincture, place fresh cut bark and twigs in a glass jar and cover with vodka or brandy. Cover with a lid and let sit for at least 2 weeks. Shake the jar every few days and make sure the herb is under the liquid. Strain and bottle in a glass jar. If you are using dried willow, bark I recommend measuring the weight of the herb. For every ounce of dried willow, use 5 ounces of vodka or brandy (by volume). Place in a jar and let sit 2 weeks as above. The dosage is 30-60 drops. Tincture will last 7-9 years.

To dry willow bark and stem, place it in baskets, paper bags, or a food dehydrator on a very low setting. Store in a cool dark place. The tea is very bitter, even for brave souls with flexible palates. It is best mixed with other herbs or taken quickly as a tincture or capsules. Up to an ounce of herb can be boiled in about a quart of water and taken throughout the day. You can also powder willow bark and twigs in a coffee grinder and fill “oo” capsules. Take 4-10 capsules per day.

Willow leaves can also be harvested for medicine in spring through summer and dried in baskets or paper bags. For tea, use 1 heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water and steep 15 minutes. Drink 3-6 cups a day. For a pain-relieving bath, try several large handfuls of dried willow leaf in a pot of boiled water. Steep 15 minutes and strain into a bath.

Willow Medicine

Willow is a richly storied plant that has been valued as an anti-inflammatory, pain reliever, fever reducer, and bitter tonic for thousands of years. Its use was documented in 4,000-year-old tablets from ancient Sumeria and it was perhaps the most important of 700 medicines mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus from Egypt in 1534. In China, Europe, and the Americas, it maintained mythic status for countless generations.

In 1827, a French chemist named Leroux extracted the principle active substance from willow and named it “Salicin” after the genus. Salicin is thought to be converted into the more bioactive salicylic acid in the body. In 1860, salicylic acid was synthetically synthesized and became cheap and easy to create without the need for willow. Unfortunately, salicylic acid is caustic to the stomach lining and can cause various side effects including bleeding and ulceration. In 1890 a young chemist named Hofman, who worked for the Bayer Company in Germany, found an acetyl ester of salicylic acid. They marketed this as Aspirin, a drug that has risen to become the most utilized medicine in the world.

The medicinal value of willow has seemingly withered away in the wake of cheap and accessible synthetic drugs like Aspirin. Yet I believe it still holds a rightful place in our medicine cabinets. Willow bark contains fiber that slows salacin absorption along with tannins that tone irritated membranes and reduce bleeding. Willow is also bitter, cooling, and diuretic. It can help to relieve heat and swelling associated with injury, arthritis, high blood volume, and other conditions. Like Aspirin, willow helps to prevent blood coagulation and assists in keeping the waterways of blood flowing smoothly throughout the body.

Willow contains the plant compounds populin and methyl salicilate. Populin is found in cottonwood and contributes to its anti-inflammatory and fever reducing medicine. Methyl salicilates have a minty or wintergreen smell and can be found in higher concentrations in some willows. I notice this with some Alaska willows and seek them out for topical medicine because it is so cooling and pain relieving.

Willow can help ease headaches, arthritis, muscular pain, cramps, swelling, flu like symptoms, fever, and urethra, and bladder irritability. It does not work on every occasion, but it is definitely worth a try. Sometimes it does magic.
Willow is an excellent first aid remedy and it is almost always available when you are in the wilderness. It is effective for treating stings, painful swellings, cuts, burns, and other injuries. Willow contains vitamin C, which helps to heal tissue. Tannins in willow act as an astringent to swelling. It also acts as an antimicrobial and a pain reliever. You can make a poultice by mashing up the bark or leaves, or you can make a strong tea and place it over an injury. The tincture can be used as a liniment too, as long as there is not an open wound. This story from herbalist Corinne Boyer illustrates how powerful willow can be for first aid:

Willow is a plant that I would never want to be without. I keep the dried bark in my first aid kit, with me at all times. I have had a few specific situations that made me believe in the powers of this tree. One summer, I got a mild, yet painful concussion after slamming the bone above my right eye into the corner of a door at full force. After the initial day of staying in bed with an ice pack and arnica salve, I awoke the next morning with a screaming headache. The pain was so bad I couldn’t stand up. All I could think to do was make a willow decoction. After it boiled for about 5 minutes, it was too hot to drink, so I used a clean bandana and took the wet woody warm bark and laid it on my head, and went back to bed. The pain was gone, no joke, GONE in five minutes. I thought it was too dramatic to be true, but the exact same thing happened the following two mornings in a row, each time willow taking the pain away in no time flat.

Since then, I have used willow for many kinds of pain, and I find that it is best for acute sharp pain that is somewhat closer to the skin, including severe burns and painful wounds. I have chewed up the dried bark (ghastly) to make a poultice for a severe burn in which my skin actually stuck to a woodstove, and it quickly saved me from the pain. After an hour, I removed the poultice and the pain came back. I renewed it and the next morning, there was no blister, redness swelling, or pain. A few days later the skin did sloth off, but with no pain or scarring.

Willow Flower Essence:  Adapt, be flexible, go with the flow
When I was 16 years old, an Elder taught me a song meaning “Great Spirit, let me be like the willow and bend to the will of the wind.” That song has been great medicine for me in my adult life. Like willow, I hope to have strong growth and direction while maintaining flexibility. Willow does not break in the winds of adversity or change, it adapts.

Willow is the quintessential remedy for someone who is hot, inflamed, agitated, and stuck. It cools, eases rigidity, transforms harmful anger into discernment, and clears the way. I have seen it help people who are bitter, rigid and resentful find flexibility and grace.

For eons, willow has also been associated with magic, feminine mysteries, and the moon. Holy wells in Europe are often marked by a willow tree. I recently heard a story about how a trained woman used a “willow wand” to find water for digging a well on a large farm. Because of willow’s connection to water, it is associated with immortality in China. It is also associated with grief and death, perhaps because it soothes people who are in pain and having a hard time with letting go.

Other Uses -
All willows are edible, but some are not palatable. The leaves are high in vitamin C – 7 to 10 times higher than oranges! The inner bark was traditionally eaten by many Native People, although it is so labor intensive that I do not know of anyone doing it today. Willow bark is high in calcium, magnesium, zinc, and other trace elements.

In Saanich Ethnobotany, Nancy Turner shares that Hooker’s willow inner bark was traditionally peeled in May and June, pulled apart, and twisted to make rope for fishing lines, nets, and trump lines. Many types of willow are fashioned into baskets. Willow poles were used as fishing weirs because they root where they are planted.

Willow water for strengthening new plants -
Willow contains a natural rooting hormone that stimulates root growth called indolebuyric acid. This compound is highest in the growing tips. If a willow branch breaks off a plant and travels downstream it will easily root in a muddy bank. You can benefit from this by making a willow tea and using it to water cuttings or new plants. Place new shoots in a jar and cover them with hot water, then steep for 24 hours. Some gardeners make willow water by placing new shoots in cold water and letting it sit for several weeks. New plants will benefit from just one or two waterings with this tea. I have also placed a willow sprig in a jar with a cutting when I am trying to get it to root.

There is another benefit to watering new plants with willow tea. According to recent research, salicylic acid is involved in a plant’s systemic acquired resistance. When a part of a plant is attacked by disease or insects, it increases salicylic acid and thereby raises its natural defenses throughout the plant. Plants can even convert salicylic acid into a volatile compound that can warn other nearby plants. When you use willow water on tender new cuttings, you may be helping them defend themselves.

Caution: Willow should not be used when someone is on anticoagulants. While willow is better tolerated than Aspirin regarding stomachaches and ulcers, it should not be used for those who have a salicylic acid allergy.
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Re: The Medicine of Trees

Post by Spiritwind »

This morning as I was allowing my mind to wander where it wished, and I shuffled some medicine cards for the heck of it, two things occurred. One, was out of the usual 6 cards I draw, the first three were EXACTLY the same as they were yesterday. Interesting. Then, as I was pondering on the meaning of the reading, I saw/felt/heard the words white willow. I didn’t even know there was, specifically, a “white” willow. Sure enough there is. I found the spiritual elements of this tree from the following link quite revealing, so will share it here.

It seems this tree really wants to get my attention. It is interesting that in a shamanic soul retrieval experience I had back in the mid 90’s we found a part of me, about 5-6 years old, up in a willow tree, and it was a very independent defiant part of me that was kinda pissed and didn’t want to come back right away. In many ways, this was when my healing journey started in earnest, and I have retrieved many lost parts of myself and still working on it. In my reading this morning I got that many of us, spread from one end of the globe to the other, are likewise engaged in this journey. We don’t even know each other, but the accumulated elevation of frequency we each experience equals more in the sum than it’s parts. It does have the potential to create the positive change we wish to see in this world, one heart, one mind, one activated intention at a time. I know this, because nature told me so.

The Symbolism of the Willow Tree

https://willowplaceforwomen.com/symboli ... llow-tree/

The Willow Place for Women in Asheville, North Carolina is a place of hope for women struggling with eating disorders, trauma, and substance abuse. Here, we view the willow tree as a symbol for all the women who come through our doors. A symbol that represents each journey, struggle, and pain as well as a symbol of recovery and hope for the future.

History of the Symbolism of the Willow Tree
The willow tree has a long history of symbolism rooted in spirituality and cultural traditions. There are references to the willow tree in Celtic and Christian tradition, among others. One of the most valuable traits of the willow tree is its flexibility. The willow tree is one of the few trees that is capable of bending in outrageous poses without snapping. This can be a powerful metaphor for those of us seeking recovery or a spiritual path. The message of the willow tree is to adjust with life, rather than fighting it, surrendering to the process.  

Using the Symbolism of the Willow Tree in Your Own Life
The willow reminds us to let go and to surrender completely to our innermost selves. And, to gain a deeper understanding of our subconscious. Another powerful symbolic meaning of the willow tree is its adaptability. The willow tree’s ability to not only survive but also thrive in some of the most challenging conditions. We can also look at how the willow tree encourages the expression of deep emotions, including grief and sadness through tears and teaching us the value and consequences of love and loss. One of the greatest symbolic meanings of the willow tree is that even through great loss we have the ability to grow and there is potential for something new.

What the Willow Tree Means to Us
There is also great symbolism of the colors of the tree. Like the trunk of the tree, brown symbolizes stability, structure, and support. Brown gives us a sense of duty and responsibility, encouraging a sense of security and belonging. Green, like the leaves on the branches, symbolizes nature, fertility, and life. It also represents balance, learning, growth, and harmony.

Our image of the willow tree represents the strength, stability, and structure of the trunk, standing firm and withstanding the greatest of challenges. The branches are flexible and strong, bending without breaking. The leaves represent the balance, harmony, and growth we experience through these storms and life challenges. The willow tree gives us hope, a sense of belonging, and safety. Furthermore, the ability to let go of the pain and suffering to grow new, strong and bold. The image of the willow tree is our path to stability, hope, and healing.
I see your love shining out from my furry friends faces, when I look into their eyes. I see you in the flower’s smile, the rainbow, and the wind in the trees....
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