Willow Moon: Celtic Tree Calendar

During the time of April showers, the watery month of the Willow Moon teaches you to release pent-up emotions and experience your grief. Tears are linked to healing and as you express difficult and painful feelings, you are able to purge yourself of subconscious fears, which would otherwise prevent you from reaching your dreams. The Willow Moon offered a healing month to the Celts who literally spring-cleaned themselves in steamy saunas, known as sweat lodges, in readiness for the Beltane Festival at the start of May.

Watery tree

This month is the perfect time to perform lunar magic and to let go of the past. Cast energy to restore and nurture during the Waxing Moon and to release problems during the Waning Moon. Drinking more water will also help you to attune to the Willow Moon, and so enable you to connect to the tree’s watery magic.

Healing and Blessing

The Willow is imbued with the power of the Moon and so it has always been particularly linked with witchcraft. The traditional witches’ broom is bound with a Willow branch and lunar wands used specifically for Moon magic are made of Willow wood.

Broken hearts

The Willow’s close ties to the Moon and tides also connects it to affairs of the heart. An old English tradition involved jilted lovers wearing a sprig of Willow in their hats, which originated from an ancient Willow charm to heal a broken heart.

Lucky tree

It was also believed that knocking on Willow wood would help banish bad luck, and that the tree’s leaves and bark could be added to healing incenses and sachets.

Willow Moon Energy

The Willow Moon provides the perfect time to harness lunar power and energy for wishing, divination, healing, and protection.

Willow divination

Willow is a good tree for boosting your intuition because of its watery association with the Moon. Try these traditional ‘Willow-ways’ of using your extra-sensory perception.

• Throw your shoe into a willow tree on the new Moon. If it gets stuck you will be married in the next 12 months, but if it falls you will remain single. You can try this eight times, if you do not get the desired result the first time!
• Sleep with willow leaves under your pillow on the night of the full Moon to have a psychic dream.
• Burning the bark and leaves of willow with sandalwood, outside during the waning moon, will help you to see spirits.

Protection energy

Planting a willow tree in your garden will banish bad luck from your home.
You will need:

• Willow branch
• Spring water
• A quartz crystal
• A lock of your hair

1. On the new Moon dig a hole and place the quartz crystal inside it.
2. Call upon the blessing of the Earth Mother with the following incantation – “Earth to earth, in power and love grow”
3. Add the lock of your hair, to bring your own energy to the spell, and say, “I welcome you”
4. Plant the willow branch in the hole and refill the earth around it
5. Shower the covered earth with the spring water, while saying this chant – “Water to water, in power and love grow”
6. Water the planted branch each day until it is strong

Moon water energy

This Willow tree ritual should be performed outside and can be used to make a wish. or heart’s desire, come true.

1. At the time of the full Moon go to a shallow river or stream where willow trees grow
2. Stand with your feet in the water and hold your arms up towards the Moon
3. Visualise moonlight flooding your aura, filling your body with each breath
4. recite this incantation “Lady Moon of wax and wane, bring my wish and take my pain”
5. Perform an act of ritual purification by washing your hands in the water by the roots of the tree
6. Focus on your wish and tie a knot with string around a willow branch to seal it/ When your wish comes true, untie the knot

Healing Sachet

Use this charm during the Willow Moon to support your recovery from past bereavement or heartbreak.
You will need:

• White spell bag
• Willow leaves
• Willow bark
• Moonstone crystal

1. Harvest the bark and leaves on a full Moon, leaving a strand of hair as an offering of thanks
2. Hold up the moonstone and say, “Mother Moon, fair thou art, may your radiance heal my heart”
3. Place all the ingredients in the bag tying three knots to seal it, saying, “by the power of three so mote it be”