The willow has long been regarded as representing healing, regeneration, and endurance. Many cultures have believed in its magical properties, and modern medicine has adapted the pain-relieving powers it contains. It is a symbol of the divine feminine, and is associated with awareness, wisdom, and intuition. Willows often grow on the banks of lakes and rivers, holding back erosion and protecting the flow of water. The long, delicate branches trail in the currents, creating ripples of change but never impeding the flow. The old and broken branches can be trimmed back for new growth to sprout again, and can even grow a whole, new tree from a single branch.
