It is 1:25 P.M. [MST] on Friday, September 25, 2026 as I sit down to write this blog. The moon will reach it's fullness in sixteen hours --- 5:25 A.M. [MST] on September 26, 2026. It will conclude before the sun has a chance to set --- 4:25 P.M. [MST] --- The moon will remain in Aries the entire time.
I don't know about you, but I can feel the power behind this one. I fear the 10+ hours of sleep I've gotten the past few nights was preparation for the lack of sleep I can expect for the next couple nights. There is powerful changes occurring throughout this time. Cycles closing. Reckonings being reckoned.
...It's a lot.
Just like a New Moon, the energy of a Full Moon can be worked with up to three days prior, as well as, the three days following. I find this helpful to remember during powerful moons, because sometimes the energy can foil your crafty plans. [Ie. you fall asleep when you had every intention of doing a ritual] During a Full Moon, you may want to focus on self-care. Not the same kind of self-care you focused on during last week's First Quarter Moon, which was all about pouring into your manifestations. A Full Moon calls for the kind that invites release. I noticed during my morning scroll that someone I follow gave themself[ves] a massive haircut --- long hair to buzz cut. This is what I'm talking about, the self-love that sheds the weight of other's expectations. Full Moons are also great opportunities to gather with your ancestors & deities; make a party of it! Be sure to leave them offerings & pass along gratitude after reflecting on everything they've helped you achieve. Last but certainly not least, "GIRL [non-gendered], when is the last time you charged your crystals?!? Set them out under the moonlight, for fucks sake."
A Full Moon in Aries is likely to have you feeling a little anxious. There's an energy of 'what could be' hanging about. What COULD you put into motion right now? You may find yourself overly focused on finances. Hence the suggestion for self-love rituals that encourage RELEASE. I'm not saying, "Hey, you! You should masturbate before you fall asleep tonight," but I'm also not saying you shouldn't. Go on... let loose some of that tension. You may also feel drawn to a wee pour of whiskey, if you're the type to partake. If you do... be sure to leave a pour on your altar for the ancestors! They don't like to be left out.
Aries is connected to 'The Emperor' card in the tarot. In the upright, 'The Emperor' is structured, regulated, & exudes fatherly wisdom. In the reverse, they are domineering --- with or without consent. This Full Moon may have you looking at the ways you structure yourself[ves]. What are your habits? Are they harmful to your overall goals? If so, can you do something to change them? Furthermore, how are you showing up in other's spaces? Are you standing so tall that you come across as overly dominating? Can you see how that may make them uncomfortable? How could you go about softening yourself[ves]?
While ingesting teas infused with willow won't make you soft, striving to embody the energy of this sacred tree might. Willow bark is pliable enough that it's used to create wicker furniture, wicker baskets, and is often the binding agent in those witches brooms we talked about in the blog on Birch.
It bends, but it does not break.
In the herbalism world, Willow is most revered for its pain relieving qualities. One of its constituents, salicin, is the precursor to a popular over-the-counter drug, Aspirin. Unlike Aspirin, however, Willow isn't likely to cause stomach ulcers. In fact, it has been used throughout many cultures as a soothing agent for the stomach lining. It can ease the inflammation that spurs diarrhea & calm an agitated urinary tract.
The Egyptians began singing Willow's praises as early as 1534 B.C. It is said that a Willow tree grew by the banks of the river Nile. They saw the tree as a representation of joy, despite its common name --- Weeping Willow. There were 700 remedies mentioned in the Ebers papyrus & Willow was one of the most mentioned herbs. The Egyptians believed it to be the answer to most aches & pains. They weren't alone in this belief, it is recommended for the same purpose in Chinese medicine. The Greek physician, Dioscorides, recognized its ability to reduce inflammation, as well. So, I suppose it's no surprise that still to this day one of our most prized pain relievers starts by stripping White Willow of its bark.
Just like the Birch, the Willow is a part of the Ogham alphabet. Its letter is 'S' & its sound is 'saille'. The Birch is associated with new beginnings, renewal, & purification; the Willow represents all things feminine --- our intuition, our connection to the moon, & the dream world. Notice how I said 'feminine' & not women. There is no exclusivity in nature. The trees recognize the inherent femininity in men. Gaia, or Mother Nature, can hold space for the wholeness of us all --- man, woman, or nonbinary individual.
That being said, Willow's connection to the feminine makes it a dead-ringer for use in witchcraft. Circe, the powerful sorceress who Odysseus spends a fair bit of time with on his long journey home, had an entire riverside cemetery full of Willow trees dedicated to the goddess, Hecate. She did this as a sign of gratitude for teaching her the arts of sorcery. Followers of Hecate, such as Lady Artemis, commit to lives of chastity. Because of this the Willow has been seen as a symbol of chastity by those who have attempted to make sense of the Greek faith --- most notably, The Christians. One of those people was St. Gregory the Great. In the 'Morals on the Book of Job' he states, "...for the children of the Holy Church spring up as willows among the grass, when amidst the withering life of carnal men, they last on manifold numbers, & perpetual greenness of mind."
Despite the association with chastity, many witches use willow bark in love spells. The pliability makes it easy to tie knots & create binds. I tend to advise caution in the use of spells to attract lovers to you, but I'd say in this case the contradiction should be enough to thwart anyone who is using discernment. If that doesn't deter you, though, maybe this story from England will... It is said that travelers who go about walking late at night are stalked by a Willow muttering low noises. There are two sides to love. One would do well to remember that.
"Challenge: Feeling lost in the enchantment of our day dreams or becoming rigid with fear. Feeling unable to trust in ourself[ves] or our dreams. Work with willow to release the tears, fears, and sadness holding us from believing in ourself[ves]." - Tree Spirit Tarot
Maybe the Egyptians had it right. Maybe the Weeping Willow is a tree of joy. Maybe joy is found after one allows themself[ves] to weep. I know these days, when it feels like testosterone has stolen my ability to cry freely, I cherish every tear. I find myself desperate somedays in my attempt to make them fall.
Our tarot card for this blog comes from my newest deck! I was delighted to find this oracle deck inside a little free library outside the post office. They are simply known as 'The Messenger Cards' & they're chockfull of beautiful artwork done by Sandra Kunz. You can find this deck & her other stuff here: www.strokeofsoul.com
Much like the quiet mornings I've been blessed with over the last few weeks, this card invites us to awaken at our own pace. Straight from the guidebook...
"Many of us are coming out of a deep sleep & what each of us discovers varies from soul to soul, but ultimately we are understanding the true meaning of what love is. True love is the deepest compassion we can feel for ourselves and our journey. The more we can understand and allow all aspects of ourselves to be, the more we can love ourselves and love others without judgement. This allowing also lights the path to our desired destination and it is on this path of intention and presence that we know we are living our life with purpose, right now.
Calling upon Deer medicine means that we can gently gaze upon our shadows with compassion and understanding of the bigger picture. Like children, these shadow aspects of ourselves need only love and attention to transform into amazing and wondrous expressions of who we really are."
Are you shunning the darker parts of yourself? Maybe they are the aspects that require self-care right now. The parts of you that you've been taught to be ashamed of. The parts of you that you try to hide. Allow them to surface this weekend. Sit with them. Talk with them. Learn to love them the way you love the parts that you show to the world. This is the path to the joy that lies just beyond the weeping.
REFERENCES:
https://witchinthewoodsbotanicals.com/pages/white-willow
https://www.rjwhelan.co.nz/herbs%20A-Z/willow.html
https://treespiritwisdom.com/tree-spirit-wisdom/willow-tree-symbolism/
https://mistwillow.com/mistwillow-name/
https://occult-world.com/willow/
https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/enlighten/ogham-trees-celtic-tree-alphabet/
https://precisiontreeandlandscape.com/the-mystic-meanings-of-willow-trees/
https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/tales-and-a-tune-of-the-willow
Be well.
Be you.
Astin Gaël