CELTIC TREE ASTROLOGY
SAILLE/WILLOW - April 15 - May 12
Characteristics
Willow people are full of the mysteries of life which makes them difficult to get to know. Their psychic antennae are always switched on. They have extraordinary memories. They are extremely eloquent in explaining the mysteries of life. They act intuitively in almost all situations and are very resourceful. They can be a powerful friend but are a horrible enemy! They have a passive kind of tenacity about them, they make wise parents and counselors. They tend to be very maternal and therefore are protective of loved ones. They are prone to sudden mood changes and they have a reluctance to forgive and forget which can cause permanent rifts with friends and family. They are usually employed in very responsible jobs. They make excellent teachers. They seldom express a controversial opinion in public but they have very strong opinions in private. Willows tend to over worry about health matters and may be hyperchondriacs. Their imagination has a tendency to work overtime. They have a deep interest in family loyalty and history and are often genealogists. Mother figures usually dominate and influence them throughout thier lives. Once they are married, they become completely devoted to thier spouse and children.
Flower
Primrose
The primreose is an opalescent and transparent gem which is sometimes said to resemble a raindrop. It can come in a variety of soft sheens...including white, pink or yellow. It is sometimes referred to as "Selenite". The Primrose was highly-prized by the Celtic Druids and its abundance in woods, hedgerows and pastures made it an easily-collectible plant. Primroses were often carried by the Druids during certain celtic rituals as a protection from evil. The fragrant oil of the flower was also used by the Druids to annoint their bodies prior to specific rites in order that they might be cleansed and purified.
Gemstone
Moonstone
The Druids suspended Moonstones from fruit trees to ensure a good crop and believed the stone changed color according to the waxing and waning of the Moon.
Animal
The Serpent - In all ancient myths of creation, Serpents have been closely aligned with the growth of humankind in spiritual terms. Legends of Serpents are usually associated with the aspect of transformation found within the fire festivals of the Celts. The sacred Serpent is associated with the Goddess aspect of the Moon...a passive but form-creating spirit.
The Adder - The Adder is symbolic of wisdom and spiritual energy. Snakes have long been associated with wisdom, reincarnation and cunning. Druids often carried an amulet called gloine nathair or serpent glass, which they stated was formed from the egg of an Adder, but is thought today to have actually been made of blown glass.
Polarity: Feminine
Color: Known only to be "Bright"
Class: Peasant
Planet: Moon
Letter Character: "S"
Ogham Association: Saille
Deity
The Birch deity is Lugh, also known as the "Shining One." Lugh was a Hero God whose symbol in Wales was a White Stag and whose sacred symbol was a spear. Always accompanied by two Ravens, Lugh is sometimes depicted as having only one eye. He was a deity of many skills, a diverse God whose jurisdiction included the Sun, light, grain harvest, fire, metallurgy and weaving. He was also know to be a protector of the weak. Lugh, whose destiny it was to kill his grandfather, was Chief Lord of the Tuatha De Danaan and may have originally been a King of the Fomorians who was adopted by the Tuatha De Danaan and then by the Celts. Though divine, Lugh is thought to have possibly been sired by an earthly father and, because of this association, is perceived as a "bridge" between the mortal and immortal worlds. More statues and holy sites were erected to Lugh than to any other Celtic deity and he is often equated with the Greek God, Apollo. Lugh's final claim to fame is that his name became part of the term used to describe a certain fairy common in Irish folklore...over time, "Little Stooping Lugh" or "Luchorpain," evolved into the word "Leprechaun," the tiny expert cobbler and guardian of hidden treasure.
Famous Willows
Karl Marx, Leonardo da Vinci, Charlotte Bronte, William Shakespeare, George Clooney, Conan O'Brien, Jerry Seinfeld, Uma Thurman and Jewel