23 Willow

Learning from adversity, adaption

The Ainu people of Japan believe that the human backbone was originally formed from the bending length of a willow branch. There is something human about the stooping form of a willow tree, like a person in mourning - yet no matter how hard the winds blow, it simply bends and does not let itself be broken. Even when the river wears away at its bank, the willow's roots remain deep and steady. With the willow we learn to grow through adversity: hold on until the storm has passed.

Flexibility, adaptability

The willow tree is characterized by its thin, pliable branches, and it’s time that you take a leaf out of its book. Learning to be more adaptable in your mindset is a valuable skill, and soon you’re going to find yourself in a situation where you’ll need to be more flexible. Try not to get too stuck on thoughts of how you’ve always done things, or how things have always been - embrace a new outlook and try things differently, you may be surprised by the results!