WHAT IS THE WITCH WOUND?
Throughout history, cultures from all over the world included the Witch in their collective psyche. Sometimes portrayed as benevolent, and at other times as evil, witches were those who were in tune with what was hidden, from the occult knowledge of ancient Egypt and Babylonia to the village herbalists in early 19th century Ireland, like Biddy Early.
what is a witch?
The word Witch derives from the word the Old English word wicca, and while there are infinite lineages, traditions and philosophies about what it means to be a witch, the definition of a witch often includes a connection to nature, a draw towards the mysterious, and the personification of the divine feminine.
While in pop culture witches are often portrayed as ill-meaning lonely women, or lonely hags, a deeper look at witchcraft demonstrates that a culture’s attitude towards witches is often its subconscious attitude towards women.
There has always been a tie between modern witchery and feminism, and witch archetypes are often distortions that demonize or pedestal a woman’s power. The pop culture version of the sexy witch is an example of women’s sexual energy being commodified and objectified. The lonely hag archetype demonstrates patriarchal fear of independent women, as well as the devaluing of women based on their value as objects.
what is the witch wound?
The Witch Wound is a psychological and spiritual wound carried by self-identifying women who have been taught to fear their power, in particular power that relates to feminine energy. The Witch Wound can come from past lives, childhood or subconscious programming from our families, culture, institutions or education.
how do you know if you are a witch?
Because witches carry powerful divine feminine energy, you may resonate with the idea of being a witch if you are:
Drawn to the natural world
Have a deep love of plants and animals
Have an easy time empathizing with other people
Are highly creative
Witches are often very imaginative as children, and demonstrate a preference for making up their own games or notice the subtle details in poetry, artwork and forest walks or have a deep love of creative practices like painting, drawing, singing and dancing.
If you are a witch, you may:
Have a natural desire and ability to help others see the bigger picture
Others may be especially comfortable sharing their true feelings and thoughts with you
You may have an immense ability to envision a healthier happier future for humanity and all inhabitants of the earth
how do you know you have the witch wound?
The Witch Wound can manifest as a tendency to please people, silence yourself, or be hyper vigilant about how others perceive you, and a powerful inner tension when these attributes conflict with a consistent desire to create change, and embody courage and compassion wherever you go.
If you have the Witch Wound, you may dream of starting a creative project, but hold yourself back, or have an intense fear around groups of women. The idea of having power may feel very scary to you, because of a feeling that showing your power is unsafe. As a result, you may play small or try to go unnoticed because subconsciously you fear persecution.
At the same time, there is a special unique magic about you in the way you do things, from relating to children to remembering the names of certain stars, as if no matter what you do to fit in, you are always noticed.
If you see yourself in these descriptions, I invite you to check out my upcoming Coven of Witch Wise: How We Create Space to learn more about if the journey towards rising into your Witch Light is for you.
why is it important to heal the witch wound?
Healing is essentially creating balance. Our current modern culture prizes masculine ways of being and dismisses the wisdom of the feminine so deeply that we have created a highly imbalanced world, with a deep lack of respect for creativity, receptivity, feeling, intuition and silence. As a result, many feel disconnected from the world around them, from other human beings, nature and themselves.
Witches have the innate ability to restore balance in the world by sharing their healing gifts, which can take many diverse forms, from highly intuitive mothering to creative genius. The unique gifts and talents that are possessed by witches are the exact gifts and talents that have the potential to create a collective state of wholeness, interconnectedness, and creative evolution.
what is my witch light?
When you heal the Witch Wound, you are able to share your Witch Light, which is your particular healing gift and frequency. Whether it’s being a natural listener, a lover of the forest, or a poet since you were a small child, your gifts are unique. These gifts are what I call your Witch Light, because they have the power to transform anything when you shine this light through your actions, words, creations and your very being. Because we are all connected, when we heal our own Witch Wound, we contribute a healing ripple into the collective.
what are the consequences of healing the witch wound?
When we heal our Witch Wound, we become confident in who we are, and are no longer so vulnerable to the thoughts and opinions of others. When you heal your Witch Wound you can navigate the unknown with a sense of self-assuredness and are not afraid to bring up a conscious conflict. You accept your true wishes and desires, and become an active participant in calling out injustice, harm and illusion. You innately build a future of more possibility, potential and respect for the the Earth. You find the power of your creativity and you have the patience to develop your gifts. You no longer feel so threatened by change or the unknown, and you become a great discerner of what comes from love and what comes from fear. You remember you are worthy, you are whole, you are love, and you spread this message innately, wherever you go, simply by being who you are.