The Witch Wound: Reclaiming the Wild, the Wise, and the Weird
Lately, I’ve been navigating a wave of shadow work I didn’t see coming; grief over how I’m perceived. Not just by strangers on the internet, but by some of the people closest to me. As I’ve begun to speak more boldly about my intuition, my connection to spirit, and the wisdom that flows through me, I’ve been met with everything from side-eyes to silence and most recently I have begun to ‘feel’ the dis-ease of others in my presence.
I’ve been called “crazy” or had my practices referred to as voodoo. I’ve read troll comments meant to cut deep. And though I try not to let it touch me, the truth is, it has. Not because their opinions matter, but because the reactions echo something ancient in my bones.
This is the Witch Wound, a collective trauma carried by those who have been punished, shamed, or silenced for their power, their knowing, their difference.
And I know I’m not the only one feeling it rise.
Understanding the Witch Wound:
The Witch Wound is not just about witches. It’s about the suppression of feminine wisdom, intuition, wildness, and sovereignty. Historically, those labeled as witches were the town healers, midwives, herbalists, mystics. The people deeply connected to both the earth and to Spirit. Their persecution wasn’t just physical; it was psychological, cultural, and generational.
The Witch wound tells us to:
Hide your gifts, or risk being cast out.
Be agreeable, don’t assert your power.
Don’t speak your truth, they won’t understand.
Stay small and you will stay safe.
These patterns of fear, shame, and silence often show up today as:
Fear of being “too much” or “too weird”
Self-doubt when speaking your truth
Shrinking around certain people
Avoiding visibility online or in your work
Questioning your own intuition
The Witch Wound isn’t just a historical echo, it’s an energetic imprint that has been asking to be healed for lifetimes.
Embodying Your Power
So as I have been navigating some pretty heavy energy and anxieties about standing in the truth of who I am; here are some practices that have been helping me rise above the noise and anchor deeper into my truth.
Shadow Work & Journaling Prompts
Where do I still fear being seen?
Whose opinion am I afraid of? Why?
What would I say or do if I didn’t give a single fuck?
Which parts of myself have I labeled as “too much,” and how can I love them?
Breathwork for the Witch Wound
Use breath to regulate the nervous system when facing criticism or judgment. Focus on grounding breath patterns, like box breathing or long exhales, to soothe the fight-or-flight response and return to your center.
Affirmations for Reclamation
I am safe to be seen in my full power.
My truth is sacred.
I do not dim for comfort. I rise in my truth.
I trust the wisdom that moves through me.
Daily Embodiment Practice
Wear something that feels like magic.
Speak your intuition out loud.
Post the damn video.
Share the spell.
Claim your space.
Because you are not crazy…you are magic!
So to those of you who have felt like you needed to hide your power, your weirdness, your wildness; I see you!! I am you. And it is high time that we stopped hiding.
Let this be your permission slip to live with zero fucks, not from a place of rebellion, but from a place of remembrance.
We are the medicine. We are the magic.
It lives in you.
Blessings Wild Ones,
Arielle
