Witches through HIStory
It’s so interesting how history is called HIStory, it literally is the stories of the past told through the eyes of men. Women have either been written out of those stories, or represented in a way which doesn’t reflect their power, strength or truth.
Witches being a classic example of this. The word witch comes from the word ‘wicca’, which has been derived from the Scottish word ‘wica’ meaning ‘wise one'.
And so all women are witches.
Truly.
Wise Women
Women are often seen as carriers of deep wisdom and intuition due to a combination of biological, cultural, and spiritual factors that have shaped our connection to life, nature, and the unseen world.
Biological Connection to Nature’s Cycles: Women’s bodies are naturally attuned to the cycles of nature through our menstrual cycles, which mirror the phases of the moon and the rhythms of the earth. This cyclical nature of our bodies brings a greater sensitivity and connection to self, to the world around us and allows a deeper access to intuition and wisdom.
Ancestral and Collective Wisdom: Throughout history, women were the healers, nurturers, and keepers of wisdom in our communities. We passed down knowledge of herbs, healing practices, childbirth, and emotional support from one generation to the next. Even in times of patriarchal oppression, women maintained these roles, often in secret. These were the witches who were written out of history, degraded in history or burned at the stake.
Role as Nurturers and Caregivers: Traditionally, women have been the primary caregivers in families and communities. This nurturing role naturally requires an ability to sense emotional needs, anticipate problems, and respond with compassion. So even when we are not mothers we carry this innate ability within our DNA.
Connection to the Divine Feminine: Spiritually, women are often associated with the divine feminine, an archetype that embodies intuition, creativity, fertility, and emotional depth. Cultures across the world honour goddesses or feminine figures—like Gaia, Isis, or Shakti—as symbols of creation, wisdom, and transformation. This archetype represents an energy that transcends individual identity, connecting women to a collective source of feminine power and intuition.
Cultural Silence and Inner Reflection: Historically, many societies have imposed restrictions on women’s outward expression, which often forced women to turn inward, developing our inner worlds. In times when women couldn’t speak our truths openly, we learned to communicate through subtle ways—body language, intuition, dreams, and feelings. This created a deeply internalised connection to the non-verbal and unseen. A wisdom, a way of being which means we pick up on subtle energy, in a way which is not easy to put into words…
A Kind of Emotional and Energetic Sensitivity: Women, through both socialisation and physical cellular biology, are more attuned to emotional currents in our surroundings. This sensitivity allows us to "read between the lines" in interactions and situations, giving us access to deeper layers of information that others may miss.
The Wisdom of the Womb
The womb is a powerful source of feminine wisdom and intuition. The womb, beyond its biological function, is often seen as a spiritual centre of creation, transformation, and deep knowing. Many ancient cultures revered the womb as a sacred place of power. Women’s connection to their womb space, whether they bear children or not, is seen as a gateway to profound intuitive wisdom—representing both the physical and energetic potential to create life, ideas, and new realities.
So yes my love, you are a witch…. a beautiful, sacred, feminine, witch.
The Modern Perception of a Witch
When we think of witches today, our minds often conjure up images from Disney films or pop culture—a cackling old woman with a crooked nose, brewing potions, or casting spells with evil intent. Films like Hocus Pocus or Maleficent continue to perpetuate the stereotype of witches as sinister, mysterious, and often malevolent. Even shows like Harry Potter and Sabrina the Teenage Witch offer more playful, mystical portrayals, yet they still depict witches as otherworldly beings separate from ordinary human life.
As we have explored this is simply NOT the case.
But where did this image of the witch come from?
Historically, the women branded as witches were as we have explored, NOT sinister figures—they were, in many cases regular women - the mothers, sisters, grandmothers of our communities. WE knew how to work with herbs and plants, we delivered babies, and guided people through life’s transitions.
So, what changed? Why did wise women become the witches we now associate with fear?
A Long History of Hidden Power
Throughout history, powerful women have been feared, misunderstood, and often demonised. This was not just limited to those accused of witchcraft, but extended to women who held spiritual and leadership roles across many cultures.
Let’s look at some examples of powerful women whose stories have been erased, hidden, or rewritten:
Mother Mary: Depicted as the naiive, virgin mother of Jesus, Mary was so much more than this passive figure. Her deep faith, grace, and acceptance of her divine role placed her as a powerful symbol of spiritual wisdom and feminine strength. Mary was a high level initiate, a master healer and priestess.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was not a passive figure chosen randomly by divine will. She was part of a lineage of women trained in "womb mysteries"—ancient knowledge of conscious conception used to bring elevated beings into the world. These women, including Mary’s mother, Anne, passed down this wisdom for thousands of years. Mary was a highly skilled priestess who intentionally conceived Jesus through these practices.
The Catholic Church relegated texts about Mary’s abilities, including her own Gospel, to the "apocrypha," leaving out crucial details of her conscious role in Jesus' conception. Mary’s story was altered to portray her as a passive and morally pure virgin, but in truth, she was a powerful orchestrator of these divine events. Her virginity was not about purity, but a chosen practice needed for her role.
This new understanding of Mary challenges traditional views, showing that her spiritual powers were not unique, but available to all women. By reclaiming Mary’s story, we can reconnect with the deep feminine spiritual wisdom within ourselves.
Mary Magdalene: Long mislabeled as a repentant sinner, Mary Magdalene was, in reality, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. She played a significant role in his teachings and was a spiritual leader in her own right, having attended mystery school in Egypt. Her true story, one of empowerment, has been overshadowed by patriarchal interpretations of her character.
Mary Magdalene, along with other Marys, played a key role in the death and rebirth rites of Jesus, particularly through her presence and lamentation at his crucifixion and resurrection. In early Christian imagery, she is often depicted grieving by Jesus' side. However, this role connects to ancient feminine mystical traditions where priestesses performed death rites, funerary rituals, and spiritual initiations.
These priestesses, like Magdalene, performed rituals of anointing to prepare men for kingship or death, breaking cultural conventions and often being misunderstood or feared by men of the time. Magdalene anointed Jesus for his death and rebirth, attended his tomb, and embodied the essence of these ancient rites through her open displays of grief, love, and spiritual power.
Lilith: In Jewish mythology, Lilith is Adam’s first wife, who refused to be subservient to him. For her defiance, she was demonized, turned into a symbol of dangerous feminine power and rebellion. When truly Lilith represents the untamed feminine, the woman who refuses to conform.
Joan of Arc: a visionary and warrior, led the French army to crucial victories during the Hundred Years' War. Guided by divine visions, she inspired and directed the French forces, most notably lifting the siege of Orléans and securing Charles VII’s coronation. Despite her significant contributions, Joan’s leadership and spiritual claims made her a target. In a society that could not reconcile her role as a young female military leader with her supposed divine guidance, she was accused of heresy and witchcraft.
In 1431, Joan was burned at the stake, a victim of political and religious forces desperate to discredit her. Her death was a dramatic attempt to suppress the power she represented and to undermine the legitimacy of her divine claims. Joan’s story reflects the broader pattern of how women with spiritual and leadership roles were often persecuted, and her legacy today stands as a powerful symbol of courage, resilience, and feminine strength.
Tituba: an enslaved woman of African and Indigenous descent, became one of the most infamous figures in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Accused of witchcraft, Tituba was one of the first to be charged, and under intense pressure, she confessed and implicated others, fueling the hysteria that led to numerous accusations and trials. Her confession and the subsequent trials were driven by the deep-seated fear and paranoia of the time, exacerbated by her marginalized status.
Tituba's story highlights how women of color were especially vulnerable to persecution in times of social upheaval. Her trial and subsequent fate underscore the broader patterns of scapegoating and fear that often target those who are already marginalized. Despite the tragic outcome of her life, Tituba remains a powerful symbol of the ways in which the intersection of race, gender, and social status can lead to profound injustice and the distortion of truth.
Why Were Their Stories Hidden & Distorted?
The stories of these women, like countless others, have been distorted, erased, or rewritten because they represent a form of power that challenges the patriarchal structures of society. They symbolise a wisdom and spiritual connection that is inherently feminine—something that has been systematically suppressed for centuries.
By portraying these women as sinners, ‘witches’, or heretics, those in power could justify their persecution and maintain control. This demonization of powerful women instilled fear in society, and this fear was passed down through generations, leaving an imprint on our collective psyche.
This had the impact of making women disown their feminine power, disregard the concept of intuition as being ‘witchy’, not something you can trust and believe that the masculine way of being which relies very much on physical power and logic as the ‘right’ way of being.
Even the word right is masculine by nature. The term "right" often carries masculine connotations due to its historical and cultural associations with authority, correctness, and power. This link reflects broader patriarchal values where masculine traits, such as rationality and decisiveness, have been privileged. For example, in many languages and cultural contexts, "right" is connected to legal and moral standards, which have traditionally been shaped by male perspectives.
This association can marginalise feminine qualities like intuition and empathy, which are often undervalued in comparison to masculine ideals. Recognizing this bias is crucial for fostering a more inclusive view that appreciates both masculine and feminine qualities equally, helping to balance perspectives on what constitutes "rightness" and value in various aspects of life.
In the teachings of yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine - the right side of the body is the masculine side of the body, and the left is the feminine.
Even being left handed (and left handed people have easier access to the side of the brain associated with creativity, non linear thinking) was punishable just a few hundred years ago. The word "sinister" originates from the Latin term for "left." In medieval Britain, being left-handed was often associated with the devil, and left-handed individuals were sometimes accused of witchcraft—a crime that could lead to being burned at the stake.
The Legacy of Persecution: Witch Wounds
As women, we carry the deep, ancestral wounds of this persecution carried through the mother line, through our DNA. The witch hunts, both literal and metaphorical, created an atmosphere where female power was dangerous, where to be outspoken or wise was to risk death. This fear is still with us today, manifesting in subtle ways—through fear of speaking out, fear of embracing our own wisdom, or fear of being "too much."
The concept of the "witch wound" refers to this collective trauma, passed down through generations, where women have been silenced, shamed, and persecuted for their power. But it’s time to heal this wound.
Reclaiming the Wise Woman Within
We are witnessing a profound revival of the wise woman archetype. As more women embrace their intuitive gifts, healing abilities, and connection to ancient wisdom, we are collectively reclaiming the title of "witch" in its truest sense. This reclaiming goes beyond the villainous figures of fairy tales; it is about stepping into our roles as healers, visionaries, and leaders who shape the world for the better.
Acknowledging the true history of witches and wise women helps us heal the witch wound—a historical scar left by centuries of oppression and marginalization. By reconnecting with the strength and wisdom exemplified by figures like Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Joan of Arc, we tap into a deep reservoir of feminine power.
This revival empowers women to lead with compassion, insight, and resilience, qualities essential for addressing global challenges. As more women step into their roles as leaders and nurturers, we move closer to a world where hunger, war, and injustice will no longer be tolerated.
Women, guided by their inherent wisdom and collective vision, have the potential to foster peace, nurture well-being, and create a more equitable and harmonious world.
