In a world that simultaneously sneers at and cries out for authenticity and non-conformity, the archetype of the Wild Woman has helped me stay sane.
This primal and untamed force, inspired by Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with the Wolves beckons women to connect with our own inner wildness, to rediscover our innate strength, wisdom, and vitality.
The Wild Woman is a symbol of untamed femininity, a source of instinctual knowing and intuitive power that transcends societal norms and expectations.
She is the embodiment of the raw, unbridled essence of womanhood.
Unlike the confined and domesticated roles often imposed on women, the Wild Woman is fierce, unapologetic, and free.
She is the guardian of ancient wisdom, the keeper of secrets, and the bearer of the wild and unpredictable aspects of the feminine psyche.
Women often find themselves disconnected from our inner Wild Woman.
The demands of society, the pressures of patriarchal conformity, and the weight of cultural expectations have led us to suppress our true selves.
We have become estranged from our instincts, intuition, and the unique power that resides within us.
As a result, we as women, experience frustration, anxiety, and a profound sense of disconnection from our authentic selves.
For me, it has been essential to heed the call to reconnect with my inner Wild Woman.
This reclamation is not a return to some distant past or romanticising the lives of women that went before us. It’s an act of self-liberation, a journey inward to uncover the layers of conditioning that have hidden the wild essence.
By embracing the Wild Woman within, we can reclaim our authenticity and harness our intuition.
Connecting with the Wild Woman means shedding societal masks and embracing your true self. This is a powerful act that allows us to live in alignment with our deepest desires and values.
The Wild Woman possesses an innate, intuitive wisdom that can guide women through life’s challenges.
By connecting with her, you can tap into your own inner knowing, making decisions that are in harmony with your inner truth.
The Wild Woman will help you embrace your fearlessness, because she knows no fear of judgment or rejection.
She encourages you to step boldly into your power, to pursue your dreams without inhibition, and to challenge the limitations placed upon you.
I’ve found that women often underestimate their own strength.
The Wild Woman embodies resilience and courage, reminding us of our inherent ability to overcome adversity and thrive in an unpredictable, violent world.
Even with a history full of violence committed against us, we are not seeking revenge against men.
***Trigger warning: the next section contains graphic depictions of violence done against women. Skip down if you do not wish to read (I’ve marked where it ends).***
I wish I hadn’t read this and only share this because I think it’s important that more people hear it.
An excerpt from the book Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women’s History of the World by Rosalind Miles reads as follows:
“As late as 1921, the British Government Official Census of India recorded that 3,200,000 [three million two hundred thousand] child brides had died during the previous 12 months, under circumstances recorded by the British Army doctors:
a) Age 9, day after marriage, left femur dislocated, pelvis crushed out of shape, flesh hanging in shreds.
b) Age 10, unable to stand, bleeding profusely, flesh much lacerated.
c) Age 9, so completely ravished as to be almost beyond surgical repair. Her husband had 2 other living wives and spoke very fine English.
i) Age 7, died in great agony after 3 days.
m) Age 10, crawled to hospital on her hands and knees, has never been able to stand erect since her marriage.”
Miles goes on to describe how many of these women were also victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) and that the husbands would wear a blade, or sometimes just a really sharp rock, and use it to cut the women open before raping them, and would even wear it as a trophy afterwards.
***Ok, trigger warning over!***
Living with a woman’s rage.
Reading and hearing about things like what Miles described above just fills me with rage.
And then men have the fucking audacity to cry misandry (the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against men or boys)?
And say that misandry is just as bad as misogyny?
Like, show me anywhere in the world, in recorded history, where it was not only acceptable, but a traditional practise, for older women to marry young boys and rape them until their bodies were broken and they were physically unable to stand.
When men hate us, that’s how they hate us.
And women will never want to express their anger, frustration, or hatred in that same way.
Women will never hate men the way men hate us.
“Have you ever wondered why we [women] are not just in armed combat against you [men]? It’s not because there’s a shortage of kitchen knives in this country. It is because we believe in your humanity, against all the evidence.”
— Andrea Dworkin
So, connecting with the Wild Woman has been a way for women to cultivate a deep sense of empowerment in a cruel world where the deck is routinely stacked against us.
And we become agents of change, not only in our own lives but also in the broader societal context, as we challenge and transform the limiting narratives that hold us back.
The Wild Woman is not a mythical creature of the past but a timeless and essential archetype that calls to every woman.
She represents the untamed, authentic, and liberated self residing within each of us.
Reconnecting with the Wild Woman is an act of profound self-discovery, an embrace of one’s true nature, and an invitation to live life with passion, purpose, and authenticity.
She is a call to reclaim the wild, unapologetic, and fiercely beautiful essence of womanhood, and in doing so, to redefine and reshape the world around us.
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