For the past few years, I’ve dressed up as a witch.

Not the pop culture image of a broomstick-riding, green faced, cackling old woman who eats small children and casts evil spells,

But the archetypal self-aware, intuitive, empowered feminine witch…that a witch actually is, and that it’s time to reclaim her to be.

The history of witches is a history of patriarchal fear and control of female power – women’s emotional power, sexual power, and yes….magical power.

But that power is certainly not evil.

Personally, I think female power is the greatest force for healing and positive change on our planet right now.

There are estimates that 100,000 to 9 million women were murdered during the witch hunts and burning times, in our not so distant past. In the film The Burning Times, Thea Jensen calls this period in history a “Women’s Holocaust”.

Even before the publication of the “Malleus Maleficarum” (translated the hammer of witches) in 1486 by a Catholic clergyman, women have been captured, tortured, and killed for a variety of “wicked” and dangerous behaviors…including the understanding and use of plants and herbs for healing, using their voices, being radiant and sexual, emotional, remaining single, or being disobedient to the authority of men or a threat to the power of the Catholic Church.

The witch hunts were a mass persecution of women… for being women.

If you haven’t seen it, this could be a good time to watch the movie “Dangerous Beauty” (based on the life of Veronica Franco) for a small taste of what this period of time was actually like for some women to live through.

This stretch of our history may be over, but from what I can tell, the fear that it struck into the hearts and DNA of women still exists.

I can only imagine how surviving this period of history, this inexplicable trauma must have required women to not only go silent, hide, and shut down their emotions and sexual energy, but also disconnect from their own bodies, female power, and from each other.

This trauma is ours to heal.

“We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren’t able to burn.” ~ Tish Thawer, The Witches of BlackBrook

I say it’s time to reclaim your female power – reclaim your inner witch.

She has powerful magic.

She understands how to use the power of her emotions and intentions to manifest her desires.

She embraces all of her emotions, especially the ones usually relegated to the shadows…fear and anger.

The witch embraces herself as she is.

She fully steps into her body and her sexuality.

She says no to cultural expectations of who she is supposed to be.

She is connected to the earth.

She supports and is supported by her sisters.

She is equally comfortable in the shadows and in the light.

She is a woman in her power.

No wonder the patriarchy has vilified the witch!

On this Halloween, I encourage you to play with reclaiming her for yourself.

Step into your own female power and magic.

You may want to actually dress up in whatever way helps you to step into this powerful archetype.

Or you can simply imagine embodying her energy.

What would it feel like to…

• Embrace your body exactly the way she is right now.
• Celebrate the wisdom and healing female power in ALL of your emotions, including anger, sadness, and fear.
• Speak up and use your voice.
• Set clear boundaries.
• Revel the beauty of every part of your female anatomy, including your vulva and vagina, breasts, uterus, cervix, and ovaries.
• Celebrate the earth.
• Reclaim pleasure and your full sexual self.
• Use the power of your intention to manifest your desires.

Celebrating the witch to me means celebrating being a woman and being in my power.

Tonight I’ll be pulling out my favorite witch hat and casting some magic spells.

Would you like to join me?