Healing The Witch Wounds: Time To Reclaim The Witch
Healing the Witch Wounds: Time to Reclaim The Witch
In her book ‘In Defence of Witches’, Mona Chollet states that Witch “The word speaks of a knowledge that lies close to the ground, a vital power, an accumulated force of experience that official sources disdain or repress.” She goes on to say “The witch embodies woman free of all domination, all limitation; she is an ideal to aim for; she shows us the way.”
If ever there was a case to prove that it is time to Reclaim The Witch, Mona puts this forward in a very elegant manner. The Witch is free, she is not beholden to anyone, she makes her own decisions and chooses her own path. I most certainly would sign up for that, would you? Around medieval times and earlier, the women labelled Witches were also making their own income. So whilst Mona’s description to me feels like emotional and psychological freedom, financial freedom is certainly included in being “free of all domination, all limitation”.
Throughout history, that freedom of all domination and limitation has come with a heavy price. Life or death. If The Witch lived, she may have been free from of domination and limitation, but likely exiled from family and friends, left isolated, perhaps with no source of income and disowned by the people related or known to her. She would be living with the constant threat of being taken and tried again at any time.
I believe that this period of history warrants a formal apology from governments and authoritarian institutions, such as religious organisations. In plain terms it was a campaign to murder women that a group within society disdained and wanted to repress (as referenced above in Mona Chollet’s words). The reasons for this disdain and repression came from a deep seated source of fear and insecurity by those who hunted Witches.
In fact, it could be called hysteria against women, which is ironic. You may know that the word hysteria derives from the Greek word hysteria which means Uterus. The word hysteria was used to refer to women’s health, usually a neurotic condition in relation to the womb. Because so little was known about women’s health, there was no recognition of the change of hormones due to menstruation or pregnancy, so when women were seen to behave differently, the word hysteria was used. Although the word was originally applied to women, it seems appropriate that it is used for the patriarchal fever for Witch hunts and Witch trials. I feel that hysteria is another word we need to reclaim and tell a more powerful narrative with. Hysteria is that which makes women powerful, the power to give birth and bring new life into the world. The only power that men do not have and depending on the type of man, fills him with awe and wonder or fills him with insecurity and fear.
Women Like Us
The Women who were labelled Witches were often the wise women of their community. They were the midwives, nurses and pharmacists of their day. They were deeply connected to Mother Nature, and I believe they were intuitive. These Women understood the earth: herbs, plants and the medicinal qualities that could heal and cure. Mona Chollet’s feeling that these Women had a knowledge that “lies close to the ground” evokes for me that earthy, grounded Woman using natural sources and forces of nature. I feel that is partly where our true essence and power comes from – from the natural and earthy forces where we live. For me the other part is what exists out there in the Cosmos. As I am writing about these Women, they make me think of the elements of the Astrological signs: Air, Earth, Fire and Water. My sense is that the women made of Earthy stuff were creating the natural remedies that cured and healed. The women of the Air and Water created what were deemed to be spells, but were in fact what we today would call affirmations or prayers. They were the equivalent of the modern day Co-creators and Manifesters, such as Florence Scovel Shinn. Helping people in matters of love, relationships, conflict and legal issues to manifest the life they wanted. As for Fire, I believe these were the fiery Women who spoke up and spoke out. The Women who demanded to be free of domination and limitation, who spoke of the inequality of the disdain and repression of Women. As Fire signs, this was their path. Naomi Baker has collated stories of some of these women from the Seventeenth century in the United Kingdom. In ‘Voices of Thunder’ she tells the stories of radical religious Women who spoke up and spoke out. They used religion as the means to break the bonds of the domination of husbands, fathers and brothers. If God spoke to Men directly, then surely he would speak to Women too. The disdain for these women exists in printed format, which Naomi shares in the book. They too were accused of being Witches. It seems no Women was immune from being labelled a Witch.
The Witch Wounds: Ancestral and Collective Memory
Even though we have not learned about the history of Witches through any formal curriculum, many of us know some of the history thanks to books and documentaries. We know this was a dark period in history when reason and rationale failed and anyone could be accused of being a Witche for any reason. That is half of the story. The other half of the story is that generally speaking, there was no defence for the those who were accused. No way to prove their ‘innocence’ and no opportunity to discuss their gifts and how these could be used to support humanity.
We know that many of these women lost their lives. Many of these deaths would not have been recorded, so unless passed down through oral history we do not know these women by name. What we do know is that the fate of these women was to be drowned, hung or burnt at the stake. The Witch Wounds are complex. The most significant part of the Witch Wound is how a woman lost her life, the loss of her freedom and the way she was dominated during the Witch Hunt and any subsequent trial.
The most obvious Witch Wounds are those related to water, fire and hanging. It is as if Mother Nature were being used against the Women who were earthed and grounded in her to prove or disprove being a Witch.
Yes, this all happened a long time ago so you may wonder what relevance it has to us, to Women and to the world today. It has relevance and continues to matter because the Ancestral and Collective Memory lives on. Maybe these souls found peace, may be some did not. Maybe some have reincarnated to finish the work and walk to the end of the path that was cut short. We live with and among these Ancestral and Collective Memories which still touch us today.
My view of the current Collective Memory of Witch Hunts and Witch Trials is this:
The fearful and insecure Patriarchy of previous times still exists today. In times throughout history it has been quieter and condemned, but nevertheless it exists today and is gathering momentum. Women face the disdain and repression of formal organisations and contemporary society just because they speak up and take on public roles. With the advent of technology and the communication it has brought into our lives, we feel we are more exposed than ever before. Around the world, there are patriarchal organisations, groups, structures and laws ready to repress the freedom and to limit women’s rights, jobs, financial security and to live freely. Whether we consciously realise it or not, we are still living with the memory of this collective fear for our freedom and lives. Another layer upon this is the Ancestral connection. It may be impossible to know if our female family Ancestors were Witches who lost their lives, because the records likely do not exist. When you tune in to your intuitive and higher self, you may feel a connection or a cord to the past that there was someone in your direct and DNA ancestry that was caught up in this period of history. A further layer onto the Collective and Ancestral Memory is reincarnation. Perhaps you lived a prior life where you were caught up in this murderous history.
My Witch Wound Experience
A few years ago, I noticed an important pattern about my health. Every now and then I would lose my voice for what seemed like no good reason. I did not have a sore throat or a cold. Nor did I feel unwell. But my voice disappeared. I was hoarse and could not speak, words would not come out. I can pinpoint the time I realised this pattern. It was in 2022 during the time of the US Supreme Court overturning the Roe Vs Wade 1973 ruling. The overturn of this ruling meant that women lost the right to choose an abortion. The thunderbolt of intuitive insight came straight through my whole being. I know understand that each time something significant is reported to the world in relation to the loss of Women’s rights, I lose my voice. Whether this happens metaphysically for sympathy or whether this is part of a healing process for a Witch Wound, who knows. Maybe it is both. Other times we can lose our voice is when we are in a situation where speaking up would not unsafe and so we have to protect ourselves.
Witch Wounds that Resonate Today
Having channelled and worked with Witch Wounds for a few years, this is the Other Worldly guidance given to me.
If a Witch was hanged in a previous life, the Witch Wound is in the throat area.
If a Witch was drowned in a previous life, the Witch Wound is in the ears and nose area.
If a Witch was burned in a previous life, the Witch Wound is in the skin.
This is a simplistic interpretation and other internal organs are likely to be impacted and that will be specific to each Women’s prior life and to the conditioning experienced in the current life. This simplistic interpretation acts as a starting point to understand if you feel any resonance in our body and being to these wounds.
Healing the Witch Wound
With any illness, you must take the steps that you think are right for you. I am of the opinion that traditional Western medicine, although it is mostly patriarchal can and should sit alongside Metaphysical healing. My personal view is that modern medicine is helpful for diagnosis and I can then choose any treatment or healing. If you feel the resonance of a witch wound, it is perfectly acceptable to pursue a contemporary medical path as well as a metaphysical approach to healing. *
There are three important things for us to know about the metaphysical healing of Witch Wounds: Acknowledge, Honour and Release.
Acknowledge
The first step on the path to healing or resolution is to start with an acknowledgement. Acknowledgement starts with being open, especially an open heart. When you feel that openness to acknowledge you are allowing the resonance to appear to you. Quiet time to reflect and meditate about any illness, aches or pains and gently considering what was happening in your life at that time or what was happening in the world generally. When you are relaxed, open and ready to be gentle with yourself, patters and connections can come through to you.
Honour
Being in honour to our Ancestors and these shadow Witch Wounds is not about putting up with pain or niggles or playing the martyr. It is about relieving and healing suffering. In metaphysical terms, that means cutting cords or healing ties with these shadow wounds. To be clear, this does not mean we are disconnecting from our Ancestral or Collective History, it simply means we can end the cycle of suffering. We still have the intellectual knowledge of the Ancestral and Collective History but we do not have to continuously relive any suffering from the shadow wounds. Here is a short affirmation I have co-created to honour our Ancestors.
Healers, Intuitives, Wise Women and Earth Mothers, I honour you. I am grateful for all you have done and for giving your life that I may have freedom in mine. I honour the Ancestral and Collective legacy of all of you condemned as Witches by living freely, living free of domination and limitation and when I can to speak up and speak out for womanhood everywhere. I release the shadow wounds so I can live freely physically, emotionally, psychologically and intuitively to live my path this lifetime. I am open to receive guidance from the Other Worldly through you. In peace. In love. In compassion.
Release
Let it go, surrender, give it up, however you want to phrase it, in my experience releasing is something that is ongoing, meaning it is more than one time release. The conditioning we experience during our lives is like lint or dust. It sticks to us. It bogs us down as we carry it around. Sometimes we need to get the lint roller and brush it off. That his how release feels for me. Every few months there is something that needs to be brushed off. It may be through meditation, a good walk out in nature, sleeping or working with Oracles (which is my thing) or even a cleansing salt water experience, such as swimming, salt bath or shower. The affirmation above used for honouring is also to release us from the shadow wounds. If you like this affirmation and it works for you, write it down somewhere where you can easily find it and repeat as often as you need to. Please remember, we are releasing a cycle of suffering. We continue to acknowledge the memory of these women and what they suffered. It is our time to honour ourselves and release the suffering of shadow wounds.
Acknowledge, honour and release is not a process and it is certainly not linear. The words represent ways of being that we may need to refer to often when the shadow of Witch Wounds make themselves known. Our world is complex, we are bombarded with information, misinformation with the intention or being dominated and our freedoms being limited or cut off. That alone is enough to raise the shadow of these wounds and why we may feel them at any time and in any place. When it happens, stay grounded by acknowledging, honouring and releasing. I trust that is what our Ancestors would want from us.
*Consider a difference between Cure and Healing. Cure is respite from the symptoms, such as taking medication to relieve pain and suffering. Healing is the eradication of the symptoms.
One More Wound
Anger.
When I was a younger woman and started to learn about witch hunts, witch trials and what happened to these women, it stoked up a lot of internal anger. How on earth could this have happened in my country, in my county and to my gender? I had a period of being very, very angry at men who allowed this to happen. Bearing in mind, part of my childhood conditioning was an absent father, it is understandable how this anger became a shadow with wound for a time. And how on earth has there been no apology for the way these women were treated? It still astounds me today. When these thoughts get the better of me, I got back to the affirmation above. Acknowledge, honour and release. I have learnt the wisdom of anger is to allow it to become sacred power for positive change.
Honouring Women’s History: Ale Wives and Witches
Here is a narrative about how witches (may have) got ‘the look’ that we know today. This narrative also ties in to the themes of being free of domination and limitation which is where we started. Spoiler alert: there is some poetry here.
The Story of Ale Wives
I have a tale to tell you may not know
Because it happened so long ago
About witches, beer and the masculine ego
Of a time women had income but then let it all go
It was taken away by men, don’t you know
And the myth we are left with you will certainly know
Of witches and broom sticks
Which led to the glow
Of fiery pyres and drownings in water
But to these ale wives we owe a debt of honour
And to honour their memory think of them now
For all you women creating an income, shout out loud
Be more witch
And of this heritage be proud
You may know stories of witches, but I would like to give you a narrative which may be new to you. This is just one of many threads, stories, myths and legends related to witches in England and the ‘costume’ associated with them.
Once upon a time, in the 5th century, beer was brewed by women. At that time, beer was what most people drank. The quality of the water was poor and because of the brewing process beer was the better option.
Women made beer in their kitchens and making beer was considered women’s work. The women who made the beer were known as Ale Wives. Some worked in big houses of noble families, employed to make brew their beer. Other Ale Wives, brewed beer in their home and sold it (honey’s making money). There were entrepreneurs and their trade is what we may refer to today as a cottage industry.
These Ale Wives had their own income and some level of independence. Yet, society as it was the time had a low regard for Ale Wives and plays and poems from the 14th and 15th centuries, depict them as wayward and not worthy of being saved from hell.
For many centuries in England, Ale Wives were the brewing industry and they had some trademarks that identified them as such.
If they were selling beer on an outdoor stall, they wore a tall hat. There is a tale that the height of the hat represented how wealthy there were in their business.
And guess what colour the hats were. Yep, black.
To advertise that they sold beer from their home they placed a broomstick outside the property. The broomstick was a sign of domestic trade.
The Ale Wives brewed the beer in big vats. One of the challenges to the brewing was that mice hung around the vats hoping to catch stray grains used in the brewing process, which is a valid reason why Ale Wives would keep cats, to keep the mice away.
Women were forced to stop brewing around the 1500 and 1600s. The was because of political, religious and gender motivated reasons. The Ale Wives were perceived as dangerous women and temptresses who lured men to spend their money on beer.
Eventually, men took over brewing beer from the Ale Wives and the income from it. The brewing industry today is big business and while there are female master brewers, it is still perceived as a male dominated industry to those of us on the outside. Not only did these women lose their income, at worst, they lost their lives.
There are recorded poems and stories about Ale Wives (written by men) that depict these women as wicked, evil temptresses making men fall into bad ways. Because clearly men were too weak to take responsibility for themselves. Some of these reference the tall black pointed hats, the cauldron or vat, the broomstick and the cat, to define the devils that these women were meant to be.
I am not a historian and I do not wish to live in the past, the present moment is where the magic is, but this narrative of history I feel, does much to explain the position of women in society today.
Why some women have difficulty making their own money, because there is an Ancestry and Collective Memory that it can be taken away from us at any time and with no reason. An ancestry that women were not worthy of making money but this origin story proves that is not wholly true. Women did make money. The Ales Wives had small businesses.
I feel that it is time to break the bonds with this piece of history and reclaim the witch. If you are creating and making your own income, wear your hat high! Make spells for yourself to manifest and co-create the life you want and that makes you feel empowered. Let us take this piece of history and feel empowered by it. Let’s create a shift for the next generation of women that they can wear this ancestry loosely by honouring these women from the past and together we can collectively change and dismantle the patriarchal insanity that prevents women’s equality.
And that’s the tale I have to tell
Of witches, broomsticks, cats and spells
To reclaim our power and earn our cash
My spell for you is that good fortune lasts
To have peace and equality reaching all
To honour ancestors who did their best
And now we can let them rest
As we stand up for what we believe
And for now I take my leave
Healing the Witch Wounds: Time to Reclaim the Witch©
Author: Ruth Ann Richards
October 2026
www.ruthannrichards.com
Suggested Books:
England’s Witchcraft Trials by Willow Winsham
In Defence of Witches by Mona Chollet
The Witches Salem 1692 A History by Stacy Schiff
Voices of Thunder Radical Religious Women in the Seventeenth Century by Naomi Baker