'We are the granddaughters of the witches you were never able to burn'
Tomorrow I will journey to NSW to sit in circle and ceremony with my beautiful sisters of the
School of the Shamanic Midwifery. Together we will hold sacred space for The Deepening for a Swan Blessing that will carry over 3 days, a 3-day spell-unbinding to assist them to answer the call of the Grandmothers and bring their wise medicine to the mothers and sisters and babies of our world again. I will hold this dreaming with my sister, shamanic astrologer and medicine woman,
Mikailah and I am filled with deep honour at the energy already moving through me this week leading in.
My main intention and fiery arrow of purpose in bringing the Wild Swan to the midwives is to clear the name of Witch and release the memories and past life binding of the Burning Times from their medicine so that they can hold their beautiful sacred birthing spaces and shamanic ritual with fearless love, even in places that may be hostile. For in the past and yes, still, even now, to simply be Midwife was sometimes to be called Witch. In fact, any woman carrying strong medicine was known as Witch.
Witch is a word that still affects us deeply. It is a name that frightens us, confuses us and intrigues. For myself the name Witch is one of honour and beauty. A medicine woman chosen by the Trees. I feel we have become entangled in the binding lies created around this name in the medieval period when women of magic and healing were hunted and murdered in a period that become known as The Burning Times. Without realising it, we are still carrying ancestral memories of this time and the binding beliefs created by those events stop us from daring to meet the medicine of Witch. I see this as a great wound to women that we still fear our own birthright gifts of magic, mystery and healing.
It does not matter whether you are called to name yourself as Witch, I believe it is important however, to clear her noble name and to know the truth. What was done to the Witch was done to all WOmen - just like the Sacred Feminine she was either demonised or trivialised. But the Witch is no demon and she is no cartoon. She is a Medicine Woman, Wise Woman, and Healer. And She like other Ancestral Medicine Women is returning to assist the Earth and Her people and animals and forests again.
Here is a
link to an incredible article written by Ruby Hamad and published yesterday that gave me such confirmation and encouragement for this coming weekend. I thank my dear friend Sadie, for sending it to me and I look forward to swimming in the Deep with the Mermaid Midwives.
