“Healthy wolves and healthy women share certain psychic characteristics: keen sensing, playful spirit, and a heightened capacity for devotion.” In her 1992 book, Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estés writes about the innate wild nature of women and their keen intuition and untamable spirit.
Patriarchy continues to oppress and suppress women, subjecting them to objectification, scrutiny, and control. Even in 2024, women’s health concerns are often dismissed as hysteria, and their intuition is frequently undermined. To reclaim their power and reconnect with their inner ‘Wild Woman’ archetype, women can turn to mystic arts, seeking guidance and wisdom from the beyond.
Today, millions of women worldwide are turning to tarot and astrology as sources of guidance to find transformation within their own lives. There are a few reasons why women seem to be adopting this trend more easily than men. Patriarchy has held men back too from their true expression and many think of reflection and introspection as feminine activities. They may prefer to process information through logical sources, whereas women are more attuned to the experiences of their own intuition bailing them out in moments of crisis. They don’t just ‘believe’ in what the stars or cards have to say, they have experienced their intuition acting in real life.
Astrology can provide us with a deep understanding of ourselves, tarot can give us the guidance to follow our own path. The moon’s influence has long been intertwined with women’s lives, as evidenced by the connection between menstrual cycles and lunar phases. The new moon serves as a launching point for new beginnings, while the full moon allows for the release of what no longer serves us. By using these tools, women can empower themselves, fight patriarchy, and live more authentically. Let us explore how spiritual practices can be vehicles through which women’s empowerment can be achieved.
REFLECTING AND INTROSPECTING
Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, women often neglect their own needs in favour of fulfilling societal expectations. Our culture encourages the idea of women who can do it all, balancing marriage, career, and children with ease. Spiritual practices can provide the necessary space for self reflection and introspection, allowing women to assess their life choices with honesty.
SELF-UNDERSTANDING
In a society that values conformity over individuality, women can use spiritual practices to delve deeper into their psyches and uncover their true potential. By exploring spiritual avenues such as tarot and astrology, women can break free from societal constraints and gain a clearer understanding of their inner selves.
TAKING CHARGE
Spiritual practices offer valuable insights that can help women regain control of their lives. With newfound clarity about relationships, careers, and personal situations, women can make more informed decisions and confidently steer their lives in the desired direction.
EMBRACING THE UNKNOWN
The purpose of life is to individuate and discover ourselves through doing things we have never done before. Women often live with a sense of fear that things will go wrong if they stray from the known path. By gaining clarity of themselves, they can find the courage to forge their own path, even if it is unknown.
CONNECTING TO INNER WISDOM
Everyone has the sixth sense, but due to the strong motherly instinct, women’s intuition is not a phenomena to be underestimated. The rich symbolism of tarot cards and the interweaving of mythology in the zodiac forges a connection to this innate inner wisdom that women hold.
LIVING AUTHENTICALLY
As women wake up from being unconscious, they can live more authentically without prescribing to the limitations of gender norms and roles. They can liberate themselves from false ideals of what it means to be a woman and live in their fullest expression.
ACHIEVING TRANSFORMATION
Belief is the foundation for personal transformation. The planets and archetypes offer a connection to a higher, universal power. By cultivating a connection with the Divine, women can recognise their potential and harness the power of intention and timing to bring about significant positive change in their lives.
SEEKING VALIDATION AND REAFFIRMATION
Women are constantly being told what to do, how to behave, dress, and carry themselves. Many still do not have decision-making power in their own lives. A natal chart reading or a tarot session can provide the validation and reaffirmation needed to make empowered decisions.
RECEIVING SYMBOLIC GUIDANCE
The ancient wisdom of these practices creates a portal into the psyche which offers up an objective and honest narrative of life. The symbolic guidance and rich stories can provide the insight which helps us unravel life’s greater mysteries.
RECLAIMING MYSTICAL AND SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS
Throughout history, women have been revered as oracles and spiritual guides. However, the rise of organised religion saw men assume positions of spiritual authority, such as priests and imams, marginalising women. Spiritual practices enable women to reconnect with their innate spiritual power and reestablish their connection to a higher power.
To truly empower women, we have to look beyond the outdated systems of capitalism and expand our perspectives to include spiritual tools and knowledge.