"The spiritual lands of wild woman have, throughout history, been plundered or burnt, dens bulldozed, and natural cycles forced into unnatural rhythms to please others."* *From Women Who Run With the Wolves Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. By Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

Sitting around one evening with my new family after watching some superhero movie that is too unimportant to remember, my husband, his three sons and I were discussing what superhuman powers we wished to possess.

"Flight" said one. "Laser beam eyes" another said. The discussion went around the room until it was my turn. Without even thinking twice I said, "I want to growl, no, I want to GRRROWWWLLLLL." No one said a word thinking what a wimpy superhuman power. The subject changed. We went to bed and days passed.

During a bout of newlywed play, my wonderful husband in all of his innocence, grabbed one of my breasts. I was feeling that swollen, painful feeling right before my moonflow and out it came; that wonderful, deep, gutteral growl. That superhuman power I had wished for weeks before was mine. I went in search to see who had given me such a gift. I decided to create a mask to see what or who would emerge. With the ability to growl came other abilities. I had been give the ability to protect myself. I had been given the ability to reach down deep inside of myself and pull to the surface the primal me. The one who didn't care what others thought. The one who did not have to be nice all of the time. I needed to see what this being looked like.

Mask by Gaya

First came the face, shaped from plaster of paris, decorated with red and green paint, hemp and wooden beads, green raffa and feathers. The body came next painted brown with terra cotta stripes also decorated with feathers, hemp and beads. The body received a black bead on hemp as a sacred necklace. The arms were next fashioned from a long, swirly stick dyed red from lying in red sandstone dust for years. For adornment they were wrapped with a long strand of beads.

"Who are you?", I asked.

"I am the Goddess. I am you. I am every woman. I am the Wild Woman. I am the Primal. I fight for the oppressed, harassed, abused, broken and hurt, the love starved and the hopeless." "Like many women before and after me, I lived my life as a disguised criatura, creature. Like my kith and kin before me, I swaggered - staggered in high heels, and I wore a dress and hat to church. But my fabulous tail often fell below my hemline, and my ears twitched until my hat pitched, at the very least, down over both my eyes and sometimes clear across the room."* *From Women Who Run With the Wolves Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. By Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

"I am the part of you that wants to run free. Throw away the panty hose and the high heels. Howl at the Moon. I am the part of you that makes you fight for your children, scream at the injustices of a patriarchal society, comfort a hurt Sister. I am the part of you that wants to make wild, primal love in the middle of the meadow among all of Nature. Don't deny me."

"What about your legs, I don't know how to make your legs."

"Oh you silly girl. You asked for your voice, I taught you to growl. If you but ask how to dance, I will give you your legs."

Yes, yes, I will ask.

"The wild woman carries the bundles for healing; she carries everything a woman needs to be and know. She becomes the medicine for all things. She carries stories and dreams and words and songs and signs and symbols. She is both vehicle and destination."*

*From Women Who Run With the Wolves Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. By Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

Vijali as The Earth Mother
Performance "World Wheel: Western Gateway"
© 1987. Malibu, California
From Gadon's Once and Future Goddess

Wild Woman
By AspenCross

Wild, Wild Woman,
Deep inside of me -
Hear me now,
I set you free.

Help me remember,
I have forgotten
What it's like
To be me.

Others' judgement
And then my own,
Have made me stuck
I feel alone.

I seek approval
From everywhere
And everyone
And can't accept my own.

What are you saying?
It can't be true -
I'm good enough?
Can it be true?

I'm fat,
I'm ugly,
And getting
Old too.

Please don't cry!
I will believe
I'm good enough
For you.


Life's lessons
Are hard
And with your help
I won't be blue.

Time has passed.
I've healed a lot.
I found a home
Where love blooms.

I have my Sisters
Blessings
from the Goddess,
Gifts from the Moon.

With Gratitude
And Love
In honor of my
Wild, Wild Woman
I howl at the Moon…

Meditation to Reach the Wild Woman

Be in comfortable, safe place where you will not be disturbed. Turn off the telephone, cell phone, television. No distractions.

Lie down and start to relax your body. Breath life into the deepness of your body. Relax from your toes to the top of your head. Silently cast a circle of protection around your body. Imagine your body is made of light and it is rising and rising and rising until you float out of your house and land in a beautiful, vibrant forest.

Around you are birds singing in the trees, squirrels are rushing about collecting food. There is a waterfall of clean, pure water. You listen and realize that you can hear the breeze whispering and the trees talking. You feel no fear only peace and a knowingness that you belong here. You have been here before.

You feel a presence and you know it is female. She feels familiar but you are not sure why. You begin to search for her. Is she in a tree trunk, in a cave? Is she swimming in the water? Look for her. Ah, there she is. What does she look like? Don't be alarmed by her appearance. She can take many different forms. She is your Wild Woman.

Approach Her carefully. She has for too long been denied and She is skittish. You have a medicine pouch with you and you take out a gift for her. Hand it to Hhr. What is it? Is it a stone, a crystal, a feather? Is it an orange, a smudge stick, a bead?

Talk to your Wild Woman. Tell her you need to know her. You need to remember her. Take your Wild Woman by the hand and walk into the clearing and dance. Dance like a Wild Woman. Laugh and cry. Play. Hug. Your Wild Woman gives you a gift. Notice what it is but do not share this with anyone else. It is your secret with Her. Put it in your medicine pouch. Ask Wild Woman the easiest way to contact Her. Assure Her that you want to build a relationship and you will be back. Thank Her. Ask to return to your body. After returning, eat a snack and write the experience in your journal.

Nourish the Wild Woman…



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