A feminist approach to the mind and psyche, holistic women's wisdom draws on nature's lens for navigating the challenges we face as women in the world today.Â
If we each look back far enough into our own heritage(s), we all come from indigenous roots—from cultures worldwide in which our foremothers lived close to the earth. Capable and competent. Strong and resourceful.
Of course, they learned to use plants around them as food and medicine from a young age. Yet holistic women's wisdom goes even deeper. It's also about turning an earth-based, woman-centered lens inward—toward mind, heart and soul.Â
Come, let's walk the path together...
There’s an awful lot of static in our world today.
We’re constantly inundated by outside voices—including the media and the internet—all telling us who we should be, what we should eat, what we should wear and how we should look.
These voices are loud and strident, and often contradictory, yet they generally suggest that we are essentially lacking and need to be fixed.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, dissatisfied and confused under these circumstances.
As women, multiple demands of daily life can make it especially challenging for us to find our center.
We’re juggling all the pieces of our lives, wishing we had more energy, experiencing puzzling health concerns—our own and those of our families—and wanting to feel more grounded.Â
We’re presented with ideals of female beauty that are unrealistic (and frankly, unhealthy).
We often feel that our needs for solitude, rest and restoration aren’t being met. But our schedules, our responsibilities and those voices create a disconnect between who we are and what we’re doing.
And there’s that endless stream of information, coming at us in bytes and sound bites. But information isn’t necessarily wisdom.
OK. Stop for a moment. Breathe.
There are other voices beneath the ruckus. I’d venture to guess that as a woman curious about holistic women's wisdom, you’ve already been hearing the wise women whisper to you.
You have an awareness of the interconnected-ness of your physical, emotional and spiritual health.
You’ve probably embraced some important lifestyle changes such as exercise, healthy eating habits and using environmentally responsible products. You may use herbal allies—tinctures, teas and supplements—to support your wellbeing.
Good. It’s time to go deeper. It’s time to remember . . .
Time for a paradigm shiftÂ
The Wise Woman Tradition is a worldview. It's a doorway—which leads to a paradigm shift. To a way of seeing through a lens that is earth-based and woman-centered.
Many women experience a deep resonance—a cellular memory of a way of life and a belief system that embraces a spiral that includes both light and dark, without hierarchy.
We honor our natural cycles—our ebbs and flows. Just as the natural cycles of our world continuously move through day and night, from dark moon to full moon, from winter to summer, from youth to old age and death.Â
We understand our bodies as sacred and we trust that as a source of inner guidance.
As we turn our attention away from fixing or "cleansing" ourselves, we move towards nourishing ourselves—physically, emotionally and spiritually—such that our bodies and minds respond by moving towards optimal health.
“The Wise Woman Tradition is the oldest tradition of healing known on our planet, yet one that is rarely identified, rarely written or talked about...
"A woman-centered tradition of self love, respectful of the earth and all her creatures, the Wise Woman Tradition tells us that compassion, simple ritual, and common herbs heal the whole person and maintain health/ wholeness/ holiness.” ~ Susun Weed
7 Secrets Along the Wise Woman Path
It’s ironic that they appear as secrets, because they are ancient wisdom––part of our birthright, actually!
Unfortunately, we've unlearned and been disconnected from this wisdom by the modern mindset.
Rediscover nuggets of inherent wisdom that are woven together along the wise woman path.
Gimme that!
Walk proud, beautiful woman
As women, we recognize this way of life as familiar; the path of holistic women's wisdom is a process of remembering much of what we already know.
We may recall it as “folk wisdom.” We may have heard our elders speak of rituals and remedies that were passed on to them from their foremothers.
As you continue along the path, you may notice changes in the way you approach each day. The deep connection with the plants, the Earth, your sisters and yourself, colors your approach to even simple and ordinary tasks.
You may notice feeling safer, more grounded in your own body, your own life, your own sense of source. You may find that you move more easily and open your heart more readily—feeling connected will do that!
Trusting your inner knowing and honoring your physical, emotional and spiritual self brings with it a sense of joy, courage and curiosity . . . you’ll want more! It’s there for you.
Explore the miraculous bounty of our glorious Earth. Nurture your creativity. Sing, dance and share with your sisters.
Tend to your body with deep nourishment and embrace yourself with unconditional love. It's truly holistic healing.
It’s your birthright.
Walk proud, beautiful woman.
You are not alone. You walk in the footsteps of the grandmothers—of all the wise women who have come before. Listen to their voices when they speak to you, no matter how softly.
Listen. Learn. Love. Shine.
