In this episode of Dream Lovers, Patch and Sara dig into the concept of the witch wound. What is it? Why is it attached, as trauma, to every woman who is walking the planet? Sara gives two powerful steps on how to overcome the witch wound and start showing up in business and the world. Let’s discuss this concept, then find two ways that women can overcome this genetically encoded wound.
The Witch Wound Concept
Sara and Patch jumped right in, discussing a viral video of a church pastor claiming from the pulpit that there were five witches secretly in their congregation. This not-so-great leader also riled his flock up by claiming that autism was caused by demonic possession. Sara wonders out loud why we have been taught to fear witches, rather than the people burning and drown those accused of witchcraft. Moving on, Sara brought up the main topic of our show: What is a witch wound?
She posed the question to Patch, who was immediately suspicious of her motives. His answer: the witch wound is an archetypal wound, which all women are afflicted with. Men historically have feared women’s feminine power. Thus, literal witch burnings in the past and figurative burnings today.
The Witch Wound – Societal Examples And Scientific Studies
Sara qualified her next statement as apolitical, and definitely not an endorsement of either candidate. She gave the example of how, in the 2016 US Presidential election, Donald Trump hurled a memorable insult toward his opponent Hillary Clinton. Specifically, he referred to her as a “nasty woman”. This underlined the way that society as a whole tends to distrust women and discredit them based on appearance or certain behaviors.
Sara then referenced the illustration of this concept from Valerie Rein’s book Patriarchy Stress Disorder. A study on rats revealed that one generation’s scientist induced pavlovian fears were passed on to the next. This was despite subsequent generations not being exposed to the fear inducing factor. The author used this as an analogy for how generations of women are still affected psychologically by their ancestors’ treatment.
Examples Of The Witch Wound Sara Has Experienced
Next, Patch segued by asking Sara about her own experiences with the witch wound as a women’s business coach. When Sara first started, she recognized a hesitancy in her clients when selling their services. Many women feel “seen” or judged when putting themselves out there.
When Sara started promoting her own business on social media, Sara also felt vulnerable. Rejection by the world at large for putting herself and her services out there was a major fear. After all, women shouldn’t be haughty know-it-alls, right? This isn’t a new concept; it’s been deeply ingrained in women since the beginning of time.
Overcoming The Witch Wound – Part One
Nevertheless, she persisted! Patch requested that Sara share her expertise and provide two ways that women can overcome the witch wound.
The antidote to any fear is courage. Connect deeply with whatever the most important thing is to you, and act accordingly. When Sara needed to grow her business, she saw no other options. There was no other option other than moving forward. Is it more important for you to stay put and not grow, or to show up and attack your goal, despite your fears and others’ criticisms? Fear and courage are not mutually exclusive. You must take courage and act, in spite of your fears. Give yourself permission to fail – over and over again – and eventually, you will be great.
Overcoming The Witch Wound – Part Two
Regulate your nervous system. Part of the process of overcoming fear is mental – the courage part. The next step, taking action, can be trickier. One of the ways the witch wound manifests itself is through physical signs. Your palms sweat. You have trouble breathing. None of your planned words come out right.
Sara teaches her clients to take advantage of hypnosis and breathing exercises to conquer their innate fears. A specific exercise Sara espouses is the 5-5-5 breathing technique. Draw the first line of a square as you breathe in, while counting to five. Next, hold your breath for a count of five while drawing the second line. Count to five while you breathe out and draw the third line of the square. Finally, hold your breath again for five seconds while completing the square. Repeat this pattern five to ten times, or as much as you need in order to achieve calmness and focus.
Another surprising way to regulate your nervous system is to literally shake your body. Patch gave the example of how animals instinctively shake when they experience trauma. This loosens the muscles, and, in turn, literally shakes us free from whatever trauma might currently have a hold on us.
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More about Patch and Sara Drury and Dream Lovers Podcast
This is a podcast for waking up the dreamers of the world. Are you a dreamer? Do you see yourself as a visionary here to fulfill your life’s sacred purpose? Do you believe your higher self is leaving you clues to life, every night in your dreams? I’m Patch. And I’m Sara. We’re certified specialists in the subconscious mind – Every week, we show you how to step beyond the physical and tap into the power of your mind as a mythic portal into the most divine parts of you. We’re here to help you discover your spiritual gifts and wake up. Welcome to Dream Lovers.