Just when I was feeling so alone in my dissertation work that is focused upon the retrieval of European women’s ancestral shamanic traditions, this wonderful Polish artist Katarzyna Maja published a photo essay on Polish Pagan women, Witches, Whisperers and Druids – Wise Women who feel the call to our ancestral ways and practice a deep female spirituality of relations TODAY. Rite Now!!!!. I got all teared up looking at these photos.
Notice the ancient motifs on the clothing and the accoutrements that they chose to adorn themselves with at the request of the artist in order to embody their power. These motifs are exciting to me because they are in alignment with my research (and others) on the Neolithic iconography and women’s shamanic traditions that is evident in the Gimbutas work and beyond. That these modern day Wise Women still find power in them is fantastic. It means the female lineages that were nearly annihilated in Europe live on and are ready to be re-membered. It means there is hope for retrieval. These images gave me so much joy! Please check into this artist, and read these Wise Women’s brief bios on her site and her comments as well.
http://www.womenofpower.pl/women,30.html
Since these photos are published on Slate, I am going to put them here with all due respect and citing from that source as well.
Above: Left: Maria, a healer and a visionary. Right: Natalia LL, an artist.
Above: Left: Joanna, leads women’s circles and ceremonies for women. Right: Justyna, MA-URI
Above: Left: Elwinga, a Druid. Right: Anna, Babka, a Whisperer.
Below: Left: Bea, the one who listens to the woods. Right: Paraskiewa, a whisperer.
