And remember: a witch, first and foremost, is a woman in her power. – Unknown

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been drawn to the image of the witch, to esoteric symbolism and symbolism of the dark feminine, to imaginary books of spells and apothecaries filled with herbs and skulls, magic crystals and bubbling cauldrons. That kind of imagery has always held a magical allure for me: at once dark and mysterious and a source of tremendous power and healing.

I think most, if not all, women experience some sort of conscious connection to the archetype of the witch—a traditional archetype with deep roots in mythology, folklore, and fairytales. She is, to my mind, the embodiment of the dark and often disavowed feminine. For the purposes of this self-fashioning exercise, I have renamed her the Dragonslayer because that is how I experience her.

Indeed, it is my experience that the shadow side of this archetype is characterized by anxiety, fear, and an inability to be assertive or to set firm boundaries–a woman who appeases others or is too nice. A woman who isn’t psychologically mature or who has not fully integrated the dark feminine, in my opinion, is unable to slay the dragons in her own life. She disempowers herself without realizing it.

But, the well-integrated, psychologically mature woman operates from a place of power. She understands what it means to cultivate an unshakable center—to slay the dragons in her life and emerge victorious. 

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The Dragonslayer is the fierce protector of my well-being and the well-being of those I love. She is both creator and destroyer. Hers is an extremely potent, feral, mysterious energy that is at once healing and empowering. She is very highly intuitive and in touch with her own rhythms. She finds the sacred in nature: to her, the supernatural is also natural. All of creation is a vast repository of ancient wisdom, knowledge, and power. She can read people easily. She is sensitive to the energies within and around her.

The Dragonslayer is not afraid to say what she thinks, to stand up for herself and others, to set strong boundaries, or to hurt someone’s feelings when it’s required. She protects my peace. She is my guardian and my sanctuary. I summon her energies whenever I need to remind myself of my own strength.

The Dragonslayer is a force whose depths I only glimpse. I work towards her. I work to tap into her vitalizing energy—to harness her power to more fully develop my consciousness. I am only beginning to understand what she is capable of. Hers is not a power that frightens me. Hers is a power that magnetizes me and that makes me want to really reach down into my own depths and discover who I am, personally and spiritually.

When I walk hand-in-hand with the Dragonslayer, I walk hand-in-hand with my own darkness. That is, my darkness becomes my friend. She reminds me that I am more powerful than I know. She encourages me to continue on the path of self-development and self-discovery. She is an ever-present reminder that my consciousness shapes my reality. She’s also a reminder that “there’s a little witch in all of us.” And that’s not a bad thing.