Of the traditional archetypes that are most dominant in my personality, I would name the mystic, wise woman, wild woman, explorer, and priestess. To date, I’ve written about each of these in various combinations. Though, I think many of the attributes typically associated with the priestess are embodied in an inner construct I like to call the Spiritual Healer and, as such, deserve their own self-fashioning narrative.

As I conceive of her, the priestess represents the dark and disavowed feminine, much like the witch does. I actually think there is a deep connection between these two archetypes, with the priestess straddling both worlds—spiritual and material, light and darkness. She is an inherently soothing presence and a tremendous source of spiritual healing, which is why I am calling her the Spiritual Healer, but her powers are also vast, mysterious, and deep. 

As a side note, I find I am becoming more and more interested in those archetypes that represent the dark feminine—the witch, in particular. I am currently looking for a good book on the history of the witch. I’ve found a few that look promising, but if any of you are familiar with the subject, I am open to recommendations. 

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The Spiritual Healer is the seat of my intuition. She is the one who knows and who sees beyond what is visible. Hers is a presence that is calm and reassuring. She is wise, gentle, and mysterious; although, she is also a force of nature. Hers is the inner voice that says, “all is well,” even when it doesn’t appear to be.

The Spiritual Healer finds her roots in ritual and in fusing the powers of the spirit with the natural world. Indeed, it is ritual that brings her to life. It is the earth that connects her to all. She transforms her reality by infusing soul into everything she touches. The Spiritual Healer is a gateway to the symbolic. I call on her when I need strength, wisdom, and reassurance.

She reminds me of my own power. She reminds me that I possess the ability to heal, that the powers of the unknown also reside within, and that the power of ritual and transformation is also the power of the mind. When I walk with the Spiritual Healer, I walk with a quiet strength and a powerful knowing. 

In some respects, the Spiritual Healer remains a source of mystery and intrigue for me. Hers is an energy that I only approach, as one approaches one’s own shadow, a source that feels vaster and more powerful than perhaps I can envisage. The Spiritual Healer is both guide and protector. She knows when I need to treat myself with extra care, when I need to employ ritual to calm and center myself, and when I need to be reminded to trust.