Heathen Woman: Embracing the Awakened Woman

Last updated on: January 5, 2015 at 10:15 pm by Heather O'Brien

Heathen Woman: Embracing the Awakened Woman 2015-01-05T22:15:21+00:00 Heather O'Brien

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In examining the awakened heathen woman, we’ll begin by looking at what it means to be self-reliant in a way that establishes healthy habits, a sustaining home, and care for the spiritual self. These three pieces are part of a larger concept of building a confident woman who is comfortable in her spiritual and physical path. When we care for the mind, body, and soul, we strike a balance between the very things that keep us going – literally! Heathens tend to be keenly aware, and mindful, of the natural world around them, as all aspects of life surrounding us are filled with creative measure and spirit. In that recognition, doing our best for ourselves and our environment and honoring that which holds life becomes an sacred responsibility.

Frigga Spinning the Clouds by J. C. Dollman

Working to build a skill set that benefits the home (gardening crops, sewing, herbal medicine, etc.) that leads to further self-sustaining measures is a good start in reclaiming our own power in providing for ourselves. It takes that comfort out of the mega-store and places it right on our doorstep. Taking it a step further, knowing how to construct, build, or blacksmith is a continuing extension of becoming physically self sufficient. When we take back the power of the foods we eat and the place we live, a new personal level of fulfillment is reached, since we know that we have provided the basic tenants of our well-being. Spiritually speaking, the Norse gods and goddesses echo this importance. Does Thor’s hammer not build as well as destroy? Does Frigg not attend the spinning wheel? Do our deities not have attributes of being land protectors and care givers? While we are not gods, we can certainly follow the examples left for us by them. This also includes exploring and embracing our passions, whatever they may be. Not every gesture has to be grand in order to be considered sacred. Once we awaken from the sleep of the masses, we begin to find new (or even suppressed) feelings of emotion, hobbies that we enjoy and talents we did not know we even possessed. This combination of elements empowers and honors our deeper sense of self and the divine feminine within.

The divine feminine is known by many names in various faiths. Heathens commonly refer to this primal female power dwelling in the very existence of life as Nerthus. The divine feminine is the fertile conception and realization of life-giving energy, and it nurtures within it every living creature. Tapping into that force within us is inspiring and of great spiritual significance, in that we are tracing who we are all the way back to the point where the spark of life first began. The divine feminine is an area of compassionate practice that can lead us to the source of power embedded within. It can give us a profound sense of confidence as we face our wyrd, paths, and responsibilities head on. When we accept that the divine feminine is a part of us, it’s very empowering! This is where the deeper ancient mysteries lie, and when those are slowly revealed, we can’t help but want a change in our lives.

When we come to that crossroad of change, it begins from within our own self. It is personal activism that begins in our minds and bodies. Change is not always easy, but the awakened woman embraces it as a new way of living that builds, sustains, and honors herself. We deserve the respect that we allow ourselves to be treated with. Once we’ve begun exploring the divine feminine within and fully realizing our greater potential, our view of respect becomes uncompromising. It’s not a matter of screaming loudly in the direction of others. It’s the determination to create our path and fold ourselves into our own wyrd, and so it demonstrates to ourselves and the world around us that we are not only capable, but we have recognized our own worth.

That level of respect is also something that we must be willing to give to ourselves, for no one else will if we first won’t honor the same principle. As we gain self-respect, social acceptance and liking from others becomes less important, and we tend to lose the desire to put others down. Instead, we are more focused on lifting our own selves up. It is accepting the accountability to self that creates and sustains this personal drive. When we remove all excuses and any false justifications, we stand face to face with the truth — sometimes a cold, hard reality — but to begin a journey worth walking, we must find the starting line.

It’s not uncommon for a woman on this road to face obstacles that have been imposed upon her over years of development, leaving her afraid and feeling exposed when it comes to matters of sexuality or personal attachments. It’s a very natural response, if someone has been raised in an oppressive environment, to still shy away from making a fully trusting relationship commitment or hesitate to explore different levels of touch, sexuality or other physical means of showing emotion, and this may be true even if they have walked a heathen path for many years. It is a scar left impressed upon the soul. These obstacles that can be eased with time, care of self, and even counseling if necessary. Clearing them does not mean that you will still not consciously choose to refrain from some of these behaviors – but it will be a choice and not an imposition.

Scars are not anything to be ashamed of. Heathens are always working to break bonds of shame that have been acquired over time, and it’s a process worth working through. Letting go of the hurt and insecurity that shame brings is freeing to each element of the self, and it is a gift that is worth giving to ourselves. The commitment to care for mind, body, and soul is open and available to all people, regardless of faith, gender, or walk of life. For heathens, and the heathen woman especially, this awakening can set a soul soaring bravely towards the path we were always meant to walk.

Heathen Woman is published on alternate Fridays. Subscribe via RSS or e-mail!

Previous Post

January 9, 2014

Wyrd Words: 10 Pieces of Practical Advice from the Hávamál

Next Post

January 13, 2014 Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft: Be Vocal, Be Creative When Teaching Tolerance

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul Peter Jesus Solomon