Wild.
This word bears a lot of meanings in our modern world. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “wild”? For some, images of hungry wolves, growling bears or a picture of the uninhabited forest comes up first. For others, memories of a childhood spent roaming the empty lots of the neighborhood or interacting with the feral cats in the backyard appear. Others think of hippies with dirty feet and long tangled hair or tattooed bikers or simply someone not following the rules. Wildness can be described in myriad ways, and there is no “right” answer to the question posed above.
“Wild” comes from the Old English word “wilde”. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “wilde” has Germanic origins: welt, *wold,” and “woodlands” may be some related words. Its most basic definition is:
Living or growing independently of people, in natural conditions and with natural characteristics
It also means in the natural state, uncontrolled, uncultivated, untamed, undomesticated, very unusual (often in a way that is attractive or exciting), excellent, special.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that at the beginning of January I picked a word for the upcoming year. I challenged you to do the same. My chosen word was “wild”.
For me wild means living and being authentic, honoring that which calls from my soul rather than the things that beckon from societal rules. I equate wildness with a deep inner strength and resiliency to ones soul journey. It is our essence. It is living the expression of our elemental self, pure of heart, full of spirit and innately connected to the natural world within and around us, honoring this sacred union. Wildness is the soul of who we are, and where we come from, our true roots.
Of Women and Wolves
Why is it important for women to explore and express their wild Self? Every wild woman’s (even if they don’t think if themselves as wild) bookshelf worth its salt has a copy of Women Who Run With the Wolves, a collection of stories about female wildness and the inescapable yet entirely deniable animal instincts within us all.
I wanted to read this book for ages, but somehow I never got myself a copy. Finally it arrived in my life at the perfect time, when I needed it the most. It became my Bible. It has thought me that pushing yourself beyond your limits and doing things you never thought possible — whether that’s leaving the kids with family or taking a long meander in the wilderness — is a sure way to get to know yourself inside and out. And knowing yourself is the root of empowerment.
We women all have different ways of tuning in to the wilderness. Some of us like to experience nature in complete solitude while others thrive in the company of a group. We’re no longer living in an age where women share a similar sort of lifestyle, the mother and homemaker. Today, each and every woman you meet has a different way of expressing her life’s purpose. Because there’s so much variation in the ways women live their lives, there really are very few places where we can come together to share stories and experiences. It’s one of the reasons that getting a group of women together is such an awesome thing. By providing a safe environment for one another to explore the inner and outer terrain of our beings, we build an emotional, spiritual, and psychological safety net that can hold pretty much anyone who steps into it.
Not everyone has an empowering circle of females built into their lives; the ones that do should consider themselves fortunate. But just because you don’t know your pack yet, doesn’t mean they’re not close at hand. We often have to step slightly out of our comfort zones to find the next adventure. We have to actively seek it out. The good news is that women all over the world are doing the same.
There’s an amazing amount of clarity one can garner in a judgement-free, supportive sisterhood that’s not invested in the politics of society or the board room. It helps to get one’s life moving in the right direction and allows us to see distractions for what they are. It’s the kind of clarity that not only helps individuals reach their goals, but also helps women, even humanity as a whole, reach its highest potential.
As more people tune-in to their wild nature, there’s great potential for unity in our time. When women empower one another in their natural selves, and in turn teach our children the importance of respect, laughter and gratitude for wildness, the bonds between all humans will grow stronger. And that serves as a natural reminder of just how important it is to respect and honor the planet. From the food we eat to the ways we heal, every little thing we have is a gift from the earth. Recognizing that on a global scale starts with a single woman. Going on an adventure finding herself.
Wear Your Wildness on Your Sleeves
There is a reason behind changing my URL and site name from Hello, Mollie! to Raised by the Wolf. My Instagram username used to be @raisedbythewolf then I changed it and when I wanted to change it back it was already taken, so I went with @yogiraisedbythewolf
I always felt like I do not fit in, I was the lone wolf in our village but I always tried so hard to be like others. Until I stopped. I thought it was long ago but I have to admit, I was lying to myself. Even when I thought I am trying hard to stand out, I still (unconsciously) tried to fit in. It was just recently, in 2020 when I realized my life doesn’t make me happy and won’t lead me anywhere but I didn’t know what the problem was. I asked myself, why am I fooling myself? So I sat down to meditate with a pen and journal, ripped of all the layers that did not belong to me and I was left with a wounded little child who was raised by the wolves. And then I knew, this is what I was born to do. To help women heal and raise their consciousness about who they really are, because there is nothing more powerful that knowing and being our true, authentic, wild Selves.
And that is the magic of wolf and woman. They are very much alike. What I respect most in wolves, is their strong sense of self and freedom. You can raise a wolf in your garden but you can never tame it. And so are we, women around the wold. We can adapt to the world around us but deep inside we all yearn for freedom.
My mission is to help women find the power withing themselves to break out from their mundane life and claim what is theirs.
Truth. Power. Wisdom. Freedom. Self.
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