Women Who Run with the Wolves Summary

Within every woman, there is a wild and natural creature — a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing.

1. The Wild Woman Archetype Lives Within

The Wild Woman is an archetype rooted in the collective unconscious, embodying a woman's natural instincts and untamed wisdom. Across cultures and eras, she appears as the witch, healer, or shape-shifter. This primal figure, though suppressed by societal norms, persists in the psyche of every woman. Her presence represents a connection to creativity, intuition, and authenticity.

When women experience this connection, they feel vibrant and in tune with their instincts. However, detachment from this archetype often results in exhaustion, doubt, and disconnection from one's inner rhythm. By reviving the Wild Woman within, a woman can transform her life, unleashing confidence, energy, and creativity.

Jungian psychoanalysis sees stories as tools for repairing our fractured connection to such archetypes. Myths and tales of the Wild Woman provide symbolic maps, showing paths back to authenticity and raw feminine power. Through these stories, women can reconnect with the forgotten parts of themselves.

Examples

• The archetype emerges as La Loba, gathering wolf bones to sing life back into them.
• Women might glimpse their wildness momentarily in acts such as dancing, birthing, or passionate love.
• A woman can regain her wild spirit through music, storytelling, and time spent in solitude or nature.

2. The Story of La Loba: Healing Through Creation

La Loba, the Bone Woman, gathers wolf bones in the desert, piecing them together into a complete skeleton before singing them to life. This myth teaches us resilience and how creation can resurrect our spirit. The bones represent the indestructible essence of our soul.

Connecting to this essence involves embracing creativity and spiritual reflection. Like La Loba’s soulful singing, women can reawaken their vitality by tapping into their deep emotions and desire for renewal. This process may take place in solitude, as women engage in introspection or creative practices.

La Loba represents a crossing point between rational thought and deeper subconscious wisdom—the collective unconscious. Women can find her through mindfulness, art, or rituals. These moments of connection are transformative, helping women rediscover their inner wildness.

Examples

• Women might feel their resilience during major life challenges.
• La Loba’s reassembly of bones parallels how creative projects bring fragmented parts of a person together.
• The act of singing or chanting draws attention to the spiritual and emotional self.

3. Bluebeard: Lessons from the Predator

The tale of Bluebeard highlights the danger of naivete and the importance of sharpening one's intuition. Bluebeard represents a psychic predator—a force that disconnects women from their instincts. His story offers a symbolic confrontation with inner fears, leading women to become more self-aware.

Bluebeard’s naive bride, despite warnings, unlocks a forbidden door and discovers his hidden crimes. This draws a confrontation where she faces the sobering reality of suppressed danger but ultimately gains strength. Her brush with this predator is a wake-up call, allowing her to access courage and instinct.

Even though Bluebeard is menacing, his presence forces the bride to awaken. His character is a metaphor for the aspects of psyche that test women, teaching them to protect themselves and trust their inner voice. Awareness and action become tools for survival and growth.

Examples

• Women often meet "Bluebeard-like" challenges in toxic relationships or harmful environments.
• Symbolic wake-up calls might arise through mistakes that turn into learning experiences.
• A strong support system, like the sister and brothers in the story, can help overcome internal or external threats.

4. Vasalisa and the Gift of Intuition

Vasalisa’s tale teaches the power of intuition, passed on by generations. Her mother’s gift of the doll acts as a compass, guiding her through challenges. The story underscores the value of fostering inner wisdom and facing fears to achieve personal growth.

When sent to Baba Yaga, the doll helps Vasalisa navigate the witch’s tasks. These tasks are symbolic of sorting through the psyche to clearly distinguish truth from falsehood. By completing them, Vasalisa earns the fire that ultimately frees her from oppression and transforms her life.

To build intuition, the story suggests nurturing it, even in small ways. Like the breadcrumbs Vasalisa feeds her doll, small acts of trust in oneself can strengthen the connection to inner knowing. As women develop this trust, they gain the insight to overcome life’s challenges.

Examples

• The "fire" symbolizes clarity and empowerment women find after enduring hardship.
• Feeding the doll mirrors practices like journaling or meditation that nurture intuition.
• Baba Yaga’s tasks reflect the need to focus on things that truly matter while discarding distractions.

5. The Role of Community in Transformation

In the story of the Ugly Duckling, the lonely duckling finds freedom, beauty, and belonging among the swans. This highlights the human desire for community and acceptance, particularly among women who feel like outsiders.

The duckling’s journey mirrors many wild women’s experiences—they feel exiled or misunderstood for their uniqueness. However, this feeling of not belonging holds a hidden blessing. It encourages women to safeguard their true nature until they find a group that values and complements it.

Finding a supportive community takes persistence and vulnerability. As in nature, seasons of exile may precede renewal. Women can take heart in knowing that if they honor their authentic selves, they will ultimately find their "pack of swans."

Examples

• Many women outgrow relationships that no longer serve them before finding true allies.
• Exile might involve periods of soul-searching or confronting societal pressures.
• The sense of belonging can emerge during shared creative or healing activities.

6. Embracing the Cycles of Life

Female life mirrors the cyclical patterns of nature. The stories remind women to flow with these rhythms, whether through phases of growth, rest, or rebirth. The wolf, as an animal of the wild, provides further examples of how to live aligned with these natural cycles.

Periods of intense creation are always followed by rest and reflection. Women often feel pressure to be in a constant state of productivity, but connecting with the Wild Woman archetype means honoring moments of retreat and replenishment.

Baba Yaga’s house-cleaning tasks and the reassembling of bones by La Loba symbolize the importance of preparation and self-care during quieter phases. These interludes allow women to nurture creativity and prepare for the next chapter in their lives.

Examples

• Journaling during quiet moments can clarify future goals.
• Time in nature might help restore energy and creativity.
• Rituals, like meditation or storytelling, provide reflective space.

7. Parallels Between Wolves and Women

Wolves and women share qualities such as loyalty, intuition, and a strong spirit. When disconnected from their "pack," both can become lost but remain resilient, constantly seeking community and balance.

Healthy wolves and healthy women follow their instincts, trust their senses, and fiercely protect their boundaries. These instincts can become dulled when suppressed by external pressures or lack of self-awareness.

Healing involves reconnecting to the primal parts of the self. By observing animal behavior, especially that of wild wolves, women can understand their natural strength and individuality.

Examples

• Wolves howling during the night serves as a metaphor for women expressing their voices.
• Female wolves are exceptional hunters, resembling the problem-solving and creative skills women develop.
• Pack dynamics teach lessons about nurturing bonds and maintaining strong support networks.

Takeaways

1. Reconnect with your intuition by embracing creative practices like journaling, painting, or dancing.
2. Find or build a community of women who celebrate and support your growth.
3. Honor the cycles of creation and rest—prioritize periods of reflection and self-care to sustain your inner fire.