Wellbeing

Lynne Franks

Our empowerment guru on witches, spells and modern magic

I have never before known as many women as I do now, of all ages, acknowledging themselves as witches as I seem to these days. They are happily embracing their identity as enchantresses of the modern world – myself included!

This has accelerated since I moved to Somerset and the mythological lands of Avalon. The closer we live to nature, the more we are aware that it was only five hundred years ago when thousands of women were denounced as witches by their neighbours and killed by water or fire.

Now we are reclaiming our heritage as wise women, herbalists, midwives and healers. Of course, most of us don’t actually fly around on broomsticks, cast spells around the cauldron or even twitch our noses like 1960s TV witch Samantha in Bewitched – in any event, certainly not when we are awake! But we love rituals, regularly make our decisions based on the outcome of the tarot cards and the swing of the pendulum, and clear out old energy with bells, crystals and by smudging with sage.

Modern witches feel their connection with the land and love nothing better than walking barefoot through the dew, or spiralling under the full moon. We believe in ley lines, are sensitive to energies emanating from buildings and are highly tuned in to our intuition.

We note and celebrate the moon cycles, both the full and new moons, as well as acknowledge the solstices, eclipses and movement of the planets. We love the hedgerows and care deeply about the trees, bees and all aspects of keeping mother nature alive and sustained. Clearly the world needs a lot of magic to lift it up right now.

Perhaps that’s why we are all looking so hard to find it. Or is there more to it? Adults and children alike adore Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and unicorns are currently little girls’ favourite toys. We watch fantasy TV, games and movies with modern technology creating monsters, heroes and extraordinary landscapes.

We also buy a lot of how to be a witch-type self-help books, teaching us detailed spells and ceremonies for the 21st century which will attract lovers, riches and wellbeing. And this is not just a British phenomenon. Americans in particular seem to love the mystery surrounding being a modern day witch and can be seen in droves alongside many other nationalities thronging the ‘new age’ shops of Glastonbury, choosing their crystals, buying their spell books and popping in for a reading or healing at the Goddess House.

Awareness of Goddess culture and legend has been on the rise alongside feminism for some years and is now embedded in our modern society. Claiming our inner goddess is considered by many as important to empowerment as equal pay and a seat on the board.

I have no idea how I ended up in this ancient town of Wincanton with its legends, histories and witches’ myths. I had never heard of the place and just flowed in on the back of my intuition, with a number of random situations bringing me to my ancient new home.

Yet it seems to be the right time and the right place for me to live where I can connect with other like-minded women. Ones who believe, like me, that it truly is time to bring the sacred feminine into society and create a new kind of connection and sisterhood, whatever our religion or beliefs.

Times need to change and, if a belief in magic and myth helps bring us together as communities dedicated to helping others, being close to nature and finding tools that give us confidence to create a new kind of working and living together, it can only be a good thing. I will certainly be continuing to bring ritual and ceremony into my own workshops and retreats, in ways that can be duplicated by others in daily life to support our dreams and bring them into reality. And, if that makes me a witch, then so be it.

Lynne Franks will be holding her women’s Power of 7 Retreats at her wellbeing ‘Hub at No 3’ in Wincanton, Somerset, throughout the year as well as at her November retreat in Marrakesh. She will also be launching her online Power of 7 Courses and coaching this September. Find out more at lynnefranks.com