Femme Fatale, Dream Woman, Witch Woman

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 16:05

A person recovers by "giving free rein" to his sexuality.

Z. Freud

Witch

Witches in fairy tales, legends and myths.

A witch is a woman who practices magic.

Etymologically, the word "witch" comes from the ancient Russian words "after all" - knowledge and "mother". Which, most likely, meant the possession of the sacred knowledge by witches, which they received from Mother Earth.

The witch possesses secret knowledge about medicinal plants, interacts with animals, she knows the properties of natural female forces.

As a rule, witches like to live aloof from ordinary people. This makes it easier to gather knowledge (observe nature).

A. N. Afanasyev historically explains the phenomenon of witches: “Little by little, in a purely factual way, people who are gifted with greater abilities and therefore enjoy greater influence begin to stand out from the people.

Acting more or less under a religious enthusiasm, they are folk teachers and forerunners: they understand the meaning of ancient myths and religious language, they are able to unravel and explain all sorts of signs and fortune-telling, they know the mysterious power of herbs and purifications, they can accomplish everything with the magical power of a conspiracy … … People in need begin to resort to such prophetic people, to ask for help and advice”.

In pre-Christian paganism, the word "witch, witch" - meant a knowledgeable estate (later the role of which passed to the monks who have secret, sacred knowledge).

The harmfulness of witches was attributed by Christian preachers. Witches are competitors for them. People who are knowledgeable in magic and possessing dangerous knowledge and skills are feared at all times. Hence xenophobia towards them.

Priestesses and supporters of pagan cults began to be attributed to witches, the deities of which in the Christian worldview decreased to the level of evil spirits.

Witches are one of the main characters in the demonology of the East and West Slavs. According to popular beliefs, witches carried two essences, sometimes completely independent of each other - human and demonic.

Three categories of witches were distinguished: "black", doing evil, "gray" who could do both evil and good deeds, as well as "white" who helped a person: witches possessed the gift of healing, were engaged in quackery, knew the secrets of medicinal herbs, helped during childbirth …

It was believed that witches could predict the future, make both medicines and poisons with love potions. Witches treated, but at the same time they could harm, as the people say, put "spoilage" on people, pets, plants, food, etc., as a result of which people and animals get sick, die, newborns do not sleep at night, cry, household members quarrel, weddings get upset, food deteriorates, threads are torn, work fails.

In Ukraine and the Carpathians, they believed that the Witches could send hail hurricane winds, floods, fires, kidnap celestial bodies, cause drought and other disasters. They were endowed with the ability to shape-shift, could fly through the air, animate any object, and become invisible.

In the Middle Ages, hundreds of thousands of women were cruelly tortured just because they had knowledge of the impact on a person of what psychology, medicine, pharmacology, and biology are doing today. This was facilitated by the widespread Christian view of the woman as a source of temptation and sin (see the negative aspect of the image).

Typical symbols of the fearsome nature of witches include:

nocturnal birds (owls, owls), in which witches can transform,

toads,

snakes,

black Cats,

Attributes of the Witches are: pomelo, poker, magic herbs, etc.

Further, on the one hand, their seductive beauty, and on the other hand, repulsive ugliness.

There were different ideas about the appearance of witches. In the north of Russia, for example, it was believed that a witch is an ugly old woman who, if desired, can turn into a young attractive woman..

And among the southern Slavs, in Ukraine, for example, it was believed that the witch is in the guise of a young beauty - a girl or a young woman, but her inner essence is a harmful creepy old woman, into whom she turned when she already managed to lure the soul of a man into her nets.

This is how the most charming witch in Russian classical literature is described - Gogol's Pannochka from the story "Viy". However, it should be noted that despite the difference in the sequence of reincarnations, both peoples have this age-old status of a witch.

- often also their nakedness when performing rituals in which they participate under the leadership of the devil (often depicted in the form of a demonic goat), on the mountains intended for this (such a mountain is usually called Bald Mountain).

In fairy tales and folk legends, witches could fly astride a broomstick, a goat or a pig, into which they could transform a person (Myths of the peoples of the world).

The broom (pomelo) was the main symbol and attribute of witches who flew on it to their mythical sabbaths on the mountain, rubbing themselves with (presumably, mind-altering) witch ointment.

The broom between the legs of naked witches is perceived to a large extent as a phallic symbol; in addition, we also find images of grabs, benches or other household items as "mounts for moving through the air".

In German mythology, it was believed that once a year on Walpurgis night from April 30 to May 1, witches flew on brooms and pitchforks to Mount Brocken. It was believed that at this time, when the herbs acquired miraculous power, the witches' sabbath was held.

In medieval European mythology, the belief about the spiritual and carnal connection of witches with the devil was widespread. Male demons, coveting female love, were called incubi (from Lat. "To lie down on"). From such a connection, a sleeping woman could conceive and give birth to a freak or half-beast. Female demons seducing men were called succubi (from Lat. "To lie down under").

In Slavic mythology, the night on Ivan Kupala was considered the time of the gathering of witches. In addition, witches gathered at the solstice at Kolyada and at the meeting of spring, that is, on the most important pagan holidays. In Ukraine, it was believed that witches gather on Lysaya Gora, lying on the left side of the Dnieper near ancient Kiev, where idols once stood and was the center of a pagan cult.

The mountains of the pagan Slavs were sacred places of sacrifices and games. Flying to Bald Mountain, witches were believed to indulge in wild revelry and love pleasures with devils, overeat, get drunk, sing songs and dance to the sounds of discordant music (Encyclopedia of Russian Magic, 1999).

Mushrooms growing in a circle were called "witch's rings", apparently, they were represented by plant traces of night dances of witches. Their mysterious growth, and possibly the use of certain species as hallucinogens, may explain why they are associated with supernatural powers in folklore.

The activity of witches falls precisely on the night when the moon is shining, and not on the day when the sun is shining. It is believed that the moon symbolizes the depth and mystery of the unconscious; the sun is the light of consciousness. Thus, our unconscious has a basic feminine nature, which in the popular mind is associated with witches and evil spirits.

The prototype of the Witch

If you look closely, then in the medieval witch, experts find all the aspects characteristic of the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana), the sum of all historical meanings, layered on top of each other. She is a midwife, she is the Great Mother, a virgin who does not need men, an angel of death and, finally, the all-forgiving Mother of all unfortunate people.

Another Greek goddess, Hecate, is often referred to as witches. Hecate is the goddess of darkness, night visions, but she also patronizes hunting, shepherding, horse breeding, protects children and young men, gives victory in competitions, in court, in war. She has three bodies and three heads.

Her sacred animal is a dog. Myths depict her running over the crossroads, near the graves, accompanied by hellish dogs and witches. She is depicted not only with dogs, but also with snakes. Its attributes are a key, a whip, a dagger and a torch. She can send horrors and grievous dreams, or she can protect from them, protect from evil demons and witchcraft.

The prototype of the witch in Slavic mythology is the goddess of life, the progenitor Zhiva - otherwise called Siwa (hence, perhaps, the magical power of Sivka-Burka) - and the goddess of fate and fertility, the guardian of wealth Mokosh, and in Germanic mythology this is the goddess Freya - the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, etc.

The ancient Germans dedicated to Freya (and the Slavs to Mokosha) one day of the week - Friday (German Freitag, English friday). It was considered a happy day. Since Freya was considered the goddess of love, Friday was the most auspicious day for the conclusion of peace, for all deeds of love and marriage. Later, under the influence of Roman mythology, this day was associated with Venus, the love-erotic aspect was added to the symbolism of Friday and to Freya.

Since Freya was often identified with the wife of the supreme god of the Germans Wotan (Odin), she was also considered the goddess of clouds and weather. Her competence also included the growth and maturation of crops, and, above all, flax. It was believed that water also obeys it, as well as water creatures, elves, gnomes, sylphs.

With the establishment of Christianity, the virgin and maternal features of the goddesses Freya and Mokosha passed, on the one hand, to Mary, and, on the other, to witches. As a result, much of what was considered holy and healing in pagan times, after the overthrow of Freya from the throne in Christian times, was considered demonic and attributed to witches.

For example, Friday, which until then was a happy and blessed day, became a day of misfortune, the day of the witches' Sabbath. True, the people still believe that on Friday you can get rid of diseases, and also that on this day it is best to get married and get married.

There are many connections between witches and medicinal plants, which were believed to be used to make witchcraft potions. Various herbs (fern, whitehead, sage, plakun, dope, Adam's head, Ivan da Marya, thistle, plantain, wormwood, etc.) witches collected on the night of Ivan Kupala.

It was believed that these herbs acquired special power in the hands of witches. From them, witches prepared various ointments, rubbed their bodies with them and could thus take on the appearance of various animals. More often than not, witches were thought to take on the form of cats.

The ancient Germans dedicated a bedstraw and a yellow chrysanthemum to the goddess Freya. As the goddess of weather, Freyja was associated with a mullein. If anyone dared to rip it off, then lightning could strike him.

It was believed that it was precisely as a result of the thunder sent by the weather goddess Freya, or later by the witch, that vast expanses of yellow flowers prevailed in the high mountain meadows. The archetypal aspect of beauty, which was attributed to Freya and Venus, was associated in practice with an infusion of beauty from primrose flowers (primrose) sprinkled with wine.

The negative aspect of the mistress of fertility passed from Freya to the witches, preparing a potion from blooming wormwood, causing impotence.

The archetypal meaning of the image

At the archetypal level, the image of a witch is associated in our collective unconscious with the archetype of the Great Mother, which has four main manifestations: "good mother" - "terrible mother" (old witch - Baba Yaga), positive anima ("good young fairy") - negative anima ("Femme fatale", a young witch).

From the standpoint of psychoanalytic object relations theory, children are afraid of the witch, first of all, because she embodies for them the terrible image of a "devouring mother."This metaphor was proposed by Melanie Klein, characterizing the child's subjective fear of persecution in the paranoid-schizoid position, when the object is split, bifurcated (hence the name: "paranoid-schizoid").

In the first weeks after birth, the infant cannot yet feel and accept that the mother, whom he values so highly during the resting phases, is the same object that he attacks with the same merciless and merciless attack during the phases of arousal.

For a child, there seem to be two mothers - "good" and "bad", which is reflected in children's fairy tales, for example, in the Russian folk tale "The Wolf and the Seven Kids". When the kids feel good, their mother is a kind goat, who "brought milk" for them. When they feel bad (in a fairy tale, the goat leaves the kids in the forest), the mother turns into a "devouring" wolf.

In general, the image of a witch embodies the demonic principle in our soul, which is naturally and naturally present in each of us at the level of the collective unconscious. By touching the image of a witch in fairy tales and identifying with her, we experience this most important archetypal component of our personality.

Negative aspects of the image

In the negative aspect, the Witch is secretive, aggressive and insidious. Human consciousness has a tendency to repress the negative image of the Self (a person displaces everything that does not correspond to the desired image of himself, does not recognize the presence of anger, greed, envy, etc.).

Therefore, in fairy tales, witches often live away from people as hermits - in the forest or in a swamp (a forest, a swamp are symbols of the deep layers of the unconscious). In life, the address "Witch" is most often abusive. Witches are not loved and feared (rather, they are afraid, therefore they do not love!).

In the area of the negative pole, the Witch serves only her egocentric goals (she is an absolute selfish!). But sometimes the Witches help the heroes. A helping witch differs from a fairy, first of all, in that she still takes into account her own interests first of all, and if they diverge from the goals of those whom she helps, the witch's help stops.

As you know, not a single fairy-tale witch has strong relationships with men, does not have children of her own. Closer to the negative pole of men and children, the Witch behaves like an invader.

She tries to deceive men, turning into a beautiful maiden. Separating the heroes in love, the fairytale witch seeks to destroy the beautiful heroine and take her place next to the hero.

The Inner Witch is drawn to a positive image of femininity (Fairy), trying to become like him, but the negative Witch is able to maintain a beautiful appearance only for a limited time, after which she again becomes old and ugly (Vasilets TB).

As for children, in many fairy tales, Baba Yaga (nee Witch) kidnaps them for the purpose of destruction, eating. For example, she invites little Ivanushka to sit on a shovel in order to send him to the oven, and then eat. This is how a woman's ability to destroy a child in her womb (oven) - to have an abortion - is symbolically reflected in the fairy tale plot.

Some researchers, referring to Jung, also believe that the fear of witches is the fear of incest (meaning her maternal image), which then becomes the fear of being swallowed by the mother, hence the image of a witch swallowing children, etc.

A fairy-tale witch often holds children and other heroes captive, makes them enchant - just like the inner Witch, as a function of the personality, bewitches the developing parts of the self.

If a fabulous witch sometimes deprives her captives of their usual appearance and beauty, turns them into freaks (assimilates to herself), this symbolizes the spread of the influence of the archetypal area of the negative Witch in the inner space of the personality - the Witch captures the Self.

The negative image of the witch, as depicted in European folk tradition, is just a special case of a widespread worldwide fear of the female sex, which varies in other cultures in slightly different external manifestations (in Ancient Japan, for example, it was believed that demonic female creatures turn into foxes, among the natives of Siberia - into wolves, etc.).

The negative archetype of the feminine principle is represented in numerous images: Medusa the Gorgon, the warlike Amazons, Kali, the goddess of war Hothor, the Celtic goddess Morigan in the form of a crow devouring corpses, in a word, the image of a terrible mother, etc.

Numerous exotic peoples have a belief in witches and a belief in the demonic nature of certain women, who were considered capable of cannibalism, magic, murder, turning men into impotent (for example, through their teeth-filled vagina; lat.vagina dentata).

Why were women afraid?

In the traditions of most peoples, magical art is directly related to the feminine principle. All ancient rituals were performed in the nude.

Against the background of a religious ascetic, it was believed that “a woman lives with sex, thinks about sex and has sex herself,” and a man “falls into her like into an abyss” … Hence the desire to deprive a woman of her magical power - myths about female inferiority and the division of women into saints and sinners - to "mother" and "whore" …

Naked witches symbolized the bodily temptation sent down by Satan (but modern witches prefer to use the term "clothed with heaven" to show their openness to the influence of supernatural forces).

Nudity, nudity often occurs during the performance of the rites of initiation and initiation, when the initiate was presented as a newborn). In Christian European art, witches are portrayed naked with the intention of showing their licentiousness.

In the Middle Ages, the negative image of a woman objectively contributed to the emergence and widespread dissemination of the ideas of witchcraft, of which women were primarily accused.

The processes of sorcerers that swept most European countries were one of the consequences of collective madness, when the accumulated negative emotions of the crowd and the fanatics that aroused it were projected onto women, as the embodiment of everything connected with the “devil,” corruption, and evil in the broadest sense of the word.

The modern myth of "destructive" femininity is the myth of the femme fatale, the vamp, the "castrating" woman:

“Beware - vamp! Her sexuality is a trap, her body is a weapon, her lover is sacrificed. The type of woman that makes you feel hot and cold. If you fall in love with her, you will have a hard time.

Is she beautiful? Is she sexy? Does it shine and sparkle? She beckons, beckons, flatter. Is she passion embodied? Here's my advice: feet in hand - and run away from her. And as quickly as possible. A stunning creature with a burning gaze and a wasp waist that's enough to end you.

When you look into those eyes, you are looking into the windows of hell

A girl with hungry eyes seems to whisper to you: “I want you. I want your memory. I want everything that made you happy and everything that brought you grief. I want your first girlfriend … I want you wanting me. I want your life. Feed. Feed me!"

First, you will be conquered according to all the rules of art, and then you will be given a turn from the gate at the most interesting place. She hits without missing.

When she finally drives you crazy with her calling mouth to kiss, she will simply throw you out like a husk.

The femme fatale is in love, first of all, with her ability to seduce. She needs a relationship with a man only in order to break them off at the right time.

What is behind the haze of a dream woman? Inferiority complex. A man-hater, if sexy and attractive, has an unconscious desire to avenge supposed male privileges. The erotic facade hides a deep hatred for the man she thinks he is in a better position.

Plus, he has what she doesn't have: a penis. Mother Nature has supplied you with a 15 cm unit - this is the reason why the enterprise of this siren always ends in failure. This is nothing more than a symbolic castration. You are a man, but a woman will not allow you what you are capable of and why you are attacking her. And now your dream woman deprives you of potency.

A woman with sexual envy will never surrender herself to a man, because by doing so she would recognize male superiority. Instead, she avenges the perceived advantage: first seduces, and then castrates with refusal. Now she has brought him into the same state in which she sees herself: powerless, because without a member.

The femme fatale must be treated as cunningly as possible: she never fulfills her promises …"

This image of the Witch woman is a symbol of the negative side of femininity, its dark aspect, neurotically frightening a man. He seeks to overcome and destroy it with frenzied aggressiveness, even with the help of fire, if the test with water did not give anything (as was the case in Europe of the New Time).

Such sad consequences are caused primarily by the suppression of the growing man's attraction to his mother.

The psychoanalyst Susan Bordeaux explains this by the fact that a man, a boy, inevitably experiencing frustration in the earliest relationship with his mother, is afraid of his desires directed at his mother, is afraid to identify with her. He flees from his mother, fleeing in the world of male values.

Realizing the content of the negative pole of the Witch, it is possible to bring many deep shadow aspects of personality to the level of symbolic consciousness of a person. This gives a person the opportunity to use their hidden natural resources more productively.

Positive aspects of the image

Fairy tales generously represent not only the negative, but also the positive pole of the Witch archetype. “As she approaches the positive pole, the Witch becomes more and more constructive. She concentrates and multiplies her magical power.

In addition to the cognitive role, she has the task of controlling the invisible border between the conscious and unconscious areas of the personality, as well as the task of protecting the boundaries of the personality as a whole. At certain stages of personality development, the Witch serves as the first "cordon" protecting human dignity. A negative Witch does this with the help of intrigue, deceit and other aggressive actions, while a positive Witch does this by mastering new knowledge, skills and multiplying her magical power. The inner witch establishes and protects the boundaries of the personality, defends the interests and desires of a person.

In addition, the positive inner Witch enthusiastically explores the deep, hidden needs of the personality, thereby serving its development and the successful solution of the most urgent problems.

In her positive aspect, the Witch (knowing, witch) feels a connection with the earth, draws strength from it, lives in accordance with seasonal natural rhythms, has the gift of healing, has knowledge of the magical properties of roots, fruits, trees and animals. She is perceptive, intuitive, subtly understands the human soul, knows the secrets of natural feminine power.

Thus, the archetypal function of the Witch is the first stage in the development of femininity, a kind of start on the path to female maturity. Reflecting the beginning of a woman's spiritual maturation, the Witch not only allows her to realize (experience) the power of natural healing female powers for the first time, but also serves as a unique access key that allows her to regulate the level of female defensive aggression (TV Vasilets).

In our time, the image of a witch is sometimes taken as a symbol of certain trends in the feminist movement, meaning a protest against the dominance of the masculine principle - male "totalitarianism", male "chauvinism" - in society.

For feminists, a witch is a symbol of an independent, autonomous and potent woman who has access to secret knowledge about the juices and forces of nature (and this means sexuality), who conjures, bewitches and bewitches with pleasure. Popular rumor associates a sexy, charming woman with a witch, with a demonic, devilish beginning.

Summary:

The potential of the Witch is great, manifesting itself in both negative and positive aspects: the Witch is always able to stand up for her interests, her power is always magical, with the help of this power the Witch can help or harm anyone, if it is beneficial to her. But, her main weapon is sexuality, so the image of the Witch is traditionally used in the treatment of sexual disorders.

Working with the "Witch" motive in therapy

Working with images (motives), subsequent drawing and discussion traditionally refers to Symboldrama (Katatimno - Imaginative psychotherapy) - a psychoanalytic technique known as the "method of waking dreams", "psychoanalysis using images". The motive "Witch" is one of the tools of work.

You can learn about specific forms of work from the articles: Orlova M. I., Obukhova Ya. L. (working with the "Witch" motif in symbol drama), Vasilets T. V (using the image in initiation therapy), Gundertaylo Y. D., Sknar O. N. (art therapy), etc. (see the list of references).

Thanks to these authors, we can use their ideas in our work.

I usually work with the "Witch" image within the framework of the "Working with Sexuality" group (using the classic instructions given in the article by MI Orlova, Ya. L. Obukhov and taking into account the possibilities of art therapy (see Gundertaylo Yu. D., Sknar ON) This method gives good results.

Purpose: work with resources.

Required materials: natural materials (leaves, flowers, cones, twigs, etc.), scraps of fabric, artificial materials (paper, napkins, pencils, paints, foil, colored paper, plasticine), glue, scissors, tape recorder, music recordings etc.

Instructions:

1. Group work:

Actualization of representations associated with the "Witch" image.

2. Work in pairs.

Break into pairs: 1. - therapist, 2 - client.

Preliminary conversation.

Issues for discussion:

Therapist:

How are you feeling?

How do you imagine a witch? How might she look? How old is she?

Have you ever encountered women who could be called witches?

What witches from fairy tales do you imagine now, do you remember?

Working with the image (directed imagination):

Close your eyes. Try to relax and concentrate on your inner sensations (maybe Schultz relaxation). Try to imagine now some kind of witch, sorceress or sorceress. Everything you present is good. We can work with any way. Tell us what you see

Try to imagine yourself as this woman

What are you wearing? (the details of the clothes are clarified, how it is felt in the waist, shoulder and chest area, what kind of shoes are on the client)

What is your hair, what is your hairstyle, etc

How old do you think you are

What kind of magic do you possess?

What is the weather?

What time of year, what month is it?

What is the approximate time?

You are a witch. You can do whatever you want, become whatever you want. What would you like now? Tell us

Remember everything that you imagined, say goodbye to the image. When you are ready, clench your hands in fists, stretch strongly, as after sleeping, and if you are ready then slowly open your eyes …

Creation of a drawing (collage, mask, sculpture, assemblage, etc.)

Create an image of your "Witch" from the proposed material. Imagine the brightest moment in your story, in which your "Witch" would be present

Return to pairs. Tell us about your work

Were there any difficulties in completing the assignment?

With the help of the therapist, analyze your image of the "Witch" and the scene depicted.

Image analysis

How do you feel about your image of "The Witch"? What associations does it evoke (for you, the therapist)?

What materials were used to create the work, volumetric work or is it a flat image, what colors are present in the work, etc

The degree of awareness of the image. How does the image relate to your life? Are you using the power of this image, or does its presence only complicate your life?

Fragment analysis

Why is this moment important to you? What associations does it evoke? (at you, at the therapist)

What needs does it reflect (sexual, aggressive, need for loneliness, intimacy, etc.)? To what extent do you manage to meet these needs in life? If it fails, what prevents you from doing it? How will your life change if you try to satisfy these needs? Are you going to lose something of what you have now?

It can be psychodrama - staging a significant scene, or a bodily exercise aimed at responding to aggressive impulses in a way that is safe for oneself and others

Sherring. Awareness and integration of the experience gained. Discussion of what resources of the "Witch" image can be used in real life? What new, unusual patterns (patterns, models) of behavior can be tested?

Independent interaction of the group members with the image of the "Witch"

Homework: observe the manifestations of the "Witch" image in your life (personal and professional).

Bibliography:

1. Vasilets TB Man and woman are the secret of sacred marriage. Essays on Initiation Therapy

2. Dal. V. I. "On the beliefs, superstitions and prejudices of the Russian people."

3. Orlova M. I., Obukhov Ya. L. "Witch" / "Symbol and Drama" magazine, No. 2, 2000.

4. Gundertaylo Yu. D., Sknar O. N. The use of assemblage in art therapy work with the image of the "Witch".

5. Encyclopedia of supernatural beings (author-compiler K. Korolev) - Moscow: 2002.

6. Internet resources.