Feminine Archetypes are not only collective images and representations to study and play with, they are forces that live within us. They help us access our inner resources, and guide us through the different seasons of our lives. In this article, we will focus on the Maiden, the Mother, the Queen, and the Wild Woman—our favorite ones to call upon at Raindrop Movement. Each of them presents us with beautiful gifts as well as challenges to overcome. We will share with you not only complete portraits of the four, but easy and delicious movement practices to fully embody them.
The Maiden Archetype
Who is the Maiden?
The Maiden is known for her fresh, curious, and innocent nature. She has the enthusiasm and the playfulness of a child and constantly looks at the world with wonder. She walks through life lightly and carefreely but her naiveté can be played easily. She must be careful not to give her power away.
The Maiden tends to be stuck in the role of the obedient daughter—she hasn't quite cut the cord yet. Whether she is very close to her parents or has a conflictual relationship with them, she is highly influenced by their vision, beliefs, and expectations. Deep down, she fears their judgement and seeks their approval in each of her actions. She’d rather silence her own needs than risk disappointing them.
Her “good girl” syndrome makes her a people pleaser and she usually struggles making her own decisions. She may find herself wondering over and over again—but what will people think? She is scared to be abandoned.
Meet your Inner Maiden
You may call upon your Inner Maiden if life has been feeling so heavy that you lost touch with the beauty of the world. Take her on a walk and ask her to remind you of the simple pleasures of life. Wear a beautiful dress, feel your bare feet on the soft grass, and be in awe with every detail, every color, every flower your eyes come across. Say it often and say it out loud—Wow!
On the contrary, if you feel stuck in the shadow of this archetype, if you’re having difficulty growing out of the good girl, it may be time to rebel!
Play anything by Billie Eilish or Sia, preferably very loud, and let your inner teenager lose! Sing, scream, shake. Take up space. Wear something your mother—or even yourself—would find profoundly inappropriate, maybe even a little shocking.
There is a sweet spot in between, where the magic is palpable and has no strings attached. When you find yourself in that place you may be able to finally reconnect with your own desires, with your own vision. What is your soul truly longing for?
The Raindrop Movement modality allows you to slow down and find safety within yourself so that you can hear the voice of your body, and trust your inner guidance.
Join our free, monthly community practice to get a taste of the Raindrop Movement medicine and reclaim your feminine power.
The Mother Archetype
Who is the Mother?
The Mother could be seen as a natural evolution from the Maiden. She doesn’t necessarily have children but she has found self-accomplishment in the ways she serves and provides for her family or her community. She is always on the lookout, making sure that everyone has everything they need, often forgetting herself in the process.
In her very own way, sometimes with her generous presence only, she offers her little protégés a deep sense of safety by meeting them with embodied compassion. She is not afraid to show her teeth to defend those under her protection.
Although she acts solely from a place of love, she wouldn’t like her actions to go unnoticed and she usually appreciates some sort of expression of gratitude. It is important for her to know and feel that she is needed, for her purpose is found in devotion.
Meet your Inner Mother
Your Inner Mother invites you to hold yourself, first and foremost. You must fill your own cup before you go on and provide for others. You must give yourself the same level of attention you offer back.
To become your own mother is to increase your capacity to meet every part of yourself and your life with love and compassion.
This is especially true for those parts of your experience that you might label as mistakes.
“Hold your mistakes
Like a baby.
Look into their eyes,
Into the innocence and the hope
That lives deep inside of them.
Don't throw them out
They are of you and they are growing.
Love them into growing up”
May this poem from Chalen Harkin give you permission to mother those parts in you that would have been so easy to judge harshly. Be the mother you deserved to have.
Look at each mistake as your child’s innocent & hopeful attempt to grow and ask yourself: “What would love say or do?”
If you struggle making space to hold yourself, our free 3-day Feminine Body Wisdom Reset program might be just what you need. Nada Mesqui, Founder of Raindrop Movement will share with you 3 easy morning practices to start your day in an embodied way. Mother yourself first before you mother the world.
The Queen Archetype
Who is the Queen?
The Queen is she who is grounded in her sense of self and unshakeable in her worth. She has a strong vision for herself and the collective, and leads by example. She sets clear boundaries to protect her energy and honor her commitments.
She does not force, she flows.
She does not control, she creates.
She does not chase, she attracts.
She does not hustle, she takes aligned action.
She does not hide, she shows up.
She does not push, she trusts.
She does not rush, she allows.
She does not fear, she surrenders.
She is the highest vibration of your feminine self. She is Waiting for you to inhabit her frequency. Are you willing to try?
Meet your Inner Queen
So many of us have had to remain in the shadow aspects of our femininity because that was the only way we knew how to keep ourselves safe.
So, we find ourselves in these 30, 40, 50-something adult female bodies still feeling like a wounded little girl, insecure maiden, or pleasing martyr.
The embodiment of our shadow feminine self is something we all have practiced long enough. Now it is time to align ourselves with the highest version of who we are as a Woman.
If this resonates, you are warmly invited to join our new transformative program Safe Woman. This 5-week container has been designed to guide women into reconnecting with their bodies, their inner wisdom, and their true innate value.
Are you ready to reclaim your inner safety, belonging and worth through embodiment? You are just one step away from embodying the Queen that you are.
The Wild Woman Archetype
Who is the Wild Woman?
To quote Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, “When women reassert their relationship with the wildish nature, they are gifted with a permanent and internal watcher, a knower, a visionary, an oracle, an inspiratrice, an intuitive, a maker, a creator, an inventor, and a listener who guide, suggest, and urge vibrant life in the inner and outer worlds.”
The Wild woman lives authentically, trusts her instincts, embraces her desires, and expresses her creativity in raw artforms.
She is attuned to her own rhythm, which is the rhythm of Nature herself. She follows her own path without a care in the world for what others might think of it. She is spontaneous and unpredictable, for she listens to her guts more than anything else. She is highly adaptable, for her inner compass will never fail her.
Meet your Inner Wild Woman
When you meet your Inner Wild Woman, you reconnect with your untamed spirit and ignite your authentic power.
Can you hear her howling? Answer the call of the wild in this Free-flowing mammal-like practice. This Raindrop Movement exercise is a fundamental of feminine embodiment.
When you allow your body to move in unusual, unpredictable, sensual ways, you tap into the most intuitive, instinctual, and naturally embodied part of you.
Welcome the wild animal in you. Listen to your inner pulse. Feel the pleasure. Take your body back, fill it with joy, and reclaim its power.
Maybe some of these archetypes feel like old friends, and others, more like beautiful strangers. Maybe some of them feel more triggering than others. Notice the patterns. Let go of the parts that must die and trust that new life is coming from them. Allow them to work through you—they are medicine, too.
Which archetype is most familiar to you? And which would you like to embody more—the Maiden, the Mother, the Queen, or the Wild Woman? Let us know in the comments section!
