Written by Michelle Wollaston, Spiritual Growth Advocate
Michelle Wollaston is the founder of Living with Purpose and Intention and the author of the book Embrace Spirituality to Enhance Your Human Experience.
As we approach International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8, 2025, the theme "Accelerate Action" urges us to take decisive steps toward gender equality. The World Economic Forum estimates that at the current pace, it will take until 2158, approximately five generations from now, to achieve full gender parity. This stark reality highlights the urgency of dismantling systemic barriers that continue to limit women’s progress, both personally and professionally.
While external reforms are essential, true empowerment begins within. A woman may have access to opportunities, but if she lacks the confidence to trust her voice, the courage to set boundaries, and the clarity to follow her intuition, she remains disconnected from her own power. This is why Spiritual Intelligence is a crucial component of women’s empowerment, and it provides the inner foundation needed to claim authentic leadership, personal sovereignty, and deep self-trust.
The suppression of the divine feminine & women's spiritual wounding
For millennia, women were revered as keepers of wisdom, healers, and intuitive leaders. Many ancient societies honoured the Divine Feminine, recognising the sacred power of intuition, energy healing, and inner knowing. Goddesses such as Isis in Egypt, Inanna in Mesopotamia, and Athena in Greece were celebrated as powerful forces of wisdom, protection, and creation. Women were the seers, the healers, and the midwives of both birth and transformation.
But as patriarchal structures took hold, this sacred power was systematically dismantled. Women were increasingly stripped of their autonomy and forced into roles of servitude, while their spiritual gifts were demonised as dangerous rather than divine.
The persecution of spiritually gifted women reached its most violent extremes during the European Witch Trials (1450–1750), which later spread to America, culminating in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Thousands of women were executed, often for nothing more than their knowledge of herbal medicine, their ability to sense energy shifts, or their natural intuition. Across both continents, women who trusted their own wisdom, spoke their truth, or demonstrated healing abilities were branded as heretics, exiled, tortured, or killed.
For centuries, expressing one's spiritual gifts could mean not only social rejection but also physical harm, imprisonment, or death. Many women hid their abilities, passing down an ingrained fear of fully stepping into their spiritual power.
Even today, the remnants of this suppression remain. Women continue to be conditioned to believe that their worth is defined by how much they give to others rather than by their inner knowing, spiritual wisdom, or sovereignty. Many still struggle with guilt when prioritising their own needs, fearing judgment if they trust their intuition over societal expectations.
But change is happening. In recent years, we have witnessed a resurgence of the Divine Feminine. Women are once again reclaiming their intuitive, psychic, and healing abilities, stepping into the power that was once taken from them. This is where Spiritual Intelligence becomes essential, offering a structured way to reconnect, realign, and reclaim the power that has always been ours.
What is the divine feminine?
The Divine Feminine is the sacred, intuitive, and creative energy present in all beings, regardless of gender. It represents wisdom, compassion, receptivity, and inner knowing, the qualities that allow us to connect deeply with ourselves, others, and the universe. Across ancient traditions, the Divine Feminine has been honoured in goddesses, spiritual archetypes, and the cycles of nature, symbolising nurturing, transformation, and empowerment.
However, centuries of suppression have diminished this natural force, leading many women to disconnect from their innate intuition, spiritual intelligence, and personal sovereignty. Reclaiming the Divine Feminine is about embracing your full power, trusting your inner wisdom, and leading with grace, strength, and alignment in all aspects of life.
From awakening to sovereignty: The path to spiritual intelligence
From an early age, I was fortunate to grow up in a home where spirituality was not just a belief system; it was a way of life. My father was a practising spiritualist and energy healer, and in our household, psychic, spiritual, and intuitive abilities were not dismissed or feared but rather recognised as innate gifts within us all, gifts that could be developed, nurtured, and celebrated. However, despite this foundation, I had not been mentored in how to harness my Spiritual Intelligence to truly empower me. As a result, I experienced many of the same doubts around self-worth, difficulty setting boundaries, and hiding what I did know about spirituality. Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, when spirituality was not as widely accepted as it is today, talking openly about psychic abilities or intuitive experiences often led to ridicule, misunderstanding, or outright dismissal.
It wasn’t until I found a spiritual mentor who supported me as I approached my fiftieth year that I not only recognised what I needed to do for myself, but I also became aware of how many women battle with self-trust, intuition, and personal empowerment. This journey of self-discovery and growth fuelled my passion for empowerment and led me to create From Awakening to Sovereignty: The Embrace Spirituality Pathway to Spiritual Intelligence, a framework designed to guide women through their own evolution of self-awareness, healing, and alignment. The more I deepened my own Spiritual Intelligence, the more clearly I saw how deeply generational conditioning, societal expectations, and historical suppression had impacted women's ability to access and embrace their own spiritual intelligence.
Encouraging men to empower the women in their lives
Spiritual Intelligence is not just about individual empowerment; it is about restoring balance between masculine and feminine energy in society. For centuries, the Divine Feminine has been repressed, but true equality is only possible when men actively support, uplift, and celebrate the women in their lives.
If you are a man reading this article, you have a powerful role to play in this movement.
Some ways you can help empower the women in your life and community
1. Encourage her to trust her intuition
Many women have been conditioned to second-guess themselves. Support the women in your life by validating their insights, beliefs, and intuitive decisions.
2. Respect and uplift her boundaries
Recognise that a woman setting boundaries is not an act of rejection but an act of self-care. Honour her choices and encourage her to prioritise herself.
3. Hold space without fixing
Women don’t always need solutions; sometimes, they just need to be heard, seen, and acknowledged. Offer a listening ear without trying to fix or minimise their experiences.
4. Celebrate her spiritual growth
Whether she is deepening her spiritual practice, exploring her intuitive abilities, or stepping into leadership, be a champion for her journey. Ask her about it, show genuine interest, and support her path.
5. Share this article with the Divine Feminine in your life
If you know a woman who could benefit from this message, pass it on. Let her know that her power is real, her intuition is valid, and she is not alone on this journey.
6. Nurture your own Divine Feminine
True balance and empowerment come when both masculine and feminine energies are honoured within. Just as women are reclaiming their Divine Feminine, men, too, must embrace the aspects of intuition, emotional intelligence, and inner wisdom that have long been suppressed. Developing your own Divine Feminine fosters deeper self-awareness, empathy, and a more authentic connection to yourself and others. When men integrate this energy, they not only support the women in their lives but also create a more harmonious, conscious world where both energies coexist in strength and synergy.
Empowering women is not just a women’s issue; it is a global issue. The more we uplift and honour the Divine Feminine, the more balanced, harmonious, and spiritually evolved our world will become.
Reclaiming power, restoring balance
The path to gender equality cannot rely solely on external reforms; it requires a transformation from within. Spiritual Intelligence offers women a profound way to reclaim their power, trust their intuition, and step into sovereign leadership. By breaking free from the generational conditioning that has suppressed the Divine Feminine for centuries, we create a world where women lead not from compliance but from clarity and confidence.
Yet, true empowerment is not an isolated journey; it is a collective awakening. As women rise in their spiritual intelligence, they uplift their families, communities, and workplaces, shifting the very foundation of societal structures. And when men honour and support this reclamation, embracing their own balance of masculine and feminine energies, we move toward a world where power is not about dominance but about harmony.
The future of women’s empowerment is not just about breaking barriers; it is about rewriting the narrative of what it means to lead, to trust, and to thrive. This International Women’s Day, let us not just call for action but embody the transformation from within.
Are you ready to step into your own power? Take my Spiritual Intelligence Assessment to discover where you are on the path from Awakening to Sovereignty and begin your journey towards deeper self-trust, intuition, and authentic empowerment. The time to reclaim your wisdom is now.
Read more from Michelle Wollaston
Michelle Wollaston, Spiritual Growth Advocate
Michelle Wollaston is an intuitive psychic known for her deep connection to the subtle energies that shape our lives. With an innate ability to sense and interpret the emotional and spiritual landscapes of others, she guides individuals in uncovering their true paths. Through her writing and workshops, Michelle creates a nurturing community for those eager to explore the transformative power of spirituality. She empowers individuals to embark on journeys of self-discovery, encouraging connections with their inner selves. Her passion lies in helping others embrace their true essence and create meaningful experiences that resonate with their highest potential.
