Why reclaiming the Witch is modern womanhood’s ultimate act of self-worth
From childhood folklore to a multi-billion-dollar cultural shift, the ancient archetype of the witch has become an urgent, non-negotiable compass for reclaiming intrinsic worth in the face of systemic, institutional and cultural failure for women.
This article is part of G Ode's Women of Worth series, powered by L'Oréal Paris. This is a personal essay and the views and experiences expressed are the author's own and do not represent the views, policies or positions of L'Oréal Paris, the L'Oréal Groupe or its affiliates.
I’ve long been obsessed with the spiritual realm, tarot cards, psychics, astrologers, fantastical and mythical beings – Greek, Hindu and Egyptian mythology especially. Mildred Hubble, Jareth the Goblin King (for those of you old enough to remember), and Sabrina the Teenage Witch were icons in my (teenage) book.
I was brought up in a family where we were taught to believe there was a higher power, in part that was religion, sure, but under the surface it was actually a steadfast belief in the idea of the unseen, believing in something that could be a guide, a comfort, a North Star. Ultimately, an authority that goes way beyond human control and into sacred cosmology that positioned women as being as great sorceresses as men, where gender was identified, that is. In the Shakta traditions of Hinduism, feminine divine power (Shakti) is not merely equal to the masculine; it is the active, dynamic energy without which the universe cannot exist. Without Shakti, consciousness (Shiva) remains dormant. In Egyptian cosmology, magic (heka) was not an occult trick, it was the foundational generative force of the universe, and goddesses wielded it with supreme mastery.
Since my teenage years, the spiritual realm was something I never really talked about, yet tapped into when I felt like it whether via a tarot reading or an astrologer, in the UK or India. Over the years I’ve realised it has almost been like an alternative form of therapy and I suppose entertainment – even to date (now in my (mid)-40s), but until fairly recently it always felt quite niche and hidden in my day to day.
However, over the past five years (2021–2026) there has been a cultural explosion in the Western world’s engagement with spirituality, astrology, and tarot. Moving from a countercultural niche or pandemic-era curiosity into a multi-billion-dollar mainstream industry and a dominant cultural framework – particularly for Millennials and Gen Z.
Even my most cynical friends and family have a more open mind and my UK-based astrologer says she’s seen a huge change in the make-up of her clients, with more and more coming from more ‘rational’ professions such as banking and accounting – especially women, but even men.
So, the question is, why? What does this say about our sense of self-worth today and why are we turning to it in order to shape it?
An Exploding Transatlantic Market*
Over the past decade the mystical and astrological commercial market has exploded, with analysts predicting meaningful growth over the next; expanding from a valuation of USD 14.3 billion in 2024 to USD 15.16 billion in 2025, with projections indicating the market will reach USD 27.15 billion by 2035. These forecasts confirm the cultural shift and notable rise in people’s interest in accessing these astrological forces as people increasingly seek tailored guidance and insights into their personal lives, especially in today’s unpredictable and uncontrollable times.
Astro-tech platforms like Co-Star, The Pattern, and Sanctuary saw record downloads and multimillion-dollar venture funding rounds.
Major publishing houses reported that sales of mind-body-spirit, esoteric, and divination titles grew by over 30% post-2021. Indie tarot decks routinely raise substantially on the likes of Kickstarter, transitioning tarot from occult tool to visual art object and journaling companion that for many, myself included, has become a daily ritual.
The UK has emerged as one of Europe's largest markets for online spiritual services, tarot publishing, and divination decks. Driven by independent metaphysical boutiques and major bookshops alike.
Societally, it feels like an existential exhale
So it seems we’re looking for alternative sources of belief, authority, and leadership as we begin to reject some of the more traditional and mainstream forms of belief.
Surveys by Pew Research and Gallup show that while traditional church membership in the US dropped below 50% (to 47%) for the first time in modern polling history, belief in metaphysical concepts climbed sharply. National polling by YouGov revealed that 23% of Britons view astrology as real (peaking at over 35% among 18-to-24-year-olds).
Was there a catalyst?
This massive pivot doesn’t feel like a whimsical aesthetic choice; it stems from a desire for alternative sources of guidance and navigation at a point in time where more traditional sources were coming into question.
For women especially, we're constantly faced with the reality that our bodies, our health and our freedoms and ultimately our sovereignty are not as secure as we think. In the US or not, this was felt deeply by women everywhere, an urgent awakening almost, as to why we can never be complacent of our freedoms, even in the 21st Century.
Second for me personally, came the decisive collapse of "girlboss" hustle culture. For years, corporate feminism sold us the lie that equality meant adopting the relentless, extractive rhythms of capitalism: wake up at 5:00 AM, colour-code your planner, climb the ladder, get married and have 2.4 children and swallow your exhaustion. What did it get us? Chronic nervous-system burnout and double shifts of emotional labour.
So eventually, we turned away from linear, 24/7 corporate productivity and reached for cyclical time, honouring seasons, dormancy, rest, and lunar rhythms. I know I no longer subscribe to the hustle my 30-something self was made to feel was mandatory.
The Stratospheric Rise of the ‘Witch’
It’s no surprise then, that over the past five years, there’s been one particular figure that has gained prominence – the Witch – moving far beyond a spooky seasonal aesthetic or a superficial online trend. It has hardened into a serious cultural, psychological, and political counterweight to modern life and institutional failure for women.
Gone are the tropes of riding a broomstick, wearing a black outfit, and a tall pointy hat; the witch has evolved from a feared villain into the definitive psychological archetype of unconditional self-worth.
Look at who was actually targeted in the historical witch hunts of Europe and the colonies. They weren't wicked hags; many were the village midwives and herbalists who held botanical reproductive knowledge outside the control of male universities. Many historians suggest they were the widows and unmarried women who owned land independently. They were the elders whose value was cruelly stripped away the moment their reproductive utility expired. They were the outspoken women who refused to make their anger or desires palatable.
The historical lesson was brutal: Your worth is conditional. It is granted strictly in exchange for your silence, your compliance, and your domestic utility.
Generations of us inherited that survival strategy. We played the "good girl," polite and endlessly accommodating, believing that if we performed impeccably, we would finally be safe.
What Inspires Real Self-Worth?
It seems reclaiming the symbolism of The Witch in today’s society is our refusal to keep playing that game.
She seems to be the only mythical and historical archetype whose power is entirely internal. She requires no credential, no permission slip, and no institutional stamp of approval.
Modern women, including myself, are looking back at the witch not as a villain, but as the original archetype of female independence, resilience, and resistance against systemic oppression.
"Powerful women, and there are many of them in literature, are usually given a supernatural aura. They are witches, Wonder Women or Grendel's mothers. They are monsters. They are not quite human."
Margaret Atwood, "Paradoxes and Dilemmas, the Woman as Writer" (1978)
She’s the very archetype for the baseline structure we should all be striving for that sets our uncompromisable standard of worth. It cannot be an accolade awarded to you at the finish line by the very systems that profit from your exhaustion. If your sense of value depends on being liked, on hitting every quarterly metric, or on staying pleasing to everyone at the table, your worth is not yours, it is on lease, and the rent is due every morning.
"I’m here for all of the witches."
Emma Watson, 75th British Academy Film Awards (March 13, 2022)
Authentic self-worth is the baseline you claim before you even speak. It is the unshakeable conviction that you have intrinsic value.
The witch is the ancestor who refused to be domesticated. The modern societal reclaiming of her doesn't seem to be about superstition, entertainment or fleeting fads, but the radical act of remembering that our worth is defined by us, and us alone – regardless of what society might tell us. Personally, I’m here for all the witches.
*Bibliography
[1] Pew Research Center (2025). 3 in 10 Americans Consult Astrology, Tarot Cards or Fortune Tellers. Authored by Chip Rotolo. Representative survey of 9,593 U.S. adults fielded October 2024; published May 2025.
[2] IBISWorld (2024). Psychic Services in the US Industry Market Research Report (OD4413). Industry report detailing annual revenues ($2.3B) and demographic consumer trends across metaphysical services.
Source URL: https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-size/psychic-services/4413/
[3] Gallup (2021). U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time. Longitudinal study documenting the decline in American house-of-worship membership to 47%.
Source URL: https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx
[4] Survey Center on American Life (2022). Generation Z and the Future of Faith in America. American National Family Life Survey analysis exploring religious disaffiliation and metaphysical exploration.
Source URL: https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/generation-z-future-of-faith/
[5] Pew Research Center (2024). Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe. Examination of moral frameworks, spiritual practices, and beliefs among unaffiliated adults.
[6] TechCrunch (2021). Astrology App Co-Star Raises $15M Series A as Investors Manifest Space Cash. Financial analysis tracking venture funding across consumer astro-tech platforms.
[7] Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022). Religion, England and Wales: Census 2021. Statistical bulletin reporting Christianity at 46.2%, "No Religion" at 37.2%, and growth in Paganism (74,000), Wicca (13,000), and Shamanism (8,000). Source URL: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/cens us2021
[8] YouGov UK (2025). Ghosts? Magic? Do Britons believe in the supernatural? National survey on British belief in astrology (23%), ghosts (38%), and communication with the dead (20%).
Source URL: https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/52619-ghosts-magic-do-britons-believe-in-the-supernatural
[9] Technavio (2025). Tarot Cards Market Industry Analysis and Forecast: Europe Breakdown. Market report identifying the UK as Europe's leading commercial market for physical tarot decks with ~12% regional CAGR.
Source URL: https://www.technavio.com/report/tarot-cards-market-industry-analysis
Comparative Note: All UK demographic data originates from Census 2021 (ONS) and YouGov national polling, directly paired with US benchmarks from Pew Research Center and Gallup for direct comparative policy and market research.
10] Allied Analytics LLP, June 2026. Astrology Market Poised to Reach US$ 22.8 billion by 2031 https://world.einnews.com/pr_news/916766068/astrology-market-poised-to-reach-us-22-8-billion-by-2031-with-a-5-7-cagr
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