Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, published in 1992, is a groundbreaking exploration of the “wild woman” archetype, using myths, folk tales, and Jungian psychology to reconnect women with their instinctual, creative selves. Estés, a Jungian analyst and storyteller, delves into the ways modern culture often suppresses women’s natural, untamed qualities, urging women to reclaim these aspects of their identity for personal and collective empowerment.
At the time of its release, Women Who Run with the Wolves was significant in its challenge to traditional gender expectations and its embrace of feminine wisdom, intuition, and resilience. The book resonated deeply in the early 1990s as it aligned with growing feminist movements and a societal push for deeper self-exploration, helping women seek authentic self-expression amid often restrictive cultural norms. It remains a timeless classic for those interested in feminine psychology, spirituality, and empowerment.
The Initiation of the Young Woman: Naivety and the Predator
In Women Who Run with the Wolves, one of the most thought-provoking themes is the initiation young women undergo as they mature, a journey Estés describes as moving from naivety toward a deeper connection with their innate wisdom and intuition. In the book, she explores how young women are often in a “naive” stage, where they are out of tune with their instincts and inner consciousness, making them vulnerable to the “predator.”
The predator, as Estés presents it, is an analogy for forces in the world that are deceptive, dangerous, or harmful—an unseen threat lying in wait for the unsuspecting. Estés uses the story of Bluebeard to bring this concept to life. In this tale, a young sister is courted by Bluebeard, a wealthy and charming man with a sinister side. Her older sisters sense that something is off and turn down his advances, following their intuition. But the youngest sister, still naive and vulnerable, is lured by Bluebeard’s charm and wealth. She ignores the warnings, captivated by the allure of a life that appeals to her ego’s desires, and agrees to marry him.
Estés writes of young girls and boys as being “as though asleep about the fact that they themselves are prey.” She compares this state to an “anlage,” a biological term describing the initial stage of a cell that contains the potential to grow into something fully developed. Just as an anlage has yet to reach its full form, so too are young women, containing within themselves the raw potential to develop consciousness, resilience, and discernment—but they are still vulnerable, unaware of the dangers they face.
In the story, the young sister eventually learns that Bluebeard is a murderer who plans to keep her locked in his castle and kill her if she tries to escape. This realization is part of her initiation, a rude awakening to the dangers in the world and the price of ignoring one’s inner warning signals. Estés suggests that each woman must undergo her own “initiation” into awareness, discovering her inner strength, discerning intuition, and the capacity to recognize and evade harm.
Through the tale of Bluebeard, Estés emphasizes that this initiation is not a one-time event, but a necessary rite of passage for all women. To embrace the wild woman within, one must learn to listen to that “older sister” part of herself—the inner voice of intuition and wisdom—because it is through these experiences that women learn to protect, value, and free their authentic selves.
Estés shows that the journey to awakening our inner wild woman is one of empowerment. By reconnecting with lost parts of themselves—their creativity, sensuality, intuition, and courage—women can break free from restrictive conditioning and reclaim their power.
Escaping the Cycle of Naivety: Cultivating Inner Wisdom
Estés goes on to discuss how this cycle of naivety and vulnerability could be avoided. She suggests that young women can learn to be less naive by awakening to their inner wisdom sooner, cultivating a sense of their own intuitive strength. Unfortunately, as she points out, many women remain in this naive state well into adulthood. Why does this happen?
Estés argues that girls are often socialized from an early age to be amenable, easy-going, and pleasing. They are encouraged to smile, not to make waves, and to be agreeable. When they don’t conform, they’re frequently punished—not always overtly, but often through the subtle withdrawal of validation, which Estés describes as a form of withheld love. She writes that around age 12, young girls begin to be “seduced away from their own truth by peer groups, cultural forces, and psychic pressures.” This leads to a phase of reckless risk-taking, a way for young women to “find out for themselves.”
Reflecting on her experiences with teenage girls, Estés says, “When I work with older teenage girls who are convinced that the world is good if they only work it right, it always makes me feel like an old gray-haired dog. I want to put my paws over my eyes and groan, for I see what they do not see, and I know, especially if they’re willful and feisty, that they’re going to insist on becoming involved with the predator at least once before they are shocked awake.” Estés suggests that, for some, encountering the “predator” once is enough to awaken them to their wild nature—a deeper, instinctual awareness that enables them to discern what is safe and what is not.
Reclaiming the Wild Nature: Society’s Influence on Women’s Inner Power
This “wild nature” is a core theme of Estés’s book. She defines it as the part of us that is deeply connected to our intuition, instinct, and inner power. It’s a part of ourselves that, if nurtured, helps us sense danger and stay grounded in our truth. Throughout Women Who Run with the Wolves, Estés tells numerous tales to illuminate what this wild nature looks like in action. For those intrigued by this concept, the book offers a wealth of insights.
Another powerful aspect of Estés’s work is her emphasis on intergenerational wisdom. She highlights the importance of stories passed down through generations, suggesting that these ancient tales hold invaluable insights for women who feel disconnected from their inner selves.
A recurring idea in the book is how societal pressures condition women to ignore this wild, intuitive side. From a young age, society teaches girls to prioritize fitting in over following their instincts, leading them to suppress their true selves. Estés explains that these pressures ultimately create an internal “predator” in the psyche—a voice of self-doubt and compliance that silences intuition and suppresses authentic power. As she writes, “As long as a woman is forced into believing she is powerless and/or is trained to not consciously register what she knows to be true, the feminine impulses and gifts of her psyche continue to be killed off.”
According to Estés, society trains women to submit to the predator, to be polite to it, to “smile and sit pretty.” She invites us to consider how boys are praised for being loud or assertive, labeled as “leaders,” while girls are often told to “be a lady” and act “nice.” This conditioning doesn’t just end in childhood; its effects linger, as adult women often find themselves in workforces where they feel pressured to people-please, avoid conflict, and stifle their voices—even when their intuition urges them to stand up and speak out.
Estés underscores that embracing one’s “wild” nature does not mean abandoning civilization or living outside society’s bounds. Rather, she promotes a balance where women honor both their wildness and their place in the world. This integration allows for a life that is both instinctual and compassionate, fierce and gentle.
While the book was written in the early 90s, Estés’s insights remain relevant today. Many of the expectations placed on young girls—how they should behave, how palatable and agreeable they should be—are still prevalent, shaping how women navigate relationships, careers, and society. Adult women continue to fight the same battles, often struggling to break free from these ingrained behaviors to fully embrace their wild, powerful, and intuitive selves.
Women Who Run with the Wolves is ultimately a call for women to awaken to their own power and to reclaim the wild nature that lies within. It’s a timeless reminder that the journey toward true self-awareness and strength is both necessary and transformative.
