The Wicked Witch guards her domain fiercely. Her territory is the heart. She’s been hurt before and operates in defend and protect mode, fight or flight, warding off any and all possibilities of any discomfort, vulnerability, or pain. Always prepared, she’s come up with many ways to keep others at a distance so that she can remain safe.
The Witch attacks others and pushes them away with anger, criticism, and judgment. She lashes out (in her mind or vocally) before anyone gets a chance to do anything to her and drives them away. On her own, or in an alliance with those who have similar beliefs, she judges others as wrong, in order to be right and feel better about herself. Her feelings of inferiority make her put others down, focus on their flaws, and be critical. She may have adopted this way of operating in her family as a way to avoid the discomfort of feeling inadequate and protect herself from the pain of their judgment.
It would be easy to think of her, and those who are like her, as negative and unkind, but she didn’t choose this method of interacting with others, it’s a survival mechanism. When we know that she adopted this strategy because of her familial view of the nature of the world, we may open our hearts to her with the love and compassion that has been unknown to her.
We can see this defensive stance most obviously and easily in politics today. If we find ourselves in a conversation where “we are right and they are wrong,” then we can explore our motivations. When we align with like-minded people and see those who have different beliefs than ours as the “other,” we are creating a boundary of separation between us. When we are critical, or angry, we are making the other an enemy, as if they were somehow on the other side. But it’s only an imaginary boundary that exists within the mind and isn’t real.
Einstein felt the perspective one had of the universe as either friendly or hostile was of supreme importance. It’s easy to see that the Wicked Witch believes everyone is an enemy. As long as we are in judgment, critical, or in defend and protect mode, then we are projecting our sense of inadequacy. Our dreams may reflect this when we wake up with feelings of fear and that we aren’t safe. If we are critical of others, then we are probably acting harshly towards ourselves as well.
As Dorothy and friends approach the castle, the Witch tries everything in her power to get them to stop. She sends the Winkies and Flying Monkeys, but her old methods don’t work on this day, which is why Dorothy and the Lion end up as prisoners in her castle.
This way of operating in fight or flight mode began as a youngster for the Witch and has been reinforced throughout her life. No doubt she has a lot of reasons to be as she is, but she prevents the heart from being open, and so her fear must be faced in order to be transformed. The way to do this is to become aware of all the ways we see our fellow human beings as other than ourselves and sit with the discomfort. We can become aware of those who scare us and see where we feel it in our bodies. We can bring our full awareness to the feeling or sensation and just be with it. Allow and accept it. Sit with it until it dissipates. It may take a moment, or multiple attempts to resolve the discomfort.
Eventually though, if we persist, the Wicked Witch will melt. Unlike the celebratory nature of her demise in the story, we can be grateful for her. She meant well, wanting to protect us from harm and keep us safe. But the day we decide we want to open our hearts and love more, and be a more peaceful resident in this world, is the day we have to face her. When we see that our defensive tendencies are like a wall that keeps others at a distance, and we want to fearlessly engage with all of life, then we will begin the process of melting the emotions that have been frozen and gone unfelt throughout the years.
This is a critical moment in the story, maybe the most important one at that. The death of the Witch changes so much. Initially, Dorothy didn’t think she could stand up to the Witch, but she does. The Winkies, who were the Witch’s prisoners, are freed when she dies, and give Dorothy and her friends presents. These gifts combine silver and gold, which symbolizes the union of lunar and solar, or feminine and masculine energies. It’s a significant transformation in consciousness once the defenses are relaxed. When the Wicked Witch melts, the heart opens, and a shift takes place.
The center of gravity for the psyche has moved from the ego to the heart and soul. This is really what the journey was about and what life is about. The Lion’s courage becomes available at the death of the Witch, which means there is now an ability to be vulnerable and freely live from a place of open-hearted authenticity. When we create inner peace and open to love, then the world becomes a friendly place for all.
Pamela Alexander works with people who want to re-ignite their passion for life through their dreams. Email pamela@WisdomoftheSwan.com to schedule a free session to discuss how dreams can transform your life.
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