All the while I was publishing Crone Chronicles: A Journal of Conscious aging (1989-2001), I looked for women of power whose portraits we could feature on the cover of each issue of the magazine. I was usually disappointed. In 12 years of quarterly publishing, we only managed to snag two or three photos of women whose faces I felt shone with authentic power. Sadly, over and over again, this North American magazine had to go with another kind of cover.

Poland, apparently, still nurtures its women of power. So happy to let my hungry eyes feast on their features.

Thanks for this tip from my friend Julia, an up and coming “woman of power” herself. Just give her a few more years . . .

Please do go to urbannautica.com, and prepare to shudder in recognition of these women who exemplify who we really are, in our innermost cores, once we peel away the layers.

KATARZYNA MAJAK: ‘WOMEN OF POWER’

Introduction: ‘Women of Power’ is a series 29 portraits of Polish witches, healers, enchanters, visionaries and spiritual leaders. According to what Ewelina Jarosz wrote about the project: “The title points to Katarzyna Majak’s intention to develop and socially rehabilitate women identifying themselves with the widely understood spirituality of their ancestors, Mother Goddess, pagan beliefs, and old sources of wisdom, which may still empower and inspire contemporary secularized consciousness by its valuable content and alternative energy”.

Here’s the first portrait.

Katarzyna Majak “Maria – a healer and a visionary”. From ‘Women of Power’ series, courtesy of the artist and Porter Contemporary NY Gallery