The Witches of Scotland Tartan: Honouring the Victims of Witch Trials
On February 11, 2025, the Witches of Scotland tartan was officially registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans. Designed by Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle, the tartan has become a meaningful symbol for many of us reclaiming what was lost. A Kickstarter campaign to fund production raised over £70,000 within a day. The tartan was created as a tribute to the thousands of people, mostly women, who were accused, tortured, and executed under the Witchcraft Act between 1563 and 1736.
Each colour and thread is symbolic: red for blood, grey for ashes, pink for the legal documents used to condemn the victims. The large black squares contain exactly 173 threads, one for each year the law was in force. This tartan tells a story. And for many of us, it’s our story too.
Why the Witch Trials Still Matter Today
You might think the witch trials are ancient history. But if you’re someone who’s intuitive, sensitive, spiritually attuned, or someone who has ever felt afraid to be seen, you might be carrying the impact of those times in your body.
This is what many call the witch wound: inherited fear and shame that stems from centuries of persecution. It can show up as anxiety, self-doubt, or fear of being “too much.”
As a therapist for Witches and spiritual seekers, I see this all the time. Clients say things like, “I don’t want people to know I pull cards,” or “I’m scared they’ll think I’m weird if I talk about energy.” Their fear isn’t irrational. It’s remembered. Not by the mind, but by the nervous system.
One client noticed her hands shaking every time she spoke about her spiritual practice, even with close friends. There was no obvious experience of trauma related to her spirituality, but there was an overwhelming sense that it wasn’t safe to be seen. That’s intergenerational trauma. That’s the witch wound.
A Symbol That Invites Healing
When we talk about collective trauma, this is what we mean. The witch trials may have ended centuries ago, but the cultural forces that drove them—fear of difference, suppression of the feminine, distrust of intuition—are still at work today. They shape how many of us relate to our bodies, our spiritual practices, and our sense of belonging.
In 2022, then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a public apology for the Scottish witch trials, calling them a historic injustice. The Witches of Scotland campaign continues to advocate for a full legal pardon and national memorial. This tartan is part of that work, a tangible reminder that the past is real, and that remembrance matters.
For those of us living with this inherited grief, symbolic acts are not small. They help the invisible become visible. They give shape to what was lost. And they offer a thread to hold onto as we reconnect with parts of ourselves that were silenced.
Grieving What Was Lost and Remembering What Survived
There’s a reason this grief runs deep. For generations, people were taught to fear their own wisdom. To disconnect from their bodies. To distrust their inner knowing. That loss is not only personal, it’s cultural and collective. And healing it requires more than insight. It requires space, slowness, and the right kind of support.
If you’ve ever lit a candle and felt grief you couldn’t explain, or stepped into ritual space and found yourself on the verge of tears, you’re not broken. You’re remembering.
This grief doesn’t always have a clear origin. It doesn’t need to. It just needs space. In spiritually oriented therapy, we make room for this kind of pain. We sit with it. We honour it. And we ask: What does this part of you need?
What Healing the Witch Wound Can Look Like
Healing the witch wound isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about slowly unlearning the fear that being visible, intuitive, or powerful puts you at risk.
It might look like:
Speaking honestly about your spiritual practices, even when your voice shakes
Letting yourself be seen in your full sensitivity, rather than toning it down
Trusting your inner knowing, even when others don’t understand it
Choosing connection instead of isolation when you feel misunderstood
Creating rituals that honour your ancestors or the parts of yourself that were once exiled
This work is tender. It’s about meeting the parts of you that learned to hide, apologise, or stay small. And reminding them that it’s safe enough now to begin showing up.
Healing the witch wound is a return to your truth, not just spiritually, but somatically, relationally, and collectively. It reminds you that you’re not starting from scratch, you’re reconnecting with what was nearly lost.
If this resonates, if you feel the ache of something older than you, or a quiet fear of being seen as you are, you’re not alone.
I offer spiritually oriented therapy for Witches, sensitive souls, and spiritual seekers. Together, we make space for the grief you carry, the power you’ve hidden, and the healing that wants to emerge.
Book a free 30-minute intro call so we can explore what you’re looking for and see if I might be a good fit. Whether you’re just beginning to explore your witchy side or you’ve been walking this path for years, you’re welcome here.
