Twinn Swan

The Green Man stands as an ancient symbol of the Divine Masculine. He is deeply intertwined with the cycles of nature: growth, decay, death, and rebirth. He is not a figure of conquest or dominance, but the embodiment of a sacred masculinity that nurtures, protects, and honours the feminine forces of life. This archetype represents a man rooted in the earth, alive with the wildness of the forest, and in harmony with the rhythms of the natural world.

The wounded masculine, often characterised by an inability to process emotions healthily will seek power in ways that often lead to harm. Strength can be misinterpreted as dominance, connection as ownership and vitality as something to be extracted and exploited.

When this wounded psyche encounters the raw, untamed power inherent in the natural world–the same power embodied by a less benevolent Green Man–a dangerous resonance can occur. Instead of recognising the inherent wisdom and cyclical nature of this force, the wounded masculine might see in it a justification for its own destructive impulses.

The Paradox of the Natural World

Consider the folklore and artistic representations where nature is far from benign. Ancient myths teem with capricious gods and vengeful spirits dwelling in forests and mountains, wielding storms and pestilence with seeming disregard for human life.

These shadow aspects of nature, stripped of their nurturing guise, can become a potent symbol for the wounded masculine. In the roaring wind and the unyielding stone, it might find not a call to humility and interconnectedness, but a reflection of its own inner turmoil and a justification for its desire to exert control over a world it feels alienated from.

This entanglement can manifest in various ways. The wounded masculine, seeking to feel powerful and connected to something larger than itself, might latch onto the idea of dominating nature, viewing its resources as there for the taking. The impulse to control and extract, a hallmark of the wounded psyche, finds a perverse validation in the raw power of the natural world, twisted into a sense of entitlement.

The forest becomes not a source of life, but a commodity to be exploited, the wild creatures not kin, but resources to be managed. The disconnection at the heart of the wounded masculine experience can find a chilling echo in nature’s indifference. This inherent neutrality, devoid of human sentiment, can be misinterpreted by the wounded masculine as a justification for its own emotional unavailability and lack of empathy.

The aggression simmering within the wounded masculine can also find a dangerous outlet in a distorted relationship with the shadow side of the Green Man. The raw power of nature, untamed and destructive, can be misconstrued as a license for violence and domination. The urge to conquer and control can manifest as a desire to subdue and tame the wildness, both within and without.

This entanglement is not a conscious embrace of evil, but rather, a tragic and perverse misinterpretation born from pain and disconnection. The wounded masculine, yearning for a sense of power and belonging, finds a distorted reflection in the shadow of an otherwise life-affirming archetype.

The twisted vine of its own inner wounds wraps around the raw power of nature, leading not to healing and integration, but to further alienation and a destructive relationship with the very source of life. Understanding this shadow side is crucial to untangling these harmful patterns and guiding the masculine towards a more balanced and respectful relationship with both the natural world and its own inner landscape.

Within the shadow of the Green Man archetype is a being severed from his connection to the sacred grove within himself. Exiled from the living source of his vitality, he wanders in state of spiritual barrenness. In this dynamic, the feminine is not simply a victim, but a living mirror of what the man has exploited. His wounding of her is a tragic and unconscious attempt to reclaim his own power by diminishing the sacredness she holds.

The Woman

For the woman who finds herself repeatedly attracting the wounded masculine, the experience is a profound spiritual test. Healing begins with the woman reclaiming her sovereignty as the guardian of her own sacred grove. This is not a call to close off or to harden. It is a call to deepen her connection to her own inner wildness and sacredness. Like the ancient groves which protected itself by thorns and rituals, she learns to hold boundaries that honour her vitality and protect her space and her being from desecration.

This process requires a return to the rhythms of nature and the cycles of the self. The woman must embrace the seasons of her own soul-the times of flourishing and the times of rest, the moments of opening and the moments of withdrawal. In doing so, she reconnects with the earth beneath her feet, the pulse of her own body, and the ancient wisdom that flows through her veins.

In this sacred reunion, the wounds of exile dissolve into the fertile soil of renewal. The woman’s greenness deepens, her sovereignty shines brighter, and the masculine awakens to its true nature as guardian of life and sacred partner.

Towards Intergenerational Healing

If you’re seeking a deeper understanding of the delicate and painful themes of intergenerational trauma, my novel ILLUMINATOR offers a compassionate, mythological and mystical exploration of the sacredness of all life. This ecological fiction gently uncovers the patterns woven by the energy of the wounded masculine and the healing forces which emerge in the wake of a tremendous destruction.

Within its pages, you’ll find pathways toward breaking these cycles and embracing the power of the healer. Illuminator is available at all major online bookstores, and for residents of Singapore, it can also be found at local NLB libraries. I invite you to explore this journey of faith and renewal.