Meeting the Crone

The word Crone conjures up images of wizened old hags wearing black pointy hats and cackling madly. As a feminine archetype the Crone has gotten some pretty bad press mostly being portrayed as a woman who likes eating small children and indulging in other unsavory habits. The Crone has also been portrayed as a woman past her prime, no longer fertile; vengeful and mean because her juices have all dried up. There is very little in Western culture that celebrates the Crone. She is nearly always portrayed as a jealous old woman, preying on the young. The Crone phase correlates to the bleeding phase in the menstrual cycle and the menopausal phase in a woman's life. Both of these phases focus on the flipside of physical fertility; a time when women can focus on themselves rather than constantly nurturing others. Being a Crone can be liberating, once you get over the cultural conditioning to be Mother.


The main work or theme of the Crone phase is release and letting go.  The Crone understands the importance of death and renewal. She understands that without death, release and letting go, there can be no renewal and fresh starts.

With experience she has learned to recognize what it is that needs to be released so that you can move forward. This experience lends wisdom and maturity and an intimate understanding of the nature and inevitability of cycles. The Crone more than any other of the archetypes understands cycles, she knows that there is a time for all things and uses this knowledge for her own and others benefit. The Crone represents the older, more mature female who has become immune to many of the issues facing young women; the constraints of partnership, beauty, social conditioning and children. She has the freedom to live her life more fully and make choices based on what She wants rather than what others in Her life need from Her.

The Crone can be a container and guide to the darker emotions, for the companions to death and release are often pain, grief and anger. The Crone is familiar with the seedier and darker aspects of life and death for She has survived the descent into the Underworld (as the Enchantress). Knowing how to deal effectively with these important emotions is a necessary skill to harness the gifts of the Crone phase. Getting in touch with the Crone is getting in touch with that part of ourselves that is old and wise, who has seen everything, and dropped many of the pretensions, rules and limitations that society lives by. She is that part of ourselves that is infinitely understanding and compassionate yet also direct and unrelenting. The Crone sees the truth everywhere, in our lives, our relationships and our actions and She will work upon us to clear out the dross and garbage. There is strength and courage required to meet the Crone but there is also a wealth of strength, courage and wisdom to be gained from making the journey.

Feminine Wisdom

Maiden, Mother, Crone

A woman's life is filled with stages, milestones ushering in wondrous experiential apexes like the coming of fertility, motherhood, and wisdom. Three aspects, maiden, mother, and crone, have traditionally represented the bounties and new beginnings represented by each stage. The maiden is the aspect of new beginnings, youth, playfulness, spontaneity, and learning. A woman in the prime of her life can be said to be living under the aspect of the mother, who personifies fertility, strength, and stability. She is the gentle nurturer as well as the fierce lioness. Lastly, and by far the most misunderstood and yet in many ways the most deserving of reverence, is the crone, who holds within her all of the wisdom of the journeys of womanhood. The word crone once meant simply 'wise woman' and, in antiquity, was a term of respect. The crone was a voice of wisdom, an elder, a healer, a counselor, and a teacher, who had traveled the paths of maiden and mother and possessed the accumulated wisdom of youth, adulthood, and old age. She represented the fulfillment of maturity and the knowledge that could only be obtained through a life well lived. The transition to cronehood was a rich and empowering experience, and an important rite of passage, though not one associated with a specific age. Today, though it seems eternal youth has become an obsession, women are reclaiming the status once associated with cronehood by recognizing their evolution and acting upon it. In awakening the crone, as she once was, women are acknowledging the extraordinary wisdom, grace, dignity, and beauty that comes with age. In embracing the aspect of the crone, it is important to be aware of the fact that age, experience, knowledge, and power are profound gifts that can never be taken from you. Each stage in life is yours and yours alone, and should be embraced as a vital part of life's journey. As you pass lovingly through each stage, coming finally to the remarkable crone, you will gradually be awakened to the mysteries of each, until you hold within you the keys to them all.

For more information visit Cronechronicles.com

Crone Humor

An 80 year old woman was caught speeding by a police officer.  The officer asked her, "Did you know that you were speeding?"  She replied, "Yes officer, I had to get there before I forgot where I was going!"

Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

" Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'  'Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do.'

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'  But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about.

As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.  After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

BUT.........



Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.  When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.  Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.  Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.  Every day, we need each other still. Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful.

I just did.

Author Unknown

Our Musician

Pamela Robinson, Musician Extraordinaire

Pamela Robinson is an energetic, upbeat, amusing, exuberant, and gifted musician. She plays guitar, saxophone, Native American flute, penny whistle, piano, and percussion. Pamela is a talented singer, songwriter, and recording artist. Her two most recent CD’s are “A Call to Prayer” and “Shifting Turtle”. Pamela has a beautiful way of bringing a group of people into a heart centered space, the heart to heart connection is innate for her.






Pamela has devoted her life to music, spending the last 14 years focusing on spiritual music and awakening. She is currently the Musical Director at Whole Life Center for Spiritual Living. She has performed in the Fort Collins area for ten years with Liz Barnez and The Mother Folkers. Pamela has also done three world tours with the USO and DOD.






Pamela Robinson CD’s are available for purchase on her website http://www.kivarecords.com/