Feminine Archetypes: The Crone
September 15th 2007 23:17
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 unsavoury 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, praying 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 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. 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 garbage.
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, praying 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 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.
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 garbage.
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Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Loved hearing all about myself, there should be more of it.
And it may come as a jolt to some out there that there's still many (including the young) who fancy us. But, here's the laugh on the oh so many self opinionated young? men, I don't fancy them. Ho, ho.
Really interesting post, Mis, all jokes aside, and nowadays some of us still manage to have babies.
I'm thinking about that one.
katyzzz
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I am so glad that his post spoke to you. Wise women unite! Glad that you stopped by!
Mis
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
Me thinks I know this lady... not sure about the wise part though... definitely the cranky!
Women are really complex hey? So much so that we even confuse ourselves at times. You have to love it!
Ash
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
katyzzz
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
A really interesting paradox of this phase is in it being the time when, in her selfishness, a woman often has the most to offer the young... certainly a time for old values in my book.
Sadly, not celebrated in the colonial west - where people have been brainwashed to live in fear of anything they don't understand - (rather than seek to understand it); but in parts of Europe, the magical hours when a woman passes on the wisdom of herbslore, cooking recipes and earth medicine secrets ... all the things necessary for good health, for her young progency ...*sigh* all somewhat redundant when you have MucDonalds. *gag* no wonder people are confused, dazed and ...lost.
Those old crones you hear about who swoosh about on brooms?
I think they are jealous monster-in-laws *chuckle* may I never be one.
I enjoyed the bent this post was taking...
Lilla ...
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Funny you should remark about the cranky.... there is new evidence that men go through man-o-pause also which might account for grumpy old men!
Mis
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
The Crone sees the truth everywhere, in our lives, our relationships and our actions and She will work upon us to clear out the garbage.
HAHAHA! Good points friend!
I think that this mght apply to you! :0)
Mis
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Coming from a Greek background and having a massively large extended family, I am familiar with the crone. Although the crone was the one who didn't have any children or never got married. The bitter great aunt.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
That is how it was in my family also!
Mis