Life’s journey unfolds in seasons, each offering its wisdom, challenges, and gifts. In my winter season, I am learning about the Crone archetype. This stage of life is where the most resounding wisdom resides, born from years of living, learning, and transforming. It’s not an end but a beginning of something deep.
The Power of the Crone
Society often stigmatizes aging, but the Crone archetype should not be feared or dismissed. Instead, it is a decisive phase of life. The Crone represents clarity, deep insight, and the ability to see through illusions. She is the keeper of secrets, the storyteller, and the sage who holds the threads of life together with her understanding.
In this phase, I find myself shedding old layers, outdated beliefs, insecurities, and the weight of others’ expectations. This season of truth is a time to align with the essence of who I truly am without apology. Honoring this space within me gives me the freedom to focus on things that are most important to my soul’s growth. Engaging with everything related to the Crone helps to embrace it fully. As I’m writing, thoughts drift to my matriarchal lineage and what they faced on their journeys. A poem comes to mind.
The long hands of mellow light
across the snow
narrow slowly.
The sun closes her gold fan
And nothing is left but black and white
The quick steam of my breath, the dead
accurate shapes of the weeds, still, as if
pressed in an album.
Deep in my body, my green heart
turns and thinks of you. Deep in the
pond, under the thick trap
door of ice, the water moves,
the carp hangs like a sun; it’s scarlet
heart visible in its side.
“The Winter After Your Death” by Sharon Olds
The Oracle Speaks: The Three Faces of the Goddess in My Winter Season
In the stillness of this season, I turn to the wisdom of the Great Goddess Oracle to illuminate the path before me. At the break of the deck, the three figures begin to tell a story, each a powerful reflection of the stages of life—the Mother, the Maiden, and the Crone. Together, they weave a tale of comfort, fate, and transformation, whispering their messages into the heart of my winter season.
Ninhursag – The Mother: Comfort and Healing
Through my winter cycle, the energy of the Mother resides within me. Ninhursag, the ancient Sumerian Goddess of the earth and the womb whispers to me that nurturing does not end with youth; it simply evolves. The Mother’s comfort now takes the form of wisdom passed down, of holding space for others rather than always being the source of their sustenance.
She teaches me that healing is an ongoing process, not something we “achieve” and leave behind. Even in my winter, I am still nurturing myself, tending to the parts of me that need restoration and care. Her presence in this reading reassures me: this season is not about depletion but deep replenishment.
The Norns – The Maiden: The Three Weavers of Fate
The Norns, the mighty Norse goddesses of destiny, remind me that the Maiden is still within me, too. Though I may no longer wear her face, her essence lingers in my curiosity, in the threads of fate I continue to weave. The Norns show me that even in this phase, new beginnings are possible, life is always in motion, and our stories are never truly finished.
These weavers of fate remind me that my past, present, and future are connected. Every choice I have made has led me here, and even now, I continue to shape the tapestry of my existence. The Maiden’s spirit is alive in my ability to embrace change, to allow fresh insights to guide me, and to remain open to the unexpected turns of the wheel.
Cerridwen – The Crone: Rebirth, Inspiration, and Transformation
Finally, Cerridwen arrives, embodying the full power of the Crone. She is the Goddess of transformation, the cauldron keeper, the wise one who brews the elixir of knowledge. Her presence affirms that this season is not an end but a sacred rebirth.
Cerridwen’s energy tells me that this is a time to release what no longer serves, to let the old fall away so something new can emerge. The Crone often embodies a transformation figure; she is the ultimate alchemist who turns the past into wisdom, pain into power, and death into renewal.
She whispers: You are not fading. You are refining. You are becoming the distilled essence of all you have ever been.
The Weaving of the Three
These three goddesses, Ninhursag, the Norns, and Cerridwen, show me that I am all three faces of the Goddess at once. As I journey through this winter, I still carry the echoes of a maiden’s wonder and a mother’s nurturing spirit. The essence within me is not merely closing a chapter; she is writing a new one with the ink of lived experience and the fire of transformation.
My secret? I am not aging; I am becoming and in a renewal cycle. Just as the Maiden steps into her power and the Mother shapes the world with her hands, the Crone carries the torch of wisdom forward.
I no longer cling to what does not serve me. Relationships, beliefs, and pursuits that once felt vital fade into the background if they do not align with my truth.
In the quiet moments of this season, I hear the voice of my inner wisdom more clearly than ever before. It guides me, not with urgency, but with gentle assurance.
Aging isn’t about limitation; it’s about liberation. I’ve realized that each year, I’ve become more myself, more at peace with my imperfections and quirks.
And so, I embrace the winter, knowing that spring is already waiting to bloom within it.
What’s Your Secret?
What would it be like if you were to discover your truth at this moment? Feel free to share your reflections in the comments or privately journal what this season of your life is teaching you. What would it be like if you were to discover your truth at this moment?
Wherever you are on your journey, I invite you to reflect on the seasons of your life. Are you in a spring of new beginnings, a summer of full bloom, an autumn of harvest, or a winter of introspection? Each season holds its beauty and purpose, and honoring it allows you to live in harmony with the rhythm of life.
Together, let’s honor the wisdom that comes with time, the beauty that deepens with age, and the secrets that shape our souls! 🌟
To the
, A gratitude beyond measure 🌹To my ancestors that run deep in my soul, I hear you in the songs that you sing and the whispers of love in the winds on the sea breeze.
❤️
I love this! Thank you for sharing something so beautiful. I'm 42 and I'm at the beginning of this journey. It's been a beautiful alchemical process.