Whilst the word is often used in a general sense to refer, sometimes pejoratively, to a woman of advanced age, in the Pagan usage it is a term of respect and honor.
The term may also be used as a verb ('croning') to denote the act of undergoing a specific ritual ceremony to enter into cronehood. The ceremony itself is also referred to as a Croning. The Croning ceremony is often performed one year after a woman stops menstruating.
The Crone is the third phase of the Pagan Triple Goddess, represented respectively by the archetypes of Maiden, Mother, and Crone also known as Maiden, Matron, and Crone. These archetypes refer symbolically to the three ages of woman: little girl, reproductive woman and older woman.
- The Maiden archetype embodies the qualities of youth, vitality, physical attractiveness, and new beginnings.
- The Mother archetype embodies the qualities of fertility, stability, and strength.
- The Crone archetype embodies wisdom, maturity, and spiritual transformation.
In some traditions, the Crone occupies a symbolic position similar to that of the Greek mythological being Charon, who assisted the living in their journey to the underworld after death.
References
- Maiden, Mother, Crone. Daily Om. .
- http://www.croning.org
- http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/g/goddess_4_the_crone.html
- Silverhair, Lilth The Crone. NYC Pagan Resource Guide. .
External Links
- Weed, Susun Crone's Ceremony of Commitment to her Community. .
- http://www.cronescounsel.org
- http://www.yoni.com/crone.shtml
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Sunday September 28, 2008 at 13:16:57 PDT (GMT -0700)
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