Learn how to celebrate the wise woman within with a custom croning ceremony.
Our culture often glorifies youth, leaving women feeling invisible or irrelevant as they age.
But what if there was a way to honor this next chapter, a ceremony to celebrate the wisdom and power gained over a lifetime? Enter the croning ceremony.
What is a croning ceremony?
A croning ceremony is a ritual that celebrates a woman’s transition into the crone stage of life. The crone is the wise woman archetype in the Triple Goddess (Maiden-Mother-Crone) journey. It’s not strictly tied to menopause, but acknowledges a shift in a woman’s focus and her journey towards wisdom and deep inner knowing.
Feminist author and activist, Adrienne Rich, in her book Of Woman Born beautifully describes it: “The crone is the woman who has lived outside the definitions of others—or who has dared to create her own.”
Croning ceremonies challenge the negative stereotypes associated with aging women.
They reclaim the crone as a figure of power and insight, grounded in the word “crown” signifying the wisdom accumulated over the years.
Why are croning ceremonies needed?
“We need the wisdom of the crone—not as a faded echo of the past, but as a living wellspring of knowledge, courage, and compassion.” ~ Miriam Simos (Starhawk)
Society often overlooks the profound transformation women experience in their later years. A croning ceremony offers a chance to:
- Acknowledge and celebrate accomplishments: A lifetime of experiences shapes a woman’s unique wisdom. The ceremony allows for reflection and appreciation of this journey.
- Embrace the crone archetype: Shedding societal expectations of youth allows women to step into their power and inner knowing.
- Connect with community: Sharing this experience with supportive women fosters a sense of belonging and shared wisdom.
How do you create a croning ceremony?
The beauty of a croning ceremony lies in its personalization. You can create your own Croning Ceremony using our app to inspire you with ideas and offer you a framework to follow.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Set an Intention: What do you want to let go of? What does this new chapter hold for you?
- Gather Your Community: Invite close friends and family who will uplift and support you.
- Create a Sacred Space: This could be anything from your backyard to a rented venue. Decorate with meaningful symbols and natural elements.
- Ritual Elements: Consider incorporating activities that resonate with you, such as:
- Sharing Stories: Each guest can share a story about the woman being honored.
- Symbolic Actions: Burning words in a bonfire or planting a tree to represent growth.
- Gift Giving: Meaningful gifts that represent the crone archetype, like a beautiful shawl or a book on herbal wisdom.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to hold a croning ceremony. The most important aspect is the intention behind it – to honour yourself and the powerful woman you are becoming.
As Jean Shinoda Bolen says, “The crone is not the end; she is the culmination. She is the fulfillment of all that has gone before.”
We invite you to embrace your crone stage with a custom ceremony and celebrate the wisdom and power you bring to the world.
