Ages, Stages and Sages
Candles were lit, and sage smoke wafted through the spacious spread of rooms. The altars were decked with ceremonial objects. Drum beats rolled and voices rose in song.
A black shawl draped. A gold fabric flowed.
Earth, water fire and air, east, south, west and north were called in.
A priestess declared, “It has all been done … It has all been felt before … You are Maiden, Mother … You are Crone who can claim it all … Continually renewable…”
More than 20 women were anointed into their elder stage of life, blessed with rose petal offerings and generous words, given and received.
A young maiden spoke of learning about the world. A mother spoke of the fierceness and furiousness of motherhood, “A mother knows the value of a life,” she said.
An elder spoke about how being croned is like being crowned. “I’m standing as the queen of my own life,” she said.
Together, we danced and we feasted.
Together, we laughed and some cried.
“May you feel the benediction of your fullness. May you always be open to the wise woman within…”
_______Read about our last community croning in 2007 and my personal rite of passage into it HERE. To learn more about life passage ceremonies, visit Katherine Chantal’s webpage life HERE. / Our World Tuesday
March 21st, 2017 9:56 am
Thinking the alternative name for Floyd should be Midsomer….!
March 21st, 2017 10:35 am
A fictional town in New England? I had to look it up.
March 21st, 2017 2:24 pm
The dance was so moving to me. My dear friend passed away days before and I actually dreamed this dance. When it unfolded in front of my eyes at my Croning, it really blew my mind. My first circle was with you all in 1988 and I am so grateful to have finally reached my Crone years. 26 years in Floyd and counting. We are Community!
March 21st, 2017 9:06 pm
Celebrating old age is wonderful!
March 22nd, 2017 6:42 pm
Parts of this recalled what someone told me about their Wiccan faith. Sounds like their symbolism n ceremony.
March 22nd, 2017 8:30 pm
[…] SnaggleTooth on Ages, Stages and Sages […]
March 22nd, 2017 8:31 pm
More of the Wise Woman tradition and drawing on country and Native American ceremony. Also those are Machi drums from the Peru tradition and where the women are the shamans.
March 27th, 2017 11:01 am
How wonderful, all of it! Thank you for sharing this gorgeous event. It seems to me that, between the pictures, you have written a poem.