What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word Crone? The Crone archetype is a powerful one to tap into creatively and intuitively.
The word Hag translates to Holy. The Crone is symbolic of life, death, and rebirth. She is considered emblematic of death and transformation. Winter brings rest to the earth, and that’s what we are experiencing now in the Northern Hemisphere. During these days of darkness, we are reminded of our own sweet mortality. What is born dies and what dies is reborn. We will all eventually return to the earth. The Crone reminds us of this.
An example of a winter Crone is the Goddess, Beira.
She is a Scottish Goddess and is also known as the Cailleach in Celtic mythology. She is the crone or hag aspect of the Triple Goddess and commands the darkest of days on the calendar between Samhain and Beltane (fall and summer on the Pagan Wheel of the Year).
You can find Beira as she appears when the earth is dying. She is often portrayed as a one- eyed woman. In Scotland she is known as Cailleach Bheur, while along the Irish coast Cailleach Beare.
Her one eye is meant to symbolize her ability to see beyond duality and toward the oneness of all creatures.
Beira is known as a bringer of storms and carries a staff. She is also thought to be a goddess of death and rebirth as she finds and nourishes the seeds buried in the earth, bringing forth spring.
Below is a line-by-line poetry prompt to help you tap into your own voice, the darkness of winter, and the archetype of the Crone.
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Title: Return to Earth Line 1: Work with the number three Line 2: Hold your staff Line 3: Speak of stone Line 4: "This eye knows oneness ___" Line 5: Say thank you Line 6: Praise aging Line 7: "Winter is a song of ____" |
The Crone comes up in many tales and mythologies. Do some research and reading.
What stories do you find that resonate with you?
John William Waterhouse, "Pandora" c. 1896
Feature Image via Pinterest
