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She has many names according to Barbara Walker in her book “The Crone — Women of Age, Wisdom, And Power”. Wise Woman, Witch, Crone, Mother of Mothers.
Although I’ve been a Witch a long time, the name I use most frequently — when approached these days is: Crone. A title I have well-earned.
Let it be known, however, The Patriarchy has done all it can to erase her existence from the face of the planet for millennia.
This is not breaking news even to my generation. Walker’s book has a 1985 copyright. My daughters were not yet in elementary school back then. My younger child might not have been out of diapers. I’m 100% sure I was still thinking I’d never get a full night’s sleep again.
But I digress.
According to Walker — The Crone, the third aspect of a woman’s life cycle had many functions in societies past. Wise Women were the ones past menstruation. They retained their life-giving blood and instead of using it to create Humans, they used it to birth wisdom, to lead their people, to heal, to create art.
And lastly, a most important task — a task which is sadly lacking in today’s society — was The Crone’s duty as Death Bringer.
Not quite literally — but The Crone was the hospice nurse of olden days. She knew which herbs and teas to prepare to ease suffering…
