In Wicca,
We recognize divinity as having two aspects,
Masculine and feminine,
The god and the goddess,
Or the lord and the lady.
And within the feminine,
There are an additional three aspects,
The maiden,
The mother,
And the crone.
These three aspects are representative of the cycles of nature,
The major phases of the moon,
The phases of life itself.
Spring to summer is,
For us,
The time of the maiden.
It is a season of youthfulness,
New beginnings,
And new possibilities.
Summer to autumn is the time of the mother.
It is then that we observe and celebrate abundance and the fullness of life.
From autumn to winter,
Particularly late autumn,
Is the season of the crone.
The crone is also commonly referred to as the dark mother or the wise one.
This is the aspect or face of the goddess that many will shy away from due to her association with darkness,
Gateways,
And the end of cycles.
The Sabbath of Samhain,
Or Halloween,
Typically marks the beginning of the Season of the Crone.
Within the lunar cycle,
The phase associated with her is that of the dark moon.
During both times,
Whether annually or monthly,
It is a call for introspection,
Transformation,
And seeking wisdom.
This wisdom often has at least something to do with the aspect of aging,
In one form or another.
Straight away.
There is a bit of housekeeping to do before looking more into the season of the Crone.
Firstly,
It is not a season of death per se,
At least not from the perspective of finality.
Wiccans and Pagans view life as something that is cyclical and non-linear,
Therefore having no beginning and no ending.
Secondly,
The crone is more of an elder archetype than one who is simply getting old.
As the saying goes,
With age comes wisdom,
And it is in this way that Wiccans view the Crone.
Aging is far less about the end of something,
Having significantly more to do with the transitional period that occurs before new beginnings.
We see this in nature on an annual basis in autumn and winter,
With shortening days and lengthening nights.
The Earth slows.
It is a time of rest and introspection before the spring reset.
Both nature and the energy of the crone invite us to utilize this phase for achieving an even higher level of wisdom through peaceful acceptance.
It is through this peaceful acceptance that we can find benefit in croned energy when it comes to perceived endings in the mundane world.
This can include endings such as ways of doing things,
The seasons of our life in a non-spiritual sense,
Relationships of all types,
And so forth.
It's worth considering that those things,
Too,
Do not have endings in the terminal sense,
But instead change forms in the way of all things.
And when chapters come to a conclusion,
It is Krone wisdom reminding us of the beauty of transformation,
Especially when we are unable to see such during most onsets of change.
The Crone is not just about looking into the past.
She is equally as helpful when it comes to looking ahead,
Especially when it comes to divination and prophecy.
But in order to do so,
The Crone welcomes us to stand next to her on the middle ground,
The in-between,
To stand in this place that offers us a much-needed pause.
This place,
Often viewed solely as dark,
Is a threshold or gate,
And it is a quite enviable position in many ways,
Because of the vantage point it offers.
And it is at this gateway where we are invited to release that which no longer serves us in order to make room for new beginnings.
The Krone offers us the wisdom necessary to plot our course for new beginnings,
Be those within our current existence or with the unending cycles of life yet to come.
What follows is a meditative working for attuning to Krone energy.
This practice can be especially beneficial during autumn and winter.
The dark moon or the new moon,
Or whenever we find ourselves at a crossroads of any type.
Welcome to a meditative working.
For connecting with the Krone's Lantern of Wisdom.
Bring yourself into a place that is quiet and free from distractions.
Find a position that is comfortable for you.
This could be sitting or lying down.
If you wish,
You may close the eyes.
Take a deep breath and release it slowly.
As you do so,
Since that you are rooting into the earth.
Drawing Earth energy into the body.
Feel this energy coming into you through the root chakra.
Rising up like a tendril of light.
As it travels up the body.
To the crown chakra.
You Take another deep breath.
And release it slowly.
Take a moment now to leave behind anything that might have occurred before you came into this moment.
Allowing yourself to become fully present.
Allowing yourself to simply be in this moment.
The awareness is now upon the breath.
Observe the natural flow of the breath without attempting to alter it.
Attune to how the breath moves freely in and out of the body.
Each inhale provides you with an even deeper sense of grounding.
Each exhale.
Releases that which no longer serves you.
In your mind's eye.
See yourself in a room that is illuminated only by a lantern sitting upon a table.
You are not frightened by the darkness,
Because this lantern is providing a steady and reliable source of light for you.
You feel comfortable here.
You feel safe here.
With no concerns or fears.
You are able.
To completely relax into this moment.
You have arrived here at the conclusion of a certain cycle.
Whatever that cycle might be.
Call it to mind now.
Without overthinking it.
Realizing.
That the conclusion of a particular cycle is not the end of the cycle as a whole.
For the cycle of life has no beginning.
And no ending.
Therefore,
This place in which you find yourself,
Is not a place of endings.
This is a pause.
It is a gateway to new beginnings.
But in this place,
You find an opportunity to slow down.
And rest.
To have a time of looking inward and taking inventory of the self before going forward again.
You before the lantern can illuminate the unknown in the darkness that is all around you.
You draw upon the wisdom you gained from the previous cycle.
Pairing that with mindful contemplation before planning any forward movement.
As you find yourself in the harvest season of this cycle.
Consider how your priorities might change from this point forward.
Perhaps they do not change at all.
What matters most.
Is calling to mind the reasons.
For either adjusting priorities,
Or leaving them unchanged altogether.
This harvest season of the cycle is a time of blending wisdom gained from past experiences.
With the energies of renewal and rebirth.
Realized at this time of introspection.
Is creating solid ground for your first steps going forward.
And when the time is right for you to pick up the lantern.
And begin the next journey.
You realize that the light you will shine forth will be powered by the oil of wisdom gained.
You you begin to allow the mind to become external now.
Knowing that you can return to this practice as often as you wish.
And at any time of your choosing.
Slowly bring the awareness to the sounds around you.
Simply bring awareness to them without any judgment.
Or attempting to change them.
And now the awareness returns to the natural flow of the breath once again.
Each inhale continues to ground you.
Each exhale.
Continues to release whatever no longer serves you.
Allow any excess energy you have gathered for this practice.
To return to the earth.
Realizing that you can draw upon it again.
Whenever you wish.
Take another deep,
Cleansing breath.
And release it slowly.
And when you are ready.
Open the eyes.
The crow flies from me to thee.
To send the message.
Blessed Be.
