Archetypes, Goddesses and Fairy Tales for the Crone

Part III

Goddesses in Western civilization, most particularly those having relevance to older women, have a history of being suppressed. However, in the collective unconscious there are archetypal patterns existing even when not allowed. These archetypes often emerge in the last third of a woman’s life. And this is where we shall begin. It’s a topic which hasn’t been much popularized until relatively recently but there is information which I hope to make accessible to you.

For those who are unfamiliar with archetypes, here is a quote from “Dream Wise” by the authors, Marchiano, Stewart, and Lee:

“Through his comprehensive study of myths, fairy tales, and symbols, Jung discovered universal psychic patterns. He called them archetypes, a word derived from Greek meaning ‘first mold’ or ‘original pattern’. Archetypes live in us as if in solution until life situations, feelings, or behaviors cause them to crystallize into consciousness. As the dynamic organizing structures of human possibility and psychic life, archetypes produce similar images across cultures”.

They go on to note that it’s important to distinguish archetypes from archetypal images. The former are invisible but act on consciousness to produce behavior patterns. The latter are symbols, often showing up in our dreams. Some examples are the Wise King, the Femme Fatale, or the Old Wise Woman.

A long held thought in relation to the divine feminine is that of the Triple Goddess or three distinct aspects or figures united in one being.

A simple way to think about this idea is that of the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. In Greek mythology, the three faces of Hecate are Persephone (Maiden), Demeter (Mother) and Crone (Hecate herself).

The Crone is the mature and aged Maiden and Mother now holding the wisdom of youth, adulthood and old age. It is a state of being well worth looking forward to. She stands at the crossroads on the bridge between death and rebirth. The cauldron is the symbol of the Crone representing the womb from which we all emerge as well as the afterlife to which we will return.

Here are images/representations associated with the Crone:

• In Greek mythology, Hecate is often depicted as an old woman carrying a torch and a key which symbolize her power over darkness and light. She is seen in conjunction with ghosts and the underworld and able to bring good luck and grant wishes.

• In Norse Mythology, she is represented by the goddess Hel, often depicted as a half-dead old woman with a pale face and cold demeanor. She judges the souls of the dead and decides their fate. Hel is associated with sickness, disease, and winter.

• In Celtic Mythology, one of my favorites is the goddess Cailleach, often known as The Cailleach, an old woman with a blue face and a staff symbolizing her power over the elements. She is able to control the weather, shape-shift into animals and is associated with creation and destruction.

• In Hindu Mythology, Kali, also called Kalika, is associated with time, death and destruction. She is a symbol of Mother Nature herself, primordial, creative nurturing and devouring in turn, but ultimately loving and benevolent.

• In Japanese mythology, there is Yamauba, the old hags and witches living in the mountains in isolated caves and huts. It is said that most often they resemble little old ladies but then they transform into monsters. Some believe they were originally old women abandoned in the forest by their families.

• Baba Yaga is a Slavic mythological Crone goddess, embodying the duality of fear and wisdom. When I was a child, she was a creature I was endlessly fascinated by, probably because she lived in a hut in the forest perched on chicken legs. There are stories of her eating children. She is also known for testing people who stumble onto her crazy hut and she rewards them with her wisdom. Baba Yaga is a reminder of the benefits of cannily facing one’s fears.

This is by no means a complete list but I hope I have whetted your appetite to further explore the Crone. The Crone archetype serves as a reminder of the riches that come with age, the importance of embracing life cycles, and the transformative power found in the ‘winter’ of our lives.

Now for a look at the Crone in Fairy Tales:

• “The Girl, The Wolf, and The Crone”

• “Hansel and Gretel”

• “Howl’s Moving Castle”

• “Vasilisa the Beautiful” featuring Baba Yaga

• “The Three Spinners”

• “Donkey Cabbages”

• “The Devil and His Grandmother”

The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, were products of their time, collecting their fairy tales and publishing them in the early 1800’s in Germany in a volume originally entitled '“Children’s and Household Tales.” You probably were read some version of those fairy tales at bedtime when you were little. Here are the messages: hags, step-mothers, and witches are magical women who must be burned or contained. Women are not to overstep their bounds else they will be placed in the forest. Women are property, marriage is practical and women are expected to perform their duties, obey their husband and give birth.

Nowadays the Crone is a symbol of the time in a woman’s life when she is filled with maturity, self-knowledge, wisdom and independence. I will list two symbols in our time. Perhaps you might consider finding others.

In literature, there is Professor Trelawney, eccentric and often dismissed by others due to her unconventional methods, who is instrumental in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter to defeat the Dark Lord.

In the TV series ‘Game of Thrones’, Melisandre, a priestess of the Lord of Light, is a powerful and manipulative Crone who uses her magical abilities to further her own agenda.

And finally, I leave you with thoughts to journal or ponder:

• What wisdom inside of you is waiting to be uncovered

• What aspects of your life are calling for transformation

• How can you navigate the interplay of darkness and light

• How can you access the wisdom of the Crone (apart from your own readings, consider your dreams)

In Revisiting the Crone, I included some references. Here are a few more:

• Sharon Blackie’s “Hagitude:Reimagining the Second Half of Life”

• D.J. Conway’s “Maiden, Mother, Crone: The Myth and Reality of the Triple Goddess”

• Clarissa Pinkola Estes “The Power of the Crone: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype” (a Sounds True audio CD collection)

If you have others, please share them. And as always, please leave your thoughts, reactions, and experiences, dear Crones and Crones-to-be.