What is a Crone?

A crone is a woman in the third stage of life. In many cultures a mature woman is revered – she is recognized for the wisdom she has gathered by living through life’s many challenges. A croning ceremony celebrates the older woman and honors her for her contributions to her family, friends, work and community.

What is a Croning Ceremony?

It is a ceremony of joyful energy, friendship and beauty. It celebrates a woman’s passage into the third stage of her life when her creativity and wisdom are at their strongest (usually age 50 and above). It moves away from society’s view of an older woman as “past her prime” to affirm the contributions she has made and has yet to make to the world. The ceremony recognizes it is now time for a woman to redefine herself in her own terms. It is about “becoming.”

A ceremony host guides 6-15 women through this non-religious ceremony to celebrate the present and future life of an admired friend. While often conducted to celebrate a birthday, it can be the occasion of “being” a wonderful and treasured woman. A key element is the guests’ description of how the crone has influenced their lives. Some of the story telling stimulates a laugh from the belly; other telling touches the heart.

The honored crone is invited to share one thing in life she “will let go of” and share one of her visions for her future - a new way of seeing herself, a goal she wants to achieve, or a dream she will finally pursue. Each guest is invited to tell the honored crone how she will support the crone on this next phase of her life’s journey.

A croning celebration is a way to share with one’s closet friends the value they add to our lives. While focused on the honored crone, all women leave the ceremony with renewed energy to pursue their own dreams with the support of their true friends.

If you would like to honor a friend or family member through a croning ceremony, we have compiled a guide for you. Also included in the package is a memory book by which to memorialize the ceremony – the thoughts of the crone’s friends on how she has touched their lives. (If a person has moved away, her friends and family can “crone her” through the memory book - even the men and grandchildren can participate!)

As our friends and family age and pass away, we often think and tell how wonderful they were – and we tell everyone but them. A croning ceremony or croning memory book is an uplifting, positive and fun way to acknowledge the love, respect and appreciation we hold for a woman of wisdom.

The Croning Ceremony Memory Book will be available as a full-color e-book so that you may include the amusing and touching anecdotes and memories of a wide range of friends, co-workers and family members. Please contact me if you would like to be notified when the Memory Book will be available for sale.